Although digitalization within the construction and infrastructure industries has been in progress, COVID-19 has spurred digital acceleration. Firms digitized their processes to ensure business and/or project continuity, and guarantee employee safety and productivity.

Productivity, communication, product traceability, worker safety, on-time completion, all-time low margin of profit, and unsatisfied customers are some of the common challenges that construction firms face in their projects and each of these aspects must be digitalized seamlessly for the transformation effort to be successful.

The introduction of digital solutions like IoT-enabled applications, RFID trackers, QR-code scanners, quality pursuit apps, and internet apps (thanks to digital transformation services) have begun to impact the trade, and construction consultants have begun to shift their focus to future technologies that will help them to extend profit and client satisfaction. However, the pace of change is still slow.

Why digital technologies aren’t more widely adopted in the construction industry

Company projects often fail because key players are unsure of what “digital technology” is. There seem to be four main reasons why digital transformation is especially tough within the industry.

1. Decentralization- Federal agencies usually fund larger engineering and construction ventures, whereas smaller units inside the project follow their own procedures. As a result, ventures are often decentralized. Individual ventures are administered at locations that are remote from the company’s headquarters. Moreover, few sites contribute to teaching staff new ways to figure out the way to use advanced technology.
2. Instability- Construction projects are inherently transient. This suggests that every project is exclusive, necessitating the formation of new groups on every occasion, notably for contractors with a high personnel turnover. Transparency at the project and company levels makes it troublesome for E&C companies and their sub-consultants and subcontractors to ascertain new ways of operating and develop capabilities that may be carried over from project to project.
3. Productivity loss – Too many resources and tools are needed for a project, and the absence of real-time data significantly lowers overall productivity. There is always a chance of data mismatch or inaccuracy when updating each process’s data manually. With such a poor system in place, monitoring and measuring the performance of humans and equipment is a nightmare for any project manager. However, due to a lack of data, executives are unable to obtain precise information regarding costs, resources used, and the status of projects.
4. Fragmentation – Typically, construction projects are scattered across the value chain, with specialists specializing in one or a few disciplines. Each step of the value chain involves multiple layers of contractors and subcontractors. Because construction contracts are often short-term and combative, implementing digital solutions across a project necessitates coordinating changes among organizations, which is a challenging task.

Effective solutions to implement digital technology in the construction industry

1. App for mobile devices- The workforce can perform tasks like equipment checklists, raw materials involved, tools used, and project status data to the immediate reporting head on the go thanks to enterprise mobile applications that digitalize complex processes. This saves them time and motivates them to work harder and deliver better results.
2. RFID tags or QR codes- RFID or QR-code scanners are used to track the movement of materials. Asset tracking with these systems makes it easier to identify materials in inventory and project zones, as well as allows employees to monitor, track, and use assets wisely for any project. This, in turn, saves the company time and money.
3. Monitoring tools and equipment: Incorporating IoT technology permits following what tools your company already has on-spot. That reduces the time necessary to seek for various lost and misplaced things and therefore the cash to pay for replacements. Also, because of GPS trackers with IoT-enabled sensors, you can track the placement of the vehicle fleet and position landscaping instrumentation correctly. At the same time, IoT solutions facilitate monitoring the performance knowledge of machines and vehicles, which enhances your ability to take care of them effectively and repair them quickly.
4. EHS management system- Using EHS (Environment, health, and safety management) to assist your workforce will allow them to quickly identify machine defects and incidents and raise observations and potential threats in the project zone. Employee motivation will improve as capturing and responding to environmental safety challenges becomes more seamless, resulting in increased productivity.
5. Augmented reality (AR) – Augmented reality is used for multiple reasons at completely different stages of your project. Typically, firms within the housing industry implement AR for designing and modifying homes, automating measurements, providing onsite project data, enhancing team collaboration, and conducting safety coaching. Construction corporations use specific 3D modeling computer codes for manufacturing interactive models of homes and present them to their customers.

Conclusion

Digital transformation services can go a long way in improving quality, cutting costs, improving safety, reducing risks, and increasing profits as the construction business in India continues to evolve and the need to usher in innovations at all levels of business processes becomes imperative. The silver lining is that with increasing Internet penetration and rapid technological advancement in India, now is an excellent time for construction companies to accelerate their digital transformation.

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