In the last 20 years technology has surged forward in leaps and bounds. With medicine, finance, telecommunication and other fields all taking the spotlight in this regard, some industries are left behind. One such industry is construction. With many projects lasting years, and with a long history as a manual industry that relies on craftsmanship not computers, construction is an industry that has sometimes faltered in its embrace of the future.

However, here are 10 ways in which advanced technology is leaving its mark on construction.

1. 3D Printing

3D Printing is a useful tool in a range of industries, construction very much included. It can be used to print perfect, lightweight scale models of future or prospective projects for use within the planning phase. Similarly, it can be used to print parts which will later form the whole. In other words, buildings, sections of buildings or moulds of sections can be printed bit by bit and put together on location.

2. Aerogel Insulation

Aerogel is comprised of a substance which at its lightest can be only 3 times the weight of air. In its most common form it is only 15 times heavier than the air in the atmosphere. It is comprised of 99.8% air. Whilst initially used for various applications within the field of space travel, Aerogel now finds a lot of its use in construction projects where it acts as an incredibly effective form of insulation.

3. Virtual Reality

Since the commercialization of consumer VR rigs the uses and implications have spread and spread. “One such use is as a tool for architects and project managers overseeing large scale construction. Total control over scale and the ability to make alterations in real time make it extremely valuable in the conceptual stage,” says Joseph J. Adams, a construction professional at Boom Essays.

4. Cameraware and Drones

It probably doesn’t seem all that revolutionary, but it’s easy to forget that if a project overseer or a designer wanted to see a specific problem area before such advanced camera technology it was a lot more of a complicated job. Drones and temporary cameras eliminate that problem and offer the chance for more rigorous documentation of process.

5. Transparent Aluminum

This is a new state of the art substance which has extremely valuable properties to offer construction teams. Made with laser technology, the aluminum is bulletproof, completely see through and in keeping with building design trends of the present.

6. Vertical Cities

With mounting socio-political issues, the vertical city blueprint offers urban construction companies a chance to avoid problems of overcrowding, which most cities contend with. Building tall is an approved response to these demands and is a modern solution with potential building height increasing constantly.

7. Vertical Forests

One continuation of the idea in number 6 addresses environmental issues even more directly. “With pollution being such an issue in urban spaces, vertical forests, tall buildings which are coated in trees and shrubs, give a way for construction to continue with the promise of offsetting some of the damage done to the environment,” suggests Karen D. Medeiros, an architect writer from UKWritings.

8. Safety Equipment

More advanced forms of safety equipment, brighter lights to work buy, lighter more durable hard hats, cameras to monitor construction as it progresses are all important parts of the construction industry. Until the work can be completed by robots, keeping people safe should be every company’s number one priority and advanced technology aids that.

9. Environmental Analysis

Knowing the area on which you intend to build is more than just visiting the site a few times. With advancement in environmental analysis, construction companies can build with a sense of security that the understand their site. Advanced weather monitoring, historical seismic analysis and data prediction computers all play into this vital aspect.

10. Robotics

Robots have been beginning to get regular use in all sorts of industries and that includes construction. From self-driving construction vehicles to small building robots, there’s already applications for this advanced tech and logic says that that’s only likely to continue.

Whilst construction may still be behind certain areas of industry in its embrace of technology, it certainly has made significant progress. The examples above show an industry willing to look to other fields to help streamline their own workflow and create safer more viable projects.

This article was written by Chloe Bennet