industry insights

OSHA’s Proposed Safety Inspection Rule Meets Stiff Opposition

Contractors are pushing back against a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor that would allow workers to select a representative employed by a third party to participate in workplace safety inspections.

Contractors are pushing back against a proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor that would allow workers to select a representative employed by a third party to participate in workplace safety inspections.

The proposal revives Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policy that was originally implemented in 2013, then later rescinded due to a lawsuit that argued the regulation should have undergone formal rulemaking, according to an article published on Engineering News-Record.

If approved, the rule would allow employees to authorize a non-employee as their representative on OSHA inspections. It also clarifies that third-party representatives are not limited to industrial hygienists and safety engineers, with OSHA saying they instead can be anyone with “knowledge, skills, or experience with particular hazards or conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces, as well as any relevant language skills a representative may have to facilitate better communication between workers and the [compliance safety and health officer].”

A construction worker walks along a balcony while holding a binder.
A proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Labor would change who is allowed to participate in workplace safety inspections.

Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary for OSHA, said in a statement that “This proposal aims to make inspections more effective and ultimately make workplaces safer by increasing opportunities for employees to be represented in the inspection process.”

Dozens of industry trade associations cosigned comments submitted by the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) and Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) opposing the change. They argued that the proposal would conflict with the National Labor Relations Act and ignores the rights of employees who have chosen to not have union representation.

According to the CISC’s comments contractors have also expressed concern with how employees select a representative, how employers are notified about the choice and what obligations the employer has to the representative.

Concerns were also expressed by contractors over potential liability should the representative be injured while on the job site, and the amount of sensitive information the representative may be privy to that could hurt an employer during a union organizing campaign or employee lawsuit.

Greg Sizemore, Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Workforce Development for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), said that the proposal lacks clarity in numerous areas including how OSHA or an inspector would approve employees’ requests for a third-party representative, or any safety criteria for them.

“There is no restriction on the number of different third-party representatives who may be present for a single inspection, nor on how many employees may request different representatives,” Sizemore said.

John Surma and Savannah Selvaggio of labor and employment law firm Ogletree Deakins, wrote in a blog post on the firm’s website that the rule “will insert instability and unpredictability into the inspection process,” and that “That same instability is exactly why it is anticipated that there will be much litigation surrounding this issue.”

“In the meantime, it remains to be seen how employers, labor, and other interested parties respond to this notice with comments and litigation,” they added.

Over 65 workers’ and immigrant rights organizations voiced support for the rule, according to a press release issued by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (COSH).

“Millions of U.S. workers are injured on the job every year, thousands die from sudden workplace trauma, and tens of thousands lose their lives from long-term exposure to occupational hazards,” National COSH Co-Executive Director Jessica E. Martinez said in a statement. “When workers have a strong voice – including the right to choose their own representatives during OSHA inspections – we have a real chance to prevent injuries and fatalities and reduce the toll of pain and suffering on workers and their families.”

A GPRS Project Manager looks at a tablet.
GPRS offers a bevy of services, and sponsors several safety initiatives all designed to ensure you and your team leave the job site in the same condition that you arrived to it.

Your Safety is Our Top Priority

At GPRS, safety is always on our radar. Our mission is 100% subsurface damage prevention, because we want to see you and your team leave every job site the same way you arrived to it.

But it’s not just subsurface damage. Through service lines such as 3D laser scanning, and by sponsoring safety initiatives such as Concrete Sawing & Drilling Safety Week, Construction Safety Week, and Water & Sewer Damage Awareness Week, we strive to promote real-world solutions to the most pressing safety issues on construction sites of all shapes and sizes.

We believe that data control = damage control. By having accurate, actionable facility data at the ready whenever and wherever you need it, you eliminate the chance for miscommunication to lead to mistakes that put your workers in harm’s way.

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is a first-of-its-kind, cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution that gives you complete control over your vital facility data 24/7, from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

SiteMap® is a single source of truth for the field-verified data collected by GPRS’ nationwide team of SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers. That’s:

And it’s all at your fingertips whenever you need it, wherever you need it, so you and your team can plan, design, manage, and build better.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos. Click below to schedule yours today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OSHA?

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is a federal agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was established to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.

What is the purpose of OSHA?

The primary purpose of OSHA is to ensure that employers provide a workplace environment free from recognized hazards that could cause serious harm or death to workers. This is achieved through setting and enforcing standards, conducting inspections, providing training and education, and offering assistance to employers.

Who does OSHA apply to?

OSHA regulations apply to most private sector employers and their employees, as well as some public sector employers and workers in the 50 states and certain territories and jurisdictions under federal authority. Certain businesses may be exempt from OSHA regulations, such as self-employed individuals without employees and workplaces regulated by other federal agencies.

What are OSHA standards?

OSHA standards are rules that employers must follow to ensure safe and healthy working conditions. These standards cover a wide range of hazards, including but not limited to, chemical exposures, mechanical dangers, ergonomic issues, and risks related to specific industries. Employers are required to comply with these standards to protect their employees.

How does OSHA enforce its standards?

OSHA enforces its standards through workplace inspections, investigations of complaints or accidents, and outreach programs. Inspections may be conducted randomly, in response to a complaint, or as part of a special emphasis program targeting specific industries or hazards. Employers found in violation of OSHA standards may face penalties and citations.

What are the penalties for violating OSHA standards?

Penalties for violating OSHA standards can vary depending on the severity of the violation and the employer's compliance history. Penalties may include fines, citations, and requirements to correct hazards within a specified timeframe. In cases of willful or repeated violations, penalties can be more severe, including criminal prosecution.

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Understanding SiteMap® Integration: Enhancing Workflows in Construction

SiteMap® (patent pending) powered by GPRS, is a powerful tool designed to revolutionize how construction projects are planned, executed, and delivered. You don’t need magic maps when you have SiteMap®.

What if knowing what was below was as easy as pulling your smartphone out of your pocket?

What if collaboration was as simple as pressing a button on a keyboard?

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, makes these dreams a reality by empowering construction professionals to plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

Two construction workers look at a site while one holds a tablet.
SiteMap® stands as an interactive underground utility mapping solution meticulously designed to document and present subsurface utilities and conditions for utility companies, construction experts, project managers, and similar professionals.

What is SiteMap®?

SiteMap® stands as an interactive underground utility mapping solution meticulously designed to document and present subsurface utilities and conditions for utility companies, construction experts, project managers, and similar professionals. It tackles the persistent issue of maneuvering through unknown or inadequately documented underground infrastructures, which often pose obstacles to construction processes and compromise project safety. By offering a unified view of all project information, SiteMap® proves invaluable whether you're managing a single building or overseeing multiple facilities spread across the United States.

How will SiteMap® Improve your Facility Management?

• Accurate and up to date-as-built drawings in one place

• Cloud-based digital plan room

• Intuitive and easy-to-use portal

• Permanent record of site assets

• Infrastructure knowledge

• Safely excavate, saw cut, and core drill

Two people look at construction plans on a desk and a desktop computer.
SiteMap®'s interactive platform facilitates effortless sharing of vital utility location data, ensuring that all team members remain informed and synchronized with project requirements.

Benefits of SiteMap® Integration in Construction

Streamlined Communication & Collaboration

In the construction and utilities realm, where intricate tasks require collaboration among numerous stakeholders, breakdowns in communication can result in costly delays. SiteMap®'s interactive platform facilitates effortless sharing of vital utility location data, ensuring that all team members remain informed and synchronized with project requirements. Moreover, SiteMap®'s user-friendly mobile app makes it easy to carry your mapping tool with you to the job site, ensuring accessibility and convenience wherever you go.

Improved Project Planning & Scheduling

SiteMap® enables detailed visual planning, avoiding the setback of discovering unexpected underground features during construction. By having a clear map of underground utilities, project planners can forecast potential conflicts and sequence activities more efficiently, ultimately improving productivity and adherence to schedules. Think of it like driving a car in a new territory. When you have a good map, you’re able to confidently and successfully get to where you need to be without having to call for help.

Enhanced Resource Management

By integrating SiteMap® into their workflows, construction managers can optimize resource allocation. Knowing the precise location of underground utilities means that equipment and personnel are only deployed when and where they are truly needed, reducing idle times and maximizing resource use. This also helps to reduce the risk of utility strikes, which are on a three year rise according to the most recent DIRT Report.

Those who implement accurate data maps are also more likely to save money. In fact, a recent case study cited in the Common Ground Alliance’s 2022 DIRT Report showed that the city of Chicago reduced its underground utility strikes by 50% over a five-year period by creating accessible, aggregated utility maps in a GIS platform.

Real-Time Data Analysis & Reporting

With fast reporting features, SiteMap® ensures that data-driven decisions can be made quickly and effectively. The data is provided by GPRS, which boasts a 99.8% accuracy rating across 500,000 locate jobs nationwide. Your accurate utility data is available via your SiteMap® account often within just five minutes of locate completion. This data is accurate, aggregated, searchable, and beautifully visualized for easy analysis and reporting.  The ability to analyze subsurface conditions on the fly supports proactive management and the ability to pivot strategies as projects evolve.

Perceived Challenges of Implementing SiteMap®

While the benefits are clear, there are some perceived challenges in implementing SiteMap® integration.

Compatibility Issues with Existing Systems

One potential concern for construction businesses is the degree to which SiteMap® will integrate with their existing project management systems. However, SiteMap® is built with compatibility in mind, providing flexible data portability that  can be tailored to various software ecosystems. SiteMap® has a GIS system of its own, but is also often compatible with others.This means that concerns over compatibility are far and few.  

Training and Skill Development

Another factor is the learning curve associated with any new technology. Many fear that their crew or project managers won’t be able to grasp a new platform quickly enough. This fear is unfounded, especially since SiteMap® is built so anyone can understand it. Your data is plain as day, and easy to understand. Absolutely no extra training is required to use SiteMap®, whether on a PC or your favorite mobile device.

Data Security and Privacy Concerns

In an era where data breaches are a valid concern, adopting a tool that handles sensitive project data warrants an assurance of security. SiteMap® employs robust, industry-standard data protection measures to allay these fears, enabling secure access to project data. With SiteMap®, you can ensure that your project is secure, as your data is safely kept in a single source of truth for only your team members and stakeholders to access.

Best Practices for SiteMap® Integration in Construction

Effective integration of SiteMap® into construction workflows involves a few common best practices:

Planning and Preparation

While adopting a new platform and technology may sound like a pretty large task. SiteMap® makes switching over simple. However, some planning and preparation may be preferred. This includes aligning SiteMap® capabilities with project goals and ensuring that internal infrastructure is prepared for its introduction.

Continuous Improvement

Feedback loops and regular assessments can help in fine-tuning the integration process, ensuring continuous improvement and value addition from the SiteMap® platform.

The integration of SiteMap® into construction workflows represents a step forward in managing complex projects in the modern building environment. From streamlining communication to enhancing project planning and improving resource management, SiteMap® offers tangible benefits that tackle both the traditional and emergent challenges of construction management.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos so you can see how this single source of truth for your infrastructure data will help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

Click below to schedule your demo today!

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Mapping & Modeling

Exploring The Features of SiteMap® Personal

SiteMap® Personal is a comprehensive subsurface data management tool packed with features for the modern utility professional and their team.

Facility management and construction sectors have long grappled with the herculean tasks of mapping and maintaining utility infrastructure.

Most individuals outside of these fields rarely give a second thought to the labyrinthine networks beneath their feet that keep the city around them alive – until something goes wrong.

A city skyline at night.
SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is designed to help visualize the complicated network of below and aboveground infrastructure that makes up the modern world.

Knowing what lies below is vital to maintaining vital services such as telecommunications and power. That’s why GPRS created SiteMap® (patent pending), a project & facility management application that provides accurate existing condition documentation to protect your assets and people.

SiteMap® transcends the limitations of a traditional GIS mapping solution; it offers an integrated solution to a universal challenge, revolutionizing the way we perceive and construct our surroundings – one site at a time.

Understanding the Features of SiteMap® Personal

SiteMap® Personal is designed to offer you and your team pinpoint precision when managing your infrastructure data. You receive a complimentary SiteMap® Personal subscription when you hire GPRS to conduct a utility locate, and with that subscription you have access to several key tools to help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

Easy Utility Visualization

Clear and intuitive utility visualization enables users to accurately view underground utility maps seamlessly overlaid onto their job sites. This meticulously visualized data, presented in an aggregated and labeled format, is now more comprehensible than ever. Such clarity aids in averting costly damages, mitigating the risk of accidents and ensuring adherence to safety regulations. With this tool, anyone can effortlessly comprehend their site, including vital subsurface and above-ground features, without the need for additional training.

Collaborative Project Tools

Whether you’re using the mobile app or the website, sharing your project data via SiteMap® is easy. SiteMap® Personal allows you to easily view and print your map data, giving your team access to accurate, actionable data that’s field-verified by GPRS’ team of SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers (PMs).

Aggregated & Layered

SiteMap® meticulously aggregates and layers your data, presenting each segment in a distinct manner. From color-coded utilities accompanied by gridlines to northing and easting lines, alongside a detailed map legend, every aspect is carefully delineated. This layered approach enables you to seamlessly toggle between different data layers, providing a comprehensive overview of the site and facilitating a deeper understanding of the project at hand. Whether you need to zoom out for the big picture or zoom in for finer details, accessing the desired view is as simple as pressing a button. SiteMap® empowers you to visualize your data precisely as you require, precisely when you need it, in a manner that is both logical and intuitive.

Implementing SiteMap® Personal Features

To fully leverage the benefits of SiteMap® Personal, facility managers and field workers could adopt certain practices. Here are some pointers for effective implementation:

1. Familiarize Your Team: Ensure that all team members are ready to use SiteMap® and its features effectively. No extra training is required, but it is always recommended that you give your team a few moments to look over the data at hand. While sharing capabilities are limited with this tier, project managers can still print out the visualizations for their team.

2. Integrate into Workflow: Incorporate utility mapping and real-time visualization into your standard operating procedures. For those who are used to doing it the hard way, the easy way may be a little cumbersome at first, especially for the stubborn or the old-time professionals who have watched the industry change rapidly over the last half century. Allowing your team some time to familiarize themselves with the technology is the best way to ease into workflow implementation. SiteMap® is easy to use and easy to understand, celebrated by professionals across the nation.

3. Encourage Collaboration: Utilize the app’s collaboration features to streamline communication and project management. This may not be as easy to do with Personal, but these features open up greatly with other tiers. With Personal, limited sharing capabilities still allow for a greater sense of collaboration among team members.

By considering these aspects, those working in facility management, utility companies, and construction can enhance operational efficiency and safety on the job.

A GPRS Project Manager looks at a tablet.
SiteMap® is unique because GPRS is the only company who puts over 500 pairs of boots on the ground, nationwide, carefully monitoring and recording the subsurface of your site with some of the best technology that science has to offer thus far.

Why Use SiteMap®?

There are many GIS systems out there, and all of them make their own promises. SiteMap® is unique because GPRS is the only company who puts over 500 pairs of boots on the ground, nationwide, carefully monitoring and recording the subsurface of your site with some of the best technology that science has to offer thus far.

GPRS has a 99.8% accuracy rating across 500,000 jobs across the nation. We make seeing the subsurface simple, and we do so with accuracy and innovation, one site at a time.

What are the other benefits of using SiteMap® for your project?

SiteMap® offers users a convenient way to experience facility and location data. Additionally, this geospatial solution functions as a digital storage platform for blueprints, as-built drawings, maintenance records, and permits.

How will SiteMap® Improve your Facility Management?

  • Accurate and up to date-as-built drawings in one place
  • Cloud-based digital plan room
  • Intuitive and easy-to-use portal
  • Made-for-everyone app that was created specifically for SiteMap® and those on site
  • Permanent record of site assets
  • Infrastructure knowledge
  • Safety excavations, saw cutting and core drilling

SiteMap® grants a unified view of all users' information, whether they have one building or multiple facilities across the United States, making it easy to manage projects, stay coordinated, and prevent utility strikes.

SiteMap®'s Personal Tier features offer a robust set of tools for managing underground utility infrastructure. Whether used for navigating complex utility maps or for fostering team collaboration on large-scale projects, the impact of these features on facility management is undeniable.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos. Click below to schedule your demo today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of underground utility mapping?

An accurate map of your underground utilities helps mitigate subsurface damage when excavation occurs on your property. Additionally, when maintenance or repairs are necessary, knowing where your lines are located helps you avoid costly, time-consuming, and destructive exploratory excavation (also known as potholing).

What is GIS utility mapping?

A Geographic Information System, or GIS, is a way to create, manage, analyze, and map all types of location data. Geospatial Information Systems connect data points on a map and provide descriptive details about those points, enabling users to understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context.

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, contains its own intuitive GIS component, and it can also easily integrate with your existing GIS software to provide an extra layer of safety. What sets SiteMap® apart from traditional GIS platforms, however, is that it is powered by the accurate, field-verified data obtained on site by GPRS’ NASSCO and SIM-certified Project Managers, and then layered and modeled by our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department to suit your needs.

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New Utility Mapping Software SiteMap® Can Help Civil Contractors Eliminate Downtime & Reworks During Utility Relocation Projects

New York City's newest billion dollar subway project starts with a $187 million dollar utility relocation. This project and others like it can mitigate reworks & downtime typically caused by utility relocations by utilizing the accurate underground utility mapping software, SiteMap® .

Utility Relocation projects can be daunting.

Especially when that work must be completed in a populated downtown without accurate as-built documentation, where both private, and public utilities are present in an “underground spaghetti” like web such as in New York City’s (NYC) most recent billion-dollar Second Avenue subway expansion project.

Underground utilities displayed in Manhattan New York
Underground utility “spaghetti” overlap in downtown Manhattan, New York.

Leap Towards Reality

This project, which is the second of four planned phases to extend the Second Avenue subway line in New York City by 1.76 additional miles. It will also add three stations to expand transit into Manhattan’s East Harlem neighborhood. The expansion took a massive leap towards the starting line when New York Governor, Kathy Hochul (D-NY), awarded family-owned heavy civil contractor C.A.C. Industries, with a $182 million utility relocation contract to begin work.

