The construction industry is constantly developing new technology, both with the expansion of the use of drones on building sites, and exciting new computer software. These advances improve processes and solve many problems faced by the modern construction sector. They also have a large impact on the way managers and firms do their jobs.

Recent data has shown, however, that the industry is struggling to cope with a shortage of skilled labour and the rising prices of materials. This is due to the unemployment rate being the lowest in 14 years at 4.5%.
Therefore, firms are being forced to come up with other ways of getting the job done. There are three fundamental changes taking place in construction, which will become increasingly more popular in the near future.

The first one is business intelligence. This involves the development of productivity apps, focusing on better and more effective mobility, making it easier to share documents and solve problems while out of the office. These apps help to track data and therefore more effectively view information, and could be critical in helping organise a complicated project.

Automation is a new form of technology growing in popularity in the construction sector. For basic building jobs, such as constructing beams and laying bricks, projects are using automated robots more and more often. This is hugely helpful for businesses, as these tasks can be viewed from anywhere in the world.

Lastly, safety is the largest concern for everybody in this industry. The development of products such as smart helmets goes a long way to helping alleviate this problem, using new technology to increase strength and to absorb energy, along with sensors used to relay information and to alert staff about potential hazards. Furthermore, due to the high expense of construction equipment, some companies are offering the ability to rent equipment between firms when it is not in use.

Therefore, despite the construction sector being generally slightly slower to innovate than other industries, recent years have shown quick developments in technology, and promise more to come.