7207ENG Advanced Topics: Digital Gap in Australian Construction Review

This report reviews the 'Addressing the Digital Gap in the Australian Construction Industry' lecture. It discusses the increasing importance of digitization in the construction industry, highlighting the benefits of using technologies like CAD and BIM for improved efficiency, risk mitigation, and project lifecycle management. The review identifies current applications and practices, such as electronic tendering and smart building site logistics, while also addressing the barriers to widespread digitization, including project complexity, adoption time, and the need for skilled workers. The report suggests avenues for research, such as using Rhumbix for modernizing operations and improving data acquisition. It concludes with recommendations for implementing digitization to enhance construction technologies and overall industry performance. Desklib offers a wide range of solved assignments and past papers to aid students in their academic endeavors.

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REVIEW OF
‘ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL GAP IN THE
AUSTRALIAN GAP IN AUSTRALIAN
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY’.
1. Introduction
1.1. Overview of the topic
The construction is booming and with the increasing
population and increasing urbanization requiring new
offices and homes to be constructed, there is no signs
shown by the construction industry. Most of the
construction industries in Australia are striving very
hard to come up with new operational methods and
tools in order to increase the efficiency of activities
taking place in the construction industry. Digitization
of construction industries is helpful and a large
number of players in the construction industry today
recognize how digitization is affecting every activity
in the construction industry. Digitization of the
construction meaningfully assist in mitigating the risk
and enhancing bankability of infrastructure projects
beside improving their viability and asset lifecycle.
Digitization offers players in the construction
industry means of improving their productivity and
they have certain benefits which include;
2. The current applications
and practices
The construction, architectural, engineering and
manufacturing also make use of Computer Aided
Design (CAD) which is a technological tool that uses
computer to aid creation, adjustment, simulation and
optimization of a design and it has various benefits
such as speeding up the design cycle, keeping the
costs on track, faster acquisition of goods from the
market and ensuring accuracy is attained at the
highest level (Chua, 2016, p. 441).
The Australian construction industry also
makes use of Building Information Modelling (BIM)
which is a set of technologies, procedures, and
guidelines that together compose a new method of
managing the building design and project data in a
digital way throughout a building lifecycle. These
particular models consist of numerous dimensions of
project information and they include 3D, 4D, and 5D.
Assessment of the building constructability before
carrying out the project is done with the help of 3D.
The visualization of the building model over time
through simulation of the building process is done by
4D while the estimation of the budget with a high
level of detail is done by the help of 5D (Andia,
2014, p. 329).
3. Opportunity
Since, digitization of construction is changing the
manner in which contractors, subcontractors and
engineers approach building design, construction and
operation, they will continue using it (Milton, 2011,
p. 54).
4. Benefits of digitization of
construction
Digitization of construction industries is helpful and a
most people in the construction industry today
recognize how digitization is affecting every activity
in the construction industry (Whyte, 2014, p. 63).
Digitization of the construction significantly reduce
risks associated with construction and the following
are benefits of digitization of construction.
i. Electronic tendering is becoming standard
such that calls for tender are already
circulated electronically in public
construction projects. Digitization has added
advantage that electronic calls for tenders
reduce cost while increasing efficiency.
ii. Digital procurement platforms save time and
money since electronic procurement allows
savings (Duncan, 2012, p. 543).
iii. Smart building site logistics such that digital
technology in construction ensures that
materials are delivered to the site in time and
optimization on the capacity utilization of
workers, as well as construction vehicles, is
achieved as a result of smartly connected
construction machinery (Felix, 2008, p.
208).
5. Barriers to the widespread of
digitization
Digitization of construction industries is helpful and a
large number of players in the construction industry
today recognize how digitization is affecting every
activity in the construction industry. Digitization

offers players in the construction industry means of
improving their productivity (Boothroyd, 2010)
There are certain digital gaps existing in the
Australian construction industry and sometimes they
may come as a result certain challenges hindering the
digitization in the construction industry in Australia
from operating fully and they include;
 The complexity of the project needs to be
addressed since it creates a gap making it
difficult for digitalizing construction in
Australia to facilitate
 The period of adopting digitalize
construction takes a long period of time
thus there is need of looking into this to
shorten the period of time taken thus
enhancing construction process (Dunn,
2012, p. 127).
 The skilled workers needed to perform the
construction operation to close the gap
existing in the digitizing Australian
construction industry.
6. Avenue of research
There are certain ways in which the gap existing in
digitization of construction can be tackled and these
ways include;
 The use of rhumbix in construction field
helps in modernizing operations in the
building site, helping builders go paperless
in the field and improving the way of
measuring and managing labor productivity.
 Acquisition of data such that in a
construction industry, there is a need of
digitizing field data since it saves time as
compared with manual data entry.
 Enhancing the quality of data and creation
of a granular set of data increases the rate of
construction.
7. Conclusion and
Recommendations
There is need of implementing digitization in every
construction work being taken since there are
numerous benefits that will be realized for example;
there will be introduction of new construction
technologies that will enhance construction
efficiency. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is
also used by construction industry which is a set of
technologies, procedures, and guidelines that together
compose a new method of managing the building
design and project data in a digital way throughout a
building lifecycle There are certain improvements
that are required when digitizing construction such a;
Educating people on the need of importance of
digitizing the construction and also ways in which the
construction can be digitized to achieve a better
construction results.
R References

Chua, C. K. (2016). 3D printing and additive manufacturing. OLMA Media Group.
Duncan, I. (2012). Digitalized construction in Australian industries. China Publishing Company.
Dunn, N. (2012). Digital fabrication in architecture. Informa.
Felix, T. (2008). Global information technologies. Sanoma.
Milton, H. (2011). Metrication in building design, production, and construction. Wiley.
Whyte, A. (2014). Integrated design and cost management for civil engineers. HarperCollins.