Solving the ‘Celtic Tiger’ level of pressure on Ireland’s construction industry

It’s no secret that Ireland is in the middle of a housing crisis, with the issue continuing to dominate headlines and the political agenda. Parties across the political spectrum have all pledged to support the construction of tens of thousands of new homes over the coming years, however figures in a new report have now called into question the likelihood that these targets will be met.

According to the report, which was published by construction consultants Mitchell McDermott, construction output grew by 12% in 2019 alone. Yet, in the same year, the number of workers in the sector grew by only 4%. As a result of this shortage, an additional 30,000 construction workers will now be needed if housing targets are to be met.

Alleviating the pressure

With demand for construction workers increasing, wage costs have been pushed higher and, when coupled with an acceleration in material prices, this can mean that the return on investment for big contractors is now reduced. Increased costs and the demand for housing is placing the construction sector under ‘Celtic Tiger’ levels of pressure, with representatives from Mitchell McDermott voicing concerns that the industry is in danger of overheating.

So, what can the construction industry do to alleviate the pressures caused by housing crisis, worker shortage and rising costs?

At Topcon, we believe that technology is the answer. Innovation in the construction sector is helping to improve accuracy and efficiency, allowing for increased productivity, and time and cost savings.

One example of this is Topcon’s new GTL-1000. Combining a 3D laser scanner and an integrated total station, the GTL-1000 transforms the building construction process by speeding up construction verification workflows. This need for faster verification has come from a need for quicker, more accurate construction to address ongoing issues like the housing crisis and now, with the GTL-1000, work that once took days can now only take a matter of hours to complete.

Verification costs money, is time-consuming and requires specialist training, but Topcon’s full vertical construction workflow is making the task quicker and simpler than ever – increasing contractor’s return on investment by reducing re-works and mis-installations to save both time and money.

We’re always one step ahead, addressing the challenges of tomorrow, today. Although it is clear that the housing crisis, worker shortages and increases in costs and wages are placing the construction sector under huge amounts of pressure, we believe that through the use of innovative technology, construction professionals can improve productivity, efficiency and accuracy to help save time and money. These efficient workflows and reduced mistakes will ultimately alleviate some of the pressure the industry is under.