After a turbulent year of adjusting forecasts and changing expectations, 2021 will be a year of reemergence and growth in the construction industry. Rising construction costs and labor shortages persist, challenging the industry to innovate competitive new ideas, while stricter regulations contribute to a reduced margin for error and waste.

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic changed how the construction industry does business, from scheduling and closing projects to hiring workers to meeting with clients. Looking forward, many industry trends will be affected by the fallout from the pandemic. New technology continues to change the construction site, improve the ability to win projects, and increase profit margins. Trends and movements are changing the roles of industry professionals and frontline workers.

As the industry becomes more competitive and the market shifts, harnessing these construction trends will prove valuable for any construction firm. Read on for the 10 must-watch construction industry trends for 2021 to help you stay competitive.

1. Protective Equipment

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted the construction industry, already affecting construction site guidelines by way of updated state regulations emphasizing cleanliness and strict safety protocols. This also includes increased union influence in projects, possibly adding cost and time to projects.

The industry is also witnessing a rise of machines capable of identifying common safety issues and eliminating those threats one at a time. Wearable innovations are making their way to the job site with work boots that connect to Wi-Fi and alert others if a person has fallen. Material moving “mules” transport heavy or hazardous materials, and tasked robots construct scaffolding or lay bricks autonomously. Headsets can even actively reduce noise pollution while keeping workers in tune with their surroundings.

Beyond worker gear, we are already seeing robots that fully replace certain human workers. These range from material moving “mules” to scaffolding and bricklaying robots.

More accurately than “replacing” humans, these robots are changing the jobs humans do — in most cases, they’re augmenting human decision-making (like deciphering and translating data findings into actionable insights) and making room for different, higher-level jobs.

Reliance on 3D printing continues to skyrocket, resulting in decreased transportation risks, and environmental sensors that detect noise, heat, and wind at construction sites provide warnings to evacuate construction workers and move costly construction equipment in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.

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By: BigRentz, Inc