As businesses across the UK reflect on the challenges faced during the global pandemic and plan ahead for the future, industries will consider new methods and technologies to help them thrive. The construction sector in particular has been under immense pressure, with many sites allowed to continue operating throughout lockdowns and set strict deadlines. Amar Sekhon, Business Development Manager at Cadline, provider of MTWO Complete Construction Cloud, discusses the benefits of technology to increase productivity across the sector.
Despite its sizable contribution to global economy, productivity in construction has only increased by around 1% per year on average over the last two decades. With ongoing challenges and deep-rooted methods seeing little change, the industry is turning to technology to drive change.
Construction projects generate an extraordinary amount of data, however, it largely remains underutilised due to outdated processes or segregated tools. As businesses and projects grow in scale, firms need to be able to quickly access and analyse data that will keep projects on schedule and in budget. Bringing data out of silos and making it easily accessible across organisations helps speed up action with better informed decision making.
The challenges of 2020 highlight the importance of accurate data in order to navigate uncertainties faced by the construction industry. Construction companies surveyed by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) cited poor planning, lack of information, and delays receiving data, as one of the main contributors to projects being behind schedule.
Artificial intelligence has been a driving force in identifying data to generate insights and automate processes. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning can free up valuable time by taking on collected data, enabling enterprises to explore patterns and trends, forecast scenarios and prevent costly mistakes and delays.
The construction industry has always been seen as ‘reactive’ but now is the time to be proactive. As we enter a new year and continue to navigate the global pandemic, firms need to be equipped with new thinking, working methods and technology to get ahead of possible challenges before they occur.
Lack of communication among multiple stakeholders is one of the key faults hindering construction projects. Contractors, project owners and real estate developers all have multiple processes, costs, drawings and more to contribute, yet accessing these is typically timely and costly. However, cloud technology makes a significant difference in both the planning and execution phase of a project by connecting stakeholders digitally in one place to house and update data quickly and securely.
Global firms such as Bunte, JBL and Eurovia are utilising MTWO Complete Construction Cloud for the planning and execution of projects including new residential developments, commercial buildings and transport networks.
By embracing artificial intelligence technology, businesses can pivot operations to meet growing demand and build a more insightful and responsive enterprise. Utilising up to date data combined with AI technology, projects can be more accurately and efficiently planned and costed, and challenges projected in time for changes to be made. Now more than ever, delays, wasted funds and underutilised resources cannot be afforded, and those who take advantage of technological advances within the construction industry will be prepared to compete in the years ahead.