The entire four-part project to extend the subway is estimated to cost up to $7.7 billion and be completed 8 years after work is started. To ensure the project is completed on budget, on, time, and safe, many factors that are required in the first stage of the work -utility relocation - must go according to plan and be assisted by the use of accurate underground utility mapping software such as SiteMap®.

What is Utility Relocation?

Utility Relocation, as defined by the Law Insider  is “the removal, relocation and/or protection in place (including provision of temporary services, as necessary) of any and all utility facilities that must be removed, relocated and/or protected in place in order to permit construction of the construction project.”

This means that any time there is a need to move, relocate, or protect in place an existing underground utility due to the new construction on this project, all utility owners and other stakeholders must first be notified and prompted to do so if their facilities will be affected by the project prior to construction beginning.

Utility Relocation – Challenges

These projects, when not properly estimated for and considered, can become nightmares for the teams involved in them. Some, due to inability to get the utility relocation work designed, permitted, and completed within a timely manner, have resulted in the accumulation of over 460 days’ worth of delays as reported by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in a recent whitepaper.

Other challenges posed for these projects can be extremely difficult to navigate due to various factors that come into play during the process of utility relocation, such as the ownership of franchise agreements. These are typically drafted agreements between a local government and public/private utilities allowing those utilities restricted use of the public right-of-way. Most often in these agreements, the utilities must relocate their assets at no cost to the local government. However, that is not always the case. Other contracts that will come into play for the work needed to be conducted by C.A.C. Industries for the utility relocation project include Master Cooperation Agreements (MCAs), and Utility Agreements.

Risk Determination

The FTA states that, “Utility Relocations often represent the greatest risks to scope, cost, and schedule of a project. Mitigating these risks within project constraints is daunting, even for those experienced in project management, design, and construction.”

From underground utility conflicts and out-of-date as-built drawings, to designing without proper utility mapping software, the costs of work involved with utility relocations can be significant.

Various utility owners, project sponsors, and private and public stakeholders all play a role in communication and collaboration throughout these projects and need to play a role in mitigating risk to project assets. Many of these projects, due to various factors, can cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take years, depending on the scope of work, even for the most experienced professionals.

As-Built Verification

The steps recommended by the FTA to mitigate these risks during utility relocation projects include the assembly of a “Utility As-Built Records Team” to oversee the gathering and blending of as built record drawings and documents from all the utility companies within the projects scope of work. While this step is a great initial step to the coordination of record drawings, the majority of these plans are out of date due to years of directional drilling work and other utility relocation projects. Some plans are drafted inaccurately from the start. This results in further confusion, design mistakes, unwanted reworks, utility strikes, and project delays because the inaccurate data from these plans is then usually shown in computer aided design and drafting (CAD) drawings, which are then transferred to GIS mapping systems such as ArcGIS.

The issue with this process is that the data then displayed within the GIS platform is only as accurate as the as-built it was created from. If the as-builts are inaccurate, then the data being relied upon to make design, relocation, and dig decisions is inaccurate. At GPRS, we offer a solution to this with our 99.8% accurate Utility Mapping Software, SiteMap® with data from over 500,000 jobs completed nationwide.

A map of underground utilities

Step One: Utility Identification

While gathering as built information to start a project is necessary, it cannot be the only step taken before digging or designing. If it is, expensive reworks and damages lay ahead. To mitigate these future headaches, a great first step is to call 811 (as required by law) to coordinate for all public utilities to be located.

Then, pair that first call with the contact of a nationwide private utility locating contractor like GPRS. This will help ensure that project as-builts on private property are updated and located due to the use of multiple forms of technology, industry leading methodology, and world class training. The result of this will be accurate as-built utility mapping with up to 99.8+% confidence while also having the data stored within an easy-to-use and secure utility mapping software, SiteMap®. The utility lines included in these maps include the location of gas, water, electric, communication, sewer, irrigation, power, sight lighting, irrigation and steam lines when applicable as shown in the image below.

Utility map of retail parking lot
Accurate As-Built Utility Mapping of a jobsite.

This step in utility risk identification can pay dividends to your project and cost a fraction of what re-designs, reworks, and utility strikes may cost. An individual utility strike can cost over $56,000, and Engineering News Record (ENR) states that the annual estimated cost of construction mistakes is $1.7 trillion*. Plus, 65% of all underground utilities in the United States are deemed as private, so contacting a private utility locating company such like GPRS is essential to project safety and success.

Step Two: Upload Accurately Mapped Data

Once this data is accurately collected, it needs to be stored. This can be done within a central data bank for all underground utility information, infrastructure record keeping, and as built utility mapping. The best platform to do this needs to be easily accessible, secure, and shareable, so that all key stakeholders throughout the entire project lifecycle can access the information from wherever they are, 24/7 from any computer or mobile device.

Step Three: Access Data & Eliminate Reworks & Downtime

SiteMap® provides all of these solutions and more because once its data has been uploaded into the cloud from GPRS Project Managers, you can log into your SiteMap® personal account, and with the click of a button, view all your underground utility data, geolocated, referenced, aggregated and securely stored and shareable within the platform from any mobile device or computer, 24/7.

Not only does this help mitigate the stress involved with the relocation of underground utilities, it also helps ensure the project moves forward smoothly without experiencing re-designs that lead to unwanted project delays and budget overruns.

SiteMap® provides you the accurate data you need. Prior to design and construction.

SiteMap® is an industry-leading project and facility management application that enables collaboration on utility relocation projects and job sites in all 50 States, so that you can design, collaborate, communicate, dig, and ultimately build better.

To learn more about how a SiteMap® subscription can enhance the communication, safety, and accuracy of data used on your jobsite, schedule a live demo with one of our SiteMap® experts, today.

FAQs:

What is Involved in Underground Utility Mapping?

Underground utility mapping is a critical process that involves identifying, marking, and documenting the location of pipes, cables, and other underground infrastructural that are buried beneath the earth's surface. This process typically utilizes advanced technology such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic location (EML), and Utility Mapping tools such as SiteMap® to accurately detect and map the underground utilities. Whether you’re needing utility mapping services in Queens NY or Seattle Washington, the collected data helps in preventing accidental damages during excavation works, planning future construction projects, and maintaining the integrity of essential services like water supply, electricity, and telecommunications.

What are the benefits of Simplifying Underground Utility Mapping?

Simplifying the process of underground utility mapping yields significant advantages for urban planning, construction, and facility management and maintenance projects. A streamlined mapping approach can drastically reduce the time and resources needed to locate utilities, leading to more efficient project completion and reduced costs. Additionally, it minimizes the risk of damaging utility lines during construction, which can cause costly repairs, service disruptions, and safety hazards. Simplification also enhances the accuracy of utility mapping, ensuring that future developments such as utility relocations are based on precise and reliable as built data. Ultimately, this process fosters better collaboration among utility companies, construction teams, and urban planners, paving the way for smoother project execution and improved infrastructure management.

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Ground Penetrating Radar

5 Ways Floorplans Mitigate Risk for Emergency Planning

While the technical nature of emergency planning requires considering a number of terrifying scenarios, the communication of emergency plans in a way that encourages buy-in among customers or students, occupants, and staff is crucial.

In navigating the complexities of emergency preparedness, floorplans (aka plan views), are indispensable tools. They are both the foundation and the communication medium that facility manager can use to create resilient emergency preparedness plans that help keep workers, students, patients, customers, and everyone on site safe.

For facility professionals, preparedness against unforeseen emergencies is critical to ensure the well-being of their people and assets, whether they manage a mid-size campus, an amusement park, or a distributed portfolio of hospitals. Among these tools, floorplans are the backbone of emergency planning and preparedness efforts. These detailed schematics serve not just as blueprints for architectural design, but as strategic maps for risk mitigation, emergency response plans, and safety protocols for various scenarios, including active shooter drills, fire safety measures, evacuation processes, and natural disaster preparedness.

Your Emergency Plan Is Only as Good as The Floorplan It’s Built On

It is imperative to capture existing conditions within a facility that take into account renovations, abandoned spaces, and accurate measurements. Most record drawings (floorplans that are created for construction records) are incomplete and inaccurate, if they exist at all.

Side-by-side images of a virtual tour and a floorplan.
GPRS provides you with both floorplans and 3D virtual tours via our WalkThru 3D and FLRPLN products

A facility manager cannot create an effective emergency response or evacuation plan unless they build it on accurate existing conditions. GPRS provides both floorplans and 3D virtual tours for facility managers via our WalkThru 3D and FLRPLN products. Learn more about how we Intelligently Visualize The Built World®, here.  

5 Ways Floorplans Streamline Risk Mitigation in Emergency Planning

  1. Accurate Facility Layouts: Floorplans offer precise representations of building layouts, ensuring that emergency planners and facility managers have a clear understanding of the space they are working with. This accuracy is vital for identifying the most effective routes for evacuation and the best places to seek shelter during emergencies.
  2. Identification of Vulnerability Points: By reviewing detailed floorplans, potential hazard zones within a facility can be easily identified. This might include areas that are prone to overcrowding, limited access points, or regions that could become hazardous in specific emergency scenarios, enabling preemptive action to address these vulnerabilities.
  3. Tailored Emergency Response Strategies: With a comprehensive view of the entire facility, emergency planners can develop customized response plans that cater to the unique features of the building. This customization can significantly improve the effectiveness of emergency responses, ensuring they are optimized for the specific layout and needs of the space.
  4. Analysis of Space Utilization: Floorplans allow for a thorough analysis of how spaces within a facility are used, which is crucial for planning safe evacuation routes and shelter-in-place locations. Understanding space utilization helps in directing occupants away from potentially dangerous areas to designated safe zones efficiently.
  5. Location of Critical Infrastructure: Knowing the exact location of fire extinguishers, emergency exits, safe assembly points, and other critical infrastructure is crucial in an emergency. Floorplans provide this information, enabling both the facility management team and the occupants to familiarize themselves with these important details ahead of an emergency, facilitating quicker and safer responses.
A GPRS Project Manager looks at a laser scanner while holding a tablet.
GPRS' reality capture technologies allow us to convert photogrammetry into 2D floorplan views, delivered digitally and shareable via SiteMap® so that they can be downloaded, saved, and shared to any laptop, tablet, or smartphone and are accessible 24/7.

Enhance Workplace & Student Safety During Active Shooter Drills

In the worst-case scenario of an active shooter situation, every second counts. Floorplans empower facility managers and law enforcement agencies by providing clear, detailed layouts of the premises. These drawings enable precise coordination and strategizing of law enforcement response movements and shelter-in-place locations for occupants, significantly reducing response times and enhancing the efficiency of drills and actual emergency responses. Detailed floor plans aid in visualizing and implementing barricade and evacuation strategies tailored to the specific architectural nuances of a facility.

Facilitate Fire Safety & Evacuation Protocols

Fire safety is a fundamental aspect of facility management, requiring meticulously planned evacuation routes and strategies. Detailed floorplans provide a foundation for developing comprehensive fire safety plans, delineating clear paths of evacuation and highlighting the locations of fire safety equipment. By leveraging these drawings, facility managers can conduct thorough fire drills, ensuring that occupants are familiar with evacuation routes and procedures, thereby minimizing panic and confusion in actual emergencies.

Create Preparedness for Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are unpredictable, so they require thoughtful preemptive planning and preparedness to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of occupants. Floorplans contribute to this preparedness by facilitating the analysis of structural vulnerabilities and the planning of evacuation routes and safe zones specific to different types of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods. These detailed plans enable facility managers to devise customized emergency response strategies, taking into account the unique challenges posed by various natural disasters.

Concise, Professional & Accessible Communication: The Key to Successful Planning

While the technical nature of emergency planning requires considering numerous terrifying scenarios, the communication of emergency plans in a way that encourages buy-in among customers or students, occupants, and staff is crucial. Facility managers must strive to translate these detailed schematics and strategies into accessible, easily understandable formats. Through clear signage, intuitive symbols, and regular emergency drills, occupants can become familiar with the nuances of the plans, so that they can respond effectively in emergencies.

Rescue workers in a dark, smoky building.
Sharing your facility emergency response plans with first responders like police and firefighters, getting their specialized input, and asking for a community relations officer to come speak to your staff and/or students, and even participate in drills, can provide additional layers of confidence.

Include First Responders in Your Safety Plans

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sharing your facility emergency response plans with first responders like police and firefighters, getting their specialized input, and asking for a community relations officer to come speak to your staff and/or students, and even participate in drills, can provide additional layers of confidence. “Including emergency management and first responders in your training and practice will enable them to:  

  • Be familiar with your site and plans and give you feedback from a professional perspective.
  • Know your evacuation locations.
  • Teach you how to best communicate with them and understand what to expect once they arrive.
  • Tell you how you can be alerted to emergencies in your area.
  • Help you improve your plan and your procedures.
  • Teach the children about safety and inspire them to practice.

Detailed schematics like floorplans and plan view drawings are so much more than architectural design tools; they are instrumental in risk mitigation.

Accurate floorplans enhance a facility manager’s ability to provide a set of actionable processes that anyone can follow, and literally provide the road map their workers, students, and first responders can use to help keep everyone safe. Leveraging the detailed insights provided by plan view drawings, in conjunction with clear, accessible communication and regular drills, can significantly enhance the safety and preparedness of facilities, ensuring the well-being of all occupants in the face of emergencies.

What can GPRS help you visualize? Click here to learn more.

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3D Laser Scanning

Why Do You Need Updated As-Builts on Your Next Project?

As-builts should represent the current state or existing conditions of a building or site. These drawings or plans should contain precise measurements of above and below ground infrastructure details. These details can include underground utilities, structural components, piping and conduits, equipment, building layout and their location and dimensions.

As-builts should represent the current state or existing conditions of a building or site. These drawings or plans should contain precise measurements of above and below ground infrastructure details. These details can include underground utilities, structural components, piping and conduits, equipment, building layout and their location and dimensions.

A person works on a laptop and paper construction plans.
How do you know you're working off up-to-date as-built documentation?

Change is a normal and expected part of the construction process or building life cycle. Over the course of any construction project or the life of a building, the work scope changes, things are modified, and drawings are not usually updated to reflect those changes. Changes can be the result of customer design modifications, varying site conditions, availability of materials, contractor-requested changes, value engineering and limiting existing conditions to name a few. After construction, as-builts serve the owner as a permanent record of reference information about what was actually built on their site.

So, how does a facility manager know they have the most up-to-date as built documentation? Creating a new one with GPRS.

How To Capture An As-Built With GPRS?

Utilizing 3D laser scanning is the best technique for acquiring precise measurements and comprehensive aboveground insights of a project site. Leveraging LiDAR technology, 3D laser scanning quickly records the current conditions of a building, site, or facility, delivering the data in the form of a point cloud. This method ensures the capture of exterior and interior details, including buildings, foundations, structures, piping, and equipment, with accuracy down to 2-4mm.

The resulting data provides exact building dimensions, locations, and layouts. Point cloud data can be seamlessly imported into CAD software platforms like Revit and AutoCAD, enabling the creation of highly detailed 2D CAD drawings, 3D BIM models, 3D meshes, TruViews, virtual tours, and utility locate maps.

What Are Some Applications for As-Builts?

Digital Twins

Digital twins represent a transformative concept in various industries, including architecture, engineering, construction, facility management, and beyond. At its core, a digital twin is a virtual counterpart of a physical object, such as a building or utility system. It's a sophisticated digital replica that mirrors the built world in both its structural and operational aspects. Overall, digital twins offer unprecedented insights and capabilities, empowering facilities to achieve greater resilience, agility, and sustainability in managing their physical assets and infrastructure. As technology continues to advance, the potential applications and benefits of digital twins are expected to expand even further, revolutionizing the way we design, build, and manage the built world.

Documentation, Verification & Recordkeeping

An as-built drawing serves as a crucial tool in the construction verification process, playing a pivotal role in confirming that a construction project has achieved its intended objectives or documenting any deviations from the original plans. As-built drawings contribute to construction verification – documenting the accuracy of a build vs what was intended. As-built drawings provide a detailed record of the final built environment, capturing the precise locations and dimensions of structural elements, utilities, and other components. By comparing these drawings to the initial design plans, stakeholders can assess the accuracy of the construction work and ensure that it aligns with the original specifications. As-built drawings help verify compliance with building codes, regulations, and contractual agreements. By comparing the final built environment to the as-built drawings, stakeholders can ensure that the construction meets the necessary standards and requirements. This verification is essential for regulatory approval, quality assurance, and risk mitigation.

Clash Detection & Avoidance

In construction projects involving intricate systems like piping networks, pipe racks, and ductwork, clash detection software plays a vital role by analyzing digital models to identify spatial conflicts (clashes). These conflicts often occur when planned components intersect with existing structures or clash with other elements within the building layout. For example, clash detection can flag instances where ductwork clashes with piping systems or where pipe racks interfere with equipment installations. As-built drawings provide a comprehensive record of the final built environment, capturing the exact placement and dimensions of all components after construction completion. By comparing the digital models used for clash detection with the information documented in the as-built drawings, project teams can ensure that any conflicts identified during the design phase were effectively addressed during construction. This verification process helps validate the accuracy of clash detection results and provides assurance that potential conflicts were indeed resolved as intended.

Construction plans.
Updated as-built documentation provides facility managers with an accurate record of their building's components, layout, and infrastructure as they were constructed.

Accurate Historical & Record Drawings for a Facility Life Cycle

Updated as-built documentation provides facility managers with an accurate record of the building's components, layout, and infrastructure as they were constructed. This comprehensive documentation encompasses details such as the location of structural elements, utility systems, electrical wiring, plumbing networks, and other essential building systems. Having access to this information allows facility managers to gain a thorough understanding of the facility's physical attributes, enabling them to efficiently plan and execute maintenance activities. As-built documentation serves as a valuable resource when planning renovations, expansions, or upgrades to the facility. Facility managers can use the detailed information contained in the documentation to assess the feasibility of proposed changes, understand the impact on existing infrastructure, and develop accurate cost estimates and timelines. This informed decision-making process ensures that renovations and upgrades are carried out efficiently and in compliance with building codes and regulations. In the event of emergencies such as fires, floods, or power outages, as-built documentation plays a crucial role in facilitating swift and effective response efforts. Facility managers can use the documentation to quickly locate shut-off valves, emergency exits, fire suppression systems, and other critical safety features. Additionally, having access to detailed building plans allows emergency responders to navigate the facility more efficiently, potentially saving lives and minimizing property damage.

