Hiren Kanani
July 18, 2024
11 minutes to read
Updated On : July 22, 2024
Modern-day technologies are indeed helping industries bring remarkable changes in their workflow. But it is not that simple for every industry.
While in some industry sectors, such as manufacturing and telecom, industrial processes can be seamlessly handled with artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, etc.
For an industry like construction, to meet today’s challenges and increased competition, embracing the technological revolution is essential to success. With the help of digital technologies, your construction workers can optimize procedures and better manage their operations. This can minimize risks, enhance safety, reduce waste, and improve workers’ productivity.
Though slow, there is a relative increase in the pace of digitization in construction industry. Let’s read ahead and find out how digitization can improve the status of the construction industry.
Digitalization in the construction industry refers to using digital technologies across your organization to streamline operations and deliver projects. It’s not just about the tech itself; it involves changing organizations’ processes and strategies.
However, the first step towards digitalization is digitization. This involves converting data into digital format for procedures using digital technology. Incorporating new technology and digital tools has transformed the way construction projects are planned, developed, built, and managed. The digitization of processes allows frontline teams to work more accurately and consistently.
The main benefits of digitization in construction industry are as follows:
I found a study that suggested that only 40% of architecture, engineering, and construction businesses are leveraging automated workflows to complete their complex projects, which results in a lack of visibility, unpredictable costs, and extended project timelines.
Moreover, 61% of the companies surveyed use multiple software platforms to manage their day-to-day operations.
Though using software to manage projects is a great idea, there should be only one software like a connected worker software. It can ease the hassle of managing multiple aspects by bringing them into one place.
Here are some of the primary barriers that are challenging digitization in the construction industry!
Generational and cultural adoption barriers are one of the primary causes of slow digitization in the construction industry. I have seen many stakeholders preferring things the way they are rather than embracing new technologies.
I am aware that cost is also a relevant factor here, but construction workers who resist change pose a greater challenge when adopting digital technologies.
This is also one of the reasons the construction industry is least digitized. Around 29% of SMBs are not adopting new technologies because they resist change.
Construction projects are complex. Plus, several stakeholders and contractors play a crucial role in the hierarchy.
Therefore, for a supervisor, it can be challenging to keep track of each person’s progress. Besides, several on-site and off-site tasks like data sharing, delegating responsibilities, managing risk, and real-time status reporting can add more to their plate. In such a scenario, real-time and all-time visibility is important.
Poor visibility and reporting in construction can lead to issues in tracking progress, identifying bottlenecks, and making informed decisions. Hence, posing a challenge!
The complexity of construction tasks demands experts in the field. As per statistics, the construction and trades industry needs over 900,000 new recruits in the UK over the next decade. These staggering numbers denote the labor shortage in the UK, and the primary reason behind this is the aging workforce.
While your staff is aging in parallel with being resistant to change, training your workforce on software like BIM could be a nightmare for you. Not only effort but a relevant amount of cost is required.
The introduction of advanced software and digital tools leads to the storage and sharing of data. And when digital data comes into the picture, its safety matters the most. To protect data from theft and inappropriate use, regulatory and legal compliance standards are developed.
As data privacy regulations, intellectual property rights, cybersecurity standards, and industry-specific regulations can be complex, complying with them can pose a challenge.
With the rise of digital adoption in the construction industry, several innovative trends have surfaced. I have witnessed these trends remarkably growing in recent years. Let’s take a look at them!
At a construction site, it can be a hassle to climb up and down repeatedly to get updates on construction progress. Drone technology is a trail-blazing trend that has simplified this issue.
Besides casual photography and videography, drone technology is highly viable in the construction sector.
With connected sensors and cameras on the drone, construction supervisors and workers can survey and inspect the construction site. With high-quality aerial images and videos, it becomes super easy to identify any defects, damage, and shape of the terrain.
Some drones even come with 3D lidar scans and interoperability with BIM software, thanks to the rising construction drone market.
BIM stands for Building Information Modeling. It’s a revolutionary software that can help stakeholders, engineers, supervisors, and architects analyze the building design before it is built. It can seamlessly generate interactive 3D models and digital twins to provide a realistic view of the potential building.
With the help of BIM software, you can simulate the design. Further, you can detect errors in the geometrical shape of the structure. Clash detection is a primary benefit of BIM software. With detailed 3D models, architects can easily identify areas in the building design where different components intersect or clash to take necessary counteracting measures.
Besides virtual modeling and visualization, the BIM software also assists in project planning and execution, optimized use of materials, and keeping track of workflow and construction schedules. In short, it is a goldmine for construction staff, covering everything from construction and equipment to maintenance and repair.
I found an interesting case study of TechnoStruct that leveraged the power of BIM software to boost its revenue by 50%.
Unlike in earlier days, when manual concrete mixing machines were used, they are becoming obsolete today. Though manual intervention is still required in a few processes, some processes can be seamlessly automated with robotics.
