Here are some of the impacts of COVID-19 on the AEC industry so far:
- Accelerated new technology adoption
- Changes in communication and collaboration
- New health and safety guidelines
- Shifting workflow procedures
- New building trends
Let’s explore more about the impact of COVID-19 on the AEC industry and how these factors come into play.
Accelerated new technology adoption
Even before COVID-19 emerged, the AEC industry was poised on the brink of a technological revolution. The pandemic provided even more of a push for companies to integrate new technologies to adapt to the world’s new normal. To learn about some of this evolving AEC tech, check out our articles on technological advancements in engineering and the top AEC skills to master in 2021. One exciting example is using virtual reality technology to help visualize job sites and designs without having to be there in person.
AEC companies are also embracing digital transformation and adding new software tools to their workflows.
Changes in communication and collaboration
With a sudden increase in employees working from home, the AEC industry has had to do some quick pivoting to adapt. Before, projects might have been managed with teams gathering in person onsite or in the office. Now, companies are leaning more on remote collaboration tools, especially cloud technology. Pinnacle Series is one example that can help enable better project communication among teams!
New health and safety guidelines
The impact of COVID-19 on the AEC industry includes lessons for the future about handling sickness in the workplace. Health and safety teams will likely carry forward practices like strongly encouraging people to stay home when they’re sick and requiring good personal protection and hygiene on the job. During the pandemic, OSHA developed specific COVID protection guidelines for construction workers on job sites. Projects that didn’t follow guidelines risked being shut down.
Shifting workflow procedures
COVID-19 has brought about lots of significant changes in organizational day-to-day operations and site procedures. Some things that became more popular during the pandemic included using prefabricated building elements instead of assembling all materials onsite, replacing some manual labor with robots and AI, setting up cameras for remote site monitoring instead of in-person visits, and more. Office workers transitioned to working from home, and AEC organizations may be more open to letting employees work remotely full-time or on a hybrid basis in the future.
New building trends
The COVID pandemic has brought a lot of information to light about how viruses spread. Chad Close, the Building Technology Manager for Pinnacle Series, expects more of a focus on airflow design to make sure buildings are properly ventilated and contagion risk is minimized. Some other architecture trends to watch include more outdoor living spaces, new office designs that account for a blend between in-person and remote workers, and a bigger focus on health and sustainability in architectural solutions.
Want to learn how Pinnacle Series can help you adapt to these changes in the AEC industry? Schedule a demo of our flagship AEC e-learning system today, or log in now if you’re a current customer to see our full lineup of training topics.
