Digitising the Global Residential Construction Sector

By now, we are familiar with the fact that the pandemic created a ripple effect on every industry across the globe, key among them being construction. Projects slowed down due to global lockdowns and lack of accessibility to skilled labour, and cost of projects increased multifold due to limited availability of resources and materials.  

However, it’s safe to say that the industry, much like any other, has picked up in the last year, and digital technologies have played a significant role in accelerating the pace of projects, and bringing more efficiencies in cost. 

How Digital Technologies Have Influenced the Global Construction Industry 

In one of our earlier blogs, we had taken a deep dive into the adoption of digital technologies like AI in construction, and the advantages they offer to businesses. The advantages remain the same whether they are for commercial or residential construction projects.  

• AI can analyse terabytes of data and generate insights into optimal ways to plan, design, implement and maintain a project. 

• It can help cut down construction-related accidents to a great extent with AI-based cameras and sensors. 
• It can collect and analyse construction process-related data in real-time, monitor progress and identify potential areas of improvement. 
• It enables administrators to manage resources efficiently and optimally. 
• It helps with maintenance and forecasting using data from sensors installed in the building site. 

Trends Shaping Residential Construction in the UK in 2023   

Specifically in the UK, in 2023, we can see a marked shift in the demand for smart homes and sustainable construction practices.  

Firstly, there is an increase in demand for modular construction owing to the need for affordable housing. Modular homes are cost-effective and sustainable, and involve building individual units in a factory, and then assembling them on the construction site. These are known to reduce turnaround times and material waste. 

Secondly, there is a demand for adopting newer technologies like BIM, AI, drones, sensors, robots and AR/VR to bring efficiency to construction processes, improve resource management, reduce turnaround times, and save material costs, to name a few. 

Thirdly, there is an increased focus on building sustainable projects.  

A Merit expert adds, “The UK Government has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Residential construction, of course, will play a critical role in achieving this goal.” 

Smart homes are the future of residential construction. More and more consumers are demanding smart home features in their residences, like voice-activated controls, energy management systems, home automation tools and the like. 

Technologies Influencing UK’s Residential Construction Industry 

Here are some technologies that are gaining popularity in the UK’s residential construction sector. 

BIM 

A Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a technology that uses various tools, processes and contracts to create a digital model (with physical and functional components) of a commercial, residential or architectural building. It brings design and process efficiencies in the construction process, enables collaboration between different stakeholders, automates data collection and segmentation, and uses sustainable design techniques like energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. 

3D & 5D Virtual Reality Building Models  

Virtual Reality enables architects to create 3D and 5D models of projects to bring about better visualisations. Augmented Reality gives the stakeholders a real-world-view into how exactly a building will look and operate when completed. 

Robot automation on building sites 

Robots are being introduced in construction projects to perform repetitive tasks like welding and brick laying. Robots not only automate the process but also perform the task more quickly and efficiently. 

Drone mapping of building sites 

Drones, like smart sensors and AI-based cameras are being used in construction sites to monitor construction progress, ensure safety guidelines are being followed, and to prevent untoward accidents on the site. These drones provide real-time images, visualisation and data which the team can utilise for better planning and decision making. 

Predictive AI technologies in Construction  

Other AI technologies are also being used to optimise construction processes, predict outcomes and post construction-maintenance dues, improve productivity, manage resources better, improve supply chain and logistics, and more. 

3D Printing of Building Components 

Lastly, 3D printing technologies are being used to print building components like floors, roof-tiles, walls and such, to reduce time and costs, and improve quality of the outcome. 

Challenges in Adopting Digital in Residential Construction 

Here, again, the challenges in adoption remain common across all sectors within construction. For one, there is a resistance to change and adoption of newer technologies.  

Secondly, given that the industry is highly fragmented, with several small and medium sized businesses operating independently, standardising digital adoption is a challenge.  

Thirdly, digital technologies require significant investments, which can be a barrier to the smaller players.  

Moreover, there is a skills gap, to recruit, train and skill resources to use these technologies effectively. And lastly, there is lack of proper data management, which can result in AI models not being able to generate holistic insights, and also posing cybersecurity risks which can cost companies dearly. 

Merit’s Expertise in Data Harvesting & Data Analysis in Construction 

Our state-of-the-art data harvesting engine collects high-volume, industry-specific data at 4 times the speed, with 30% more accuracy than normal scrapers, at a lower cost and with refined quality control from seasoned data experts.  

Our solutions help some of the world’s largest construction intelligence brands seamlessly deliver data and insights to their end customers, including:  

• Delivering curated content from thousands of online documents or PDFs  
• Aggregating millions of specialised, industry-specific data points  

To know more, visit: https://www.meritdata-tech.com/service/code/data-harvesting-aggregation/