There is no doubt the construction industry is one of the most happening places across the world. It has an annual market capitalization over $10 trillion. While it has fascinating possibilities and potential, the movement forward is lukewarm because of the lack of skilled workers.
Further, the productivity levels are also not to the market. Wastage is also a big challenge. Data generation suggests that the industry generates large amounts of waste. This is both in terms of physical materials and human productivity.
Those who follow the growth of real estate and construction industry believe that there is significant scope for improvement as far as productivity is concerned.
While sectors like agriculture and retail have seen the growth of around 1500% in terms of productivity, it is not the same as far as real estate is concerned. Since 1945, the increase in productivity in real estate has been lukewarm, to say the least.
Time To Bring In Changes
It is, therefore, essential to make changes as far as the construction industry is concerned. There are reasons to believe that automation and infusion of new technologies are the significant changes to except in the construction industry over the next few years and decades.
It is becoming inevitable because of the distinct advantages and benefits associated with technology. Let us see how the induction of new technology could help construction sites. It could be for simple things or even for items that are complex and difficult.
Better Monitoring Of Inventory and Site Inspections
Drone technology could play a significant role in a more efficient and productive way of managing inventory. It also could add new and more efficient ways of monitoring site inspections.
It could help avoid possible mistakes in inventory taking and site inspections. When on a construction site, there are copious amounts of materials that need to be accounted for. From metal sliding, bricks, tools and so much more, and that’s why it’s so important to have inventory software that can track every tool and material to ensure it’s where it’s meant to be.
Drones are also being used today for identifying potential construction sites, and the task can be completed accurately without too much loss of time. They are considered to be very useful when it comes to site inspections, more so for mega projects such as shopping malls and skyscrapers.
Prefabricated Home Construction
There is a growing demand for the construction of prefabricated homes. These can be done in factories and warehouses, where the required technology and facilities are available. This also can go a long way in enhancing productivity and subsequently reduce costs.
Things are moving in the right direction, and the numbers of such prefabricated homes are going up quite strongly. In Sweden, the names of prefabricated homes are a whopping 40% while it is 16% in Japan.
However, this requires having the right assembly lines where quality, efficiency, and worker-productivity is taken care of. Further such prefabricated homes can help in maintaining uniformity and promoting consistency.
The condition also improves quite significantly, and overall; the final product will certainly much better.
Use Of Robotics
Automating construction requires the use of robotic applications. This again leads to a host of benefits such as uniformity, better quality, improved timelines, and of course, better productivity across all levels.
This is the reason why investors are keen on investing millions of dollars for developing robots in the construction industry. Automation will hasten the speed of construction remarkably. There are some robots that are capable of laying over 2000 bricks per day.
This compares very well with human beings who can put a maximum of around 400 bricks per day.
Use Of Autonomous Equipment
Autonomous automation equipment is not being used in the construction industry alone. They are being built for various other reasons within the construction and also for other peripheral requirements and needs.
They are referred to as innovators as far as the world of construction automation and construction technology is concerned.
3D Printing Concrete
3D printing concrete is being used quite regularly, and if you look at things like safety cones, quite a few of them are being built using this technology.
Additionally, there have been instances where hundreds of square feet of barracks have been completed within 40 hours.
Hence, from an efficiency point of view, they hold out quite a bit of promise. However, it needs more investment and spreading the right message around.
Conclusion
Hence, it is quite evident that using modern-day automation technology might be in its nascent stage. But the day is not far off when it will become a requirement rather than a choice. The advantages are too obvious to be ignored.