Digitalization in Construction: How to Embrace Emerging Technology Trends

Digitalization has been disrupting industries, and the construction industry is no exception. Here, digitalization in construction is not only improving the existing processes but also transforming the construction sector in all its aspects, from services and production to supplies.

For an industry like construction, with increasing pressure to meet deadlines, strict regulations, and increased competition, embracing the technological revolution is paramount to success. With digital technologies, your construction professionals can optimize processes and better manage construction projects. This can significantly mitigate risks, maximize safety, reduce waste, and improve productivity.

Noticeably, there's a significant shift toward digitalization in the construction industry, and it is now top of the agenda for many managers. With these continued technological developments, you'll have to adopt the new technologies for your firm to remain competitive and efficient.

Understanding Digitalization in Construction

Digitalization in construction refers to integrating digital technology across all areas of your organization's operations to optimize procedures and delivery. This involves changing the culture, processes, and strategies at your company. These steps are critical and aid in identifying and utilizing technology, as well as increasing efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.

Typically, the first step towards digitalization is digitization. This involves converting analog data into digital form to be processed, stored, and transmitted through digital technology. Adopting new technologies and digital tools has dramatically revolutionized how construction projects are planned, designed, built, and managed.

In a nutshell, digitalization provides your firm a competitive advantage and improves efficiency in planning and design—which is undoubtedly seen as the path forward for the construction industry's future. Its impact on construction is expected to remain profound and transformative.

Emerging Technology Trends

The construction industry is now entering a digital era, and many construction firms have already started the digital transformation process. Here are some emerging technology trends for digitalization in the construction industry:

1. Building Information Modeling (BIM)

BIM software can create a digital representation of an actual building. It helps construction professionals plan, design, and construct a building within one 3D model.

With digital simulation, professionals can manage information throughout the lifecycle of a construction project. This includes highlighting the areas of major safety concerns and improving efficiency, accuracy, and quality. BIM also allows better coordination, collaboration, and communication between teams.

2. Internet of Things (IoT) and Sensors

IoT involves connecting devices and equipment through the internet to collect and exchange data. It's the basis of an autonomous construction site that allows construction companies to create a web of interconnected devices accessible from one point.

IoT encompasses the use of smart sensors to promote safety management, real-time monitoring, fleet management, and predictive maintenance. Data collected through IoT helps improve buildings' structural integrity, energy consumption, and other vital factors affecting building performance.

3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

AR/VR technology has truly revolutionized design and visualization in the construction industry. It provides an immersive and interactive way to visualize construction projects. This helps professionals and stakeholders:

Understand the construction process
Feel what the property will look like
Solve complex construction problems

AR/VR provides real-time data overlays, offers unique perspectives of the building, and streamlines collaboration and communication.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Integrating AI and machine learning into construction has opened up endless possibilities within the industry. AI algorithms can accurately and precisely analyze large datasets to identify process patterns, predict risks, and optimize workflows. Additionally, AI can handle monotonous duties, allocate resources, and help with design and planning. As such, construction professionals seek the assistance of AI to improve safety, productivity, and automation.

5. Drones and Robotics

Drones and robotics technology have changed how construction professionals monitor and inspect projects. These unmanned aerial vehicles can fly over construction sites and capture high-resolution images and videos. The media is then used to inspect, monitor, and mitigate potential hazards, as well as track construction progress.

Also, robots at construction sites help perform physical tasks and automate repetitive and labor-intensive tasks such as material handling and bricklaying. Therefore, robotics in the construction industry helps minimize the risk of injury, reduces labor costs, and fills the skill gap in the construction while making processes more efficient.

6. Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools

The advent and growth of cloud platforms have allowed construction firms to shift away from traditional methods of gathering and sharing data across construction sites. Cloud provides a centralized system that allows multiple teams to simultaneously store, access, and share project data and documents.

This helps promote remote access, facilitate real-time collaboration and data synchronization, enhance communication, and improve project management. Additionally, cloud-based collaboration tools eliminate the need for extensive on-site infrastructure, significantly cutting costs.

