Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the construction industry looks poised to expand by 5.2%. Output is even forecast to exceed that of 2019.
Mothballed projects are coming back online, while workforces return to construction sites. They’re buoyed by the vaccine, and rightly so.
From government building schemes to new technology trends, the future looks bright.
What trends will influence what the construction industry does in 2021? Read on to learn more.
1. Changing Demands for Physical Space
COVID-19 hit the hospitality industry hard all over the world. Both retail and restaurants spent much of 2020 either closed or restricting business.
This is likely to continue throughout 2021 thanks to uncertainty around the pandemic. Businesses will bring social distancing into the workplace. That will boost demand for more office space.
It’s also likely that construction for health care will see more possible projects.
2. More Infrastructure Projects
Infrastructure promises to be one of the biggest construction trends. It’s all down to President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better initiative.
This is a massive bill that covers a huge range of works. Expect to see projects across:
- Transportation
- Civil works
- Renewable energy projects
- Broadband roll-out
- K-12 school construction
There will be many more on this scale. Using construction estimating software is going to be essential to meet government budgets.
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3. An Industry-Wide Pivot to Solar
Speaking of renewable energy, expect to see many businesses pivot towards solar power.
Renewable energy is becoming cheaper than fossil fuel energy. Building solar facilities will be big for the construction business.
This reflects the wider trend towards sustainability. A construction company needs to show its environmental credentials.
Businesses should work to cut their carbon footprints. That includes both how they do business and in the products, they use in construction.
4. Focus on New Facilities for Manufacturing and Distribution
Both the pandemic and increased ransomware attacks highlighted vulnerabilities in the supply chain.
This has created an opportunity to build new warehouses and distribution centers. Don’t think this trend will die down following the pandemic. It also suits the boom in e-commerce, so businesses will need these facilities for some time.
Data centers also need more premises, so expect to see more construction work there. This feeds into the move into more digital ways of doing business.
5. More Off-Site Fabrication to Speed Construction
Workforces need more vaccine coverage. Until then, workers will continue to follow social distancing on construction sites.
That means fabricating elements off-site to speed up construction. Companies will need to redistribute their workforce throughout their supply chain.
The Construction Industry Needs to Be More Flexible
It’s clear that the construction industry has faced many challenges throughout the pandemic. Many of these issues will continue to play a role in 2021.
That means businesses need to be more flexible in how they approach construction work. More use of technology and working practices will be key to how they perform this year.
Keen to learn more about the impact of tech on many industries? Check out our technology section for the latest news.
