Here’s how tech is solving construction’s biggest problem

The common perception of the construction industry is that it’s low tech: people in hard hats, heavy machinery, site plans printed on paper.

In a world that relies heavily on technology, the building and construction sector has lagged behind in tech adoption.

As such, it has had one of the lowest labor productivity growth rates over the last 20 years – the biggest challenge in the industry.

Over 98% of construction megaprojects like expressways and bridges face cost overruns or delays, and concerns about project interruptions cause other problems on site, such as safety breaches.

As companies rush to meet their deadlines, safety precautions may get sacrificed. In Singapore, for instance, 35% of workplace fatalities in the first half of 2019 were from the construction industry.

There are various other reasons for construction delays as well, ranging from major miscommunication to minor paperwork errors.

Tackling the problem with tech

One company that’s looking to not only solve the construction industry’s productivity woes but also help digitize it is Novade.

Founded in 2014, the Singapore-based company offers field management software for construction sites in an aim to drive the digital transformation of the industry.

“If you go to an automated car factory, you will see robots and automated processes as well as computers providing real-time information on production outputs and quality controls,” says Novade founder and CEO Denis Branthonne. “The construction industry is not there yet.”

Denis Branthonne, CEO of Novade / Photo credit: Novade

Novade’s ambition is to become the virtual factory for the construction industry.

Its platform takes a mobile-first approach to field management, making its services available over smartphones. Users can easily file and access all the necessary paperwork for a construction site through the Novade app.

By moving paperwork processes online, the company is helping construction companies become more productive.

For example, workers are required to fill up a permit-to-work (PTW) form before they can operate machinery at high structures or do hot work. “It’s a very intensive administrative process for compliance,” Branthonne explains.

Through Novade’s platform, employees can fill up the forms via their mobile phones, and site supervisors and safety officers can review them on their devices without having to sift through piles of paperwork.

This service has helped boost productivity for companies such as Hwa Seng Builder, a Singaporean civil engineering firm. By using Novade’s software, it has reduced the time spent on processing PTW forms each day from two hours to just 30 minutes.

The software has also made it possible for Hong Kong construction company Able Engineering Holdings to make its construction sites safer. Site managers can immediately see what kinds of PTW forms have been filed and thus step up safety precautions accordingly.

For example, if a manager sees many hot-work permits filed for the week, they can conduct additional checks to ensure that safety requirements are met.

The company has also launched an offering to help construction companies adopt new health and safety measures, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, by automating daily body temperature capture and recording employees’ contact history, to name a few.

AI in construction

Aside from boosting productivity, Branthonne hopes that Novade will be able to provide companies with better insights into their processes with its use of data analytics and machine learning.

Through the startup’s platform, companies can look at data from across their sites and identify various trends, such as top performers among workers and recurring problems. Data can also be used to streamline the decision-making process.

Photo credit: Novade

“Imagine a quality inspector finding a crack in the wall during an inspection and [then planning] to get it rectified in 15 days,” explains Branthonne. “AI algorithms can analyze existing data and predict with a high level of accuracy that only 10 days are required.”

The app also notifies subcontractors about defects immediately. This drives productivity on construction sites by speeding up timelines and makes work progress more quickly.

The CEO believes that AI can even help make construction sites safer by identifying factors that lead to accidents.

“AI will be able to predict the likelihood of a safety incident onsite based on data collected, not just from the current project but also across all projects,” he says. “If it senses an increase in safety risks, it can broadcast a message to stop operations and initiate investigations.”

Novade is working towards developing the machine-learning capabilities of its platform even further. The company recently closed a series B funding round and aims to use the investment to enhance its AI capabilities and leverage on the vast quantity of data it has amassed across construction sites over the years.

The road to digitization

With construction facing new challenges in the form of an ageing workforce and rapid urbanization across the world, going digital would boost productivity in the sector tremendously.

However, getting companies on board with digitization is no easy task.

The construction industry is fragmented, and construction projects involve various subcontractors, all of whom operate on their own systems.

“You’re not alone,” explains Branthonne. “When you decide to go on the path [to digitization], you’re going to have to convince not only your teams, but everybody on the project.”

Additionally, many large companies have multiple projects at the same time. Embarking on digitization is a slow process that involves aligning teams over months, even years.

The hardest part, according to the CEO, is getting started. Businesses need to understand their own processes and figure out how to convert them to work in an online environment.

For companies looking to go digital, Branthonne advises to start simple.

“Identify a repetitive process and prove that the software helps manage that process efficiently. Then replicate the digitized process to another project and, finally, to the whole company. Over time, the results will speak for themselves,” he says.

Headquartered in Singapore, Novade offers a field management software that empowers construction firms to embark on a digital transformation for their construction sites.

Find out more about its services on its website.