The Internet of Things era looks set to bring significant changes to industries that are typically slow to embrace disruptive technologies. The construction industry is one such area where Internet of Things technology has the potential to not only increase efficiency in the critical stages of designing and building structures but also improve safety on construction sites.
At a time when the industry is looking for new ways to streamline processes and manage them more efficiently, developments in the Internet of Things can provide solutions to problems that hinder construction projects. While it requires an upfront investment, in the long run these latest technologies can provide better, more cost-effective ways of working.
Areas where Internet of Things can be transformative
Planificación y verificación del diseño
Projects can change dramatically between planning and execution. The added complexity of coordinating multi-party projects involving disparate work processes means projects can go overrun and costs rise. Leveraging data from Internet of Things sensors can provide critical information at critical stages of the design and build process to reduce delays, resolve issues faster, and manage change more effectively.
In the future, these sensors could help create 3D models of buildings, providing a “virtual” replica so that designers and architects can test key parts of the design before construction. IoT sensors can provide data throughout construction, providing real-time insights into the project so adjustments can be made based on the most accurate information.
De este modo, los diseñadores y arquitectos pueden probar y validar partes clave del diseño como parte del proceso de modelado de información para la construcción (BIM). Además, los sensores y robots pueden aumentar considerablemente la productividad de las empresas de construcción.
Por ejemplo, puede ayudar a los diseñadores a saber exactamente cuál es la mejor posición del sistema de calefacción, ventilación y aire acondicionado para optimizar el flujo de aire, o dónde deben instalarse las luminarias para un confort óptimo. Los diseñadores también pueden comprobar aspectos como la ocupación y el tráfico peatonal dentro de un edificio basándose en la información proporcionada por los sensores.
Utilizar la información de los sensores para crear una visión digital de un edificio significa que las decisiones se basan totalmente en datos reales y en tiempo real, lo que acelera los plazos de ejecución y reduce los costes.
Safety, security and maintenance
The construction industry has one of the highest rates of accidents and injuries, with nearly 2.2 million working days lost due to work-related injury or illness. However, Internet of Things innovations – a “connected” construction site and “connected” workers – can provide safer ways of working. For example, wearable devices such as hard hats equipped with sensors can monitor workers’ health, monitor for any hazards nearby, or sound an alarm if someone is not wearing a hard hat.
Los sensores también pueden ayudarnos a conocer mejor cómo utilizan los trabajadores la maquinaria para reducir el riesgo de lesiones o enfermedades musculoesqueléticas. También pueden utilizarse para evitar colisiones con los vehículos que trabajan en la obra, y los sensores de proximidad pueden alertar a los conductores de posibles peligros y evitar accidentes.
Since maintenance and repairs are a huge construction cost factor, Internet of Things can help reduce unnecessary expenses as machines equipped with advanced sensors will anticipate and detect the need for repairs before they become prohibitively expensive. And the use of augmented reality and robots can help workers perform maintenance tasks.
The Internet of Things era has other benefits in improving on-site safety. Most construction sites typically hold tens of millions of yuan in various assets, making them easy targets for thieves or vandals.
Here, too, Internet of Things can play a role in preventing loss, theft or vandalism. If these assets are lost, a tag on the tool or machine can send an alert to a remote alert site administrator. Drones equipped with security cameras can patrol construction sites at night, manage sites remotely, and provide “eyes” on the site that provide wider coverage than static closed-circuit surveillance cameras.
We are still some way off from these practices becoming the norm, but if the industry takes advantage of the latest innovations in IoT, the future of construction could be an entirely different realm, with the convergence of operational technology (OT), the integration of physical Equipment control will bring further changes to the construction industry.
La buena noticia es que estamos viendo mayores avances en la potencia de cálculo de los sensores y, a medida que los propios dispositivos se hacen más asequibles, las obras "inteligentes", los sensores y los dispositivos conectados pueden impulsar nuevas formas de trabajar más eficientes y seguras.
