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NEWS: Circular solutions are vital to curb enviro harm from cement and concrete

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Demand for cement and concrete is set to grow, especially in developing countries to improve infrastructure and living standards. Experts say that solutions reigning in the sector’s environmental footprint are vital, especially curbing greenhouse gas emissions that could absorb a major chunk of our remaining carbon budget. A hardhatNEWS article highlights the detrimental environmental impact of cement and concrete production on climate change, human health, and biodiversity. Cement manufacturing, particularly, contributes significantly to global carbon emissions due to the high energy consumption and chemical processes involved. The growing demand for cement and concrete, especially in developing countries, further exacerbates these challenges. The article emphasizes the urgent need for circular solutions to address the environmental threats posed by the cement and concrete supply chain. Experts suggest a combination of technological advancements, material changes, improved resource ef
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NEWS: Workers give construction’s slow tech adoption a thumbs down

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Industries like supply chain management and healthcare are benefiting from the perception of technological proficiency, while construction is viewed as “the least technologically competent” by workers, according to a new study.

Proficiency is not the only facet of tech that matters to workers — they also see comparative adoption rates as integral to their career mobility, particularly for younger professionals. 

When asked, “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement: The way my industry views adopting new technology is a barrier to my career advancement,” 50% of workers under 25 in all industries said they either agreed or strongly agreed. This compared to just 30% of workers 25 and older.

In addition to adoption and proficiency, workers also want better training — many in the survey expressed frustration with the state of instruction at their companies. Only 20% of survey participants said their IT departments trained them, and 4% said that responsibility fell to their human resources department. A majority said they were self-taught or relied on informal instruction through their peers or online services.

Construction was ranked the least technologically competent among surveyed industries
A rank of professions by their perception of tech adoption. Construction is ranked the lowest.
Yooz 2023 Technology in the Workplace survey​​​​
 
The report advocates for industries to adopt more cutting-edge technology. Participants noted technologies such as cloud computing, automation and Internet-of-Things as field-changing. The clear winner, however, was artificial intelligence, with almost a quarter of participants saying it would have the most significant impact on their industries, should it be adopted.

Laurent Charpentier, Yooz’s CEO, said in the report that tech needs to be embraced, particularly by less-familiar businesses. Charpentier also warned that companies who ignore new solutions may eventually drive away younger applicants.

“Companies that fail to invest in workplace technology or provide training risk losing young talent to competitors that are more forward-thinking and committed to innovation,” Charpentier said in the report.

A changing industry

While ranking construction among other industries shows it has a lot of catching up to do, the sector is making steps toward tech proficiency. 

AI-based firms are raising millions — Tel Aviv-based safety technology firm SafeGuard raised an $8 million Series A funding round in April. Miami, Florida-based software firm Togal.AI raised $5 million in March, and added OpenAI’s ChatGPT service to its program.

Togal.AI’s CEO, Patrick Murphy, who also runs Coastal Construction, said that the influx of new programs will change the business landscape in the sector.

“The world, I think, was just hit with a massive release of technology. GPT, Google Bard and all of this generative AI that’s coming out, it’s going to transform the economy. And I think construction has as much room to grow and change and adopt as every industry out there,” Murphy told Construction Dive.

The source for this hardhatNEWS article is Construction Dive

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