The start of a new year presents an opportunity to step back and take a look at the construction trends taking hold the world over. And for a company like ours, that takes pride in serving our friends and colleagues in construction, that’s an awful lot of fun. We’ve done a little digging to see what folks have been up to recently, and what we can expect to see as 2021 moves forward. Read on for a quick overview of what experts say is to come.
Centering in on Safety
Safe practices have always been important in concrete and construction work. In today’s post-COVID world, however, they’re more crucial than ever. As the year continues forward, companies everywhere will continue working to find ways to keep team members protected against traditional job site concerns such as cement dust, hearing concerns, confined spaces and the like. At the same time, they’ll be working to hone in company protocols regarding sick leave, mask wearing and related COVID considerations. The truth is, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we’re still learning a lot about the virus, its transmission and the best way to keep folks healthy. Job site protocol will change and evolve as that knowledge increases.
A Continued Focus on Eco-Friendly Practices
Green building has long been the goal among companies the world over, and it’s a trend experts expect will continue down the line. In the world of concrete construction, much of that boils down to carbon dioxide. As Linchpin explains, cement production is behind about 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions, and the industry has been working to curb its carbon footprint in recent years. As 2021 unfolds, it’s likely that cement companies will continue developing better ways to create their product, either through enhanced technologies or alternative material and fuel sources.
The Move Toward Modular Construction
Modular construction, a technique where structures are built in sections off-site, then transported to their permanent home for final completion, is another trend that industry pros say they expect will continue to flourish in 2021. After all, as Compare Camp notes, modular construction typically helps a project reach completion about 20% - 50% more quickly than with traditional building methods. At the same time, construction costs come in about 20% lower.
Trending Toward Improved Tech
It’s no secret that the construction world is big on advancing technology. Even concrete blends themselves have seen big change in recent years! ECHOtape notes that 2021 will likely find construction crews everywhere embracing newly available technologies to make life simpler on the job site. Drone technology, for instance, makes easy work of glimpsing hard-to-reach areas of a build — and capturing incredible video footage both during and after the construction process. Meanwhile, 3D printing is taking on an increasingly important role in the world of construction. In fact, some crews are opting to 3D print awe-inspiring architectural features — and even complete structures.
How do the above construction trends factor into your crew’s plans for 2021? Whatever the coming year holds, the General Chipping team looks forward to continuing to serve our friends in the concrete and construction industries, and keeping your operations ready to roll. Please feel free to contact us if there’s any way we can help!
