Construction is much more than the assembly of buildings and infrastructure. It is how we shape the world around us, but the process, technique, and scale have all changed drastically from the centuries before us. Here are some facts about both modern day and historical elements of the construction industry:

 

1. The tallest structure in the world for over 3,800 years.

 

The pyramids of Giza have always been admired as a masterpiece of construction. Standing at 455 feet tall (138.6 m), the project was completed around 2560 BC. The exact method used to build the pyramids is not completely understood. However, no building has ever held the title of “tallest in the world” for as long as the pyramids.

 

Such a structure came at a heavy cost. It is estimated that the construction cost of the pyramid when adjusting for modern costs is around 1.2 Billion USD (not far off from the Burj Khalifa cost of 1.5 Billion USD)

 

 

2. Younger Generations and Construction

Millennials… This one word usually reflects a lot of debate across various industries, but no industry has been affected more than construction. Due to a myriad of factors, millennials are shifting to a “newer economy”, which does not reward blue color jobs. A shortage in the industry already exists and with the newer mindsets, things are only getting worse.

 

The construction industry has however made astonishing advances thanks to technology. From drones to specialized software, its taking less and less time to plan and execute projects. It is estimated that robots and 3D printing technologies are going to be the main labor force in the future, but for now the market demands for more skilled workers.

 

3. Steel Production: History, Industries and Top Producers

 

Thanks to the Bessemer method steel is now mass-produced. Before the method was introduced it took an entire day to convert 3 – 5 tons of steel, but with the Bessemer method, this process takes less than 20 minutes. 

In 2018, around 1712.1 million tons of steel was used. The 5 biggest producers of steel are;

 

1. People’s Republic of China - 928.3 (million tons)
2. European Union - 168.2 (million tons)
3. India - 106.5 (million tons)
4. Japan -  104.3 (million tons)
5. USA - 86.7 (million tons)

 

The produced steel is most used in buildings and infrastructure (50%), followed by mechanical equipment (16%), automotive industries (13%), metal products (11%), shipping and transport (5%), electrical equipment (3%), and domestic appliances (2%).