When looking to the future, I can see PROCESS having the most significant impact on the construction industry, with PEOPLE also being a considerable factor.
The 3 main reasons behind drawing this conclusion include:
- New technologies
- Sustainable development
- Legislation
As many are aware, the construction industry can be very demanding place for modern workers, and this is only intensified by developing pressures from government and society as a collective to implement sustainable PROCESSES.
New technologies:
The first, and quite possibly the biggest driver behind change in modern construction.
The industry is no stranger to pioneering new tech and machinery, although with new developments in software, robotics and AI, it seems as though construction may be on the verge of breaking new ground. We are already seeing hints of this through new software which can generate realistic physical and functional representations of a build environment, drone site surveillance and augmented reality showcasing.
The tech industry is already worth billions here in the UK, and it continues to grow stronger as we move ever-closer to a digital and widely-connected world. Therefore, it is in the best interest of businesses across all UK industries, to invest in new technology to ensure, above all else, that they are not left behind. There is so much potential in the factor alone.
PROCESSES in construction will soon be revolutionised through the further investment in drone and robotics technology, powerful cloud and mobile facilities, and of course, artificial intelligence systems. As new tech evolves, there are many new areas in which it can be implemented within industry to boost efficiency, accuracy and minimise risks. For example, drones and robotics may be used to assist in transportation of materials, surveying or site security; new cloud technology will allow for fast and convenient access to files, in addition to more secure storage; and artificial intelligence systems are likely to transform the estimating, planning and bidding PROCESSES by increasing accuracy and significantly shortening production time of reports, etc.
This all sounds fantastic, however we must consider how this will impact on our PEOPLE. Employees of the company do not want their jobs to be replaced by robots, and this has been an ongoing trend/concern in the media for many years now. We must take a very measured approach to any subject relating to (or affecting) its staff, which places some considerable emphasis on how it can evolve current job roles to suit/or work alongside new technologies in the future.
Sustainable development:
With the environment now under an intense spotlight in the media, it has become more important than ever to consider factors relating to the PROCESSES in construction, and how we can challenge the status quo.
Given the persistent practise of traditional methods that continue to yield colossal carbon footprints, there is now a modern movement to promote, and push towards, sustainability in all aspects of the industry. Sustainability forms a key part of a corporate vision, values and objectives: ‘We will be the best and most sustainable business in the industry through delivering exceptional customer service’.
In many cases, the construction PROCESS must be reinvented to suit modern requirements and trends. This has, and will continue to affect, everything from transportation of materials, to fuel consumption of machinery and vehicles, and how the workforce is conducted, for example.
There has been a shift in society’s attitude towards sustainable development in recent years, and this is already having a significant impact on how we operate in the market.
New measures are being implemented to encourage a greener work environment, through switching to electric instead of fossil fuels, generating your own energy on site (e.g. solar panels), car sharing to reduce overall mileage and various other alternatives. As a business, our commitment to sustainable development means that we are already applying some of these substitutes to our PROCESSES, in an effort to innovate and future-proof the company. Others, particularly in construction, are also encouraged to follow this trend.
As we are all very much aware, we all have a responsibility to do our bit for the environment, and this is a factor that affects all of us. We wish to protect and care for their PEOPLE, which therefore places greater weight on ensuring that, as a business, we are doing everything we can to safeguard this.
Legislation:
Legislation is obviously at the heart of all PROCESSES within construction, and there is no room for evading these set rules and guidelines.
We must adhere to all laws and legislation provided by the governing bodies to ensure work is carried out safely, with minimum risks, and ensure that projects are delivered on time and to the set requirements.
Of course, in an evolving world, legislation that influences our PROCESSES are subject to change or amendment. This can affect Health and safety regulations, guides for provision and use of work equipment, the control of hazardous substances and work at height – but to name a few.
In terms of impact, just a single alteration in any of these regulations can trigger significant developments in how construction PROCESSES are conducted. Although, ultimately, these are in place to protect our PEOPLE, and therefore it is of paramount importance to ensure we abide by them.
Given further consideration, there is of course always the potential for new legislation to be introduced, or for legislation to collapse. A prime example of how this might come to fruition is Brexit. If no pre-set arrangements are agreed for the transportation of goods from Europe, this gap in legislation has the potential to cause major disruption in our PROCESS of sourcing materials.
We source many of our resources from overseas, particularly for larger projects, and this could result in a detrimental impact on our efficiency as a business. In an attempt to limit disruption to the PROCESS, many UK business have been stockpiling goods and resources as part of their contingency plans.
To conclude, new technologies, sustainable development and legislation are all considerable factors that are guaranteed to have varying degrees of impact on the construction industry as a whole.
Above all, as an industry that cannot function without a PROCESS, I strongly believe that this is the ‘P’ that will have the most substantial impact in the construction industry in the foreseeable future, closely followed by PEOPLE.
Article by Daniel Copeman
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