Fearful engineers face robotic threat

Construction efficiency could be dealt a severe blow and work could be lost to foreign contractors because British engineers seem to fear automated technology, it was claimed this week.

CJ understands from engineers that robotic construction is seen as a non-starter in Britain despite the best efforts of some researchers, such as the Building Research Establishment. But this week the BRE launched a bid to gear up interest and win funding for automated systems on behalf of the Construction Productivity Network (CPN).

"The Japanese are way ahead of us," said David Cobb, project director at BRE's Large Building Test Facility at Cardington. He said that Japanese contractors were erecting steel and concrete framed buildings using robots, although there is a lack of information on the cost effectiveness of the systems.

Cobb launched the CPN's bid to find out if the construction industry really wants robotic construction. He said that the technologies could make contractors more competitive and give clients savings by better life cycle costings. The CPN initiative is the next step by British researchers to push forward interest after an international conference in Tokyo.

"We have to establish if there is a need there and see if funding is needed," he told CJ. However, engineers said there was little demand for advanced technology on most construction sites. Some equipment suppliers agreed and expressed frustration and disbelief at the attitudes of some engineers on site.

"Conservative" engineers worried about their site jobs were said to have limited interest in some of the latest automated surveying equipment never mind robots, CJ was told.