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Building tomorrow: innovating construction with AI and the cloud
Eva de Vries
Central Marketing Operations Lead
The global construction industry is at an inflection point. Among rising costs, labor shortages, and increasing demands for sustainability, firms are urgently seeking new paradigms for efficiency and innovation.
Inevitably, they’re turning to cutting-edge technology to find them. A recent survey has found 70% of responding firms are planning on piloting or adopting some digital workflows and processes. It also revealed that 50% of firms think software tools will help simplify and automate processes, improve tracking and increase project visibility.
That means that technologies such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence are no longer optional upgrades – they’re essential drivers for modernizing operations, optimizing complex projects, and fostering a truly data-driven approach to building the future.
Data as the new foundation for construction
Historically, construction has grappled with fragmented data, siloed information, and reactive decision-making. However, a powerful trend is emerging: the recognition that unified, accessible data is the bedrock for competitive advantage.
“In the construction industry, successful digital transformation requires artfully integrating and leveraging data, technologies, and solutions to shift with trends, strengthen competitive edge, increase resiliency, and improve operational efficiencies,” says a new Microsoft eBook.
As part of this shift, a growing number of industry leaders are now relying on cloud platforms to centralize vast amounts of project data – from design specifications and material logistics to on-site progress and environmental impact. This is fundamentally changing how projects are planned, executed, and managed, unlocking unprecedented levels of transparency and control.
Van Wijnen’s inspiring initiatives
Among the pioneers of digital transformation in the construction sector is Van Wijnen, a Dutch construction company operating primarily in the housing market.
Currently a hugely problematic sector, Dutch housing is grappling with a shortage of more than 400,000 homes and unaffordable prices – leaving thousands of people unable to get their foot on the housing ladder.
To help tackle this issue, the company has decided to do something truly original and unprecedented: build a factory where robots make customized houses. Sitting on a strip of land between two canals in the town of Heerenveen, the factory has the potential to eventually produce 4,000 homes per year. All powered by Microsoft technology.
“The technology that powers the production line runs on the Azure Cloud Computing platform and business processes are supported by the Microsoft Dynamics 365 platform,” Richard Werners, Enterprise Architect at Van Wijnen recently told us. “Cloud technology provides the scalability and computing power we need to validate all the designs and generate data to drive the production process.
“There are almost two million rules to check that everything fits together. It can take up to two days to validate everything.”
By strategically migrating their core operations to the cloud, Van Wijnen has not only streamlined their data management and enhanced project efficiency, but also laid the essential groundwork for future AI-driven initiatives. Demonstrating that cloud technology and data-led initiatives can be a true defining factor for companies in the construction industry – in the Netherlands and far beyond.
Dive deeper into how Van Wijnen leveraged Azure Cloud to drive innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in construction. Read the full story.
Read our eBook on using data and AI in construction
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