Innovative emerging technology is driving significant benefits in the construction industry, from reducing project costs through more streamlined working processes to improving safety and regulatory compliance.

Construction technology incorporates many different types of tools, online solutions and software systems. Power tools were one of the first types of technology that allowed construction work to be delivered faster, reducing the manual element required on jobs.

Technology has been developing at an incredible pace, delivering solutions such as 3D-printed buildings, robots and BIM (Building Information Modelling). The construction industry has been investing more into its technology infrastructure, with construction business owners realising that there are many benefits to be gained by adopting new technology solutions.

Connectivity such as 5G will have a major part in driving the industry forward and the COMIT (Construction, Operation & Maintenance through Innovative Technology) organisation predicts that technology could help to reduce capital project costs by around 30%.

Technology that boosts productivity

One of the key working processes within the construction industry is project management which involves many different workstreams to be managed. Software such as BIM technology can help with construction project management by gathering important information in one place that can be accessed by all the teams working on the project.

By having this unified overview and system, communications such as project updates are much faster, with the project team being able to view instant updates on mobile apps. Historically, these communications would have to take place in person, over the phone, or via email and now there is real-time communication to speed processes up and reduce unnecessary delays.

Cloud-based software solutions are also able to reduce the time taken for tasks such as gathering data and documents such as timecards, expense reports, work records and other important documents required in the industry, saving hundreds of hours of data entry.

The latest technology to get excited about

Wearable technology such as connected hardhats enables monitoring of the health of a worker and can trigger an emergency call in the event of a fall or injury. Other wearable technology solutions can monitor environmental data such as carbon monoxide, temperature, and oxygen to trigger a warning in an unsafe environment.

Exoskeletons are wearable devices that minimise strain on construction workers and allow people to work more productively.

Lidar technology which measures distances using laser light has already revolutionised construction projects by saving time and improving accuracy.

3D-printed houses are another exciting development that is revolutionising the house-building industry, reducing manual effort, and speeding up the building process.

Drones are being used to conduct site surveys, health and safety training videos, maintenance inspections and promotional photography to help win more bids.

Humanoid labourers are another technology solution that is being explored, performing manual labour tasks to improve productivity and reduce the required number of workers.

Artificial Intelligence is also driving some major advantages for construction projects by speeding up the planning processes, amongst other uses.

How Procure-Site boosts productivity

FixFirm’s innovative online procurement tool is another great example of utilising technology to improve processes, save time and reduce costs. With intelligent features such as personalised shopping lists to speed up future orders, it provides a fast and easy ordering tool to help construction firms to work more productively.

Lean more here or contact our team today to discuss how we can support your projects moving forward.