Innovation Through Excavation: Recent Technological Developments in Construction and Their Impact

Innovation in the construction industry is a concept of polar opposites. On the one hand, there is still a reliance on building techniques that have lasted for thousands of years—stone bricks used to build the Egyptian pyramids could also be used to construct the latest Apple store (not exactly the same ones, though!). On the other hand, advancements in robotics have revolutionized the industry, enabling construction companies to complete manual labor tasks at much greater speeds.

The industry has also often been criticized for lacking innovation compared to other industries in similar fields, such as manufacturing. This perceived lack of innovation can be partly attributed to its unique characteristics of having entirely site-based operations, individual projects with a clear endpoint, and reliance on supply chains.

The reality is that there has been plenty of recent innovations in the form of autonomous and electric construction equipment to improve safety and efficiency, increase productivity, and, more importantly, address environmental concerns to reduce the carbon footprint. In fact, the construction industry is under more pressure than ever before to consider the environmental impact of significant global expansion and the constantly increasing boundaries to maximize land use—the sector's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions make up 30% of the world's total.

It would be easy to think: "Why not just construct fewer buildings?” However, this would not address the housing shortages that exist around the world, particularly in countries such as the UK, where an estimated 340,000 houses need to be built until 2031 to meet demand.

Let’s dive into some of the most important recent developments and the impact they have had.

Automation and Robotics Aiding Excavation

The construction industry is widely regarded as one of the most labor-intensive and primarily focused on physically demanding tasks. And, 80% of contractors struggle to find skilled laborers to fill important positions, particularly during holiday periods which negatively impacts productivity and output.

This is where automation can be a huge help—it involves using autonomous equipment to reduce manual work and streamline operations. By minimizing the over-reliance on manual labor and incorporating autonomous systems, productivity has improved: The Construction Industry Institute (CII) estimates that robotics and automation technologies can directly lead to a 30% increase in productivity.

Drones equipped with advanced cameras and sensors can now perform site inspections, eliminating the need for workers to enter dangerous areas and saving the hours required to survey. For example, if a company with ten different 120-acre sites wanted to survey five times per year across all sites, this would require 1,200 hours of work annually. However, a drone could do the exact same work in 50 hours of work annually.

For example, a startup based in Silicon Valley, Built Robotics, recently developed a kit that can turn an ordinary excavator into an autonomous robot. Their product is called an ‘Exosystem’ and uses GPS, geo-fences, and advanced sensors to enable swifter removal of soil and debris from construction sites. The company estimates that they’ve been operating for 18000 hours, and there is yet to be a significant safety incident to report.

Digital Twins and BIM to Avoid Data Loss

Digital twin technology is a key differentiator for companies in the construction industry, allowing them to create precise 3D replicas of real-world spaces. Post-COVID-19 lockdown, contractors have faced increased demand for sophisticated facilities to support hybrid workforces. Digital twins can assist throughout the various planning, budgeting, design, and final construction phases. Plenty of construction projects have already benefited from digital twins, including the construction of Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium in London and Beijing’s Daxing International Airport.

Digital twins allow virtual interaction during design and planning. The three pivotal stages include capturing images with digital cameras or advanced scanning, editing and documenting for clarity and security, and finally, sharing with remote teams, reducing the need for site visits, and supporting eco-friendly practices.

Construction involves multiple stakeholders like architects, engineers, contractors, owners, and municipalities. Combining digital twins with a building information modeling (BIM) workflow allows data to flow more efficiently between stakeholders, improving decision-making.

Open BIM is a collaborative approach, facilitating data interoperability using open standards such as IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) and BCF (BIM Collaboration Format). Together, these open standards allow teams to coordinate much easier because they guarantee access to the data—the storage format is not a secret known to only one vendor.

This avoids data loss issues such as an accident on an oil rig platform in the North Sea. It was designed with data stored in the owner’s center. However, when updates were needed on the platform a few years later, there were no tools to read the data available on the market, meaning that a new model platform had to be created from scratch—a BIM approach would have completely averted this problem.

We are already seeing plenty of construction companies adopting these technologies mentioned, with 55% of software decision-makers in the industry using digital twins for everything from design to maintenance purposes.

The rise of drones and robotics mentioned above presents amazing opportunities for improved efficiency and safety on job sites. However, the need for cultivating a tech-savvy workforce is equally important so that those innovations can be harnessed properly. Embracing these key insights will undoubtedly enable construction professionals to navigate the industry's future with agility and innovation. While a full-scale robotics revolution may still be on the horizon, the groundwork for practical application is well and truly laid. By making proactive investments today, construction companies can optimize their returns and reap the benefits of automation in the long run.