Construction 4.0 and its potential impact on people working in the construction industry

Abstract

Construction 4.0 is bringing change to the industry through digitisation and technological innovation. Such change deliberately impacts ‘traditional’ ways of working, as it actively seeks to disrupt the norm and so enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of construction project delivery. Yet technology is not neutral; it brings with it an autonomy and an amorality that is potentially a cause for concern. The authors used Ellul’s theory of technique, as associated with technology, to unpack Construction 4.0 from critical perspectives and explore the potential it has to bring social and ethical challenges to the industry and specifically its people. For example, trade workers may become usurped by technologies that automate their work, while professionals may find their roles within the design, engineering and construction processes become more heavily influenced and shaped by the technologies themselves. Indeed, the role of the ‘technology owner’ may become more powerful than any traditional profession in the future as they become dominant actors within the construction industry space. This paper aims to stimulate discussion and debate in this area and encourage the development of a more critical voice to supplement the technocratic optimism that currently surrounds Construction 4.0.

Distilling agency in BIM-induced change in work practices

“…This analysis fits into the current theoretically-founded BIM discourse (Akintola et al, 2017(Akintola et al, , 2019Çıdık et al, 2017;Dainty et al, 2017;Papadonikolaki et al, 2019;Poirier et al, 2017;Sherratt et al, 2020). The data substantiates the subtle technology push through BIM tool developers as suggested in the literature, demonstrating the power that the construction industry seems to have handed to them, without intending to do so.…”

“…The critical gap is, first, one of a theoretical nature the need for nuance in the existing and emerging explanations of the diverse forms of change the industry is experiencing. This is also evident, for instance, in the recent BIM literature (Akintola et al , 2017, 2020; Çıdık et al , 2017; Dainty et al , 2017; Fox, 2014; Papadonikolaki and Wamelink, 2017; Sherratt et al , 2020). It is with this ongoing theoretical discourse that we have sought to engage.…”

“…Information, Process, Management the questions raised bySherratt et al (2020), confirming the subtle power unintentionally bestowed on BIM authoring/management tool developers, which could amount to influence to drive change more than that wielded by the construction industry professionals. While their influence is largely beneficial as can be seen in construction projects, could their influence also have an insidious dimension?This paper thus presents a different perspective to the understanding of the oft repeatedclaim -'BIM changes work practices' or that 'BIM requires changing work practices'.…”

“…Importantly, Sherratt et al (2020), in their paper, examined the potential impact of Construction 4.0 on construction industry professionals – and leading on from the works of Dainty et al (2017), Azzouz and Papadonikolaki (2020) and Akintola et al (2017) – inter alia suggested that professionals may find that their roles in the industry are more heavily influenced and shaped by technologies and that the role of the “technology owner” – BIM authoring/management tool developers – may become more powerful than the traditional professions. This is an important point and pivotal to the conceptualization of this study.…”

Guest editorial

“…Van Ark's (2016) analysis also highlights that Industry 4.0 has the potential to create negative impacts, a point that is often neglected (also in this special issue) but increasingly considered (see, e.g. Sherratt, 2020, and;Sherratt et al, 2020). Perhaps in the "installation phase" (Van Ark, 2016) of Industry 4.0, there is the push to find positive outcomes from adopting new technologies, so that incumbents can be persuaded to invest and deploy.…”