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Digital Transformation potential in Smart Construction

Digitally transformative technologies are finding strong traction in construction contexts, where a range of security concerns (including site security, equipment protection, and worker safety) are at a premium. Meanwhile new digitally transformative technologies are changing the way that construction projects are conceived, designed, and delivered so that maximise different stakeholders can work together on the same projects in the most efficient ways possible.

Nine key domains of change in Smart Construction

Overall, we have identified nine key domains of change in the Smart Construction sector that are enabled by digital transformation, as illustrated below.

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These domains of change are discussed in more detail in our report Digital Transformation in the Construction Sector:

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The domains of change discussed in the report comprise:

  • Worker Safety including connected wearables, exosuits, drones, and AR/VR systems used at construction sites to support enhanced jobsite worker safety.
  • Site Security including solutions to guard against unauthorised access and support other aspects of construction site protection.
  • Asset Tracking includes tracking and monitoring solutions to safeguard construction assets (equipment, machinery, consumables, and tools) and prevent theft and misuse.
  • Autonomous Construction including solutions that can perform repeatable and mundane construction tasks.
  • Enhanced Project Efficiency encompasses visualisation of construction buildings including HVAC systems for virtual tours and sharing of real-time project data for timely project execution.
  • Digitised Concrete Management includes concrete sensors used to test and analyse concrete parameters including strength and temperature.
  • Next Generation Construction includes additive manufacturing and prefabrication methods to optimise and modernise the construction process.
  • Digital Marketplace including an online marketplace for connecting construction companies with construction equipment providers. Such solutions offer an environment where equipment can be accessed on an as-needed basis to lower (or remove) financial burdens associated with purchasing construction equipment outright.
  • Enhanced Project Collaboration using BIM (Building Information Modelling) Systems encompasses BIM-based solutions to reduce rework and bring efficiencies across project stakeholders through better collaboration.

Collectively, the activities listed above will bring significant changes to the Smart Construction sector.

IoT and Smart Construction

IoT is one of the key technology groups impacting the Smart Construction sector and further detail and analysis of key IoT applications for the Smart Construction sector can be found in Transforma Insight’s Forecast Insight Reports. Some of these applications are directly relevant to the sector, whilst others are only indirectly related.

Directly related IoT applications and Forecast Insight Reports include:

  • CCTV – Connected video cameras used by governments for monitoring of streets and public places.
  • HVAC – The HVAC Use Case includes smart and connected Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning equipment, as might be deployed in consumer or cross-vertical contexts. Systems are generally comprised of controllers and potentially smart peripheral devices. Devices such as thermostats and air conditioning units are not included in the forecasts unless these devices are themselves smart and connected: ‘dumb’ peripheral equipment and sensors are not included in the forecasts.
  • Real Time Location Systems – Trackers attached to pieces of equipment for the purpose of locating them, typically with very great accuracy. Used within specific delimited areas (e.g. hospitals, building sites or factories), with dedicated infrastructure to support them.
  • Security Tracking – Includes a range of security-related applications such as for security guards, prison guards, and also offender tagging. Also includes ‘smart soldier’ equipment used by defence personnel in a military context.
  • Worker Safety – Personal monitoring and support solutions for fire service, police, and emergency medical service personnel. Also includes lone worker safety in multiple vertical industrial contexts, particularly those involving dangerous environments such as logging and mining.
  • Asset Monitoring – This application group encompasses a variety of assets that are suitable for remote monitoring. This includes the monitoring of livestock and associated applications such as automated feeders. It also covers the monitoring of fitness equipment located in gyms and other shared contexts. Tracking and monitoring of equipment in ambulances is also incorporated as part of the healthcare vertical. Furthermore, this Application Group includes connected video gaming machines, gambling machines and other devices such as pachinko machines. Monitoring the condition, availability, and use of assets important to public health such as life rings and defibrillators is also present in this application group, including access to potentially dangerous infrastructure such as substations.
  • Environment Monitoring – The use of sensors to monitor for a diverse range of pollutants or other environmental factors. This might include CO2, flood water, radioactivity, seismic shock, or pollutants from industrial processes.
  • Infrastructure Monitoring – Includes monitoring of road and rail infrastructure, dams (including hydroelectric and tailing), levees, reservoirs, weirs, and pipelines, for the purpose of checking for structural issues, breakages, theft or other faults. Monitoring devices installed during construction projects counts within the Construction vertical but subsequently to the appropriate specific vertical (typically government) at point of handover.

