The construction industry is a branch of manufacturing and trade that works on building, maintaining, and repairing infrastructure. Digital technologies are emerging construction industry trends because they make it easier and more efficient to carry out construction work.
New technologies were previously available only to large companies. However, with the growth of computing technology and the mobile application ecosystem, small construction companies, workers, and the common man can now access even the most powerful tools and the latest emerging trends in the construction industry.
Technological Trends in the Construction Industry
The trends in the construction industry are experiencing a digital transformation that offers useful and practical applications effectively and sustainably. Check out some of the most interesting innovations in building technology for 2023.
- 3D Printing
- Drones
- BIM (Building Information Modeling)
- IoT and Advanced Analytics
- Green Construction Technology
- Exoskeletons
- Advanced Building Materials
- Cloud and Mobile Technology
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
- Offsite Construction
- Construction Worker’s Safety
- Construction Assessment
A brief overview of these 12 construction industry trends is here:
01. 3D Printing
As explained by Tay, D. Y. et al. (2017) (Authors of the journal- 3D Printing Trends in Building and Construction Industry: A Review), three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a technique used to create complex shaped geometries from a 3D computer-aided design model without the use of tooling, dies, or fixtures. 3D printing produces functional prototypes within a reasonable period with minimum human involvement and material waste.
This automated manufacturing method is being adopted by many industries today for the various advantages it brings, such as increased productivity and reduced human error. It is one of the most bankable emerging trends in the construction industry. To create entire structures or prefabricated building components, 3D printing uses robotic technology to print the design layer by layer.
02. Drones
Drone technology is quickly emerging as one of the most fascinating construction industry trends and this tool is available for tracking, monitoring, and performing risky inspections of construction sites. They can perform site surveys faster and with greater precision, saving a lot of money and time. They can keep an eye on all staff, report distress immediately, and identify the risks so that staff members are aware of them.
Drones can click photos of the work process, which the companies can use to give updates to the clients about everyday progress and recent achievements. The data gathered by drones can be read by stakeholders, contractors, and site workers via a variety of devices, like smart phones, tablets, and desktop computers. Drones are also useful in conducting the most complicated tasks, like building bridges, and are gaining popularity as the construction industry’s trends.
03. BIM (Building Information Modeling)
Building planning and design is a collaborative process that calls for contributions from various stakeholders, including clients, engineers, architects, and builders, and it is one of the current trends in the construction industry. As everyone is working on their files, it is challenging to see changes in real-time. This results in multiple versions of the same plan, causing a lot of confusion. Advanced BIM tools resolve this issue by offering a central database and allowing everyone to work on a single shared model.
BIM is a key tool in civil engineering that creates a space for improved collaboration, a way to spot conflicts early on, and an increase in workflow productivity. 5D BIM permits cost and time overlays, while 6D BIM considers energy budgeting.
04. IoT and Advanced Analytics
One of the trends in the construction industry is IoT, a technology that uses sensors and algorithms to gather data from various connected devices. Now that real-time data is available to construction firms thanks to sensors, they can act quickly and effectively.
According to Ghosh A., Edwards D. J., Hosseini M. R., (2020) (Authors of the journal – Patterns and Trends in IoT Research: future application in the construction industry), advanced analytics tools can also monitor, evaluate, and analyze the present situation on the job site and deliver timely warnings of potential risks. Its ability to collect data makes it a great tool for avoiding errors. As a result, vital information about the construction process is available to the construction industry, using which processes can be streamlined.
05. Green Construction Technology
Sustainability is the key to the current trends in the construction industry. Popular green building practices range from pre-construction planning through dismantling and project completion. The best part is that green building technology does not reduce the durability of the structures while helping to minimize the quantity of material used.
Green buildings minimize construction waste and maximize resource and energy use. They are energy-efficient tools that leave a smaller carbon footprint on the planet. As a more sustainable solution to construction industry trends, they are beneficial to building owners, residents, and contractors alike.
