The construction industry in the US continues to grow each year. To support that, here are some of the critical trends for construction technologies in the US that we should all look forward to.
1. The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things is one of the most significant trends of the century, and this technology is here to stay and already changing the way we live and work. In fact, the recent launch of the Google Home Mini is just a sneak peek of what it has to offer.
One of the few ways that the construction industry would benefit from it would probably be with the help of advanced tracking. For instance, smart wearables make it easier to track employees, and intelligent orange cones ensure that the area would remain safe, especially during traffic situations, at all times. This indicates that technology offers an array of opportunities to improve safety in the construction site and it also minimizes labor waste and fraud. Another remarkable way on how the construction industry benefits from IoT would be through the machinery and equipment with online capabilities. These can monitor and efficiently communicate its status (even including dust control), and send alerts whenever maintenance or repair is necessary.
This shows that the IoT technology has been helping the construction industry to improve continually.
2. 3D BIM Modeling
Building information modeling is a 3D model-based process that is utilized to create and manage project information. This kind of technology is often associated with the design process. Wherein, 3D BIM can be used before, during, and even after the completion of the project. It’s a digital description of every aspect of the building, together with the objects in the model. It gives an idea of how this information are connected with each other, allowing the professionals to accurately evaluate the project, and stay with their ideal budget.
BIM is also a handy tool when it comes to streamlining collaboration and communication. With this technology, you’ll be able to fully optimize operations with the help of IoT and e-commerce for both building and construction materials. The result? The overall commercial process would speed up.
For DIY enthusiasts, as well as construction experts, this trend has some options presented to those who want to order building materials online. One great example would be the Home Depot’s web store that offers more than 700,000 items online. If this isn’t enough for you, wait until you hear that One Click Retail reported that from 2015 to 2016, Amazon’s US tools and home improvement sales when up. There has been a 35% year growth, resulting in $5 billion of sales.
3. Energy Saving Buildings
According to the recent report coming from the US Department of Energy, 20% of all US energy is used by commercial buildings. This is why energy-saving buildings were developed. It is believed that with the use of energy-saving business design and construction, it would be possible to cut down costs and reduce the negative impact on the environment. Developing these buildings call for a different approach, wherein the construction team would have to design and build all elements for them to be able to work together. It’s an innovative approach that could help commercial establishments reduce their energy consumption.
4. Smart Buildings
Smart buildings utilize information technology to connect with building systems, as well as the global environment. These buildings use automated processes to control various operations, such as heating, air conditioning, ventilation, security, lighting, and many more. With the sensors, microchips, and other devices it has become possible for smart buildings to collect data and manage it according to on how the building functions.
It’s also worth noting that even in residential properties, the use of smart building technology is slowly being implemented. This is a construction trend that has been growing over the past few years, and we can expect more of it shortly.
5. New Technology Will Continue to Transform the Industry
As you can see, new technologies have been transforming how the construction industry functions in a way that it doesn’t only affect the overall productivity in the construction site, but it’s also improving worker safety as well.
With the recent advancements in mobile technology, project management, and many more, workers are now able to connect with each other and ensure that everything is being appropriately accomplished.