Looking into Construction’s Digital Future – Part 3

FUTURE-PROOF DESIGN 

New materials are having a huge impact on the construction industry and the way building designs are imagined. From self-healing concrete and nanomaterials that enhance the strength, sustainability and resilience of our built environment, to new approaches the use 3D printing technologies and lower cost preassembled modules to deliver projects, the way our environment is constructed is rapidly changing.

CAPTION: 3D printing is just one of the technologies transforming construction (Image by mebner1 from Pixabay)

in PART ONE and TWO of this series, we looked at the various technologies changing the projects are managed and delivered and the challenges facing construction companies as they begin adopting new technologies. Here, in our final piece about construction’s digital future, we dive into some key trends: future-proofed designs and new materials that are changing expectations and processes.

ADVANCING MATERIALS SCIENCE

Building materials represent a $1 trillion global industry and generally account for more than half of project costs. Developments in the area of materials science have made their way to the construction sector. These newer and better construction materials are answering some of the problems project managers face: greener sustainable materials that lower carbon footprints, lower cost materials that are more durable and stronger than traditional materials, lighter and easier to manage materials that improve efficiencies on-site.

Some of these ‘futuristic materials’ are already in use and driving construction crews to upskill in order to use them. Nanomaterials that are super-strong and ultralightweight re in the early stages of development but promise to eventually replace steel reinforcements.

Aerogel that’s 99.98% air is already being used commercially as an extremely light yet durable insulation with exceptionally low thermal conductivity. Other applications include waste water treatment and water purification, sound insulation and as a chemical absorber for cleaning spills.

Still in the proof-of-concept phase but with promising signs for practical use, self-healing concrete uses bacteria to close cracks. In a similar vein, but already in use, concrete canvas is being sued to mould drains channels and passages quickly and cleanly.

The range of new materials on offer is redefining how projects are designed and implemented. While adoption for some materials is slow, once success has been proven in other projects, such as EFTE in the Beijing Olympics’ aquatic building, many architects, engineers and construction companies become eager to put it to use. Companies willing to innovate and train contractors in how to use these new resources correctly could realise huge savings in procurement and installation costs.

OFF-SITE MODULE MANUFACTURING

Prefabrication is not new to construction. As early as Roman times, parts of buildings have been put together off-site and erected in situ when needed. The UK’s post WWII housing boom was fed by prefabricated elements and even the Eiffel tower was mostly constructed off-site before transporting and assembling at the desired location.

Today, around 80% of construction work is done on-site. However, increasing time, cost, space and safety pressures are driving the industry to the next generation of prefabrication techniques.

Designer homes in the Netherlands are being delivered sustainably and cheaply as flat-pack components to be assembled on site. Prefabrication is a reinvigorated concept that is equally helping young architects and homeowners build sustainable, comfortable and stylish homes.

3-D printing technology has the potential to transform construction in respect to the design, cost and time needed to complete projects. Although still in it’s early stages, the printing of submodules and even complete concrete structures has been trial in several areas around the globe and shows promise. Not only are the time and cost of projects reduced, complex and unusual designs that can easily be repeated are possible and construction waste is also markedly reduced with this technique.

Relatively simple structures like factories, apartment buildings, hotels and covered yards are benefitting from preassembly, prefabrication, modularisation and offsite fabrication techniques. These techniques can significantly reduce the time and cost of construction, improve onsite safety and productivity while increasing the quality of the finished build.

EVOLVING WITH THE TIMES

Historically, the construction industry have been slow to adopt new technologies at best or simply ignored them at worst. A new mindset is needed by owners, project managers and contractors for the industry to evolve.

By embracing transparency and risk sharing, all stakeholders of a project can benefit from the adoption of new technologies – be they collaborative communication tools, full lifecycle project management tools such as 5D BIM or innovative materials that improve the quality of a finished project.

Transparency and risk sharing enables the many different contractors to work together and solve complex issues, find technical solutions and learn new skills that benefit the whole project as well as their own businesses.

Tracking and measuring the effectiveness of newly adopted technologies will help companies to create compelling use cases that show the real value and return on investment these new tools and approaches to construction can bring.

All of the key stakeholders in construction projects have a role to play in the digital innovation and transformation of the industry. Coinvesting in technology pilots is one ways companies can share risks and rewards. Starting off with small to mid-sized projects is often the best way to measure the benefits technology can bring. Construction players across the industry, from architects to engineers and subcontractors need to reimagine and rewire their businesses to move ahead boldly and avoid being left behind by the technological transformation that is sweeping through the sector. Other industries have shown that those who embrace the change and step toward a future with technology in hand have a strong chance of building a competitive advantage.