Industry Talk: Talent and green technology top industry’s 2021 wish-list
Kez Taylor, CEO of ALEC
“While the pandemic has clearly caused many industries around the world to change tack, the prevailing construction trends are ultimately ones that were long overdue prior to the challenges of 2020. Today, we stand in a unique position to transform our industry into a healthy ecosystem, where all stakeholders are able to succeed by utilising the latest technology and a collaborative approach.
At ALEC, the use of the latest design software has meant that potential issues are flagged in the early stages of a project, resulting in a significant saving of time, cost and resources in later stages.
From a high-level approach, ALEC believes that consolidating ideas and resources is a far more effective approach to R&D, not only helping to spread initial investment risk, but to ensure the input of as many industry specialists as possible. In partnering with like-minded organizations, leading consultancies, tech companies, start-ups, universities and supply chains, great leaps can be made that help to change entire processes on site.
A great example of this being the collaboration between ALEC and Hilti, which yielded the region’s first autonomous drilling robot. Since its implementation, site teams have reported significant improvements in productivity thanks to the robot’s ability to follow digital plans, while alleviating site teams from the strenuous work of overhead drilling, allowing them to upskill and operate the robot itself.
In addition to collaborating on innovative new ideas and products, a fundamental increase in communication between stakeholders will greatly improve project processes and delivery. In overhauling the existing model of fragmentation from planning to delivery, ALEC is in the process of creating a new platform that involves all key stakeholders from the very beginning of a project. Not only does this allow for any potential issues to be flagged at the earliest opportunity, but it also promotes a collective approach towards project delivery as opposed to each party working as sole agents.
The utilisation of green technologies will be a crucial factor towards ensuring the sustainable development and progress of the construction industry. Manufacturers, building contractors and property developers must make environmentally conscious decisions at each level of the supply chain to meet demand, while promoting a greater interest in clean energies and resources. Under this category, ALEC has identified the use of renewable energy, environmentally sustainable materials, and the sustainable management of waste as top priorities.
While there is much to be done in terms of improving overall standards, the UAE is extremely well positioned in terms of its ability to effectively collaborate, while using its resources responsibly in order to improve the overall state of the industry. With so many extraordinary projects still in the pipeline, there is no reason why the UAE cannot implement these changes to become a role model for industrial efficiency while ensuring that its existing reputation for technological integration is just as equally associated with its built environment.
