insights Achieving engineering success in a challenging climate in 2022
The construction industry is currently in a period of
transformation, as a result of the developments of new technology and more
companies embracing this change to coordinate their activity. COVID-19 has also
had a major effect on the construction sector globally with many projects
impacted by social distancing, health and safety measures, and limits on the
number of people allowed on site. Many
countries such as India have taken the opportunity to accelerate digital
adoption and create a more efficient workplace.
At AtkinsRéalis Lavalin, we’re well-positioned as engineering experts
to respond to the improvements and changes in the industry. We’re passionate
about providing solutions to our clients in various sectors. In our group,
we’re joined by Atkins and Faithful+Gould, and we partner with clients globally
to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. Below, we explore how construction
companies are adapting to different challenges as well as life after the
pandemic.
The impact of COVID-19 on construction
The COVID-19 pandemic plunged many construction and
engineering companies into a major crisis. Construction has always been a
crucial part of the global economy, as the sector provides infrastructure,
homes as well as employment. According
to research, construction output experienced a record fall of 16.3% fall in
2020, after the record high of 2019 as the pandemic shook the industry. Therefore,
the construction sector has multiple new challenges to tackle, including labour
shortages.
However, even before the pandemic hit, the construction
sector was already experiencing a shortage of talent, as a result of the growth
in projects and ageing workers. Then there are the issues around safety and
ensuring construction professionals are not spreading COVID-19 on the project
site. Fortunately, there’s a range of opportunities that construction companies
can take to improve workflows and efficiency.
Tacking the challenges in the current climate
Firstly, safety briefings and induction programs can be
delivered to on-site workers, to help them protect themselves against workplace
risks. There’s also a range
of technologies that can be utilised on a construction site, such as smart
badges and drone technology. While smart badges have been around for a
while, they have improved over time as they can track specific areas of a new
job site and gain knowledge of how many people are thereby understanding their
movements. These smart badges will send out an alert to reinforce social
distancing when workers get too close to one another.
Drone technology works similarly by offering remote site
monitoring to ensure workers are maintaining safe distances. The rise of drones
and camera technology in construction has been an exciting development, as it allows
employees to work remotely and still have access to on-site projects. Creating
a strong
link between the office and offsite is one of the most significant ways to
tackle construction and improve productivity. It’s important that construction
companies focus on the latest technology to transform infrastructures and
deliver greater performance.
What’s the future of construction?
The construction sector is set for an exciting future due to
the level of change and technological advancements. The pandemic has no doubt
paved the way for a number of
key trends that will reshape construction in to becoming more resilient.
This includes further emphasis on green construction to help create a more
sustainable future, as buildings are still responsible for 40%
of global energy consumption. As a result of the disruption caused by the
pandemic, there will no doubt be more emphasis on technological efficiency,
with more companies taking advantage of big data, AI and machine learning. The
main challenge now is widespread adoption and accelerating opportunities within
construction, as well as helping companies become more agile. However, with the
right level of collaboration and technologies, the construction sector can
achieve great success in a challenging climate.
Take your construction career to the next level with AtkinsRéalis
AtkinsRéalis is a market leader in the built environment. We
work on projects globally and have some of the best civil engineering
professionals who are committed to uplifting communities and driving success.
We take pride in our high-performance culture and provide lots of opportunities
for professionals to make an impact at our company. We also have strong
knowledge and expertise in various roles, including engineering jobs, engineering
careers, and civil
engineering jobs. If you’re interested in finding out more about our roles,
then join our talent
community and sign up for job alerts
today.
Take a look at our civil engineering
jobs.
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