Digitalisation in the construction industry

Digital transformation has gained significant momentum in recent years. The fact that digitalisation in the construction industry is pointing upwards is not only due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a general increase in interest in digitalisation topics, but above all to the convincing added values that can be achieved along the entire value chain with the help of digital tools. These include, for example, better overall planning of projects and the associated resources, increased cost and schedule reliability through simulations with the digital twin, improved communication and collaboration between the numerous trades involved – especially in large projects, faster coordination through paperless processes and stringent quality assurance across all project phases. There are benefits in terms of sustainability, too – the construction sector is, after all, responsible for almost 40% of global carbon emissions – enormous potential is available through increased efficiency in construction and operation, better planning of materials, improved recycling and the reduced production of waste. While digitalisation has already made inroads in the construction industry, another technology is now well on its way to becoming an integral part of the construction process: artificial intelligence (AI).