Digitalization is one of the major things in today’s dynamic business environment. Most industries are adopting technology at a breakneck pace.
Businesses’ proactive use of innovations contributes to digital transformation market growth. As a result, it will
Companies that choose digital transformation aim to increase operating efficiency and adapt to the shifting demands of their customers. It is __claimed by 40% and 35%__of businesses, respectively.
Digitalization has impacted architecture and construction as well. Today, we’ll talk about these sectors and the approaches that contribute to their development. And share a real-world example of how the development of digital solutions can affect the business challenges of an architectural company.
But first, let’s start with the basics.
What Is Digitalization and Why Is It Necessary?
In a general sense, digitalization involves the company’s transition from a traditional (and sometimes outdated) business means to implementing various digital technologies and innovations.
Yet, speaking of technology implementation, digitization and digitalization are two concepts worth distinguishing.
Digitization is the transition from analog processes to digital solutions. A great example of this can be the shift from paper drawings to computer-aided building design.
Digitalization is a more comprehensive process. It’s not just the digitization of data but the expansion of business opportunities through technology. It is the search for innovative solutions to increase the companies’ performance, change the working approach, and create new channels for customer interaction.
Building information modeling on the cloud or using technologies to identify the most environmentally friendly and economically advantageous building materials are just two examples of digitalization.
Why do companies need digitalization? Here are the main reasons:
- Transformation of analog data into a convenient digital form
- Facilitating the exchange of information with clients or within the company
- Reduction of operating costs
- Insightful analytics provided by digital tools
- Increasing overall business efficiency
- Minimizing human errors
Let’s see how this works in construction and architecture.
Digitalization Transforming Architecture and Construction
Architecture and construction companies can benefit significantly from the adoption of technology. Here are just a few examples of how the use of technologies can contribute to improving team collaboration and business sustainability.
Using Digital Twins
Digital twins are virtual copies of real assets (buildings, apartments, etc.) that contain all the project data.
This approach is commonly used in architecture and construction, allowing to monitor projects conveniently without needing to visit construction sites. Project owners can quickly and effectively communicate with architects and builders remotely.
Furthermore, digital twins make it possible to design reliable building structures and check their stability by applying various computer algorithms. For example, you can simulate unfavorable natural conditions and predict their impact on the building.
This approach can also save money since the building will be designed considering various influencing factors in advance.
Implementing Digitalization for Maintenance
Digitalization also helps in building maintenance. When all operations are transferred to a digital format, it becomes much easier to monitor all construction objects. Digital tools can determine precisely when the building needs maintenance or repair and send reminders about it.
Enforcing Digitalization for Better Business Performance
Architecture and construction companies can implement digital tools to streamline internal business processes: automated payroll, time tracking, etc.
For example, you can monitor workers’ performance with the help of particular software like a mobile app. If employees worked overtime, you easily take care of accruing the appropriate payments, etc.
Our Case: how to create technical solutions for architectural company
In a relatively short time since the launch, we’ve teamed up with the Canadian architectural firm WZMH and its division Sparkbird, which specializes in innovative tech solutions for the built environment.
Currently, we collaborate on two software products development.
The first product is an application that automatically generates floor-by-floor architectural building plans. Namely, respecting the associated regulations, it suggests the possible placement of all the objects in a room or on the floor. Such objects are:
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Rooms
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Emergency exits
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Required household items
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The minimum permissible distance between them
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The smallest details such as switches and sockets
Our team has already released the product’s first version and given it to our client team for use. We used Python for this architectural app as this programming language allows for rapid development and testing. Automated generation of architectural plans becomes possible thanks to numerous algorithmic solutions and optimizations.
The second project in collaboration is an eco app. It will work as a system rewarding people for performing actions that reduce their environmental footprint.
After brainstorming, we discovered that among green lifestyle apps, only a few gamified ones are available. Therefore, we were tasked with developing a solution that includes goals, challenges, and events where users can be awarded points.
For instance, when an individual user chooses public transportation in preference to a personal car or a company reduces its gas emissions, they will receive the points for it. In the future, these points can be exchanged for certain goods and services provided by our partnering companies or even the government.
Summarizing all the above, we can say for sure that digitalization can significantly change the architecture and construction industries. It is evidenced by the increased investments in the digital transformation processes and companies that are actively implementing innovative solutions.