Ever since the Internet of Things blew up from a novel idea into a technology with real market legs somewhere in the early 2010s, it was very clear to everyone that the concept of devices independent, sensor-powered mutually connected through wireless has the potential to completely change the business world.

Now, ten years later, these high hopes are probably the best realized in the construction industry where IoT had the opportunity to grow, develop, and constantly find new applications changing the entire sector for the better.

Let us take a quick look at some of the most important examples to see what we can learn from them.

Wearables and augmented reality

The construction industry is a business sector that requires extraordinary environmental awareness and a good sense of proportion. The latest-gen wearables being fed by the data provided by construction site devices and centralized management systems effectively solve this problem and allow workers to do their job with optimal efficiency. Of course, the best example of this application comes in the front of AR glasses that bring computer-generated objects and data into the physical reality letting the employees get an excellent sense of how their actions affect the overall project and cues what they should do next.

Improved construction site safety

The higher level of environmental awareness produced by the IoT doesn’t affect only the productivity of the construction site workers – it has a tremendous impact on their workplace safety as well. Namely, the latest-gen smart construction equipment is capable of running internal diagnostics. Whenever some issues are noticed they are instantly sent to workers before they blow out of proportion. Also, the connected worksite sensors can warn workers about the various environmental hazards, excessive heat, vicinity to sharp objects and pitfalls, and all other similar threats that can harm them if left unchecked.

Easier integration into an automated workflow

Digital tech is a great equalizer that allows different facets of one company to find a 'mutual language' and a way to work together more efficiently. According to a prominent IoT company in Australia, these different sources of data can be implemented into a shared automated workflow and push productivity even further. So if you are for instance using professional equipment fleet management software, the data you get in the end can be easily combined with worksite stats provided by IoT-powered equipment to optimize worksite activities and reduce waste. The possibilities for performing predictive analytics are limited only by your imagination.

Effortless remote management

The construction industry usually involves a lot of on-the-go decision-making. All these decisions usually require the physical presence of the persons in charge which can, in some cases, unnecessarily drag out the construction works. The rich pools of data provided by the IoT equipment don’t only make this problem completely obsolete – the persons making the vital decisions now have better information than if they were actually physically present at the site. This makes project management fast, simple, effortless and completely location-free which is something to take note of keeping in mind the latest business trends.

Simple resource management and budgeting

Last but not least, we would like to remind you that the efficiency of the entire construction industry heavily relies on effective resource management and budgeting. Even the smallest inventory and supply chain quirks can bring this complex machine to a grinding halt. One of the main perks of using the IoT on construction sites and especially in inventory management comes in the fact that you always know the exact resources you have at your disposal. Running the AI-powered operation models also provides you with an accurate idea of how these resources will be used. All these things make management a breeze.

So, there you have it – top five examples of how the Internet of Things is gradually changing the very core of the construction industry making it faster, leaner, more sustainable, and far more efficient. Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg and the full potential of this technology now still remains to be seen. The most important thing is that all the developments and changes we have noticed so far led the sector in the right direction. And as long as that is the case, every step we make is a step forward.