VICE PRESIDENT OF EMEA AT PROCORE TECHNOLOGIES

This is why it is so important to digitise the business and facilitate real-time information flow through construction management software . We have seen first-hand when working with many Procore customers how becoming more data-driven can reduce rework , waste , improve margins and overall project outcomes .

BIM and GIS integration have significantly influenced the face of the construction industry . From being quick to embrace technology , adapting to changing times and investing in digitalisation , supply chain control and safety technology , tasks need to be approached differently . In this article , Brandon Oliveri-O ’ Connor , Vice President of EMEA at Procore Technologies , details the primary challenges the construction industry is facing today , some common risks and innovation opportunities that help companies achieve success in this evolving landscape .

What are some primary challenges confronting the construction industry ?

Today there is a high level of uncertainty around world events , supply chain issues , inflation volatility and growing labour shortages . This leaves many construction businesses vulnerable to factors outside their control and makes it harder to deliver the results they want . Complicating matters is the growing pressure to deliver on ambitious sustainability goals set by the government . The UK ’ s built environment is responsible for approximately 25 % of total UK greenhouse gas emissions . It is a sector key to the UK ’ s path to net zero . We , as an industry , need to step up our efforts if targets are to be met .

What are the effects of poor management and construction planning and how does it affect cost overruns and safety hazards within a project ?

Construction is a complex business with hundreds of interconnected decisions impacting its output . One of the major issues that holds the sector back is outdated information . People at any level could be making their decisions on the basis of outdated information . For example , boardroom executives may only learn afterwards about increased material costs or a significant amount of rework on a project and people on site could be working off outdated drawings or getting delayed because the wrong materials had been supplied . Mistakes like this can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds in rework and project delays .

In enhancing short and long-term planning within construction projects , what measures can be implemented ?

The construction industry is undergoing radical change . It is moving away from siloed and linear processes with limited numbers of stakeholders at each stage , to a more dynamic and iterative process with a complex matrix of stakeholders , ranging from owners to material suppliers , all of whom need to keep abreast with real-time updates .

This is where construction management platforms come into their own . They are designed to manage projects to a high standard from pre-construction planning through to handover .

A construction management platform like Procore connects everyone in one place . It follows the new and ever-changing dynamics of projects , making the right data available to the right people at the right time . This is made possible because , with their subscription , a company gets unlimited users , data and support from Procore . The historical data that platforms like Procore capture can highlight behaviours or trends that can improve planning for future projects . This results in greater business predictability and therefore greater efficiency for every project that follows .

Post-COVID , the construction sector is regarded as one of the backbones of the economy that will give other sectors a boost . What strategies can construction companies employ to prosper in this evolving landscape ?

I believe that despite the headwinds and obvious challenges today , we in construction have reason to remain confident . It has always been an extremely resilient sector and one that has proved capable of building through recessions , wars and pandemics . Very few sectors can say that . What increases my confidence today is that we have technology on our side to improve our work efficiency , the quality of our decisions and business results in general . Digitising their business to gather data and insight into what works for particular types of projects should be front of mind for business leaders . This will translate into even greater resilience overall .

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