3.2.2 Study on the impact of technology on collaboration

Claire Delarue

Master’s degree in construction engineering

According to several studies, innovation in construction remains the most promising way to improve the productivity of this economic sector. However, construction is recognized as a traditional and not very innovative field, notably because of the lack of capacity of companies and their under-investment in research and development. It is also one of the least digitized. The identification of innovations and their benefits on projects is identified as one of the current challenges of the industry. In order to guide companies in technological development, this research has developed a faceted classification of innovations. It has allowed to identify their characteristics and has been consolidated in the practice of the Quebec industry through a survey. This questionnaire, in partnership with the Association de la construction du Québec (ACQ) and the Association des constructeurs de routes et grands travaux du Québec (ACRGTQ), also allowed the identification of factors and challenges related to innovation, the types of technologies implemented and their impacts in the Quebec construction industry. The classification of innovations focuses on 5 dimensions adapted from the literature: the form of the innovation, the location where it is applied, the phases of the life cycle of a construction project, the disciplines of the companies and their business functions. The technology audit of the questionnaire concluded that the last two facets are issues in the application to the industry reality. The survey respondents, mostly contractors, showed great enthusiasm for innovation and pointed to their lack of experience and clear benefits to justify their fear of investing in it.