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The construction industry is facing a time of unprecedented change. Thanks to external factors such as socio-demographic pressures and advances in technology there’s a host of challenges, and potential opportunities, unfolding for the sector. But which approach or tool is likely to become ‘the new normal’ – and how will it affect our industry?
Instead of speculating, we bring you the Emerging Realities report. This report is an overview of selected areas facing disruption in the construction sector. Our research uses statistics and opinions from across a wide range of disciplines to look at the issue from multiple perspectives. Most importantly, we reveal the tools and approaches already starting to be used by early adopters – and how we could all benefit.
Our Emerging Realities are categorised into four key topic areas facing disruption:
The total turnover of all businesses operating in construction reached £296.8bn in 2017, up from £271.9bn in 2016vii. But with more than one million small businesses accounting for 62% of the totalviii, these figures mask a series of economic challenges, requirements and opportunities for the sector.
From pre-fabricated construction to 3D printing and autonomous vehicles to BIM, the impact of emerging technologies in construction and infrastructure, while slower on the uptake than in other sectors, is now affecting people, processes and profits from top to bottom.
The world is facing huge and rapid demographic and social change. Yet the size and pace of change varies significantly across geographic regions.
With climate change probably the biggest threat to humanity over the next 100 years, the efficient protection and management of existing and future resources have become compelling reasons for the construction industry to commit to a circular economy sooner rather than later.
There are clear trends and synergies we can draw from to meet the world's increasingly tough challenges. We have summarised the most tangible recommendations to industry from our contributors below:
