Digital Construction Report 2023

DIGITAL2023
CONSTRUCTION
REPORT
I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H
Thank you to all 723 people who took the time to complete the survey, and to the organizations
shown below that supported NBS by promoting it to their members and networks. We are
extremely grateful.
SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY ASSOCIATION
We are particularly grateful to our sister company Glenigan for supporting the survey and
contributing to this report.
Contents
01 Introduction 5
02 BIM 6
Different things to different people 6
BIM adoption 8
BIM tasks 12
Information sharing 13
Classification 14
Digital objects 15
03 Digital transformation and adoption of new technology 17

Cloud computing 18
Immersive tech 21
Off-site construction 23
Growth in off-site construction: Commentary by Glenigan 25
Digital twins 26
Artificial intelligence 29
The relative importance of new ways of working 31
04 Technology and innovation as an enabler 33

Hybrid working 34
Helping to create better buildings and places 35
Assessing environmental impact 37
Views of digital tech adoption in construction 38
05 Concluding thoughts 40
06 Appendix 42
Respondent profile 42
Methodology 48
Foreword
This is the second ‘Digital Construction Report’, as opposed to our ‘BIM Report’. There is a range of digital technologies and
processes that have the potential to support the creation of a better built environment. We aim to put this report forward as
a platform for discussion about their development. It also represents a snapshot of the adoption of such technologies in 2023
– highlighting how things have changed, and also what might be coming. BIM remains a key part of this, as you’ll see in the
results. So, while the discussion around BIM has also evolved, we continue to track trends relating to BIM.
It’s hard to have a discussion about digital tech in 2023 without mentioning artificial intelligence (AI). While there has been
Dr. Stephen Hamil,
Innovation Director plenty of talk about AI and machine learning over the years, it has really gained momentum over the last year or so. We’ve
therefore covered AI in this survey, along with cloud computing, off-site construction, virtual reality and digital twins.
We continue to measure attitudes relating to digital tech’s ability to help us build better. After all, what’s it all for if it doesn’t
help us create better, more sustainable and safer buildings? This feels particularly relevant now, following the recent publication
of secondary legislation for the Building Safety Act.
The construction industry has been accused of being slow to innovate and adopt new ways of working. However, in recent
years, there seems to have been a huge amount of innovation, technology adoption and new tools for professionals to use.
David Bain, In reflection of this, we felt that it was a good time to ask built environment professionals whether they think the industry
Research Manager has caught up – or whether construction still lags behind other sectors. Read on to find out, and to better understand what
construction professionals think – and how they are using digital technology to meet the challenges that they face.
We thank all those who took the time to share their views, and all those that supported the survey by promoting it on our
behalf.
2023 Digital Construction Report FOREWORD 4

01 Introduction
We conducted the survey between July and September this year. 723 construction professionals took part. They represent the
main project roles: client, constructor, consultant and supplier. As in previous surveys, around two thirds of respondents work in
consultant roles, but clients, constructors and suppliers are all also well represented. This allows us to compare views on digital
construction by project role.
Breaking the main project roles down, the survey represents views from architects, engineers and other consultants and design
professionals. It also includes people working for main contractors, subcontractors and specialists. These include BIM special-
ists, as well as project managers, quantity surveyors and other consultants. There are similar professionals from client organiza-
tions, which include local authorities, developers and education providers, among others. And we have responses from market-
ing and technical product specialists from suppliers and manufacturers. Organizations range in size from sole practitioners and
micro businesses to multinationals with thousands of employees. And there are responses from individuals just beginning their
careers alongside those with many years of experience.
The survey continues to present a picture of the views of UK professionals but, in addition, includes perspectives from around
the world. 72% of respondents are based in the UK, meaning that 28% are in other countries – particularly those in Europe (out-
side the UK) and Asia. Compared with our 2021 survey, that’s a slight drop in the proportion of international respondents, which
was over a third of respondents, but is still higher than in surveys before 2021. In fact, respondents were from over 60 countries
in six continents. This range of represented geographies continues to give us insight into digital construction in different parts
of the world, and is perhaps an indicator of the interest that people in other parts of the world take in what’s happening in the
UK.
See section 06 to read the profile of respondents and survey methodology in more detail.
2023 Digital Construction Report 01 INTRODUCTION 5

BIM: Different things to different people?
02
We begin with BIM. Given the development of different standards, the amount of terminology associated with it and even
debates about what it is actually called, we wanted to ask respondents how they would describe it. Is it the process of
following the BS EN ISO 19650 suite of standards? Is it ‘Level 2’ BIM or working with 3D models? Is it the foundation of digital
transformation in the sector? Or is it simply ‘better information management’? The survey results suggest that, to some extent,
it’s all of these things. And in a way, that’s not surprising.
2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 6

31%
S I M P LY ‘ B E TTE R
I N FO R M ATI O N
M AN AGE M E N T’
HOW PEOPLE VIEW BIM
29%
THE FO U N DATI O N
O F D I GI TAL
TR AN S FO R M ATI O N
P R O CE S S AS I N
BS EN ISO 19650 27%
26%
WO R K I N G W I TH
3 D PAR AM E TR I C
MODELS
22%
P R O CE S S AS I N
B S / PAS 1 1 9 2
(B I M L E V E L 2)
S O M E THI N G
ELSE 11%
In part, it’s likely to be a reflection of where people are on their BIM adoption journey. Perhaps they began a few years ago
and followed the PAS 1192 standards; now that there are new standards, it can take time to read and learn how to apply
them (e.g. the ISO 19650 suite). Having said that, focus has moved away from the BIM Levels, and the number of people
relating BIM to PAS 1192 does seem to be falling (22%).
For others, it may be important – and a project requirement – to adopt the latest international standards outlined in BS EN
ISO 19650: 27% describe BIM in this way. We do find that smaller organizations, of 25 staff or fewer (17%), are less likely
n = 674. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding
to see BIM as following this set of standards. In terms of professional discipline, unsurprisingly it’s the BIM specialists who ‘don’t know’).
are most likely to see BIM in terms of the BS EN ISO 19650 process (55%). They are also most likely to view it as better Q: How would you describe BIM in 2023?
Percentages don’t add up to 100% as respondents could
information management (38%) and the foundation of digital transformation (41%). select multiple answers.

At its core, the ethos of BIM is to manage information better. Getting back to this in an attempt to limit the use of jargon may
appeal to many (31% described it as this); perhaps those working on smaller, simpler projects in particular. And the requirement
to create structured data – that can be accessed and ‘understood’ by machines and shared between different platforms – can
make it a foundation of transformation, enabling the use of digital twins, AI and other forms of digital technology: 29% of
respondents view BIM in this way. This increases to 37% among people in large organizations with more than 250 staff.
While many stress that BIM is much more than 3D modelling, it is still part of the process, so it’s not surprising that some
people focus on this aspect (26%). In fact, among architects, this is the most common response (32%). Only 18% see it as the
foundation of digital transformation, although 31% of architects do view BIM as better information management.
When we look at these responses by people’s adoption of BIM, we find that those who have not adopted BIM are less likely to
describe it as following the processes in the standards: 18% see it in relation to BS EN ISO 19650, compared with 31% of those
who use BIM. Those not using BIM are most likely to see it as better information management (30%), and more of this group
describe it in another way (15% compared with 9% of BIM adopters).
BIM adoption
A solid majority of construction professionals, 70%, say that they have adopted BIM. This means that for the last five years,
since 2018, the proportion adopting BIM has remained virtually unchanged. There are some differences between roles, with
adoption rising to 73% among consultants and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s lower (53%) for clients.
80% 73% 71%

