The internet has brought the entire world on one platform. The matchless part of this technology has always been its accessibility. Cuts across the industry lines like none other and provides the utmost level of efficiency even at the remotest of locations. That’s IoT for you which has taken every industry regardless of the size and magnitude by storm. No wonder, our workplaces have become more efficient and daily activities have got a pinch of seamlessness because of this phenomenon. Talk about the construction industry and the first thing that hits you hard is the vastness and complex surroundings that happen to be a part of it. Not so long ago, it would have been hard to imagine IoT doing wonders in this segment. But today, in all fairness it has become an integral part.
And if we think that in construction, the scope and purview of IoT comes only at the site then we need to rethink again. Right from getting that contract to enlisting the materials and equipment involved to the number of people at the worksite, technology has taken over each and every phase. What matters is its proper implementation to attain desired results and rest everything else is bound to fall in place.
The foremost thing that occurs in our mind when we think of a construction site these days is the complex terrain. With so many types of machinery, materials and manpower involved it becomes an almost impossible task to reach a level of flawlessness. Internet of Things gets rid of the complex phases. It brings all the elements present at the construction site closer so that the work happens in tandem, without any delays. The work site involves equipment, materials, manpower that need to be interconnected. IoT has made this sync possible with all of them coming together and working effortlessly for one singular goal, getting the task accomplished with ease and within the allocated time.
Let’s list down some elements which have been affected widely by IoT in the construction arena.
Site monitoring equipment
One of the most evident advantages of IoT in this industry is that site monitoring becomes a lot easier. With an array of sensors that are placed across the site, constant recording takes place. The recordings are either pertaining to the data monitoring or collection of reports that help in making informed decisions. A site will never be fully IoT enabled unless it has an array of sensors in place that give information on humidity, vibration and noise levels. Continuous monitoring due to the help of these sensors leads to the prevention of accidents and fewer on-site violations.
Fleet management
The scale of the construction site is often enormous and involves numerous vehicles and equipment. Fleet management becomes a lot easier with the use of IoT. One can get to track the equipment, check their condition and maintenance levels. All the data gets collected in a central database. Today, almost everyone uses this technology at the construction sites as the equipment and vehicles involved are huge in size and number. Come to think of it, managing even the smallest of machinery becomes a cumbersome process at these sites. IoT helps in tackling all the errors and also enhances safety by keeping check on the driving of operators.
Wearable technology
The phenomenon which has made a lot of headlines in the construction industry today is wearable technology. IoT has indeed delivered a standout product in the form of wearables at these work sites. One of the biggest areas that have got immensely benefited from it is safety. So be it a smartwatch, AR goggles, smart helmets and other range of innovative gadgets, the data gets transmitted wirelessly and lets the supervisor at a distance know about the safety and performance levels of workers. Wearables give the supervisor an automatic headcount, the progress in work by an individual on a day to day basis and send real-time safety alerts. All this helps in increasing the efficiency of the workers so as to achieve the idea of having a minimal turnaround time.
Machine control
Automatic guiding of machines and huge equipment can also be attributed to IoT. The use of technology automatically adjusts equipment to grade, drill, and pave large areas. Machine control has become a reality today at the construction sites due to the advent of IoT. The machines’ movements are detected on a real-time basis which increases productivity and reduces delays.
Lowering Cost
Ever thought of labeling your supplies with RFID tags. Well, IoT brings along with it this benefit as well. The labeling ensures that the equipment does not get lost. Besides these RFID tags can be used to remotely monitor machines and equipment placed at sites that have minimal manual approachability. Usage of the tags on materials and equipment also lets one know on their exhaustion levels and if there is any requirement. This way the sites don’t run out of materials and hence time gets saved phenomenally via pre-ordering.
In the construction industry whether it is commercial or residential, what really matters is the time. The project needs to be completed within the stipulated duration or else the burden of extra operational cost comes into the picture. Needless to say, the larger the scale of the project higher the expenses involved. Adoption of IoT by builders and architects has helped tone down these expenses quite significantly. Moreover, with proper planning and analysis of data that comes through technology, the projects get finished off within the anticipated time frame.
With the use of technology at the worksites, the end product, in this case, the tower or a residential complex or an office looks a lot superior and smarter. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the construction looks more complete with the usage of IoT in the existing practices. Probably that is the reason why builders have started to show a lot of intent and inclination to adopting IoT on the ground level. The most endearing part of it is that the training for IoT usage is imparted at all levels which have made it user-friendly and easily adaptable.