Downtime pushing builders to take strides in innovation, productivity

Construction firms are turning to tech to mitigate cost hikes caused by the manpower crunch and safe management rules

Published Wed, Jun 17, 2020 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

THE ongoing pandemic has brought into sharp focus the need for the construction industry to raise productivity, a long-time bugbear that has become more pertinent as a result of the manpower crunch, project delays and tougher safety rules brought by the Covid-19 crisis.

The industry started feeling the ripples of trouble in early February when numerous China workers were unable to return to Singapore after the government implemented an entry ban on those with travel history to China. In April, building works came to a halt, as Covid-19 spread in dormitories, infecting thousands of foreign workers.

Within a few weeks, the construction industry had to face new realities of project delays, safe distancing at sites and at dorms, along with revisions to foreign worker housing guidelines. Observers largely agreed …