The necessity of updated as-built documentation cannot be overstated for both construction projects and facility management. As-built drawings serve as a permanent record of the current state or existing conditions of a building or site, providing precise measurements and comprehensive details of above and below ground infrastructure. Throughout the construction process and the lifespan of a building, changes are inevitable, making it essential to have accurate and up-to-date documentation. As-built drawings play a crucial role in construction verification, ensuring that the completed work aligns with the original plans and meets regulatory standards. Moreover, for facility management teams, as-built documentation is indispensable for efficiently maintaining, managing, and renovating facilities. It enables proactive maintenance planning, supports informed decision-making for renovations and upgrades, enhances emergency preparedness, and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. As technology advances, tools like clash detection and digital twins further enhance the utility and value of as-built documentation, revolutionizing the way we design, build, and manage the built environment. Therefore, creating and maintaining updated as-built documentation is essential for ensuring the success, safety, and sustainability of construction projects and facilities.

Your Plans, at Your Fingertips

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is a project & facility management application that provides accurate existing condition documentation to protect your assets and people.

It’s a single source of truth for the updated as-built documentation created by GPRS’ Mapping & Modeling Department using the accurate, field-verified data collected by our NASSCO and SIM-certified Project Managers. And it’s securely accessible 24/7 from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

GPRS SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal demos so you can see for yourself how SiteMap® will help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

Click below to schedule your demo today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is as-built documentation?

As-built documentation refers to the set of drawings, plans, and records that accurately depict the final state or configuration of a construction project. It reflects any modifications, deviations, or changes made during the construction process compared to the original design plans.

Why is as-built documentation important?

As-built documentation is crucial because:

  • It provides an accurate record of the final construction, aiding in future maintenance, repairs, and renovations.
  • It serves as a reference for regulatory compliance, insurance claims, and legal disputes.
  • It helps in understanding the evolution of a project and documenting changes for stakeholders’ reference.

What types of information are included in as-built documentation?

As-built documentation typically includes updated drawings, specifications, equipment lists, material records, and any relevant changes or deviations made during construction. This can range from alterations in structural elements to modifications in utility layouts or system configurations.

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Mapping & Modeling

How GPRS Utility Locating & Video Pipe Inspection Services Ensure Safe Construction

A paper mill in south-central Ohio was expanding, and the contractor needed an accurate map of all subsurface utilities on the property to keep the project on time, on budget, and safe.

A paper mill in south-central Ohio was expanding, and the contractor needed an accurate map of all subsurface utilities on the property to keep the project on time, on budget, and safe.

GPRS was able to locate and map all utilities on the site, so that the contractor could determine where it was safe to excavate, safe to build over the existing infrastructure, and what utilities would need to be relocated.

Inside a paper mill.
A paper mill in south-central Ohio was expanding, and the contractor need an accurate map of all subsurface utilities on the property to keep the project on time, on budget, and safe.

The paper mill is in Chillicothe, Ohio, about 45 miles south of Columbus along the Scioto River. Josh Domingues was one of the GPRS Project Managers (PMs) on the project, and he primarily relied on ground penetrating radar to locate and map the site’s buried utility lines.

“It was gas lines, communication lines, and electric duct banks,” Domingues said. “It was a flat [site] with gravel and some grass, and they were just extending the existing building.”

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-destructive detection and imaging technology which emits radio waves into the ground or within a surface such as concrete to visualize what is hidden within. When the waves encounter a subsurface object – metallic or non-metallic – they interact with it in a way that the GPR unit can detect. These interactions are displayed in a readout as a series of hyperbolas that vary in size and shape depending on the type of material the radio wave encountered.

A GPRS Project Manager uses ground penetrating radar to conduct a utility locate.
GPRS Project Managers use ground penetrating radar (GPR) to locate utilities underground and scan concrete for embedded conduit, post tension cable, and rebar.

It takes specialized training for a professional utility locator to interpret this data and provide you with accurate, actionable data on where you can and can’t dig.

The best training and specification for this kind of work is the Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM), which is what GPRS uses to train its PMs in conducting utility locating, precision concrete scanning, video (CCTV) pipe inspection, and leak detection services.

SIM teaches that the best way to ensure accurate, consistent data when investigating subsurface infrastructure is to utilize multiple technologies and a repeatable process. When a GPRS PM is conducting a utility locate, that means using both GPR and electromagnetic (EM) locating.

Unlike a GPR scanner, an EM locator can’t locate a buried pipe or cable; instead, it detects the electromagnetic signal radiating from the utility.

These signals can be created in several different ways:

  • An EM locator’s transmitter applying current to the pipe
  • Current flow in a live electrical cable
  • A conductive pipe acting as an antenna and re-radiating signals from stray electrical fields and communications transmissions
A GPRS Project Manager holding an EM locator and spray paint.
Electromagnetic (EM) locating is a complementary technology to ground penetrating radar when conducting utility locates.

Because an EM locator functions differently than GPR, the two technologies have different limitations and advantages and can therefore act as perfect complements to one another during a utility locate.

In Chillicothe, however, Domingues was able to rely heavily on his GPR scanner. This is because the sandy soil in the riverside city is conducive to GPR use, allowing for greater signal penetration as compared to the clay-rich soil more commonly found across Ohio.

“It was kind of weird [to see sandy soil] with it being Ohio, but we were able to see about 7-to-8 feet deep,” Domingues said.

A GPRS Project Manager lowers a remote-controlled sewer scope into a manhole.
GPRS’ video pipe inspection services utilize remote-controlled rovers and push-fed cameras to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of your storm and wastewater infrastructure.

In addition to utility locating, GPRS deployed our video pipe inspection (VPI) services to investigate and map the paper mill’s existing waste and stormwater infrastructure.

This sewer scope inspection service utilizes state-of-the-art, remote-controlled rovers equipped with CCTV cameras and sondes: instrument probes that allow GPRS Project Managers to ascertain the location of underground utilities from an inaccessible location. Push-fed cameras equipped with sondes are utilized to investigate pipes too small to access with the rovers.

GPRS inspects your sewer and storm lines for defects such as inflow/infiltration, cross bores, blockages, and other problems that could cause soil contamination, service interruptions, or worse.

GPRS VPI Project Managers are certified in the National Association of Sewer Service Companies’ (NASSCO) Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP), Lateral Assessment Certification Program (LACP), and Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP) so they know how to consistently and accurately assess the condition of your pipelines, laterals, and manholes.

When you hire GPRS to conduct a sewer inspection, you receive comprehensive WinCan reporting that includes detailed descriptions of any pipe defects found, and video footage and screenshots of these problems. The defects are ranked by severity and geolocated, so you know what needs to be addressed first and exactly where you need to dig to conduct repairs.

With the information collected by our PMs, the contractor on the Chillicothe project was able to complete the expansion of the paper mill without causing costly and potentially dangerous subsurface damage.

At GPRS, we’re in pursuit of 100% subsurface damage prevention. From skyscrapers to sewer lines, we Intelligently Visualize The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is private utility locating important?

Striking a single buried utility while excavating costs, on average, $56,000 to repair, and it typically takes 6-8 weeks for that repair to be completed.

Calling 811 to have a one-call contractor provide you with the estimated locations of all public utilities on your job site is required by law, and simply a best practice for helping you avoid expensive and potentially dangerous subsurface damage. Public utilities, however, make up only about 40% of all buried infrastructure; the other 60% is private, and 811 does not locate private utilities. Hiring a professional private utility locating company is the best way to mitigate the risk of subsurface damage on your next project.

What do I get when GPRS conducts a utility locate?

Our Project Managers flag and paint our findings directly on the surface. This method of communication is the most accurate form of marking when excavation is expected to commence within a few days of service.

GPRS also uses a global positioning system (GPS) to collect data points of findings. We use this data to generate a plan, KMZ file, satellite overlay, or CAD file to permanently preserve results for future use.

Additionally, when you hire GPRS to complete a utility locate, you receive a complimentary SiteMap® Personal subscription. SiteMap® (patent pending), is GPRS’ cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution that provides accurate existing condition documentation to protect your assets & people.

SiteMap® is a single source of truth for the field-verified data collected by our PMs, allowing you to securely access and share this information 24/7, from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

Learn more about how SiteMap® can help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better by clicking here to sign up for a personal, live SiteMap® demo today!

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About GPRS
Ground Penetrating Radar
Mapping & Modeling
Utility Locating
Video Pipe Inspection

GPRS Utility Mapping Ensures the Successful Construction of Pet Food Factory

GPRS’ utility locating and mapping services recently helped ensure the safe construction of a 450,000-square-foot pet food factory.

GPRS’ utility locating and mapping services recently helped ensure the safe construction of a 450,000-square-foot pet food factory.

The $390M factory was built on the same property as another facility owned by the same business, which meant the contractor on the project knew there would be extensive subsurface utilities where they needed to excavate.

Striking a single utility while excavating can derail a project, leaving you with tens of thousands of dollars in repair costs and a significant delay in your schedule as repairs are conducted. And utility strikes are dangerous. A severed electrical line or gas pipe could threaten the health and safety of not just your workers but the surrounding community.

This is why federal law requires contractors and excavators to call 811 before breaking ground. 811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number; an 811 one-call utility locator will come to your site to provide you with the approximate location of all public utilities in your dig area.

A GPRS Project Manager uses ground penetrating radar to locate utilities.
Roughly 60% of our nation's subsurface utility infrastructure is private, meaning it's owned by an individual or business. This is why it's important to hire a professional utility locator to locate and map your subsurface infrastructure before you break ground.

It’s important to remember, however, that roughly 60% of our nation’s subsurface utility infrastructure is private, meaning it’s owned by an individual or business. 811 locators do not locate or mark private utilities. So, to fully understand your job site’s buried infrastructure before digging, you’ll need to contact a professional, private utility locator company in addition to calling 811.

Over the course of several visits, GPRS Project Manager Josh Domingues used ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic (EM) locating to locate and map all existing buried utilities on the site – and the utilities installed to service the new pet food factory.

GPR is a non-destructive imaging technology that utilizes radio waves to locate objects buried underground or embedded within concrete. The GPR scanner emits radio waves into the concrete or underground, the waves interact with the objects they encounter, and those interactions are displayed in a readout as hyperbolas varying in size and shape depending on the material located. GPRS Project Managers like Domingues are trained in the Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM), the industry-leading training program and specification that allows all our PMs to accurately locate and map your subsurface infrastructure.

One of the main components of SIM is the use of multiple technologies to ensure accuracy and repeatability of results. To that end, GPRS deploys EM locating to complement GPR scanning.

While an EM locator can’t locate buried pipes or cables, it can detect the electromagnetic signals radiating from those objects. These signals can be created by the locator’s transmitter applying current to the pipe, from current flow in a live electrical cable, or from a conductive pipe acting as an antenna and re-radiating signals from stray electrical fields and communications transmissions.

Signals are created by the current flowing from the transmitter which travels along the conductor (line/cable/pipe) and back to the transmitter. The current typically uses a ground to complete the current. A ground stake is used to complete the circuit through the ground.

Using GPR and EM locating in concert, Domingues fully mapped the existing subsurface infrastructure and the new lines as they were installed.

“Each time I scanned, we created an updated map for the [contractor],” Domingues said.

Rather than relying on outdated as-built documentation, the contractor mitigated risk by utilizing the accurate, field-verified utility maps created by GPRS. Changes made on site were reflected in each new map, ensuring the entire project team could stay on the same page and eliminate mistakes caused by miscommunication.

A construction worker stands in front of a dump truck while holding a tablet.
SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is a cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution that puts your vital facility data at your fingertips, 24/7, from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

Your Data: Where & When You Need It

At GPRS, we know that even the most accurate data is useless if it can’t be easily accessed and securely shared with your team. Having accurate, actionable data at your fingertips throughout a project’s lifecycle is essential to keeping that project on time, on budget, and safe.

That’s why GPRS created SiteMap® (patent pending), a first-of-its-kind, cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution that gives you complete control over your vital facility data 24/7, from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

SiteMap® is a single source of truth for the field-verified, 99.8% accurate utility mapping, NASSCO-certified video (CCTV) pipe inspections, 2-4mm accurate 3D laser scans, and pinpoint accurate leak detection provided by GPRS’ nationwide team of Project Managers. And it’s at your fingertips when you need it, where you need it, to help you plan, design, manage, and build better.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos. Click below to schedule your demo today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of underground utility mapping?

An accurate map of your underground utilities helps mitigate subsurface damage when excavation occurs on your property. Additionally, when maintenance or repairs are necessary, knowing where your lines are located helps you avoid costly, time-consuming, and destructive exploratory excavation (also known as potholing).

What is GIS utility mapping?

A Geographic Information System, or GIS, is a way to create, manage, analyze, and map all types of location data. Geospatial Information Systems connect data points to digital points on a map and provide descriptive details about those points, enabling users to understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context.

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, contains its own intuitive GIS component, and it can also easily integrate with your existing GIS software to provide an extra layer of safety. What sets SiteMap® apart from traditional GIS platforms, however, is that it is powered by the accurate, field-verified data obtained on site by GPRS’ NASSCO and SIM-certified Project Managers, and then layered and modeled by our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department to suit your needs.

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About GPRS
Ground Penetrating Radar
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Utility Locating

How GPRS Services Support Adaptive Reuse of Power Facilities

Accurate, actionable data is necessary to ensure the safety and success of adaptive reuse projects, whether you’re transforming an office building into apartments or retrofitting an oil refinery to produce clean energy.

Adaptive reuse doesn’t just mean turning office buildings into apartments, or warehouses into loft spaces.  

Long-abandoned shopping malls are being turned into data centers, and oil refineries are being retrofitted into clean energy facilities.  

Accurate, actionable infrastructure data is necessary to ensure the safety and success of these projects.

Overhead view of oil refinery.
Photo by CLUI courtesy of Engineering News-Record. Netherlands-based petrochemicals manufacturer LyondellBasell recently announced that it plans to convert the soon-to-be-closed oil refinery of its Houston Refining LP unit into a hydrogen facility.

Netherlands-based petrochemicals manufacturer LyondellBasell announced in November that it plans to convert the soon-to-be-closed oil refinery of its Houston Refining LP unit into a hydrogen facility. According to Engineering News-Record, the 268,000-barrel-per-day plant will be part of Houston’s HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub, one of seven hydrogen hubs in the United States which, collectively, were selected in October to receive up to $7 billion in funding as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub will receive up to $1.2 billion in funds as part of this award. According to a press release issued by the White House, the hub is expected to create approximately 45,000 direct jobs – 35,000 in construction jobs and 10,000 permanent jobs.

The press release goes on to say that the Houston-based hub “will help kickstart the clean hydrogen economy with its plans for large-scale hydrogen production through both natural gas with carbon capture and renewables-powered electrolysis, leveraging the Gulf Coast region’s abundant renewable energy and natural gas supply to drive down the cost of hydrogen – a crucial step to achieving market liftoff.”

Collectively, the seven hydrogen hubs aim to produce more than three million metric tons of clean hydrogen per year, which would amount to almost a third of the 2030 U.S. clean hydrogen production goal. They are also expected to eliminate 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from end users annually – an amount roughly equivalent to the combined annual emissions of over 5.5 million gasoline-powered cars.

A hydrogen-powered bus.
While there are still problems to be solved, hydrogen is believed to be an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications.

Hydrogen Power Explained

Hydrogen is known as an energy carrier because it does not exist freely in nature and is produced from other sources of energy. When combined with oxygen in a fuel cell, it produces heat and electricity. Its only by-product is water vapor.

There are several ways to produce hydrogen, including using fossil fuels or biomass, or passing electricity through water to extract the hydrogen from the latter.  

Today, most hydrogen is produced by steam reforming natural gas. The problem is that natural gas is a fossil fuel, meaning that producing clean hydrogen using this method requires utilizing a resource that is becoming scarcer and more expensive by the day, and emits carbon dioxide.

Efficient transportation and storage solutions for hydrogen are still being developed, and hydrogen fuel cell technology also requires improvements before its efficient and durable enough for widespread adoption. Still, many experts believe that when produced using green processes, hydrogen is an attractive fuel option for transportation and electricity generation applications.

GPRS Project Managers performing utility locating services.
GPRS has a comprehensive suite of infrastructure visualization services designed to keep you on time, on budget, and safe.

GPRS Services Put You in Control

Whether you’re transforming a mall into a data center, or retrofitting an oil refinery to produce renewable energy, you need accurate, actionable infrastructure data to ensure you stay on time, on budget, and safe.

GPRS has successfully completed as-built utility update projects at many power generation facilities across the United States. With our comprehensive range of reporting options, including marks on the ground, field sketches, detailed CAD reports and satellite image overlays, our energy clients have the peace of mind of knowing they have the most reliable scanning and reporting technology on their job site.

GPRS Project Managers (PMs) have achieved and maintain a 99.8%+ rate of accuracy on the over 500,000 utility locating and concrete scanning projects we’ve completed to date, thanks in large part to our commitment to the Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM). This industry-leading training program and specification guides how we conduct not only utility locates and precision concrete scanning, but also video (CCTV) pipe inspections and leak detection.

The data collected on your site by our SIM-certified PMs is at your fingertips 24/7 thanks to SiteMap® (patent pending), GPRS’ project and facility management application that provides accurate existing condition documentation to protect your assets and people.

SiteMap® takes all the field-verified data collected by our PMs and puts it in one place where you can securely access it and share it with your team members from any computer, tablet, or mobile device. It’s a single source of truth for everything you need to plan, design, manage, dig, and ultimately build better.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal demos of SiteMap®. Click below to schedule your demo today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is hydrogen gas cheaper than traditional gasoline?

No, the current price of hydrogen is higher than traditional gasoline. Hydrogen fuel cells, however, are approximately 2.5 times more efficient than gasoline engines.

What are the Benefits of Underground Utility Mapping?

Having an updated and accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure reduces accidents, budget overruns, change orders, and project downtime caused by dangerous and costly subsurface damage.

How does SiteMap® assist with Utility Mapping?

