The construction industry is poised for a technological revolution. Confronted by a variety of challenges – environmental issues, low profit margins, more demanding clients, tightened building regulations – the industry has grown adept to embracing new technologies. The industry needs to respond to the perennial problems associated with it. As highlighted in a McKinsey report, it is not uncommon for construction schedules to run 20% over time and cost 80% over budget.
While in the past the construction industry was often been seen as sluggish, it has little choice but to quickly turn to technological innovation. Failure to do so may see companies ousted by non-traditional players as seen in transport, accommodation and shopping. Uber is the world’s biggest public transport company without a single car or bus; Airbnb is the largest provider of accommodation without a hotel to its name. To its credit, the rate of technology adoption in construction has been swift. A major contributor to this is the growing size and complexity of construction projects, from infrastructure to commercial projects.
In this article, we explore the game-changing technologies that will shape the construction industry in the next decade. All, if not most, are in use already. We believe the pace of their adoption will pick up rapidly.
1. Drone
As far as the eye can see is no longer relevant in the construction industry. In the past, mega construction projects were difficult to be mapped out. Now, with the deployment of drones, the entire construction site can be easily captured, mapped and shared. Every detail of the construction terrain can be studied, leaving little or no room for surprises.
The precision of the data captured is unquestionable. Add to that the speed with which they are captured and analysed, project timelines can be dramatically shaved, leading to cost savings.
With drones, progress can be recorded and shared in real-time. This improves productivity in an industry that has for too long relied on human capital for a vast portion of a project. With the use of drones, the industry can look towards deploying labour where they matter most.
2. Building Information Modelling
Building Information Modelling, or BIM, is a process that generates and manages the digital representations of physical and functional features of a construction project. This technology has helped companies in the industry to stay within the allocated construction budget. With increasing accessibility to this software, construction companies of all sizes can adopt it. Whether constructing a massive infrastructural projects or building a single house, BIM has given productivity in the industry a big boost.
As the technology evolves, we can look towards its contribution to building maintenance and management activities. Property owners and managers will be able to locate quickly the various installations and fixtures. With machine learning built into it, property owners and managers can be alerted to maintenance issues or required upgrading.
3. Virtual and augmented reality
With VR and AR, all stakeholders in a project can visualise the final product, before and during the construction phase. Gone are the days when the disclaimer “for illustrative purposes only” needs to accompany the illustration of the final product. What they see is the ‘final product’.
Apart from being able to visualise the outcome, a major advantage of this technology is empowering stakeholders to experience the design and build. They can ‘live and work in them.’ Where feasible, changes can be made that are not conjectures but based on experience. This promotes more meaningful collaboration between the project stakeholders, leading to a better outcome.
4. 3-D printing
If anyone had thought that pre-fab was a construction marvel, 3-D printing takes the industry to a whole new level. The benefits of this technology are massive. Intricate designs and complex structures can be printed, re-printed with ease and minimal waste of resources. Considering the positive impact on the environment, the safety considerations and the cost savings, one can only be impressed with the ultimate game-changing impact of this technology on the construction industry.
Will tower cranes and excavators give way to 3-D printers at job sites? It might not reach this extent, but they will be a dominant the technology applied in the industry. With it, construction delays can be a thing of the past. Unlike human capital, 3-D printers can work longer and quieter too. Hence, noise pollution associated with the industry will be history.
5. “Appification” of the construction industry
The construction industry is fast getting onto the app game. From onsite security, project management, resource and material allocation to labour deployment, apps have been a great productivity boost for the industry. Everything can be recorded and reported in real-time. By going paperless, human error in data inputting will be minimised too. Slowly but surely, human capital can be deployed to higher thinking activities to improve outcomes.
The tide of technological change sweeping the construction industry will grow stronger. Their impact will spread rapidly. “Technology or bust” is a constant cry heard in the industry. Both big or small construction companies must keep track of emerging innovations and embrace them promptly, or they might be nudged out.
Every leap and stride will be further and wider. Missing a step can be detrimental to a company’s long-term sustainability. Technology has dispersed knowledge and expertise across all project stakeholders. Neither architects, engineers, designers or builders can claim to be a major bank of them. Clients too are just as aware. To this end, collaboration and creativity can be greatly enhanced.
