Technologies That Are Making Their Rounds in the Construction Industry

In today’s world, technology has successfully evolved into something that’s synonymous with success. For a business belonging to any industry to thrive and avoid falling behind, implementing and utilizing the latest technologies is necessary. So it really isn’t surprising that more and more businesses within the construction industry are counting on a variety of technologies to further improve their services and operations.

In fact, a recent report conducted by FMI noted that over 55% of engineering and construction firms reported seeking new technology solutions. The same percentage of firms also reported strategically using technological innovations to manage organizational risks in areas like safety, productivity, efficiency and allocation. As technology continues to advance with each passing day, it wouldn’t take a long while for cutting edge technology to drastically change how the construction industry operates.

That said, here are some of the technologies construction company CEOs and association leaders must be aware of to keep up with the rapidly changing times:

Construction drones

Most people are familiar with the use of drones for taking pictures and videos from a bird’s eye view. But in the field of construction, these small flying devices are being leveraged to track, map, survey, inspect and manage worksites in the safest and most efficient way possible. Through the use of aerial imagery and data, builders are able to easily map projects, report progress updates and gain insights with the help of analytics. All these enable them to make better, faster and more reliable decisions.

Construction drones are equipped with high resolution cameras, allowing firms to create highly realistic models of the building they’re working on. Moreover, drone engineers would have used 3D assets to enhance the design efficiency of the hardware. This would have ensured they found the right places to embed the sensors and other components. With the right connections in places, construction drones can be equipped with a number of unique functions like remote ID technologies that can enhance safety and security.

Building information modeling

In recent years, building information modeling (BIM) has been the most commonly used technology in the construction industry. According to a report published by Dodge Data & Analytics, over 73% of US contractors are using BIM for their projects. BIM can be thought of as something that’s quite similar to CAD. The only difference is that BIM can be used to create visually appealing 3D models that can brandish additional dimensions.

These can include schedule (4D), cost estimating (5D), sustainability (6D) and operations maintenance (7D). Aside from churning out astonishing models, BIM provides a space for enhanced collaboration. Through this feature alone, builders are able to create efficient designs, reduce the incidences of rework and errors and, finally, enjoy gains in accuracy and savings in terms of cost and time. No wonder more and more professionals are choosing BIM over its predecessors.

AR and VR

It may have taken immersive technologies like AR and VR a long while to seep into the mainstream. But, they have been consistently gaining traction as of late — with both of them finding a very special role to play in industries like construction. Just last year, construction companies started using AR and VR to merge the digital and physical views of job sites. Senior disruptive tech analyst at GlobalData, Venkata Naveen, emphasized how the use of these innovations can help “save time, reduce errors, prevent rework and create a long-term return on investment.”

Naveen further pointed out how AR and VR can also aid in improving the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of construction projects. Recently, companies like Boston-based Suffolk Construction started using VR to meet virtually and review product designs. On the other hand, Pennsylvania-based Bentley Systems launched a mixed reality solution called SYNCHRO XR in order to assist builders in the creation of 4D models and the visualization of construction projects.