By capturing a real-time picture of progress, site managers are able to make adjustments and improve accuracy.
Shaping the future with technology
PIERRE PINIAU, General Manager of Techtronic Industries (Milwaukee, AEG), highlights the importance of clearly understanding what companies want to achieve, alongside their particular pain points, to pinpoint the right digital solutions for their requirements.
01 March 2022
Digital adoption has been a defining feature of most industries over the last decade, opening up new possibilities in terms of output and engagement. However, the construction sector has been comparatively slow to embrace new technologies and integrate innovative processes, especially on-site. Here in the Middle East, some of the larger construction companies are starting to take the lead, but the industry as a whole needs to move faster and capitalise on the advantages available.
As construction firms worldwide continue to recover from global economic pressures, digital solutions are crucial to strengthen their position, streamline processes and future-proof the sector.
Barriers to change
Despite some excellent innovations in the field, there are several reasons why construction sites take time to implement comprehensive digital strategies. One of the most frequently cited obstacles is price. Using fleet management as an example, because the cost of regional manpower is relatively low, investing in software to track, manage and mobilise equipment might seem like an unnecessary burden compared to having a workforce do it manually.
The cost of construction tools also tends to be lower than in other trades, which lessens the perceived impact of lost or stolen assets. It’s not easy to convince site managers to shift their focus from the initial expense to the longer-term gain, yet proper data collection is highly complex and mistakes will cost time and money down the line.
From a broader project management perspective, cloud-based collaboration software can easily unite all the parties involved but securing the buy-in of multiple independent stakeholders at various stages is challenging.
Saving lives, improving efficiency
The deployment of digital technology provides many benefits, the most important being health and safety. There are numerous possibilities to protect the operator and reduce on-site accidents in the digital era, including digitising safety processes, sourcing information remotely in dangerous conditions, setting up tools for the correct application and developing artificial intelligence (AI)-based risk assessments.
In terms of financial impact, case study data from the World Economic Forum suggests that digital tools can provide cost savings of between 12 per cent and 16 per cent over the lifecycle of a project. By capturing a real-time picture of progress, site managers are able to make adjustments, improve accuracy and manage their budgets according to developments. Plus, a digital register makes it far easier to gain and maintain an accurate picture of the inventory. Done right, digitisation makes things more efficient, presenting answers to some of the main problems that cause projects to run over time and over budget.
The move towards a greener construction site is another area where technology is required to facilitate change. On-site systems can be used to manage power supply, regulate power usage and ultimately reduce carbon emissions, just as forward-thinking companies are adopting innovative software solutions to measure and then minimise waste.
There’s no shortage of technologies with the potential to add value across all aspects of the project, from radio frequency identification, near field communications, virtual reality and artificial intelligence, to Bluetooth capabilities and building information modelling (BIM). What we need to focus on now is helping construction firms to overcome the challenges and maximise their future investment.
For companies embarking on a digital transformation initiative, the most important thing to remember is that installing expensive software won’t fix the problem itself. Firstly, they need to establish a clear understanding of what they want to achieve, alongside their particular pain points, otherwise it’s impossible to pinpoint the right digital solutions. This means speaking to staff at various levels to establish their needs, as well as addressing any operational issues that need to be resolved before bringing new applications into the mix.
Once suitable options and reputable providers have been identified, it’s advisable to request a demo session to check that the solution is the right fit. Anyone who is required to use the new technology needs to be engaged in the implementation process, and not only do they need training to use it, they need educating on the anticipated value for the business.
The technology providers also need to be proactive about engaging the industry through targeted outreach and industry events. If they take more time to educate, customers will gain a faster understanding of solutions available and why they represent the best investment.
