3 Ways to Build Innovation Into Your Construction Business

Connect, Connect, Connect

As your business expands and takes on increasingly complex projects, you will undoubtedly also need to adopt new applications, platforms, etc., to complete them. Thus, ensuring that your internal systems and teams can seamlessly communicate and collaborate with one another will be critical to your company’s success in years to come.

Connected construction management systems are a great example of seamless interoperability between software products. These cloud applications work together to store massive amounts of project information and make it easily accessible to all project stakeholders in real time. This connection between systems, called interoperability, helps eliminate siloed decision-making, mitigate the risk of miscommunications and reduce rework caused by outdated project information.

For example, if your field team is working with a particular project management or 3D modeling tool, any change orders, delays, etc., made in those tools should also be automatically updated in your ERP and accounting software without your employees spending hours manually entering (and re-entering) project data into multiple systems.

Lean into the AI revolution

Artificial intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly one of the most prominent buzzwords in our language today. From smart speakers to water bottles, it seems like AI is being shoved into nearly every product we use, whether it really helps or not. However, one area in which AI is making a real, tangible and positive impact is improving the capabilities of construction solutions.

From ERP systems to project management tools, AI is already working behind the scenes to streamline your operations and make life easier for you and your teams.

For example, instead of your PMs reading through 10 daily reports from subcontractors, an AI-assisted project management tool can automatically scan those reports and flag any potential issues that need further attention.

In addition, AI is enhancing the development of “digital twins," allowing everyone involved with the project to receive updates in real time without being physically present at a job site. This also retains crucial details throughout the project lifecycle, allowing you to run predictive simulations on digital designs before starting a project, making it easier to identify and plan for potential roadblocks before any work begins.

These are just the tip of the iceberg. AI is still relatively new to the construction industry, and its benefits will only increase as time goes on. By embracing the power of AI within your business, you can reap the immediate benefits of AI now while setting yourself up for even greater success down the road.

Focus on sustainability

Sustainability is far more than a political issue. According to the UN Environmental Program, in 2021, the global buildings and construction sector contributed to over 34% of energy demand and about 37% of energy—and process-related CO2 emissions. As climate change becomes an increasing issue worldwide, construction is primed for a large shift toward more sustainable practices. Today’s consumers, governments, NGOs and even venture capital firms are all encouraging construction companies to evaluate and moderate their environmental impacts.

Although sustainability efforts can sometimes be seen as cost centers, innovating or developing best practices around the use of sensors, batteries, environmental modeling etc., can have positive financial downstream impacts on your organization as it becomes more efficient. Additionally, with new climate-focused policies on the horizon, making your business more green can make you more competitive as new regulations take effect.