The construction business is constantly changing – steering away from the traditional way of managing projects and leaning more towards modern and digital ways. Once only using pen and paper, this industry is now using everything technology offers.
With the new year, 2023, it is essential to keep up with the latest trends in the construction industry that can help decision-makers respond to changes better. This is also a great way to stay updated with everything new in the industry and stay competitive.
Currently, many new ideas require people to get out of their comfort zones and try new tools and technologies, the most common being construction scheduling software. However, when people start doing things differently, they often feel nervous. However, once you have utilized the powerful features of construction technology, you can completely change how you manage your project.
Top Trends That You Should Watch Out For in 2023
Just think back to what construction project management was like ten years ago. Fewer methods, fewer tools, smaller teams, and easier-to-understand projects – with lots of paperwork and manual monitoring of every project detail. Now it is 2022, almost 2023, and a lot has significantly changed over time. Project teams are much smaller, and the projects are more extensive and complex than they used to be.
With new technologies, tools, and trends, the world of project management is changing quickly. And the change will continue. Let us get right to the point and look at the new project management trends that are happening all over the world.
Sustainability and Environmentally Friendly Practices
The construction industry has a bad reputation for being one of the biggest carbon emitters in the world. It has a long way to go to change that. Contractors are now incorporating unique practices to make the built environment more safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly such as:
- Using materials that can be replaced or recycled
- Lowering the amount of energy that is put into building materials
- Lowering how much energy the finished building will use
- Reducing waste made on-site
- Keeping the natural habitats safe during and after the building process
Dealing With Lack of Construction Professionals and Skilled Workers
There have been problems with a need for more workers in the construction industry for a long time. These shortages have huge effects on projects, like making it hard to get started, making projects take longer than expected, and increasing project costs. Health and safety problems are also caused by skilled workers who do not have enough experience or lack of workers.
Steadily Increasing Material and Resource Prices
Over the past year, the prices of building materials have gone up and down, reaching all-time highs and then going back down. The prices of cement, wood, paint, electrical equipment, and plastics increased because of a shortage of materials, which also caused prices to change throughout the year. These increasing price changes have severely affected projects, making it hard to plan and budget.
How can you put money aside for materials if you are still determining how much they will cost? Also, how can you plan your project if you still need to determine when the materials will arrive?
You must plan and manage your project correctly, so everything goes according to plan. Use inventory management software to track how many resources you have at any given time and where it is being used. A slight delay, such as missing deliveries or lack of resources, can severely affect your timelines and profitability.
The Rise of Smart Homes and Cities
Many homes in the modern world have more than one smart device – a smartphone, a smart tv, or an intelligent home system. These gadgets make it easier for people to find information, keep their homes clean, and use less energy. It is not surprising that companies in the building industry often focus on making whole cities “smarter” with their new ideas.
Most of the time, these projects make places safer and help people live better, happier lives. They also give engineers, designers, and other professionals exciting chances to push the limits of what is possible and be directly responsible for long-term progress. When they are planned well, intelligent cities make it possible for things to keep getting better. That’s because they collect data in real time and from the past to help them make better decisions.
Construction Technology
Technology and digital are essential parts of all the trends, challenges, and opportunities the construction industry faces. There are a lot of construction management software add-ons that can help you manage a specific part of the project that you feel your organization needs to improve. From inventory and scheduling to crew management, you can efficiently and effectively keep track of your project from start to finish.
Use Automation and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)
Many companies have already started using A.I. in project management to automate tasks that used to be done by people. The effect does more than automate simple tasks, such as routing documents for signature or logging in who checked out materials from the warehouse today. Project managers can also use automation to do complex tasks like scheduling and visualizing data and generate reports to see a specific performance.
Hybrid Project Management
Each project is unique; one management system may work for one but will not work for the other. That is why you need a more personalized and hands-on approach to every project. That may be why the idea of hybrid project management has been getting a lot of attention, and more and more project managers are combining more than one method daily.
Efficient Crew Scheduling and Management
You might be wondering what having the ability to understand and connect with your crew with your project is. There is more to project management than figuring out the scope, setting deadlines, and setting a budget. Your people also have to be managed.
To deal with different personalities and ensure a project goes well, you must understand your and other people’s emotions. You need to see if they are content with their tasks or have a hard time and may need assistance. Using crew scheduling software can help you get a clear overview of how each one is doing.
Reliance on Accurate Data analytics and Numbers
A lot of information is used in project management. Each construction project is made up of a million moving parts. As such, project managers must have quick access to up-dated information to use data insights and make better decisions about handling projects and growing their businesses. Whether planning a project, managing quality, or estimating risks, a lot of data analysis has already started to change the world of project management. The information we collect helps us figure out how to make teams, how big they should be, how to include and place team members, and what skills we need to manage projects better.
Modular Building Designs
Modular building is quickly becoming the most popular way to build in the building industry. In modular design, a building is put together on-site from parts constructed elsewhere. This method makes it possible to build faster, use less energy, and create more creative designs.
The modular design can cut in half the amount of time it takes to build something which contractors and their clients like. With this design method, construction is done in a controlled factory setting instead of on-site, so there is no chance of delays due to bad weather. And because modular construction can happen simultaneously with work on-site, there is no need to wait for other teams to finish their jobs – creating a faster and more efficient way to complete projects.
More Construction Jobs are Going to Women
There is no easy way to solve the lack of workers. But one trend in the construction industry that is getting a lot of attention from other news sources is that more and more women are getting jobs to help fill employment gaps.
Many women decide it is time to change their careers and find that the construction industry could be the new path they’re looking for. Companies are making changes that might affect long-term trends in the construction industry – such as more leaves or more benefits. For example, they are giving parents time off and making other significant changes to make construction jobs and services more appealing to women who want to work.
Conclusion
As can be seen, 2023 will be an excellent year for construction. Consequently, construction companies cater to the requirements and preferences of their customers and consistently exceed the standards set. Because of the rise of new technology, construction companies can now complete projects faster and at a lower cost than ever. Construction project management software extensions can help contractors optimize and streamline specific processes to guarantee smooth project delivery. Clients are satisfied with the work and, in return, testify to the company’s quality and professionalism, resulting in more clients and higher profitability.
