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New technologies are impacting every aspect of our lives. The construction industry is no exception. There are computer applications across all aspects of the construction management function: programs for estimating, scheduling, project administration, building design, cost accounting, project controls, quality control, and information transfer. Computers are available on every job site, and increasingly we are seeing all kinds of field mobility software and tablet computers being applied to every aspect of the construction management process that can be used to initiate a schedule or purchase order change in an instant. But the technology doesn't stop there. Technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS), computer-aided earth-moving systems, building information modeling (BIM), and virtual and augmented reality are allowing construction managers to enter and interact with buildings that exist only in cyberspace. These virtual mock-ups are real enough to evaluate things as simple as whether welders have enough room to work in a confined space, and more serious issues such as the impact of a powerful hurricane on an entire facility. (You'll learn more about BIM and other technologies in Chapter 15.)

The technological opportunities in construction methods, materials, and management are endless. In the future, we can look forward to the use of nanotechnology, metallic polymers, and micro-electromechanical systems that will allow for embedded intelligence in building materials and produce products such as interactive, “talking” doors, windows, walls, and even kitchen countertops.