71% 70%
69%
7 0%
60%
62%
50%
54% 54%
4 0%
48%
39%
30%
31%
2 0% BIM ADOPTION OVER TIME
1 0%
13%
2 01 1 2 01 2 2 01 3 2 01 4 2 01 5 2 01 6 2 01 7 20 1 8 20 1 9 20 20 20 21 20 23

BIM adoption among architecture and landscape practices is higher, at 77%. It’s higher again among multidisciplinary practices,
especially in the UK (88%). UK-based engineering organizations are also more likely to be using BIM (83%). Some professions
did point out the importance of ensuring that BIM processes, and the tools that support them, are applicable to landscape and
infrastructure works – not just to buildings.
“ BIM data within natural [objects/ materials] (trees, plants, grass etc.) lags far behind [man-made]
materials and therefore makes BIM within landscape [works] tougher to implement accurately...
“
with the importance for producing environmentally friendly designs increasing, it will become
necessary to close this gap so that designs can be [realized] within BIM [software]
Architectural technician, medium-sized environmental consultancy
There remain large differences relating to organization size, with BIM adoption dropping to 60% among organizations with 25
or fewer staff, and 56% for those with 15 staff or less. Age can have an effect too, with those over 55 less likely to have adopted
BIM (59%), and more likely to have no plans to (22%).
“ A significant sector of the construction field is sole practitioner architectural consultants like
“
myself working on small to [medium-sized] projects of mainly domestic refurb and alterations for
which BIM is an irrelevance
Architectural technologist, small architectural technologist practice

18% of respondents say that they plan to adopt BIM: 7% within the year; while 12% have no plans to adopt it. Given that almost
a fifth intend to use BIM, one would think that adoption would continue to increase, especially as previous surveys have also
shown this intent. The fact that it hasn’t suggests there are still barriers to some professionals, which are making it difficult
for them to adopt BIM. The proportion with no plans rises to 19% among organizations with 25 or fewer staff, and 23% among
those with 15 staff or less. These figures show that some of the challenges to BIM adoption which particularly affect smaller
organizations, and were raised years ago, are likely to remain: factors like lack of client demand, the additional time and cost,
and projects perceived to be too small to warrant its use.
ADOPTED BIM?
70% 7% 12%
YES WE HAVE N O B UT WILL N O A N D W E H AV E
ADO PTED BIM W IT H IN 3 Y EA R S N O P LA N S TO
7% 4%
N O B UT WILL N O B UT WILL
W IT H IN A Y EA R W IT H IN 5 Y EA R S
n = 678. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘don’t know’).

Q: Based on your answer to the previous question, have you adopted BIM?
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

“ Clients need to be educated that design costs will increase significantly and [on-site] costs
will reduce as less error and variations will be made... decisions are needed much sooner with
“
economic commitments made. This shift in budget [utilization] is a huge barrier to digital
progress
Quantity surveyor, small quantity surveying practice
“ I think there is generally a knowledge gap between senior construction professionals and junior staff
using BIM software full time, making it harder to calculate the level of resource required to deliver
a certain level of [detail/ information]. If BIM as a process was more inclusive of all team members,
“
especially in small to [medium-sized] businesses, everyone might better understand what they’re
signing up to when they take on contracts with BIM as a deliverable
Architectural assistant, medium-sized architectural practice

BIM tasks
In order to comply with the processes set out in the ISO 19650 suite, there are a number of tasks that should be carried out,
or documents that should be produced. The task that respondents are most likely to be involved with is model design reviews
(68% of those who have adopted BIM, and 56% of all respondents). 64%, of those using BIM, had some involvement in using “ Contracts have picked up
the key points, i.e. we need
common data environments (CDEs), which is slightly higher than the 60% in 2021, but lower than the 67% in 2020. However, a BEP and a CDE, etc. but
there has been a fall in the number of those citing BIM Execution Plans: from 67% in 2020 to 63% in 2021, and 58% this year. they do not necessarily
Conversely, more respondents (46%) mentioned being involved with a detailed responsibility matrix (39% in 2021). appreciate what these add
to the process in terms of
So, this is a mixed picture. Digging deeper, we do find differences. Contractors (41% of which are main contractors) are the
skill, time, cost... There
group most likely to have been involved with these tasks or platforms, especially CDEs (80%). This may be expected, as main
is also a huge impact on
contractors will often have their preferred CDE and manage much of the information sharing on a project. They are also more
the skill building of very
likely to be involved in BIM Execution Plans (73%) and detailed responsibility matrices (DRMs), 60%. This could involve receiving
precious apprentice,
these, as well as developing them. The figures for consultants are lower: 65% for involvement with CDEs, 61% for BEPs, and
48% for DRMs. 50% of architects practices are involved with DRMs. Engineering and multidisciplinary organizations are more
design engineers
“
graduate and early years
likely to be involved with several of these tasks; model design reviews for instance (both 81%). In general, these tasks and tools
are less likely to be cited by smaller organizations.
Building services engineer,
large building services
engineers practice
B I M TA S K S P E O P L E H AV E B E E N
I N V O LV E D I N
68% 46%
DETA ILED
M OD E L D E S I GN R ESP ON SIB ILIT Y
MAT R IX
REVIEWS
10% NONE
17% OTHER
CO M M O N DATA
ENVIRO NM E NTS
BIM EXECUTION
P LAN S
64%
58%
n = 467. All those who have adopted BIM and gave an answer (excluding ‘don’t know’).
Q: Thinking in more detail about BIM, in the last 12 months, which of the following things have you been in-
volved with, in some way, on projects you have worked on?
Percentages don’t add up to 100% as respondents could select multiple answers.

Information sharing
While the adoption of BIM-related tasks as shown on the previous page doesn’t appear to have increased much, in terms of
“ BIM is one step. There
[need] to be better links
information sharing, there appears to be an increase on all counts. Over three quarters (77%) now say that their organization between various stages
follows a naming convention for all information that is shared. More than half (56%) exchange information in IFC format, and 1 in a complete project
36% in COBie format. The proportion exchanging information in IFC is higher among engineering practices (75%).
2 cycle from design to code
review to construction to
1
Industry Foundation Classes
2 maintenance to operations
80% 77% Construction Operations Building information exchange
to retrofit to demolition.
73%
Many of these are in
2023
separate silos that don’t
2021
6 0% 56% share the same real-world
50% 49% data. There need to be open
2023
39%
standards that make this “
2021
36%
2023
40% easier and seamless
31%
2 021
BIM specialist
2 02 3
2 02 1
medium-sized multidisciplinary
20% design practice
FOLLOWING EXCHANGING CLASSIFYING EXCHANGING

A NAMING INFORMATION IN INFORMATION INFORMATION
“
CONVENTION IFC FORMAT USING UNICLASS IN COBIE
FOR ALL SHARED FORMAT
INFORMATION ...construction workers
did not have access to the
model... It seems this is
where a large disconnect
is. How does the design
information get delivered
to the people doing the
“
actual building in an
effective way?
ADOPTION OF APPROACHES TO
I N F O R M AT I O N S H A R I N G Project manager
(T H OSE WH O H AVE A DOP T ED B IM)
medium-sized
architects practice
Q: Which of the following approaches has your organisation adopted with respect to sharing information?

