Interview with Tape Solutions Global Market Manager on Construction Trends

Please tell us about yourself.

I am the global market manager at Saint-Gobain Tape Solutions for industrial and construction markets. I have worked for Saint-Gobain for 20 years and have won business awards for innovation and distinctive value. I hold an MBA degree from UMASS and an engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon University, but I’ve had far more fun playing basketball and guitar. I am married with two grown-up children but still have many years of work ahead before retirement. My family also includes a miniature dachshund puppy, who causes plenty of chaos and always makes us laugh with his antics.

What are some sustainable construction trends you see?

Construction is evolving rapidly and becoming more sustainable thanks to three trends that improve workplace safety, enhance building materials, and significantly change the way structures are being built.

1. Workplace Safety
2. Use of more sustainable building materials
3. Modular construction

The first trend is workplace safety. Construction sites are using drones to map hazardous areas, and construction robots are employed to carry out tasks that put workers at risk from repetitive motions or hazardous environments.

The second trend is the use of more sustainable building materials. Some materials that are seeing broader use include:

1. Bamboo
2. Recycled concrete
3. Steel for light construction
4. Reclaimed wood
5. Rammed earth

The third trend is modular construction, which significantly changes the way structures are being built. Modular construction is growing rapidly and reduces the time to build a structure by up to 50%. Modular construction also improves workplace safety and reduces the amount of materials needed to construct a building.

These three trends are making homes more affordable and accessible, while also supporting the need to make the world a better home.

How do you see housing changing in North America?

There is a shortage of housing in North America. Housing prices are rising while mortgage rates remain high, making it more difficult to buy a home. Many buyers have shifted to renting instead of owning, waiting for interest rates to drop. As a result, the construction of apartments has increased significantly.

Despite the boom in apartment building construction, high mortgage interest rates have reduced the demand for new construction overall, both in residential and commercial buildings. U.S. home prices are currently at all-time highs and are less affordable relative to income and mortgage rates. Prices soared by about 40% during the pandemic. With such high prices, sales of existing homes have dropped dramatically. While buyers wait for prices to fall, sellers are reluctant to list their homes because they don’t want to give up the low fixed-rate mortgages they secured before rates increased.

Today, house prices remain high. Supply is even more restricted due to severe underbuilding relative to population growth. Experts estimate that 3.2 million new homes are needed in the United States, and this shortage continues to drive housing prices up.

Are you seeing similar issues globally?

Yes, globally, we are seeing similar issues, driven by rising property prices and a shortage of homes. According to Reuters, in major housing markets including the US, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, and Dubai, prices are forecast to rise between 1–5% in 2025. For home buyers, affordability remains a key concern.

How will smarter cities impact a sustainable future?

Smart cities optimise the use of public resources, enhance service quality, and reduce costs, thus contributing significantly to sustainability by also reducing waste and energy use. A smart city incorporates the following three concepts:

1. Leveraging innovation to improve water and energy use
   
   Managing the volume, quality, and quantity of water is important, especially as clean water becomes increasingly scarce. Smart cities utilise modern technologies to gather data. This can help identify which water systems require improvement and rehabilitation. The use of field data, combined with 3D virtual modelling, allows smart cities to better monitor and manage the condition of water infrastructure and detect minor issues before they escalate into serious problems. As a result, water main lines can be replaced before they break and fail, minimising disruptions to residents and the costs of emergency repairs. Smart city technology is transforming utility operations and maintenance, enabling more proactive planning, streamlined processes, cost savings, and, most importantly, better, safer water for city residents.
   
   In terms of energy use, electricity is increasingly being converted to sustainable sources, but solar power is only generated during the day. Smart cities use data to ensure sufficient power is available both during the day and at night. Key to reducing reliance on fossil fuels and achieving energy independence within cities is the integration of renewable energy systems into the building design and infrastructure of smart cities. Whether it’s solar, geothermal, or hydroelectric power, these renewable energy technologies are paving the way towards more sustainable urbanisation.
    
2. More fluid communication between people, companies, and government
   
   At the heart of this smart city transformation lies effective communication. Not only is the seamless exchange of data and information integral, but so is the alignment, agreement, and shared purpose of stakeholders. For smart cities to thrive, governments, businesses, universities, and local communities need to be aligned in terms of creating the proper environment for sustainable urban development. Regarding communication, through real-time data exchange, the role of IoT (Internet of Things) technology, 5G networks, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence, smart cities can effectively bridge the gap between these technologies and the immediate needs of city inhabitants. These smart city technologies can help avoid issues like traffic jams through enhanced, proper communication. They can even identify when and where recycling needs to be collected. The possibilities are endless.
    
3. Shared use of goods and services for increased efficiencies
   
   The communication networks of smart cities play a vital role in providing a foundation for our devices to connect and interact with each other. This simplifies the flow of information, which can be leveraged to streamline services such as utility management, waste management, parking, or even shared transportation needs. It can also enhance safety by allowing for the integration of advanced security systems and emergency alerts. Many of us are familiar with car-sharing services, which are a good example of shared transportation. This is made possible through the interactivity and connectivity between devices. In addition to services like Uber, smart public transportation systems can provide city dwellers with real-time updates on the location of buses and trains, their arrivals and departures, allowing for greater efficiency. These are just a few examples of how shared use of goods and services enables convenience, streamlines processes, and empowers citizens to have greater control over meeting their daily needs efficiently.

All these concepts are important for a smart city to function effectively and contribute to long-term sustainability by building an efficient system.

At Tape Solutions, we value monitoring key trends and issues that are pivotal to the construction industry so that we may be better equipped to help create efficiencies and support changes within this industry. The imperative to collaborate, discuss and create innovations that drive improvements in modern-day construction is vital to ensuring thriving communities that can support today’s needs and prosper well into the future.