The development of digital technologies to one degree or another applies to all business sectors. Construction is no exception. Having survived the crisis, from the end of 2000, the sector began to develop actively, mainly thanks to the construction of residential buildings.
US consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that the US market for improved building technologies will reach $ 600 billion by 2025, but this will entail a number of tangible changes in the industry. For construction companies to survive, increase business efficiency and improve operational processes, and employees to keep jobs, they will have to master digital technologies immediately. The competition will grow even more, because improved construction technologies will attract digital giants (Amazon, Google), software companies, smart startups and so on to the industry. In such an environment, you will have to fight for access to customers and create new strategies and business models.
The analytical department of the Moscow Accelerator program conducted a study on PropTech. It was attended by over 450 employees of corporations, start-ups, consulting and educational companies, as well as representatives of city authorities. The respondents' answers helped to understand which technologies the construction industry needs in particular in the coming years.
These are data analysis, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and drones, 5G and Wi-Fi6, building information modeling (BIM), virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), 3D printing, mobile and cloud technologies, blockchain and etc.
“Digital technology is the present and future of the construction industry. Technological upgrades will simplify business operational processes, increase productivity and significantly improve safety at construction sites. In the future, thanks to technology, new professions will appear that will be of interest to young specialists, ”said Ksenia Borbacheva, Deputy General Director of the Moscow Innovation Agency.
The main trends in construction technologies in 2021
2020 has become a significant year for the introduction of technologies in the construction sector. According to a report by the JLL State of Construction Tech, the pandemic has had a huge impact on the construction market and accelerated operations within it. Changes that, under “standard” conditions, would have happened in three years, have occurred in one year. We can distinguish seven main trends.
- Joint software solutions. The pandemic has heightened the need to transfer information in real time between the office and the field, as well as stakeholders - architects, suppliers, inspectors and subcontractors.
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- Robots and drones. The use of robotics makes working conditions safer and increases productivity. In the near future, robots will be “recruited” to perform the same type of labor-intensive tasks, such as laying bricks, tying reinforcement and installing drywall, and so on.
- Modular and offsite construction. Thanks to the modular design, entire rooms can be built with ready-made finishes and even installed lamps. All structures are built on special sites, and then delivered to the construction site, where they are assembled.