Interview, Podcast
a16z Podcast | Construction Under Tech -- Info Flows
- Companies intend to develop specialized field-access software as hardware evolves, though shared information space technology is expected to progress slowly due to legal, regulatory, and historical barriers.
- General contractors plan to continue using Building Information Modeling (BIM) for coordination, transitioning from physical 2D drawings to 3D model consumption to enable faster plan adaptation and eliminate manual "light table" processes.
- A specific project owner anticipates spending approximately $14 million on model-based system coordination, while the broader industry expects to increase modeling of construction logistics for materials like steel and ducts.
- Despite sophisticated 3D design on the front end, a disconnect is predicted between design tools and the mix of equipment (phones, drawings, 3D files) used on job sites.
- Teams plan to utilize robots processing high data levels for direct factory fabrication in trades such as masonry and concrete, with Switzerland expected to see 60% of projects utilizing robotics significantly.
- Off-site prefabrication for bathrooms is planned to control schedules, potentially saving two weeks per building, while Disney intends to analyze heat, water, and waste at a block scale.
- Mobile devices and cloud computing are expected to provide all-day battery life for field computing, eliminating heavy hardware, while developers plan to adopt "finer grain" mobility tools like electric bicycles over heavy machinery.
- "Land drones" are planned for just-in-time goods delivery to bypass airspace restrictions, alongside a shift toward lighter composites like carbon fiber, though fireproofing permitting remains an obstacle.
- AR and visualization technologies aim to replace physical mock-ups for equipment placement verification, and future workflows may involve workers collaborating with robots using localized 3D maps with visual cues.
- OSHA regulations, which typically change every seven to ten years, are expected to remain a barrier to wearable AR devices, and slim profit margins of 1% to 3% may hinder regional contractors from investing in capital-intensive technologies.
- Integration of designers, engineers, and builders into single solutions is expected to be feasible in high labor cost jurisdictions like Singapore or the Emirates.
- Small improvements in efficiency and energy output are predicted to have enormous planetary implications due to the industry's scale, though innovation is expected to stem from smaller entities focusing on finer details and hand tools.
- The industry predicts that building waste has increased and schedules have extended compared to 1960, resulting in delayed and over-budget deliveries, and forecasts an inability to meet infrastructure needs over the next 15 years if productivity is not solved.