What technologies are needed for i-Construction 2.0? Organizing the key areas

Table of contents

• First, organize the technologies required for i-Construction 2.0

• Why is a "reorganization of technologies" necessary now?

• Why 3D measurement technology is the starting point

• Why BIM/CIM and linking with 3D models become the core

• Using construction data and visualizing the site will be the next differentiator

• Remote construction and automated construction are not future technologies but preparatory technologies

• Digital supervision/inspection and AR use will change management practices

• AI adoption will start with image analysis and optimization

• Precast and communication infrastructure that support off-site construction

• Practical priorities for advancing i-Construction 2.0 response

• Summary

First, organize the technologies required for i-Construction 2.0

When these three pillars are translated into practice, the key areas can be broadly divided. First is 3D measurement technology to correctly measure the site; next is BIM/CIM to connect information centered on 3D models; then systems that aggregate construction data in real time to visualize the site; followed by remote construction and automated construction, remote supervision and inspection, AI use including image analysis; and finally the communication infrastructure and the concept of off-site construction that support these. Responding to i-Construction 2.0 is not about introducing these individually, but about combining them based on the workflow of site work — keeping this in mind will make technology selection less confusing.

Why is a "reorganization of technologies" necessary now?

Why 3D measurement technology is the starting point

From the perspective of practitioners, the important point is not to leave 3D measurement as "only a surveyor's matter." Only when measurement data can be reused repeatedly — from pre-construction surveys, in-progress as-built verification, post-construction confirmation, quantity calculation, to preparation of inspection materials — will the investment pay off. A common on-site failure is being satisfied with just acquiring point clouds or coordinates, without organizing them so they can be used in subsequent processes. If you are serious about responding to i-Construction 2.0, you need to change the design of the measurement stage to be conscious of later processes, including accuracy, coordinate systems, calibration, as-built management items, and delivery formats. This also aligns with the official guidelines' forward-looking approach covering "as-built management," "quantity calculation," and "supervision and inspection."

Why BIM/CIM and linking with 3D models become the core

Even more important is the linkage between 3D models and 2D drawings. In the FY2025 initiatives, assuming the use of 3D models as contract documents, progress is being made on establishing rules for consistency checks with 2D drawings, pilot projects, and reducing the burden of creating 2D drawings. In FY2024, 86 initiatives were carried out, and automation of consistency checks and the creation of contract documents in a hybrid format with 2D drawings have become the next themes. In other words, what is required for i-Construction 2.0 is not only the technology to create 3D models, but technology that links drawings and models without contradiction and brings them to a quality level usable for contracts, checking, and construction.

Using construction data and visualizing the site will be the next differentiator

Remote construction and automated construction are not future technologies but preparatory technologies

Digital supervision/inspection and AR use will change management practices

In addition, supervision and inspection themselves are beginning to shift to a premise of digital data. The 2024 trial notification states that, if both client and contractor can confirm there are no issues, digital technologies such as 3D models and AR may be used to implement new construction management and supervision/inspection methods that simplify and streamline current practices. And in the FY2025 initiatives, guideline revisions are being advanced so that when supervision/inspection are conducted by overlaying as-built surface management data on site, the creation and submission of as-built management charts will be unnecessary; using AR for as-built verification of earthwork is expected to improve the efficiency and speed of staged confirmations and on-site inspections, and to partially reduce paperwork. For i-Construction 2.0, the technologies that truly matter are those that reduce the time for management and inspection as well as for on-site work itself.

AI adoption will start with image analysis and optimization

Precast and communication infrastructure that support off-site construction

Practical priorities for advancing i-Construction 2.0 response

To avoid failures in practice, it is important to think not in terms of "what to introduce" but "which business flow to shorten." For example, priority technologies differ depending on whether you want to shorten the time from pre-construction survey to as-built verification, reduce mismatches between drawings and actual conditions, lower the burden of inspection documents, or make dangerous work remote. Considering wholesale introduction under the single label of i-Construction 2.0 often leads to failure; it is important to identify where the biggest bottleneck lies among measurement technologies, connection technologies, visualization technologies, and verification technologies. Even looking at official measures, each field progresses in parallel, but it can be read that on-site implementation is more likely to take hold if given an order of priority.

Summary

The technologies required for i-Construction 2.0 are not simply introducing ICT construction machinery or automation equipment. Only when you include technologies to measure correctly in three dimensions, technologies to make 3D models usable in operations, technologies to visualize construction data and link that to site improvements, technologies to expand to remote and automated construction, technologies that move supervision and inspection closer to being completed digitally, and the communication infrastructure and off-site construction mindset that support those, can you really say you are responding to i-Construction 2.0. Looking at national policy, the core of the key areas is concentrated into three stages: "create data," "connect data," and "make decisions from data."

Therefore, what sites should first consider is not a perfect future vision but where to start 3D-ifying today’s operations and where to start reducing manpower. The realistic first step toward i-Construction 2.0 is to begin small cycles that quickly obtain, record, share, and connect positional information and measurement data on-site to subsequent processes. For creating such an entry point, using iPhone-mounted high-precision GNSS positioning devices like LRTK to incorporate on-site positioning, recording, and georeferenced data acquisition into daily operations is a very good fit. Rather than waiting for large-scale systems, building up position information and 3D data operations at the accuracy level usable on site is the true shortcut to becoming a site strong in i-Construction 2.0.