AECCafe Industry Predictions 2020 – Part 5

These are most probably the last of our AECCafe Industry Predictions for 2020. Topics in this article include construction as an industry leader, wearable technologies, Building Information Modeling and Geospatial Information Systems, facility management and GIS, prefabrication, big data, and cloud for construction.

Companies profiled include Eagle Point Software Corporation, Microdesk, and Exactal.

Bianca Holtier Coury, LEED Green Associate is Construction Technology Manager for Eagle Point Software Corporation.

“As the late innovative and influential musician David Bowie once said, “The future belongs to those that can hear it coming.” We all know a construction site is a symphony of sounds, so it makes perfect sense that it acts as the conductor involved to interpret and shape its future. So now the stage is set. What next?

If I had to pull out my handy dandy crystal ball coined “Construction Zone Ahead,” it reveals an industry that is attracting a lot of attention on a global scale and will continue to carve out its position as a leader, no longer pegged as the laggard. For the construction industry, 2020 will operate at jet propulsion speed. By forging ahead full throttle, the industry will continue to catapult into new and uncharted territories. The Construction Technologist will be the hot job to land.

Implementing the latest technologies sets the precedent that every player will have skin in the game, making accountability the norm. Daily workload rhythms will require project teams to situationally adapt and strategically pivot to digitize workflows, subsequently making the construction jobsite smarter, streamlined and synergistic. Wearable technology will go beyond the smartphone and smartwatch to incorporate smart protective harnesses, outfitting workers with smart hard hats and safety googles with the option to toggle on the AR/VR feature.

People will continue to partner across the AEC space and get aligned with tech solution providers in research and development activities to give new meaning to VoC (Voice of Customer). There will be the slow evaporation of the disjointed, fragmented, silo mentality in order to make room for the Construction Platform – the environment to exchange ideas in experimental and incubatory lab-type settings, testing and tinkering with all the latest gadgets to best suit specific job roles and phases of construction. In today’s competitive arena, the construction industry will boost its productivity and respond to labor conditions in a well-measured and balanced approach by showcasing a workforce that is marvelously talented and sophisticated in its multi-generational structure. It will tap into the tech-savvy, creative minds of those entering the construction scene by optimizing the wealth of knowledge and powerhouse of field experience demonstrated by the seasoned pros.

We will start to see many more owners and owners’ representatives involved in mapping out how the construction project flows, pulling in the site superintendents and field engineers to the front end of planning and pre-construction phases as a way to provide key insights on systems coordination, logistical interfacing and mitigating risks (both financial and physical). We will witness the construction industry borrowing pages out of the manufacturing playbook for winning strategies when using 3D printing, machine learning, robotics, laser scanning, reality capture, prefabrication, etc.

Given the grueling, strenuous and taxing nature of the business, construction companies and specialty contractors will place a heavy emphasis on mental health wellness to equip their employees with initiatives for self-care and healthy stress-reducing techniques. In tandem, the construction world will continue to embrace a culture of inclusion and diversity. Education and training will be the forerunners in advancing the industry for sustainable growth socially, economically and environmentally.

Speaking of predictions, predictive analytics will become a focus for firms interested in fostering data-driven decision making. When we envision the year ahead and the velocity of changes, I can’t help but study the history of construction and observe how far it has come. We should look to the new construction zone as a strong pioneer and transformative conveyor of progress.”

Bianca Holtier Coury, LEED Green Associate is Construction Technology Manager for Eagle Point Software Corporation.

Nick DellaRosa, Microdesk’s Director of Infrastructure Services

“In 2020, AEC firms will find the industry making a greater investment in developing technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data-driven modeling to harmonize the design, construction and facilities management worlds.

This approach supports the overall goal of achieving better integration between CAD/BIM, GIS and FM systems to reduce rework, increase accuracy and improve efficiency. Autodesk and ESRI’s introduction of the ArcGIS Connector was a recent step toward that collaboration. The ability to incorporate intelligent models within the larger scope of the geographic area without switching between applications streamlines the data lifecycle. As this technology continues to evolve, we will see a melding of workflows to support data integration between the various technologies and systems, particularly because workflows acceptable in one environment may need to be altered to support workflows in another.

