Construction innovators traded insights on the latest industry tech trends
On a crisp November morning, a herd of geeks, innovators and experts descended on a London hotel for TechFest, an annual celebration and exploration of cutting-edge digital processes and automation, sponsored by Construction News and its sister title New Civil Engineer.
The hall hummed with activity as digital construction specialists traded insights on game-changing processes and products. Later, tech startups pitched ideas ranging from solar-powered cameras and a digital safety platform that predicts incidents, to 3D concrete printing and an app to replace traditional concrete slump tests.
The buzz belied the construction industry’s long-felt difficulty in embracing new technologies. “We have always been reactive,” Bhavika Ramrakhyani, Costain’s head of materials, said in one session. “It seems to be one of the only industries, now, where change is not easily accepted.”
Throughout the day, speakers noted that the construction industry is relatively backward compared with the technologically advanced automobile manufacturing sector. “Automotive and aerospace – they’re the most advanced,” said Keltbray innovation director Michael Pelken. “Everything is just engineered and optimised to death.”
Others pointed out that construction’s fragmentation is a major barrier to innovation. Millan Martin, engineering and digital director at Vinci company Taylor Woodrow argued: “The issue in the construction industry is integration – the integration between different companies and disciplines. A contractor can build a system but if it doesn’t relate to the rest of the system or the rest of the project, it is redundant.
“How will you integrate [subcontractors to] drive efficiencies? This is the biggest issue. We’re not as big as the automotive companies – we don’t have the leverage and the money they have.”
Zubran Solaiman, director of product portfolio at infrastructure software company Bentley Systems, agreed: “Interoperability is going to be fundamental. [The solution] is not a product; it’s not a single entity that solves these things. It’s ecosystems of [different tech], such as digital twins.”
A variety of experts were there to advise firms looking to innovate.
“Early engagement is the key,” said Ramrakhyani. “Bringing everybody who is involved in that project to the table… [and working] together instead of working in isolation or [change] just coming from the top.”
Aecom digital construction lead for Europe and India, Kai Nelson, advised firms to “start small and scale [up]”, while Arcadis UK tunnelling lead Andrea Gillarduzzi said firms should appoint a champion who can “try to spread the energy […] with a business case backed up by tangible results”.
But he added that construction’s tech revolution is going to need help from clients. “The idea of change coming from the bottom up is a bit delusional. If you leverage billions of pounds to structure your contracts, you hold all the power and, unfortunately, there is a reluctance or maybe a lack of understanding or drive and energy to change it from the top.”
