Hichem Troudi, Digital Practice Director at KEO International Consultants, highlights technology and sustainability in the construction sector
The Construction industry has always been perceived as a crucial enabler of economic growth at both global and country levels thanks to its contribution to the GDP and its value in shaping public investment strategies within local markets. As an example, the GCC Construction market is expected to reach US$ 169.3 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 216.80 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of greater than 5% during the forecast period (2024-2029) [Source: Mordor Intelligence industry-reports].
With such a vital role and impact, the construction industry is rapidly evolving globally. Considerations are being made regarding advancements in construction techniques and tools, and the supply chain is subsequently set as a strategic goal to adapt to emerging trends and technologies.
Current Construction Industry Trends
Technology and Digitalization
Among the different key construction industry growth accelerators, technology adoption and digitalization have proven to be the most active, considering the trending Construction 4.0 practices and newly emerging Construction 5.0. Subsequently, the need for a more adaptive construction supply chain toward change at a project, program, and, more importantly, organizational level has increased.
While end-clients, developers, and owners are setting up the Digital delivery requirements framework for the whole project lifecycle to serve as a contextual definition for the execution and deployment of such technologies by the project(s) delivery supply chain: design consultants, primary and general contractors, trade contractors, vendors, solution, and service providers, etc.
Among the current technology trends, the following would certainly be shortlisted either as newly emerging practices and techniques or as an advancement or digitalization efforts of existing construction delivery procedures:
- Information management and standardization through digitization and cloud collaboration services proliferation
- ·Migration from design and engineering-oriented BIM to digital delivery and stronger focus on additional BIM dimensions beyond 4D and 5D
- ·Proliferation of Visualization services such as VR and AR at both conceptual and realistic levels.
- ·Modular construction and Offsite manufacturing
- ·Robotics, Machine Control and UAVs
- ·IoT-enabled Digital Twin (with BIM-based deployment or pilot implementations mostly reaching maturity level 3 out of 5) supporting Smart Cities planning.
- ·Data Modeling and Visualization services enabled by Business Intelligence
- ·Reality Capture and Onsite Technology Portability
- ·Artificial Intelligence, especially in Engineering and Design activities serving automation, visual programming, generative, cognitive, and computational design applications.
Sustainability
Sustainability is being emphasized as a vital component within the construction industry and is integrated as a ‘Normal of The Future’ practice in project delivery and stakeholders’ capability assessment as a scoring criterion at the pre-appointment stages. AEC organizations are adopting eco-friendly practices, incorporating green building materials with lower embodied carbon, and implementing energy-efficient technologies. Trending technologies, such as 6D BIM, 3D print, and machine Control, enable more sustainable design and construction of environmentally responsible projects.
Among other trending construction segments with high responsiveness to evolution and digitally enabled transformation, we can list the following:
·Innovative Digital Project Management and Lean construction
·Setting a new approach to Employee experience through custom Learning and Development plans.
·Innovative Organizational Business Management with companies deploying their own Digital strategies, plans, and teams and kicking off transformation journey as part of their operational growth plan.
Approach to Adoption
The approach to deploying and implementing the trending innovation by each organization relies on the scope and target set for it at a single project, program, or business and organizational level. At the same time, the pre-planning is a crucial success pillar before undertaking the deployment phases, either managed internally relying on existing or further improved team capabilities (Innovation, Strategy, Digital teams) or through securing third-party service providers’ support in the form of established partnerships.