Digital technology and construction are not often two things that go together. At least, not yet. McKinsey.com writes that the construction industry is “ripe for disruption”. It’s new technologies and new practices that will drive future innovation.

Digitalization is the future for the construction industry

Here’s an outline of what’s to come – so be on the lookout and get ready to see big changes to the construction industry.

1. New building materials: Things like aerogels, 3-D printing, and other up-and-coming materials will not only help to lower the costs of construction jobs, but it can also speed up the project.  McKinsey calls these “materials of the future” and says there is not a lot of adoption yet. But when your company chooses to go this route, you’ll see a lot more efficiency in the day-to-day operation of your construction job.
2. The ‘Internet of Things’: If you have been paying attention to digital media recently, you’ve probably heard a lot about the Internet of Things. That phrase goes across all industries and all segments of business. The short of it is that everything is becoming digital and new technologies will exist to aid in efficiency of the workforce. For the construction industry specifically, it means something important. Machinery, materials, and structures would all be able to “talk” to each other through the use of sensors and near-field communication devices.
3. Real-time data: Technologies like Thunderbolt Innovation’s workforce planning app are already on the market. This app can help you see real-time data and allow you to manage your projects all in one place. Why is an app like this important to the operation of your construction business? As McKinsey writes, “Due to the lack of digitization, information sharing is delayed and may not be universal.” Gone will be the days of having to call into your office for status updates on bids or current jobs.
4. 5-D building information modeling: Much like 3-D printing helps bring images to life, 5-D building information modeling helps to see entire projects in a new way. Like showing the geometry of a building to analyzing costs and scheduling. This new trend of the future will completely change the way you do business. McKinsey.com explains this technology the best. “Building information modeling is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a project, forming a reliable basis for decisions during the projects’ life cycle.”

Digitalization is the future for the construction industry so it’s important to stay in the know and adopt these technologies as they begin to arrive on the scene.