5 ways tech and AI can improve construction productivity
Over the years, we have seen how technological advancements have benefited people and businesses. Technology has made people's usual tasks and day-to-day activities more manageable. Technology has also helped companies improve productivity and efficiency at work, thus increasing profitability.
Most industries have maximised technology as a tool in progressing their business. However, the construction industry lags in utilising advances in technology. Through adopting new technologies, construction companies can remain competitive, increase productivity, and save time and money.
Many technologies can be adopted in the construction business. Some of them are mobile devices and apps designed explicitly for fieldwork, drones, 3D printers, and wearables. You may also explore applying artificial intelligence (AI) in construction or get rid of manual paperwork and go with the digitalisation of the construction industry. There are a lot of possibilities in leveraging technology in the construction industry to boost productivity.
It can make collaboration more quickly and effectively
Using technology, contractors can easily communicate and collaborate with architects, owners, back offices, and other teams. By having easy digital tools, people can easily connect in real-time. If the need arises, collecting and sharing information, getting inputs, and coming up with contingency plans can be easily made.
Some valuable technologies for collaboration are online and mobile apps for reporting and document sharing, auto-archiving, data collection, and construction management. There is also BIM or Building Information Modeling, which involves generating and managing digital representations of buildings and diverse physical infrastructures. Other technological tools are virtual meeting platforms, GPS tracking, bid management software, and mobile devices that can withstand the job site's harsh conditions. These technological advancements increase real-time communication and collaboration among everyone involved in the project.
It can help project managers and contractors make more timely and informed decisions
With the help of artificial intelligence, contractors and project managers can tweak and decide timely if adjustments must be made. Intelligent modelling enables designers and contractors to visualise better how different designs can change how the building looks while also considering the costs and time element involved. Through this, project teams can make more informed decisions and stay within the budget and timeline.
It can simplify and automate the information capturing process
Paperworks can add to the stress of site supervisors, which can also delay them from doing more important tasks. With technology, site supervisors can use their mobile devices to manage timekeeping easily by using construction scheduling software. With a software solution, companies can significantly improve the accuracy of employee timekeeping, reduce processing costs, and efficiently manage payroll.
It can accurately provide documentation for compliance regulations
Construction companies need to submit different requirements and documentation to meet compliance regulations. With the help of technology, digital photos, video, and webcam documentation of the building can be stored and readily accessed in electronic document management solutions. Anyone who needs the documents can readily get them in the document portal, lessening the chances of penalties which inhibits costs.
It can maintain the efficiency of people and equipment
A lot of wearable devices are available today, which can improve the safety and efficiency of the workers. Smart wearables collect, store, transmit and receive information about a worker's location, nearby hazards, biometric signs, and other job-site data. When your workers are safe, and the environment is conducive for working, delays are avoided.
For equipment, sensors are used by modern construction sites to gather data and drive productivity improvements. The sensor data shows idle and active times of the construction machinery, which can help project managers plan how to maximise these pieces of equipment. Construction types of equipment are costly due to fuel and the amount to purchase or rent it. It will be advantageous for the team to maximise the investments for these tools.
How to effectively introduce new technologies to the way of working
Since the construction industry is primarily late in using different technological advancements, shifting to these tools is a significant change for most people. Make sure to make everyone embrace the tools by educating and training them on the proper use and benefits of introducing the technologies. By providing them with the knowledge about these technological advancements, you would gain their buy-in that the tools will benefit them in the long run.
To ensure that these new tools are on top performance, you should also allot the budget for the licensing fees, maintenance, and updates of the technological adoption.
Final thoughts
It is almost impossible not to use technology these days. With all the benefits we are getting due to technological advancements, it will be a waste if you do not maximise it. For the construction industry, which entails a lot of hard work, careful planning and monitoring, and collaboration, we can indeed see an increase in productivity if technology is used. Expect the construction industry to boom with the help of technology.