In 2020, the global pandemic of COVID-19 caused unprecedented disruption. For the construction industry, trends such as rise of teleworking, social distancing requirements, resource shifts, supply chain breaks, and cash flow disruption are changing at all levels. Still, against all odds, some trends will continue, if a little bit would also have changed.
What are the main trends in the construction industry to watch in 2021?
Check below what are the most expected trends in the construction industry for 2021:
Sustainability
The concern for the sustainability of works has been rising in construction firms, and is, after all, a topic that is increasingly being addressed in our society and respected by the market in general.
More than a way to meet customer needs and reduce environmental harm, this form of differential also adds increased energy efficiency and durability to work.
Also known as OPV (organic photovoltaics), this technology consists of organic photovoltaic cells printed on thin, resistant and recyclable film. The key advantages compared to conventional technologies are lightness, flexibility and transparency. OPV has been renewable since its development and prevents the emission of 120 kg of carbon dioxide per square meter of film per year.
Other sustainable technologies that appear to be rapidly integrated into buildings are:
- Cisterns for the collection and storage of rainwater;
- Green roofing as a thermoacoustic solution;
- Skylights for lighting;
- Vertical gardens for internal temperature control;
- Ecological bricks.
In the same way, the re-use of materials, such as the re-use of floors and tiles, the re-use of old furniture, the use of demolition wood, among others, is a movement towards further enhancing the sustainability of buildings.
Safety
Safety is always a concern, and it is at the top of the list in the Covid-19 environment. Adjustments to minimize the spread of disease would concentrate on the separation of workers and improved equipment and cleanliness procedures.
Separation is especially difficult to accomplish on a job site where collaboration and coordination are the norm. Anticipate fewer crews to use staggered shifts to keep workers less crowded.
Enhanced procedures will include the expected things, such as masks and hand sanitizers, as well as construction-specific things. It will minimize the passing of equipment, the exchanging of gloves and hard hats. We’re all likely to write our names on stuff and use only our own security equipment.
Drones
Already very common in the industry, drones are increasingly recurrent products in the construction sector, provided their ability to capture images and videos, or even to make measurements, in areas that are difficult to reach.
They allow, in a more practical and economic way, the initial data to be collected in remote locations or even inspections to be carried out during the execution of the project, whether they are security or to check the organization of the construction site.
Drones also stand out in the commercial problem as they manage to capture photographs and videos for advertising the work. Footage of the land and its surroundings, the execution stage and the completed building are used to aid in the sale of developments.
It is true that this form of technology is already rising among construction firms, but the major trend associated with it is its popularization, as costs are expected to decline, making its cost-benefit even better.
Living Materials
One of the most exciting construction trends to observe is the production of living materials. These biological compounds are literally developing themselves and are poised to move from interesting experiments to full-scale production in the very near future. The upside is just too great to keep these materials remain exotic.
The most promising biological materials are made of bacteria and fungi. This makes them light, strong, and strangely portable. The phrase “grown in place” could soon be as common as “cast in place.”
Self-Mending Concrete refers to bacterium-saturated concrete that binds materials around them to a new structural material. This material can grow in concrete pores, adding to its impermeability. They can also grow into holes and cracks, filling and fixing them – all on their own. The bacteria are also being produced as a building material for themselves and have already been grown in functional shapes and sizes.
And then there’s Mycelium Composites. These products are the work of the fungi instead of the bacteria. Mycelium is a large network of fungi living underground, whose flowers are mushrooms. The largest living organism on Earth is the Honey Fungus in Oregon, 2.5 miles across (1,665 soccer fields), several thousand years old, which makes tasty mushrooms. Scientists have harvested this robust creature, growing it into all kinds of materials by feeding it to farm waste.
Dell Computers packs their high-end gear in mycelium material instead of the not-so-environmentally-friendly Styrofoam peanut packaging. And demand for insulation and flooring is already underway.
3-D Printing
No technology decreases the density of workers on the job site (good and bad) like 3D printing. In the field, it is basically a large nozzle, methodically laying concrete in vertical piles according to a programmed design.
This method is already in commercial use all over the world and is expected to expand rapidly. Recently, a 3D home building company raised $35m after printing an entire neighborhood in Mexico.
It’s the same operation in the factory on a smaller scale. Typically, the process is used to produce small parts of larger assemblies, typically made of plastic. While injection molding is likely never to be replaced for mass production, 3D printing makes the manufacture of custom parts affordable. Look out for designers to take full advantage of this.
Modular Construction
Modular construction and pre-fab building, which was already steadily on the rise, were expected to see a massive boost in interest in the post-pandemic period. Both the production process and the result are perfectly adapted to the times.
Manufactured buildings are now being built in a way that encourages low worker density. Manufacturing is done in large, airy structures, with plenty of space for distancing. And the equipment used—ceiling cranes, conveyors and lifts—is specifically designed to allow fewer employees to move larger components, minimizing worker proximity and labor costs.
When manufactured, these buildings are usually small, restricted to the capacity of trucks to transport them. As a consequence, they are ideal for a world where separation is required.
They are perfect if a company needs individual offices with separate structures, a remote worker needs a home office, or a hospital needs a few additional spaces. Prefabricated buildings have the dual benefit of being both inexpensive and potentially temporary. In times of confusion, temporary solutions are always the best choice. This construction trend is not going anywhere.
Takeaways for Construction Industry in 2021
Although it’s apparently difficult to truly foresee the future, we can make informed assumptions and look to history for guidance. However, with families forced to cancel their holidays and socialize outside, there is one form of construction that is suddenly booming and shows no sign of slowing down: swimming pools.
