EDITOR’S COLUMN
The time is ripe
They say time flies when you are having fun … or when you’re
exceptionally busy! 2018 has surely been an intriguing yet
tough year for the construction industry on a global scale.
A
midst economic, business and political
precariousness coupled with green
shoots of growth and opportunity in
the built environment, the construction sector
boasts the greatest potential to embrace change
and ultimately ride the wave of uncertainty.
While trade wars wage on around the
world and business confidence declines, the
construction industry is no doubt evolving as
trends continue to reshape the sector. With
the continuing growth and evolution of the
construction industry, companies must stay up-
to-date if they want to remain competitive.
Some of the greatest trends to be cognisant
of include the rising advancements in
technology within the industry – we are seeing
construction businesses adopting the likes
of new and innovative project management
software, drone usage and 3D printing, Building
Information Modelling (BIM) as well as virtual
and augmented reality, to name a few.
A major trend that’s rapidly remoulding
the industry is the adoption of greening and
sustainability practises – with the construction
sector accounting for about 20% of global
emissions, more plans and buildings are
incorporating green technology into the
construction process.
Another trend that’s on the up is prefabricated
and modular construction which saves
companies substantial time and money and uses
less materials than traditional construction
methods. With increasing material costs and
a decreasing labour force, the time is ripe for
alternative building methods and businesses
that think out of the box.
But good things take time – after several
years in the making, we launched the inaugural
annual SA Roofing and Insulation Directory in
2018 which proved to be a great success. Once
again we have put together another bumper
directory for 2019.
We may not be able to stop time, but we do
have the opportunity to use it wisely. How will
your business tackle the new year? Only time
will tell.
SA Roofing wishes the local roofing sector all
the best for 2019. We look forward to another
year of hard work, tenacity and success.
Candace Sofianos King | senior writer
[email protected]