The construction sector has been making use of the intensive use of data technology and more recently also artificial intelligence, the internet of things, augmented reality and concepts such as digital twins. All this progress is driven by broad, high-performance connectivity in public and private works.
source: An IDC InfoBrief | Digital Transformation: The Future of Connected Construction
All of this has proven to be effective in several aspects such as reducing emissions, cutting costs and accelerating projects. These are important elements that make not only works, but also cities, more efficient and sustainable.
Understand in this article how digital innovation is present in civil construction and the prospects for the coming years. Good reading!
Pillars of digital transformation in construction
When we talk about the digital and sustainable transformation in civil construction, innovation and disruption in this area, we refer to artificial intelligence, the use of data, research, development of new materials, 3D printing, use of drones. In other words, a gigantic amplitude!
It is very difficult to determine which main vector driving this development, but there are 3 important pillars, which certainly make a difference in the current scenario:
- Telecommunications – The growing connectivity capacity we are experiencing on construction sites, even in more remote locations, is remarkable. The possibility of real-time communication facilitates team coordination, project management and access to essential information for decision making;
- Making the real world tangible in the digital world – we observed not only the importance of construction methods, but also the way in which we can accurately replicate the physical world in the digital world. So-called “digital twins” are more advanced examples of this, allowing us to reproduce virtually any aspect of the construction with high fidelity. These are technologies that open doors to more detailed simulations, tests and analyses, resulting in greater efficiency and cost reduction;
- Software – in Brazil, we have witnessed a growing software ecosystem that is increasingly connected and fluid in terms of information sharing.
Impacts of digital innovation in the construction sector
The synergy between technology and industry has enabled significant advances in project management, cost control and quality of deliveries. And what catches my attention the most is how these pillars are evolving together, helping to build something more tangible and efficient for companies.
According to report “The Construction Industry Technology Adoption Scenario in 2023”, prepared by Sienge, the construction sector wastes an alarming amount of information. In total, 95% of the data is discarded and 90% of it is unstructured.
With this information delivered in a well-managed way to the industry, we were able to reduce the cost per m² by 25% to 34% and eliminate waste, since around 30% of all inputs purchased in the sector are wasted during the processes. of construction!
source: An IDC InfoBrief | Digital Transformation: The Future of Connected Construction/2020
Every time construction is more productive, purchasing power at the end improves, as the construction company is able to charge a lower price.
After all, we are talking about tangible and real results, which are already changing the scenario of the sector!
Artificial intelligence in construction
When we talk about AI, the first thing that comes to mind is GPT Chat or IGenerative Artificial Intelligence focused on conversation. But the spectrum that Artificial Intelligence It's much bigger than this.
There is enormous potential to increase competitiveness in all areas of the industry, from serving a construction company or developer, to advanced computer vision processes, for example.
The market is still in its infancy in this universe, but the results in the near future will be a high acceleration in companies' productivity.
Just think about conversational artificial intelligence, as I mentioned previously, which makes it possible to understand what is happening in a very individualized way and efficiently serve each user (data evaluation, predictability, identification of patterns, among many others).
The key element is that the more organized the information is, the greater the ability to make an AI use that information in an efficient way.
To train this tool, it is essential to have an efficient data set. The maxim is: if your data is bad, the answers constructed by AI will probably be bad too.
Today we are getting closer and closer to this ideal scenario – this way it will be possible to greatly increase the efficiency of technology in construction.
The importance of connectivity in this sector
A connectivity This is a crucial point, as the software ecosystem is extremely dependent on this. If there is no efficient connectivity, there is no point talking about automation at the construction site, after all, not all works are carried out in city centers – many are carried out in very remote places, for example
With new high-speed access technologies, we were able to provide these construction sites, which may not yet have the necessary infrastructure, with the possibility of embarking on these modern technologies, including artificial intelligence.
There is still a lot of room for growth
From a technology perspective, we created the first foundations, with good software companies and telecommunications infrastructures, for an incalculable universe of possibilities for using technology.
On the other hand, as we are adept at the technological world by nature, I firmly believe in exponential growth of technology in the civil industry sector.
We are at the beginning of a revolution, which when it starts, we may not be able to keep up with at the same speed. Let's wait for the next chapters.