The Role of Innovation in Boosting Productivity in Construction
Hear from 2024 PIA winners - How Creative Solutions are Reshaping the Way We Build
Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity—not a threat. — Steve Jobs
Introduction: Productivity and Innovation at the Heart of Construction’s Future
In the world of construction, where efficiency is everything, productivity and innovation are more than just buzzwords—they’re lifelines. With tighter project timelines and rising demands, the industry can’t just rely on more manpower to meet its goals. Instead, it’s increasingly clear that creative solutions are the real game-changers here.
That’s exactly what the Productivity and Innovation Awards (PIA) by SCAL celebrate each year: practical solutions that drive productivity and set a new standard for the industry. But beyond the awards, it’s all about broader trends reshaping how construction gets done. Let’s dive into how productivity and innovation are carving the future of construction, with a few spotlight stories from this year’s award winners showing just how transformative these approaches can be.
The Importance of Innovation in Construction
Innovation in construction used to mean picking up the latest tech gadget and hoping it would make a difference. Now? It’s all about smart, creative problem-solving. As the industry demands quicker, more efficient builds, companies are turning to automation, prefabrication, and even robotics to shake things up.
Productivity: Why It’s Key to Competitiveness
In Singapore’s high-stakes construction market, productivity means more than meeting deadlines. It means staying competitive, reducing project costs, and ensuring safer workplaces.
As Singapore’s government continues to push for higher productivity standards, SCAL has taken the reins to lead by example, encouraging construction firms to innovate and share what works.
This year, SCAL’s PIA Awards celebrated excellence in productivity and innovation across the construction industry, spotlighting projects that showcase the power of creative, hands-on solutions. The winning projects demonstrated how embedding innovation into core project processes can drive real impact, from improving efficiency to advancing sustainability.
Case Studies: Insights from the PIA 2024 Award Winners
This year’s PIA winners raised the bar, illustrating that innovation in construction is not just a choice but a necessity. These projects tackled complex challenges head-on, using creative problem-solving to enhance productivity and redefine standards in the industry.
China Construction Realty Pte Ltd: Revolutionising Prefabrication with Pre-Built Staircases
As the Gold Winner of the 2024 PIA, China Construction Realty Pte Ltd took the conventional method and gave it a fresh, new solution. Staircase construction is usually time-consuming with safety concerns for proper access to the construction level, with multiple steps (and we’re not talking about the stairs!) that slow down the process and chew up manpower. Instead, the team at Grand Dunman decided to cast their staircases in a controlled environment and simply hoist them onto the site, pre-built and ready to go.
“Our pre-built staircase system allowed us to increase productivity by 49%, reduce on-site manpower by 48%, and improve safety and quality control,” explained Rex Urtezuela, Deputy Project Manager at China Construction. While this new method was initially about 2% more expensive, the time and labour savings more than made up for it, creating a positive cash flow and speeding up the project by two whole months. Sometimes, a small tweak to a well-known process is all it takes to shift the needle.
China Communications Construction Company: Innovating in Marine Construction
CCCC’s Marine Viaduct Foundation project, which earned the Silver Award, faced a different set of challenges—an underwater environment where conventional methods would have disrupted marine life and posed risks to the team. To sidestep these issues, CCCC developed a Beta framework system that covered the work area, reducing the need for risky underwater tasks.
“Working in a partially submerged environment required a safe and efficient solution,” explained Verdy Nurtanio, who led the project for CCCC. “By enclosing the work area and using a synchronised deck system, we ensured safety, avoided disrupting marine life, and shaved 3 to 4 months off the timeline.” This clever approach not only saved nearly 50% of project costs but also set a new standard for sustainable and efficient marine construction.
Bronze Winners: Innovations in Time and Efficiency
The Bronze winners, Kajima Overseas Asia (Singapore) Pte Ltd (KOAS) and Zheng Keng Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd, made their mark by tackling site-specific challenges head-on.
Kajima faced a long installation process for PPVC modules. By using innovative tools like the Pitakai and Rubber Air Gasket, they shaved 25 minutes off the installation time for each module. With 2,360 modules on the project, that’s no small feat! As the Kajima team put it, “This optimisation was crucial for the 2,360 modules used in the project.”
Meanwhile, Zheng Keng Engineering & Construction tackled site access constraints, underutilised Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP), and manpower shortages by developing the Façade Internal Installation Method (F2IM). This change reduced MEWP usage, lowered manpower needs, and improved site safety. As their team shared, “F2IM allowed us to reduce working-at-height risks and boosted both productivity and safety.”
Lessons from the Field: What Can We Learn?
Winners of SCAL’s 2024 PIA awards offer up some great lessons for the industry, that other contractors can put to use.
Small Changes Can Make Big Impacts
From pre-built staircases to rubber gaskets, each of these projects found simple but effective ways to tackle project-specific issues. Sometimes, the best innovations are just tweaks that simplify or speed up an existing process.
Collaboration is Key
As Rex pointed out, innovation needs top-down support and collaboration across departments. When teams work together with the freedom to experiment, solutions can be found even for the toughest challenges.
Efficiency Pays for Itself
While new methods often have a higher initial cost, the long-term savings on labour, time, and safety usually pay off. China Construction Realty Pte Ltd’s experience shows how projects can benefit financially from saving time, even if the innovation comes with a small upfront investment.
Safety and Sustainability Go Hand in Hand
The Marine Viaduct Foundation project showed us that safety and environmental stewardship are essential. Minimising marine disruption and improving safety aren’t just good for the planet; they’re good for the project’s bottom line.
The Future of Productivity and Innovation in Construction
Where is construction headed? If these projects are any sign, the future will be all about sustainable practices, automation, and data-driven decisions. The next wave of innovation is likely to include tools like Building Information Modelling (BIM) and robotics to further streamline operations.
SCAL’s commitment to recognising and promoting such innovations with the PIA awards encourages firms to explore, test, and share what works. As the industry faces new challenges, this emphasis on productivity and innovation will be the key to maintaining Singapore’s standing as a leader in construction.
Conclusion: The Industry’s Path Forward
This year’s PIA winners remind us that every project is a chance to try something new, improve what’s working, and let go of what’s not. The winners showed us that building smarter isn’t just about speed or cost; it’s about doing more with less and building with a purpose.