Indirectly related IoT applications and Forecast Insight Reports include:

  • Global AIoT Forecast, 2023-2033
  • Building Safety & Security – Building Safety & Security includes sensors, management devices and peripheral devices used for safety and security on commercial premises and private homes. Private Security Cameras used in residential and commercial buildings, are also included in this application group.
  • Road Fleet Management – Road Fleet Management covers in-vehicle transportation logistics including job allocation, vehicle tracking, vehicle and driver monitoring, maintenance planning, safety compliance, fuel management, and incident management. It can be delivered as a service via a dedicated aftermarket device or through the factory-fit connectivity (accessed via the vehicle head unit). The forecast takes both heavy and light duty vehicles into consideration. It includes devices deployed in cars, vans, trucks and buses, along with heavy vehicles such as tractors, combine harvesters, pile drivers, tunnelling machines, cranes, and other off-road equipment. Fleet Management solutions are increasingly making use of in-vehicle cameras to monitor both outside the vehicle and within the cabin. These devices, and their consumer counterparts, can be found in the Dash Cams Application Group.
  • Electric Vehicle Charging – Public electric vehicle charging points with a connection to monitor availability, usage, maintenance requirements, and facilitate payment. Does not include vehicle chargers installed on private property.
  • Unmanned Non-Road Vehicles – The Unmanned Non-Road Vehicles Application Group represents autonomous wheeled and tracked vehicles used for transporting materials, performing specific tasks or other similar activity in verticals such as agriculture, construction, mining, manufacturing, baggage handling, warehousing, space exploration or emergency response. The types of vehicles covered in this Application Group include forklifts, bomb-disposal vehicles, portside automated vehicles, straddle carriers and other specialised vehicles. Although these vehicles will not be intended for on-road use, they may be capable of travelling on public highways.
  • Building Automation – Including controllers and peripheral devices (monitoring devices, controlled devices, or actuators) to support smart building functionality in either a consumer or enterprise (cross vertical) context. This Application Group does not include security alarms, fire control systems, or lighting systems.
  • Electricity Smart Meters – Device that records the consumption and, where relevant, generation of electricity at a location and transmits this usage data to providers. In some instances these devices will transmit usage data to users in order to encourage more energy efficient behaviour. This application includes smart meters in both residential and commercial settings.
  • Gas Smart Meters – Device that records the consumption of natural gas at a location and transmits this usage data to providers. In some instances these devices will transmit usage data to users in order to encourage more energy efficient behaviour. This application includes smart meters in both residential and commercial settings.
  • Water Smart Meters – Device that records the consumption of water at a location and transmits this usage data to providers. In some instances these devices will transmit usage data to users in order to encourage more water efficient behaviour. This application includes smart meters in both residential and commercial settings.
  • Unmanned Aquatic & Aerial Vehicles (Drones) – This Application Group consists of two main categories. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles comprises fixed wing and propellor powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for military, government consumer or commercial use. Unmanned Aquatic Vehicles comprise small underwater and surface vehicles, typically for military use or exploration. Neither vehicle is designed to carry humans; automation of vehicles that carry humans (e.g. full sized planes or ships in automation mode) is covered under autonomous vehicles.
  • Global IoT Forecast Report, 2023-2033
  • Smart Home – Consumer webcams, household VoIP phones, baby alarms, home weather stations, home fitness equipment, connected photo frames, and distributed screens (including various devices that can potentially incorporate screens to relay information, including mirrors, and clocks). Also includes other consumer devices such as lost item finders, connected heaters, connected cat-flaps, and so on.
  • Real World 'Visualisation' – Includes the use of Human Machine Interface (HMI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) devices such as smart connected glasses, such as Microsoft’s Hololens, or Google Glass, used in either a consumer or enterprise context; standard and ruggedised tablets that can be used to access information about machinery and processes (and more); and large scale video walls, either in the context of control rooms, or to support immersive experiences. To be included in this forecast a device must be standalone, and not attached to a specific machine. Devices must also support some level of enhanced human interaction with machines (and other information, or content) rather than simply existing to relay information from a device or accept commands. Beyond this scope lie innumerable generic tablets, laptops, mobile phones, and other computing devices that can also support some aspects of HMI by simple installation of an application (or access to suitable web pages).
  • Trigger Devices – Devices that exist to be triggered to indicate an action needs to be taken, typically something has been filled and needs to be emptied, or something is empty and needs be filled. Examples include buttons for room service, table service, the replenishment of communal supplies, mail delivery and collection boxes, and customer voting buttons.
  • Access Control & Intercoms – Access control and intercoms in a smart building context (both consumer and enterprise cross-vertical), and also access control, venue monitoring and control in the context of amusement parks and sports venues. Additionally this Application Group includes a range of security solutions found in prisons (for example CCTV, door sensors, access control, and other security equipment).Also includes personal devices for border control guards, and devices specifically associated with border control points.
  • Waste Management – Connected refuse bins (such as those provided by Big Belly Solar), aftermarket monitoring devices for wheelie bins, and other refuse collection systems.
  • Assisted Living – Assisted Living solutions include people tracking devices for the elderly and infirm, and comprehensive, connected medicine dispensers, assisted living solutions for patients that need significant day-to-day support or monitoring. Within the niche of assisted living, connected medicine dispensers play a crucial role and are used to promote patient adherence to prescriptions.
  • Public Space Lighting – The monitoring, control and management of smart lighting for streets and other public spaces, typically provided by local government or utilities.
  • Building Lighting – Monitoring and control of interior and exterior building lighting. Includes lightbulbs, light fittings and controls.

