Our biggest takeaway from 2020 is the way it forced all businesses to level up their business operations with new technologies. The Covid19 restrictions have led to many innovations in the construction industry such as the digitalization of data and several operations that are usually performed on-site. This includes inspection, prefabrication, takeoff and estimating, and planning. Experts say that the technological advancement that we have right now was as far as what we could have achieved in 3 years’ time. Truly, it is revolutionizing collaboration, remote work, and automation in the construction industry.
Construction companies must make their way to these technological trends to make sure they survive until this pandemic ends. Some of these trends are collaborative software solutions which are going to be the main tool as we hop into a hybrid work set up. Sharing real-time data and communication between remote workers and those on-site are absolutely necessary. This will help in faster decision making avoiding costly mistakes or delays. Another great technology is artificial intelligence. When machines or robots mimic human intelligence, we can rely on them for at least monitoring workers on-site for safety, checking for hazards or incomplete gears. From here, with further research, artificial intelligence will sure be used for far more complex activities than this.
In a recent article featured from Construction Connect, the 7 top technological construction trends were discussed including insights on what will 2021 be for the construction industry. They write, “Technology will continue to see greater adoption as construction leaders deal with improving productivity, eliminating inefficiencies, and adapting to a younger workforce of digital natives that expect to work with technology.”