6 Essential Construction Technology Trends Right Now (And in the Future)

Here’s how construction technology is changing the industry and how to prepare for the future.

Key Takeaways:

• Building information modeling, robotics, drones, artificial intelligence, and virtual and augmented reality are some of the current hottest construction technology trends.
• Developers are also abandoning inefficient practices for sustainable, environmentally friendly options.
• These technologies provide many benefits, including enhanced efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
• Addressing challenges like costs and workforce adaptability is key to successful implementation.

The construction industry has historically been among the slowest to digitize and innovate. Indeed, in many ways, most sites today resemble those in the 1920s, with scaffold towers, paper blueprints, and manual bricklaying.

However, this is changing fast: increased stakeholder pressure for data integration and transparency, climate change concerns, skilled labor shortages, and strong demand for advanced infrastructure are all accelerating digital adoption.

Here are the construction technology trends with the most traction:

1. Building information modeling (BIM)

Construction requires input from multiple stakeholders—architects, engineers, clients, and builders, among others. Getting from conceptualization to completion can seem like a long, arduous task, marred with inconsistencies when everyone works on different files and can’t visualize changes in real-time.

Building information modeling (BIM) is proving to be a game-changer. The technology provides a central database that stakeholders can consult throughout a project’s lifecycle. That way, everyone works on a single shared model, reducing errors and confusion. Information is easier to share, reuse, and add value to. 

Because of this, players in the construction industry are increasingly using BIM technology to deeply study architectural concepts, run faster simulations, benchmark performance, and achieve better results. 

However, switching to BIM remains challenging despite its extensive use and benefits. Significant money and time investments are needed to get the show on the road. Further, staff with limited knowledge to seamlessly integrate BIM and construction projects is also a major roadblock. Luckily, this can be solved by upskilling existing employees or hiring experienced commercial contractors.

2. Robotics

While construction robots once felt like a futuristic improbability, they’re one of the top construction technology trends today. Persisting labor shortages have developers looking for new ways to optimize construction projects—and supplementing worker output with robotics is proving fruitful.

For example, Heathrow Airport recently commissioned a robotic dog named Dave to help refurbish its cargo tunnel. Equipped with Trimble’s field capture technology, Dave provides accurate 3D laser scans, navigates challenging, confined spaces more efficiently, and significantly reduces accidents.

While robots will likely never completely replace construction workers, they’ll soon take over mundane, repetitive tasks like rebar-tying and bricklaying. And it’s already started—TyBot, a rebar-tying robot, recently tied 11,044 rebar intersections in just 10 hours. Such output effectively frees four or five workers (tying 200-300 intersections per hour) to focus on more critical activities that robots can’t handle.

In the future, more robots will be on construction sites as developers undertake automation initiatives and modernize their activities. Early robotics adopters will achieve significant productivity gains, reduce costs and wastage, and meet the increasing need for advanced infrastructure with great ease.

3. Drones

Drone use in construction has skyrocketed over the last few years due to the immense value their data-collecting and aerial abilities provide throughout the project life cycle. These flying devices are also becoming more AI-oriented and sophisticated than ever. They now offer BIM capabilities, 3D LiDAR scans, real-time aerial imagery, safety monitoring, progress tracking, and more.

So, it’s no surprise drones have replaced the expensive and cumbersome planes that previously handled on-site aerial photography. As construction projects become more complex, drones will play an important role in streamlining workflow, cutting costs, improving efficiency, and enhancing on-site safety.

4. Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI’s ability to recognize patterns, learn, and solve problems at a scale and velocity no human can replicate is also revolutionizing how buildings are designed, built, and operated. Prominent AI use cases in construction today include risk mitigation, equipment usage optimization, increasing site safety, and accelerating on-the-job training and education.

While the construction industry’s AI adoption has been slower than desirable, the growth curve will grow quickly in the coming years. Many new applications will also develop. Going forward, embracing AI (or partnering with General Contractors who’ve embraced the technology and scaled beyond pilot projects) will be key to unlocking value during construction.

5. VR/AR

Recent virtual and augmented reality developments allow construction pros to harness BIM assets and superimpose (and interact with) 3D models onsite, in real-time, and with greater detail than ever. Developers can analyze important design structures, identify potential issues like clashes, and make critical project changes ahead of time.

Further, the interoperability of these (AR/VR) technologies provides great collaboration and productivity potential. For example, developers can link AR to common data environments and collaborative file management platforms to increase information flow across teams, reduce errors and reworks, and drive better results.

As we head into 2024, leveraging virtual and augmented reality for better planning, more agile communication, quicker changes, and greater accuracy when building will become increasingly important.

6. Green building technology

Construction and building operations contribute to a staggering 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions globally. This has drawn attention to the construction industry, with calls for developers to reduce the sector’s carbon footprint and waste through sustainable building practices and energy-efficient technologies.

Some of the trends shaping the green building movement include the following:

• Net zero buildings: These buildings use geothermal systems, wind turbines, and solar panels to produce as much energy as needed. They reduce energy consumption and waste during construction and achieve net-zero carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle.
• Use of sustainable materials: Biodegradable materials like cork, wool, and bamboo reduce the off-gassing of harmful chemicals and improve indoor air quality. They also require less maintenance and are more durable than traditional materials. 
• Passive design: Buildings with a passive design leverage nature’s cooling and heating sources, like the sun and wind, to minimize heat loss and gain. Popular passive design techniques include using green walls and roofs to cool a building naturally and orienting buildings to take advantage of solar gain.

Seizing opportunity in the next era of construction technology

Technology will continue to disrupt how we plan, design, and execute construction projects. As new capabilities develop and predictions come to life, the winners will be those that adapt—sooner rather than later. So, staying on top of construction technology trends and implementing them where they add the most value is essential. That’s where we come in.

RPC General Contractors values engineering and uses the latest construction technology trends and standards to build projects of unparalleled quality. Since the company started in 1987, we’ve helped several residential and commercial clients deliver their dream build on time and budget—and we look forward to turning many more projects into reality.

If you want to learn more about how construction technology is changing the industry and how RPC General Contractors can help you seize opportunities, we’d like to hear from you. Book a free consultation to start the conversation.