Studying what’s happening in our industry is an essential part of staying up-to-date and on the cutting edge of construction. Trends can help us prepare for change and be ready to adapt accordingly. Today, we’re highlighting 5 construction trends we predict will help solve existing challenges in 2020.
1. Robots, Artificial Intelligence & Drones
Expected to make a big impact on the construction industry, robots, AI and drones will become far more prevalent on worksites in 2020. Implementing automated smart machines will mean construction companies rely less on physical labour, reducing injuries and lost time. Robots’ productivity, speed and accuracy will shorten construction timelines and improve consistency in quality of work.
2. Safety Equipment
In 2020, the integration of IoT (Internet of Things) into clothing and safety gear is a promising trend to increase worker safety. With the high risk of injuries on any construction site, smarter safety gear is a good thing. Pants, vests and boots that integrate GPS, radio frequency identification (RFID), or WiFI will allow workers to be tracked on-site and alert management when someone becomes injured or in close contact with equipment.
3. Virtual and Augmented Reality
Imagine being able to visualize an entire building with an interactive 360° model before any bricks are laid down. In 2020, the use of Virtual or Augmented Reality within the construction industry will continue to help management improve their building design and productivity by predicting issues before the building process begins. Having an interactive model of building projects also helps provide a permanent record of the building and can give clients the chance to physically walk around their design before construction.
4. Sustainability & Green Technology
Construction companies continue to work towards reducing the industry’s effect on the environment and its resources, and this year will be no different. By optimizing energy efficiency and pushing for low to zero carbon emission through the entire building process, we will see improvements throughout the industry.
An anticipated key component of sustainable construction in 2020 is BIM (Building Information Modelling). BIM helps engineering, architecture and construction professionals sufficiently plan, design, construct and manage buildings in an efficient manner that reduces the construction site’s environmental footprint. Because BMI is set out to boost efficiency, construction teams end up lowering the amount of energy consumption by spending less time on the construction projects using the high-emission machinery and power tools.
5. Construction Project Management
Instead of tracking projects on intricate spreadsheets, user-friendly software will become more available for construction companies. To oversee the planning, design and building process behind the project in a logical and simplified manner, more construction companies will adopt software that covers project objectives, scope, budgeting, scheduling and performance requirements all in one. Not only will this software assist in budget maintenance, it will also help companies finish projects on time.
We are looking forward to seeing how these trends will shape the construction industry this year! What #constructiontrends are you anticipating this year?