You may have been surprised by the imposing images of the longest bridge built over the sea in China, which will link the cities of Hong Kong with Macau and which is 55 kilometers long and 400,000 tons of steel. Or perhaps you have been struck by the futuristic headquarters of Apple, a complex in the shape of a ring or a flying saucer, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, in California.
All these architectural wonders have been achieved thanks to innovations in construction , which include everything from new materials to equipment that optimizes work in terms of time and costs. The good news is that this technology is also being applied in housing construction and Colombia is no stranger to trends in the world of construction.
Here we mention what are the trends in this matter worldwide for the coming years:
- Use of drones. Although for many they are seen as toys, in the construction sector these technological devices are being used to inspect areas that are difficult to access or are too large, optimizing the time and personnel required to carry out the tasks. In addition, drones have the ability to save specific data, which is then processed by applications.
- 3d printers. When this technology was born it was used to make basic models, but today it can be used to build parts of buildings. The Contour Crafting project, led by Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis of the University of Southern California (USA), aims to revolutionize the construction sector with its colossal 3D printer capable of building an entire house two floors in one day. Over time, the use of this technology could even replace the use of brick.
- Green or sustainable constructions. They are those responsible with the environment, make proper use of resources, and focus on minimizing the impact caused by pollution. Some examples in this field are bioclimatic buildings, focused on optimizing the use of energy through the adaptation of buildings to the climatic conditions of their surroundings. Cristina Gamboa, executive director of the Colombian Council for Sustainable Construction (CCCS), affirms that with this type of building, energy consumption is reduced by 50 percent and water consumption by 40 percent; there is less generation of greenhouse gas emissions and the generation of debris in its construction is minimal, and in addition the projection of reuse of materials is 70 percent.
- Design: Now it is the comforts and efficiency of the home that will determine the design, which must adapt to the natural environment. Vegetation, green and wide spaces, and contact with the outside, are increasingly important in new housing projects .
- Security and technology. Perhaps the old security cameras are in the past, because now houses can be controlled from a mobile phone. Some projects offer an App, in such a way that from security to a detail as simple as turning on a light, they will be at your fingertips and whenever you want.
- Energy efficiency. Construction is currently focusing on this item. Energy savings are being achieved through insulation and cooling of the house, with thermal bridge windows, and a better choice of materials to make houses cooler or warmer in places where temperatures are low. There are also buildings that use renewable energy such as solar panels or biogas.
- Dry construction . It refers to a faster and cleaner construction than the traditional one, in which materials such as plasterboard, wood, metal panels or glass are used that can be incorporated directly into the structure by gluing or nailing them, making everything be faster and cheaper. Another widely used technique is steel framing, which is a framework of steel profiles that is installed on the foundations, although with the advantage that weight loads are much lower.
