The Swiss construction industry in the digital transformation

The dawn of the digital age

Digitalisation has also reached the Swiss construction industry for some time - but only hesitantly, as recent studies show. The construction industry is facing a paradigm shift, because in the future, it is not necessarily low prices that will be decisive for success, but internal increases in effectiveness and efficiency, especially through digitization. In order to survive in the future, construction companies must differentiate themselves from their competitors through holistic approaches, sustainability and digitalization.

The upheaval is underway, with more and more technologies and tools already being used in the construction industry. But new technologies and innovation alone do not add value; it takes people to help drive them. To drive innovation through digitalization, it must penetrate all areas of the business. So what is needed are not only supportive leadership models, but also new digital solutions that involve all employees along the entire value chain.

BIM - The digitalization of the construction industry

In the construction industry, digitalization is often equated with Building Information Management (BIM). BIM is a method of collaborative planning, execution and management of buildings using software solutions. It digitally maps the entire life cycle of a building. This "digital twin", as it is often called, assumes the function of a central, multidimensional data model that is available to all parties involved at all times. On the one hand, the digital model documents the current status of the project and, on the other hand, can simulate the further development of the building with all its functionalities. In addition to the spatial dimensions (3D), the model can be supplemented with further dimensions such as time (4D), costs (5D) and operational information (6D). Thus, the multidimensional data model BIM includes not only information on the construction itself, but also on time and cost planning as well as on the operation and maintenance of the building.

With the help of digital information available on a central platform, the construction process is documented from the planning stage through the construction itself to the operation of the building with possible additions, conversions and deconstruction projects. This digital twin of the real building supports the construction project by making the information available centrally and easily accessible. In addition, the early inclusion of the parties involved promotes cooperation and reduces the coordination effort. Thanks to virtual progress tracking and the possibility of simulating the construction in advance, problems are identified at an early stage. Consequently, planning reliability increases and efficient handling of the construction process is guaranteed. Linking the digital model with operating data also increases the traceability of maintenance and repair measures.

So much for the theoretical definition... but there is still a lack of implementation. Today, only about 40% of the digitalization potential in the construction and ancillary construction industry (according to the Digital Scorecard of Industry 4.0) has been exhausted.

Mobile Workforce - We bring digitalization to your construction site

The more information that feeds the digital twin, the more useful it becomes. Consequently, existing databases, ERP and CRM systems, and planning and collaboration platforms are important components of the BIM ecosystem. Only with the seamless integration of these systems can the potential of digitalization be exploited. Another crucial factor is the employees. They are the heart of the company and form the foundation for economic success. However, it remains a challenge to adequately integrate mostly mobile employees. Whether on the construction site, in logistics or in building maintenance at the front, simple, practical mobile solutions are required. In order for the paradigm shift to take place consistently, even in a heterogeneous environment such as the construction industry, all employees must jump on the digitalization bandwagon.

With our expertise in the areas of collaboration, integration, development, ICT consulting and project management, Linkyard accompanies you through all stages of digitalisation, starting with interactive customer portals and process controls, through classic automation and system integration, to the processing and analysis of real-time data and the application of machine learning. We are also happy to assist with the introduction of new management systems with OKR.

Linkyard also specialises in technically demanding integrations and customers with particularly high information security and data protection requirements. Linkyard's information security management system is certified according to ISO/IEC 27001:2013. With this set of experience and know-how, we bring digitalization to your construction site.