Green construction. There is an immense push to adopt materials and technologies with lower carbon footprints.
channels, and passages, and it is now available commercially. Topmix permeable. This is a cement alternative that can absorb 4,000 litres of water a minute. It is in the early-adoption stage. Aerogel. This super-transparent, superinsulating material is 99.98 % air; it is available commercially. Nanomaterials. These super-strong, ultralightweight materials may eventually be a substitute for steel reinforcement in structures and foundations, though they are still in the research stage.
WISEMBLY – DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ISN’ T JUST ABOUT BIM
Although the benefits of Building Information Modelling( BIM) are huge, it’ s not the be-all and end-all of digital innovation. Going digital means adding digital touches to everything that could be improved or optimised. From managing people, to tracking customer relationships, tech can help. But changing the way people work can be difficult. To deal with potential internal brakes, the first step should be to start digital construction from the inside; revolutionising processes stepby step and using technology to help your team work to their full potential. You’ ll be surprised how quickly you can create value and revenue this way. According to a cross-industry report from Oxford Economics for Virgin Media Business, the construction industry has the most to gain from digitisation. Their study revealed that companies that had fully embraced digital technology had grown their revenue by 5.9 %, and were optimistic about growing it even more. Fully embracing digital technology also means digitising processes.
Make the most of smart phones Smart phones are key to digitisation. You’ ve got one, your colleagues have them and, most importantly, your employees have them too. Employers fork out a lot for the most up-to-date phones for their team, so it makes sense to use them to their full potential.
Mobile technology can transform the dayto-day workings of a business. Imagine being able to go to a site and give a customer an estimate there and then. There is an app for that. Imagine not having to trawl through pages and pages of timesheets and being able to see it all on your computer with a single click. There is an app for that. Imagine not having to visit different sites to see what progress has been made on your various projects. There is an app for that. There are thousands of apps that have been designed specifically for the construction industry just sitting there waiting to be used, and employees would be able to easily pick up how to use them.
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