The construction industry is constantly changing.
Continual innovations are moving the field forward. Every year, there are better ways to keep teams communicating well, increase the quality of designs, help improve construction worker safety and reduce unforeseen costs associated with building projects.
Now that we’re fully into the 2020s, it’s time to talk about how modern technology can change the game for contractors and construction teams alike. These five trends are definitely ones to keep an eye on in the coming years. Do any of these tools seem like they’d be helpful for your projects?
Augmented Reality for the Construction Industry
With augmented reality (AR), teams have the tech to overlay their various blueprints, maps, and models with digital information. AR technology can help contractors and construction workers visualize completed buildings more realistically and see safety issues with plans before they’re built. AR can even help reduce the number of times construction workers need to work with dangerous machinery and in high-up or challenging positions.
Predictive Analytics
The basic gist of predictive analytics is that we can learn from the past to predict the future. With predictive analysis tools, construction companies can mine data from the way buildings have performed in countless scenarios in the past to strengthen the structures they’re building in the future. For example, a Georgia construction company might use predictive analytics to ensure that their buildings are hurricane-safe based on actual weather data from the past.
5D Building Information Modeling
This process often referred to as 5D BIM, is a way that digital analysts and modelers can create an exact virtual representation of a building. This tech can be used throughout a building process, from design to build, to ensure that everyone knows precisely how their work affects the different components of a building. 5D BIM is often used to ensure that a project remains on time and on budget, and can even help prevent human errors that could affect scope.
Digital Twinning Technology
With a digital twin or a virtual rendering of a physical building (possibly modeled through 5D BIM!), construction companies can model how a building will be used and its stresses over time. This will allow a construction company to ensure upfront that the building is strong enough to (literally) weather any storm. This tech has often come in handy when designing large parking garages, allowing teams to see traffic flow through their proposed structure. As a result, companies can implement tweaks during the planning phase that may reduce traffic jams (and accidents!) far in the future.
Automation in the Construction Industry
We’ve saved one of the most fun examples for last! While using predictive analyses and data-informed models to keep a project on scope is extremely valuable, there’s something more tangible about handing off dangerous or repetitive tasks to capable robots or computer programs. This can not only keep human construction workers safe, but it can also help projects move forward despite labor shortages, keep the costs of building low, and even keep the quality of construction projects more uniform. While this might seem like an option straight out of a science fiction flick, this tech is already here: There are bricklaying robots out there that are breaking records left and right. When they and other similar tools become commercially available, they may be a game-changer for the construction industry.
Prepare for a Productive Decade in the Construction Industry with GA-Based Steel Contractors
At Peak Steel Contractors, we’re always brainstorming new ways to bring our clients the best of the best. That means staying on top of industry news and keeping our community informed of the up-and-coming tools set to transform the construction industry.
Are you interested in teaming up with us to manage your next steel design project? We’re all ears. Check out our gallery to learn more about our past projects, and give us a call if you’re interested in more information.