Adopting Technologies In Construction

I am a construction student, and I love this industry. I love it because I’ve seen the process of building something that wasn’t there before, to see a structure that is needed or desired, through design and planning, to execution and completion. I’ve also seen the process of rebuilding something that was once there, to see a structure that has been taken down and recreated. I’ve seen the excitement of seeing something being built in places such as New York City and Abu Dhabi. 

Yet despite my love for this industry, construction, as it stands today, is slow and oblivious to full adoption of new technologies. Many years ago, companies like Uber changed the way people moved from one point to another by improving an old system. This was done by recognizing that the current system was inefficient and replicating technology that was already available in parts of their business to improve a fundamental problem. But the construction industry is still slow to adopt new technologies.

Construction companies should adopt new technologies faster than ever to improve the efficiency of their operations and make the lives of their team members easier. The industry should aim to incorporate the latest technologies into building, equipment and processes, including construction robots, machine learning, virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and IoT. As it becomes more efficient and automated, AEC companies also have increased visibility into their projects using up-to-the-minute data reporting. These technologies are will help companies to be more agile and productive, enabling them to maximize their return on investment (ROI).

"A well-managed construction project starts with quality tools, supplies and materials. Unfortunately, without a proper inspection or quality control, many manufacturers will send faulty products to the job site. When this happens, accidents can lead to loss of life, destruction of property and serious liability for owners of the property. Project managers strive to execute construction projects with high quality building equipment and material, but it is not always easy to intercept problems before they happen. This is where technology comes in. One good example of the use of technology in construction is the use of drones to inspect building sites. Drones are being used on job sites all over the world to help detect problems such as cracks in structures before they become more serious issues. With the use of drones, companies can ensure that their building projects are completed on time and within budget.

In the early stages of building skyscrapers, cranes were utilized to hoist the steel beams required to complete the structure. Cranes are still used today in construction; however, modern advances in drones and robotics have enabled the construction industry to become more efficient with its use of cranes. Now, technology can assist in expediting the process of building a skyscraper by allowing builders to both visualize and understand the blueprint that they have in front of them. This advancement in technology also has other benefits such as reducing delays on site and costly changes to blueprints due to mistaken measurements.

Construction is an industry where many traditional techniques and technologies have proven to be detrimental to not only the environment but also the workers themselves. Thankfully, technologies can adopted in this industry to protect workers and preserve the environment. Some of these technologies include:

Mobile App: With the rise of mobile technology, it has become increasingly easier to access and construct information in real time. Mobile apps, in particular, have proven useful in analyzing data such as schedules, project requirements and deadlines.

Virtual Reality (VR) & Augmented Reality (AR): VR and AR are being used throughout the construction industry for visualization purposes. This technology is particularly useful when reconstructing a historical site or setting up a new building.

3D Printing: 3D printing is being used to create mockups before actually constructing something with physical materials and equipments and so on.

These technologies can help create a sustainable community for the construction industry.