MODERN CONSTRUCTION:
HOW TECHNOLOGY IS
IMPACTING THE INDUSTRY
PROTRADE
Almost every industry has been impacted by modern technology but
certain sectors like construction are yet to fully realise the potential
of these advances.
It is expected that over the coming years, technology can help the
UK’s construction industry overcome a number of challenges it is
grappling with; from skills shortages to increased demand.
The skills shortage looks set to worsen as the current workforce is
ageing without new talent to replace it. According to a report from
The Chartered Institute of Building, over 50s currently make up 22%
of construction workers in the UK and 15% are in their 60s.
In this article, Protrade takes a look at and discusses just some of the
ways technology can help ease the burden for construction and make
the industry more productive.
IMPROVED EFFICIENCY
Technology like Building Information Modelling (BIM) is already being
used to plan projects more efficiently, and now augmented reality
and virtual reality can be used to provide even more accuracy. Using
technology to simulate the environment you’ll be working in can help
reduce errors and increase safety.
While the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning
technology can analyse data from past projects to help provide more
accurate estimates for completion dates and costs.
They are under pressure to be more productive due to the rise of
urbanisation, which is creating greater demand for houses, hospitals,
roads and other infrastructure. There are currently £650 billion worth
of projects planned under the national infrastructure programme. Technology also helps ease the burden when carrying out reporting
because analytics can help visualise and make sense of raw data
without having to do complex mathematical calculations yourself. This
can be particularly informative when it comes to providing insights
into potential problems which might not be immediately obvious. For
example, it can help work out where waste is occurring and whether
materials are being used efficiently.
Last year, the business and industry minister announced a £72
million investment to help modernise the construction industry with
virtual reality, digital design and offsite manufacturing technologies. Although not a new concept, Bluetooth connectivity is increasingly
being incorporated within power tools such as digital laser measurers
and cordless tools such as dust extractors.