28 September 2010

Costain's growing strength in mobile technology has been acknowledged by an industry body charged with promoting the use of the technology.

Construction Opportunities for Mobile IT (COMIT) has awarded Costain its 2010 Commitment to Innovation award for its efforts in applying mobile technology to improve efficiency and save costs on its projects.

The award acknowledges Costain's position in the vanguard of the construction industry in adopting mobile technology.

Among the Company's initiatives have been the use of Radio Frequency Identification tags to track plant and equipment and using electronic signatures on personal data assistants that allow engineers to sign off satisfactorily completed sections of work, rather than using paper documents. And vehicle-mounted equipment incorporating a Global Positioning System is being used to carry out topographic surveys of large areas faster and more safely than the traditional method of someone working on foot.

COMIT consists of some 60-plus construction companies and technology providers. It aims to promote the use of mobile technology within the UK construction sector by spreading best practice, promoting new developments and improving understanding between both groups.

Companies such as Costain can detail technological problems they face in their work and seek solutions from equipment vendor COMIT members, explains Aalok Sonawala, Business Improvement and Systems Manager on the Brighton and Hove wastewater treatment works project, who received the COMIT award.

• Costain's progress in this field was detailed in website article Intelligent phones on 22 September.

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