Innovation Through Excavation: Recent Technological Developments in Construction and Their Impact

Innovation in the construction industry is a concept of polar opposites. On the one hand, there is still a reliance on building techniques that have lasted for thousands of years—stone bricks used to build the Egyptian pyramids could also be used to construct the latest Apple store (not exactly the same ones, though!). On the other hand, advancements in robotics have revolutionized the industry, enabling construction companies to complete manual labor tasks at much greater speeds.

The industry has also often been criticized for lacking innovation compared to other industries in similar fields, such as manufacturing. This perceived lack of innovation can be partly attributed to its unique characteristics of having entirely site-based operations, individual projects with a clear endpoint, and reliance on supply chains.

The reality is that there has been plenty of recent innovations in the form of autonomous and electric construction equipment to improve safety and efficiency, increase productivity, and, more importantly, address environmental concerns to reduce the carbon footprint. In fact, the construction industry is under more pressure than ever before to consider the environmental impact of significant global expansion and the constantly increasing boundaries to maximize land use—the sector's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions make up 30% of the world's total.

It would be easy to think: "Why not just construct fewer buildings?” However, this would not address the housing shortages that exist around the world, particularly in countries such as the UK, where an estimated 340,000 houses need to be built until 2031 to meet demand.

Let’s dive into some of the most important recent developments and the impact they have had.