The Present and Future of Construction Technology in AEC Industry

What do you think of when you hear the terms AEC Industry or Construction Industry?

The answer to your question is that AEC Industry acts as a sector of the Construction Industry that provides various services for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction design sector. It is the area which is alive in the acceptance of Communication, Information, and Techniques. Apart from this, AEC is in full recognition in the international arena.

An Executable Combination of Three

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction fields (AEC Industry) work together towards a common goal to bring out the best output possible.

The AEC Industry has numerous practical applications that aid the technology, exchange, and outsourcing of details within the industry.

Well, some consider that execution of standards in the AEC Industry is often particularly problematic because each component of the building process separately covers a wide area, so it’s difficult to consolidate the rules between these different elements. Even the terminologies used by each of these areas are separate so everyone working on the same project should at least have some basic knowledge of the underlying languages.

Technologies Used

AEC Industry widely uses Computer-aided design (CAD) or drafting as a technology. CAD is a type of computer-assisted building modulation software that engineers, architects, and contractors use to make and test two- and three-dimensional models. The AEC Industry also uses BIM - Building Information Modeling; a latest programmed modeling software in the construction industry that can develop four-dimensional models. This system can significantly grow productivity in the AEC Industry, but it usually requires customized and specialized training because of the complexity level of the process.

BIM is new construction technology in the Indian construction industry, but not in foreign countries.

BIM has the potency to reform the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC Industry) regarding the positive overturn it may have on information process, working the relationships between project members from different streams and the final benefits it may attain through advancement in conventional methods. 

What the future beholds?

Just like every other technology, BIM and AEC Industry is evolving.  The construction industry is increasing, and the fast-paced construction technology is apparently responsible for it. According to the experts, it is said that Augmented Reality (AR), could soon replace the typically traditional virtual walkthroughs which are a part of the building design. There are many examples already available of how this construction technology could be utilized to assist with on-site construction documents to prevent miscommunications between 2D and 3D CAD drawings.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is already replacing the prefabricated units in the construction industry. It can be used for making 3D prints of buildings & building material by using a 3D printer. The upcoming factor of AM in BIM is 3D-printable concrete. When the need and use of it will rise in the construction industry, the demand for prefabricated components will see a downfall.

Additive Manufacturing allows flexibility and customizability, which could aid AEC Industry to get advanced in market-driven processes such as quick prototyping and individualization in designs. It has even been considered as a technique for the housing project on Mars.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is another construction technology to consider in future in BIM. IPD is an upcoming process framework for liberating mixed projects. IPD’s motive is to excel the workflow of assimilation and data that can be considered as a backbone of BIM.

All these types of construction technology will be enhancing in more in future. The primary challenge is to stay current with the most suitable and beneficial construction technology in the construction industry. Because getting hands on everything doesn’t make us an expert. We need to adapt to newer things when we are sure of pulling them off correctly after appropriate training.