Classification
One thing that has been notable over the years, when we have asked about classification, is the relatively high number who
don’t know which classification is used. In this survey, almost a fifth (18%) are not sure which classification their organization
most commonly uses. Once we remove those who aren’t sure, we find that 46% cite Uniclass as the most commonly used
classification. This is considerably higher than in 2021, and also higher than the proportion saying that Common Arrangement
of Works Sections (CAWS) is most commonly used (33%).
Contractors are most likely to be using Uniclass most often, although we should note again that quite a high proportion of
this group are main contractors, who are perhaps more likely to be working on large projects. Consultants are the heaviest
users of CAWS (38%), but are still more likely to use Uniclass most often (47%). Among architects, specifically, use of CAWS
is still slightly higher than Uniclass, especially in the UK: 52% vs 48%. Similarly, for technologists and technicians: 46% vs
36%. Whereas Uniclass use among UK BIM specialists is much higher: 80%. Use of Uniclass is also higher in UK engineering
(69%) and multidisciplinary organizations (72%). Clients and suppliers are more likely to state that they use their own in-house
system.
M O S T C O M M O N LY U S E D
C L A S S I F I C AT I O N
46% 33% 33% 8% 7%

UN IC LA SS IN -H OUSE CO M M O N O M N I CL AS S OTHE R
C LA SSIF IC AT ION AR R AN GE M E N T O F I N CL U D I N G
SYST EM WO R K S E CTI O N S U N I FO R M AT &
(CAW S ) M AS TE R FO R M AT
n = 585. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not sure’).

Q: What type of classification is most commonly used on projects that you work on?

Digital objects
Over the years, in the results from this survey and other surveys about product
information, we have seen that specifiers want manufacturers to provide them with
40
BIM/ digital objects. It saves them time, providing the technical data and geometry %
that they can quickly insert into the model and link to their specification. In some
cases, specifiers have said that they are less likely to specify a particular product if 20 40%
P R O V I D E B I M / D I G I TA L
17%
%
there isn’t a digital object for it.
OBJECTS?
(S U P P L I E R S O N LY )
It is therefore a good strategy for manufacturers and other suppliers to provide
digital objects. The survey results suggest that manufacturers are responding to this
need, with over half (56%) providing digital objects for the majority or all of their 21%
products, compared with 52% in 2021.
Y ES
F OR A LL
The Building Safety Act requires information associated with projects to be stored
digitally and changes to be recorded. It places increased responsibility on decision
P R ODUC T S
YE S
14%
F O R THE
makers who need to be confident that they are making the right design decisions. MA J O R I T Y
They will therefore need to have all the required technical data at their fingertips, OF
P R OD U CTS YE S 9%
and it must be clear, accurate and up to date. In turn, this will place increasing FO R A
MINORITY
demands on manufacturers and suppliers to provide detailed technical data about OF
P R O D U CTS NO
their products. As well as the expected performance data, specifiers are looking for BUT WE
WILL
things like third-party certification and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). W I THI N 5
Y E AR S NO
Manufacturers need to have the processes in place to maintain detailed and accurate AN D W E
product data. And if any of it changes, they need to be able to push amendments HAV E N O
P L AN S TO
out wherever that data is surfaced, be that their websites, intermediary websites,
product data sheets, digital objects or specification clauses.
n = 78. All supplier respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘don’t know’).
Q: Do you currently provide information about the materials, products or
systems that you supply, in the form of BIM or digital objects?

Product Information Management (PIM) systems can help manufacturers TM
and suppliers manage their product data, especially those with large product
ranges. 28% of suppliers are using this kind of system currently: slightly more
than the 23% in 2021. A further 28% are in the process of setting one up,
compared to 19% two years ago. A fifth intend to introduce one in the next
five years. These figures indicate a gradual adoption of PIM systems.
USE OF PIM SYSTEMS

( SUPPLIERS O NLY)
28% 20%
YE S WE USE THIS KIND N O B UT W E IN T EN D TO
OF S YS TEM NOW WIT H IN 5 Y EA R S
28% 25%
NO BU T WE ARE SETTING NO AND WE DON ’ T H AVE A N Y
O NE UP PLA N S TO USE ON E
TM
TM
n = 61. All supplier respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘don’t know’). NBS Source
Q: Do you use a Product Information Management (PIM) or similar system to man- PARTNER
age your product information?
2023 Digital Construction Report

Digital transformation and the adoption of
new technologies
Despite the range of views about digital transformation and BIM (and there is a wide range!), there seems to be consensus on
at least one thing: that a digital transformation is happening. And as results from our surveys over the past few years show,
most professionals recognize that their organization is somewhere on this journey. But what are the trends within this journey?
Which technologies are particularly topical in 2023, and being used to benefit the built environment?

03
03 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES 17
Cloud computing
The use of cloud computing is becoming further embedded, with four out of five respondents stating that they use it – slightly
higher than the 77% in 2021. This increases to 87% among large organizations (251 employees or more). Multidisciplinary
organizations are particularly likely to use it (90%). While many who feel that they haven’t yet adopted it do intend to, there
is still a minority who have no plans to do so. There are also some who aren’t sure whether they use cloud computing.3 This
raises an interesting issue about terminology. Here are a couple of definitions of cloud computing:
‘The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to store, manage, and process data, rather
than a local server or a personal computer’. – Oxford Language
Cloud computing is on-demand access, via the internet, to computing resources—applications, servers (physical
servers and virtual servers), data storage, development tools, networking capabilities, and more—hosted at a
remote data center managed by a cloud services provider (or CSP). - IBM
The IBM definition goes on to assert that:
‘If you use a computer or mobile device at home or at work, you almost certainly use some form of cloud computing every
day, whether it’s a cloud application like Google Gmail or Salesforce, streaming media like Netflix, or cloud file storage like
Dropbox’.
3
6% were unsure whether they use cloud computing. They were excluded from the figures reported above.
2023 Digital Construction Report 03 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES 18
U S E I T N OW 80%
This does suggest that almost everyone uses cloud
computing in some form. However, because there are
W I THI N A
Y E AR 6%
so many uses of cloud computing, and the line between
the use of locally installed applications and internet- USE OF CLOUD
W I THI N 3
Y E AR S 3%
based programmes has become blurred, it’s not always COMPUTING
obvious. For many people, it’s become ingrained in our DO YOU USE/WH EN DO YO U
IN T EN D TO USE?
W I THI N 5
Y E AR S 2%
everyday way of working.
N O P L AN S
TO U S E I T 9%
Q: Within your organisation, do you use cloud computing?
89 % 74% “ Data capture using mobile technology

and surveying tools (e.g. Matterport)
didn’t feature heavily in this survey
INFO RMATION STOR AG E ( ON EDR IVE,
So, how do C OLLA B OR AT IN G WIT H P R OJ EC T
GO O GLE DR IV E, IC LOUD ETC .) T EA M MEMB ER S (although these are arguably part of
people use cloud
cloud computing and [digitization]
computing?
Storage is the most ASPECTS OF CLOUD technologies
“
for [modelling]) but these are key
common use, with

almost nine out of
COMPUTING USED
5% Quantity surveyor
77% OT H ER medium-sized multidisciplinary

