The construction industry continues to evolve and innovate. Understanding and getting ahead of construction industry trends helps your company thrive. It helps you get lucrative contracts, keep your employees safe, and bring projects in on time and under budget. Automation and robotics are now a key part of how construction is evolving.
Innovation in the Construction Industry
Again, the construction world is rapidly evolving through multiple construction industry trends. Think about where we were just a few years ago compared to where we are now. In the future, this will, if anything, accelerate. A slowdown in the market is actually triggering more spending on technology in order to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Staffing issues also push towards an increase in capacity. One firm, for example, noted a 20% increase1 when rendering designs in 3D instead of 2D (old-fashioned blueprints).
Software is only one area of innovation. 3D printing has become significant, allowing the direct construction of three-dimensional structures from models. As of right now, 3D-printed buildings are still limited, but modular building remains solid. Robotic systems are also seeing an increase in use. Automation allows companies to deal with staffing shortages and also frees human workers from tedious tasks.
Another of the most important construction industry trends is the emergence of the smart construction site, which uses Internet of Things (IoT) techniques to improve safety and efficiency, which ties back into automation and robotics.
The Rise of Sustainable Construction Practices
In 2021, buildings and construction together accounted for over 37 percent of CO2 emissions.2 There is growing pressure to design buildings that are easy to heat and cool, have integrated smart technology to reduce emissions, and have natural light to reduce energy bills.
Construction itself, though, accounts for a substantial amount of that carbon. Construction companies benefit from reducing both carbon emissions and the use of non-renewable natural resources. Recycling efforts3 help, as does an increased use of:
- Wood (as long as trees are replanted, wood construction remains sustainable)
- Alternative bricks made from substances such as wool
- Sustainable concrete
The creation of carbon-negative concrete4 could transform the industry. Making cement on its own produces eight percent of global carbon emissions, far more than aviation. The new concrete is made with biochar, which comes from agricultural and forestry waste; forestry waste contains carbon and also pulls carbon dioxide from the air. Another alternative uses waste slag from steelmaking instead of cement, although this concrete has to be premade off-site.
The key to sustainable construction is reducing waste through several different construction industry trends. Using a site printing robot causes a more accurate translation from the CAD blueprints to the physical building, reducing the waste generated during construction due to re-dos coming from manual errors and saving time.
Automation and Robotics in Construction
Increased use of automation helps mitigate staffing shortages both by reducing the number of people needed on-site and by removing unattractive parts of the job, helping with recruitment and retention. Robots also improve safety and reduce personal and site downtime after accidents by performing dangerous tasks. In 2024, the use of robots is likely to expand. Robots can pour concrete, lay bricks, and, above all, monitor the site for safety and security concerns. Automated drones can watch the site from above and thus get a different view of what is going on.
The HP SitePrint robot automates the tedious process of drawing out the site layout in place and also integrates with other robots. It integrates with robotic total stations. At present, most of the other robots used in construction are transferred from manufacturing. But autonomous construction equipment, including track loaders and dozers, is starting to appear. Most are currently semiautonomous, allowing workers to operate them from a safer location.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) Advancements
BIM5 is a 3D model-based approach that is used to design buildings (and also other infrastructure elements). It's been around since the early 60s but didn't get called that until the 1990s. It uses a combination of models and data to analyze the building before construction begins. Architects use it to design buildings, but construction companies then use it to accurately render those designs.
The rise of Open BIM is crucial. These standards allow different software programs to work together, which is vital in a collaborative industry. Our site printing robot can read models from a variety of providers. This is allowing BIM to become more integrated and collaborative, enhance coordination, and, above all, reduce errors. The idea that the design can go straight from the architect's desk to the finished product with minimal errors is the true appeal of advanced BIM tools and similar construction industry trends.
Digital Twins and Augmented Reality (AR)
A digital twin is a digital representation or copy of a physical object. Digital twins are made by using real-time data. In construction, a site's digital twin can allow people to monitor and collaborate from multiple locations. An architect can watch the construction process. Clients and other stakeholders can use the digital twin to observe the site without travel.
Furthermore, the digital twin can help simulate the next stage in the process and potentially spot problems. Operators can then try different techniques without risk.
Augmented reality allows people on-site to visualize and see these simulations. For example, you can walk around the site and see what each part should look like at different stages. A company called Corgan used digital twin technology to bring in a 15-gate concourse at LAX. Digital twins can then be transferred for use in ongoing operations to simulate the impact of earthquakes or harsh weather, etc.
Smart Construction Sites and IoT Integration
A lot of these construction industry trends come together in the smart construction site,6 where cameras and sensors analyze data and monitor the site. Workers wear sensors that help managers work out what the most efficient route through the site is, monitor noise exposure, and improve safety. The technology can also monitor materials quality and improve efficiency by guiding workers to the tools and equipment they need quickly.
New innovations are changing construction. As the market slows in anticipation of 2024, companies will need to innovate to improve efficiency. Ongoing worker shortages also drive automation. The transition from basic to advanced BIM, tying into digital twins and smart construction sites, will create a more efficient, more automated, and safer workspace. Additionally, sustainable construction techniques are coming into their own.
Automated site layout printing is a key innovation that can help your company by reducing errors and increasing speed. Contact an HP SitePrint expert using the form in the upper right corner of the window to find out more.
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Footnotes
- https://www.constructiondive.com/spons/whats-driving-construction-technology-spending-in-2023-and-2024/690337/#:~:text=WSB%20is%20realizing%20at%20least%20a%2020%25%20increase%20in%20capacity%20when%20rendering%20designs%20in%203D%20versus%202D%2C%20according%20to%20Chiglo
- https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/co2-emissions-buildings-and-construction-hit-new-high-leaving-sector
- https://www.construction21.org/articles/h/what-is-sustainable-construction.html
- https://spectrum.ieee.org/concrete
- https://www.engineering.com/story/bim-101-what-is-building-information-modeling
- https://www.technologycards.net/the-technologies/smart-construction-site