Construction Industry Productivity: The Potential of the Internet of Things (IoT)

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a technological innovation devised by intelligent virtual entities. The IoT is progressively enhancing the potential of intelligent construction across diverse application domains. By leveraging internet connectivity, stakeholders within the construction sector can establish communication channels and utilise IoT applications to enhance operational efficiency. The current trajectory within the construction sector is focused on addressing the inefficiencies of construction operations by utilising cutting-edge digital technology. The construction industry should strive to adopt emerging technology to remain competitive and avoid falling behind other industries. Thus, this study aims to investigate how IoT technology could improve productivity in the construction industry. The primary objective of this study is to study the implementation of IoT in the construction industry in Malaysia. Additionally, it seeks to identify the challenges of IoT implementations in Malaysia’s construction sector. The research employed a quantitative research methodology. A questionnaire survey was undertaken to evaluate the level of implementation of IoT within the construction industry, as well as to examine the prevailing practises and challenges associated with the adoption of IoT systems. A total of 29 questionnaires were issued, and 20 respondents (68.97%) representing the director of quantity surveying firms in Sabah participated in the survey. The findings indicate that the information-sharing platform helps the project team to provide prompt responses to queries from the team members and the accessibility of telecommunication tools will aid in viewing updated documents and drawings. The utilisation of IoT technology tools has been found to contribute significantly to the enhancement of productivity inside construction processes. The findings also found that the main challenge in IoT implementations is the lack of a skilled workforce proficient in both construction and IoT technologies. Therefore, for these benefits to be completely realised, adoption and integration challenges must be identified.