As 2018 has dawned, one can anticipate several construction trends. Here are a few of the areas to watch through the first quarter of the year.
1) Improvements in safety and security
As people rebuild from the disasters of 2017, many are building for resiliency in regards to communications, first-aid resources, and extreme weather. Safe, functioning infrastructure, even in severe conditions, enhances local, state, and national security during crises and provides a quicker bounce back following disasters.
Drones, robots, virtual reality devices, 3-D printing, and mobile device software will be vital in providing live, up-to-date inventory, order status, job site visuals, and additional 24/7 security for ongoing projects. Workplace injuries will be reduced as technology completes dangerous tasks once performed by humans. Home automation will continue to surge with the installation of smart home devices.
2) Rising materials costs
Limited imports, higher tariffs, and, simply, less supply than demand are factors that will drive up prices for construction materials. A natural consequence may be stalled projects as consumers wait for prices to decrease.
3) Short on labor; more modular
With a continued anticipation in a reduced labor force, alternative construction methods will fuel greater collaboration between contractors, off-site fabricators, and transportation vendors. More sites will be manufactured as modular pieces, reducing the number of manual laborers needed for a job. Transportation solutions will be critical in moving these modular fabrications to job sites.
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