Digitalisation of construction: the state of play

Change has come to the construction industry, but one hast to ask: is the industry ready for change?

Many other industries have already adopted digital processes, yet manual processes and traditional methods still characterise the construction industry. While this industry embraces some technology, technologies with the potential to make a real impact on accuracy, project management, and budget outcomes have yet to achieve widespread implementation across the construction value chain.

As a leading developer of technology that serves the construction industry, GenieVision has spent the past year learning to better understand the role of digitalisation in the construction sector and why there is such a disconnect. As part of that learning, we’ve met with leaders in the industry, attended several events across the EU, and talked to our customers.

The results of our investigation, combined with new industry research and firsthand experiences, are presented in this white paper. Readers will learn more about the role of technology in the construction industry and the barriers to adoption. Finally, we hope that you come away for this paper with a new appreciation for the impact that digitalisation – especially for BIM – will have on your construction projects today and well into the future.

The European Construction Sector Observatory and other organisations report progress in the uptake of digital technologies in the construction market. But their research notes that this progress is uneven; levels of maturity and adoption varied among different EU member states, technologies, and phases on the construction process. Digital technologies enable better collaboration, greater value chain control and indicate a shift toward more data-driven decision-making. These innovations will change the way companies approach operations, design, and construction and how they engage with partners.

Research shows that some aspects of construction are being digitalised faster than others when it comes to digital information and analysis.

Using BIM to design digitally enables users to see and resolve complex problems before construction starts. The use of BIM eliminates the need for many copies of blueprints, which are not always up to date or accessible by construction teams.A BIM model can be updated in real-time by all partners involved, and the data that is collected is subsequently available for the entire lifetime of the project and beyond.

McKinsey’s research backs up the importance of BIM, noting that by using a BIM to create a full 3D model (a “digital twin”) early in the project (rather than finishing design once the project is initiated), companies can improve efficiency and integrate the design phase with the rest of the value chain.