Emerging issues in the construction industry: A critical review of past and present trends

4^th World Congress and Exhibition on Construction & Steel Structure

October 16-18, 2017 Atlanta, USA

Ahmed Syed

East Carolina Univesrity, USA

Keynote: J Civil Environ Eng

Abstract :

The construction industry is continuing to grow and its contribution to GDP reaching a high of 784.1 USD Billion in 2016 (Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), 2017). The construction industry is constantly changing with improvements to technology, safety, the environment, and economics. As one of the leading industries, employers are striving to make new advancements in the field (BEA, 2017). The objective of this paper is to systematically review the current literature on trends in the construction industry. An in-depth review of construction management articles was conducted to determine what issues and trends are emerging in the construction industry. The literature review found an array of articles on topics such as technology, safety, the environment, and economics. After determining the important issues and trends, a review was conducted to discuss how the construction industry is adapting to these changes. As the world continues to evolve with the changing economy and environment, the construction industry needs to continue to keep up with these changes. Recommendations are provided based on the review for future growth and trends of the construction industry.

Biography :

Ahmed Syed is a Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Construction Management at East Carolina University. He has over 30 years of international experience in teaching, research and consulting. His areas of interest includes construction scheduling, quality and risk management, and project controls. He is the Author of four books and has also published extensively (over 150 publications) in international journals and conferences. He is on the Editorial Board of more than six international journals and serves as the Associate Editor of ASCE, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management and Built Environment Project and Asset Management Journal.