INDUSTRY FOCUS
PAUSE, PREPARE & PROGRESS How trends in digitalization of AEC have helped the industry adjust to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and also become better prepared to meet the pressing demands for infrastructure growth in future. By Gavin Schrock
26 | www.gwprime.geospatialworld.net | July-Aug 2020
T
here is no doubt that the long-term trajectory of infrastructure growth will be like nothing we have ever seen before. Not just due to population growth over the next decades, but also because of substantial income growth across economies that will create the need for new or upgraded infrastructure, which is cost-effective, sustainable and smart. The past decade has seen unparalleled infrastructure investments that were, until recently, very much on track to meet those future demands. The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector has fared better than many industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has not been immune to its effects. For instance, after the early months of the pandemic, until which construction in the US remained relatively healthy, we are now seeing, for the first time in a decade, a substantial drop in both non-residential and residential construction. The shortfalls in Europe and Asia seem somewhat less pronounced. The outlook, while uncertain, may benefit from the growing realization that infrastructure investments can be one of the most effective ways to boost economies hit by this global crisis. In fact, some countries have already begun such programs.
