Do you own construction business? Do you want your business to stand out in the construction industry? You must continue to embrace changes in the industry so you can guarantee your business continues to expand and stand out.
1. Use Environmentally Sustainable Materials
Sustainable construction materials are often referred to as green building products. These materials are made from resources that can be replaced or replenished in a short period of time without strain on the environment. Metal, stone, paper, and lumber are all examples of building materials that can be reused and recycled.
Some other examples of how you can use sustainable materials in your construction include:
- Bamboo: It is versatile and replenishes quickly because it grows fast. It is becoming an industry favorite and is mostly used as flooring or to reinforce concrete.
- Reclaimed lumber: You can use wood from old structures then treat and resize it to use on other construction projects. It also saves energy because fewer resources are used to harvest, treat, and transport new lumber.
- Cork: This does not require the whole tree to be cut down because harvesting cork only requires the removal of bark from the tree. Most often used as flooring.
Other innovations in sustainable construction can include:
- Houses made of bales of straw
- Structures constructed entirely of rubber tires
- Buildings built using glass bottles or cans
Using sustainable materials in your construction business will help you stand out in the industry. With more emphasis on using the materials, we already have, taking advantage of this will help you bring in more business.
Another important thing to do in every construction industry is to have construction recruitment that will engage and train more qualified workers.
2. Invest in Cost Estimating Software
What construction company owner could not benefit from a suite of processes, programs, and software for commercial contractors that will help to accurately calculate the cost of a current project? The software allows you to quickly come up with project proposals that can be edited and shared easily with your clients.
Cost estimating software will decrease the need for redesign. The software will allow you to align your designs with the needs and budget of your client and confirm the cost of the project with them. Instant square foot models can be produced to further ensure your vision is in line with your customer’s.
3. Take Advantage of Green Technology
The secret to becoming a great green designer is finding the sweet spot that exists between great construction quality and putting as little stress on the environment as possible. This is often expected from construction companies by renters, commercial tenants, and homebuyers in today’s industry.
Green technology allows your construction company to use water, energy, and other resources more efficiently. By making a conscious effort to reduce waste and pollution by using recycled or reclaimed materials, you will become a leader in the industry.
Methods to lessen the carbon footprint left by your company include:
- Recycled metal: Is long-lasting material and does not require frequent replacement. It won’t warp or burn and is water, and pest resistant. Often a viable option for roofing, structural supports and building faces.
- Reclaimed wood: Make sure it is thoroughly inspected due to insect infestation and degradation of wood over time. Can be used for structural framing, flooring, siding, and cabinetry.
If you are going to take advantage of green technology, then you should consider getting your LEED certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a voluntary national certification process that helps industry experts develop high-performance, sustainable residential and commercial buildings.
4. Use and Embrace Artificial Intelligence
The construction industry is counted amongst the least digitized and automated business sectors. There is no doubt this fact contributes to the high amount of waste associated with building construction. You can also expect more precise operations and an increase in employee safety. These factors will help your business increase both production and accuracy.
Related: The Essential Guide for Creating a Safe Construction Site
Using AI will help your construction business to automate manual processes, which will allow for projects to be finished faster and more efficiently. Construction companies can use AI and robotics to help with:
- Bricklaying and foundation building
- Higher-quality manufacturing of parts and materials by removing human error and inconsistency, robotics can take advantage of speed, efficiency, and repeatability to ensure better quality.
- 3D printing: You can print complex, layered parts, and objects. This allows for the standardization of the production of pieces that can be used throughout various projects, which saves time and money.
- Demolition: Speed up the process, save time and money. Break down walls, crushing concrete, and gathering debris can be done using robotics.
Hiring security for a construction site will help with real-time security and using cameras with built-in AI this security team can do their job more efficiently and effectively. The mix of a real person watching the site with the aid of a security camera network using AI to point out potential problems, locations of workers, and recorded footage of what happened, is invaluable.
5. Save Money by Constructing Modular and Prefabricated Buildings
Modular and prefabricated buildings have exploded in popularity over the past few years. The affordable cost of materials is a major reason for the popularity and the demand for these buildings is expected to grow by 6.9 percent annually and reach a total market size of $157 billion by 2023.
The fact that modular and prefabricated buildings can be completed as much as 50 percent faster than traditional construction is another reason for their popularity. Modular buildings can occur simultaneously with site and foundation work at the job site.
By using modular and prefabricated buildings, you will be reducing material waste. Also, it will save you time and money because you don’t have to worry about weather delays since most of the construction occurs inside a factory. They also provide flexibility for how buildings are used by allowing you to dismantle and relocate for new use or re-purpose materials.
Final Thoughts
If you own a construction business, then it is vital that you make sure you stay up to date with trends in the industry. This will help to ensure that your business stands out and continues to grow and succeed in the future.
