Over the years, the construction industry has continued to re-invent itself.
Fueled by a predominant need to survive in a highly competitive market, different construction companies have explored uncharted areas and improved older methods, and new trends have turned up in the process. Dynatect Manufacturing, Inc, for instance, has developed precision ground ball screws, for one.
The level of innovation and growth in the industry has been impressive. Here are some other futuristic trends we would all love to see happen.
Advanced IoT for The Construction Industry
Advancement in IoT - the Internet of Things will bring about an overall improvement in the construction industry. At this point, it is safe to say that technology and the construction industry have formed a symbiotic relationship of sorts.
Simply put, IoT is the connection of things to technology to make tasks easier, i.e. the use of smartphones to measure a person’s height and other things have become increasingly popular.
Advanced IoT will not only help create better buildings, save time and birth new creative ideas, but it will also make life and the construction process easier from start to finish. But in this case, the focus is on the use of IoT for wearables in the construction industry. The possibilities are endless.
Imagine mandatory wearables that are more than just ”fall detectors” but can check your vitals, blood pressure, breathing, detect a slack in movement and hints when it’s time for a break and more. How cool would that be?!
There are even more possibilities of well-installed communication systems embedded in the wearables. That would definitely be something to look forward to.
Boots with GPS trackers to know exactly where a person is at any given point while on site should also be a staple. This will help in emergencies caused by accidents. However, the accident rate will be lowered if these things are put into place because the system of things will be geared towards being proactive rather than reactive.
Green Construction and Overall Sustainability
Green construction becoming the main method of construction is something we would all welcome, improving the ecosystem of the world as a whole. It is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular these days.
More building plans are implementing green construction into their projects. Not only is it a way to efficiently manage resources but it is also environment-friendly.
Green construction covers the building process from its core plans to designs, construction, the maintenance and even the demolition of buildings. It is a construction lifestyle at best and should be even more popular in the future than it is currently.
Sustainability takes into consideration the need to preserve and manage resources for societal progress. Paying attention to details such as placements of a building for direct sunlight for solar energy to minimize electricity costs, the use of wind, reuse of water, and promoting recycling are all a part of sustainability.
Sustainable construction is focused on longevity. It takes into account the issue of collapsing buildings and the steady increase in the population, and sees a need to do better.
Even the dynamics of building materials are changing. Now we have self-healing cement, and aerogels, with more to come in the near future.
Increase in Specialized Project Management Software
Product management software specifically created with construction in mind is already being used, but we need more to achieve goals within a shorter time. Project management is essential in the construction industry. Standard construction project management software promotes transparency, tracking and accountability, includes real time-management, built for continuity, accuracy and more, are emerging, and the industry can only get better from here on out.
In-depth Use of BIM and an Increase in the Use of Augmented Reality
BIM (building implementation model), is a very useful tool in the construction industry that needs to be utilized to its full potential. The advancement of BIM aids collaboration and will lead to less resistance and more adaptation.
Augmented reality is quite costly, but companies that can afford it put it to good use. Virtual reality is more commonly used compared to augmented reality. But it’s only a matter of time before augmented reality becomes a normal procedure for all construction companies.
The Evolution of Robots, Drones and Human Labor
With constant discoveries using technology, picture this: robots doing all of the work on various job sites, power drones infused with sensors for more detailed data, more efficiency for automation and transporting of equipment and cameras to capture landscape views. Human labor will be more from a supervisory stand point, to make sure everything is proceeding as planned.