ten (89%) citing design practice
this. TO SHARE D OC S & IN F OR MAT ION

WI T H C LIEN T S 32% n = 532. All respondents who use cloud computing and gave an answer.
DIG ITA L SIG N AT UR ES & Q: Please tell us what aspects of cloud computing you use/ how you use it.
C ON T R AC T S Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding, or where
respondents could select multiple answers.
Around three quarters of professionals use the technology to share documents and information with clients, and a similar percentage are
collaborating with project team members to produce models, specs and other documents. There is likely to be some overlap between these three
uses. Some people mentioned other uses of cloud computing, such as data capture and surveying – using mobile tools stored in the cloud. Others
also highlighted that, while the technology tends to work well, there can be interruptions to communication networks. This needs to improve to
make cloud computing and remote access completely reliable.
Connected like never before
Immersive tech
Compared to cloud computing, there is a different story with the use of immersive tech such as virtual (VR), augmented (AR)
or mixed reality (MR). A relatively high percentage (17%) are unsure whether their organization uses this kind of technology.
And, among those who are sure whether or not their organization uses it, over a third (37%) have no plans to use this tech.
36% use VR, AR or MR now – this figure is almost unchanged from 2021. A further 27% do have plans to use them so, while
these findings suggest that adoption of immersive tech is not as high as for other technologies, a significant proportion do see
its potential.
The larger the organization, the higher the number using immersive tech. 46% of large organizations (251 staff and above) use
it, compared with 23% of small organizations (25 staff or less). Consultants and contractors are more likely to use it (38% and
37%, respectively), compared with suppliers and clients. In particular, multidisciplinary organizations are heavier users (46%).
Architects and BIM specialists are also likely to use these technologies (43%).
WE HAVE
NO PLANS
TO USE
THEM
USE OF IMMERSIVE TECH
37%
8%
WE WI L L
36%
W E U S E THE M N OW
USE THEM
10%
WI T H I N
F I VE
10%
YE A RS n = 596. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not sure’).
Q: Within your organisation, do you use immersive technologies, like virtual, augmented, or mixed reality?
WE WILL USE
THEM WITHIN WE WILL USE T H EM
THREE YEARS WIT H IN A Y EA R
“ From a manufacturing
perspective, we have a HOW IMMERSIVE TECH IS USED
portal and website with
VR suite for all products.
We also have VR training
for installation teams
“ TO MARKET
PRODUCTS, SYSTEMS
OR PROJECTS
Director, medium-sized
manufacturer 35% V I S UAL I ZI N G HOW
D E S I GN S I N TE R FACE
W I TH S U R R O U N D I N GS
STAKE HO LDE R
E NGAGE M E NT SUC H A S
WALKTHRO U GH S OTHER
8%
62%
74% VISUALIZING
HIDDEN
COMPONENTS
CL AS H D E TE CTI O N
D U R I N G D E S I GN &
20%
CO N S TR U CTI O N
53%
The most common use is for stakeholder engagement, such
as client walkthroughs (74%), followed by 62% who use it to
visualize how designs interface with existing surroundings –
most client organizations use them for this. Just over a third
use immersive tech for marketing purposes, which rises to
67% among suppliers.
n = 212. All respondents who use immersive tech and gave an answer.
Q: Please tell us how you use immersive technologies/ what you use them for.
Off-site construction
Over half (57%) of professionals5 have been part of a project in the last 12 months I N V O LV E M E N T I N O F F - S I T E
that involved an element of off-site construction or manufacture. In 2021, the CONSTRUCTION
equivalent figure was 50%, so this represents an increase. Suppliers are most likely
to say that they were involved in projects with an off-site element (70%), followed
by contractors (63%), with 58% of consultants stating this.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, sub-assemblies and accessories feature most often. This

can include a wide range of components that are manufactured off site, like door
furniture, roof trusses or concrete beams. This type of off-site manufacture has
been taking place for many years. However, over half of respondents are involved
in panelized construction, such as roof, floor or wall panels, such as SIPs.6 And 34%
work on projects using volumetric modular construction – consisting of 3D modules
like steel or timber frames, or complete rooms, interiors or even full buildings.
While there have been some high-profile closures of modular building factories and
companies, these results show that many professionals are involved in volumetric, 0
modular construction. A factory environment can provide more certainty for project
planning as it reduces weather dependency. It can also help to better control the
composition of materials being used, and therefore support the drive towards net 20%
zero. It could help to address the shortage of skilled tradespeople by moving more of NO YES
construction into a factory environment. Robotics may also play a role in supporting
this transition.
40%
43% 57%
5
Excluding the 9% who weren’t sure
6 60%
Structural Insulated Panels
T Y P E O F O FF-S I TE CO N S TR U CTI O N
Q: In the past 12 months, have you been part of a project that involved an element of offsite construction or
manufacture? 66% SUB A S S E M B L I E S 34% VO L U M E TR I C M O D U L AR 22% HY B R I D
& AC C E S S O R I E S CO N S TR U CTI O N CO N S TR U CTI O N
n = 367. All respondents involved with offsite construction and gave an answer. 52% PA N E L I ZE D 28% VO L U M E TR I C P O D 3% OTHE R
Q: What type(s) of offsite construction or manufacture was/ were involved in these projects? C ON S TR U CTI O N CO N S TR U CTI O N
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding, or where respondents could select multiple answers.
“ DfMA (Design for Manufacture) is the most important
digital transformation to my business strategy as a
consultant in the [off-site] sector, as this is going to
change the way we build. Standards & Regulations
towards zero energy and zero carbon will demand a much
higher control over materials and construction process
and practice. We cannot rely on major site activity going
forward post BREXIT... We have been talking about it
for years (Constructing the Team [1994], Rethinking
Construction [1998], Accelerating Change [2002], “
Modernise or Die [2015) but now is the time.
Project manager
small, MMC/ off-site consultant
The rising number of professionals reporting that they have P E R C E N TA G E O F O F F - S I T E P R O J E C T S
been involved with a project utilizing off-site construction or S TA R T E D I N 2 0 2 3 Q 1 – Q 3 B Y S E C T O R
Growth manufacture is reflected in Glenigan project data. Modern

methods of construction (MMC), including off-site solutions, are 11%
in off-site being employed in a growing proportion of construction projects 15% HOTEL & LEISURE
construction - as shown in the chart below. EDUCATION
THE RISE IN MODERN METHODS OF COMMUNIT Y

CONSTRUCTION & AMENIT Y 3%
UTILITIES 1 %
29%
PROPORTION OF NEW B UILD PROJ EC T S STA RT ED
20%
INFRASTRUCTURE 3 %
INDUSTRIAL
Allan Wilén,
Economics Director
15%
10%
SOCIAL HOUSING
10%
8% 6%
5% RETAIL
5% 9%
PRIVATE
HEALTH
OFFICES Source:Glenigan
HOUSING
0
2017 2 01 8 2 01 9 2 02 0 2 02 1 2 02 2 2 02 3
Further growth in the use of off-site construction or manufacture
Source:Glenigan
is anticipated over the next few years. Nearly 9% of new-build
The take-up of off-site construction or manufacture (as a subset projects securing detailed planning approval during the first nine
of MMC) has been especially strong for new-build projects; it has months of 2023 involved an off-site element.
been utilized in 7% of new-build projects started during the first
In addition, economic, regulatory and environmental
nine months of 2023. By value, the proportion is higher (11%),
performance issues are set to encourage further growth in the
reflecting the prevalence of off-site construction or manufacture
use of off-site construction or manufacture over the medium
in higher-value projects.
term. The shortages of skilled labour are likely to intensify as
Off-site construction or manufacture has made the greatest the construction industry emerges from the current market
inroads into the education, industrial, and hotel and leisure downturn. The Building Safety Act is also set to change how
sectors. Over 22% of new-build education projects included projects are delivered, requiring more detailed pre-construction
an off-site element during the first nine months of 2023 and, design and limiting the scope for on-site design changes. This
collectively, the three sectors accounted for over half of all off- should increase the opportunity for off-site components and
Read the latest Glenigan site projects as shown in the chart opposite. However, off-site systems. Clients and designers desiring to raise their buildings’
Forecast here: construction or manufacture is also prevalent in the office and environmental performance are similarly likely to favour the
www.glenigan.com/forecast residential sectors. greater use of off-site systems.
03 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES 25

