U.S. construction companies are not embracing technological advancements, such as drone aircrafts, robotics, data analytics, RFID equipment and materials tracking, according to a recent survey by KPMG International.

Nearly half of the organizations surveyed use multiple software platforms that are manually monitored rather than a single, fully integrated project management information system, KPMG reports. When it comes to mobile technology and platforms, while most companies use remote monitoring on projects, 19% do not use mobile technology at all. Among those that do utilize mobile technology for projects, nearly 40% do not have them linked to an integrated system or broader enterprise-wide project management system, according to the survey.

70% of U.S. construction companies do not use robotic or automated technology and most have no plans to use it in the future. Image credit: Pixabay. “The survey responses reflect the industry’s innate conservatism toward technologies, with most firms content to follow rather than lead,” says Geno Armstrong, international sector leader, engineering and construction, at KPMG. “Many lack a clear technology strategy and either adopt it in a piecemeal fashion or not at all. The rapidly evolving infrastructure challenges of the next decade demand that both owners and engineering and construction firms embrace technology more strategically and at a far more rapid pace than in the past.”

In the KPMG study, 67% of respondents said they could not push one button on their desktop to obtain fully integrated real-time data on a project. Further, 70% do not use robotic or automated technology and most have no plans to use it in the future. In addition to traditional cost and schedule analytics, 65% do not use data analytics for any other aspects of their organization's projects.

“Integrated, real-time project reporting is still a myth rather than a reality for most,” says Armstrong. “That’s largely because firms tend to use multiple software platforms that are manually monitored and disconnected, which severely compromises their effectiveness.”

Armstrong says that technologies such as remote monitoring, automation and visualization can improve speed, accuracy and safety on today's increasingly complex projects.