In her article, 10 Construction Industry Trends to Watch in 2017, Emily Peiffer outlined growth areas in the construction industry.

Data Tools

The Internet of Things, wearable data collection, and construction: These are not closely related at first glance, but according to industry experts, they are the next big trend in building.

According to Garrett Harley, Director of Engineering and Construction Strategy for Oracle, simply acquiring the technology for a job site isn’t enough. Whether it’s devices for equipment maintenance and safety, data collecting drones or wearable units for laborers, the key is integration of the data.

“It’s the aggregation and collection going into a central repository,” Harley said.

Making intelligent decisions based on what you’re collecting is what matters. The construction companies that will survive the technology revolution are the ones who can use the data they collect to their advantage.

Wearables, for instance, can track workers in the field.

“The amount of waste in labor mistakes or labor fraud is enormous in the construction industry,” says Wily Schlacks, President at EquipmentShare . “The adoption [of labor tracking technology] is going to be pretty quick because there’s such a strong correlation to the bottom line.”

Using the Analytics

Along with increased use of new technologies comes the need for inter-operability. Firms may find solutions that collect all this information. Unfortunately, they still struggle to take all of the information collected from devices and sensors and then translate it into actionable information. As of now, there isn’t yet a readily available program that can aggregate and then dis-aggregate the data. Perhaps that will be 2018’s hottest trend!

Many firms worry about the cost of investing in these new technologies; however, it is clear even from early on that the money saved in employee efficiency, equipment usability and customer satisfaction sharply offset initial costs.

The important thing for business leaders and laborers alike to understand  is that the times they are a changin’. Technology has quickly brought more data in to our collective hands than we know what to do with just yet. the exciting thing is, that simply means the potential for growth is all the more diverse.

For information on how to get in on a growing field, check out our degrees and certifications within the Engineering, Manufacturing and Building Arts community at St. Petersburg College.