Rob Barton, group managing director of Tarn Homes discusses the role that AI can play in shaping the future of housebuilding, and what impact does that future have on the people that make up the industry?
The use of artificial intelligence in UK housebuilding and construction hasn’t exactly taken off, but it is no longer the stuff of Hollywood. Early innovators in the sector are starting to dabble and we’re all realising – from construction contractors to communications agencies – that this isn’t something that can be ignored for much longer if we’re to remain competitive.
Currently, AI is showing the most value in situations where large amounts of data exist, but the sheer volume of information is too complex for a human workforce to analyse comprehensively.
One area in which we see a clear need for this technology is land and planning. AI can search, identify, extract and analyse this data more quickly than any team of people has the bandwidth for. AI could analyse every site option in context, considering demographics, trends, forecasts and pricing, but it requires reliable data to do this. All relevant criteria is then pieced together to draw a conclusion as to whether Site A is a better choice than Site B. With land registry records, planning applications and approval information all published online, I’m confident that it will be possible to use AI analysis tools – over time as this database becomes more reliable – to assess trends.
For example, AI could in theory forecast the outcome of a planning committee more accurately than any human could, based on mathematical predictability of behaviour. Previous planning decisions and the political leanings of a committee’s members are data stored in the public domain on Council websites and across social media profiles, but AI will find every single digital record available to make a judgement. AI could tell us the probability of whether our appeal against a planning decision will be determined by an inspector who is also an architect, and therefore more or less likely to take a design-led stance on the plans in front of them.
In China, AI is being utilised in masterplanning. Offsite manufacturing, yet to peak in the UK, could be greatly improved for the benefit of the people who live in our homes and for our planet. The potential for good – as well as for business success – is enormous, from climate change analysis through to construction health and safety management. The scope seems endless.
The often-asked question – and argument – though, is whether AI can replace a person in the workforce. I believe if it’s used correctly, it is a tool for us to harness, not a human substitute. In the legal sector, it has been trained to write better contracts; the fundamental requirement however – if we’re to improve any processes in property development – is the merging of human skills with technology to train AI how to analyse the right information.
However, even if we use AI in a way we are comfortable with and we control it satisfactorily, the bottom, inevitable, line is that we will need fewer people doing our jobs than we did before. After all, what is the point of this technology at all if it doesn’t enhance accuracy or efficiency?
An even darker side of the debate is the impact not just on employment, but on our safety. Value will be better placed on us as employees in how we ask questions, not how answer them, as the questions we ask – and the literal manner in which AI responds – directly shape the result of an AI decision. To instruct that ‘every single outcome must protect human life’ as part of an AI-led health and safety programme might not go far enough on-site, should a beloved pet stray into a construction area. One well-publicised tragedy, in whatever form, could spark a backlash against this technology. Remember the self-driven car?
Tarn Homes is in a good position to take advantage of new technology; we’re newly established and unencumbered by old processes, and ultimately, AI has proven to be most effective from a clean slate for a number of reasons. Untangling decades of procedures and systems is a huge challenge for any business; many want to implement AI tools and efficiencies but find themselves stuck with legacy issues. In addition, the technology works best from scratch when we ask it to find the optimum solution.
This is a topic that is very complex, with ethical implications. AI touches almost every sector and discipline involved in planning, constructing and selling a new home, but so much of current research is changing and flexible that it still remains difficult to draw firm conclusions. We are wary of generative AI, which can often seem to cause more problems than it solves, however, we’re exploring its analytical value – and in the near future – in planning, costing and construction. Is there a risk to harnessing AI in housebuilding? There is also infinite potential.
