Deloitte has outlined in a report fundamental shifts in connected construction which industry leaders must harness for success.
by Rory Butler / November 10, 2022
‘The Future of Construction’ identifies key trends shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – and how firms can still capture value in a rapidly changing landscape.
To benefit their workforce, customers and community, it recommends companies pay attention to the following five areas:
- Smart operations
- Prefabrication and modular construction
- Data and advanced analytics
- Future of work
- Strategic sourcing
Traditional vs future processes
The transition from manual processes to even pockets of digital is a gradual one for most firms. A ‘fundamental shift’ to more sophisticated operations is outlined in the following ways:
| Traditional process | Future process |
| Engineering design | Configuration and structural design |
| Procurement | Strategic sourcing and procurement |
| Off-site assembly | Prefabrication and logistics |
| On-site building and construction | On-site installation and build |
| Project management | Smart portfolio management |
Deloitte urges firms to develop a “connected, integrated, and automated” operations strategy – a command centre that enables proactive supervision of end-to-end processes in real time, unlocking “new efficiencies through connected visibility, proactive exception management, and predictive insights”. This could ensure greater assurance on schedules and budgets, boosting productivity, and reducing disruption.
“This positions firms to deliver step-change improvements in decision-making through advanced analytics, enable remote management of assets where feasible, and streamline workforce allocation and utilisation,” Deloitte said.
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