Innovations in the Construction Industry: Our Four Favorite Examples

Innovations in the Construction Industry: Our Four Favorite Examples

At ECL Software, we are always up to date on the latest construction innovations. While there are many that are exciting, too often these innovations are really only useful in very specific cases. What’s more interesting to us are the innovations that have broader appeal and that could actually change the future of construction. Read on to learn about our four favorite examples.

  1. Concrete that can repair itself
  2. There are many advantages to using concrete, like the fact that we currently have concrete structures that have been standing for 2,000 years. That said, there are big downsides. Namely, the fact that it can begin to crumble after just a few years. This leaves home and business owners with just two options: Patching it or destroying it and starting over. That is, until recently.

    There’s now a product out there that actually has embedded sodium silicate healing agents in it. Whenever a tiny stress crack starts forming, these capsules rupture and actually fill up the areas around them with this healing agent. Another similar product actually uses bacteria, which, when cracks form and moisture gets into the mix, eat the calcium lactate in the mixture and create limestone that naturally fills the cracks.

  3. 3D printers
  4. 3D printers have many applications and when most people think of them, the construction industry isn’t the first thing they think of. That said, they could be the future of the construction industry. How? They could create huge objects via large robots. In short, a 3D printer will eventually be able to print an entire structure. At ECL Software, we can’t help but think about how this will affect construction management in the future.

  5. Innovative software
  6. What used to take days can now take minutes, and what used to require stamps, phone calls, and time can now be transmitted instantly via upgraded software options. At ECL Software we have the fund control software needs covered but there are a variety of other innovative companies helping to improve other aspects of the construction industry.

  7. Update to building modeling options
  8. Building models have long been used to get an idea of how a finished product will come out, but today’s innovations in this field have changed the game completely. One great example is 5D modeling. These models can actually show how changing elements of design, such as square footage, materials, etc., can affect other parts of the appearance, cost, schedule, etc. of the job. In fact, that’s with the 5 refers to – the dimension of cost and schedule.

    Work with a company that can help you streamline your construction process

    At ECL Software, we’re proud of what we’ve done in the past, we’re grateful to have what we consider the best software products on the market, and we’re always looking to the future. These interesting innovations are just some of the examples we’ve seen lately. Keep an eye on us, or give us a call at 800-625-5972, to learn more about how our software can help your construction project.