Other content and related analysis

Besides the detailed sector-focussed content described above, Transforma Insights offers an extensive range of thematic- and vendor-focussed research that will prove invaluable to any end-user seeking to leverage new and emerging digitally transformative technologies.

Of particular note are our Vendor Insight and CSP Peer Benchmarking reports, which provide detailed profiles of leading vendors who might be able to support a range of end-user digital transformation projects.

Our Key Topic Insight reports focus on the qualitative aspects of Digital Transformation, including investigation of interesting or noteworthy topics.

Detailed analysis of regulations that might apply to digitally transformative projects around the world can be found in our Regulatory Database. Meanwhile, our Case Study Database contains more than 1,000 case studies of technology implementations. Each case study contains detailed information on the specifics of the deployment. Used in aggregate it can provide unrivalled guidance on project prioritisation, best practice and vendor selection.

Sector Focus

Sector Report

Digital Transformation in the Construction sector

REPORT | DEC 28, 2022 | Paras Sharma ; Jim Morrish
This report examines digital transformation (DX) in the Construction sector, enabled by the key technology groups that are the focus of Transforma Insights’ research. Overall, we have identified nine key domains of change in the construction sector. These are discussed in more detail in this document.

Related Reports

All Reports

CCTV: 573 million devices being used for surveillance purposes

REPORT | AUG 30, 2024 | Suruchi Dhingra ; Rohan Bansal ; Matt Arnott
This report summarises the status and forecasts from the CCTV Application Group found in the Transforma Insights Connected Things IoT forecast. The report provides a description of what is covered in the Application Group, as well as top-level figures from the forecast that provide detail on how many connected devices will be installed, the types of communication technology used and the total revenue opportunity. Full details are accessible through the TAM Forecast tool.

