With 2016 behind us, the construction industry is turning its attention towards what 2017 will look like. While there’s some skepticism in the industry, there are a few areas where industry leaders and news outlets alike agree. For 2017, here are our top 5 predictions for construction industry trends.
- Government – The most talked-about topic when it comes to construction industry trends for 2017 is the presidential nomination of Donald Trump. During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump proposed $800 billion to $1 trillion in infrastructure spending. While the industry reacted positively to the news, the industry remains cautiously optimistic, but hopeful. If all goes well, the industry may be able to get out of the labor shortage the construction industry is currently facing, which leads us to our second point.
- Labor Shortages – It’s no secret that the industry is experiencing labor shortages. Unfortunately, it seems that this trend may continue through 2017, due to the unavailability of technical schools, an aging workforce, and other factors. If the potential infrastructure spending begins in 2017, it may help firms find and bring on the talent they need. While it’s not a guaranteed solution, it does provide some hope.
- Increased Safety – One contributing factor to the labor shortage has been the fear of injury and death. While there’s no such plan in place to increase safety on a national basis, 2017 could be the year where safety is made the number one priority. Last year, OSHA increased their penalties by 78% in order to make work sites safer. While this is a great step forward for safety, there are cheaper alternatives to keeping your personnel safe. All Strong Man products are designed to keep everyone safe; from the Strong Man Mighty Tarp to our Diamond Mesh Plastic Fencing, we have all your safety needs covered.
- Technology – The latest tech trends will continue to find their place in the construction industry, and for good reason. The use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) allows for some pretty cool breakthroughs. AR will carve its way onto the job site by providing data and visual cues for certain personnel, while VR will find its home amongst architects and key stakeholders for real time collaboration. Also, expect to see more drones buzzing around the skies, too. Drones have been very useful for surveying construction sites and monitoring worker progress.
- Modular Construction – While not new, offsite construction is expected to see a boost in 2017. The reason for the growth includes rising material costs, time constraints and the pre-mentioned labor shortage, forcing firms to search for alternative methods. Modular construction also yields better quality control since weather isn’t an issue. The Modular Building Institute estimates that modular construction holds about 3% market share of new construction and expects it to grow to 5% by 2020.
All in all, the construction industry may see some changes in 2017. The alleged infrastructure boost may help bring more growth to the industry. Labor shortages could be solved with the infrastructure boost, but there’s no guarantee, unfortunately. 2017 could also be the year of increased safety and it can start with us. If you need help, please ask. Technology will continue to help the industry grow and expand to new levels, and modular construction is predicted to keep growing. We look forward to what 2017 brings and we wish you a safe and prosperous year!