Cutthroat competition in the construction industry has forced construction firms in Africa to quickly evolve in a bid to match current demands and changing times. Existing and Emerging trends are changing the construction industry in Africa.
Here’s a brief look at some of the trends that are taking construction industry and by extension construction firms in Africa by storm.
Skilled Labour Shortage
In Africa there is a shortage of skilled labor and according to recent statistics by Deloite the Contractors had over 200000 unfilled jobs in June of this year.
Expanding Use Technology
Technology has made impossible projects possible therefore the construction industry have to adopt to the latest technology that will see them increase productivity, profitability at the same time cut cost.
Companies have adapted to usage of software that have seen the projects get project done within the time frame.
Off-site Construction
We’re big fans of this one (for obvious reasons). More architects and builders are embracing off-site construction, also called prefabricated or modular construction, as an efficient and reliable building method. They’re incorporating prefab into building designs to accelerate project delivery and as a result, cut costs.
Big Data & Analytics
Construction is not only using more technology. It’s also getting smarter about collecting and analyzing data. Industry experts are using big data to identify emerging markets.
Designers are incorporating big data-crunching software into building control systems. The addition lets facility managers better monitor thermal dynamics and use patterns to optimize environmental controls and predict maintenance issues.
One-stop Shops
As construction firms continue to fight for low-profit projects, customer expectations are reaching new heights. Smart firms are responding by streamlining operations in a way that improves both quality and service. By bringing architects, BIM designers and engineers on staff, construction firms are becoming one-stop shops that deliver projects from start to finish, no outside firms requires. This approach lets project teams move faster, avoid costly delays and gives customers a single point of contact throughout.
As the calendar rolls over to 2016, some of these trends will become the norm while others only memories. Which do you see sticking around and which will be forgotten?
