Concerns about the competitiveness of Korea's construction industry are nothing new. The 'Global Competitiveness of the Construction Industry' ranking published each year by the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has declined for two consecutive years, falling out of the top 10 for the first time last year. Overseas construction orders have also steadily decreased since hitting a record high of USD 71.6 billion in 2010. The construction industry's concern is that this decline in competitiveness may become prolonged. In the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's (hereafter MOLIT) '2018 Construction Industry Innovation Plan' announced last year, it was diagnosed that a fundamental overhaul of the industry's fundamentals is urgently needed for the sustainable growth of the construction industry.
Amid this trend, a wave of smart construction has recently been sweeping through the construction industry. Smart construction is an attempt to converge cutting-edge ICT technologies such as BIM, drones, and IoT with the construction industry in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to market research firm Market Research Future, the smart construction market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 29.69%, reaching USD 33 billion (approximately KRW 39 trillion) by 2023. Interest has also grown domestically since MOLIT announced its 'Smart Construction Technology Roadmap' last year. The government explains that it aims to shift the paradigm of the construction industry from an experience-dependent industry to a knowledge-based, high-tech industry, dramatically improving productivity and safety. Representative smart construction technologies include site management using drones, BIM design, construction equipment automation, and digital twin-based maintenance.
Smart construction is expected to bring major changes across the entire construction process, including design, construction, and maintenance. First, in the design stage, images captured by drones are analyzed to automatically acquire three-dimensional terrain data of large sites. Photogrammetry has long existed as a field, but advances in image analysis technology have made it possible to extract more accurate terrain information than in the past. In addition, three-dimensional design is now possible using BIM technology, moving beyond the two-dimensional method of drawing plans with pen and paper. Because BIM contains not only the specifications of a structure but also meta information such as the type and material of building materials, it can be utilized in various ways, including design verification and automatic cost estimation. In the construction stage, construction equipment automation technology is being researched based on accurate sensor data. Once the automation of construction equipment is realized, construction periods are expected to be dramatically shortened. A digital twin is a technology that transfers information from the real world into virtual space exactly as it is, and it can be used for facility maintenance.
The government and the private sector are making various efforts to promote smart construction, but one fact that must not be overlooked is that the core of smart construction technology lies in cutting-edge ICT technology and software competitiveness. The software industry is at the heart of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and stands at the center of all future technologies, not only smart construction but also self-driving cars and artificial intelligence (AI). Most of the smart construction technologies the government has proposed are likewise based on software capability. Fortunately, KICT has shown considerable interest, opening a 'Smart Construction Support Center' last year and expanding support for construction startups, yet construction startups account for only 5-10% of the total. Moreover, the reality is that the construction industry's understanding of the software industry is low and investment remains sluggish. You cannot fill your stomach with the first spoonful, but since every crisis is also another opportunity, I hope this becomes a turning point for the government and the private sector to cooperate closely and strengthen the competitiveness of Korea's construction industry.
Choi Seok-won, CEO of Carta (swchoi@carta.is)