Digital twins
Like BIM, the term ‘Digital Twin’ is likely to mean different things to different people. In the survey, we suggested the following
definition: ‘A realistic digital representation of something physical. What distinguishes a digital twin from any other digital
model is its connection to the physical twin.’ 7
But still, a degree of caution is needed when looking at adoption trends relating to terminology that may be interpreted
differently.
The use of digital twins has increased from 16% in 2021 to 25%8 this year. While only a quarter of respondents are part of a
project that uses them, that represents a 50% increase since 2021. It does seem to indicate an upward shift in the use of digital
twins since 2021, following little change in their adoption before that.
7
Centre for Digital Built Britain
8
Excluding the 14% who weren’t sure
I N V O LV E M E N T I N P R O J E C T S U S I N G
D I G I TA L T W I N S
75%
50%
25%
75%
25%
NO
YES
n = 616. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not

sure’).
Q: In the past 12 months, have you been part of a project(s) that
used a digital twin?
Their use is highest among contractors (34%) and clients (31%), and within larger organizations (30%). BIM specialists are
much more likely to mention using them (38%) than other professions. Just over half (55%) of those working on projects that
use digital twins do so to mirror the construction, and to create an as-built model. This figure rises to 69% among contractors,
although consultants also have experience of this (59%). The other most common reason for using this technology is pre-
construction – to inform design, including for clash detection (55%). Almost half (52%) were involved in projects to create a
digital twin of an existing building to enable improvements and retrofit.
H O W D I G I TA L T W I N S A R E U S E D
P R E-C ON ST R UC T ION TO
IN F OR M T H E DESIG N /
C LA SH DET EC T ION
55%
TO MIR R OR T H E
55%
“
C ON ST R UC T ION & C R EAT E
A N AC C UR AT E A S-B UILT BIM, [cloud] computing,
MODEL
and information reliability
evaluation tools are
TO CREATE A DIGITAL TWIN
the infrastructure that
OF AN EXISTING BUILDING
TO ENABLE IMPROVEMENTS & 52% supports effective
RETROFIT
implementation of digital
twins and useful outputs
IN -USE TO SUP P OR T from artificial intelligence.
MA IN T EN A N C E OF T H E
A SSET
34% The quality [of] inputs
to these systems will
determine whether success
OT H ER will be achieved with the
4% aid of technology. People
“
will still need to be centre
of it and in control
Digital construction consultant,
large multidisciplinary
design practice
n = 148. All respondents involved with digital twins and who gave an answer.
Q: Please tell us more about how the digital twin was used.
More reasons
to pick brick.
Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC is excited to release
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01 INTRODUCTION 28
USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND
MACHINE LEARNING
Artificial intelligence WE USE

I T N OW
22%
We asked about AI or machine learning in previous surveys, but we tended to find
that it was the least used of all the technologies that we asked about. In 2020,
the last time we surveyed professionals about AI, 38% said that they didn’t know
whether their organization used it. Of those who did know, only 9% reported that
they used AI. Some had plans to adopt it but, in reality, it seemed a long way off
for most. However, within the last year – with the launch of ChatGPT – things have
changed. Now, AI seems to be everywhere, with a multitude of articles, webinars and
conferences extolling its benefits (as well as providing advice to deal with potential
pitfalls). We therefore included AI in this year’s survey.
20%
WE WILL USE
The results don’t signify a sudden mass adoption of AI in construction, with 43% I T I N A Y E AR
reporting that they have no plans to use it. However, there are signs of a substantial
minority of early adopters who are experimenting with AI tools. Over a fifth (22%)
state that they use AI now, and almost the same number (20%) say that they will do
so within a year. These figures are quite a shift from what we saw in past surveys.
The larger the organization, the more likely they are to have plans for using AI, 43% 9%
while over half (51%) of small organizations (25 staff or less) have no plans. On the WE HAV E N O P L AN S WE WILL USE IT IN
TO U S E THI S 3 Y E AR S
whole, design professionals, and those based in the UK, seem less likely to be early
adopters. 66% of UK technologists and technicians have no plans for AI, for instance. 6%
WE WILL USE IT
Multidisciplinary organizations are an exception, where 37% said that they use AI. I N 5 Y E AR S

Q: Within your organisation, do you use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning?
One of the most cited ways of using AI is to create content such as reports or emails, or to summarize text. This can save time,
particularly with mundane tasks, as well as help to improve grammar and spelling. Going beyond writing, some respondents
are using it to help carry out or check calculations and to write code. Some use it to create images, some to support concept
development and some for generative design.
“ Using ChatGPT to
assist with developing “ Image and text currently[;]
potential is infinite. Risk “ We are using it to
help gather data for
technical reports, and is high[;] we have put in presentations. We plan to
[Stable Diffusion] for place guidance for staff
“ use it more. We see... huge“
experimenting with image and policies to protect potential in the future
generating. Potential is ourselves
“
huge[;] game-changing in
our sector
Architect, BIM specialist, Architectural technician,
large multidisciplinary medium-sized small architectural
practice architectural practice practice
The relative importance of new ways
of working
If we compare the uptake of these different technologies and ways of working, The growth areas have been in off-site construction, where well over half are now
and how this has changed since 2021, we can see that the adoption of cloud involved in this, as well as digital twins and AI.
computing, BIM and immersive tech has stayed almost the same. Despite this,
cloud computing and BIM remain the most heavily used innovations, with 70% or So, going forward, which of these do survey respondents think will be the most
more utilizing them. Immersive tech continues to be used by a considerable number significant, in terms of their potential to transform the built environment for the
of professionals, but still a minority. better? BIM continues to be seen as the most significant.
Cloud computing and then off-site construction are seen as the next most
important. The top three are the same, and in the same order, as in 2021. Digital
C O M PA R I S O N O F D I F F E R E N T T E C H A N D twins continue to be seen as more significant than immersive tech: the growth
W AY S O F W O R K I N G ( 2 0 2 1 v s 2 0 2 3 ) in 2023 in the use of digital twins, alongside the negligible growth in the use of
immersive tech, may be an indicator of that prediction (of digital twins being more
9 0%
significant than VR, AR and MR).
80%
We have added AI into the mix this year. Despite it being the least-used innovation,
77%
71%
70% respondents to this survey believe that its impact will be more significant than both
7 0%
digital twins and immersive tech over the next five years. And those aged under 55
rank AI third, above off-site construction. It’s definitely one to watch.
57 %
5 0%
5 0%
36%
3 5%
30 %
25 %
22%
16%
1 0%
2 02 3
2 02 3
2 02 3
2 02 3
2 02 3
2 02 3
2 02 1
2 02 1
2 02 1
2 02 1
2 02 1
C LOU D BIM O FF-SITE IM MER SIVE DIG ITA L A R T IF IC IA L

C OM PU T I NG CO NSTRUCTIO N T EC H T W IN S IN T ELLIG EN C E
( VR /A R /MR )
W H I C H O F T H E F O L L O W I N G T E C H N O L O G I E S O R W AY S O F W O R K I N G
WILL BE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
R A N K DIST R IB UT ION SC OR E ( N O. OF R A N K I N GS )
1 . B IM 3,04 1 ( 61 0)
2 . CLO UD CO MPUTIN G 2 , 2 7 0 ( 54 5)
3. O FF-SITE CO NSTRUCTIO N 1 ,985 ( 54 1 )
4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 1 ,855 ( 52 3)
5. DIGITAL TWINS 1 , 609 ( 4 87 )
5 . VI RT UAL / AUGMENTED/ MIXED REALIT Y 1 , 4 38 ( 4 96)
LOWEST R A N K H IG H EST R A N K
There are some differences in views, depending on a respondent’s project role. All rank BIM top, but clients and contractors
only barely: they consider cloud computing almost as significant. Consultants perceive BIM to be the most important by
some way. Clients rank digital twins above off-site construction at number three, perhaps reflecting their higher use of these.
Suppliers rank off-site construction second, and immersive tech above digital twins. There is almost no difference in these
rankings by organization size.
Technology and innovation as
04
an enabler
Technology can, potentially, help to support professionals in a range of ways. Some relate specifically to the construction
industry, while others reflect the use of technology in working practices more generally.
2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 33