SiteMap®, powered by GPRS, is the industry-leading infrastructure management program. It is a single source of truth, housing the 99.8%+ accurate utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and 3D laser scanning data our Project Managers collect on your job site. And the best part is you get a complimentary SiteMap® Personal Subscription when GPRS performs a utility locate for you.

Click here to learn more.

Does SiteMap® Work with my Existing GIS Platform?

SiteMap® allows for exporting of data to SHP, GeoJSON, GeoPackage, and DXF directly from any user’s account that either owns or has a job shared to their account. All these file formats can be imported and utilized by other GIS packages if manually imported by the user. More information can be found at SiteMap.com.

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3D Laser Scanning
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GPRS Laser Scanning Delivers BIM Model for The University of Texas Stadium LED Ribbon Display Upgrade

GPRS was hired to 3D laser scan Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin to deliver a 3D BIM model to design and plan for the installation of new LED ribbon displays.
“GPRS came highly recommended, and rest assured that your reputation as the defacto ‘Go To’ will be reinforced after my experience with your team.  Thank you for your attention to detail and prompt response to getting us the information we needed to make some critical path decisions on this project."  Lawrence Bittock, Project Manager, Daktronics

When the Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium planned to upgrade multiple LED ribbon displays, they required precise existing conditions data to integrate the new displays into the existing architecture. UT contracted the services of Daktronics, a world leader in manufacturing and installing audiovisual systems.

Daktronics called GPRS to 3D laser scan Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin to deliver a 3D BIM model to design and plan for the new LED ribbon boards.

The scope of work included capturing the stadium’s structure, including the precast concrete foundation, columns, beams, fascia, walls, stairs, seating, and more. Precise as-built data was required to engineer, fabricate, and install the new stadium LED ribbon display. A typical ribbon board has a height of 48 pixels, and a width of 10,000 pixels. This creates many challenges during design and installation since the boards typically curve around the stadium.

Jim Cardoza, GPRS’ Senior Project Manager for the Houston area, was called to 3D laser scan the stadium and capture exact as-built conditions. Cardoza demonstrated the elite level of service and quality that GPRS is known for when he 3D laser scanned Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in one day.

“We are proud to partner with Daktronics and the University of Texas to provide an up-to-date as-built model for this project,” said Cardoza.

3D laser scanning stadium
GPRS provided 3D laser scanning services for Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin.

3D point cloud data of the stadium infrastructure was captured with an RTC 360 Leica laser scanner.

“It was imperative to capture the exact architectural and structural details of the stadium. Our client needed 2-4 millimeter-accurate dimensions of the existing fascia and column locations to design the new LED ribbon displays,” added Cardoza.

Point cloud data was delivered to The GPRS Mapping & Modeling team to create a precise 3D BIM model of the stadium. With a 3D BIM model, Daktronics could access precise data needed to make accurate decisions for this sports facility upgrade.  

“We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship of providing accurate as built data and models to Daktronics.” said Steve Weldy, GPRS CAD designer on the project.

The GPRS Mapping & Modeling Team Delivered:

  • Autodesk ReCap Point Cloud
  • TruViews (a portable 3D virtual tour dataset (.LGS) and plug-in published from Leica)
  • 3D BIM Model at Standard Detail

3D BIM model of stadium
With a 3D BIM model, Daktronics can access precise data to design and plan for the new LED ribbon displays.

“One of our top priorities is offering an exceptional fan experience at Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium, helping to make it one of the most exciting venues in college sports,” Texas Men’s Athletics Director Mike Perrin said. “Upgrading LED technology throughout the stadium will enhance the viewing experience for our fans.”

Previous LED Video Display Upgrades at The University of Texas

In 2017, The University of Texas hired ANC to upgrade video boards in Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. $4.5 million was spent to upgrade the video board in the south end zone, LED ribbon boards, and several more fascia boards at different levels of the stadium.

According to Sports Business Journal, for this project UT worked with Mitsubishi Electric, to manufacture a new video board for the south end zone. The video board was 56 feet high and 134 feet wide, and contained more than 2.7 million physical pixels, making it the 4th largest video display in the NCAA.

ANC specializes in designing and installing technology systems for high-profile sports arenas, transit hubs, commercial destinations, and major entertainment venues in the U.S.

“We knew we needed to upgrade the board because technology changes so fast,” said Arthur Johnson, the University of Texas' Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director. “It’s like your televisions and computers at home.”

Why Choose Us? The GPRS DIFFERENCE.

Many sports and athletic facilities are planning construction projects and infrastructure upgrades to attract and retain the next generation of students.

GPRS has extensive experience 3D laser scanning stadiums and arenas for facility modifications and upgrades.

We have scanned SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, Crypto.com Arena, TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, and dozens more.

The point cloud data captured by 3D laser scanning is accurate within 2-4 millimeters and can be processed into custom 2D CAD drawings and 3D BIM models at any level of detail.

GPRS uses the most advanced ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic (EM) imaging technology available, to detect and map underground utility lines for construction and excavation projects.

GPRS SIM-certified Project Managers provide comprehensive concrete scanning mark-outs for post tension, pan deck, and other varieties of concrete slab.

We provide NASSCO-certified CCTV Video Pipe Inspection with photo and video documentation. We find lateral lines, cross bores, and detail every pipe defect in a comprehensive VPI report.

All GPRS data is uploaded to SiteMap®, our industry-leading project and facility management software to aid in construction and renovation planning.

With over 500 Project Managers in every major market and city across the United States, GPRS has an unmatched nationwide service network that makes it quick and easy to find an expert Project Manager in your area.

What can we help you visualize?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a LED Ribbon Display?

LED ribbon board displays are made up of thin, flexible, ribbon-like panels embedded with LED technology.  They employ one green, one blue, and one red Light Emitting Diode (LED) to form one pixel. They are used in stadiums and sports arenas to display live information such as scores, statistics, announcements, and other relevant content during sports events or entertainment shows.

What is a TruView?

TruViews are 3-dimensional photographs overlaid on top of the point cloud data. TruViews are utilized by construction professionals, designers, engineers, and architects to share point cloud data and mark-ups; take basic dimensions; estimate clearances and distances; and print and convert data. TruViews can also be useful for those who have not been to the site and need to view specific details of a particular area. A person with minimal knowledge about AutoCAD can use the TruView program without any problem or difficulty.

Why is a point cloud important?

Point clouds provide powerful and dynamic information for a project. By representing spatial data as a collection of coordinates, point clouds deliver large datasets that can be mined for information. The visualization and analysis from point cloud data is invaluable for decision making. CAD technicians transform point clouds into customized deliverables used for visualization, analysis, design, construction, renovation, prefabrication, and facility modifications.

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How GPRS Reimagined GIS Technology to Bridge Construction Data Gap

As GPRS Project Managers heard the growing frustration of AEC and facility management professionals with the limitations in digital reporting and delivery, the company knew there needed to be a better way to deliver subsurface utility & infrastructure data.

If there is one thing almost everyone in construction and facility management can agree on, it’s that the construction industry can be slow to embrace digital technology.

An infographic citing the Building Smart Alliance’s 2022 statistic that there has been only a1% overall improvement in productivity in architecture &construction-related industries in the last 20 years.

How Early GIS System Technology Was Used for Subsurface Infrastructure Management

In 2001, The Alphabet Company purchased a geographic information system (GIS) mapping platform called Keyhole and rebranded it as Google Earth, which they released free to the public.

In 2007, GPRS began exporting its GPS-enabled files to help customers receive and store digital infrastructure information. The company developed a digital Job Services Report(JSR) that allowed customers to view and download their .KMZ and PDF utility locate files, and to upload them to Google Earth, should they wish, to keep track of all of their subsurface infrastructure files, and other project documentation. GPRS still offers complimentary .KMZ and PDF files with every outdoor utility locate.

It has taken some time for the industry to embrace GIS software tools and the idea that itis possible to capture existing condition infrastructure documentation geospatially. However, once Google Earth made the impossible, possible, other cloud-based GIS platforms rushed to market in the hope that project managers, general contractors, and facility managers, among others, would pay for cloud-based GIS. Even Google had paid versions of its free platform, called Google Earth Plus and Google Earth Pro, until they made the decision to make all their GIS systems free in 2015.

"Over the last 10 years, businesses, scientists and hobbyists from all over the world have been using Google Earth Pro for everything from planning hikes to placing solar panels on rooftops. Whether you're planning a new office building or a trip to the mountains, check out Google Earth Pro and see how easy it is to visualize your world."

– Stafford Marquardt, Google Earth Pro Project Manager, in 2015

“If It Ain’t Broke”… The GIS Information Gap

Google Earth can do many things. However, as the industry became more comfortable with geospatial data software, project management requirements began to show the weaknesses in the system.

For instance, like most GIS platforms, Google Earth requires the user to upload files to the system themselves. And, while you can draw line work like tracing a gas line on the satellite image, and take rough measurements, you are reliant on the quality of your existing as-builts as to whether any feature you upload or draw is in the right place.

Further, if you want to keep all of your project or company files on Google Earth, you must upload everything onto one computer to house it. What happens if the person with the computer can’t be reached, the computer crashes, or you reach the limits of its memory?

The information bottleneck is real, huge, and highlighted by the graphic below, created by IFMA, and shows the steep loss of project data post-construction.

The IFMA study echoes the 2021 study conducted for GPRS by Finch Brands. In that report, the majority of the 150 facility managers surveyed reported that they kept various portions of their as-built documentation in as many as four different places, and had difficulty finding accurate subsurface feature information.

However, few of them thought there was a way to “fix” the problem…

A problem that routinely leads to expensive and dangerous underground utility strikes with an average cost of $56,000 each.

Other paid GIS systems have sought to bridge the gap by offering cloud-based Data Management, but the user still has to do the heavy lifting of uploading their own information, which is often outdated or incomplete, and that information is often not easily shareable without paying additional licensing fees.    

How GPRS Fixed The Information Gap

Creating a "seamless customer experience” is one of GPRS’ key missions. So as the company’s Project Managers in the field heard the growing frustration of AEC and facility management professionals with the limitations in digital reporting and delivery, GPRS knew there needed to be a better way to deliver subsurface utility & infrastructure data to its clients so that they could visualize everything on site, above and below ground, in a single source of truth that eliminated bottlenecks and siloes to keep projects on time, on budget, and safe.

So, they’ve spent the last three years building a project & facility management application that provides accurate existing condition documentation to protect your assets & people. And they named it SiteMap®.

SiteMap® bridges the gap for GPRS customers by providing a single source of truth in an easy-to-use cloud-based interface that not only does “the heavy lifting” for you, but provides field-verified 99.8% accurate utility mapping in an interactive, layered template that includes grid lines, northing and easting lines, is labeled, and gives you a color-coded legend for your subsurface infrastructure information.

There is nothing for you to upload; your GPRS job data is automatically uploaded, layered, geolocated, compressed, and updated. And in most cases, your 99.8% accurate utility location information is available within five minutes of job completion.

If you have “legacy data” with GPRS – previous utility locating jobs attached to the same email address – that legacy data will already be housed in SiteMap® for your use, so you can track updates to your subsurface as-builts with the click of a button.

Depending on your SiteMap® subscription level, even your own institutional records, as-builts, specifications, plan views, and reports can be uploaded into SiteMap® to create an actual single source of truth for your project. Plus, the organized and aggregated file management inside SiteMap® removes much of the risk of human error because GPRS does it for you.

Below, you will find a simple chart that provides a snapshot of the differences between Sitemap® and Google Earth for infrastructure visualization and project management needs.

SiteMap® vs Google Earth Comparison Image
Download PDF

The GPRS Difference – Removing Risk Every Day

Speaking of removing risk, when you hire GPRS to perform any infrastructure visualization – whether it’s a simple utility locate, a NASSCO-certified video pipe inspection report, or a complex integrated 3D BIM model created by our Mapping & Modeling Team from 2-4mm accurate GPRS 3D laser scans – everything that lives in SiteMap® is underpinned by GPRS’ commitment to Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM).

SIM provides the backbone of GPRS’ rapid response team’s 99.8% accuracy in utility & concrete scanning, pinpoint leak detection, video pipe inspection, and 3D laser scanning & photogrammetry. The SIM process is what turns our technicians into Project Managers, an elite nationwide team of professionals who are experts in deploying multiple complementary technologies to pinpoint utility lines and underground features, find just about everything buried in your concrete slabs, and can map your sewer lines or entire facility with accuracy and ease.  

GPRS built Sitemap® to be an exclusive delivery and visualization platform for GPRS customers, so every GPRS client receives a complimentary SiteMap® Personal subscription to view their utility maps, scans, and information in our secure software. What’s more, everything in your SiteMap account is exportable, so you can download or copy your records as needed. Plus, SiteMap® provides data portability that supports any other existing GIS platform you may wish to use, and provides you with a secure mobile application that allows you and your team to access your infrastructure data on demand, 24/7, whether they are on site, or across the country.

GPRS built SiteMap® to help you plan, dig, manage, and build better. Learn more about SiteMap®, here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of data does GPRS provide for construction professionals?

GPRS provides
  • 99.8% accurate underground utility locating & mapping
  • 99.8% accurate concrete scanning & imaging
  • 2-4mm accurate 3D laser scans
  • Rectified orthomosiac 3D photogrammetry
  • Virtual Tours via WalkThru 3D
  • 2D CAD drawings and plans
  • 3D point clouds, meshes & BIM models
  • NASSCO-certified video pipe (CCTV)inspections
  • Pinpoint leak detection for pressurized water lines
  • And more

To request a quote or learn how GPRS can help you Intelligently Visualize The Build World®, click here.

Can I upload my own information into SiteMap?

Depending on your subscription level, your historical site data, records, plans, etc., can be directly uploaded to SiteMap® by our team. They will be geolocated and tagged to the specifically mapped area they cover, and available in SiteMap’s Map Viewer and Digital Plan Room.

SiteMap® can house the following types of data:

  • Layered, Interactive Utility Maps
  • Concrete Scanning Mark-Out Photos
  • NASSCO-certified Video Pipe Inspection Reports Via WinCan
  •  Pinpoint Leak Detection Reports
  • 3D Laser Scanning Data
  •  Rectified 3D Photogrammetry
  • 2D CAD Drawings
  •  Utility PDF & .KMZ Files
  • 3D Point Cloud Data
  • 3D BIM Models 

How do I find out if I already have data in SiteMap?

If you are an existing or previous GPRS customer, you can create your SiteMap® Personal account login, here.

Once you have received your credentials, you can log into your account to view any GPRS jobs in the system.

If you don’t have a SiteMap® account, you can learn more about how to get one, here.

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Green Box Guarantee

How GPRS Concrete Scanning Protects Historic Buildings

When a contractor needed to renovate a historic building in downtown Kansas City, they called GPRS to provide precision concrete scanning services on an elevated slab in the structure.

When a contractor needed to renovate a historic building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, they called GPRS to provide precision concrete scanning services on an elevated slab in the structure.

Several core drillings were planned for the decades-old building. Striking any conduits or reinforcements within the slab while coring could have compromised the integrity of the structure.

Damaging a single post tension (PT) cable during concrete coring or cutting will set you back at least $20,000 to repair the damage, and there’s additional cost in the downtime necessary to complete the repair. Additionally, damaged PT cable can lead to structural failure that endangers your workers and anyone else in the vicinity.

A person uses a white marker to mark on a concrete slab.
GPRS provides precision concrete scanning services to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.

To ensure safe coring locations, GPRS Project Managers deploy handheld ground penetrating radar (GPR) concrete scanning antennas. These devices emit radio waves into a concrete slab, and those waves interact with – or “bounce off” – any material they encounter, including rebar, PT cable, and electrical conduit. These interactions are detected by the GPR unit and the results are displayed in a readout as a series of hyperbolas varying in size and shape depending on the type of obstruction that was located.

Professional concrete scanning technicians such as GPRS’ SIM-certified Project Managers can interpret these readouts to tell you what was located, so you can avoid these items during coring or drilling.

Prior to the application of GPR in construction, the only method available for non-destructive concrete testing was concrete X-ray. GPR has largely replaced X-ray, however, due to several advantages the former has over the latter:

  • X-ray is limited to investigating elevated slabs; it cannot scan slab-on-grade because it needs access to both sides of a slab to function properly.
  • GPR can scan slab-on-grade as it only requires access to one side of a slab to evaluate it.
  • X-ray technology is inherently dangerous as it requires the use of a radioactive isotope. Considerable set-up time is required, and you may need to shut down your entire job site while testing is conducted to mitigate the risk of irradiating personnel or the public.
  • GPR emits no harmful radiation and requires minimal-to-no setup time.
  • X-ray imaging isn’t only slower to conduct on-site than GPR – it’s also slower to yield results. Modern GPR scanners provide instant data for a professional technician to interpret. Data collected from an X-ray scan typically needs to be developed off-site before it can be interpreted.

GPR is the most effective tool for precision concrete scanning and imaging. And thanks to SIM, GPRS Project Managers (PM) are the most effective at tailoring the abilities of GPR to meet your needs.

Two men kneel on concrete while looking at a tablet.
All GPRS Project Managers are required to become SIM certified, which means completing a minimum of 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training.

SIM stands for Subsurface Investigation Methodology, the industry-leading specification and training program for private subsurface locating professionals. It guides how GPRS Project Managers conduct utility locates, concrete imaging, video (CCTV) pipe inspections, and leak detection.

All our PMs are required to become SIM certified, which means completing a minimum of 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training. During this training program, the PMs are challenged with real-world scenarios that prepare them for anything they may encounter in the field.

It’s because of GPRS’ commitment to SIM that our PMs have achieved and maintain a 99.8%+ rate of accuracy in the over 500,000 concrete scanning and utility locating projects we’ve completed to date. This includes scanning the elevated slab in the historic building in downtown Kansas City, where the PM determined the spacing and depth of the reinforcement with the slab and located a conduit running through the concrete.

This kept our client’s renovation on schedule by ensuring they were able to core the slab safely.

Our confidence in our PMs to do this for you, job after job, led GPRS to introduce the Green Box Guarantee.

It’s simple: when we place a Green Box within a layout prior to you anchoring or coring concrete, we guarantee that the area will be free of obstructions. If the area isn’t free of obstructions, GPRS will pay the material cost of the damage.