06. Exoskeletons
It is impossible to speak about the construction industry’s growth trends without mentioning the use of exoskeletons. As per commercial construction industry trends, exoskeletons are a type of wearable technology that links up with the user to perform tasks that are not normally possible for site workers. The goal is to reduce physical stress and harm to workers while also assisting in raising productivity. As a result, it will contribute to enhancing site security by reducing the number of site mishaps.
7. Advanced Building Materials
Modern building materials are supporting the transition of commercial construction industry trends to modular and green methods. Many innovative and sustainable materials, such as 3D-printed concrete and basalt, self-healing concrete that uses bacteria, mycelium composites, bioplastics, and bio-foam, are part of the emerging trends in the construction industry. Bamboo, cross-laminated wood, transparent woods, and aluminium foam are examples of modern wooden and aluminium materials with greater strength and biodegradability.
8. Cloud and Mobile Technology
The fact that most businesses decline to go digital is one of the main reasons the construction sector suffers. Cloud and mobile technology are the construction industry’s future trends, in which users can access data through a software program that uses the same shared computing resources (like memory, data storage, processing power, etc.) via the Internet, thanks to mobile devices that utilize cloud technology (anywhere, anytime) and help save time. It means that all project team members, including you, can view real-time data on their devices.
In addition to increasing data accuracy and speeding up all building processes, this also lowers costs. The software automatically organizes all the data, saving construction management teams countless hours of work. The proper software will enable you to monitor and improve all phases of the work, from planning and preconstruction to actual scheduling, management, and field reporting.
9. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual reality (VR) are two notable growth trends of construction industry that will be beneficial to the building industry. AR puts a computer-generated image in the user’s field of vision; VR can completely replace the real world by creating a virtual one. VR is a necessary technological tool for the construction sector in several ways, including training, safety, structure overviews, and plan reviews. It can also guide equipment operators on the job site in exercises that might be too risky otherwise. AR can give workers on building sites virtual feedback on actual progress, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and minimizing errors on the job site.
10. Offsite Construction
The majority of applications for off-site construction methods are in residential development, but they are expanding. Another commercial construction industry trend is offsite construction, which can lower costs, and reduce time, risks, and waste while enhancing quality, productivity, and safety. Building parts are produced offsite or prefabricated, and they are then transported to the construction site and assembled there.
In terms of noise, dust, and waste, it is also much safer for the local environment than traditional construction. Offsite construction only has one drawback: it needs specialized, highly skilled labour. You must therefore make sure the proper people are handling your project. The off-site building includes panelized construction, volumetric construction, and large 3D structures like homes and rooms. This certainly reflects the construction industry’s growth trends.
11. Construction Workers’ Safety
One of the construction industry’s most neglected areas is worker protection. To prevent possible on-site accidents where personal protective equipment (PPE) can save lives, modern construction strictly complies with worker safety regulations. Construction firms use AI algorithms to predict risks and implement suitable safety measures.
Businesses apply PPE with IoT sensors attached to guarantee labour safety. The sensors pick up signals from vibrations, temperature, heart rate, steps, and other sources and transmit the data for investigation. This enables managers to keep an eye on workers’ health and productivity from a distance. The construction equipment rental industry provide advanced safety products and equipment that help both workers and businesses minimize physical and financial losses.
12. Construction Assessment
Construction assessment is a part of construction industry growth trends as it streamlines construction work easily and quickly. It is hard to manually monitor geographically scattered projects because it involves resources, and requires a lot of labour. Many places on construction sites are inaccessible to humans, but there is a need to monitor these sites frequently.
To streamline construction monitoring and inspection techniques, construction firms are adopting technology, like high-definition (HD) cameras, drones, and AI-based face recognition techniques, to increase productivity. Robots can more accurately identify structural faults and errors using embedded sensor technologies than humans can.
In conclusion,
The new construction industry trends are changing the way buildings are planned, built, and maintained. Technological innovations, sustainability issues, and changing client preferences are what are driving these trends.
These new trends in the construction industry will have an impact on the buildings we live and work in and on the environment around us. Hence, every individual should be aware of these trends. Adopting these trends can help us understand the effects that our decisions may have on the environment and help us make informed decisions when it comes to building, buying, or renting real estate.