HVAC: 775 million connected devices by 2033, generating USD40 billion in revenue

REPORT | AUG 23, 2024 | Suruchi Dhingra ; Matt Arnott ; Nikita Singh
This report provides Transforma Insights’ view on the connected HVAC market. This includes smart and connected heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, in consumer as well as enterprise contexts. The smart HVAC market is expected to show strong growth over the coming years, majorly due to an increased focus on sustainability, and upcoming regulations focused on increasing energy efficiency and decreasing carbon emissions caused by buildings.

Supply chain transparency is the new regulatory normal

REPORT | MAY 01, 2024 | Suruchi Dhingra
Several new regulations are being introduced around the world to promote circular, sustainable, and responsible economies. The goals of these regulations are clear: businesses should deploy an efficient mechanism to review how they design, source, manufacture, dispose, reuse, and recycle products. Mechanisms often report carbon emitted at each stage to promote clean energy use, and also limit the use of harmful substances, increase the degree of reuse and recycling by material composition tracking, limit materials from certain countries, and ensure human rights obligations and thus, responsible sourcing. To track these metrics, most of these regulations stress the importance of visibility and traceability of products throughout the value chain. The accurate collection and reporting of data mandated by the regulations discussed in this report is impossible without employing digitally transformative technologies that enhance the tracking and traceability of the discussed elements. Intelligent track and trace that combines technologies such as distributed ledger, IoT, AI, and analytics will be essential to automate tracking, making it fast and efficient to trace products throughout their journey. The whole process is made efficient through the adoption of a range of techniques: Product identifiers: the key identifier information that a stakeholder needs to accurately identify a product and to access related information. Data sharing: a common standardised way to share information among all relevant stakeholders. Supply chain traceability: essential to prove provenance and qualifications by tracking the origin of materials and physical flow of goods through the value chain. IoT: all of the above drive the adoption of IoT as it enables accurate and efficient data collection. Digital supply chain twin: to virtually track journeys with change of state. Artificial intelligence: intersects with other technologies for additional insights. In this report, we discuss the major regulations (including the EU’s Batteries Regulation, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and End of Life Vehicles Directive and others and the USA’s Inflation Reduction Act, and various EV battery-related and other regulations from around the world) that are shaping the circular, ethical, and green economy. We also discuss the role technology plays in facilitating the requirements of supply chain transparency related regulations.

Video analytics as a substitute for IoT devices

REPORT | FEB 20, 2024 | Paras Sharma
The use of video monitoring solutions has unlocked significant improvements, from round-the-clock surveillance for security purposes to object detection, gesture detection, facial recognition, and motion tracking across industries to gain real-time business insights and prescriptive analysis. Using video analytics, businesses can unlock greater value by analysing spatial and temporal information, provide instant alerts in the event of anomaly detection, and take actions when rules are flouted. Business opportunities, deployment challenges, and stakeholder complexities vary across each application. The demand for video analysis is primarily driven by the benefits that it can bring like better operational efficiency, enhanced public safety, and decreased manual work. There is a wide range of applications that can make use of some or all of these business benefits to gain a competitive advantage and provide a quality service or product to the end-user. There are 23 applications, around 7% of the total applications found in our IoT forecast database, for which video analysis can potentially substitute for IoT devices. Livestock Monitoring, Traffic Monitoring, Parking Space Monitoring, Fire and Security Alarms, Patient Tracking, and Trigger devices are some of the key IoT applications which can be substituted with video analysis. As per our analysis, Security Alarms, Stock Level Monitoring, In-Vehicle Road Pricing Devices, and Fire Alarms are the top applications in terms of connected devices that can potentially be replaced by video analysis. The number of IoT devices for the above-mentioned applications is expected to grow from around 0.9 billion in 2022 to around 2.4 billion by 2032. Even though the share of IoT devices that can be replaced by video analytics is expected to be less than 10% during the forecast period, we cannot neglect the potential of video analysis due to its business benefits and varied use cases across applications. Additionally, in cases where video analytics can substitute for LPWA connections, this substitution may represent an upsell opportunity for mobile network operators and an opportunity to deploy a higher bandwidth connection.