Like other industries, AEC is witnessing an explosion of big data due to the access of cheaper and more efficient methods of capturing field data combined with the rise in information-tracking end points such as thermostats, smart HVAC systems and security infrastructures. As big data becomes more prevalent,   greater levels of information will be available for analysis within GIS and the opportunity to showcase its  value will expand.  As a result, a clear understanding of how data is organized, populated and disseminated will become even more critical.

Additionally, facility management becomes streamlined when combined with GIS, and therefore has been shown to provide a tremendous impact on its efficiency processes. By tracking the way a facility and its associated utilities fit within an urban environment, AEC firms will be able to execute more sustainable, interconnected projects.”

Nick DellaRosa is Microdesk’s Director of Infrastructure Services with extensive experience in supporting both public and private AECO firms. Nick manages its infrastructure group and provides technical support, training and consulting on the use and implementation of CAD, BIM, GIS and other AECO technologies within the industry. www.microdesk.com

Justin Hobby, Product Specialist, Exactal.

“2020 will be a challenging but exciting period for our industry. We’re well on the path to digitalization, but it’s not clear exactly which technologies and techniques will influence our future the most. Below are three advances that we expect to grow in prominence during 2020.

Prefabrication to Play a Greater Role

Modular construction has been predicted to grow positively year-on-year, and I think it’s a safe bet that the technique will become much more common in 2020.

The current construction landscape is defined by cost efficiency and sustainability. On certain projects, the practice of building components offsite and shipping them in for easy installation could be a game-changer.

Although there are downsides (transportation logistics, inflexibility for project rework), prefab can bring about significant time and cost savings when deployed correctly. It often produces less onsite waste, while improved quality control is possible as components are built in a controlled environment rather than on unpredictable worksites. It’s common to see everything from exterior wall sections to full bathrooms prefabricated on major products, and this scope might even grow in 2020 and beyond.

Increased BIM Adoption for Small and Medium Companies

While the U.S. played a vital role in bringing Building Information Modeling to the world, we have seen other countries such as the United Kingdom unlock the full potential of BIM in recent years. We expect 2020 to bring about an increase in BIM implementation in the U.S. and around the world, with comprehensive adoption models now available for businesses large and small. It’s no secret that BIM can improve speed of project delivery through better data access and collaborative potential.

Practical and well-researched international BIM standards are now available (ISO 19650 – 1 and 2), while many of the common roadblocks to BIM are being slowly-but-surely addressed. While we might not see nationwide BIM mandates in the US anytime soon, we can expect to see a BIM resurgence in the short-term.

Cloud Support for Construction Software

Improved efficiency across disciplines will be a major aim in 2020. When it comes to software, decision-makers in the AEC industry are starting to recognize the value of reliable cloud support.

The benefits are significant; reduced hardware requirements and expenditures are possible, with models able to be scaled depending on business size and projections. Cloud solutions also allow for better-connected jobsites, with critical information able to be accessed from any web browser; it also affords large organizations the ability to collaborate between offices on the same projects concurrently.

Reduced overhead costs, reliable security and the ability to make decisions faster will lead to a rise in cloud-based AEC workflows in 2020. In an industry crying out for better cost efficiency, switching your processes to the cloud is a positive step forward.”

Justin Hobby is a Product Specialist in the Austin office of Exactal. At Exactal, Justin provides frontline support for US-based clients, creates business process implementation plans and plays an important part in developing the product for the US market. Justin is a graduate of Colorado Technical University and since then has amassed several years of experience in the AEC industry, including three years as a construction estimator. 

Tags: 3D, AEC, architects, architecture, BIM, building information modeling, CAD, Cloud, collaboration, construction, design, engineering, engineers, infrastructure, laser scanning, reality capture, visualization

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