Technology is being used in some cities as a way to resolve some of the most significant problems. Experts believe that the aging infrastructure, inefficient energy consumption, and other issues would just continue to get worse if we continue to stick with the traditional ways to handle things.
However, with technology, such as the Internet of Things, eliminating these problems have become more possible than ever. Here are the top 3 construction tech innovations shaping our future cities.
1. Smart Wearables That Function as Sensors
A few years from now, cities would rely on the Internet of Things– this kind of connection would allow one smart device to communicate with another, or even collect and send data from it.
In the future, cities would be smarter, as they’ll be more familiar with the needs of the users, allowing them to gather information even from regular, day-to-day objects, such as traffic safety cones, traffic signs, and even on the road itself. By being able to process information coming from this, they’ll be able to enjoy an increase in efficiency, while minimizing waste at the same time.
Developers are also working on smart fabrics as part of this technology. In fact, a research team is trying to imagine clothing with data-generating sensors. Hopefully, this would allow pedestrians to move more safely in the city, and be able to capture information about traffic in real time.
It’s also worth noting that mobile data collection adds a new dimension to the smarts of our future cities, which allows sensors to be exactly where they should be.
2. Bioluminescent Trees to Light the Streets
Researches are exploring the use of bioluminescence of insects, and jellyfish as a way to illuminate storefronts and signs. As a matter of fact, in Paris, Glowee has already designed self-contained bulbs that have bioluminescent bacteria in them, together with the food and oxygen necessary for their survival.
In the future, we might start seeing these bright bulbs everywhere, especially on the streets. It has even reached the point that another company is trying to modify plants that can glow just like sea creatures genetically, and these would be “glowing trees.” If this succeeds, the more we’ll be able to conserve energy and keep the planet clean.
3. Super Strong Concrete
Researchers are adding cellulose nanocrystals taken from wood fiber to concrete. This allows them to outperform traditional alternatives, especially when we talk about flexibility, impact resistance, and strength.
When utilized in the construction site, specifically on construction materials, such as concrete, it works great in reducing a structure’s environmental footprint as it requires less material to achieve the same effect. Furthermore, the nanocrystal additive can also be extracted as a byproduct of bioenergy, industrial agriculture, and even in paper production.
This addition improves the curing process of concrete, and researchers believe that through this, concrete could use water more efficiently without have a negative effect on the density and weight. Construction materials are just some of the few sectors that additives are working on.
Hopefully, a few years from now, it would be fully developed in a way that concrete would last longer than how it originally does.