Up until very recently, the construction landscape has largely been devoid of any technological change. However, now the industry is slowly transitioning toward digital ways of doing things. Technologies like drones, augmented reality, building information modeling (BIM), AI, 3D printing, robotics, and more are shaping up the construction sector. They are helping improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and further progress health and safety levels for workers.
Drones, for one, are replacing traditional land-surveying methods. By hugely reducing the time and labor involved in producing accurate land surveys, drones capture the necessary information in a lot less time. Their efficiency also eliminates much of the human error involved in the traditional process of land surveying. The use of drones is also drastically improving worksite health and safety by helping to eliminate dangers and hazards. Wearable technology in the form of 3D glasses, Google Glass, armbands are also proving to be useful in keeping workers safe.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, is being used to build information that can be shared in real-time, leading to better overall outcomes. AR makes it easier for planners and architects to collaborate with clients and contractors to work together on projects and alter any issues which require adaption before they occur. In addition, automated rovers are also used for monitoring sites autonomously, guided by AI in the home office, and feeding data back to the predictive analytics systems. Automated equipment, developed in the form of driverless earth-movers and dump-trucks are also helping in mining and road-building applications.
Furthermore, with robotic technology, traditional construction activities like welding, material handling, packing, dispensing, cutting, and packing are also being fully automated. Not only does this result in better precision and accuracy throughout the various construction processes but also saves time and cost.
That being said, one of the major changes for the construction industry within recent years has been the implementation of BIM. BIM is replacing traditional blueprints with fully detailed, intelligent, and interactive 3D models. At BIM’s core, lies information management, which brings together all necessary information about the project into one collaborative place. Going forward, BIM’s benefits are likely to become more and more invaluable and it is expected to soon become a major requirement of construction and building codes.
Technology is bringing the construction industry speeding into the 21st Century, which seems to be a critically important step in ensuring that the sector escapes being left behind. The adoption and integration of these innovations will help construction businesses to thrive in the next decade. With a comprehensive view of the numerous construction technologies’ wide applications, this edition of APAC CIO Outlook brings you a list of companies that showcase extensive business knowledge and exhibit competence in delivering innovative solutions that meet the needs of the customers. A distinguished panel comprising of eminent CEOs, CIOs, VCs, and analysts, along with APAC CIO Outlook’s editorial board have assessed several construction technology solution providers and shortlisted the ones that are distinctively prominent in the field.
We present to you APAC CIO Outlook’s “Top 10 Construction Technology Solution Providers – 2019.”