Whether you’re renovating a historic structure, or building new, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Build World® to keep your project on time, on budget, and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click the links below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need concrete scanning?

When you’re excavating for a new structure or renovating an old building, there are countless subsurface hazards that need to be accounted for prior to excavation, core drilling or saw cutting.

Striking one of these hazards could decimate your budget, your schedule, and your reputation, and endanger your workers and anyone else in the vicinity.

Can GPR determine the difference between rebar and electrical conduit?

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) can accurately differentiate between rebar and electrical conduit in most cases. We have an extremely high success rate in identifying electrical lines in supported slabs or slabs-on-grade before saw cutting or core drilling.

Additionally, GPRS can use EM locators to determine the location of conduits in the concrete. If we can transmit a signal onto the metal conduit, we can locate it with pinpoint accuracy. We can also find the conduit passively if a live electrical current runs through it.

The combined use of GPR and EM locating allows us to provide one of the most comprehensive and accurate conduit locating services available.

Will there be a Green Box Guarantee placed on every concrete slab I have GPRS scan?

No. Our Green Boxes communicate to our clients that all critical targets such as rebar reinforcement, electrical conduits, and post tension cables are absent, and no obstruction is present. We place Green Boxes on elevated concrete slab locations that we’re confident are clear to core, cut, or drill through. If we aren’t confident that you won’t hit anything, we won’t place a Green Box on the slab.

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Navigating the Layers: Understanding the GIS Platform of SiteMap®

We have made SiteMap® simple, yet there is still reason to understand the GIS platform functions of SiteMap® and its layers.

Geographic Information System (GIS) technology is a powerful tool that enables the collection, analysis, interpretation, and visualization of spatial and geographic data.

At its core, GIS integrates various data types such as maps, satellite imagery, and geospatial information, allowing users to understand and interpret relationships, patterns, and trends within geographic contexts.

Three construction workers look up at a crane.
SiteMap® is a cloud-based infrastructure mapping application designed to help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is a cloud-based infrastructure mapping application that features GIS functionality, and is able to support data portability for your existing GIS platform of choice. What sets SiteMap® apart from GIS platforms, however, is that its powered by the accurate data obtained on site by GPRS’ NASSCO and SIM-certified Project Managers, and then layered and modeled by our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department to suit your needs.

From beginners to seasoned professionals, SiteMap® increases communication for everyone, lowering risks and incidents one site at a time.

A construction worker looking at a tablet while standing in front of a dump truck.
SiteMap® increases communication for everyone, lowering risks and incidents one site at a time.

Access It Anywhere

With SiteMap®, you can share your data with your team members – and you decide the number of users, their level of access, and how they are allowed to use that data.

From historical as-builts through up-to-date GPRS utility locates, concrete imaging, and 3D laser scans,, you can put the right information into the right hands exactly when they need it.

According to a study conducted for GPRS by Finch, 62% of facility managers must look in more than one place for their vital infrastructure data. This causes delays, and creates inaccuracies.

With SiteMap®, your team is always connected by accurate infrastructure data, eliminating mistakes caused by miscommunication. You will know exactly where to dig, and where to find electrical junctions, manholes, and valve shut-offs. When communication is fostered, smarter decisions can be made. 86% of employees cite the lack of effective collaboration and communication as the main cause of workplace failures. With SiteMap®, the chance of poor communication is reduced, meaning your productivity increases, and your chance of striking a utility decreases.

The Power of GPRS

Any GIS platform can house a subsurface utility map. But no other GIS platform is backed by GPRS and its 99.8%+ accurate utility locating and concrete scanning, 2-4mm accurate 3D laser scanning, NASSCO-certified video pipe inspections, and pinpoint accurate leak detection.

When you hire GPRS to locate your outdoor utilities, we provide you with a free PDF and .KMZ file of our findings. Our state-of-the-art video pipe inspection [CCTV] services provide NASSCO-certified photo and video reporting of the state of your wastewater infrastructure, including a geolocated list of defects ranked by severity.

Depending on your needs, the GPRS Mapping and Modeling Department can utilize the above information to create anything from a GPS-enabled map of your utility locate to, in conjunction with 3D laser scanning, complete CAD drawings or a full 3D point cloud and BIM model of your facility.

Bundle of Benefits

SiteMap® is more than just a place to store your data. It’s a comprehensive subsurface infrastructure data management solution, a single source of truth for the information vital to the success of your next project.

Damage to underground facilities is one of the most common hurdles that construction projects must overcome. And according to the Common Ground Alliance’s 2022 DIRT Report, it’s only getting worse.

To address this problem, the CGA introduced the “50-in-5” initiative: a call-to-action to the construction industry to reduce damages by 50% over the next 5 years.

SiteMap® could have been purpose-built to help the industry achieve this goal. Depending on your SiteMap® subscription level, you can:

  • Own & access all your project data, whether ordered by you or your subcontractors. If GRPS did the work, you can see it all in SiteMap®
  • Retain and access every iteration of your digital as-builts to securely document and reference your project’s progress
  • Print, save, or copy your SiteMap® data to communicate real-time subsurface as-built information in whatever format suits your needs
  • Secure your subsurface files, maps, and drawings in one centralized Digital Plan Room accessible to only those you designate through the life of your project
  • SiteMap® creates an aggregated, historical, single source of truth – with as-builts, updated as often as you need for as many sites as you need – to eliminate data loss and the costly mistakes that come with it
  •  While SiteMap® contains its own intuitive GIS component, it can also easily integrate with your existing GIS software to provide an extra layer of safety and security for your data.

SiteMap® puts your data at your fingertips, allowing you to plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

SiteMap® is a one-stop shop for visualization of your above and below ground infrastructure. While there are many GIS solutions on the market, SiteMap® offers the unique benefit of offering a comprehensive infrastructure mapping arena with the added security and benefit of being backed by GPRS infrastructure visualization services.

When looking for a subsurface mapping solution that offers comprehensive subsurface solutions, unheard-of accuracy, and an easy-to-use interface, SiteMap® is the solution.          

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos. Click below to schedule yours today!

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How SiteMap® Contributes to Smart City Initiatives

The global surge of smart city initiatives has ushered in an era of unprecedented urban transformation.

The global surge of smart city initiatives has ushered in an era of unprecedented urban transformation.

Smart city initiatives encompass comprehensive efforts to leverage advanced technologies and data-driven solutions to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and overall quality of urban living. These initiatives integrate cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and data analytics into various aspects of city infrastructure and services.

A hand holding a tablet with an illustration coming out of it.
Smart city initiatives encompass comprehensive efforts to leverage advanced technologies and data-driven solutions to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and overall quality of urban living.

As municipalities embrace the digital shift, the importance of precise and reliable infrastructure mapping cannot be overstated. It serves as the bedrock for intelligent decision-making and efficient public service management. SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS, is the next-level, cloud-based infrastructure mapping solution poised to revolutionize how we understand and interact with our cities' unseen utility skeleton.

Understanding SiteMap®

SiteMap® isn't just another infrastructure mapping system; it's a single source of truth for all the data that a modern city needs to function for its residents. Where once utility workers and city planners were hindered by outdated, incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate records, SiteMap® helps them plan, design, manage, dig, and build better because it’s built on the accurate data collected on site by GPRS’ nationwide team of SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers.

SiteMap® taps into the power of that data to deliver detailed, accurate, easy-to-read underground utility maps, existing conditions documentation, and visualizations. Occupying the forefront of mapping innovation, it grants users the ability to pinpoint utility infrastructure locations with unrivaled precision, thereby minimizing human error and maximizing operational efficiency.

All GPRS customers receive a complimentary SiteMap® Personal subscription so they have instant, 24/7 access to the data we collect on site from any computer, tablet, or mobile device. You also have the option to upgrade that subscription, unlocking additional functionality and benefits. Your data inside SiteMap® is aggregated, labeled, and accessible, so you have exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

A GPRS Project Manager looks at a laptop.
All GPRS customers receive a complimentary SiteMap® Personal subscription so they have instant, 24/7 access to the data we collect on site from any computer, tablet, or mobile device.

Benefits of SiteMap® in Smart Cities

Improved Infrastructure Planning and Development

Intelligent planning is at the core of smart city evolution. SiteMap® equips planners with the insights needed to strategize future developments without compromising the existing utility framework.

60% of the world’s population is expected to live in smart cities by 2050, which means the demand for accurate and improved planning and development will become more crucial by the year. SiteMap® can help fuel this by providing accurate and well-mapped insights without the need for high-impact or invasive practices.

Enhanced Utility Management and Maintenance

Project and utility managers can easily annotate and track their utilities and maintenance by utilizing SiteMap®. When the web that lies beneath is easily visible, it’s also easily trackable, which makes management and maintenance easier as well. Simplifying this process is crucial for a smart city, where infrastructure is paramount, and space is limited.

Increased Efficiency and Cost Savings

By avoiding accidental damages and expediting construction timelines, SiteMap® usage translates into considerable cost savings for local governments and stakeholders. 66% of US cities are investing in smart city technology, while 55% of Americans think investing in smart city technology is a good use of taxpayer dollars. Using those dollars wisely is important. SiteMap® helps prevent utility strikes, which not only saves lives but also money and time.

With incidents on the rise, underground facilities must be understood and accurately located. According to the Common Ground Alliance’s 2022 DIRT Report, U.S. damage counts from consistently reporting organizations have increased over the past 3 years, with 163,726 damage incidents in 2022 alone. Having an accurate map of your subsurface infrastructure helps you avoid subsurface damage by telling you where it’s safe to excavate, and where digging could have disastrous consequences...

Accurate Data for Decision-Making

SiteMap® isn't just about mapping; it’s about informed governance. With accurate GPRS-backed data, policymakers, and service providers can make agile, data-driven decisions to serve their communities better. If you understand something very well, you’re more likely to make a better decision about it. Hindsight is 20/20, but SiteMap® helps seeing the unseen a lot easier.

The Resonance of SiteMap® with Smart Cities

Melding seamlessly with smart city frameworks, SiteMap® directly addresses the complex challenges of urban management. For instance, it can enable cities to seamlessly integrate new technological utilities into the existing grid, ensuring that the march towards modernization doesn’t trample over past investments. Plus, SiteMap® provides data portability that melds with any existing GIS platform you’re using. However, unlike the GIS systems used by most municipalities, SiteMap®’s documentation is exportable, which is a game-changer in the industry.

When you’re able to see what’s already there, it’s a lot easier to plan for what is to come. By allowing utilities to be tracked, seen, and shared, project managers can properly integrate smart city systems and utilities into the grid, without interference or issue. Geospatial technology has a huge place in the creation of smart cities, but only when done correctly. SiteMap® takes the data collected by GPRS and makes it accessible to those who need it when they need it. These visualizations are easy to understand, which means planning the smart cities of tomorrow is easier as well.                                                                                                            

Market Trends and Statistics

The optimistic forecasts for the Smart Cities market suggest a burgeoning demand for innovative technology solutions like SiteMap®. Booming to an expected $820.7 billion by 2025, this realm beckons for tools that promise accuracy and agility. Utility mapping plays a vital part, as indicated by the Global Utility Locator Market's steady growth. With over 500 cities poised to onboard smart tech in the coming years, per Northeast Group's study, SiteMap® stands at the vanguard, ready to answer the call for scalable, reliable infrastructure mapping.

As we enter the precipice of urban futurism, solutions like SiteMap® empower us to leap confidently, knowing the ground beneath our cities is understood and well-charted.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos. Click below to schedule your demo today!

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How GPRS Helps Safeguard U.S. Telecom Infrastructure

Buried telecommunication infrastructure continues to bear the brunt of subsurface damage during excavation, according to a report recently released by the Common Ground Alliance.

Buried telecommunication infrastructure continues to bear the brunt of subsurface damage during excavation, according to a report released in late 2023 by the Common Ground Alliance.

Telecommunication and cable TV lines remained the most damaged type of subsurface utility in the CGA’s 2022 DIRT Report. These lines accounted for 47% of all utilities struck when subsurface damage occurred during groundbreaking activities.

Conversely, telecom work – including the installation of new lines, and repairs or modifications to existing utilities – contributed to the most damages, and telecom operators were among the largest contributors to instances in which excavators could not legally begin work. Additionally, contractors were involved in over half of damages that occurred while telecom and natural gas work was being completed.

In a white paper published in December 2023 titled Telecom’s Critical Role in Reversing Utility Damage Trends, CGA President & CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle wrote that “As both substantial contributors to and recipients of damages, telecom stakeholders have much to gain by enhancing prevention efforts.”

“…While telecom rightfully prioritizes expanding its networks and customer base, a competitive advantage does not need to come at the expense of safety,” Magruder Lyle continued. “Boosting damage prevention’s profile internally and collaborating more extensively with partners are pathways to improved outcomes…”

Damaged telecom lines can lead to service interruptions that cut off phone and internet service to entire communities for days, if not weeks, before repairs can be completed. The average cost of any kind of utility strike to a facility is $56,000, and the subsequent repair typically takes 6-8 weeks.

As the CGA’s data shows, the telecommunications sector isn’t just the most common victim of subsurface damage; it also causes a significant amount of that damage.

One reason telecom work contributed to the most damages in 2022 is because the installation of new telecom lines is typically completed using a trenchless technology known as directional boring. Also known as directional drilling, this process involves penetrating the ground at a low angle with a directional drill bit to create a path for a new utility.

One of the primary benefits of directional boring is also its biggest drawback: not having to trench to install a new line means you avoid significant surface disruption during your project, but you also run the risk of running that new line straight through an existing utility without even knowing you’ve done so.

These accidental intersections of buried lines are known as cross bores, and they can be deadly. A cross bored gas line, for example, is a ticking time bomb that endangers the lives of not only workers performing a utility install, but everyone in the community in which they are working.

The Cross Bore Safety Association estimates that there are at least one million undetected cross bores riddling our country’s subsurface infrastructure. And with more telecom lines going in the ground daily thanks to the unprecedented, ongoing expansion of fiber optic lines and other telecom systems, it’s more vital than ever that proper precautions are taken to mitigate the risk of cross bores.

Orange and green GPRS flags stick out of the ground.
GPRS’ utility locating and video (CCTV) pipe inspection services can ensure the success of your telecommunications infrastructure project.

GPRS Helps Safeguard Telecom Infrastructure

GPRS’ suite of subsurface damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and construction & facilities project management services support the safe installation, maintenance, and repair of telecommunications infrastructure.

Using ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning, and electromagnetic (EM) locating, we can locate and map all utilities in a project site so you can dig without worrying about what you’re going to hit.

To mitigate existing cross bores and prevent the creation of new ones, our video pipe inspection (VPI) service utilizes state-of-the-art sewer scope inspection rovers to evaluate the integrity of and map your storm and wastewater infrastructure.

When GPRS conducts a VPI for you, you receive a detailed WinCan report that lists all defects found, ranked by order of severity, geolocated, and identified with both photo and video evidence so you know what needs addressing first and exactly where you need to dig.

GPRS Project Managers (PMs) are certified in both the Subsurface Infrastructure Methodology (SIM), as well as through the National Association for Sewer Service Companies’ (NASSCO) Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP™), Lateral Assessment Certification Program (LACP™), and Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP™).

SIM is the industry-leading training program for conducting utility locating, precision concrete scanning and imaging, video (CCTV) pipe inspection, and leak detection. Achieving SIM certification means completing a minimum of 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training where the PMs tackle real-world scenarios designed to prepare them for anything they’ll encounter in the field.

The SIM specification for VPI recommends that cross bore sewer line inspections occur both before and after directional boring projects, to ensure no new cross bores are created during this process.

NASSCO is a non-profit education entity that offers industry-leading training on the best ways to conduct sewer line inspections and report findings from these inspections. SIM also recommends that when you hire a professional sewer inspection company to evaluate and map your wastewater infrastructure, you only consider firms that deploy NASSCO-certified technicians, investigations, and reporting standards.

Because we adhere to both SIM and NASSCO, GPRS’ Project Managers can provide you with accurate, actionable data to keep your projects on time, on budget and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What size pipes can GPRS inspect?

Our Project Managers can inspect pipes from 2” in diameter and up.

Can you locate pipes in addition to evaluating their integrity?

Yes! Our SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers use VPI technology equipped with sondes, which are instrument probes that allow them to ascertain the location of underground utilities from an inaccessible location. This allows them to use electromagnetic (EM) locating to map sewer systems at the same time they’re evaluating them for defects.

Does GPRS offer same-day private utility locating?

Yes, our professional Project Managers can respond rapidly to emergency same-day private utility locating service calls on your job site.

Will I need to mark out the utilities that GPRS locates?

No, GPRS will locate and mark all utilities for you. We have a variety of tools and markers we can use to highlight the locations of utilities, underground storage tanks, and whatever else may be hiding under your job site.

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How GPRS Supports High-Speed Rail Projects

The United States’ high-speed rail network will expand exponentially in the coming years thanks to a slew of recently announced federal and state-funded projects.

The United States’ high-speed rail network will expand exponentially in the coming years thanks to a slew of recently announced federal and state-funded projects.

In late 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that it awarded $8.2 billion in funding for 10 passenger rail projects across the country, along with corridor planning activities that it said ,“will impact every region nationwide.”

This investment is in addition to the $16.4 billion in funding that was announced in November 2023 and will fund 25 projects of “national significance along America’s busiest rail corridor,” according to a press release on the DOT’s website.

Projects announced through the Federal State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (Fed-State National) Program are intended to advance two high-speed rail corridors and fund improvements to existing rail corridors for expanded service and performance. These projects include:

Helping to deliver a high-speed rail service in California’s Central Valley

  • Creating a new high-speed rail corridor between Las Vegas, Nevada, and southern California, serving an estimated 11 million passengers annually
  • Significantly upgrading existing conventional rail corridors to better connect Northern Virginia and the Southeast with the Northeast Corridor
  • Expanding and adding frequencies to the Pennsylvania Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
  • Extending the Piedmont Corridor in North Carolina north, as part of a higher-speed connection between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia
  • Investing in Chicago Union Station, as an initial step toward future improvements to the critical Midwest corridors hub
  • Improving service in Maine, Montana, and Alaska

“...With this funding, we’ll deliver America’s first high-speed rail on a route between South California and Las Vegas, complete major upgrades for riders in Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maine, Montana, and Alaska, and announce a comprehensive plan that makes it easier to expand passenger rail lines in 44 states,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The FRA also announced 69 corridor selections across 44 states through the Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program, a new planning program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This inaugural round of selections includes upgrades to 15 existing rail routes, additions or extensions of service on 47 new routes, and advancements to 7 new high-speed rail projects.

