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Launch HN: PillarPlus (YC W20) – Automatically create construction blueprints
Hey HN, we’re Naman and Rushil, founders of PillarPlus (https://www.pillarplus.com https://www.pillarplus.com). We build software to automate the creation of construction blueprints. Specifically, our software generates engineering blueprints for air conditioning, ducting, fire, electrical, and plumbing services over the floor plan of the building. MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) designs are a set of 15 technical drawings. We got started in India and are currently operating there, but MEP is standard enough that the software can apply to Western markets also, given that we have incorporated international building codes.
Architects and contractors hire consultants, who still design the building manually. Complete dependence on human effort results in a process that is slow, error-prone and unreliable. Also, the number of consultants is limited resulting in higher fees, long delivery times and difficulty accessing the services.
Rushil started practicing architecture and had troubles dealing with the available MEP firms for his own projects. Naman built an optimization software for the Indian Railways. We’ve been friends for 13 years, and often discuss our problems and achievements. Naman hacked a prototype for plumbing drainage plans that worked perfectly over Rushil’s project, and got us excited about the possibility of such a software.
Our software takes in the floor plan as the input, understands the building and designs the MEP services like an engineer would. A month of engineer’s work gets cut down to a day. We require artificial intelligence algorithms to decipher the floor plan, constraint modelling techniques to encode building codes, routing methods to create pipe paths and optimization algorithms to minimize material wastage.
The software even calculates bill of materials with project cost estimates. It is important to note that MEP accounts for 25% of all project costs! Since the quantity of materials is huge, selecting the right items and vendors is a challenge in an unorganized sector like construction. We recommend what products to install and which brands to choose, as per geographic locations and availability.
The input to our software is the building’s floor plan. The floor plan gives us complete data of the building, with which we can do a lot more. We can generate structural blueprints, 3D models, and create interior design renders!
We're eager to hear feedback and answer questions. Do share your experiences from the construction industry, and your opinion on the use of software to make construction work more efficient.
- brudgers 7y agoHow are professional licensing requirements addressed? Projects large enough to require sophisticated MEP design require that the the design be engineered by a qualified professional who is individually responsible for health safety and welfare. This is not an artifact of modern guild cultures. The principle of personal builder responsibility goes all the way back to the code of Hammurabi.
- crtlaltdel 7y agoin some places, like most places in the usa, a PE will need to stamp it. the assumption would be they review, approve and stamp. i designed several hundred controls systems for projects in dozens of states without a PE license in the same manner. super common
- Rushil 7y agoWe have professional MEP consultants on board with us, that review and sign each and every drawing.
- brudgers 7y agoWhich jurisdictions are you targeting first?
- Rushil 7y agoSo right now we are working in India but we are also targeting USA.
- brudgers 7y agoI don't know about India. I practiced architecture in the US for more than a decade, am still professionally licensed, and came into the AEC industry in 1989. In the US, the "near zero dollar" market is reasonably well served by engineers with established relationships with contractors, architects, owners, and building officials. It's not uncompetitive. Or rather, the many many local "near zero dollar" markets are generally served and somewhat competitive. There are MEP's already on the ground pretty much anywhere there is work. That's also the case with the national "near zero dollar" market and everywhere in between. Which is not to say that what you are doing won't work. But it's probably going to be high touch sales and not self service. Too much money at stake in construction. Too many problems that occur during the process from inherent complexity, misunderstanding, and human fallibility. When things go bad, relationships make the difference. In the US, you're not up against costs. You're up against relationships. Relationships developed over many projects and many years. Low cost probably won't buy you arm's length. Good luck.