Predictions that the pandemic might just be the nudge the construction industry needed to accelerate digital transformation have proven true.  A recent survey of more than 900 industry professionals conducted by NBS reports that on average 71% of firms now utilise technologies such as BIM. In larger firms 99% of employees use BIM as part of their job function.

Many employees working from home during the pandemic necessitated a more efficient way of managing and sharing information. Now that adoption has broadened, technology can continue to facilitate hybrid and flexible working to the benefit of employees.

Increasingly companies are realising the value of having information accurately structured, stored and integrated with the planning and building process as well as post construction maintenance. It provides greater accuracy when it comes to basic checks and balances and this is generating greater efficiency and value for the built environment.

This level of adoption of BIM is good news, but digital transformation doesn’t end there. There has been a great deal of innovation in recent years impacting everything from building materials to construction methods and project management. Many of these innovations are creating a window of opportunity to improve productivity, efficiency and profitability in construction.

Efficiency, and productivity are high on the executive agenda. Modern methods of construction are enjoying greater levels of adoption and have gone from small pilot projects to being used on many major works. The time saving factor as well as improved safety are making a significant impact and are likely to continue to drive growth.

One technology that is yet to experience exponential growth is the use of digital twins. A proven concept to improve efficiency and safety, only 16% of professionals surveyed by NBS had to date worked on a project with digital twins.  The ability to constantly access information about and monitor an asset is very attractive to clients and this is likely to stimulate future adoption.

Digital technologies can provide the missing link by ensuring more accurate data is available to more departments and helping to create better working synergy. In line with this augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies applied to structural scanning are likely to become essential project management tools in future. Being able to measure build accuracy as construction progresses and make corrections earlier on, can help save significant time and money and reduce project overruns.