In the construction landscape new solutions and new technology is constantly emerging, as we move into a new era. The construction sector is challenged in finding new solutions that can enhance and proliferate the industry. Intractable productivity has been a key concern. A McKinsey Global Institute report found that the sector has an average 1 percent global labor-productivity growth a year over the past two decades, compared to a 2.8 percent growth for the total world economy.
But the industry is reinventing itself at light speed. New and bold approaches are disrupting the current system of planning, designing, and executing projects and evolving the industry at a fast pace. Construction no longer seems to be stuck in a time warp.
These new and innovative construction technology approaches include Robotics, AI-driven analytics, 3D Printing, AR, VR, Building Information Modelling and Drones. With the evolving sector it can be hard to keep track of all the trends. We have gathered 3 of the most exciting innovations that is believed to have a big impact on how the future of the industry is going to shape itself.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual reality within construction allows you to see a 3D model and virtual walkthrough of the physical space that you are in. As such, the technology builds an overlay of the location during the construction process which reduces rework and increases safety. The Microsoft HaloLens and StructionSite are just two of several platforms on the market combining Virtual Reality with Building Information Modeling to help capture the jobsite.
Construction Wearables
The wearables used in construction is evolving in a thousand directions. All of them focusing on improving safety and comfort. Some of the technologies include programmable clothing that can be set to heat and cool a worker based on the working environment or tracking devices built-in to shoes. Particularly for workers in unsafe environments with risks of injuries wearables could save lives. Silicon Valley based Ekso Bionics is a great example of someone who has been making a move in this sector. Their Industrial Exoskeleton is a suit that allows you to be able to lift power tools as if they don’t weigh anything at all.
Aerial Intelligence
There is no getting around drones. They save time and keeps the technician on the ground. Improved safety and efficiency are some of the many advantages of using drones to inspect construction sites. The Skycatch drone is a great example of a Silicon Valley born platform. It generates 3D models, allowing automatic calculation of area, volume of earth to be moved, etc. saving several human hours of work.
The US, and especially Silicon Valley, are frontrunners in many of these technologies, which hold the key to increasing the competitiveness of the sector. But how are organizations preparing to deal with the incorporation of the new technologies? We asked this question to Associate Professor at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Christian Thuesen, who himself has moved to Silicon Valley to explore and research construction transformation at first hand.
“It is important to recognize that failure to adapt to the emerging trends could result in being left behind. For Danish construction firms who actively want to embrace new technology, it is the quest for improved safety, efficiency and quality that can be achieved,” he says.
In order to benefit from the innovation that new technologies enables, construction companies, however, need to know what technologies are out there and how they can transform the business.
If you are open to embracing transformation, want to learn more about the fast-moving field of construction tech and the new business opportunities that come with it , InnoBYG & Innovation Centre Denmark Silicon Valley invite you to participate in a five-day program in Silicon Valley focusing on the prevailing technological solutions within construction. To learn more about the masterclass that takes place in Silicon Valley on June 8-12, 2020, click here.
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