If you work in the construction industry, you’ve likely heard of these construction technologies—they’re all over the news and social media—but you may not have heard of some yet. Whether you own a whole construction firm or a franchising one, no matter what size your company is, technology will play an essential role in shaping it. As a budding construction business owner, you might think that things like blueprints and building permits are all you need to launch your new business.
But with so many technological advances reshaping the industry, it’s more important than ever to make sure you know about some of these hidden gems. New technologies for everything, from designing buildings to digging foundations, can also help streamline your construction process. For example, if you’re thinking about grabbing a home builder franchise opportunity and have been considering how far-reaching technology could be for its operations, you can adapt it to your newfound business. It can be a good investment if you want to manage your work yet not get your hands dirty.
Contour Crafting
This technology was created by Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis of USC, who has devised a method to use simple 3D printing methods to build entire houses from sand in just one day. The project is open source, and some homes have already been built in Mexico and Iraq. It can be a solution for building emergency housing and can even be used in space, and it shows that when it comes to construction technology, we’re moving forward.
3D Printing
With 3D printing technology, architects and builders can create custom-made building parts for construction projects. The technology is an easy way to create one-of-a-kind objects that can be used as part of a larger project. For example, if a wall needs repair on a construction site, builders can print off a new section rather than go out and search for existing inventory. It helps cut down on costs and timelines. In addition, builders will likely reduce their use of cement over time because they won’t need to buy pre-fabricated pieces from manufacturers. Because there’s no middleman involved in these transactions, it should also drive down prices overall—and make homes more affordable for buyers in turn.
Drones for Mapping
Imagine being able to look inside your home and see if there’s water damage. You wouldn’t have to wait for a plumber; you could call someone immediately. And that person could get your property repaired sooner, saving you time and money. Also, with drones, engineers can record and measure the properties from above. They can even take videos of surrounding areas or neighborhood conditions to make their work easier. It is just one example of how construction technology will help speed up remodeling projects and make them cost less.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Everything that goes into a construction site—tools, materials, even human workers—has an RFID tag embedded in it. When it comes time to build something, you can use RFID as your blueprint. Instead of having a blueprint for every single building project, you need one for your entire supply chain. It’s easier and safer—no more stacks of papers falling over! There are even benefits to working with local hardware stores. They can track their supplies and know what they have at any moment, making it much less likely that someone accidentally leaves behind something on a worksite. Every part of a system is always up-to-date.
Mobile Applications
The use of mobile technology in construction is increasing by leaps and bounds. Projects are being executed faster than ever before, costs are being cut, and productivity is soaring as contractors can access their tools from anywhere on just about any device. Mobile applications fit any construction company and businesses’ needs. Whether you need to keep track of job site progress, collaborate with team members or perform critical analysis, mobile apps are one of the best ways to implement new technology into your business model.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
With so many new, innovative construction technologies and tools surfacing daily, it can be difficult to keep up with what’s new and what can enhance your work. However, one of these promising building technologies deserves more attention than others—artificial intelligence. If you haven’t already heard of it, AI is revolutionizing construction. It is a tool that relies on computer systems to mimic human behavior using complex mathematical algorithms based on an explicit set of rules; designed for solving problems by searching for patterns in large quantities of data. Developing algorithms aims to provide correct solutions for their intended purposes rather than quicker or easier solutions. These include decisions, translation, pattern recognition, and even the generation of random numbers.
Are you looking to stay ahead of your competition? If so, you’ll want to keep a close eye on emerging technologies in construction. New tools and procedures constantly change how we build structures and transport people and materials. Over time, many technologies become ingrained in building processes, but listed are ways technology is reshaping our industry now.
