The industrialization of construction takes shape in a transforming sector 

Industrialization is no longer a concept of the future, but a reality that is gaining ground in construction. At a time when the sector faces structural challenges—from the shortage of skilled labor to the need to improve productivity, quality, and sustainability—industrialization provides tangible solutions that have already been consolidated in real projects. 

This new model is based on moving the construction process to controlled factory environments, where modular or hybrid concrete solutions, integrated systems, and standardized processes prevail. Execution in industrial facilities allows for reduced geometric tolerances, higher quality, minimized waste, and guaranteed production timelines. Additionally, BIM technology enables the connection of production machinery with design software, reducing errors and allowing complete traceability of the production process. The ability to anticipate component manufacturing and highly efficient assembly procedures are key to significantly reducing project timelines, which can account for up to 35% of the total construction time. 

Another major contribution of construction industrialization is the improvement of working conditions. Some workers move from outdoor labor to performing their tasks in controlled industrial environments, where ergonomics and working conditions improve substantially. Likewise, by moving the production process to the factory, workers no longer need to constantly change their workplace, as they would in traditional construction. However, the most significant improvement offered by industrialization is the reduction of accident rates, since industrial environments are designed and controlled to prevent accidents. 

The constant evolution of industrial equipment also accelerates the transformation of job profiles toward more technology-oriented roles, adding value to construction. The combination of more controlled environments and equipment that substantially reduces physical demands is accelerating the integration of women into a sector that has traditionally been heavily male-dominated. 

Industrialization versus traditional construction 

Industrialization has arrived to add value to the sector in those processes where it is feasible. At present, not everything can be industrialized, so both systems will coexist, with experience determining the best construction method in each case. 

Unlike other industries, construction is a sector where productivity rates have not improved over the years. Industrialization in certain construction processes will act as a lever to enhance productivity and, ultimately, reduce construction costs. 

Industrialized construction will also address the growing loss of skilled workers in traditional trades (masons, formwork specialists, steel fixers, etc.), creating new industry-related profiles (equipment maintenance technicians, software engineers, industrial machinery operators, assemblers, installers, etc.) that will increase construction capacity, which is currently in deficit relative to demand. 

Finally, industrialization can provide a solution to one of the sector’s major challenges: sustainability. This approach reduces waste and is more energy-efficient. The incorporation of recycled materials, cements and steels with a lower carbon footprint, and renewable energy in manufacturing processes will contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the sector. 

Published in El Economista