Written by LetsBuild
Last updated September 19, 2023
As we move forward to 2019, it’s time to look back what 2018 had to offer in terms of industry trends that have greatly shaped the sector in the past twelve months. Understanding emerging trends not only keeps you updated but it helps you ahead of your competition and ready for the future!
2018 has been interesting especially with changes in the use of technology in construction and also in supply routes. As the construction industry continues to grow and evolve, you and your company should keep yourselves updated to remain relevant and competitive in the game. Here are 2018’s top trends that will most like carry into the next year.
Construction Technology and Software Advancements Plus Integrations
It took decades for the construction sector to jump into the technology bandwagon but with the help of the construction tech gods, technology is here to stay in construction. It may be slow but it’s sure progress. Project management software for construction is getting better with more functional features. More project management solutions are including scheduling, budgeting and communication channels within one project management platform, and results point to better-performing construction companies. There is no doubt this trend will keep on getting better and carry over into the new year.
Other than software, the use of drones has become increasingly popular with construction businesses. As drones become more affordable, their use for aerial photography has been extra helpful in getting landscape photos and videos. Because they add more information to survey data, drones generally help in improving safety in the job site.
As construction technology gets better, more options have become available, too. Contractors and construction companies have the options to get technologies and tools that they can afford, with the best features suited to their needs. There is no doubt there will be more of these in 2019.
Green and Sustainable Construction
As we near 2020, we see more of the strategies being implemented for the Europe 2020. As you know, the EU has set a target for all new buildings and newly-renovated buildings to be nearly zero-energy by 2020. As energy performance and efficiency are a top priority in construction, green construction has been growing as its own field in the industry.
For your information, green construction is a manner of building projects in a resource-efficient and environmentally-responsible way. Because the construction sector accounts for at least 20% of global emissions, the goal of green construction is to reduce this through building energy-efficient structures while carrying them out in energy-efficient methods from planning to the building process until maintenance and even demolition. By erecting environmentally-friendly building projects and focusing on the sustainability and longevity of the building, the better it is for the environment. Sustainable construction focuses on the preservation of the environment, which means building structures that maximise natural light to reduce electrical use.
In addition to green construction methods, there is also an upward trend into the research of green construction materials like bricks made from hemp or recycled cigarette butts, self-healing roads, etc.
We talked about the green building movement in a previous post discussing smart buildings and their benefits. Follow the link for an educational read.
Prefab and Modular Construction
Another construction trend we will continue to see in 2019 are prefab and modular construction projects. Prefabricated and modular construction are building residential and commercial projects at a faster rate than we’ve ever seen. Additionally, they’re saving construction companies a lot of time and money because they’re built in exact specifications.
Because prefab and modular items are built in a factory instead of on-site, construction teams and companies worry less about weather risks and worker safety on-site. Excess prefab materials are also recycled when they’re damaged or unused, so companies cut back on waste as well.
Better and More Project Management Solutions
A lot of project management apps and solutions have popped up in recent years and construction companies have better software options to choose from. Not only are these construction apps and tools more intuitive and easier to use, this newer generation of project management solutions offer change orders, meeting minutes and time management, inspection checklists, and other integrative features. With all these modern and simplified job additions, construction project management is a lot easier.
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
As BIM continues to prove how useful it is as a construction tool in generating digital representations of projects before they are built, and saving companies time and money predicting job costs and delivering projects better, BIM is surely here to stay for a while.
For more in-depth reading of BIM and how it can make construction greener, please follow the link.
As the construction industry slowly embraces technology, APROPLAN is all about pushing the boundaries of innovation. We continuously look for opportunities on how we can integrate emerging technology and processes so we can provide innovative solutions with our project management software. If you’re looking for any of the above-mentioned construction trends to integrate into your own system, get some coaching from one of our experts today and we will help you figure out and fulfill your business goals for 2019. Happy new year!
