The idea that the construction industry is falling behind other industries in implementing digital transformation is “a great misconception,” the National Federation of Builders (NFB) says.
“We want to change the narrative around technology in construction and give our industry the credit it deserves,” the federation says.
In fact, eight out of 10 of its members have embraced digital technology and substantially benefitted from it, the NFB has found.
The NFB has published a research document, Technological transformation and cyber security insights from construction contractors, revealing that contractors have embraced digital transformation, found it successful, invested in digital training and are motivated by the business case to do so.
The research also shows that contractors are taking cyber security seriously, with half of all those asked having an appointed person to lead their cyber defences and a third assessing their cyber risk on a monthly basis.
However, there is progress to be made, as the survey shows there is a lack of strategic leadership for digital transformation and a lack of general awareness of cyber security policies and procedures within the companies asked. In fact, 24% of contractors said they had fallen victim to cyberattacks in 2022 and a further 20% were unable to say whether they had or not.
NFB chief Executive Richard Beresford said: “There is a general perception that construction companies don’t take technology, digital and data seriously but our results contest that misconception and give us strong reason to be positive about the sector’s approach to digital transformation. Contractors have shown themselves to be adaptable when it matters these past few years, and this snap-shot research shows the same is true for the industry’s strategic challenges too.”
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