The construction industry employs nearly 8 million Americans and creates $2 trillion in structures each year.
Construction technologies have come a long way over the years. Things that were once left to human strength and smarts are now automated to make the construction industry run more efficiently.
For contractors and construction companies, construction technology is an essential part of doing business. If you don’t employ the latest tech, whether it’s data science or artificial intelligence, you’re going to fall behind the competition.
Today, we’re going to look at 5 of the construction technologies that are shaping the way we build. Making use of any of these types of construction technology will bolster your construction business. Keep reading and learn what they are and how they work.
1. 3-D Construction Printing
3-D printing is a newer phenomenon in the world of construction. It’s helped the industry make huge strides in boosting efficiency and lowering waste. It’s even been floated as a major solution for the current housing crisis.
The process starts with the development of 3-D models designed using CAD software. Instructions for the design are then sent over to a 3-D printer.
Then, successive layers of materials are built to create the final product. 3-D printing can complete entire projects or individual components of larger projects – ie. roofing materials, floors, walls, etc.
There’s far less material waste with 3-D printing, but it also decreases construction times. This allows businesses to do more for their customers in a shorter amount of time. These materials are made with precision and technical strength.
2. Highly Advanced Construction Materials
Speaking of construction materials, they’re a huge piece of the construction technology puzzle. Newer materials are more innovative and offer better overall performance and are more durable than older ones. Here are a few examples of the types of materials we’re talking about:
High-Performance Concrete
HPC offers strength, durability, and resistance to cracking and chemicals that haven’t been seen before. Most of these materials are made from recycled products, giving them a lower carbon footprint as well.
Composite
Composite materials are a combination of two different types of construction materials. They’re then combined to give the composite the best qualities of each. This makes them superior in mechanical, thermal, and electrical senses.
Carbon and fiber-reinforced polymers are both important examples of composite construction materials. They’re often used to retrofit concrete and steel buildings.
Smart Materials
Smart materials detect changes in the environment and adapt to them. Shape memory alloys change shape depending on the temperature. Self-healing materials repair cracks, while solar panels generate electricity from the sun’s rays.
All of these advanced materials are capable of lowering construction costs. They also allow designers and construction workers to innovate in ways that weren’t possible before. Companies like Butler Building Parts also make it affordable to use these technologies.
3. AI and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm right now, and it’s no different in the construction industry. Construction AI involves the creation of computer programs that can perform tasks and solve problems that were always reserved for humans. These things involve speech recognition, decision-making, and translation, among others.
Machine learning is a subset of AI. It involves algorithms that help computers learn from data without the need for extra programming. Both AI and machine learning are used in construction to help with project management, quality control, safety, and maintenance.
The main benefit of using AI and machine learning is to decrease project costs in a big way. There’s always the fear of job loss around AI, but it tends to boost efficiency and makes workers’ jobs easier. In the end, buildings are safer, more sustainable, and smarter with the help of AI.
4. Green Technology
There’s no denying that the construction industry has been a major polluter. Buildings and construction account for nearly 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. If we’re going to continue building as we have been, the need for green technology is massive.
Fortunately, there have been major strides in this sector. Some of the best new green technologies include things like:
- Solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity, which reduces emissions and energy costs
- Wind turbines to power entire buildings and lower fossil fuel use
- Rainwater collection to help conserve water used for irrigation, appliances, and toilets
- Smart home technology to help automate building processes, like HVAC and lighting, that generate greenhouse gas emissions
- Green roofing filters air pollution and provides extra insulation, in addition to giving roofs a unique look
Overall, green technology reduces waste and improves the sustainability of building projects. They’re more popular than ever due in part to governmental regulations, but also because they lower costs from energy consumption.
5. Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) is an important aspect of the pre-build phase of construction. It allows designers, builders, and clients to visualize every phase of the construction process before breaking ground. This is a massive help when dealing with clients that may change plans midway through a project.
You can do amazing things with AR. From virtual walkthroughs to mid-project progress reports, there are never any surprises when AR is being used. You’ll always be able to monitor the progress of the project, no matter what stage it’s in.
It also helps with problem-solving. If issues arise in the middle of a project, AR allows you to workshop solutions in an efficient and low-cost manner. In most cases, AR walkthroughs will allow you to detect issues and solve them before they arise on the construction site.
Putting Construction Technologies to Good Use
These are 5 of the most utilized construction technologies out there. If you run a construction company, you should be trying to implement each of them in one way or another. It’s only going to make your life easier and your business more profitable.
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