There's a lot in the media and technical press just now about the potential impact of digital technologies on the construction process, from drones to block chain technology.
The construction industry is one of the least automated industries and features manual-intensive labour as a primary source of productivity. Like sustainability, trying to arrive at a single definition for digital construction is problematic. It can be said to be; ‘using digital tools to enhance construction and its processes’ and can include;
1. Big data capture
2. Artificial intelligence (AI)
3. The internet of things
4. Robots and drones
5. Building information modelling (BIM)
6. Virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR)
7. 3D printing
Judging by the cool response by many to the introduction of BIM, I wonder just how receptive our conservative industry is to the challenges of digital technologies?
Duncan Cartlidge