Hybrid working
The COVID pandemic forced people to work differently. The development So, are there any signs of that changing, or does it look like that’s the trend for the
of innovations, such as MS Teams and other video conferencing platforms, foreseeable future? Well, 55% of respondents expect to split their time between
accelerated – and enabled teams to work together from different locations. Cloud home and their workplace - be that an office, factory or on-site, compared with
computing generally, and off-site construction, also helped construction teams to 58% in 2021. 16% think that they will mainly be at home. Just over a quarter
continue projects during the pandemic. (27%) anticipate being based mainly at their traditional place of work. This is six
percentage points higher than the 21% who anticipated this two years ago.
Now that there has been something of a return to ‘normal’ life, the hybrid working
that many people adopted during the pandemic has continued. Software such as There are unsurprising differences by role: consultants are most likely to expect
MS Teams and other cloud-based tools have allowed desk-based professionals a hybrid working arrangement (57%), contractors are more likely than others to
to work easily, and collaborate, from multiple locations. This brings benefits to be at their traditional workplace (38%), and clients are more likely to be at home
employees in terms of a better work/ life balance, and potential time and cost (22%). So while these results indicate a slight increase in people returning to their
savings, due to less time spent commuting. traditional places of work, they do suggest that hybrid working is likely to be the
norm for many consultants, clients and certain supplier roles. Even among those
Immediately after the pandemic, it felt like hybrid working was here to stay for working for contractors, almost half (48%) expect to a have a hybrid working
professionals who are not physically required to be at their traditional place of work. arrangement.
SP LIT T IN G MY T IME
B ET WEEN H OME &
WOR KP LAC E
55%
WHERE EXPECT
n = 720. All respondents who gave an answer.
MA IN LY TO BE BASED Q: Thinking about where you work, during the
IN T H E next five years, where do you expect to be
WO R KP LAC E based?
2% gave an other response.
27% M AI N LY Percentages may not add up to 100% due to
AT HO M E rounding.
16%

Helping to create better buildings
and places
T H O S E A G R E E I N G T H AT D I G I TA L T E C H
A N D W AY S O F W O R K I N G A R E . . .
72 %
79
HAVING A PO SITIVE
IMPACT O N
ENVIRO NMENTAL
%
73
SUSTAINABILT Y
H ELP IN G TO C R EAT E
B ET T ER B UILDIN G S A N D %
SPAC ES
HE L P I N G TO CR E ATE A
SAFE R B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T
Innovations in technology shouldn’t be there for technology’s

sake, although some experimentation without a clear goal in mind
can lead to unforeseen benefits. On the whole – to justify the
n = 713 to 716. All respondents who gave an answer.
time, effort and expense of developing new methods, processes, Q: To what extent do you agree or disagree that
platforms and standards – technology and innovation need to be the adoption of digital technologies and ways of
working in the built environment are...?
improving outcomes. Three critical outcomes for our industry
are to: improve environmental sustainability; create a safer built
environment; and, simply, create better buildings and places.
On the positive side, the majority of respondents agree that digital technologies and ways of working are helping to achieve these outcomes, with almost 80%
believing that better buildings are being created. Close to half (45%) strongly agree that digital tech helps to create better buildings. If there are any negatives
within these findings, it’s that not everyone agrees, and also that these figures have not increased since 2021. In fact, they are very slightly lower. Between 6 and
7% disagree with the statement for each outcome. For environmental sustainability and safety, just over a fifth hold a neutral view.

FirePro® SP
Consultants are the least likely to see the link between digital tech and
positive outcomes. Professionals based in the UK are also generally less
FireStop EN
positive. For instance, only 61% of UK architects agree that digital tech
helps to create a safer built environment, and only 57% of technologists
and technicians think that it has a positive effect on sustainability. These
figures are a lot higher for BIM specialists, and marketing and product
specialists. And as in 2021, the smaller the organization, the less likely A cavity fire stopping solution suitable
they are to agree: 64% of small organizations (25 staff or less), compared for vertical and horizontal installation.
with 83% of large organizations (251 staff or more), agree that digital tech
is helping to create a safer built environment.
Tested for use with steel frame
substrate, composite panel
and masonry applications
“ The main issue of digital implementation and

digital technologies is change management and
Tested to BS EN 1366-4:2021
and curtain wall standard
BS EN 1364-4:2014
education. There are so many technologies that
can help us simulate, design, build and operate
more efficiently and environmentally friendly – we
“
need to consider the future of our planet for future
generations
Technical director,
large multidisciplinary design practice
Find out more:
Finally, the younger the respondent, the more positive they tend to be.
89% of those aged 18–34 believe that digital technology is helping to
create better buildings, for instance, whereas only 69% of those over 55
agree. rockwool.com/uk/
sp-firestop-en
rockwool.com/uk
Assessing environmental impact
Despite the slightly subdued findings relating to outcomes, when we asked if respondents used digital
tech to calculate specific metrics relating to environmental sustainability, we find that many professionals
are doing this. Close to 500 out of all 723 respondents, or 67%, state that they use digital tech to calculate
at least one metric. Most commonly, these are embodied carbon (40%) and energy demand (38%). Almost
a third (32%) use digital tech to undertake life cycle analysis, and just under a fifth to calculate water use
demand (19%) and waste (18%).
U S E O F D I G I TA L T E C H T O
C A L C U L AT E E N V I R O N M E N TA L
S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y M E T R I C S
EMB ODIED C AR B O N WATE R U S E D E M AN D
40% 19%
EN ER G Y DEM AN D WAS TE CALCU L ATI O N S
38% 18%
LIF E C YC LE AN ALYS I S
32%
n = 723. All respondents.

Q: In the past 12 months, have you used digital technologies to help you assess the
environmental impact of your projects/ products by calculating any of the following?
Suppliers are particularly likely to have used digital technologies to calculate embodied carbon, life
cycle analysis and waste. Surveyors are the most likely to have used them for life cycle analysis, and
multidisciplinary practices to measure energy demand. Architects are also particularly likely to have used
them for energy demand calculations, and BIM specialists to assess embodied carbon – particularly those
in the UK.
Views of digital tech adoption in
construction
We might sometimes hear that digital transformation, or some aspects of it (like And three quarters (49% strongly) disagree that digital transformation is only for
BIM), are not relevant to some people. Those working on small projects might say large organizations, while only 13% agree. Views do vary slightly, depending on
that certain digital technologies are unnecessary. We wanted to directly address the size of organization. Those working in small organizations (25 staff or less) are
this point of relevance. In doing so, we find that 8 out of 10 survey respondents more likely to agree that digital transformation is not for them (14%) and that it
disagree (54% strongly so) that digital transformation is not relevant to them. Only is only for large organizations (18%). Only 4% of large organizations (251 staff or
9% agree that digital tech isn’t relevant to them. more) agree that digital transformation is not relevant to them.
The majority of professionals therefore see the relevance of digital technologies

D I G I TA L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N I N to their organization, and they also agree that they are helping to achieve the key
CONSTRUCTION outcomes for the industry. So, how well are we doing as an industry to adopt and
make use of these innovations and technologies? Over the past couple of decades
or so, there has been a series of reports that flag the need for the industry
27% 54% 11% 27% 49%
10% to change. Some specifically highlight construction as lagging behind other
7% 10%
industries in terms of its ability to innovate and adopt digital ways of working.
“ DIGITAL “ DIG ITA L
T R A N SF OR MAT ION Given the innovation that has happened in the industry during the past decade or
TRA NSFO RMATIO N IS
3% 3% IS ON LY F OR LA R G E
NOT RE LEVANT TO O UR so, do professionals think we have closed the gap? Well, not exactly. Almost half
“
ORGANISATIO N OR G A N ISAT ION S
(47%) disagree that the industry no longer lags behind, 16% strongly. However,
over a quarter (27%) agree, suggesting that construction has caught up for those
people. Another quarter or so expressed a neutral view. On balance, there is a
sense that progress has been made, but that there is still some way to go. There
26% 31% 28% 20%
21% 28% is a split relating to whether people are worried they will be left behind, with 36%
16% 16% agreeing that they’re worried, while the same percentage disagree.
“ TH E CO NSTRUCTIO N
“ W E’G OIN
R E WOR R IED WE’ R E
I ND U S TRY NO LO NGER
5% L AG S BEHIND OTHER
“ 8% G TO B E LEF T
“
B EH IN D
I NDUSTRIES
n = 704 to 711. All respondents who gave an answer.

