Technology

Ahead of what could prove to be a defining period in its history, Ian Weinfass speaks to the head of the government’s centre for infrastructure expertise on adapting technology to boost construction’s productivity and post-pandemic recovery

The advice to never let a crisis go to waste, widely attributed to Winston Churchill, has often been cited during the coronavirus pandemic, typically by those hoping some good might emerge from a time of such great distress. Gillian Charlesworth, chief executive of building research and standards organisation BRE, tells…

As the world gets back to work, governments, analysts, scientists and businesses now face the task of trying to rebuild a safe and compliant workplace, so that the global economy can restart. The UK construction industry employs more than two million people directly, with more than 3.5m across the overall…

A new $265bn annual profit pool awaits those willing to embrace construction's revolution. But, as consultant McKinsey warns Zak Garner-Purkis, as much as 45 per cent of the current value added by contractors is at risk.

The coronavirus crisis “has opened the eyes of everyone who works in an office that we can work remotely”. And, speaking to Construction News via video conference from his home in Dubai, Paul Mullett observes how commonplace this kind of link has become lately. But the director of engineering and…

The best temporary works are those that add value by accelerating a programme, de-risk the project or optimise return on investment. In my experience, using permanent works to do a temporary job can substantially benefit a project. In other words, the best temporary works are permanent works. Value means different…

The current health crisis has shown how crucial it is to use common cloud-based solutions along the supply chain

Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 crisis have forced many firms to explore new ways of working. At engineering consultant Atkins, the response to the pandemic has been to accelerate the uptake of technology for collecting, managing and remotely visualising data. Atkins principal engineer in its nuclear & power division Sam…

From coronavirus safeguarding to injury prevention, the ‘internet of things’ is gaining traction among the industry’s tech adopters – and its proponents insist it will soon become an essential tool in driving down costs

It has been heartening to hear renewed commitment to the Construction Sector Deal from government ministers since December’s general election. But what might this support mean over the course of this parliament? A lot has changed since the sector deal was launched in July 2018, and the related Transforming Construction…