The world is and has always been constantly growing and changing around us. While we all see evidence of this fact everyday, no other group feels the impact going on around us more severely than structural engineers. The reason why makes sense, with a little thought.

Structural engineers constantly have to tackle how to shape our lives and the structures that shelter us in order to meet the demands of our changing world. This demand gives way to new solutions, many of which catch on within the industry and develop into new yearly trends. As 2016 draws to a close, we’d like to cover this year’s engineering trends.

Transformation of Funding and Technique

2016 has brought some huge changes to the engineering field, especially in terms of how it’s performed at its most basic level. New innovations are allowing the process to be streamlined, creating new and better chances for collaboration between engineers and their teammates.

Construction builders will now have access to better learning tools, creating higher amounts of specialized staff who are better able to help construct more safe and efficient buildings. Finally, structural engineering services across the country are starting to place more emphasis on green building by finding ways to reduce the energy consumption of new projects. All three of these innovations are designed to make the engineering process a little easier and more beneficial across the board.

Modular Construction

Modular construction is another new innovation to unfold recently, inspired by the need to put together buildings more quickly without sacrificing their integrity. You can think of it as being very much like an oversized game of Legos. Construction professionals put together buildings by stacking box units against each other. It’s an efficient process mostly reserved for commercial building projects, such as skyscrapers and restaurants.

One of the most convenient aspects of this particular building style is its ability to allow engineers to play their projects by ear, creating greater flexibility. If a structural engineering company needs to expand their project, all they need to do is add more blocks wherever necessary. Each block is made of the standard materials you’d find in any building project—wood, steel and various types of paved substances.

Sustainable Materials

The path toward sustainability has yet to falter, and has even paved the way to new materials that are starting to make waves within the industry! Structural engineers have designed technology to boost building safety, such as systems designed to detect seismic activity and the building’s reaction and resistance to it. Engineers have also come up with tools using 3D printing and concrete that can repair itself of any damage. Time will only tell what other forms of technology will arise in 2017, but we believe the future is bright!

These aren’t the only engineering trends to arise this year, but they are some of the most promising and beneficial. We hope to see these trends continue and grow into the new year. To learn more about the engineering industry, we encourage you to pay a visit to our website and contact us with any questions you may have!