Although the construction industry has traditionally been reluctant to innovate, the last decade has brought about a tech revolution that is now gaining momentum. Here are three innovations that are taking the industry by storm:
Construction Drones
These days so many people buy drones for recreation that it’s become a mainstream item. In construction, drones are groundbreaking innovations that provide invaluable information during every phase of the project. They can be used for site surveys, contour maps model renderings and to create site plans. Construction drones also alleviate traditionally high-risk construction activities through real time monitoring.
Smart Buildings
In smart buildings automated processes are used to control elements like lighting, air conditioning, security and ventilation. To make this happen, sensors and microchips are built into buildings and connected to computer systems. The actual construction of buildings is also becoming smarter. Students at Barcelona’s Institute for Advanced Architecture have created a cooling building material
made of clay and hydrogel. This material is capable of cooling building interiors by up to 6 degrees! It is expected that this kind of innovation will be widely adopted in commercial construction of energy efficient buildings in the future.
3D Printing in Construction
A lot of research has been done into using 3D printers to create building components, and believe it or not, they are even hoping to print entire buildings and bridges with super-size 3D printers using state-of-the-art composite and concrete mixes. This not only offers new design options with new shapes, it also creates more precise structures and could significantly lower costs.
While we can’t yet 3D print a building or a bridge for you, BRA is committed to exploring innovative products and methods that greatly improve your construction projects and save you money and time. Talk to us.
