BIM will continue to grow
BIM is again one of the hottest construction technology trends. It comes as no surprise if we take into account that the emergence of an open and highly collaborative data ecosystem is on the way.
BIM technology could be the catalyst for a fundamental change in how we manage, design and develop a construction project. There are many different levels of programming enabled through BIM. 4D and 5D BIM are two very representative examples in that direction.
From a general point of view, BIM will bring more accuracy to the building process and empower the exchange of important project information between the numerous stakeholders. Moreover, its further evolution is anticipated to make construction projects more productive and affordable by including revolutionary sustainability and safety measures.
It is evident, then, that BIM could function as a game-changer for construction and offer a detailed depiction of the project development in an open and highly collaborative environment.
Increased prefabrication, modularization, and eco-friendliness
There’s been a growing trend towards multi-trade prefabrication. This is something the Multi-Trade Prefabrication Conference is now addressing. It was the first-ever multi-trade conference that was held for the growing number of construction companies that are implementing prefabrication strategies.
A great example of this occurred in Dubai where a 3D office building was printed in 17 days, followed by only two days spent on-site assembling it. Many construction industry experts believe we’ll continue seeing this practice grow in the coming years, especially since cost and time are no longer as prohibitive.
This doesn’t mean that they’re no longer issues, simply that they’re being addressed in ways that will help propel this industry forward.
Another growing trend is off-site construction (a.k.a. modularisation). This trend is similar to prefabrication in that many people see it growing in popularity over the next several years. There are already some progressive construction companies that have started implementing these strategies in the way they run their operations – especially manufacturing companies.
These companies use standardized processes to assemble as much as possible off-site before they complete the construction project on-site. The benefit here lies in the fact that standardization cuts down on costs and lead times.
