2018 is set to hold a lot of excitement for the construction industry, with a forecasted global growth of 3.6% in 2018. PRNewswire predict that the global construction industry will grow from $7.4 trillion in 2010 to US$10.3 trillion in 2020.
For those builders and contractors who want to keep up to date with the latest industry trends, here is how to stay ahead of the competition, and what we can expect to see in 2018:
Green construction
Recycling, reusing and rethinking the approaches to common daily construction activities is a must for builders, and staying green is a trend that is continuing to rise every year.
Green design, sustainable products and a global change in the way people consume has led to a growing interest in green construction.
Consumers’ lifestyles are actively influencing major industries, leading us to a reduction in waste and purchase of disposable goods, and an increase in collaborative consumption.
Building Information Model (BIM)
BIM is now part of the regular scope of work for companies who like to know beforehand the issues and construction projects that they will face. After its initial launch, BIM tech has been evolving, and more and more contractors are implementing BIM technology in their work processes.
BIM increases collaboration, reduces construction costs and promotes a safer building process, which are huge benefits for the construction industry.
According to the National BIM report of 2017, 78% of respondents believe BIM is the future of project information, 70% of them believe that cost reduction in building/design/maintenance of lifecycle will be achieved and 60% believe that BIM will bring about time efficiencies in the project from the time it was conceived to completion.
VR and AR
VR is a much more common tool in construction than AR, but as the industry continues to gradually become more data focused, there are exceptional possibilities and benefits of the use of AR.
Contractors and builders need to keep up with fast-moving connected construction industry trends, and VR and AR are great examples of ways to enable easy communication, information sharing and collaboration on site.
VR is commonly used to provide virtual walk throughs in order to pitch ideas to clients, and it can help you to stimulate a project, or showcase a tool before it’s delivered to site. Digitalising our projects can also be beneficial when providing safety training to workers.
Ulrik Branner, CEO of GenieBelt, said: “95% of all data is thrown out or not collected at all in construction.” As this improves, AR can be used to enhance what we see in front of us, providing accurate measurements, material details and reduce the risk of errors.
Drones
Drones are a big deal in construction, and an important industry trend in 2018 as we utilise and increase productivity with this excellent tool we already have.
Drones are equipped with cameras which are extensively used in mapping the construction site, accessing remote locations and reporting updates and any changes of projects to clients. They can collect data, complete safety inspections and much more.
Surveyors are now using them to create 3d mapping that can be used to depict an area, and their popularity means Jdsupra estimate that the worldwide market value of the drone industry will rise from $2 billion to $10 billion in 10 years.
Modular Buildings
Modular buildings are prefabricated buildings developed off-site, with the structure then being transported to the desired site. It is a new method of construction that is considered highly effective as it doesn’t compromise on quality.
According to Modular org, modular construction essentially moves 80% of construction work off site. This reduces noise and other disruption on-site. It also increases safety and security with handling equipment as the work is monitored.
As the demand for homes and buildings increases, modular buildings is becoming a cheaper, shorter time permitting option which offers the ability to start working off-site while all the permits are being secured and under a controlled scenario.