Video analysis has significant potential with business benefits spanning across multiple industries

REPORT | FEB 19, 2024 | Paras Sharma
Video surveillance solutions have been in the market for a while, although they have been primarily used for safety and security. However, advances in digital technology, coupled with the rise of AI and edge analytics are expanding the application of video-based solutions across various industries, contexts and use cases. This evolution positions video analysis as a transformative technology in many scenarios. The demand for video analysis is growing as it proves beneficial in remote maintenance, operational optimisation, and improving public safety surveillance. The integration of AI-equipped cameras for object detection and behaviour analysis extends their utility across multiple industries. In this Key Topic Insight report, we explore why video analysis is needed and demonstrates how edge AI can benefit businesses by overcoming some of the challenges associated with cloud-based video analysis. The report also lists a range of use cases for video analysis across various industries, talks about some relevant case studies where video analysis has been deployed, and lists some of the major vendors and their roles in the ecosystem.

Ambient IoT: An emerging technology and an alternative to RFID with potential to enable tens of billions of connections

REPORT | FEB 19, 2024 | Nikita Singh ; Jim Morrish
Over the last 5 years, several communications standards bodies, starting with 3GPP and extending to IEEE and the Bluetooth SIG, have started to develop standards for ‘Ambient IoT’. The aim of the technology is to create ultra-low power, and in many cases battery-free, devices, using energy harvesting and forms of communication that piggyback on other RF sources through a technique known as backscattering. Backscattering is a communication technology that reflects ambient radiowaves to communicate with a receiver, thereby reducing the power required to communicate. Using this technology, Ambient IoT is likely to serve as an alternative for RFID and is significantly useful across multiple industry verticals such as agriculture, consumer, manufacturing, retail, utilities, transportation, and others. The resulting IoT devices are free from the monetary burden of batteries and also aid in environmental sustainability with reduce requirements for battery disposal. Ambient IoT technologies is still in a nascent stage. In this report we provide an overview of the concept, the enabling technologies, the standardisation activities that are currently under way and some of the key use cases where it will likely be useful. It also reviews some existing deployments and trials from Wiliot, HaiLa and Huawei.

Real Time Location Systems: 14.7 million devices to support resource optimisation and asset tracking

REPORT | JAN 29, 2024 | Nikita Singh ; Matt Arnott
This report summarises the status and forecasts from the Real Time Location Systems Application Group found in the Transforma Insights Connected Things IoT forecast. The report provides a description of what is covered in the Application Group, as well as top-level figures from the forecast that provide detail on how many connected devices will be installed, the types of communication technology used and the total revenue opportunity. Full details are accessible through the TAM Forecast tool.

Security Tracking: 12.2 million connected devices by 2032, generating USD1.8 billion in revenue

REPORT | JAN 17, 2024 | Paras Sharma ; Matt Arnott
This report summarises the status and forecasts from the Security Tracking Application Group found in the Transforma Insights Connected Things IoT forecast. The report provides a description of what is covered in the Application Group, as well as top-level figures from the forecast that provide detail on how many connected devices will be installed, the types of communication technology used and the total revenue opportunity. Full details are accessible through the TAM Forecast tool.

