The Main Challenges of the Construction Industry Right Now

Written by Paulo Nogueira

Published on 11/07/2020 at 00:00

Updated on 11/07/2020 at 17:01

Obras de Construção Civil

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After the construction sector went through a long period of slowdown, it started to regain strength in the market beginning in 2019. According to IBGE, during this period, in the second quarter of 2019, the sector recorded a growth of 2% compared to the previous period.

However, despite being a very positive record for construction companies, the segment is facing consecutive new challenges.

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, for example, caused the sector to abort the growth that was already taking shape.

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Health at Stake

Even in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, activities in the construction sector continue to operate and do not stop during the quarantine period.

As a result, the health of workers and the need for PPE and professionals such as safety technicians and nursing technicians, among others, at work sites have become essential.

According to civil engineer Antônio Galvão: “We do not work in confined spaces. It is totally ventilated. Those over 60 years old are put on leave. If any professional has health issues, they do not work. We ask others to avoid crowds, increase breaks, and divide teams.”

However, on the other hand, Wanderson Leite, CEO of Prospecta Obras, explains the dangers that professionals face: “We do not have exact numbers, but we know that many masons, masonry assistants, and construction foremen are over 50 years old. And they are not worried about this scenario or are not taking the necessary precautions. This could become a widespread problem.”

Problems with Material Delivery in the Construction Sector

Another challenge faced by construction companies is problems with material delivery. Some essential resources for carrying out construction projects, such as aluminum frames, among others, can delay the delivery time for properties and constructions.

After all, the industrial sector also needs to adapt to the reality of Covid-19. Many industries that supply various items to construction companies, such as in the case of membrane keyboards, or even naval industry materials can cause a general delay in activities in the sector during the pandemic.

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This article was written by Rafaela Ricardo, Content Creator at Soluções Industriais.

The Main Challenges of the Construction Industry Right Now

Health at Stake

Problems with Material Delivery in the Construction Sector

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The Main Challenges of the Construction Industry Right Now

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China is building an artificial island in the middle of the sea, covering 20 km², to construct the largest offshore airport in the world, the Dalian Jinzhouwan. This $4.3 billion project is anchored on more than 3,000 pillars embedded in the rock beneath the ocean and is scheduled to open in 2035.

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

A robot named Walter does the work of five bricklayers per hour and can save the construction industry, where the average age of professionals is 46 years and almost no one wants to learn the trade anymore, in the United Kingdom.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

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