As the construction industry matures, it continuously seeks to find creative and innovative ways to deliver built assets successfully. However, the public sector in particular has been rigid in a time of digital evolution often settling for familiar workflows set decades ago. This mindset holds back this sector (over their private counterparts) from benefiting from the full scope of digital technologies.
As an addition or alternative to the traditional workflow, uptake of digital construction comes with the following advantages:
Improved Communication
Traditionally, communication between team members in the public sector is either through verbal instructions that are later noted down, voicemails or email communications. This scattered documentation is difficult to track over time and instructions are often lost, forgotten or missed in the overall communication process. This leads to delays, cost overruns and overall inefficiency in the project. By incorporating ICTC (Information and Communication Technologies for Construction) all data is handled on one platform and the team collaboration is centralised. Information management is improved for effective communication during the whole development process and all the team members involved in the construction process are once again on the same page. Additionally, construction ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software can be used to further enhance document management system by incorporating scheduling, workflow processes, contractor and sub-contractor management and even financial management.
Productivity through scheduling
Project success is typically gauged by analysing the quality of the project, delivery on time and within the budget. As time is money in construction, this is considered the best indicator of success. However, in the public sector, multiple projects are running simultaneously. How then can progress of all trades and projects be tracked in good time to meet the deadline? Herein comes technology. Several projects can be tracked in real time (and remotely as well) using drones and other photogrammetric devices as opposed to physically doing multiple site visits for project tracking. Project reports are accurately and efficiently developed to keep track of the progress and ensure the whole team is working in tandem towards project deadlines. This data can then be accessed from anywhere through mobile-based softwares to encourage efficient, remote project handling and management.
Safety on Site
Construction sites are hazardous environments that pose a great risk to workers who can be seriously injured or lose their life by slipping and falling, being hit by falling objects or collapsing features, electrocution, injury associated with material handling and exposure to hazardous noise levels just to name a few. As covered in our other article, here, technology like robotics can step in to take the place of humans and reduce significantly their exposure to risky situations. One such way is by deploying remote-controlled demolition robots to demolish structures that would otherwise be too strenuous, challenging or time-consuming for human labour.
Improved sustainability
30% of carbon emission is attributed to the built environment during construction and in the life-cycle of the structure. Adopting several different technologies can change this narrative and work towards environmentally friendly construction. 3D printing and modular construction are innovative technologies capitalising on reducing waste and decreasing the overall construction time. This can be employed within the public sector in large-scale or affordable housing projects with typically similar layouts. Big Data can also be adopted to keep track of waste and surplus materials generated by site clearance, excavation, construction, refurbishment, renovation, demolition, and road works. Research output can then be used to create policies that are driven towards sustainability in construction.
Fostering collaboration
In the public sector, design-bid-build (DBB) is a common project delivery system. This often affects the efficiency seeing as the overall success of the project is not wholly dependent on the success of each party involved. Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is an alternative that can be taken up especially when incorporated with ICT solutions. Key stakeholders involved early on in the process can visualise the project, coordinate, analyse and share the risks and rewards by including Building Information Modelling (BIM). Projects that combine these two elements will have superior performance in quality, cost, communication, environmental aspects with minimal variations.
Industry best practice
With an overall increase in large developments funded by the government, the construction industry has been vulnerable to corruption, especially in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). This has consequently affected the efficiency, growth and performance of the public sector projects. One way to address this, is by making project information available on digital platforms to encourage transparency to the general public. Project performance can be monitored and parties involved can be held accountable for decisions made. An alternative is to optimise public sector practices, is by employing Auditing and Information Technology. In Europe, systems are set up with records of debarments. Individuals and companies are banned from participating in future public procurement as a result of involvement in corruption or fraud.
The public sector stands to greatly benefit from leveraging technology in the delivery of development projects. How else do you think technology or digitising the built environment will benefit the public sector.
