ENR recently shared an article (https://www.enr.com/articles/48267-should-designers-and-contractors-become-technology-companies) where the positives and pitfalls of various levels of construction technology and software development were pondered. As the article suggested, the main point was whether or not AEC firms should become tech firms. THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS NO. Technology is, or should be, a tool. We use equipment and traditional tools everyday and we aren't equipment and tool companies.
Another concern with the article, which is common among the industry, is that tech is programming and coding that leads to software that mainly helps the back office and at best helps a few managers in the field. Many of these techs don't fundamentally change the process, er uh, workflow of the positions they seek to integrate with and help. For the most part they often just digitize or make things electronic which does save some time but doesn't save much or any on the critical path because they aren't helping the crews in the field working on critical path work. To improve the lagging productivity in construction and build a better world, we need to change the way that projects are actually built - how the nuts and bolts are installed, how dirt is moved, how concrete is placed, and how we do many other work installation activities.
Materials et al are another source of innovation that are often overlooked in comparison to Silicon Valley products like technology. Whether its additives, nanomaterials, different sources, etc., changes in these can not just fundamentally change our business but our world. Concrete, steel and industrial processes that create construction materials contribute 20% of yearly greenhouse gas emissions. Bill Gates, a tech guy, is backing development of a new technology that allows mirrors to automatically and accurately adjust the concentrate energy at much higher levels than previously achieved (https://www.fastcompany.com/90431869/this-bill-gates-backed-solar-tech-could-help-finally-decarbonize-heavy-industry). This leads to temperatures of 950 degrees or more that can be used in industrial processes like cement and steel fabrication and manufacturing. He didn't collect data or automate tasks of solar facility managers - he automated the solar collection process itself. If our industry can use this as a model for innovation development we would be ahead of our previous leaders. We need to begin automating the field to recognize the potential that technology and innovation affords us in our lives as builders.
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