Q: In the recent past, reports have suggested that construction lags behind other industries in terms of its adoption of
S T RONG LY TEND TO NEITHER AGREE T EN D TO ST R ON G LY digital technologies. With this in mind, please say to what extent you agree or disagree with the following.
AG RE E AGREE NO R DISAGREE DISAG R EE DISAG R EE

“ The range of digital
technologies, including “ The main issue I see is
getting agreement on “ I think that the
construction industry will
BIM, TDM and to some fees. The workloads have always be [hands-on] and
extent AI are more shifted and ‘academic’ no matter how AI evolves
accessible to large BIM has workflows in or further adoption of
architectural firms than place which are great but digital technologies,
sole practitioners who ‘practical’ BIM takes over nothing will beat [the]
will not have dedicated and if someone doesn’t “boots on the ground”,
sub-teams dealing with
specific project sub-tasks
get paid for a task they
are not going to do it, e.g.
[hands-on]
approach
“
and who have a lower adding information to a
budget/ turnover. Making design model so the QS
the transition to digital can price. Great in theory
working practices is
therefore easier for large
“
but there is time and cost
involved
“
corporations than small
practices
BIM specialist, Building surveyor,
Design manager, medium-sized building services medium-sized building
small architects practice engineering practice surveyors

05
Concluding thoughts
There are some who feel that much of the industry has now adopted BIM, implying that there is a limited need to continue
discussing it. However, the many comments in this survey debating its effectiveness, and that of digital technologies generally,
suggest that it is still very much a live discussion. While a lot of work has gone into mapping out a process that many have
followed, often on large projects, the challenge now is applying the right version of it effectively on projects of all types and
sizes, and in a way that benefits all the project team, and the full range of construction projects: large and small; new and refurb;
conservation, landscape, infrastructure and buildings.
Some people might question the appropriateness of BIM to all projects. However, if better information is at its heart, and it is
applied appropriately, that seems something which is hard to argue against. The new Building Safety legislation introduces
stringent requirements for information management. For instance, with the introduction of the duty holders and decision
gateways, it is essential that it is clear who is responsible for each aspect of the design and construction. Given this, it would seem
concerning that only half of architects practices that use BIM are involved with detailed responsibility matrices. On the positive
side, other elements of BIM and good information management are increasing: following a naming convention for all information
that is shared, exchanging information using IFC, and the use of Uniclass.
Our research suggests that most people do see the positives of digital transformation. And the fact that the use of off- site
construction, digital twins and AI is increasing indicates that people believe they are worth adopting. The excitement evident in
some of the comments about AI indicates a real belief that this technology can make a big difference. The fact that two-thirds of
professionals are using digital technologies to calculate environmental impacts, like embodied carbon and energy demand, is an
example of a practical application with a positive outcome.
2023 Digital Construction Report 05 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 40

So, there are lots of positives to take from this research. However, in order for us to move forward, several areas to address come
through in the findings from this survey.
Firstly, a voice of caution relates to the human factor. There are concerns that, as experienced professionals retire, some of
the knowledge of design and building is lost. While technology can achieve a lot in terms of automating processes and saving
time, the knowledge, quality control and creativity that come from human input are still essential to create high-quality and safe
assets. We need to ensure that new generations of construction professionals continue to develop the right combination of skills,
knowledge and creativity – relating to design and construction, as well as to digital technology.
Secondly, in terms of digital technology and BIM, much of the attention has been on the design phase. The information that is
generated during this phase needs to be effectively communicated for use on site, so that those constructing buildings have this
at the time they need it. Moving more elements into factories as part of off-site construction/ design for manufacture is likely to
help here. In addition, the information flow needs to continue on to the facilities teams or owners who will manage the asset once
it is complete.
And finally, there are a number of comments in the survey from small companies, landscape practices, and those working on
infrastructure and conservation projects who are keen to transition to the technologies covered in this survey. The challenges that
some of these organizations face can be different from those relating to large, new, buildings – often designed and built by large
companies with dedicated information and technology specialists.
The available tools and technologies are perhaps better developed for buildings and to support large projects. Perhaps we need
more tools and guidance that is tailored towards non-building, conservation and small refurb projects?
These challenges have been mentioned before, but the fact that they continue to be highlighted now implies that these are the
areas where the greatest efforts are needed.
2023 Digital Construction Report 05 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 41

06 Appendix
723
B U I LT E N V I R O N M E N T
PROFESSIONALS
COMPLETED THE
SURVEY
2023 Digital Construction Report 06 APPENDIX 42

As with previous surveys, in terms of project role, consultants make up the largest group: 492 respondents, accounting for
68% of the sample. However, 92 (13%) are constructors or contractors, 79 (11%) suppliers and 61 (8%) clients. Many of those
performing ‘other’ roles are in education: students, academics, lecturers or researchers. The remainder describe themselves in
terms of specific professional disciplines or job titles that include designers, BIM specialists, software vendors, academics and
marketing professionals.
PROJECT ROLE
68%
C O N S U LTA N T/ D E S I G N E R /
13%
C O N S T R U C TO R /
11%
SUPPLIER/
8%
CLIENT
7%
OT H E R
SPECIFIER C O N T R AC TO R M A N U FAC T U R E R

Q: Which of the following best describes your usual role on a project?
Percentages don’t add up to 100% as respondents could select
multiple answers.

32% ARCHI TE CTS
DESIGN P RACTI CE
TYPE OF
O R G A N I S AT I O N
A wide range of organization types is represented, with architectural
30%
practices being the most common (32%), followed by manufacturers
10% MANUFAC T UR ER S
SER VICES ENG INEER S
10% MULT IDISC IP LINE

(10%), multidisciplinary design practices (10%), building services
engineers (6%) and main contractors (6%). There are also structural
and civil engineering firms and surveyors, as well as local authorities
CONT R ACTOR
and education providers. Other organizations include subcontractors,
9% OT H ER
AUT H OR IT Y
ENG INEER S
P R OV IDER S
developers, facilities management companies, landscape architects,
ENG INEER S
AR CH IT ECT S
6% BUILDING housing associations, distributors, health providers, builders’ merchants,

SUR V EYOR S
1 0%
SUR V EYOR S
MANAG EMENT
3% SUBCONT R ACTOR
6% MAIN
central government, project managers, software and technology
5% LOCAL
3% ST R UCT UR AL
3% EDUCAT ION
5% CIVIL
companies and a range of other types of consultancy.
2% DEVELOP ER
2% LANDSCAP E
2% QUANT IT Y
2% BUILDING
1% DIST R IBUTOR
5%
1% FAC ILIT IES

Q: What type of organisation do you work for?
1/2 6%
3-5 6%
6-15 12%
SIZE OF
16-25 9% O R G A N I S AT I O N
All organization sizes are represented, with the most common being those
26-50 11%
with more than 1000 employees (21%). The profile of respondents by
organization size is similar to our last survey in 2021.
51 - 100 9%
101 - 250 12%
251 - 500 8%
501-1000 6%
1000+ 21%
Q: Including yourself, approximately how many people are employed in your organisation?

