Creating standardised data or the means of standardising existing data across the planning process will enable us to automate those elements which are machine-readable (eg to assess whether standard information supplied by the architect/designer is complete and compliant), and then transparent decision-making by planners.
In other words, we create a virtuous circle of benefit.. What is the future of the construction industry?.Ultimately, we suspect that over time buildings will become flexible configurations of components, rather than large, fixed assets.
We may end up creating loose-fit superstructures.The superstructure contains the majority of the embodied carbon in a building.We could design these for a 100-year total life span, while the use of standardised components would make an interior refit possible every five to ten years.
In its initial configuration a building might function as an office block, but components could be taken out and the building changed into a residential building or school.At the end of its life, the various standardised components would be recycled, reused or redeployed, creating a circular economy.
As the Internet of Things evolves and built assets become smarter, gathering increasing amounts of data, they could become self-optimising, intelligent buildings – recognising the need for a change in air or lighting levels.
Ultimately, this type of data would then feed back into the design process itself, creating an open-ended process of continual improvement, and contributing to the next generation of components.. Our sustainable future.We put a tremendous amount of effort into component design because we know we’ll be using those same components again and again.
Every gram of material you take out of the manufacturing process, out of each assembly process, has a massive multiplier effect in terms of material reduction.This is an important part of sustainable design.
These processes then become highly repeatable, enabling greater levels of automation in construction.We can turn to techniques such as robotic welding to make the parts, for example, and use popular distribution warehousing equipment on site.