The European Construction Sector Observatory published the report "Digitalisation in the construction sector"
According to the analytical report “Digitalisation in the construction sector” by the European Construction Sector Observatory - April 2021, the construction sector is a key pillar in the European Union, as it employs 18 million people, contributes to 9% of GDP and impacts social, environmental, and climatic factors (e.g., CO2 emissions and waste).
However, the construction sector remains one of the least digitized, there still is a lot to be done in terms of process efficiency, and digitization is crucial in terms of competitiveness and sustainability.
Thus, as this sector is one of the engines of the EU economy, the main drivers and challenges were identified to counter this trend:
Drivers:
European Union Policies such as the Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings and also the European Green Deal;
Funding: Horizon Europe (budget: 95.5 billion euros), Digital Europe programs (budget: 7.5 billion euros) to support investments in the digitalization of infrastructure, RDI and development of new technologies;
Market: increase productivity, reduce costs and market demand for more digital technologies/solutions.
Challenges:
Costs of equipment and software (e.g., 3D printing, robots and sensors);
Lack of qualified HR;
Lack of knowledge about new technologies.
The idea that the construction sector does not have the capacity and/or interest in digital transformation does not correspond to reality. There are several technologies under development that are increasingly integrated into companies in the industry - technologies such as BIM or sensors are being used regularly in larger construction projects. However, there are also significant challenges when it comes to micro and small businesses and smaller projects.
