There has been a paradigm shift in the construction industry over the last couple of years.
If you look back, you’ll notice that there have been some great advancements that completely transformed the industry.
Technology is constantly improving and the construction industry is not left behind. There are some exciting trends that you should be aware of and we’re going to highlight some of them.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is applicable in almost every industry you can imagine.
In the construction industry, it has so many applications and it keeps improving as technology gets better. By implementing augmented reality, teams can collaborate on construction projects.
They’re able to simulate 3D models and examine potential problems. Digital and physical views are combined together to provide a clear understanding of the topography.
The technology continues to develop and will become an indispensable tool in the near future.
Green Technology
Nearly every industry is taking an environmental-friendly approach in their endeavors and the construction industry is no exception.
The industry heavily relies on natural resources and it is only natural for them to be at the forefront of the movement.
There has been talk regarding green construction and the potential it has on reducing costs and the carbon footprint. Green technology will start with the conception, design, construction, maintenance, and even demolition.
The demolition part is always a tricky proposition. Such a task will obviously result in dust, which can be harmful to the environment.
If you’re looking for dust control solutions, I used RST for Dust Control Solutions and they come highly recommended for construction projects regardless of the scope.
According to statistics, the construction industry accounts for 20% of global emissions. This is a big number that can be significantly reduced if the companies take responsibility for their processes.
Increasing Material Costs
Anyone who has been in the construction industry for a while knows that the cost of materials has been on an upward trend.
This is because natural resources have become scarce with an increase in the human population. It is estimated that there was a 9% increase in building materials over the last year.
This could be seen as a challenge for those companies that are trying to keep the costs down. The big rise in the cost of iron doesn’t make things better.
The trend is likely to continue as long as the demand outweighs the supply.
Decreased Labor Force
According to a study, there are more than 250,000 construction jobs in the United States as of 2019. Not a lot of people want to get into the construction industry.
There are just too many projects, however, the manpower is lacking. That means that production has slowed down because of the lack of skilled manpower in the construction industry.
If you’re thinking of your next career move, you should give the construction industry a try. There are plenty of opportunities and the pay is also competitive.
Improved Safety
There has been a call to improve the safety levels in the construction industry. This is because it has a hazardous environment.
There have been great improvements in terms of safety and the standards are likely to get better with improvements in technology.
There are work boots that have Wi-Fi connectivity and can update real-time coordinates of individuals.
It is able to detect if the user is tired or has fallen down. Even though it is still a new technology, the application can greatly improve the safety levels at a construction site.
Project Management
Construction management software is becoming popular with projects. Companies are outsourcing the development of individualized modules to address the specific needs of the company.
The software that is currently available is far superior to what construction companies used a couple of years ago. Project management software now have time elements, change orders and equipment rentals.
All the documents and resources related to a particular project can be accessed from a centralized location to aid in the decision-making process.
Building Information Modeling
This is a trend that has been catching on and will continue as we head into 2020. Models are presented before they’re developed. It can be used in the construction of roads and buildings.
To sum it up, technology becomes obsolete pretty quickly. Anyone who is in the construction business should always be on the lookout for improvements that are being made almost on a daily basis.
This will give you a competitive advantage and you’re able to provide better services for your customers.
