Jobsite Tech Trends in 2021 and Beyond
2020 presented new challenges along with new opportunities for those working in the building materials industry. In responding to the pandemic, contractors had to quickly adapt and discover new ways to work in order to continue performing their roles successfully.
One of the ways that we have seen businesses respond to these challenges is by adopting new technology. According to one report, the effects of the pandemic led to a large acceleration in the adoption of new tech in 2020. Through the use of solutions like smartphone apps, digital monitoring tools, and drones, we have seen great innovation taking place at jobsites all across the country.
Here are some of the new solutions that we’re excited to see teams adopting in order to continue working successfully into 2021 and beyond:
1. Site-Screening Check-In Apps
One big question for managers in 2021 is this: How can I quickly and safely ensure that my employees are healthy? One answer that many have turned to are digital health screening surveys. In many places, mobile-check apps have replaced sign-in sheets in order to streamline the check-in process for workers on jobsites.
Solutions like Safe Site Check-In allow users to complete health screenings themselves and share their results with management, saving time and cutting back on the steps needed to get employees out there working. If something comes up, other workers can be automatically notified without the need for any additional steps or in-person contact.
2. Daily Reporting + Project Management
Some of the most widely used pieces of construction technology are daily reporting apps. These apps allow for a variety of project management features, allowing collaborators to share documents, pictures, and planning systems without having to come in contact with each other.
The daily reporting features found in apps like Procore are among the most popular tools for contractors to keep track of projects and collaborate with team members. By providing your team with a central location for viewing and responding to updates about daily project activities such as labor and materials, you can help save time while reducing the need for in-person contact. Many teams utilize some form of project management tool; take the time to explore various solutions to see what works best for you and your team: https://constructioncoverage.com/construction-project-management-software
3. Drones & Aerial Survey Tools
Drones provide construction teams with overhead views of projects and jobsites, offering a degree of flexibility that isn’t available otherwise. Already popular before the pandemic, drones have now become even more widely used due to their ability to monitor jobsites from a distance and share those images via video conferences.
Contractors have helped lead the way in utilizing aerial photography in order to make contactless inspections of buildings. Moving forward, it is very likely that we will continue to see builders adopt drones in order to estimate and create bids remotely, both in the building materials industry and beyond. To read more about the impact of drones on construction, check out this page from Construction Dive: Drones 101
4. BIM
As the technology behind BIM (Building Information Modeling) continues to improve, we’ve also seen a continuous improvement in the adoption of new tools that use BIM technology in order to make things easier for those working on the jobsite. Specifically, Bluebeam is a popular solution for managing BIM files and sharing them with collaborators.
According to recent tech trends, BIM data is increasingly being used by contractors for clash detection and visualization. These types of tools are expected to continue growing in popularity as the need for quick, accurate and remote estimations and inspections becomes more necessary.
By continuing to stay aware of the latest technology, you can help ensure that you and your team have all the tools that they need to be successful in 2021. To read more about the latest tech trends in 2021, visit the links below:
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/report-pandemic-has-accelerated-contech-adoption/591836/
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