David Garcia

full notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_3vc-WlDHPQPNFn1w-7yHhFwEKbSPDVAFpOuRBW8rak/edit?tab=t.yuhpcx3xnmga Summary Meeting explored AI takeoff software for electrical construction and defined requirements for accurate gear data extraction. Electrical takeoff problem space Participants analyzed the complex, variable landscape of construction takeoffs, focusing on the efficiency of automating bill of materials generation for electrical distributors. Platform demonstration and feedback AI platform testing highlighted the need for improved feature extraction, specifically regarding breaker requirements and panel schedule data integration. Improved accuracy for feeder breakers remains a priority. System output and goals The primary objective is to finalize an automated workflow that exports structured bill of materials data directly into standard distributor business systems. Next steps [Alexei Schiopu] Send Access Email: Send platform invite link email to David Garcia 11 days from now. [Alexei Schiopu] Add to Mailing List: Add David Garcia to the monthly or bi-monthly product update email list. [David Garcia] Test Platform: Use the platform beginning May 18th and provide detailed feedback to Alexei Schiopu. [David Garcia] Upload Sample Project: Upload a sample project that includes specific requirements, such as shunt breakers or ground fault details. Details Introductions and Background: Alexei Schiopu and David Garcia conducted introductions, with Alexei detailing their background in electrical engineering and drafting, their move to software with Plangrid which was acquired by Autodesk, and their current focus on solving problems with construction drawings using AI to extract structured, reliable data for takeoffs (00:00:00). David Garcia also has a background in electrical engineering, having worked for Schneider Electric in technical sales and as an application engineer for distributed control systems, and they also spent time at the software company EAP, which models electrical systems for arc flash and short circuit studies (00:05:49). The Takeoff Problem in Construction: Alexei Schiopu noted that they initially targeted electrical contractors but realized that the process of who performs takeoffs is complex and messy, varying by geography, manufacturer, and distributor (00:07:11). David Garcia confirmed this complexity, stating that it can be messy in terms of who performs takeoffs, with some electrical contractors sending all drawings to the supplier (00:08:03). Alexei Schiopu is interested in the distribution/manufacturing side because it requires less information for takeoffs compared to contractors, who need lighting, power, comms, security, fire alarm, and distribution (00:08:54). Vision for Electrical System Analysis: Alexei Schiopu's vision extends beyond takeoffs to simulating electricity and loads to identify design mistakes and opportunities for value engineering, which requires a true understanding of system limitations. David Garcia acknowledged that what Alexei is attempting to build—combining modeling and takeoffs into one software—is an "overload of information" and does not currently exist, noting that EAP stops at modeling and does not perform takeoffs (00:09:46). David Garcia also mentioned that only Siemens is attempting more automated takeoffs, but their software is not fully functional (00:11:39). Current Takeoff Procedures and Challenges: David Garcia explained that their background is not in lighting, and contractors usually provide the bill of materials (BOM) for lighting packages, which the distributor sends to the manufacturer for a quote (00:11:39). They mentioned a distribution software that automatically counts lighting components for takeoffs, which could save significant time, but this tool only works with lighting, and expanding it to include gear is still in development (00:12:48). David Garcia noted that contractors sometimes provide a takeoff but also send the one-line diagram for the distributor to double-check, and sometimes they only send the drawings, relying on the distributor to generate an accurate BOM (00:14:34). Takeoff Methodology and Focus: David Garcia affirmed that when checking quotes, they rely on the one-line diagram rather than the contractor's BOM, which they use as a secondary check, because they find that contractors sometimes miss components like panel boards or breakers (00:15:27). Alexei Schiopu outlined their focus on extracting switchboards, panels, breakers, and connections, but not conduit, as manufacturers generally do not quote the conduit itself. David Garcia confirmed that conduit quoting is separate from gear quoting and is done once the runs are finalized (00:17:12). Demonstration of the AI Platform: Alexei Schiopu demonstrated the platform, which allows users to upload drawings and specs for processing, noting that they are working toward an email integration to receive a BOM back, though they recognize this requires high trust (00:18:58). The platform stitches drawings together to determine the building's geometry and detects components like doors and windows, associating them with schedules (00:19:44). For panel schedules, the information is extracted and displayed for verification (00:20:31). David Garcia provided feedback on the panel schedule extraction, noting that feeder breakers were missing from the panel schedule view, which Alexei explained would be extracted from the new, under-development single-line diagram feature (00:22:24). David Garcia indicated that even the current functionality saves time because it summarizes information across multiple panel boards (00:23:53). Future Development and Feedback on Requirements: David Garcia noted that while the current output provides quantity and amperage, a key missing piece is extracting important details such as ground fault, shunt trip, or padlock requirements for breakers. Alexei Schiopu affirmed that the goal is to extract every piece of information shown in the panel schedule and they will start baking in these special requirements based on project files provided by users (00:24:50) (00:29:05). David Garcia confirmed that the preferred output format breaks down the bill of materials by panel board because that is how they enter it into their system (00:25:44). Next Steps and Platform Access: Alexei Schiopu shared that their North Star is to create a tool where files go in and a CSV can be downloaded for import into their system, minimizing manual intervention (00:26:36). Alexei Schiopu plans to open the platform for free two-week access every six weeks, with the next opening scheduled for May 18th (00:28:19). David Garcia was invited to use the web-based platform to provide feedback, especially on the new single-line diagram functionality, and they will receive an invite link via email (00:29:05).