The Engineering & Construction sector gets bigger by the day, while technology becomes smaller & more powerful
The global technology landscape is changing
faster than ever. Various trends are shaking the construction industry – as the
population of the world increases by hundreds of thousands per day, it is
imperative that owners and AEC firms embrace new processes and technology
onsite to build affordable housing, infrastructure, facilities, transportation,
etc. This transformation will have transformative effects on a global level:
reducing construction costs, eliminating onsite waste, mitigate rework, build
projects on time, improving the use of limited materials by making the process
environmentally efficient, & boosting economic growth. While a major part
of the AEC sector has accepted BIM processes and its technology over the past
decade, there is a pressing need to bring modern construction technology out in
the field, and adopt it.
The construction industry has great potential in
terms of increasing building efficiency, productivity, and sustainability
through innovative technologies, construction techniques, and worldwide
digitization. BIM or Building Information Modeling has the capability to
integrate various devices based on Augment Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR),
Drones, Reality Capture, Advanced Building Materials, & Autonomous
Equipment. By adopting these innovations and technologies AEC companies have
the ability to streamline procedures & project management, boost productivity,
enhance project quality, and build safely. To capture the full potential
requires a concentrated effort based on technology, strategy, personnel, &
operations.
Some of the key areas that need to be focused on
are –
1. Technology
& Tools
2. Operations
& Processes
3. Model
Innovation & Strategies
4. Global
Industry Collaboration
5. Policies
& Regulation
6. Material
Procurement
7. Workforce
Training
The whole E & C Innovation Process can be
split up into various categories –
1. Productivity
2. Training
& Safety
3. Labor
4. Collaboration
The whole E & C Innovation Process can be
split up into various categories
Prefabricated construction
Prefabrication is one of the most crucial aspects
of making the entire onsite process efficient, sustainable, streamlined, and
safe. Prefabrication is mostly adopted for hospitals, schools, apartment
buildings, etc. With all the processes
and tools in place, fabrication workers can perform their tasks consistently
based on a wall frame or electrical wiring. This method allows the reduction of
construction waste, promotes onsite productivity, and saves on time & cost.
Prefabrication and modular construction are two ways wherein complete modular
units are built and transported to the construction site and then added to the
actual structural frame. Modular construction can be entire rooms, bathrooms,
kitchen cabinets, etc. that are used to build complete apartments. Whilst
prefabrication covers everything from frames to wall panels, door assemblies,
floor-systems, and more.
Software
As discussed earlier, BIM incorporates every bit
of technology, devices, and software, it provides a great opportunity for
owners, architects, cost managers, project managers, BIM modelers, etc. to leverage
software to author 3D models, create schedules, quantity take-offs,
cost-estimation, determine clashes, etc. Most of the software is cloud-based,
wherein every project stakeholder can communicate & collaborate on an
integrated model. Modern software has the ability to create RFI’s construction
documentation, records, etc.
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning has
the ability to make better onsite decisions based on productivity, job site
safety, & reduction in onsite risks. With smart sensors or tags, project
stakeholders have the ability to monitor and track materials, people,
equipment, etc. using smart wearables and a strong data-set. With deep-learning
algorithms, autonomous systems like drones or LiDAR technology can be adopted
to build an actionable data stack to monitor errors onsite. AI also has the
ability to recognize various components based on size, shape, location, etc.
Smart Wearables & Sensors
Smart wearables are outfitted with sensors or
tags to make on-site jobs safer. The use of Geofencing devices and software
like location tracking, Wifi, voltage sensors, etc. are used to monitor labor
movements, respiration, heart rate, and more. This helps construction managers
keep a close-eye on onsite construction and prevent accidents before they
actually occur.
Drones & Robots
Autonomous technology like drones and robots are
making life simply based on the area it covers, conduct job inspections,
monitor workers, takes photos for surveying, reality capture, brick lifting,
etc. The application of both these devices is onsite safety
Mobile Tech
Mobile apps and smartphones have made
collaboration much easier. Traditional building methods involved a very
fragmented system of building as processes and people worked in silos. Mobile
technology enables E & C stakeholders with the ability to embrace project
management, clash detection, collaboration, online meetings, etc. These
integrated solutions sync various stakeholders in real-time by taking important
notes, modifications in drawings, RFI responses, etc.
Workforce Training
Finally, one of the most important aspects of
augmenting onsite performance would be onsite workforce training in modern BIM
processes and the use of smartphones, tablets, or any other mobile device to
make work easier, faster, and safer. Onsite training helps every project individual
or team communicate with the onsite team to make things better in terms of
equipment installation, location, people management, collaboration, etc.
Wrapping it up
One can only imagine what a modern job-site would
look like without the adoption of technology. If it weren’t for modern
processes, software, and equipment, and more, it would be a disaster wherein
onsite workforce would have to drill holes, dig trenches, and more with their
bare hands using shovels and axes. As the construction industry grows bigger,
technology has begun to become smaller whilst delivering high-impact solutions
to make onsite jobs faster, easier, and safer for all personnel
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