The construction industry has been growing at a steady pace over the past few years. This year, the upward trend in demand for new construction remains firmly in place. But even though the construction companies across the country expect to see continued revenue increases, business professionals need to prepare themselves for the challenges facing this sector.
To help you put your best foot forward this year, here are the most important projections for the construction industry.
Safety Improvements
Safety has always been a very important topic for construction firms. As the health and safety of workers and members of the public is the number one priority for many companies, advances in safety practices are expected to make headway in 2018 and beyond.
In addition to complying with increasingly stringent health and safety regulations, construction companies continue to adopt new technologies that improve their safety management practices.
For instance, some companies use virtual reality simulators to help workers get the hands-on training they need before operating dangerous heavy equipment. Also, new safety-focused software solutions have been developed for safety audits, site inspections, fall detection and notifications to emergency contacts in case of occupational falls from heights. High-tech wearables integrated with augmented and virtual reality technologies, which give construction companies new ways to mitigate safety risks, will also continue to infiltrate jobsites this year.
Enhanced Focus on Green Building
Nowadays, many people turn to the construction industry for new materials and passive design features that don’t have a negative impact on the environment. If demand for eco-friendly features like solar panels and energy conservation systems has increased in recent years, specialists expect to see more passive building concepts taking shape this year.
The use of sustainable building materials, natural lighting, energy management systems, low-E windows and cool roofs is most probably going to be one of the fastest-growing facets of the construction industry over the next few years. According to experts, there will also be an increase in consumer demand for eco-friendly coating products, such as low-VOC paint systems.
A Greater Demand for Prefabricated Construction
The benefits of prefabricated construction are recognized by both design and construction professionals. Modular buildings can be installed at a much faster rate and with fewer workers than site-built construction. But the greatest advantage of prefabricated construction is that it allows builders to accurately plan their operations, prevent delays, and avoid material loss or damage, which results in virtually zero waste and hefty savings.
As the persistent labor shortage continues to impact this industry sector, prefabricated construction also offers a smart way for building companies to keep up with housing market demands.
Increased Use of Smart Technologies
Construction-specific tech advances are also branching out. In addition to real-time project management software solutions, many construction firms use drones to track progress, identify issues that may arise on jobsites, and visually inspect large areas that otherwise would be difficult to survey on foot. Additionally, drones are a fun way to capture images and record videos for customers and company portfolios.
Although the use of 3D printing in the construction industry hasn’t been a widely discussed topic, this technology is also expected to make its appearance in the US this year.
As a cousin of the construction industry, the paint and coating industry is as well committed to developing new paint products and application technologies. From new coating systems to reformulated paint products, manufacturers continue to impress us with high-quality proprietary formulations that deliver excellent performance even under harsh operating conditions.
Just as any other tough industry, the construction industry will have many challenges to overcome this year. However, things are looking good for this sector in 2018. Having said that, the best thing a construction company can do to make the most of these trends is keep up with the latest news and stay open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
