7 major construction technology to know in 2018

7 major construction technology to know in 2018

2017 was a big year for technology innovation which is good news for companies that embrace technology to improve cost, safety, efficiency, and quality of construction. According to Connect and Construct, here are 7 construction technology innovations to be among the leaders in 2018. 1. Virtual Reality Use 4D virtual reality models to fully immerse owners and other stakeholders in the environments of planned construction during planning and design stages for major projects including an airport hotel and a zoo parking and entertainment complex. It has mad industry fully into the real world.  4D environments allow construction companies to plan every aspect of the project, improving everything from safety to efficiency, and delivering a more consistent and quality final product. 2. Augmented Reality Augmented reality allows users to walk through real 3D environments, with their feet, while gathering and/or viewing additional real-time information about that environment. For instance, a new iOS app called MeasureKit allows users to point their phone or iPad at an object or building component, and interact with that component through the screen in three useful ways. Many new augmented reality applications will arrive in 2018, such as BIM 360 Glue provides for subcontractors to point a device at a component and get information from the 3D models laid against the image that is framed in the device. 3. Wearable Technology Wearable technology tracks where the worker on the job site, alerts them in real time of potential hazards, and identifies when someone has tripped, slipped, or fallen, so help can be sent right away. More and more products like Triax are available, and companies taking advantage of them will become more and more in demand, especially as benchmarks for safety are to become a part of the bid process. 4. Machine Learning Smartvid.io, for instance, aggregates visual data from the job site and intelligently analyzes it for a variety of purposeses including safety, quality, progress tracking, and marketing. Technologies like Smartvid.io are going to transform the way companies do business in 2018, by making existing data more accessible and easier to use to improve everything from quality and timelines to safety and marketing. 5. Prefabrication Prefabrication is hardly a new innovation and has been used in various applications for decades. However, new technologies are making the benefits of prefabrication easier to access, and changing the way the construction industry integrates prefab into the process. We predict that companies who take advantage of these technologies to streamline and increase their use of prefabrication will gain a competitive advantage in 2018. 6. Predictive Analytics Predictive analytics is about to make risk management much easier. It analyzes data from subcontractors, materials suppliers, design plans, and the site itself to analyze risk factors based on historical data. It provides a dashboard where GCs can identify which elements of their project are highest risk and need attention, and allows them to drill down to see the reasons for the risk assessment. 7. Connected Job Sites Communication delays between the job site, trailer, design office, and engineering can be costly and aggravating. Fortunately, job site connectivity is catching up to becoming easier and easier to achieve. With a connected job site, everyone on the site has access to up-to-the-minute drawings and documents, and holds the ability to file RFIs and issues in the palms of their hands. Communication around RFIs means everyone in the trailer and design and engineering has immediate access to everything that is happening on the job site and issues are reduced from days or weeks to mere hours or minutes without moving toward the connected job site.

Author Name:: Dara