‘ As infrastructure programmes ramp up around the world , the need for consulting advice , technological expertise and dispute resolution is only going to grow ’
progress leaps and bounds when it comes to technology adoption over the last two decades , Hunt still acknowledges that the sector can be “ a bit of a laggard ” when it comes to implementation . “ One of the key trends I ’ ve seen over the last 15 years or so is the improvement in the use of technology in the construction industry ,” he says . “ Yes , the industry has been a bit of a laggard , but that is a result of such low margins , which dictate that spending on R & D and technology research isn ’ t as high as it is in other sectors . “ When I look back to 2000 , the analysis software that was designed to define why and where projects went wrong was very limited , clunky and only used by a certain number of professionals or firms . But the investment in programming and planning tools and software means what is being used onsite has come on leaps and bounds . The ability to manage time on a project has improved significantly – that is driving the control of projects now , as opposed to 15 years ago when money was the main lever of projects .” Perhaps surprisingly , Hunt says another trend shaping the construction industry today is globalisation , with a number of countries from the Far East making a play for significant projects in Europe and further afield . “ The push from Chinese and Korean contractors on a global scale is something that we ’ re seeing in abundance ; the Koreans getting involved in some major UK projects , and the Chinese looking to do the same . If you look at where the activity globally is going to be by 2030 , I think about two thirds will be
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