ConstructConnect Blog

When it comes to investing its hard-earned dollars in technology, you can’t say the construction industry hasn't been consistent. As in recent years, the 2018 JBKnowledge Construction Technology Report found that construction firms are still investing less than 1% of annual sales volume in technology.

Every time you turn on the news, it seems like another natural disaster has struck in some part of the world. From major floods and hurricanes to earthquakes and tornadoes, natural disasters of all types are becoming increasingly common around the globe—including right here in the United States.

In the next 20 years, it’s possible that all the backhoes, excavators, dozers, graders, and other heavy equipment we use on construction sites will move away from diesel engines to all-electric. For years, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been enacting stricter emissions standards for nonroad diesel engines like those used in construction.

The construction industry is in growth mode across the globe. Construction output is projected to grow 85% by 2030, highlighting the ever-increasing opportunities for professionals in the field. At the same time, there is a lack of skilled laborers, and those same construction companies state they have a hard time filling positions.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a silent killer, making it one of the most dangerous threats on the construction site. CO is odorless, meaning that whether it’s present on its own or among other “regular” gases and smells, it’s utterly undetectable.

As we roll into a new year and say goodbye to 2018, it’s time to reveal ConstructConnect’s list of “Top 5 Coolest Buildings” of the year. Criteria for inclusion on the list is simple. The building has to have been completed, topped out, or opened within the calendar year and has to have some aspect that makes the building cool. This could be the architecture, sustainability elements, unique construction methods, technology, building materials used, cultural impact, or some combination of these elements.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has incredible implications for the field of construction. It's already proven its value in health care, manufacturing, transportation, and other industries where automation and systems management are critical. With its many applications, it has the potential to improve productivity and safety on jobsites.

In light of last week’s polar vortex in the US, worker safety concerns have come to the forefront. In the construction industry, where deadlines are strict and the demand is high, extreme weather conditions may not phase some project managers.

Early last week, cybersecurity firm Trend Micro released a report based on a two-year research project exploiting vulnerabilities they found in radio frequency (RF) remote controllers used to operate construction equipment like cranes and excavators.

There is no denying that technology has altered our lives forever. From the powerful smartphones we carry with us everywhere we go to the satellite systems that guide us in the right direction as we navigate from one place to the next, technology is interwoven into virtually every part of our lives. Even our homes and other buildings are being constructed in revolutionary ways that make them sturdier and longer-lasting than ever before.