The 2022 construction industry trends are promising and, thankfully, nothing like the ones that prevailed in 2020 and 2021. General contracting, land development, construction management, and other components of the construction industry are expected to be highly welcoming as the industry is staying up to date with advancements in technology and environmentally friendly consciousness. 

Here are the top construction industry trends to look out for in 2022.

Digitization

Construction management, land development, and general contracting companies that have adopted digitization are sure to do well in 2022 as it is one of the top construction industry trends that is set to make its mark. 

From the project site to the office, digitization – with the help of paperless processes, digital databases, real-time project information updates, and easily accessible equipment manuals – enhances all the systems, infrastructure, and work procedures across the construction industry. 

Digitization is also giving way to artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and advanced building information modeling (BIM). Automation, robotics, AI, and machine learning are presenting efficient and effective solutions to problems that have prevailed in the construction industry for decades. Issues like aging workforce, labor shortages, and lack of safety, productivity, and efficiency are finding it hard to resist the ideal remedies that robotics and advanced software offer. 

With increased access to aesthetics, acoustic properties, geometrics, and thermal properties before the initiation of a project, the BIM is incorporated with enhanced dimensions. Companies can now add materials, cost, schedule, and other details to the software for processing and analytics. 

Material Costs

A trend that is not welcoming is that the costs of construction materials like brick and concrete are set to rise in the coming year, requiring construction companies to maintain a careful eye on their budgets, bids, quotes, and estimates. Even in previous years, the net profits in the construction industry remained slim despite increasing construction revenues. 

Automation of sales workflows and efficient price negotiations with suppliers are two factors construction companies must overcome in order to succeed. Prefabrication and modularization can also be effective in this regard, reducing the shipping cost of materials.

New Construction Materials

The development of Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC), engineered timber, recycled materials, flexible and self-healing concrete, transparent aluminum, and 3D printed construction materials are set to influence the 2022 construction industry trends. 

These materials have the capacity and flexibility to be engineered in a way that they can reduce the overall costs of construction. They also allow architects to design more sustainable structures with fewer construction constraints. 

The recent years have witnessed several exciting and advanced applications for 3D printing in the construction industry. The maturity of the technology will be one of the most significant factors in 2022, which is a result of global demand for efficient and more affordable construction management solutions. Manufactured homes equipped with luxury features enjoy an edge over site-built homes for their cost efficiency and other offerings. The 3D printer that can print asphalt will experience excessive use in 2022. 

Each year brings its own set of challenges and offerings for the construction industry, and 2022 will be no different. The upcoming construction industry trends require us to be prepared and more skilled to learn and survive the competition. 

For all your land development, general contracting, and construction management needs, get in touch with Compass Group today.