The prefabrication of modules for hospitals, offices and homes, the construction of 100% sustainable buildings that save water and energy, or even large-scale 3D printing using materials that reduce waste are just the tip of the iceberg of the revolution. unstoppable technology that is transforming the world of construction. Although the different novelties are being incorporated little by little, the outlook that is intuited in the near future is quite stimulating: innovation improves both the technical capacity of companies and the working conditions of workers.
New ways of working
From the outset, this transition already begins in the control and management of projects. The majority of large works in which different companies are involved can already see their planning, coordination, resources and savings of time and money optimized, through the BIM (building information modelling) method, with ERP software (business management software) to the construction. It is a collaborative work methodology, in which all the agents involved (architects, engineers, landscapers, surveyors, designers, installers, promoters, investors, construction companies, etc.) are permanently informed of the progress of the project and can make decisions faster and with better criteria. Organizations such as AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification) have prepared ISO documents that establish the standardization of processes to guarantee and certify the quality of projects.
Innovation improves both the technical capacity of companies and the occupational health and safety conditions of workers”
Moreover, since July 2019, all matters related to publicly financed infrastructure that depend on the Ministry of Public Works require BIM, such as AENA airports, Adif and RENFE ports and railways. And Government Agreement 81/2023, of April 4, establishes the obligation to apply the BIM methodology to all civil works and building contracts, including contracts in which the drafting of the project and the execution of the work, those for the concession of works and those for project competitions of the Generalitat de Catalunya and its public sector, with an estimated value equal to or greater than €2,000,000. Also in all service contracts for project drafting and construction management related to the aforementioned tenders, regardless of their estimated value.
During the phase prior to the start of the work, virtual reality allows the visualization of the project from the outside, but also from the inside, and a walk through its interior, as well as the detection and improvement of different elements. This last task can be carried out using drones, during the execution phase, but the introduction of these unmanned aerial vehicles in the works provides other advantages: it guarantees greater precision in measurements and reduces execution times and the risk of accidents. technical inspections, especially in areas of difficult access.
applied technology
And we enter the chapter referring to security. For starters, machinery, whether high-tonnage, heavy-duty, or hand tools, has evolved toward freedom of use, mobility, and safety. Cordless power tools have multiplied on the market, which also incorporate laser technologies, lighting, short-circuit detection, anti-shock protection systems and safety for people, and which provide a reduction in the physical load that helps, among other factors , to the introduction into the labor market of the sector of young people and women.
Virtual reality allows the visualization of the project from the outside, but also from the inside, and a walk through its interior, as well as the detection and improvement of different elements
In addition, improvements in the ergonomics of tools and machinery try to adapt the work to the employee to avoid the feared musculoskeletal and postural disorders that construction workers often suffer. But it is that individual protection equipment (PPE) is also evolving at breakneck speed, with built-in devices that reveal improper procedures and movements of the workers, and that with this information they are able to point out the most qualified person to carry out the tasks. a specific job.
One of the latest advances in this field, of which there are already several prototypes, is the smart helmet, which goes one step further in merging the latest technologies with the prevention of occupational hazards. It is a protection with sensors that monitor both the actions and the biopersonal data of the worker, such as his heart rate, his perspiration and his brain activity. Thus, the helmet can warn when the operator exceeds the established levels or when there is a need for him to start a rest period. If we link all that with big data, future trends can be foreseen and redirect the activity of the person, if deemed appropriate. And it is that artificial intelligence (AI) is already capable of detecting dangerous behaviors of workers through video surveillance, or anticipating probable situations that avoid risks and accidents thanks to analytical prediction.
There are other wearables (electronic devices incorporated into the person) that, in a few years, will further optimize the sector: smart boots that reduce the risk of falling, electric gloves that improve the skill of the technician when using tools, and visors. with screens showing plans or information.
Technological terms applied to construction
BIM: building information modeling is a digital process of design, construction and management of buildings that allows the creation of a virtual and shared 3D model of the work.
Augmented reality: technology that allows the superimposition of virtual elements in the real world, which facilitates the visualization of architectural designs.
Virtual reality: technology that creates an immersive digital environment that allows the visualization of architectural projects and the experience of being in a space that does not yet exist.
Drones: remote controlled flying devices that are used in construction for site inspections, topographic maps and aerial imagery.
Internet of Things (IoT): technology that connects electronic devices through the internet, enabling intelligent building management.
3d print: technology that uses materials such as cement and plastic to print three-dimensional objects from digital models, which can reduce construction times and costs.
More information
Catalan Confederation of Construction
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