A government expert working group is exploring how to improve existing investment and operational decisions to support greater take-up of technology in the construction industry, in the wake of results of a scoping study just released.
The Australian Broadband Advisory Council’s (ABAC) Construction Expert Working Group (CEWG) found digital maturity in construction is fragmented and that use of digital technologies varies significantly across the industry, in particular between tier 1 and 2 firms and small business.
The scoping study identified four key challenges to the take-up of construction technology.
Workflow and Value Chain: the adoption of construction tech has “often been piecemeal” and tended to resolve specific issues experienced by firms/industry participants rather than creating integrated technology stacks or platforms.
Technology Adoption and Gaps: there “isn’t always strong awareness of how construction tech can be applied to deliver efficiencies” both within a firm and across the supply chain more generally, and where the gaps are in technology adoption.
Skills and Training: participants in the construction industry “often have limited exposure to technology during their education or on the job experiences”, unless they pursue specific technology skill pathways.
Investment and Collaboration: “in comparison to the size and relevance of the construction industry to the Australian economy, investment in technology is relatively low”, and determining a strong business case for adoption of technology remains a challenge.
On the back of these results, the CEWG is now exploring new ways to better prepare for the future of technology in the construction industry, with recommendations to be sent to the ABAC by mid-2022.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.