Understanding the key data components that make up the Shovels platform.
permit type
field. That is a complicated nut to crack, as there are so many different names and variations of how permits indicate what kind of work is being done. For the Shovels dataset, we refer to this field as Category.
These refer to what kind of project the permit is for, such as heat pump
or solar panel
or Additional Dwelling Unit (ADU)
. Sometimes, there isn’t a clearly listed category, and the specifics are hidden in the project description
field. Sometimes, the project spans multiple types, but only a single type is included on the permit field.
This is where we put the majority of the “ai” in “shovels.ai”: by pumping all of the data through our purpose-built and specifically trained LLMs to ensure that we capture every angle of the permit. Even obscure abbreviations or misspellings are corrected and categorized appropriately.
contractors
database will be a great place to begin.
contractors
table, we also include detailed information about the employees of a contractor organization, if there are any we can find.
This includes demographic data for the individual employee as well as their role in the company, which will help with understanding who is making the decisions and who is doing the work on the ground.
employees
table is a new addition, so we’re still completing our enrichment process across the board — results may be incomplete in the short term.