Technology is constantly advancing, and as changes continue at a rapid pace, it can be hard to keep up to date. But, it’s important to stay up to date on innovations and technological trends in construction. You don’t want to get left behind using outdated methods, while your competitors move their business into the future.
Here are 5 technology innovations in construction that may have an impact on your business:
1. Earthworks Takeoff Software
Saving time, increasing accuracy and creating efficiencies in your workflows so you can build better estimates is what good estimating software is all about. Software like MudShark are designed specifically for the construction industry. MudShark allows you to takeoff a site with ease, analyse data, perform complex calculations, and accurately determine quantities so you can estimate your costs.
The benefits of using specialised applications over manual methods or general software, is that you’re using a solution developed for your problems, instead of forcing a solution. Remember, software an essential tool for businesses serious about winning more jobs and increasing profits.
2. Drones
Surveying your site is an essential, and labor intensive process. A manually surveyed site might generate several hundreds to a few thousand data points, which are used for your takeoff.
Introducing drones to your construction site has many benefits. Now, your done can generate thousands, or hundreds of thousands of data points. You can also scan your site in minutes, not days; saving you time and giving you unparalleled accuracy for calculating quantities. Also, drones give you easy access to complex sites, and more opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of your site.
3. Green Building
As the public debate about climate change continues, we are all becoming increasingly aware of the impact of not only ourselves, but also the impact business and construction has on the planet. This has been reflected in the global trend to green building and sustainability that does not look to be slowing down any time soon.
The need to look towards green building has seen the creation of many new products and materials as well as industry certifications that are being embraced by the construction industry. Solar energy is still a popular environmental consideration for many companies, with new innovations like solar roof tiles being created. The use of recycled materials like plastic and reclaimed wood, as well as new products like water-based resin and alternatives to traditional concrete are now more readily available.
Environmental certifications like LEED and Green Star are being championed by many companies in the industry, like Adco and as a way to promote their sustainable projects. Having an environmental conscience and sharing it with your customers can go a long way in impressing both current and potential future customers. Jackson Civil Engineering for example proudly promote their focus on sustainability, and have worked towards using sustainable and local resources, reducing their carbon footprint and minimising landfill waste.
4. 3D Printing
3D printing in the construction industry is already turning heads, and for a range of reasons. The potential benefits it presents makes it well worth keeping on your radar.
Speed is one of the major benefits available. In 2016 the world’s first 3D printed house was unveiled in China; a two-storey building taking only 45 days to complete. San Francisco company Apis Cor were able to print a small house of 38m² in Moscow in only 24 hours, in December that same year.
Reducing costs through minimising resource use and improving production schedules is another major advantage of this type of construction. Apis Cor promote the reduction of costs by up to 40% compared to traditional methods.
Advances are happening rapidly, with smaller scale versions of the technology already available for people to take home. As further advances occur, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on this technology and applications that you could implement in your own business.
5. Wearable Technology
Worksites can be large, dangerous and have hundreds of workers moving around them at any given time. They can also be small, isolated and at times uncontactable. The development of wearable technologies offers significant benefits to the construction industry that simply can’t be ignored.
Safety is of paramount importance on any job site. Wearable products have been introduced by many companies to help monitor, inform and protect their workers. Smart vests for example offers GPS locators, proximity warnings to avoid collisions, and sensors to regulate body temperature. Other products use brainwave technology to monitor alertness and fatigue, such as SmartCap.
With wearable technology, you can connect directly to supervisors, automatically collect data, and communicate on site, in real-time.
Remember, keep up to date with the technology changes in the industry, and stay ahead of the curve.