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#Construction#Automation

How might we mechanise construction through new materials or technologies which require less labour and are more suited for automation?

Background/Context

Sime Darby Property builds up to 5,000 homes in Malaysia per year, working with a large number of contractors and builders. The Malaysian construction ecosystem is reliant on a high number of manual labour, as it is currently the most cost-effective option.

However, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new and significant challenges in construction. Construction sites face sporadic lock-outs of workers, limits on the number of workers on-site, and implementations of new health and safety procedures. These have resulted in delays, increased costs, and higher risks to construction quality.

Objective

How might we mechanise construction through new materials or technologies which require less labour and are more suited for automation ?

Solution

Sime Darby Property is looking for:

  • Tech solutions for home construction (ideally in a controlled environment) to reduce on-site labour

  • Solutions to mechanise or automate on-site task (e.g. drilling, grinding, painting, rebar tying, sanding, transport of materials, etc)

  • Solutions to automate on-site defects and quality monitoring to improve quality control during construction

  • New types of construction materials that have more desirable properties, such as 1) being lighter and/or stronger, or 2) enable mechanisation more easily or cheaply. (e.g.  Ultra-High Performance Concrete, cross-laminated timber, biomimetic self-healing concrete, etc)

A solution that helps construction work become less labour-intensive and more resilient to construction site disruptions will enable Sime Darby Property to continue to build high-quality homes in a more effective manner.

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