How ConTech Is Making The House-Building Industry Safer And Smarter

Digital technology is transforming the way the house-building industry is doing business, from making day-to-day on-site processes more efficient, to helping manage asset information, in order to ensure compliance. The question now is ‘what next?’

To answer this question, some of the sector’s renowned content providers offer their key insights about the main motivators behind the latest innovations.

AI, IoT-backed devices

PJ Farr, Managing Director of leading construction connectivity provider, UK Connect, said “As AI, IoT-backed devices and big data applications start to become common-place on site, so too will the latest standards in connectivity. One of the main reasons the industry has been relatively slow in the race towards digital adoption is down to the network capabilities, during the construction journey.”

PJ Farr adds, “However, the advent of 5G and Wi-Fi 6, two landmark wireless broadband standards, are changing the rules of the game. With these two innovations in place, think of the benefits: no lag time, live collaboration without buffering, and automated systems and machinery which can work almost intuitively, operating efficiently and saving their own energy when not in use.”

Collation, management and presentation of accurate data

End clients as asset owners, are waking up to the monetary value of digital twins and robust data logs"

Tom Boland, the Head of Digitalization - Building Lifecycle Information Management Software at Zutec, said “End clients as asset owners, are waking up to the monetary value of digital twins and robust data logs, which detail how buildings have been constructed, maintained and adapted. This digital record is set to become essential, as the regulatory landscape changes.”

He adds, “The collation, management and presentation of accurate data looks set to become a preoccupation, even an obsession, for contractors and developers nationwide, as they seek to comply with new regulations and de-risk property.”

Transparency, responsibility and quality

Tom Bolland further said, “This will apply whether they ultimately own the asset or not. Positively, it will drive up transparency, responsibility and quality. That’s no bad thing.”

Ian King, the Chief Operating Officer - Innovative Fire Protection Technology at Zeroignition, said “The construction industry needs to learn from other industries, such as automotive and aviation, which focus on a checklist approach to reduce harm to passengers. When people rely on memory, mistakes happen, and the simple action of checking off points can prevent fire planning elements being missed.”

Digital footprints to ensure right building criteria adherence

Ian King adds, “The digital ‘revolution’ that the construction industry is experiencing can create ‘digital footprints’ that prove the right building criteria has been adhered to. This will become essential if we’re to successfully implement watertight fire safety checks before a building is handed over to the occupant or end user.”

Siôn Bellis, the Chief Residential Officer - Structured Data and O&M Specialist at Createmaster, said “Post-Grenfell, fire and emergency systems and protocols have been thrown into the spotlight. While many will see the physical solutions from fire doors and smoke alarms, to sprinklers and extinguishers, the operation and maintenance information which underlies them is less appreciated but equally important.”

Data storage in the Cloud

Technology’s changing that, and storing this vital data in the Cloud will start to become the norm"

He adds, “As the new planning gateways start to take effect, contractors, developers and asset owners will be keen to ensure the fire and emergency information they have, matches what’s been specified, and complies with the law. This information was previously stored in a nebulously inconsistent physical or rudimentarily digital file, making it easy for vital information to be mislaid.”

Siôn Bellis further said, “Technology’s changing that, and storing this vital data in the Cloud will start to become the norm, particularly as asset owners begin to understand the vital importance of having this information at every stage of the building lifecycle.”

Building Safety Bill

Matt Ryan, the UK Country Manager - Defect Management Expert at PlanRadar, said “The role of construction technology is becoming synonymous with compliance. As we’ve seen through recent legislation changes, such as the Building Safety Bill, residents’ safety is a top priority and businesses can no longer bury their heads in the sand when it comes to improving standards.”

Matt Ryan adds, “Instead, house-builders must act quickly to introduce ways of preventing potential mistakes, to improve build quality and reduce end-user risk. This is where technology comes in, helping businesses to take action now, and future-proof for later. Investing in the latest digital quality assurance and project management tools will avoid any action being taken by the regulators and provide answers to claims from homeowners, while raising general building standards across the board and offering residents maximum protection.”

‘Safety’, ‘Quality’ and ‘Compliance’

‘Safety’, ‘Quality’ and ‘Compliance’ appear to all be words synonymous with our contributors’ approaches and attitude towards the role technology will have in improving not only the house-building sector, but the wider built environment.

What’s clear is ConTech is enabling better practice across the industry, driving up quality across the board and, most importantly, helping to de-risk the residential property sector. Looking forward to the year ahead, which will be heavily-focused on the new regulatory framework, we can no doubt expect digital adoption to be further embraced across the house-building community.