Covid-19 speeds-up construction’s digital revolution

Grant Prior 5 years ago
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The Covid-19 pandemic is accelerating the adoption of digital technology across the construction industry.

A survey of 250 construction managers by software specialist Procore Technologies revealed 66% of companies rolled out some sort of new technology during lockdown.

The vast majority – 94% – said they saw an improvement in the way their teams work as a result.

The research also revealed 80% of those quizzed believe that working with a single digital platform offering all information in one place will play a key role in the future construction working.

Brandon Olivieri O’Connor, Director of UK and Ireland at Procore UK&I, said: “With much around construction being disrupted, technology has proved the one constant and this is being increasingly realised by businesses.

“We’ve seen contractors proactively making the move away from manual methods and excel towards platform technology.

“Construction won’t be the same as it was before, with connectivity and mobility driving a new way of working.”

The survey also shows that 58% of construction companies have seen a higher demand from workers for a way to stay connected and work more efficiently.

Having the option to reduce the number of staff onsite and social distance has allowed construction companies to comply with health and safety regulations.

The majority of construction managers (52%) which rolled-out online collaboration and productivity technology solutions since lockdown said the safety for their teams has improved.

Matthew O’Dowd, Group QHSE Manager, Elliott Group said: “At Elliott Group, the means to work digitally gives us a competitive advantage and ultimately helps us to achieve our mission of delivering projects defect-free – maintaining quality, reliability as well as safety.

“Technology has always played a central role in the way we work, and this has accelerated as a result of Covid-19.

“Having Procore’s platform technology at our fingertips has enabled us to continue working during the pandemic, and most importantly to do this in a way that has allowed us to make quick decisions and keep everyone connected safely.

“Thanks to this technology, the flow of information has been fast-tracked. We trust that everyone across our team, and our clients, have access to the latest information, in one place and in a format that everyone can understand – whether it’s observations or drawings.”

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