“...We are taking full advantage of the resources we have to advance world-class passenger rail services nationwide,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. “Today’s announcement is another step forward as we advance transformative projects that will carry Americans for decades to come and provide them with convenient, climate-friendly alternatives to congested roads and airports. We’re thinking about the future too with comprehensive and systematic planning efforts to transform the U.S. intercity passenger rail network now and in the years to come.”

State of Our Rails

Our nation’s rail infrastructure fared relatively well in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) most recent American Infrastructure Report Card.  

While the country’s overall infrastructure score was an alarming C-, rail received a B.

There is, however, a catch to that score. As the ASCE explains in its report card, the U.S. freight network remains healthy thanks in large part to a funding system largely reliant on direct shipper fees. Passenger rail, which requires government investment, “has been plagued by a lack of federal support, leading to a current state of good repair backlog at $45.2 billion,” the ASCE wrote.

According to the ASCE, infrastructure-related issues caused 328,000 train-delay minutes along the Northeast Corridor – our nation’s busiest passenger rail corridor – in 2019 alone. That’s the equivalent of roughly 700 Northeast Regional train trips from Boston, Massachusetts, to Washington, D.C.

The ASCE offered several recommendations to improve the U.S.’s passenger rail infrastructure. These include:

  • Continue a financial and regulatory environment that supports private rail investment and innovative financing options for future investment.  
  • Encourage passenger rail infrastructure investment in high-population centers, and support continued investment for state-supported routes.
  • Continue to support rail investment in added capacity and expanded service in high-density markets to relieve system stress on other modes.
  • For future surface transportation reauthorizations, include and fund programs that reduce hazards at railway-highway crossings.
Three GPRS Project Managers conduct utility locating and mapping services on a construction site.
GPRS’ subsurface damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and construction & facilities project management services are designed to keep your project on time, your budget intact, and your people safe.

GPRS Supports Infrastructure Build Out

The success of any infrastructure project begins well before the shovels come out. Proper planning requires accurate as-builts and a comprehensive understanding of a project site’s above and below-ground infrastructure.

At GPRS, our subsurface damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and construction & facilities project management services are designed to keep your project on time, your budget intact, and your people safe.

We offer 99.8%+ accurate concrete scanning and utility locating, NASSCO-certified video (CCTV) pipe inspections, pinpoint accurate leak detection, and 2-4 mm accurate 3D laser scanning. And our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department can take the data collected on site by our SIM-certified Project Managers and visualize it in whatever medium you require, including digital twins and virtual walk-throughs.

To store all this data, GPRS created SiteMap® (patent pending), a first-of-its-kind, cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution where you can securely store and share with your team the right information exactly when they need it.

Accessible 24/7 from your computer, laptop or mobile device, and able to support data portability for your existing GIS platform of choice, SiteMap® is the latest way in which GPRS is working to ensure you can plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

GPRS’ SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal demos so you can see what this revolutionary platform can do for your next project.

Click below to schedule your live demo today!

From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

How does GPRS ensure quality of service?

GPRS Project Managers undergo a rigorous training program to ensure you receive the most accurate and actionable infrastructure data when we perform a service at your site. This training regimen is underpinned by the Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM), the industry-leading training program for conducting utility locating, concrete imaging, video pipe inspection, and leak detection.

GPRS Project Managers must become SIM certified, which means completing at least 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training during which they tackle real-world scenarios in a safe and structured environment.

It’s because of SIM that GPRS has achieved and maintains a 99.8%+ accuracy rate for the over 500,000 concrete scanning and utility locating jobs we’ve completed to date.

Are GPRS Project Managers available to work at night or on the weekend?

Yes, our nationwide team of Project Managers can meet your scheduling needs. We are willing to work nights and weekends, in addition to regular working hours, to help you stay on time, on budget, and safe.

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GPRS & NASSCO Urge Proactive Wastewater Infrastructure Management

GPRS recently visited Washington, D.C. to discuss with lawmakers the importance of proactive maintenance and protection of our nation’s underground wastewater infrastructure.

GPRS recently visited Washington, D.C. to discuss with lawmakers the importance of proactive maintenance and protection of our nation’s underground wastewater infrastructure.

Michael Wheeler, GPRS’ Market Segment Leader for Water/Wastewater, visited our nation’s capital as part of a delegation of members of the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO). This non-profit organization provides industry-leading training on the most advanced, non-destructive methods to detect and report subsurface anomalies within sewer lines.

The United States Capitol.
GPRS recently visited Washington, D.C. to discuss with lawmakers the importance of proactive maintenance and protection of our nation’s underground wastewater infrastructure.

Wheeler and his fellow NASSCO members spoke with staff members from the offices of Senators and Congressional Representatives from Georgia, Florida, and Ohio about the importance of being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to maintaining America’s wastewater infrastructure.

“Based on my Apple Watch, we walked over 7 miles back and forth between the House and the Senate for these meetings,” Wheeler said. “[The purpose of our visit] was really just to get the word out on continuing to fund the infrastructure bill, why we should do that, and talking about the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) most recent Report Card of American Infrastructure, which graded our infrastructure a C-.”

While the ASCE gave America’s infrastructure an overall grade of C- in its most recent report card, our country’s wastewater infrastructure received an even more troubling D+.

In explaining the grade, the ASCE wrote that “the nation’s more than 16,000 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are functioning, on average, at 81% of their design capacities, while 15% have reached or exceeded it,” and “Thousands of miles of the nation’s aging pipes are buried beneath increasingly urbanized cities and will require more and more inter-agency collaboration and data sharing, particularly as maintenance needs grow.”  

“In a 2019 American Water Works Association report, as much as 62% of wastewater pipeline maintenance performed by combined utilities occurs through the proactive execution of asset management plans,” the report continues. “The remaining 38% is completed as a reactive response to failures.”

Signed into law in 2021, the bipartisan Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) kickstarted a boom in new infrastructure construction and existing infrastructure maintenance projects that is expected to continue for several years.

While the act authorized up to $1.2 trillion in transportation and infrastructure spending, Congress votes to decide whether individual programs will receive full or partial funding each year. This includes wastewater infrastructure projects, which were authorized for nearly $13 billion in total funding through the Infrastructure Law.

In addition to urging for continued support of IIJA, GPRS and its fellow NASSCO members urged for regulatory compliance enforcement for pipeline condition assessments.

NASSCO’s Pipeline Assessment Certification Program (PACP™), Lateral Assessment Certification Program (LACP™), and Manhole Assessment Certification Program (MACP™) are the gold standard for accurate and repeatable assessment condition coding of pipelines, laterals, and manholes. GPRS video pipe inspection Project Managers complete all three of these programs before they are allowed into the field to conduct sewer scope inspections.

A man stands in front of a sign.
Michael Wheeler, GPRS’ Market Segment Leader for Water/Wastewater, stands outside the office of U.S. Senator Raphael G. Warnock in Washington, D.C. Wheeler visited our nation’s capitol with a contingent of representatives with the National Association of Sewer Service Companies to discuss with lawmakers the importance of proactive maintenance and protection of our nation’s underground wastewater infrastructure.

“This is important for us, because the idea is to make sure that people with the correct certifications are doing the condition assessments for the pipelines,” Wheeler said. “So we’re looking for Congress to support a standardization of condition assessment, which is what NASSCO is championing.”

Finally, Wheeler and the rest of the NASSCO delegation called for the strengthening of the asset management requirements.

“If we don’t know where any of our underground wastewater assets are. If we’re not locating them accurately, mapping them and accurately storing those maps after they’ve been located, we’re of no help to anyone 20 years from now,” Wheeler said. “So, we are wanting them to put language in so that if you do get [funding], you have an asset management plan in place.”

Wheeler said that the offices he and NASSCO spoke with exhibited a deep understanding of the nation’s infrastructure issues, and he felt that the contingent’s message was taken seriously.  

“I met with seven different offices and each office generally seemed like they cared,” he said. “They asked very good questions, took very good notes, and when we offered to be a resource, they were willing to take us up on that.”

Wheeler added that it’s important for NASSCO and its members, including GPRS, to have a seat at the table when discussing our nation’s infrastructure issues because of our proven dedication to maintaining and improving this infrastructure.

“We see it every single day,” he said. “And GPRS is special in that because of our national footprint, we’re seeing it on a national scale to an amount that no other company is. We’re seeing failing infrastructure every single day.”

A GPRS Project Manager pulls a remote-controlled sewer scope rover out of the back of a van.
GPRS’ video (CCTV) pipe inspection service is a safe and non-destructive method of locating and mapping your waste and stormwater infrastructure.

GPRS Services Support Infrastructure Projects of All Shapes & Sizes

GPRS’ suite of subsurface damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and construction & facilities project management services are designed to ensure projects of all shapes and sizes stay on time, on budget, and safe. That includes infrastructure projects, where we can provide support from planning to operation and maintenance (O&M) through our utility locating, concrete imaging, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and 3D laser scanning offerings.

For wastewater projects specifically, our video (CCTV) pipe inspection service is a safe and non-destructive method of locating and mapping your waste and stormwater infrastructure. Using industry-leading sewer scope inspection technology, our professional, SIM and NASSCO-certified Project Managers evaluate your lines for cracks, blockages, cross bores, and other defects that could lead to service interruptions or endanger the communities these systems serve.  

When you hire GPRS to inspect your sewer lines, you receive a detailed WinCan report listing all defects located, ranked by severity and identified with both photo and video evidence to assist you in maintenance and repair planning.

To help you plan, design, manage, dig, and build better, GPRS created SiteMap®, our cloud-based infrastructure mapping solution, to improve and expedite asset management by serving as a single source of truth for the accurate infrastructure data collected on site by our Project Managers.

Securely accessible 24/7 from any computer, tablet, or mobile device, and compatible with your existing GIS platform, SiteMap® enables seamless communication and collaboration between team members so that you can plan, design, dig, maintain, and ultimately build better.

GPRS SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal SiteMap® demos so you can see what this software can do for you. Click below to sign up for your demo today!

From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep you on time, on budget, and safe.  

What can we help you visualize? Click below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

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About GPRS
Mapping & Modeling
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What is Adaptive Reuse in Architecture?

GPRS 3D laser scanning services provides architects with powerful 3D BIM models to design adaptive reuse and retrofit projects.

It’s exciting to see adaptive reuse being embraced in the construction industry, as lifeless buildings are transformed into functional, sustainable, and vibrant spaces.

Adaptive reuse is the process of repurposing unused buildings instead of demolishing them. It involves renovating existing structures into a useful building, while preserving their historical and architectural features. There has also been a rise in adaptive reuse to convert outdated office space to other potential uses. Adaptive reuse is often seen as a sustainable approach to building development, as it can help reduce waste, preserve architectural heritage, and revitalize communities.

Pandemic shut-downs changed how many businesses thought of their workforce and office needs, leaving many unoccupied buildings in cities across the country. With an increase in professionals working remotely, the United States has seen an increase in available, affordable office, retail, and warehouse space in urban areas. These spaces become the heart of adaptive reuse projects, for example, converting old factories into loft apartments, turning churches into restaurants, transforming warehouses into office spaces, and turning unused office buildings into data centers.

Commercial real estate developers are exploring more adaptive reuse projects because they have the financial means and construction expertise required to renovate these structures successfully.

3D laser scanning data center
Precise as-built details are captured with 3D laser scanners and used to create design models for adaptive reuse building renovations.

How is a Building Assessed Before Adaptive Reuse Renovations?

The developer will hire an architect with expertise in the type of project they are working on, for example, a tenant improvement or development project.

The architect will conduct a building assessment when redesigning an adaptive reuse building to ensure that the existing structure is transformed into a functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing space.

According to Utilities One Engineering Inspections, skipping a formal building assessment could save on project costs, but it can lead to unnecessary hidden costs and even dangerous workplaces if the building isn’t structurally sound.

The architect’s assessment typically includes the following:

  • Conducting a structural analysis to determine if any modifications or reinforcements are needed to support the new building’s use
  • Ensuring that the building complies with codes and standards, including ADA accessibility standards
  • Identifying any historical or cultural preservation constraints and zoning laws
  • Evaluating the existing MEP systems to determine if they need to be upgraded or replaced to meet the needs of the new construction

Once the assessment is complete, an architect will begin renovation design planning, spec the materials, and oversee the construction process.

An adaptive reuse project will require collaboration between developers, architects, engineers, and contractors to ensure that all requirements can be satisfied within the existing structure.

How Does the Architect Plan the Building Renovation?

The architect will typically not have documents that show the construction of the existing building. They will hire a company to 3D laser scan the building to create accurate as builts for virtual design and construction. Precise building details are needed to create design models and make sure no unforeseen issues arise during building renovations.

GPRS 3D laser scanning services quickly and accurately provide comprehensive as built documentation of a building, unmatched by other technologies. From walls and windows to HVAC, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing features, GPRS can accurately identify and document all visible elements of a structure. GPRS 3D laser scanning services will let the architect focus on design, rather than verifying the existing building conditions.

The GPRS Mapping & Modeling team can transform the point cloud data captured by the 3D laser scanner into a 3D building information model (BIM). GPRS delivers the as-built model via SiteMap®, a cloud-based software that will allow the architect and project team to view and securely share project data from any computer or mobile device.

The BIM model will allow the architect to explore design options and communicate the vision of the project. It can help the architect iterate and refine design changes in a virtual environment and deliver innovative solutions for adaptive reuse and retrofit projects.

With accurate data, the architect can determine what elements they will reuse and what materials will need to be renovated, from the roof to the doors, windows, and walls. The architect will use the BIM model to prepare detailed construction plans to specify the structural layout, MEP system layout, materials, and finishes. They can deliver a detailed design plan to the VDC team and contractors to receive accurate timelines and cost estimates.

Further, they can create floor plans and virtual tours of the built environment from the BIM model to communicate the building layout. A virtual tour allows the team to tour the renovation plans, add digital notes, and even measure inside the 3D model.

BIM allows the architect to collaborate and coordinate with the VDC team and contractors during construction. They can review the building design, coordinate trades, reduce errors, increase safety, and optimize project efficiency.

3D Laser Scanning to Convert a Historic Building to a Luxury Hotel

GPRS was hired to perform 3D laser scanning services to aid an architect in converting a historic building in Philadelphia into a luxury hotel. The architect required highly detailed architectural data including walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, balustrades, colonnades, etc., and structural data including exposed columns and beams to design the renovation.

GPRS captured precise details of the 250,000 square-foot building, including the exterior facade, floors 1-4, basement, roof, penthouses, and mechanical spaces. A 3D Revit model with varying degrees of LOD 200 and LOD 300 modeling was generated by the GPRS Mapping & Modeling team based on the architect’s requirements.

“The point cloud and 3D model worked out tremendously well. This was almost the perfect project to use it on due to the various intricacies of the building layout and large differences from floor to floor. “  - N. Pellizzari, Architecture & Planning Professional

3D laser scanning historic building
GPRS was hired to perform 3D laser scanning services in Philadelphia to aid an architect in converting a historic building into a luxury hotel.

How Can GPRS Help with Adaptive Reuse?

GPRS 3D laser scanning services provide architects with powerful 3D BIM models to design adaptive reuse and retrofit projects. They can experiment with different building aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability plans in a virtual environment.

GPRS deploys highly trained Project Managers equipped with the most advanced laser scanning technology to capture the exact dimensions and measurements of your project site.

The GPRS Mapping & Modeling Team delivers precise point cloud data, 2D CAD drawings, and 3D BIM models to improve the collaboration and coordination of your project.

Few 3D laser scanning companies have the experience, state-of the art technology, and nationwide presence as GPRS. See how GPRS can Intelligently Visualize Your Built World™, with accurate data to renovate buildings and eliminate project risks, change orders, delays, and costs.

What can we help you visualize?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 3D Laser Scanning?

3D laser scanning captures as built documentation for existing buildings or sites. Once data is acquired, a point cloud is generated and used to develop 2D CAD drawings or 3D BIM models, expediting the design, planning, and development of projects.

How Does Laser Scanning Work?

One primary method is that a laser scanner sends light pulses at high speeds which reflect off objects and return to the scanners’ sensor. For each pulse, the distance between the scanner and object is measured by determining the elapsed time between the sent and received pulses. Each point of the scan will be converted to a pixel with a known x-, y-, and z- coordinate. Laser scans or LiDAR scans are taken in multiple positions around a site from varying viewpoints. Millions of data points are captured and processed into a point cloud, creating an accurate data set of the structure or site.

Why is a Point Cloud Important?

Point clouds provide powerful and dynamic information for a project. By representing spatial data as a collection of coordinates, point clouds deliver large datasets that can be mined for information. The visualization and analysis from this data is invaluable for decision making. CAD technicians transform point clouds into customized maps and models used for visualization, analysis, design, construction, renovation, prefabrication, and facility modifications.

What are the Benefits of 3D Laser Scanning?

With 3D laser scanning services, sites are captured in high detail the first time, eliminating the need for return visits. High speed data collection expedites time-sensitive projects or those that require minimal disruption. Datasets are dimensionally accurate, measurable, and shareable, optimizing the efficiency of time spent during project planning and execution. Communication is improved, teams can discuss plans while each has access to the same information, creating a more dynamic working environment.

How Long Does Laser Scanning Take?

With Project Managers all over the US, we work quickly to provide detailed quotes for clients. For most jobs, large areas can be laser scanned in as little as a couple of hours or larger sites in as little as a few days. Entire facilities or campuses can take several weeks to capture the entire site, but most projects are measured in hours or days.

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How Can a Digital Twin Help Water Management Facilities?

Digital twins can help water management facilities plan building improvements, design plant additions, manage assets, and optimize operations and workflows. GPRS 3D laser scanning services captures as-built data with 2-4mm accuracy to create accurate digital twins for data-driven decision making.