Benefits & Setbacks of Embracing Digitalization

Digitalization in construction has changed significantly over the past few decades, making many construction companies turn away from cumbersome practices and invest in digital transformation.

Benefits

Adopting the right technologies and tools can be game-changing for your company.
Consider these benefits:

Accelerated productivity: Digitization enables seamless collaboration and communication of your team. It enhances asset, personnel, and machine management and reduces misunderstandings, increasing productivity across all areas.
Increased efficiency: Digital technologies can simulate various scenarios and guide you in choosing the most effective construction methods and processes. This helps reduce inefficiencies in your operations and improves the overall quality of your work.
Reduce costs and construction time: Firms that embrace digitalization in construction will have more precise and error-free designs, reduce wastage, and enjoy faster workflows through automated processes. This helps reduce reworks, cut costs, and reduce the time required to complete a project.
Improved safety and risk management: Digitalizing your construction projects also helps mitigate risks and reduce injury rates. It helps simulate various safety scenarios, identify and resolve problems before construction work begins, and promote a safer work environment with real-time monitoring.

The Challenges

While digitalization is the future of the construction industry, there are still challenges that need to be addressed. These challenges include:

An unqualified workforce: Many construction firms are wary of beginning digital transformation because they lack a tech-savvy workforce to manage and sustain the IT change process. You can overcome this by bridging the digital skills gap. Attract tech-savvy talent and provide training and upskilling programs for your existing staff.
Resistance to change: The rise of digitization has created fear of losing jobs. While this is untrue, these growing worries have made stakeholders hesitate and resist adopting digital tools. You can implement effective change management strategies with the affected stakeholders at the core of the transition. This includes encouraging employee engagement, communicating the benefits, and providing extensive training.

The construction industry has been slow to embrace emerging technologies, and addressing these challenges can help ensure a smooth digital transition.

Preparing for the Future

Digitalization in the construction industry is quickly accelerating, and looking ahead, we'll witness even more innovations sparking significant transformations in the industry.
The time has come for construction professionals and firms to develop an effective digital strategy to help them flourish and prepare for the evolving digital landscape. Consider these steps:

1. Take a strategic view.

Digitalization in construction usually involves cultural shifts and process transformation. You should analyze your existing processes, evaluate your firm's level of digital maturity, and develop a portfolio of digital solutions that align with your firm's goals and vision. This can help you embrace digital transformation with your end goals in mind.

2. Bring the management on board.

A company's top management is crucial in executing successful digital transformations. They can help demonstrate the need for digitalization to drive cultural shifts, develop strategies that confront the old processes, and prepare the firm for better processes. Therefore, make digitalization a top management-supported project for effective implementation and adoption.

3. Prepare your workforce.

Besides technology, people also play a pivotal role in the success of digitalization. Therefore, you should put your workforce at the core of digitalization in your construction firm. This includes communicating about the change and ensuring that your employees will not only use the new digital technologies and tools but can also adapt to future developments in the industry.

To achieve this, you should provide your workforce with access to emerging construction technologies and the associated training to use them. You can offer training programs that upskill, reskill, and train your staff to ensure they have the skills to take advantage of new technologies.

Unleash the Power of Digitalization With HP SitePrint

Digitalization in construction is still in its infancy, but the digital push is accelerating, and digitalization is inevitably the construction industry's future. While emerging technology trends are uncontrollable, those who don't embrace the change will be left in the dust by construction companies that bring more value to their clients. As such, it's no longer a question of whether you should integrate digitization into your construction processes. It’s about how soon you should do it.

With HP SitePrint, you have an innovative solution that helps construction companies and professionals improve site safety, profitability, productivity, and efficiency. We can help you transform your construction processes, turn weeks of layout into days, and eliminate inefficiencies. Visit us online and contact us using the form in the top right corner to experience digitalization in your company.

HP SitePrint HP SitePrint