The construction industry is typically slow to adopt new technology. That, however, may change in 2019 due to several trends growing in popularity, including augmented reality, robotics, drones and building information modeling.
Augmented reality gives users the opportunity to visualize potential real-world structures with just a camera lens and advanced software. How does that impact the construction industry? It can help management plan and project their ideas even before they break ground. For those companies that can afford it, it may open many new opportunities.
Another trend for construction management to focus on in 2019 is the use of robotics and drones. The medical and manufacturing industries have been investing heavily into new robotics, but they are slowly making their way into construction. Earlier this year, a robot laid bricks at a site in Alabama, eliminating much of the leg work and manual strain from the tedious task.
Some construction sites have begun to use drones in every phase of a project. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be used to survey an entire area in just a few minutes, inspect the progress of a project, as well as collect data. The use of drones on job sites will only become more prevalent. Click here to read more about drones and their capabilities from one of our recent articles.
A third technological trend for 2019 is the increased use of building information modeling (BIM). According to the U.S National Building Information Standard Project Committee, BIM is “the digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility.” BIM is more than just the geometric details of a project site. It also includes information about geographic locations, spatial relationships, light analysis and properties of building components. It’s a powerful tool that will change the way the industry designs, constructs, operates and maintains facilities.
The 2019 construction industry trends are designed to ultimately save companies time and money. Live remote video monitoring has the same benefit. Trained security system operators watch construction sites remotely in real-time, utilizing weatherproof surveillance cameras and video analytics to help deter and prevent criminal activity before it happens or causes too much damage. If you would like more information about this proactive security solution, click here. If you would like to speak to a construction security specialist, contact us here.