Water management facilities are seeking digital twins of their plants to access accurate existing conditions data for design, construction, operations, simulation, and analysis. Digital twins can be used to plan building improvements, design plant additions, manage assets, and optimize operations and workflows.

Water management facilities aid the development, use, and protection of water resources, and include water supply facilities, water treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater management facilities, water conservation facilities, and more.

A digital twin for a water management facility is a 3D model that accurately represents the existing physical space, assets, and processes. It is a real-time, accurate digital representation of a building’s structure and systems.

A digital twin can be thought of as a BIM model or computer model of an existing building, or an electronic as-built model. It often replaces outdated paper CAD plans.

When GPRS creates a digital twin, it includes 2-4 millimeter-accurate layout, location, and dimensional information of a facilities’ structure and equipment, such as pipes, pumps, hydrants, valves, lift stations, storage tanks, and more, documenting detailed spatial information and how each component works together.

Digital as-builts help plant operators and engineers evaluate system components and workflows and how they are impacted by different loads, flows, temperatures, and other parameters. It can help identify the issues within a system, enabling engineers to accurately schedule predictive maintenance, resulting in lower operational costs.

Digital twins can help the decision-making process by testing proposed design changes in a virtual environment, reducing project change orders and risks.

GPRS 3D laser scanning water facility
A digital twin for a water management facility is a 3D model that accurately represents the existing physical space, assets, and processes

How is a Digital Twin Created?

To create a digital twin of a facility, it must first be 3D laser scanned. A GPRS Project Manager will arrive on site and deploy the laser scanner in many positions around the facility from varying viewpoints. 3D laser scanners use LiDAR technology to record precise x, y, and z coordinates of every point in the facility, similar to a pixel in a photograph. Every architectural, structural, and MEP feature, plus utility and concrete markings, can be captured with 2-4mm accuracy. Millions of coordinates are processed into a point cloud, creating an accurate 3D as-built dataset of the site. Comprehensive site data will ensure a precise digital twin model.  

The GPRS Mapping & Modeling team uploads the point cloud into software such as Autodesk Revit, ReCap, BIM 360, Navisworks, Inventor, SolidWorks, and MicroStation to create a digital twin of the facility. The digital twin 3D model can be created with different levels of detail and tolerances, depending on the project scope and specifications.

GPRS recently developed SiteMap®, a cloud-based user-friendly software that quickly and securely delivers digital twin models for construction and infrastructure projects. SiteMap® provides customers with GPRS accurate as-built information – from our 99.8% accurate utility maps & concrete imaging results to CAD drawings, and fully integrated 3D BIM models that meld 2-4mm accurate aboveground as-builts & below ground infrastructure to create a digital twin of any site.

A digital twin delivered in SiteMap® will break down departmental silos, because it obligates teams to work in one virtual platform. This encourages collaboration, communication, and ultimately, better decision making.

GPRS Created a Digital Twin of the Henrico Water Treatment Plant

GPRS provided 3D laser scanning services for the Henrico Water Treatment Plant in Richmond, Virginia. The facility requested a digital twin of the plant for the removal of existing steam boilers, underground fuel tanks and accessories, and the installation of new steam boilers and new above-ground fuel tanks, and all renovations associated with their replacement.

GPRS Project Manager Vinnie Paul 3D laser scanned the 13,500 s.f.. Henrico Water Treatment Plant in eight hours with the Leica RTC 360 laser scanner.

“I completed a site walkthrough the day prior to efficiently plan the scan route and ensure comprehensive data collection. This saved the client time and money and quickly delivered point cloud data to the GPRS Mapping and Modeling team to create a 3D digital twin model,” said Paul.
He added, “By 3D laser scanning to create a digital twin, the Henrico Water Treatment Plant is proactively designing and planning plant upgrades.”

3D laser scanning water treatment facility
GPRS Project Manager Vinnie Paul 3D laser scanned the 13,500 sq. ft. Henrico Water Treatment Plant in 8 hours with the Leica RTC 360 laser scanner.

How Does the Henrico Water Treatment Plant Operate?

The Henrico Water Treatment Plant is situated on a 52-acre site, and treats water pumped from a pumping station located on the bank of the James River. Water entering the plant is treated with ozone to reduce objectionable tastes and odors and a chemical coagulant that causes suspended particles to clump together and settle to the bottom of large open-air tanks.

The water is then disinfected further and sent through gravity filters comprised of granulated activated charcoal, sand, and an underdrain system. The water is stored in two large reinforced concrete tanks (clearwells) under the building. These tanks are capable of storing 8.2 million gallons of water.

Water is pumped by six 800-horsepower vertical turbine pumps, each of which has the capacity to pump 11.4 million gallons of water per day.

The planned infrastructure upgrades will ensure safe drinking water for the community.

Digital twin of water treatment facility
The facility requested a digital twin of the plant for the removal of existing steam boilers, underground fuel tanks and accessories, and the installation of new steam boilers and new above-ground fuel tanks.

What are the Benefits of Digital Twins?

With accurate digital twins, facilities can make better and faster decisions. These are some benefits to digital twin technology:

  • Improve communication and collaboration
  • Remote analysis of a system’s performance
  • Virtual design and construction planning
  • Data-driven decision making
  • Predictive modeling and maintenance
  • Integrate material and labor costs to determine an accurate project estimate
  • Incorporate artificial intelligence to improve workflow efficiency
  • Test ideas in a virtual environment with few limitations
  • Aid in operational management post-construction
Ultimately, digital twins can help companies operate more efficiently, cut costs, and remain competitive. The McKinsey Global Institute reports that a digital transformation can increase productivity by up to 15% and reduce costs by up to 6%.

How Can GPRS Help Visualize Your Water Infrastructure?

As states continue to invest in drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure, they can utilize digital twin technology for design planning and operational decision making.

GPRS has extensive experience providing 3D laser scanning and digital twin services for water treatment, water supply, water utility, water storage and distribution facilities - documenting the interior and exterior of buildings, foundations, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing features, equipment, motors, and conduit and piping down to ½ inch diameter.

Our elite team of Project Managers is required to complete an extensive training program before performing field services on your job site. Every Project Manager completes 80 hours of classroom training and 320 hours of field mentoring.

Water management facilities can save time and money by contacting GPRS to 3D laser scan existing infrastructure and MEP features. GPRS captures measurements with 2-4mm accuracy to provide digital twins to plan for upgrades and avoid clashes and change orders.

What can we help you visualize?

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is 3D Laser Scanning?

3D laser scanners use LiDAR (light detection and ranging) to measure and record precise locations and distances, ultimately producing a point cloud file. The technology enables you to produce highly accurate digital measurements and images quickly and easily for use in construction and engineering projects. 3D laser scanning is a revolutionary tool to document existing conditions. It is invaluable in design, prefabrication, asset management, and facility modifications.

What Is BIM?

BIM stands for Building Information Modeling and is more than just a 3D model. 3D BIM scanning gives engineers the ability to manage the building data throughout its whole life-cycle. It provides accurate spatial relationships and manufacturer details, as well as geographic information and other pertinent aspects of the building.

What Is LiDAR?

LiDAR is a remote sensing method used to generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape of an object and its surface characteristics. Much like radar systems that employ radio waves to measure objects, LiDAR uses lasers to calculate the distance of objects with light pulses from 3D laser scanners, gathering 3D information about an object.

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The Future of Construction – Matt Aston on the Dirt Talk Podcast

Matt Aston joins host Aaron Witt for a glimpse into the future of subsurface mapping, the challenges that the U.S. faces in overhauling its existing above and below ground infrastructure, and how construction site safety is directly linked to technology and chart the course for the next 25 years.

If you would like a glimpse into the future of subsurface mapping, the challenges that the U.S. faces in overhauling its existing above and below ground infrastructure, and how construction site safety is directly linked to technology, click below to listen to GPRS’ President & CEO Matt Aston chart the course for the next 25 years.

Aston joined host Aaron Witt on the Dirt Talk Podcast to talk about the company’s evolution, its astonishing growth, and its future, which is intrinsically tied to the renaissance of U.S. construction, its growing infrastructure expansion & revitalization, and changing utility needs.  

From the get-go, the attitude that catapulted GPRS from a one-man operation in 2001 to its current $160 million, 800-person infrastructure visualization company is apparent, as Aston recounts his decision to leave his corporate financial analyst job and start his own business. The inciting event that led to his walking away from the traditional corporate world is summed up in one phrase…

“I was interested in fixing the flaw, instead of merely cleaning up the mess.”

One could argue that “fixing the flaw” is what led Aston to ground penetrating radar in the first place – the GPR in the company’s name. His father owned a concrete construction company, and Aston gained personal experience of the risk, danger, and damage that can be caused by striking a power line or other embedment in concrete. So, he set out to solve the problem by discovering a safe, efficient way to map the interior of concrete slabs to avoid cutting into rebar, live electrical or other utilities, or a post tension cable.  

“There’s been a shift in the industry in the last 10 years – from reactive to proactive,” he shared with Witt. “It’s been a good shift, increasing the safety performance of contractors all across the country.”

“The biggest challenge of starting this business was creating awareness [about GPR applications for construction]… We’re not looking for treasure. We’re not looking for some archeological artifact. We are using this for the express purpose of damage prevention on construction sites.”

What Aston could not have foreseen in 2001 when he began his one-man safety awareness campaign was that GPR was only the beginning of the technological innovations that could be adapted to help the construction industry operate more safely.

In 2008, the still small six-man concrete scanning company saw its revenue nearly double with a 92% increase. “We didn’t have a market that had more than one person in it. We were still at the bottom end of the curve for creating awareness.”  

The two construction professionals also talked in depth about the project that arguably put GPRS on the map in 2006, Trump Tower, Chicago and its 3,892 individual post tension concrete locates to bring the building’s attachment to a pedestrian bridge up to code.

“I was out there [in Chicago] to help get the job started off… I was reading this book at night. The book was called The E Myth, written by Michael Gerber, and it said the main reason businesses fail – or fail to ever grow – is because the owner spends too much time working inside the business and not enough time working on it,” Aston shared.  

Gerber likened this problem to a bakery with great muffins. If the baker just keeps pumping out more muffins, that is all he has, more muffins. But if he hires someone else to make the muffins while he opens another location, he has a growing business. “That book hit me like a punch in the stomach… I realized I was making muffins with GPR.”

Learn how GPRS is evolving to help its customers build better, here.  

So in early 2007, Aston took himself out of the field and began to focus on scaling the growth of GPRS. That growth happened fast, and a decade later, private equity firms were knocking on his door, looking for a piece of the action.  

“One of the greatest things that happened to GPRS in partnering with private equity is that they really taught us how to do acquisitions… To talk to a competitor and say, ‘How would you feel about joining forces with us?’”

GPRS’ expansion was supercharged. “It was like putting nitrous fuel in our engine,” said the CEO. “We had 200 employees when we partnered with private equity in 2017, and we’re just shy of 800 now in 2024.”

GPRS now has 500 elite, rapid response Project Managers in every major market in the U.S. That’s not bad for a guy whose big dream was to maybe expand as far as Pittsburgh and Chicago.  

However, Aston is characteristically humble when asked how the company has enjoyed so much success. He credits “a phenomenal team of managers… That core team of people we started with is still 90% in place. The credit for the growth goes to that whole team of people who helped me build the business.”  

The interview is wide-ranging and takes you from the early days of the small company through its growth to expand beyond GPR to damage prevention, accurate existing condition as-builts, and facilities & project management, and SiteMap® (patent pending), the new tool GPRS has created to provide it all for their customers to usher them into the future of Intelligently Visualizing The Built World®.  

Witt and Aston also discuss the state of U.S. infrastructure, the ever-changing construction industry and where they see it going, private and public utility mapping, and how GPRS has maintained a 99.87% accuracy rate in utility locating and concrete scanning on over half a million jobs and counting.  

Watch the entire interview on YouTube here.

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Ground Penetrating Radar

How GPRS Utility Locating Ensures Safe Excavation

An environmental consulting firm called on GPRS to locate utilities prior to the removal of old monitoring wells in Southern California, so they could avoid subsurface damage that would otherwise have derailed the project.

An environmental consulting firm called on GPRS to locate utilities prior to the removal of old monitoring wells in Southern California, so they could avoid subsurface damage that would otherwise have derailed the project.

The wells were installed over a decade ago to measure water levels in the ground in 15 locations across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County. Newer wells were installed over the years to replace the ones that were slated for removal, which meant that the old wells weren’t being actively maintained. In some areas, the well covers were buried under asphalt as roads were re-paved.

A GPRS Project Manager operating a ground penetrating radar scanner on grass.
GPRS Project Managers use ground penetrating radar scanners like this one to visualize subsurface infrastructure.

GPRS was asked to locate utilities in a 10’x10’ area around each of the monitoring wells, so that the excavator could avoid costly and potentially dangerous subsurface damage. The average cost of damaging a single buried utility is $56,000, and it typically requires 6-8 weeks of downtime to repair the damage. A utility strike while removing the monitoring wells would have decimated the project’s budget and schedule – and endangered the health and wellbeing of those performing the work.

GPRS’ primary tool for conducting utility locates is ground penetrating radar (GPR), a non-destructive detection and imaging technology that utilizes radio waves to locate anomalies underground or within concrete.

As the GPR scanner moves across the ground or the surface of a concrete slab, it emits radio waves that will interact with any objects – metallic or non-metallic – that they encounter. The scanner takes these interactions and displays them in a readout as hyperbolas varying in size and shape depending on what type of object was located.

When locating underground utilities, suboptimal ground and soil conditions, inclement weather, and the material of the object being located can all limit GPR’s effectiveness. So, GPRS Project Managers (PM) employ electromagnetic (EM) locating in concert with GPR to compensate for this.

GPRS Project Managers use a variety of utility locating equipment.
GPRS Project Managers are trained to use multiple forms of technology when conducting subsurface investigations, to create redundancy and repeatability in our findings.

An EM locator does not locate buried pipes or cables; instead, it detects the electromagnetic signals radiating from these metallic objects.

These signals can be created by the locator’s transmitter applying current to a known pipe, or from current flow in a live electrical cable. They can also result from a conductive pipe acting as an antenna and re-radiating signals from stray electrical fields (detected by the EM locator functioning in Power Mode) and communications transmissions (Radio Mode).

Signals are created by the current flowing from the transmitter which travels along the conductor (line/cable/pipe) and back to the transmitter. The current typically uses a ground to complete the current. A ground stake is used to complete the circuit through the ground.

At GPRS, our PMs are trained and certified in the Subsurface Investigation Methodology (SIM) so they can accurately interpret the findings provided by GPR and EM locating.

SIM is the industry-leading process for conducting utility locates, concrete scans, video (CCTV) pipe inspections, and leak detection. To achieve SIM 101 certification, our PMs complete a minimum of 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training where they tackle real-world scenarios designed to prepare them for life in the field.

PMs return to GPRS’ state-of-the-art training facility in Sylvania, Ohio during or after their second year as part of our team to hone their skills and receive SIM 201 certification. And they may again return after more time in the field to certify at SIM Level 301 as a Senior Project Manager.

SIM provides a step-by-step process for collecting subsurface data accurately, including a checklist of actions PMs must take to ensure optimal results and the repeatability of our findings. It’s because of SIM that GPRS has achieved and maintains a 99.8%+ rate of accuracy on the over 500,000 utility locating and precision concrete scanning and imaging projects we’ve completed to date.

But the process for accurately locating and mapping utilities begins before we even arrive to your site. We call our field team members Project Managers because they take a collaborative approach to every job, working with you to understand what you need out of our services. We tailor our data delivery method, scope of work, and more to meet your needs and ensure you walk away with information that is both accurate and actionable.

Utility markings on a roadway.
GPRS Located utilities around monitoring wells that were to be removed in Southern California.

In San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County, that meant marking the locations of buried utilities and other subsurface anomalies directly on the ground with paint and flags and indicating the approximate depth of these objects where possible. In areas where the well covers had been paved over, we also utilized a magnetometer: an instrument that detects magnetic fields from ferrous, metallic objects. This allowed us to pinpoint the location of these well covers for the environmental consulting firm and establish a 10’x10’ bounding area around those covers within which we located buried utilities.

A Vivax Magnetometer
GPRS Project Managers use the Vivax Magnetometer to detect the magnetic field of a ferromagnetic (high susceptibility to magnetization) object.

With the buried well covers successfully located, and utilities around all the outdated wells accurately identified and mapped, the client was able to complete their work efficiently and safely.

From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is private utility locating important?

According to a report recently published by the Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the direct and indirect costs of damage caused by strikes totaled around $40 billion in 2021 alone, with the privately funded Infrastructure Protection Coalition putting the figure closer to $61 billion.

Over 60% of all buried utility lines are private, meaning they’re owned by individuals or businesses. Hiring a professional private underground utility locating company to identify and map these lines through your project area prior to digging ensures you avoid costly and potentially dangerous subsurface damage.

Does GPRS offer same day private utility locating?

Yes, our professional Project Managers can respond rapidly to emergency same-day private utility locating service calls on your job site.

Will I need to mark out the utilities GPRS locates?

No, GPRS will locate and mark all utilities for you. We have a variety of tools and markers we can use to highlight the locations of utilities, underground storage tanks (USTs), and whatever else may be hiding.

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New U.S. Lead Pipe Rule Proposal & 10 Year Removal Plan Explained

The main focus of Lead and Copper Rule Improvement [LCRI] is to remove a greater portion of lead in the nation’s drinking water supply and improve upon LCRR’s enforcement, which included public disclosure of the number of lead service lines (LSLs) in public water systems, clarification of the sampling requirements, and made changes to how water managers are required to report their test results.

In early 2023, the Biden Administration announced a bold national plan to remove all lead piping in the U.S water and sewer infrastructure within 10 years [Get The Lead Out - GTLO]. They followed up with specifics, and nearly $6 billion in funding to ensure “Clean Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure” as part of Investing in America.

A close-up of the ends of old, rusted water pipesq
Some 9.2 million lead water lines – also known as lead service lines – still carry drinking water and sewage in the U.S.

“Today’s announcement delivers funding to every single state and territory in the country to expand access to clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, improve wastewater and sanitation infrastructure, and remove PFAS contamination in water.”