Some of the examples of the application of robotics in construction are
Several companies around the world are working on developing and enhancing these robots to improve efficiency, safety, and accuracy. Consequently, this leads to faster construction, error reduction, and reduced labor cost.
Brands like Royal Truck & Equipment Co., Komatsu, Dusty Robotics, Fastbrick Robotics, etc., have developed some of the finest robots for the construction sector.
Looking at Dubai’s infrastructure, every contractor, engineer, or architect would like to build a revolutionary structure with a unique design. The challenge here is that the traditional construction methods may not help you do that. And this is where 3D printing comes into the picture.
It is an innovative technology that can help build structural elements on the site. Today, there are a plethora of construction 3D printers available, from robotic arms to gantry-type systems. If we keep the cost factor aside, the utility of construction 3D printers is off the charts.
Besides building custom parts, 3D printing can help reduce construction time and effectively use construction materials.
In the age of digital transformation, businesses strive to eliminate manual processes, but many still persist in the construction industry. These include risk assessments, special inspections, training modules, and whatnot. As there are many people involved in a construction project, it can be tough to pass on paper-based instructions to each person for assessment.
Relying on manual methods (pen and paper) is insufficient in this industry. Therefore, digital documentation is necessary to keep everyone on the same page. Digital documentation will allow you to handle large, complex documents efficiently, and user-friendly, and it is available whenever required.
Plutomen’s Digital Work Instructions Solution simplifies digital documentation. This no-code platform digitizes construction workflows, enabling businesses to get started immediately and avoid delays in construction projects.
Process automation in construction is imperative as it can save over 700 hours per year on repetitive tasks. In the construction industry, several processes can be easily automated with technology, such as budgeting, revenue forecasting, creating work in progress, etc.
Supervisors can use automated digital forms to order materials. In the same way, site risk assessment can be carried out smoothly. A process automation tool can also share the clicked site pictures with the entire crew for quality assessment.
Behind the described trends, augmented reality plays an indispensable role.
The creation of 3D models is entirely backed by augmented reality. It helps visualize the building’s structure perfectly, provides virtual walkthroughs, and is also assistive in training the construction staff.
Let’s dig a bit deep into this!
While projecting super immersive 3D models of the building, augmented reality can help in clash detection to avoid any overlaps in the structure. Further, with the use of AR glasses, you can take a virtual walk through the digitally created structure to understand its shortcomings.
Plutomen Assist is an out-of-the-box solution that helps you create 3D models of buildings, helping you understand every minute detail of it.
With access to highly detailed SOPs and work instructions, workers can train faster and handle every on-site job easily. Moreover, with access to 3D models of different parts of the construction building and machines, workers can learn about them quickly and align with any danger or potential hazards.
The 3D work instructions to operate a construction machine can also be superimposed on their smart headsets for hands-free operation.
Every construction site has workers from different teams. As communication between them is crucial, AR remote assistance can help keep communication easy and understandable. For instance, on-site workers can seek professional help from experts in a remote location via video conferencing. AR can also be used for inspection and quality analysis in the construction industry.
With tools like Plutomen Connect, experts can feed pictures and video annotations to guide the workers on the construction tasks. This improves communication and keeps the work on track.
The contractor leveraged the power of several digital construction tools, such as Autodesk AEC Collection, BIM 360, etc., to design digital twins, clash-detection processes, and more.
Backed by an adept on-site construction team, the contractor witnessed a savings of £90,000 in concrete reworks alone. Besides that, they also used an iPad-based field data capture tool that reduced inefficiency and time savings by 35%.
Arup is a worldwide popular collective of designers, engineering and sustainability consultants, etc., dedicated to sustainable development. They leveraged the power of 3d printing to create steel nodes for a structure.
The firm used CyBe Construction RC 3Dp Robotic arm that could produce unique and curved construction elements.
The third one on this list is also related to 3D printing. WinSun Decoration Design Engineering used a mixture of quick-drying cement with some raw recyclable materials to build 10 small demonstration houses.
All of them were constructed in 24 hours. The company believes that this technique is groundbreaking and will be used to make bigger houses and skyscrapers in the future.
Augmented reality is one of those revolutionary technologies that have the power to boost digitization in the construction industry exponentially. With 3D models, AR can help supervisors, architects, and on-floor workers handle their operations safely and effectively. Moreover, the direct feed of digital work instructions on their headsets can save time while maintaining efficiency.
Plutomen’s Connected Worker Platform is the perfect thing to pick if you are planning to skyrocket your construction operations.
Plutomen Connect can help you seek assistance from experts in a remote location via videoconferencing and on-screen annotations.
Plutomen Workflow can help you create interactive digital work instructions and SOPs with animated machine models.
Lastly, Plutomen Assist can help you train your workers through immersive training environments where you can create 3D models of machines and environments with AR and VR technologies.
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With 10+ years' experience of Hiren Kanani has helped Plutomen ensure smooth communication between the company and the client for swift project delivery with fewer iterations. He is CTO & founder at Plutomen.
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