19 January 2021 4 min read

What is the #1 thing construction should prepare for in 2021?

 

We are navigating in the fast-changing world, and the covid crisis affected the construction industry in unprecedented ways. What should we focus at during 2021? What should we prepare for in this uncertain time?

In 2020, the construction industry faced some unprecedented disruption due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Companies needed to face many issues and quickly adapt to the new reality. Meeting requirements for social distancing breaks in supply chains, and cash flow disruption was just a few of them. Fortunately, the industry had some aces up the sleeve that allowed it to readjust and fight for balance during this difficult time. But changes we witnessed last year are not short-term - many will have a long-term impact on the market and the way we manage businesses.

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Construction industry should be expecting Covid-19 to last longer than anyone anticipated and our methods and procedures should not be considered for short term solutions as they will ultimately fail.
- Chris Smit, CEMS

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We need to be aware of this and adjust our actions ahead of time, with long term plan in mind. Some trends will, against all odds, continue to be on the rise, even if a little bit changed. What are those? And if we could choose one, most crucial thing the construction should be aware of and prepare itself for during 2021, what it would be?


Digitisation & Data Analysis

Yes. The new year will be all about further adaptation and leveraging modern technology solutions to support the productivity and efficiency of the sector. Why? The construction industry is known as one of the least digitalised industries globally. This started to change very slowly already, picked up the pace especially during 2020 crisis and will be extremely important during 2021. Utilising solutions offered by state-of-the-art technology is the only way forward. And forward, we must go. Main pain point addressed by mentioned solutions will be:

  • Process Automation
    Out-of-date workflows, inefficient operations, obscure communication those are just a few problems that cause delays, data and money loss for construction companies. Each process connected to each project has to be flawless and follow the desired path. Automating tendering process or whole procurement in your company allows not only to safe time but also makes the whole workflow immaculate and always relevant (with real-time, continuous updates).
    Pre-contract stage
    Preconstruction stage
    Construction delivery
    Handover processes
    Maintenance processes
    All main stages of project delivery in the construction companies should be automated to reduce delays and data loss significantly.
    Learn how to automate your processes here.

  • Continuous Adaptation

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    This new era of convergence, industries and processes blending, enables and requires companies to embrace new ways of making - workflow coordination, on-demand customisation, virtual creation and most importantly, continuous reshaping to adapt.
    - Pavol Duchon, HB Reavis

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    The industry still faces many challenges, and no one can predict what 2021 has in store for us. But one thing is certain - without the ability to continuously and quickly adapt to the new reality, companies will fail. We are navigating now in a fast-changing world, and our actions need to be adequate to the pace of change. Many solutions considered to be the “future of construction” are already used and proves to be working! Exoskeletons, drones or even robotic swarms and humanoid workers - are already contributing to the industry’s evolution.

  • New safety measures
    Safety has always been an inseparable part of every construction company, but covid-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the need for safety on construction sites. It is not only about health&safety policies or risk assessment - it’s about adapting to the new reality and ensuring your workers’ safety in this new world with new hazards. Modern technology proves to be effective in this area too - Gateway applied it to create a walkthrough antiviral dry mist funnel to address current safety needs!


As Pavol Duchon Head of Procurement Centre of Excellence at HB Reavis says,

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Essentially the challenging outlook calls for heavy digitalisation and data analytics in the real-time enabling quick adjustment to constantly changing new normal.

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We couldn’t agree more. Digitalisation is undoubtedly the future for the construction industry and only leveraging it makes it possible for companies to not only endure in the current fast-changing environment but also succeed and prosper better than ever.

But modern solutions are not only connected to automation, data and processes. They are also closely related to the natural environment taking into consideration carbon footprint and environmental impact of the construction industry. New methods of construction are already widely used, and they not only address climate change and support, making construction a more sustainable industry - but also proves to be extremely effective in saving time and money.

What is your opinion? What is the 1 thing construction industry should prepare for in 2021?
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2024-03-28 18:51:21