I’ve been working in and writing about new home construction for over 40 years starting in Real Estate, managing large builder lumber yards, being a general contractor, and finally in builder sales for the modular housing industry.
Construction sure has changed since my beginning in our industry.
Modular construction has evolved significantly due to using various planning and application technologies and incorporating sustainable building materials, contributing to faster turnaround times and economic advantages. Modular construction plays a major role in making the construction sector more sustainable as it reduces waste thanks to the controlled environment it introduces.
Additionally, prefabricating buildings off-site will reduce carbon emissions often generated on large construction sites due to lorry traffic and reliance on unsustainable power generators.
Technology has clearly embedded itself into many construction processes. The potential impact of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, computer visioning, and modeling can phenomenally drive the industry towards sustainable construction.
For example, IoT can collect specific information about materials, equipment, or building part and provide live data related to sustainability that can be harnessed with AI and Modelling to evaluate, visualize, compare, make decisions, and/or predict scenarios.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is another aspect of technology that the sector is consistently using. Using BIM data and simulation tools over the whole project lifecycle enables less wasteful construction and more cost-effective, sustainable operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning.
Furthermore, the Digital Twin concept is gaining more and more prominence. It refers to the consolidation of data representing a physical object, in this case, a building site or the building itself (either in construction or already built). This pairing of the virtual and physical worlds allows data analysis and monitoring systems to understand and target problems before they occur, prevent downtime, develop new opportunities, and even plan for the future by using simulations.
Digital Twin technology can also help improve the sustainability of buildings by enhancing the productivity and efficiency of the assets or ensuring buildings meet sustainability, efficiency, or regulatory requirements.
Being amazed that someone can stand on a vacant plot of land, put on a VR or AR headset, and not only virtually see their completed project but walk inside, check out the mechanicals, check out room sizes and even place equipment today will soon be overshadowed by…who really knows!
Tomorrow is coming and modular will be the cornerstone of construction.
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Gary Fleisher is the Editor in Chief of Modular Home Source and Offsite Builder. Email at [email protected]
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