Traditional construction sites are always associated with grabber cones, noise & a whole lot of dust! But with changing times, everything is changing, even the image of a traditional construction site!
Technology has a way of seeping into every aspect of human lives. Even the construction industry which is quite rigid & inflexible to changes is being compelled to do so. New innovative technologies are being introduced in the industry so that efficiency & productivity can be increased.
Starting from mere grabber cones to analytics, everything is being changed. In this article, the reasons behind why technology is driving trends in the construction industry are going to be discussed.
There are many factors responsible for technology driving trends in the construction industry. The top 5 factors are mentioned below:
1. New Methods & New Materials
The first & foremost things that are affected by the advancement in technology in the construction industry are materials & methods of construction. Many new materials are being introduced such as recycling concrete, materials with carbon fiber, etc. The new methods that are being utilized are- 3D printers, drones, etc.
2. The job sites are being revolutionized
Technology has revolutionized the job sites in the construction industry. There is better connectivity, precise surveying of the location with the help of mobile devices and drones, and less wastage of material. The clients are always up to date about the construction with the help of live drawings of construction.
3. Safer Worksite
The safety of workers in a traditional construction site is a huge problem. There have been many accidents reported. But with better technology, these hazards can be minimized.
New technologies like drones, augmented reality & wearable techs like a helmet can easily track any hazards beforehand & can also report them immediately.
This helps in preventing the accidents as well as reporting them sooner, so that, proper measures can be taken immediately.
4. Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning
Nowadays, most industries are adapting to new technologies introduced by machine learning. One of the most popular forms of machine learning is AI (Artificial Intelligence).
AI is revolutionizing the whole world. One of the top inventions is AI-driven cars. It is predicted that these cars can easily replace drivers in the near future, which will lead to a lesser number of accidents.
Predictive Analytics uses a lot of past data to predict future behavior or results. This technology can be used for many things such as arranging workers’ schedules in advance, making the work site safer, ordering materials in advance, and predicting future hazards.
It can be also used to predict the behavior of the market in the future, which can help a company to prepare itself accordingly.
5. Projects that are brought to life with new simulated realities
When it comes to traditional construction, one of the biggest problems faced by the companies & clients is understanding and starting the construction based on 2D models. New technology helps with this aspect too.
The technology of virtual reality or augmented reality helps in bringing those constructions to life. This helps in finding potential faults or problems that can be faced during construction.
It also helps the client to understand how the buildings & architecture would look in reality, giving them ease of mind over their investment.
Some other factors include:
- Helps in organizing office
- Eco-friendly Technology
- Digital Mobility & Collaboration
- Future-proof Construction & Design
- HD Geolocation & Surveying
New Trends in the Construction Industry
Let’s see those new trends that are being introduced in the construction industry. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Building Information Modelling (BIM)
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- Robotics
- Mobile & Cloud Technology
- Drones
- More Modularization & Prefabrication
Conclusion
The construction industry is changing rapidly as the days go by. This change is being further facilitated with the help of an ever growing number of start ups, changing expectations of clients & legal framework that is very supportive of this tech-driven change.
This article tried to explain to any curious reader or investor or person belonging to the construction industry, why these changes are happening. It is always best to keep up with the changing or world or it might leave you far behind!
