Don’t risk being left behind!! Use technology to make your construction company greener today!

It’s no secret that Australia is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gas (GHS) per capita globally. 

With a quarter of those emissions spanning from the construction industry, Australian consumers are now prioritising a product or service based on a company’s environmental strategy.

This shift in societal values for environmentally sustainable practices has driven construction companies to think more green. 

Although going green puts your company in a powerful position to drive ecological change, implementing green practices can feel like an uphill battle for most companies. It can be difficult to discern where to start. 

From driving waste reduction solutions to sourcing environmentally preferable building materials, it’s a minefield of decisions.

A simple solution and the first step to going green is to embrace technology. 

So, what can construction companies do to go green?

Get in the cloud with cloud-based technology.

Paper generation and management have an immense effect on the environment through deforestation and pollution. 

The benefits of paperless practices have been recognised across industries. Going paperless has a positive impact on the environment and can improve cost-saving, energy use, and workforce management.

 The removal of paper in your business stops the requirement of purchasing paper supplies, storage in the office, and searching for documents manually. 

Through the use of cloud-based technologies, it has never been easier to go paperless. Cloud-based technology enables you to access, store and use your programs over the internet. 

The software infrastructure of cloud computing means that all data is stored remotely by the provider. The removal of server rooms removes the need to run expensive server rooms across individual businesses saving real estate space and energy consumption. 

Additionally, working via the internet enables employees to collaborate from any chosen device or location. 

Cloud storage allows employees to collaborate on a single file making remote working a feasible solution. 

The ability to work from home, even one or two days a week, reduces the impact of daily cars on the road, fossil fuel consumption and energy use. 

Whilst these standards apply to all industries, the construction industry lags well behind other sectors. 

2. Internet of Things (loT)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of physical objects (devices) interconnected via the internet. 

These devices use sensors and mini-computer processors to exchange data with other devices creating a network of information. The analysis of information supplied by IoT enables project sites to monitor energy usage, machinery movement, track real-time data, increase safety and ultimately work smarter. 

Risk in construction is a huge consideration for businesses. Machines need to be working at 100% capacity but need to be doing so safely. 

The IoT is offering innovative solutions to reduce risks on worksites. It helps create awareness of dangerous environments. Using the IoT, you can create alerts to hazardous environments using digital real-time site maps notifying workers of hazards. 

The alerts alert ground workers and inform machinery operators of pedestrians on the ground whilst operating heavy machinery. Equipping construction machinery with smart sensors ensures the equipment is controlled with precision and can remove workers from dangerous tasks. 

Via the continual collection of real-time data, construction firms can track their inventory on their laptop, smartphone or tablet, meaning less waste.

The wealth of data and efficiency provided by IoT is making construction firms work more innovatively and greener. Resources can operate at 100% capacity but with less wasted movement, which means productivity can remain high whilst minimising unnecessary movement and emissions. 

Small reductions and optimisations in this space mean that companies can achieve more whilst wasting less.

3. Big Data Analytics

Harnessing big data provides various advantages to businesses by illustrating correlations, market trends, customer preferences and other helpful information. 

Gathering data from buildings, computers, machines, sensors, and people all make up big data. Construction software can now allow for holistic project management. Construction firms can use this data to make informed decisions about a building’s design. 

Using the records of everything that has ever been built and tracked from weather predictions, traffic management and community planning, you’re able to make more informed decisions that lead to increased productivity and less wastage. 

Managers can improve overall job site productivity by monitoring the performance of equipment, location of people and usage of materials. Drawing practical conclusions from data improves the sustainability and efficiency of a construction site. 

This data can also be used for online marketing to understand environmental concerns. You can showcase how your construction process reduces unnecessary waste and cost, making your business more appealing to your customers. 

So, why green?

Going green offers opportunities to streamline operations, improve operating costs and create an environmentally sound company image. The use of technology offers beneficial strategies for going green. Thrive can identify smart moves to expand how you do business and reduce your ecological impact, contact our team today and let’s find ways to make your business more environmentally sustainable, profitable and efficient, without adding extra resources.