Technological innovations will continue to impact and shape the commercial construction industry in 2017 with companies moving toward progressive building methods to improve systems and processes. More companies will also go into green construction to reduce their carbon footprint.

The coming year will also see the industry looking at ways to build local workforce to address recurring challenges in hiring qualified skilled workers. Moreover, in the coming year, professionals will see how technological know-how becomes a necessity for those who are looking at embarking on a career in construction.

All in all, industry professionals are expecting a positive outlook for commercial construction in 2017 with an increase in investment and institutional support.

Sustainable Methods

As environmental consciousness continues to increase in the industry, eco-friendly materials will be further explored in construction projects in the coming year. These materials include sustainably raised and sourced wood or reclaimed lumber, recycled metals, and natural insulating materials such as wool. Innovators will continue to explore hybridization methods to create more eco-friendly options for common construction materials.

More companies will utilize responsible construction processes and equip their buildings with energy-saving green technology to generate savings in power and water expenditures. These green features include photovoltaics or solar panels to maximize renewable energy sourcing and facilitate a reduction in greenhouse emissions. Green environmental benchmarks such as BREEAM and LEED will continue to be adapted by the industry in 2017.

With the advent of new battery storage technologies, constructing new buildings powered by 100 percent renewables is now possible. More sustainable design features will be factored into building construction, including wind and other renewables for power generation and catchment systems to use rainwater for bathrooms and landscaping purposes.

In the past, green construction has been a challenge to implement due to cost and material considerations, but now, this has become a popular option with companies receiving recognition for going green.

Smarter Technology

Building Information Modeling (BIM) will continue to improve the construction and architectural planning process. In the coming years, improvements in BIM will be introduced with the possibility of integrating virtual reality and immersive applications into the mix. Industry professionals use BIM to create virtual replicas of the proposed building exterior and interior. This cost-effective method allows them to explore multiple design and construction possibilities before laying the building foundation. An improved BIM with immersive technology will allow a more realistic look at the proposed building components.

The popularity of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drone technology in commercial applications has increased over the years. In the construction industry, in particular, UAVs have been widely used for mapping and surveying work. While discussion about regulating the use of this technology has been raised, the technology has proven itself useful in aerial environmental mapping and surveillance work, so more customized apps will appear in 2017.

Modern Workplace

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to influence how components operate in the modern world, and the construction industry is no exception. Today, enabling software allows modern equipment to “communicate” in a network. For example, software allowing automatic diagnostics of construction equipment is now available. So, it has become an easy task to determine things such as machinery maintenance requirements and fuel consumption over a certain period of time. The data travels over the system, alerting staff to schedule check-ups or reduce hours, if required.

Cloud technology, 3D innovations, and various productivity apps and tools will change the way companies and the construction industry, in general, work. The introduction of these innovations means adoption of new skills set for the construction professionals to facilitate engagement in new technologies and tools.

In 2017, commercial construction companies will be investing more in technology for various purposes — from mapping, surveying and modeling to employee productivity software and tools. Likewise, the workforce has to be ready to accommodate these changes by being up-to-date with the latest construction technology.

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