Worker Safety: 18.2 million connected devices, generating USD3 billion revenue by 2032

REPORT | DEC 20, 2023 | Paras Sharma ; Matt Arnott
This report provides Transforma Insights’ view on the market for Worker Safety solutions involving the use of the Internet of Things. This segment comprises Emergency Services Personal monitoring and Lone Worker Safety. To provide a safe and worker-friendly environment, companies are ramping up their efforts to reduce workplace accidents and enhance the transparency and accountability of workers. Worker Safety solutions can help reduce human and capital loss due to on-site worker injuries. To address this market, manufacturers have developed connected wearable devices in multiple shapes and models which can be worn as armbands, insoles (for tracking a worker’s movement and posture), or as vests. Some devices are equipped with cameras and provide indoor and outdoor location tracking via GPS or beacons. Many devices offer SOS functionality in case of emergencies. The report provides a detailed definition of the sector, analysis of market development and profiles of the key vendors in the space. It also provides a summary of the current status of adoption and Transforma Insights’ ten-year forecasts for the market. The forecasts include analysis of the number of IoT connections by geography, the technologies used (including splits by 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LPWA, short range, satellite and others), as well as the revenue split between module, value-added connectivity and services. A full set of forecast data, including country-level forecasts, sector break-downs and public/private network splits, is available through the IoT Forecast tool.

Asset Monitoring: 181 million devices by 2032 to mostly prevent theft and increase asset productivity

REPORT | DEC 14, 2023 | Rohan Bansal ; Matt Arnott
This report summarises the status and forecasts from the Asset Monitoring Application Group found in the Transforma Insights Connected Things IoT forecast. The report provides a description of what is covered in the Application Group, as well as top-level figures from the forecast that provide detail on how many connected devices will be installed, the types of communication technology used and the total revenue opportunity. Full details are accessible through the TAM Forecast tool.

Environment Monitoring: 80.5 million connected devices by 2032, generating USD677 million revenue

REPORT | FEB 14, 2023 | Paras Sharma ; Matt Arnott
This report provides Transforma Insights’ view on the Environment Monitoring market. This segment comprises industrial air, water, noise, nuclear radiation, odour detection, river water pollution, and dust monitors placed across industrial sites to monitor pollutants discharged from industrial processes. The segment also includes earthquake, flood, hurricane, and tsunami monitors places across vulnerable areas to send real-time data to monitoring centres.

Infrastructure Monitoring: Retrofitting IoT solutions to extend infrastructure life

REPORT | DEC 13, 2022 | Rohan Bansal ; Matt Arnott
This report provides Transforma Insights’ view on the Infrastructure Monitoring IoT market. The report covers details on the evolution of infrastructure monitoring solutions. IoT plays an important role in monitoring infrastructure, including dams, tunnels, bridges, and pipelines by making sure that they can continue to function properly by detecting any faults at very early stages. This not only ensures a longer life for infrastructure, but it also proves to be of great economic value to the organisations deploying these IoT solutions with projects creating significant savings for operators. The report provides a detailed definition of the sector, analysis of market development and profiles of the key vendors in the space. It also provides a summary of the current status of adoption and Transforma Insights’ ten-year forecasts for the market. The forecasts include analysis of the number of IoT connections by geography, the technologies used (including splits by 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, LPWA, short range, satellite, and others), as well as the revenue split between module, value-added connectivity, and services. A full set of forecast data, including country-level forecasts, sector breakdowns and public/private network splits, is available through the IoT Forecast tool.

Metaverse: What does it mean for enterprise?

REPORT | APR 07, 2022 | Nikita Singh ; Matt Hatton ; Jim Morrish ; Matt Arnott
The last two years have seen significant activities in the virtual space known as the ‘metaverse’. In this report we examine the development stages of the metaverse as an element of Web 3.0 and increasing investments in the space. The report defines enterprise use-cases for metaverse and its corresponding benefits across multiple dimensions (internal vs external, people vs process, multiple interactions, real-time vs hypothetical vs historic process). It further explores in detail examples on how metaverse might be applied across various industry verticals and recommends ways in which enterprises can benefit from the emerging concept.

Digital Transformation Implementation Best Practice Report

REPORT | APR 15, 2020 | Jim Morrish ; Matt Hatton
This report is based on analysis by Transforma Insights of hundreds of Digital Transformation implementations around the world. Our team of expert analysts assessed each implementation and calibrated it against our 216 solution characteristics. The aim is to better understand the prevailing trends in technology deployment and to extrapolate best practice.
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