ROLE/ PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE Individuals describing themselves as architects are the most
common professional discipline (23%), followed by BIM
OTHER specialists (17%). Several other design disciplines, such as
ARCHITECT
architectural technologists (6%), are represented. Some
STRUCTURAL 12 %
ENGINEER 23% of these will be working at supplier, contractor or client
3%
DESIGN MANAGER
3% organizations, as well as for consultants. 5% are project
CIVIL ENGINEER 3%
MARKETING 3%
managers. Others include technical product specialists,
3%
SURVEYOR 17 % surveyors, design managers, engineers, marketing
4% BIM MANAGER
QUANTIT Y
SURVEYOR 4% COORDINATOR/
SPECIALIST
specialists, landscape architects, asset managers, interior
AR CHITECTURAL 5% 6%
TECHNICIAN
5% 5% designers, sustainability managers, asset managers, digital
PRODUCT SPECIALIST
BUILDING SERVICES
ARCH. TECHNOLOGIST
or IT specialists, sales professionals and data managers.
PROJECT MANAGER
ENGINEER

Q: Which of the following best describes your current role/ professional discipline?

Almost three quarters (72%), or 512 respondents, are based in the UK, meaning that 28% are based in other countries. This is
a decrease in the proportion of international respondents compared with 2021, but similar to 2020. Outside the UK, the best-
represented area is Europe, with 82 respondents (11%), followed by 57 in Asia (8%), and 30 in North America (4%). Africa,
Oceania and South America are also represented. There are respondents from all six continents (excepting Antarctica), and
from over 60 countries.
L O C AT I O N
72%
UN IT ED KIN G DOM
11%
4%
NO RTH AMERICA
EUR OP E
( OUT SIDE UK)
8%
A SIA
2%
A F R IC A
1% 1%
O CE AN I A
SO UTH A MER IC A

Q: Where are you personally based?

Respondents include professionals of all (adult) age ranges, with half aged
between 35 and 54.
30%
AGE
20%
18 - 24 3%
10 % 25 - 34 17%
35 - 44 23%
45 - 54 27%
55 - 64 23%
65+ 8%
n = 697. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘prefer not to say’).
Q: Please select your age band.

Methodology
We carried out an online survey between July and September 2023. We publicised the survey by:
Sending email invitations to professionals working in the built environment in the UK and beyond.
Posting on social media.
Sharing in the media.
Working with membership organisations and professional bodies, who very kindly promoted the survey to their
networks. We thank these organisations for their support, which we were grateful to receive.
For every completed response that we received, we donated £1 to CRASH. The charity brings together construction expertise,
products and donations to:
Transform hostels, day centres, night shelters and move-on accommodation for homeless people in the UK.
Create caring environments for children and adults who need end-of-life care in a hospice.
With so many people taking part in the survey, we are pleased to have been able to donate over £700 to CRASH.

Analysis notes
The overall sample size is n=723. Unless stated, this (or a slightly lower number) will be the base size. The slightly
lower number is explained by a small number of respondents who have sometimes not answered a question; or, where
appropriate, respondents answering ‘don’t know’, ‘not sure’, ‘prefer not to say’ or ‘not applicable’ have been removed.
As part of our analysis, we have compared this year’s findings with those from previous years and analysed results by
respondent characteristics, such as: organization size and type; project role; location; and age. Where this analysis
revealed findings of note, we have included them in the report.
In some cases, percentages may not add up to 100%. This is due to rounding to whole numbers, or where respondents
could provide more than one answer.

NBS Source
Find out more at Source.theNBS.com

NBS is a global technology platform that combines quality content Glenigan is a leading provider of UK and Republic of Ireland
and connectivity for anyone involved in the design, supply and construction project data, market analysis and company
construction of the built environment. intelligence.
For architects, engineers, designers and contractors, NBS’ Combining comprehensive information gathering with expert
specification platform enables them to work smarter and reduce analysis, Glenigan provides construction product manufacturers
their risk. with up-to-date, comprehensive and actionable information, to
help you generate leads, build your business, and forecast the
For construction product manufacturers, NBS is a digital marketing future of your industry.
platform, exposing your products to decision-makers across the
construction project timeline, making it easy for specifiers to find, Glenigan customers include government agencies, leading trade
select and specify your products. bodies, construction companies and suppliers of materials and
services to the industry.
To learn more: To learn more:

Visit: theNBS.com Visit: glenigan.com
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Call: 0345 456 9594 Call: 0800 060 8698
We want to hear from you: NBS Enterprises Ltd © 2023 All rights reserved. No part of this report
We’d love to hear your feedback on this report. Please click here to share may be reproduced or shared in any form or by any means, electronic or
your thoughts. mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information

storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
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DIGITAL2023

03 Digital transformation and adoption of new technology 17

04 Technology and innovation as an enabler 33

2023 Digital Construction Report FOREWORD 4

2023 Digital Construction Report 01 INTRODUCTION 5

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 6

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 7

80% 73% 71%

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 8

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 9

n = 678. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘don’t know’).

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 10

Architectural assistant, medium-sized architectural practice

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 11

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 12

FOLLOWING EXCHANGING CLASSIFYING EXCHANGING

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 13

46% 33% 33% 8% 7%

n = 585. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not sure’).

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 14

2023 Digital Construction Report 02 BIM 15

USE OF PIM SYSTEMS

2023 Digital Construction Report

2023 Digital Construction Report

The IBM definition goes on to assert that:

89 % 74% “ Data capture using mobile technology

common use, with

77% OT H ER medium-sized multidisciplinary

this. TO SHARE D OC S & IN F OR MAT ION

Perhaps unsurprisingly, sub-assemblies and accessories feature most often. This

Growth manufacture is reflected in Glenigan project data. Modern

construction - as shown in the chart below. EDUCATION

THE RISE IN MODERN METHODS OF COMMUNIT Y

03 DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND THE ADOPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES 25

n = 616. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not

Artificial intelligence WE USE

n = 552. All respondents who gave an answer (excluding ‘not sure’).

C LOU D BIM O FF-SITE IM MER SIVE DIG ITA L A R T IF IC IA L

3. O FF-SITE CO NSTRUCTIO N 1 ,985 ( 54 1 )

4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 1 ,855 ( 52 3)

5. DIGITAL TWINS 1 , 609 ( 4 87 )

5 . VI RT UAL / AUGMENTED/ MIXED REALIT Y 1 , 4 38 ( 4 96)

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 33

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 34

Innovations in technology shouldn’t be there for technology’s

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 35

“ The main issue of digital implementation and

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 36

EMB ODIED C AR B O N WATE R U S E D E M AN D

n = 723. All respondents.

The majority of professionals therefore see the relevance of digital technologies

n = 704 to 711. All respondents who gave an answer.

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 38

2023 Digital Construction Report 04 TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION AS AN ENABLER 39

2023 Digital Construction Report 05 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 40

2023 Digital Construction Report 05 CONCLUDING THOUGHTS 41

2023 Digital Construction Report 06 APPENDIX 42

n = 723. All respondents who gave an answer.

2023 Digital Construction Report 06 APPENDIX 43

10% MULT IDISC IP LINE