UNITED STATES—The construction demand is continuing to increase both in the US and around the globe too. Because of increased demand, companies have to keep up with the demands and one of the ways by which companies are able to address the increased demand is with the help of technological advancement in the construction industry.
We have all sorts of technologies available nowadays, you name it and new technologies are continuously being rolled out with every passing day. New technologies in the field of construction are forcing companies to evolve and adopt them. How has technology transformed the construction industry in the US? Let’s find out:
Technology has changed the way how things are done in the construction industry. One of the major technological changes that we have seen in the construction industry is how materials are used. With the help of technology, we now have new technologies like recycling concrete which is an eco-friendly material. Apart from this, scientists are working hard for the development of more environmental materials that can be used in construction.
We are seeing the use of other materials like carbon fiber which is being used as a construction material. Other tools like 3D printers are very helpful in construction projects and help a lot to experiment with buildings before they are built in real life.
We are also seeing a revolution in job sites because of technology. Technology has changed the job site and we now have drones that are being adopted on a global scale in construction industries that allow workers and engineers on-site to inspect the whole construction site from a remote location.
Apart from the usage in job sites, drones and mobile devices are also used for various other purposes on construction sites. With the help of tablets, it is easier for the project manager to manage different aspects of the projects. With mobile devices, it is easier to keep a track of construction material required and how much further will be needed. Workers also use their mobile devices to play different Solitaire games during their leisure time for refreshment.
In addition to that, technology is also allowing different job sites to be interconnected and if there is a problem on one job site or a shortage of material then it can be checked in with other sites. This can help a lot during large construction projects.
Technology has also helped to improve the safety of construction sites. Improved safety is another benefit of technological advancements in the field of construction, especially in the US where we have seen a huge decrease in the incidents happening at construction sites. We now have drones through which it is easier to watch job sites from remote locations and mobile devices through which workers can report any incident or hazard.
We also have tech-based helmets which are mandatory for the safety of workers. Special lenses and AR-based gadgets can also provide early warnings about construction site hazards. Plus, wearable tech gadgets can keep a track of one’s physical activity and advise for rest & breaks, which are essential. Tired workers are more prone to making errors or hurting themselves but if a worker takes breaks and plays games like Klondike Solitaire to relax then obviously such workers would perform better than a tired one.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are two pieces of technology that are widely incorporated in different industries around the world because of their benefits and the construction industry of the US is no different. We have the prime example of driverless vehicles that will soon replace drivers and will be widely adopted throughout the country, although no construction company has adopted these at a wide-scale level yet.
AI is used for other purposes too such as it is being used for making the data of construction projects available for company analytics and predictive analytics using this data to predict the most accurate outcome by analyzing the data. An example of predictive analysis is when the AI program is able to predict that you need to order particular materials because they will soon be finished.
Another technological advancement that helps in construction projects is BIM or Building Information Modeling which allows digital representations of buildings in 3D form instead of the traditional form, the blueprints. This has completely changed the industry and will continue to shape the future of this industry. If we compare the depiction of the reality of a project then 3D models are much better than blueprints since you can track physical attributes and functions much more easily in 3D models.
BIM allows for better choices regarding materials and fitting. After a project is completed, BIM can be used for scheduled maintenance and more. This can keep projects’ budgets from over exceeding during construction and after construction as well.
