{"id":11409,"date":"2023-01-11T21:18:49","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T05:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/contech-trends-to-watch-in-the-new-year\/"},"modified":"2023-01-11T21:18:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T05:18:50","slug":"contech-trends-to-watch-in-the-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/contech-trends-to-watch-in-the-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Contech trends to watch in the new year"},"content":{"rendered":"

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2022 was a year of consistent turmoil and only one thing was certain \u2014 that the future is unpredictable at best, chaotic at worst. From the war in Ukraine, which gnarled supply chains, to skyrocketing inflation and the ever-present labor shortage, contractors have had their work cut out for them keeping their businesses afloat.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This is where contech comes in. Technology will be a key driver of progress and efficiency in 2023, and experts believe that the benefits are too useful to ignore in such tumultuous times. But, it\u2019s important that contractors utilize technology with intention.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies must have the right strategy and motivations when approaching technology,\u201d said Matt Abeles, the vice president of technology and innovation at Associated Builders and Contractors. \u201cInnovation should add to the value proposition of a business, so thorough research is key in finding the tools that add value to your business.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Going into 2023, here are areas where tech will help contractors work smarter, harder and more safely.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Labor challenges<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Experts agree that one of the largest problems facing the construction industry is a severe lack of skilled workers. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Over half a million workers are needed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> and the shortage is prompting a myriad of problems. Contractors face issues such as the lack of an employee pipeline, delays due to the labor gap and the new reality of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>being selective with projects<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> they take on.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have great project management management skills, but if you simply don’t have the capacity to take on the project, then you’re not going to be able to deliver it on time,\u201d said Mallorie Brodie, CEO and co-founder of workforce management firm Bridgit.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Mallorie Brodie<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Bridgit<\/p>\n

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But, that\u2019s where tech can make a difference, say experts.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from apps that manage employees and schedule workflows, experts also say that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>robots may become a boon to the workforce<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. That solution, while further out, is a field that can\u2019t, and shouldn\u2019t, be ignored through the coming year.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Robots like Spot<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>, created by Boston Dynamics, along with other specialized machines that take care of difficult tasks like mapping and drywall, are already in use on the jobsite, and more is possible as time goes on.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Infrastructure work<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has opened a lot of doors for the construction industry, including an incentive for the industry to adopt more tech-enabled solutions. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>legislation includes $100 million<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> to encourage adoption of advanced construction management technologies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Most contractors also see <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>software as the big stepping stone<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> they\u2019ll need to cross as they prepare to take on these jobs.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, this likely means producing more projects in less time for less cost, in which case, [technology] can help deliver much more of this IIJA plan,\u201d said Matt Blake, director of VDC and BIM at Cheshire, Connecticut-based Lane Construction, in an <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>interview with Construction Dive<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cybersecurity prep<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine last year highlighted an issue that contractors need to keep an eye on \u2014 their digital security.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Even before the war, contractors were known to be <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>among the most targeted<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> businesses for cyberattacks. But in 2022, construction was the top sector for ransomware attacks, according to a report from encryption software firm NordLocker, which analyzed 1,200 companies across 35 industries.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSmall- and medium-sized enterprises, which contractors often fall into that realm, are among the most targeted organizations, and often that is because they\u2019re especially vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks,\u201d Raymond Monteith, senior vice president with HUB International Limited\u2019s risk services division, told Construction Dive.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The attacks themselves are simple, with ransomware and business email breaches at the top of the list, Monteith said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These kinds of threats are only growing more worrisome as contractors continue to adopt programs like BIM, which come with <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>their own inherent security risks<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n