Construction Tech Goes Beyond Drones

A ready-mix truck stands by for a roadway upgrade in Grand Canyon National Park.

HOUSTON—As with the CRE industry as a whole, the use of technology in the construction industry is slowing evolving from a manual and paper-dependent industry. CEMEX, a global building materials company headquartered in Houston, has been at the forefront of the evolution. In this exclusive, Joel Galassini, regional president, Texas and New Mexico Region of CEMEX, discusses these innovations, the company’s platforms and other tech benefits.

GlobeSt.com: How has the construction industry changed in the last five years, driving the need for new and more technology? How will technology help the industry to grow in the next five years?

Galassini: Construction has seen a wave of new technologies: platforms, drones, automation and more. There is a lot of interest in drones in building materials and construction. CEMEX recently received a Portland Cement Association safety innovation award for our program that uses drones for visual inspections of enclosed areas, specifically for fire hazards. I think innovations that offer tremendous safety and precision benefits are great areas for development in the years to come.