Technology
It is often the contractors themselves that bear the burden of this additional expenditure , and more needs to be done to improve construction process efficiencies , and ultimately , enhance the satisfaction of clients .
Construction projects are incredibly complex ventures , with the number of stakeholders involved resulting in multiple moving parts . Often , the stakeholders do not possess the right tools to deal with this complexity , and instead , adopt a toolset mindset , where each stakeholder focuses on their own individual tasks and tools to perform their functions . This results in all functions not being connected , leading to data silos across the project and the entire value chain . Furthermore , this adds to the lack of collaboration , even though collaboration is known to be one of the best ways to enhance productivity .
The construction industry is one of the least digitised industries in the world , second only to hunting and agriculture . This is because much of the data used is unstructured , with many in the industry continuing to use tools instead of platforms and integrated solutions . This means an immense amount of time wasted by construction workers , evidenced by FMI research that suggests that 13 % of construction teams ’ working hours are spent looking for project data , with 90 % of generated data being unstructured or disorganised .
According to McKinsey , Covid-19 has accelerated the digital transformation , with 50 % of one of its survey ’ s respondents acknowledging that they have increased investments to adapt to the next normal .
To meet these challenges , two categorical solutions can be addressed , namely industrialisation and digitalisation , the latter of which comprises BIM technologies and integrated technology platforms .
Interestingly , the World Economic Forum ’ s Future of Construction Survey claims that integrated BIM has the highest likelihood of being successful and to have a high level of impact . This is where solutions such as cloud software are leading the charge , notably in the 5D and in future the 6D BIM space .
Data lies at the heart of the software solution and sees a strong focus on how it is effectively obtained , analysed and shared to make people and processes more efficient . The conventional siloing of information has resulted in data often being mismanaged , and consequently , some data may be missing , outdated , or error ridden .
Enabled with advanced technologies such as BIM , artificial intelligence ( AI ), and business intelligence ( BI ), construction cloud software provides a compelling solution to these challenges by allowing organisations to manage the plan , build and the operational phases of a construction project with all stakeholders having access to manage the project ’ s life cycle on a single cloud platform .
In doing so , it provides stakeholders with real-time transparency into all levels of the information at their disposal , allowing for greater analysis and more appropriate decision making . Furthermore , adopting such a solution not only eliminates silos , but streamlines workflows and automates processes to maximise productivity . In this way , project outcomes can be optimised through simulations and intelligent control to meet the end goal of saving time , reducing costs , ensuring optimal quality control and minimising risks .
Here , clients can gain insight into the information and data they have at their disposal through the cloud control tower – a business intelligence solution that enables clients to drill down into their data , be it cost , schedule , resources , business partners , quality and safety , and carbon information across all projects .
“ The construction industry is one of the least digitised industries in the world .”
Construction cloud software enables end-to-end 6D BIM project management by bringing together all components that make up a 6D project lifecycle , including 3D modelling , 4D that considers the impact of time , 5D that focuses on cost and in the future 6D which focuses on carbon . The latter is increasingly important , given the construction industry ’ s impact on the environment , accounting for 38 % of global energy-related CO₂ .
In the construction industry , 6 % -10 % of global anthropogenic CO₂ emission derives from concrete . Additionally , as much as 10 % of construction materials go to waste , while 30 % of construction activities are the reworking of tasks .
Construction cloud software will support decarbonisation throughout the building lifecycle , and aids stakeholders in optimising their designs , schedules and carbon emissions while reducing rework and the wastage of CO₂ intensive building materials . This means less concrete , and steel being used , less reworking , and overall , less waste and energy .
Sustainable building investment represents one of the biggest global investment opportunities of the next decade , with USD24.6-trillion being estimated by the year 2030 . As little as a 1 % reduction in construction costs could save as much as USD2-billion globally .
5D and 6D BIM solutions such as our MTWO solution are the future . They help construction projects achieve significant reductions in carbon dioxide . This presents a valuable asset in achieving the next level of decarbonisation and building a netzero future for the next generation . RACA
www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I March 2022 51