NEW BUILDING TECHNOLOGY IN 2021: WHAT IMPLICATIONS ?
The subject of new building technology is vast and constantly evolving. Here we will take stock of the most advanced and demanded building technologies and innovative materials in the sector. Their current integration already draws a sketch of the construction of the future.
Industry characteristics
The construction industry is often criticized for its excessive conservatism, standardization and excessive bureaucracy. However, implementing the latest technologies is not easy due to industry compliance and security requirements. Indeed, each building technology must have a normative basis, be standardized and self-paid ; development costs must therefore be well controlled, and depreciation must be significant and sustainable. Any building technology requires careful design and quality control, as well as adequate staff training; all of this results in an additional workload for the project team.
Building technology: the advantages
However, the integration of new technologies in the construction industry has recently gained momentum. This trend is driven in particular by the growth of cities, populations and economies, as well as the communications revolution in the era of BIG DATA. As a result, building technology has taken a new turn and a prominent place in the discussions.
In addition, the very speed of technological development is leading to a large-scale digitization of the construction sector. The application of information technologies is already a competitive issue. Innovations in construction are changing the job site and increasing profits, while winning tenders.
It is now the innovations that make it possible to implement the customer’s request with maximum efficiency, thus bringing economic benefits and improving the competitiveness of construction companies .
The most popular modern construction technologies
# 1: BIM
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the latest major building technology developed. It not only allows a building to be modeled virtually, but also offers a complete digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of an object. BIM takes into account construction, of course, but also the equipment, management, operation of an object, the prospects for repair or demolition; in other words, BIM covers the entire lifecycle of an object. All the elements surrounding the design are taken into account and synthesized in a single project . If an element or addition is deleted or replaced , the entire model is recalculated with this correction.
Thanks to BIM, the virtual model allows specialists to:
Identify all issues and inconsistencies
Confirm the benefits of the installation
Share the model among all project participants
Make adjustments
Calculate a quote
Control the work process
Anticipate the risks of future construction
Calculate resources
BIM technology also makes it possible to reduce:
Material costs
Errors in projects
Delays
Work can be done using a mobile device, allowing adequate control at all stages, for example using PlanRadar. Such a solution greatly simplifies the management and control of construction processes and thus optimizes the result.
In the United States, about 72% of construction companies use BIM to achieve substantial savings on projects. In the UK, since 2016, all construction projects are required to use BIM at level 2. In France, since 2017, the government has used BIM to build half a million homes. In Spain, BIM has been mandatory in infrastructure projects since 2019. Germany has implemented the use of BIM in all infrastructure projects since 2020. Benelux countries also frequently use this technology.
# 2: “Cloud” services and mobile building technology
The BIM model uses the cloud to exchange data and information in real time. The cloud can contain a wide variety of segmented information and tools, whether for architects or project managers. These elements are also available to project participants at any time from a mobile device – cooperation is greatly simplified.
Cloud services offer:
Cloud services offer:
Great mobility. All information is accessible from any device with an Internet connection
Unlimited information storage and computing power
Adaptability according to the needs of the construction project – there are no more frills and productivity does not drop
Affordable services – building your own IT infrastructure is much more expensive than hiring a cloud service provider
Instant access to information from all project participants, from the entire team
Simplifying real-time communication and collaboration
The possibility of managing several construction sites without losing quality, the Cloud then helping to synchronize
Reduced office costs – hosting on third-party servers eliminates the need to maintain one
Maximum data protection
# 3: Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a building technology that mimics human cognitive functions: solving tasks and problems, recognizing images, objects and learning. In particular, Machine Learning is an area of AI that relies on the collection of statistical data, on the basis of which conclusions are drawn.
Building technology cannot do without machine learning and AI. In fact, it’s an invisible wizard that scans terabytes of data and finds problems. It can be as routine as filtering out unnecessary information or, conversely, searching for specific data.
# 4: Connected objects
This building technology is closely linked to the Cloud and to AI. Indeed, the IoT (Internet of Things) is inefficient without analysis and data collection algorithm. In construction, IoT is a serious help in solving a number of problems. With a variety of sensors on the construction site, project management becomes more efficient, and the construction process becomes safer and more optimized.
# 5: virtual and augmented reality
Among the new technologies of architecture and construction, virtual reality (VR) deserves to be highlighted . It makes it possible to reproduce a “real” world in a digital environment, using photos, renderings and 360 ° videos. The capabilities of this technology make it possible to navigate in a realistic digital environment, where it is also possible to interact with objects in real time. Augmented reality already makes it possible to superimpose digital elements in a real environment, thus completing the final model.
VR brings even more integrity and wholeness to a virtual object, as digital information “comes to life” with physical information. Virtual reality makes it possible to reinforce large-scale multidimensional models. It’s a special first-person experience that adds more professional solutions and brings expert judgment. It is transforming the way infrastructure is built in general.
# 6: Drones, exoskeletons…
Despite the tendency to replace human labor in construction, manual labor still prevails and is sometimes the only option for productivity. Unfortunately, the construction site is an overly mobile and fast-paced environment where robots without suitable AI have no place: after all, they just operate according to a given algorithm. But construction is gradually adopting smart solutions, including the use of drones. This technology has many other real estate and commercial applications than simple aerial photography of objects.
