Just by holding an online meeting, people are surprised and say, “You’re really making progress!”
「The construction industry is still largely analog". People still say that."
Even though technology has advanced so much in the world at large, it seems to me that the construction industry has barely moved forward. It’s about time we started to feel a sense of urgency about this situation.
Lately, we’ve been holding more and more on-site inspections and internal meetings online, but people in the construction industry are still often surprised by this, saying things like, “You’re really ahead of the curve! That’s amazing!” Do you realize that this is actually a major problem?
In other industries, the shift to online operations is already well underway, and initiatives such as remote work and online meetings are already becoming a thing of the past.
In industries such as real estate, virtual exhibitions utilizing VR technology are beginning to be introduced, and this remarkable technology—which allows people to experience the realism of a room without having to travel—is moving toward practical application.
In that context, a comment like, “Things have really moved forward because we can hold meetings online,” is,It shows just how far behind the times the construction industry is.。
The system adoption rate has still not reached 100 percent.
For the construction industry, tools such as construction management systems and labor management systems are essential. However, even these systems have not achieved 100% adoption.
This is truly terrifying. To put it another way, it’s like trying to go to war with a sword instead of a gun.
Compared to the days when blueprints were drawn by hand, the construction industry today demands a much higher level of precision due to advances in technology. Given these stringent precision requirements, it has become virtually impossible to complete construction projects without implementing such systems.
When I look at this reality, I think it’s strange that the system’s adoption rate isn’t 100%.
"Stubborn veterans" are causing problems
What I'm about to say might make some people very angry. However, I'm prepared to speak my mind despite that.
There’s no doubt that “stubborn veterans” are holding back the construction industry today.
When we try to carry out construction work using new technologies, there are quite a few people who dislike it because they can’t do things the way they want to. What’s more, I feel there really are a lot of people from older generations who, even when young engineers propose highly precise construction methods using new systems, find all sorts of reasons to complain and refuse to go along with them.
To put it bluntly, people like that will be nothing but a burden to the industry in the future. We’re on the verge of an era where construction can be completed by setting just one or two stakes on-site, yet there are still far too many people who insist on setting unnecessary stakes or force workers to perform tasks that are clearly a waste of time.
It’s true that the construction industry as we know it today exists because of them. However,For the construction industry to continue evolving, this has become a hindrance.That's the way it is. It may be frustrating, but it's a fact.
Veteran professionals possess a wealth of skills and experience. To ensure that these skills and experiences are passed on to future generations, we must now flexibly shift toward next-generation construction methods.
If that doesn’t happen, it’s clear that the construction industry will decline. The trend toward system adoption—such as ICT integration—is likely to accelerate even further in the future. Furthermore, young professionals with strong IT skills will increasingly rise to the upper echelons of the construction industry.
Everyone understands that veteran employees possess truly outstanding skills and experience. However, I hope they’ll sometimes set their pride aside and listen to the opinions of younger employees as well.
That is what will lead to the future development of the construction industry.
