WHICH TRENDS WILL DEFINE CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING IN 2024 AND 2025?

From materials science to robots and exoskeletons, innovations aim to transform the building, construction and infrastructure sectors in 2024. Count on leading firms to adopt new technologies to improve safety, sustainability and productivity. Let’s talk top trends on the horizon.

Smarter Design

Generating concept designs through algorithms and computational tools will gain traction, allowing architects and engineers to rapidly iterate models to optimize everything from Views and lighting to acoustics, structural integrity and energy efficiency. The upfront design process will grow more automated.

Advanced Materials

Newer sustainable construction materials will reach adoption at scale, including high-performance steel alloys, low carbon concrete alternatives, transparent wood panels and composites. Expect broader use of recycled plastics as well as building products grown through mycelium. Integration of phase change materials for thermal storage will also expand.

3D/4D Printing

Large-scale 3D printing of buildings and infrastructure will move beyond conceptual demonstrations to real-world deployment. On-site automated construction of housing and creation of resilient concrete structures in disaster response scenarios will lead applications. Mainstreaming of 3D-printed modular building components is also on the horizon.

Robotics and Automation

The commercial debut of semi-automated bricklaying robots and rebar-tying machines on job sites will begin displacing some manual tasks, while also addressing skilled construction labor shortages. Safety-enhancing suits combining exoskeletons with augmented reality will drive productivity gains. Drone use will grow exponentially.

IoT Integration

Internet of Things (IoT) sensor networks will get embedded into buildings and infrastructure, allowing for remote real-time monitoring and data-optimized functionality. From Royal concrete maturity tracking to corrosion detection in bridges, IoT promises to boost construction quality and prevent failures.

Sustainability Metrics

Use of lifecycle assessment tools and environmental product declarations will scale up, as clients and local codes demand detailed measurement of embodied carbon associated with building materials across manufacturing, transport and disposal. The drive toward reduced emissions, waste and energy use will accelerate.