The construction sector is an industry that is continuously evolving and growing. While economic conditions can affect its growth rate, there has not been a time where people didn’t need infrastructure and homes. As such, the construction industry, while fluctuating, remains a slow-moving force of the world economy. After a few rough years, construction projects are expected to increase by 2% in 2020.
Nevertheless, despite constant progress, the building sector continues to struggle with challenges, ranging from labor shortage to cost pressure. It is also worth mentioning that construction sites are often the site of injuries and fatal accidents. Indeed, the construction industry has an alarmingly high rate of occupational accidents and work-related deaths. It begs the question of self-improvement for the construction sector. Is the industry in a position to correct issues and tackle challenges in 2020? For anybody running a building business, the priority this year is to make the industry better by deploying targeting strategies to reduce risks, costs, and labor problems.
Focus on how to make things better
It takes a lot more than the desire to improve to establish better – safer – building standards. For professionals in the industry, recognizing the most relevant standards for each project is not an easy task. That’s precisely why organizations such as the AABC Commissioning Group encourage third-party professionals to question their technique and objectives by training them to the commissioning process. The group provides information, workshops, and even certification tests to its members, helping to raise the bar in the industry.
Keeping track of the most relevant discussions regarding energy management, technical certifications for a commission, and how to best conduct a commissioning project can make a massive difference to your approach to each building site and requirement.
Share your insights with your audience
Regardless of whether you’re providing a diverse range of building services or only niche activities, you need to help your audience understand your skills. One of the most common causes of complaints in the industry is a lack of understanding. Your audience doesn’t know what your job entails. As a result, they are less likely to understand and accept delays or issues – even if those are not in your control. Creating a blog that shares your know-how and highlights some of the most significant challenges in your projects can protect your reputation. You’ll need to make the most of your blogging presence to attract your audience. From information, SEO-optimized articles to strategic social media posts, you can build a helpful blog that helps your clients understand you.
Include new technologies to bridge the gaps
The industry is buzzing with innovative solutions. While, for small businesses, it can be tricky to embrace all of them, adding new technology to your service portfolio will improve your day-to-day activities. Bringing VR or AR to building sites can impact the project realization and avoid many design errors, for instance, by helping workers to see “through the walls”. Additionally, combined with 3D printing for building plans, you can visualize any project.
Can we expect the building industry to move to the next level in 2020? It’s an open question. Ultimately, building structures is an activity that is as old as humanity. It’s fair to say that the industry has gone through a variety of steps over time. The 2020 trends could be the beginning of making the construction sector more integrated into everyday life, by addressing current issues such as energy management, lack of understanding from the great public, and making building plans foolproof.