In step with the administration’s initiative, in November of 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), proposed new regulations with the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) to strengthen the initial Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), adopted in 1991, and revised in 2021 as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR).

The LCRR was proposed to help municipal and business leaders develop and maintain a service line inventory – essentially to map current existing conditions of water systems, including the material of each service line – and to require those inventories by October 16, 2024. The EPA has provided both written and video materials to guide municipal managers, corporate facility managers, and small businesses on creating water service line inventories, including:

  • Provides best practices for inventory development and communicating information to the public.
  • Includes a template for water systems, states, and Tribes to use or adapt to create their own inventory.
  • Contains case studies on developing, reviewing, and communicating about inventories.
  • Highlights the importance of prioritizing inventory development in disadvantaged communities and where children live and play.

Further, the LCRR guidance states that “The EPA does not expect to propose changes to the requirements for information to be submitted in the initial service line inventory. However, the rulemaking could include changes to the requirements for inventory updates.”

What Does This Initiative & Regulation Mean for Stakeholders, General Contractors, Engineers, and Water Managers?

The main focus of LCRI is to remove a greater portion of lead in the nation’s drinking water supply and improve upon LCRR’s enforcement, which included public disclosure of the number of lead service lines (LSLs) in public water systems, clarification of the sampling requirements, and made changes to how water managers are required to report their test results.

The LCRI has three main initiatives:

  • Replacing ALL lead service lines in an equitable fashion
  • Improving public health protections & reducing complexities
  • Making public information and reporting more transparent

Of course, the marquee goal of LCRI is the same as GTLO: the complete removal of all LSLs – and all galvanized pipes laying downstream of lead pipes – plus removing any pipes whose material is unknown/unclassified.

Presently, the EPA estimates 9.2 million LSLs exist in the U.S.

LSLs as defined above applies to all lines, regardless of whether their lead action levels have caused human health exposure/impact. There is one very limited exception, mainly that the lines must be “under the control” of the water system operator.

Operators will also be required to inventory and tag all lead connectors and replace them. Municipal operators are required to make their service replacement plan available to the public. If the water system has in excess of 50,000 connections (users), the replacement plan must be made available online as well.

Other public notifications in the new regulations include delivering testing results within three days. Where those results exceed the allowable limit (0.010 mg/L), notification must occur within 24 hours, and the operator/municipality has to conduct a public education program within 60 days, repeated in another 60 days after each sampling period wherein the safe level is exceeded.

The cost to replace an LSL is estimated at $4,700, so the base cost to replace all lead drinking water lines with safer materials will have a price tag of about $43.3 billion.

$26.7 billion has been earmarked to replace lead water lines across the country

A newly installed water line propped up on blocks, with blue connectors
$26.7 billion has been earmarked to replace lead water lines across the country

So far, the LCRI is aided by $26.7 billion in funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – $15 billion to replace LSLs and $11.7 billion as part of Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which can also be used for LSL replacement.

But, Not on Private Property!

It is important to note that LCRI does not provide for the cost of LSL replacement on private property, and it does not mandate states to cover the cost of line replacement for homeowners.

So, if you’re a developer or contractor, you may need to build the cost of LSL replacement into your design-build budget, and to identify any existing LSLs on your project.

Several states have already approved grant programs to assist consumer LSL replacement on private property, and more are expected to join them as the GTLO initiative moves forward.

Creating an Asset Management Plan for Your Community’s Service Lines

One area that GPRS’ Michael Wheeler, Market Segment Leader for Water & Wastewater wants municipalities to pay particular attention to what they need to do with their service line inventory once they have it. And that is to create an asset management plan.

“Take a rural community and Ohio or in Georgia that has one engineer on staff. They don't have the technical expertise to create an asset management plan. You're [the federal government] giving them money and then hoping that they just do their best with it. The idea is to give that rural community the money and give them a plan of how to attack.

Building an asset management plan, and giving rural communities a resource, like GPRS, who can be the consultant for you in building out your asset management plan… who can accurately locate your water and sewer system… to give you a condition assessment of your infrastructure.”

Where Do PFAS Fit In?

PFAS refers to per and polyfluoroalkyl substances – of which some 9,000 chemicals have thus far been identified. Usually, these man-made toxins come from manufacturing & industrial plants, and they are popping up throughout the U.S., with a higher concentration of PFAS polluting communities near industrial sites and military installations.

The EPA has proposed new National Primary Drinking Water Regulations regarding PFAS for six specific PFAS with proposed enforceable levels, monitoring rules, public notices, and processes to reduce PFAS in drinking water. The agency also prevented manufacture or use of 329 PFAS that are no longer used without a completed EPA review and risk assessment.

How GPRS Can Help With Lead Service Line Removal

The first step to removing an LSL is knowing it exists, and that means accurately mapping your water system infrastructure. Both pressurized drinking water lines and sewer lines [sanitary and storm sewer] must be located and mapped prior to daylighting potential lead lines and eventual excavation and replacement.

GPRS maintains a 99.8%+ accuracy rate in utility line location and mapping – the best record in the industry. Add our state-of-the-art, NASSCO-certified video pipe inspection (VPI) services to a standard utility locate to accurately map all storm and sanitary sewer lines, laterals, and to find cross bores caused by trenchless technology (directional drilling), and you can have a comprehensive map of your entire drinking and wastewater systems to make finding and replacing LSLs much faster and easier.

Further, every GPRS customer receives access to the company’s new SiteMap® infrastructure visualization software, that provides you with layered, interactive utility maps, and NASSCO WinCan reports in a secure, cloud-based platform, so you can control the quality of your water infrastructure information and who has access to it. SiteMap® allows you to put the right information into the right hands, at exactly the right time, and in the case of water infrastructure updates and LSL replacement, that time is undoubtedly NOW.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my building has lead pipes that need to be replaced?

If you have access to the original record drawings that include MEP (mechanical electrical & plumbing) specifications, you may be able to determine the material of the original pipes. However, most record drawings are inaccurate and do not include renovations and updates. The conscientious process to assess and remove LSLs is to hire an expert utility locating company near you to locate your pipes so you can limit potholing to determine their material.

Learn more about GPRS 99.8%+ accurate utility locating and mapping, here.

Learn more about GPRS video pipe inspections, here.

Schedule a personal SiteMap® demonstration, here.

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How SiteMap® Standardizes Data Collection, Storage for Digital Twin Modeling

Experts in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry believe that digital twins will drive sustainability opportunities in the future – if we can solve the longstanding problem of data standardization.

Digital twins provide construction professionals the precise data they need to aid in project planning, execution, and ongoing maintenance, and eliminate the need for site visits, expedite decision making, and increase efficiency.

Experts in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry believe that digital twins will drive sustainability opportunities in the future – if we can solve the longstanding problem of data standardization.

A recent article in Architect Magazine posited that utilization of comprehensive digital twins – accurate virtual models of physical assets, structures, and systems – will enable architects to deliver on sustainability goals.

“By using digital twins,” the article continues, “designers can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings by up to 50% and reap cost savings of up to 35%, according to an Ernst and Young study.”

A digital twin of a gas station superimposed over a photo of the station.
Digital twins provide construction professionals precise data to aid in project planning, execution, and ongoing maintenance. But a digital twin is only as good as the data used to create it.

“Design firms are really starting to utilize the idea of a digital twin,” added Brent Trenga, Kingspan Insulated Panels North America’s Director of Sustainability. “They’re starting to see the value-add down the road. Construction industries are served by cost and profit, and it’s once you make the connection that there’s a profit to be gained and a cost savings of time and money – in terms of construction management, change orders, and conflicts – that's when the tools get adopted.”

Sustainable construction has become a topic of much interest and debate amongst world leaders and industry stakeholders alike.

The construction industry contributes 36% of the world’s energy usage, and accounts for 40% of the world’s CO2 emissions, according to ProEst.com. Here in the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that buildings are responsible for 30% of all our country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Digital twins and other 3D models are essential to the process of Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), where AEC firms can address sustainability concerns and solve other problems digitally before a single shovel is put in the ground.

In an article published on Engineering.com, Eryn Devola, Vice President of Sustainability at Siemens Digital Industries, writes that the digital twin approach to sustainable design “allows for confident decision making for the more-interconnected optimizations of resources, waste and CO2 emissions.”

The problem, however, is that the digital twin must be accurate to be a reliable planning tool.

The article featured on Architect Magazine notes that “creating a nimble and reliable digital twin system among AEC firms requires consistent dynamic data inputs, widespread adoption, and standardization,” but goes on to admit that “these traits are far from realized.”

The Solution to Your Data Problems

At GPRS, we are experts in helping you Intelligently Visualize The Built World® through our subsurface damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and construction & facilities project management services.

That process starts with how we standardize the collection of data on your site – both above and below ground.

All GPRS Project Managers are certified in SIM, or Subsurface Investigation Methodology, the industry-leading process for conducting utility locates, precision concrete scanning and imaging, video (CCTV) pipe inspections, and leak detection.

The SIM standard specifies that a professional utility locating contractor must utilize multiple technologies to create redundancy and repeatability in the results of their subsurface investigations.

To become SIM certified, GPRS Project Managers complete a minimum of 320 hours of field training and 80 hours of classroom training. During this training program, the PMs encounter and learn to solve the real-world problems that they will have to tackle in the field.

It’s our adherence to SIM that has allowed GPRS to achieve and maintain a 99.8%+ rate of accuracy on the over 500,000 utility locating and concrete scanning jobs we’ve completed to date. And in addition to achieving SIM certification, GPRS Project Managers complete 40 hours of training specific to 3D laser scanning, to ensure they are prepared to capture every detail of your facility – including utility locating and concrete scanning markings – with 2-4mm accuracy.

A GPRS Project Manager conducts 3D laser scans in a parking garage.
GPRS Project Managers take 2-4mm accurate 3D laser scans of your site that are then turned into a digital twin by our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department.

When conducting 3D laser scans, GPRS uses industry-leading Leica laser scanners to collect up to 2 million data points per second at a range of up to 270 meters for each scan taken. That data is then handed over to our in-house Mapping & Modeling Department, who use it to construct a digital twin or BIM model in a variety of software files depending on the client’s needs, including Revit, AutoCAD, ReCap, Navisworks, Civil 3D or BIM 360.

A digital twin of your building or facility created by GPRS’ Mapping & Modeling team is backed by the 2-4mm accurate 3D laser scans, and 99.8% accurate utility locates and concrete imaging collected on site by our SIM-certified Project Managers. This ensures you have the precise data you need to collaborate on design planning, sequencing, and cost estimation of a project before beginning construction.

To ensure the data we collect and model for you is at your fingertips 24/7, GPRS created SiteMap® (patent pending), a cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution where you can view, store, and securely share your data with your team at any time, from your computer, tablet, or mobile device.

SiteMap® is a single source of truth for the data you and your team need to plan, manage, design, dig, and build better. From digital twins to as-builts and beyond, it’s all there whenever you need it, wherever you need it.

For the construction industry, digital twins offer a real-time, in-depth view of the existing conditions of a facility or campus that’s accessible anytime, anywhere, enabling for remote monitoring of systems, maintenance, renovations, and more. GPRS Project Managers are specially trained to capture every detail of your site with the highest level of accuracy, and we have an unmatched ability to model that information to suit your needs, including through the creation of digital twins.

With an accurate digital twin created by GPRS’ Mapping & Modeling Department and backed by the data collected by our SIM-certified Project Managers and securely stored yet easily accessible in SiteMap®, you can address sustainability goals before a single shovel goes in the ground.

GPRS SiteMap® team members are currently scheduling live, personal demos so you can see what SiteMap® can bring to your next project. Click below to schedule your live demo today!

From skyscrapers to sewer lines, GPRS Intelligently Visualizes The Built World® to keep your projects on time, on budget, and safe.

What can we help you visualize? Click the links below to schedule a service or request a quote today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is as-built documentation?

As-built 3D documentation is an accurate set of drawings for a project that reflect all changes made during the construction process and show the exact dimensions, geometry, and location of all elements of the work.

What is a digital twin?

A digital twin is a highly complex virtual model that is an exact counterpart (or twin) of a physical object. GPRS uses 3D laser scanners to collect real-time data for a facility and create a digital duplicate. Data can be easily visualized, measured and analyzed. Digital twins can be used to improve efficiencies, optimize workflows, and detect problems before they occur.

What do I get when GPRS conducts 3D laser scanning at my site?

We can provide 3D modeling in many formats, such as:

  • Point cloud data (raw data)
  • 2D CAD drawings
  • 3D non-intelligent models
  • 3D BIM models
  • JetStream Viewer

Customizable deliverables upon request include:

  • Aerial photogrammetry
  • Comparative analysis
  • Deformation analysis
  • Digital drawings of GPR markings
  • Floor flatness analysis/contour mapping
  • New construction accuracy analysis/comparative analysis
  • Point cloud modeling training webinars
  • Reconciliation of client’s 2D design drawings
  • Reconciliation of client’s 3D design model
  • Structural steel shape probability analysis
  • Template modeling
  • Volume calculations
  • Wall plumb analysis
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A Closer Look at SiteMap® Annotations: Adding Value to Facility Data

Where previously there were only physical, outdated maps there is now a utility mapping software that you can access anytime from your computer or mobile device.

Project and facility managers have a new tool to help them manage their work: SiteMap® (patent pending), powered by GPRS.

Where previously there were only physical, outdated maps there is now a cloud-based infrastructure mapping software solution that you can access anytime from your computer, tablet, or mobile device. Where previously data was siloed and hard to share between teams, SiteMap® allows you to plan, design, dig, and ultimately build better with a single source of truth.

Within SiteMap® your data can be reviewed, shared… and annotated.

In the AEC industries, some annotations are called specifications (also known as specs), These annotations are how architects, engineers, and GCs provide the necessary background on how a structure was built. They include the materials used and how they were installed. The annotations in SiteMap® serve as a bridge between the physical world and the digital realm where the data in SiteMap® lies. They allow GPRS Project Managers and users to attach the same important spec information, tagged directly to specific locations, drawings, maps, and models within their SiteMap® jobs. SiteMap® annotations could also include details about equipment, maintenance records, safety protocols, dangers, and much more.

SiteMap® provides basic annotations, which can be viewed by clicking on a data point within your Map Viewer. These tell you things like the exact location of the utility when it was first recorded, and more.

You can also submit your own annotations, which SiteMap® team members will incorporate into your data within hours.

Two men walk through a job site holding a tablet and paper plans.
SiteMap® allows you and your team to plan, design, manage, dig, and build better.

Enhancing Communication

Annotations foster effective communication among team members. By providing a platform for sharing information, they ensure that everyone has access to the same data. This reduces misunderstandings and promotes collaboration. A well-informed team is an efficient and safe one.

It’s well known that using tools to communicate is a smart move for the overall livelihood of the project and the results. In fact:

  • 79% of people who primarily use a project management tool to communicate with co-workers say it leads to improved internal communication
  • 73% of people say it leads to better internal efficiency
  • 62% of people say it delivers an increased rate of project success.
  • 52% of people say it leads to improved client communication
  • 41% of people say it leads to a better customer experience
  • 27% of people associate it with better employee well-being

When it comes to something as important as understanding where subsurface utilities and infrastructure are, it makes sense to foster communication in any way possible. SiteMap® and its annotations could easily be considered a project management tool when used correctly.

Streamlining Operations

With the proper use of annotations, facility managers can streamline their operations. For example, maintenance teams can quickly locate facilities and access their service history. This reduces downtime and improves efficiency. SiteMap® makes it easy to store information about your facilities, and even easier to understand the information stored.

SiteMap®, and especially GPRS, can do some amazing things. For instance, GPRS has innovated a new application for some of its technology. By 3D laser scanning an area where a thorough, SIM-certified GPR concrete scan and mark-out has been conducted, the in-house Mapping & Modeling Team can merge the data from the concrete scan markings with millimeter-accurate 3D point cloud data to create a comprehensive 3D model containing everything that GPR has detected within the slab (or underground, when doing a GPR utility locate) as objects in 3D. When you combine annotations with amazing features such as this, you’ll have a comprehensive and detailed view that is sure to keep everyone on the same page and as informed as possible.

Improving Safety

Safety is a paramount concern for SiteMap® and GPRS. We strive to build tools that would help increase safety for all job sites, facilities, and municipalities across the nation. According to the Common Ground Alliance's (CGA) 2022 DIRT report, there was a 12.35% increase in damages per construction spending between 2021-2022. Damage incidents are at a three-year high, up by about 10,000 incidents compared to 2021. As more projects break ground, it becomes ever more important to mitigate the dangers that subsurface damage pose to your budget, your workers, and the surrounding community.

Annotations can be used to highlight safety threats, equipment shut-off points, and other components that workers and the project manager would need to be aware of, helping to create a safer work environment. The more information that is provided, the safer a workspace can be.

Better Record Keeping

Annotations aren’t just helpful for the past and present, but also for the future. Consider annotations to be like notes taken in a class. While they’re helpful to take in the present, they may also help benefit your future, especially if the annotation contains information that seems insignificant at the time but could later prove to be useful. Even annotations mentioning a slight shift in a rock formation could hold the key to an earthquake later on. It’s a butterfly effect, with the smallest annotations holding the greatest possibilities. Because of this, annotations are an excellent asset for record-keeping, allowing you to note extras, even if they don’t seem relevant now.

SiteMap® represents the next evolution of GPRS as we strive to keep your projects on time, your budget intact, and your people safe. Backed by GPRS’ damage prevention, existing condition documentation, and project & facility management services, SiteMap® is a single source of truth that allows you to plan, design, dig, and ultimately build better.

Click below to learn more and sign up for your live SiteMap® demo today!

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training manuals

Utility Locating: Electromagnetic Locating
View Manual
Ground Penetrating Radar: Rebar Slabs
View Manual
Ground Penetrating Radar: Dielectrics
View Manual
Concrete Scanning – Slab-On-Grade
View Manual
Ribbed Slab Construction: Slab Type – Ribbed and Waffle
View Manual
Understanding Decking from a Concrete Scanning Perspective
View Manual
Understanding Decking from a Concrete Scanning Perspective - Hollow Core
View Manual