AI has the potential to revolutionise UK construction at a time when the sector faces significant challenges. Sarah Addezio, senior innovation partner at Digital Catapult, discusses the BridgeAI programme, which is helping the industry to embrace innovation and accelerate adoption
The UK’s construction output is set to reach almost £200bn by 2028, driven by the sector’s role in strengthening the country’s infrastructure and availability of affordable housing. One of the key enablers in achieving this growth will be the successful adoption and integration of deep tech innovation including artificial intelligence (AI), modernising a traditional sector and enhancing productivity.
At Digital Catapult, we recognise that deep tech innovation will not only drive the UK’s industrial strategy but also deliver benefits across other sectors too, as the industrial landscape reaps the rewards of AI-powered innovation.
Embracing innovation
The construction sector has experienced a productivity slump in recent years, prompting the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to set the challenge of closing the productivity gap between construction and rest of the UK economy by 2035.
The CLC makes the case that doing so would generate an additional £45bn of added value each year for the wider economy, which is the equivalent of 2% of GDP. However, untapped economic potential in the sector is exacerbated by an overreliance on traditional construction methods too.
The Institution of Structural Engineers, for example, has highlighted that perceived challenges associated with Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) can deter stakeholders from moving away from traditional approaches.
As a result, the industry remains overly dependent on traditional methods, deepening the sector’s skills shortage and stifling its growth, while overlooking the opportunity to explore how deep tech could overcome these obstacles.
A government-commissioned review revealed a significant shortage of bricklayers, with the workforce having declined by 20% since the 2008 financial crisis.
This shortage has been worsened by the industry’s ongoing reliance on traditional bricklaying methods, undermining the government’s target to build 1.5m homes over the next five years and delaying vital construction projects.
These challenges underscore the need for innovation and intervention, and this is where AI will play an important role in transforming the sector on several fronts, including material sourcing and supply chain resilience.
Modernising material sourcing and supply chains through AI integration
With pressure to decarbonise operations and adopt more sustainable materials, AI is transforming the construction sector by identifying materials and resources that outperform traditional options.
In materials science, for example, AI can accelerate the development of advanced, sustainable materials, addressing the weaknesses of conventional ones such as concrete and timber. These materials are vulnerable to cracking, rusting, and combustion, while concrete alone accounts for approximately 8% of global carbon emissions due to its production process.
By deploying AI solutions, construction companies can leverage predictive analytics and machine learning models to identify sustainable and resilient materials, unlocking both environmental and efficiency gains across the sector.
AI-powered innovation also has the potential to transform and strengthen industrial supply chain resilience by providing building and project managers with full oversight of the supply chain and enabling them to anticipate and mitigate disruptions.
Predictive analytics and demand forecasting allow construction companies to allocate resources more efficiently, select more sustainable options and better manage the supply of materials, talent and equipment.
AI tools can potentially analyse large datasets at speed across the entire value chain and predict demand fluctuations, shortfalls and disruptions, meaning that businesses can make more environmentally responsible decisions while minimising risks. This ensures construction targets are met while enhancing overall supply chain resilience.
With 79% of senior decision-makers in large UK construction firms anticipating significant change driven by AI, Digital Catapult is helping industry partners understand the challenges and opportunities and prepare themselves by supporting them to embrace innovation and accelerate adoption through initiatives such as the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme.
Bolstering construction resilience with BridgeAI
To support the UK construction industry, Digital Catapult is delivering the fourth High Growth AI Accelerator programme, specifically designed to address pressing challenges in the sector.
Partnering with leading industry organisations such as Foster + Partners, Versarien and Buro Happold, the programme is fostering collaboration between AI innovators and established construction partners to drive the development and adoption of innovative AI solutions that are tailored to real-world industry needs.
In collaboration with Foster + Partners, the programme will explore how AI can enhance compliance and collaboration in architecture, engineering and construction through improved data tracking and automated architectural drawings, reducing manual data entry, minimising errors and ensuring regulatory compliance.
With Versarien, the focus will be on leveraging AI for advanced 3D construction printing, streamlining design processes and improving material durability to enhance construction efficiency.
Meanwhile, Buro Happold is working with Digital Catapult to develop AI-driven solutions that enhance digital design interoperability and integrate manufacturing insights into early-stage project planning, improving collaboration across disciplines, reducing design inefficiencies and enabling smarter, more cost-effective decision-making.
AI has the potential to revolutionise the UK construction industry, driving productivity, resilience and sustainability at a time when the sector faces significant challenges.
By embracing AI-powered solutions, businesses can modernise traditional practices, optimise resource management and improve project efficiency, helping to meet the UK’s ambitious construction targets.
Any innovator or industry leader looking to explore how AI can enhance your construction projects, can register their interest in the Innovate UK BridgeAI Programme here.
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