During World War II, RFID was being used to spot incoming planes and ships; today, it is taking the construction industry by storm. RFID has cut costs and improved the efficiency of construction projects across the world. Its functionality ranges from tracking inventory and personnel, to access management, and beyond! Some of the trends we saw in 2016 included project management, equipment and tool management, and a means of relaying safety information; what should we expect in 2017?

       According to Emily Peiffer, a writer at ConstructionDIVE.com, the construction industry is to see an increase in collaborative projects, an increase in prefabrication techniques, and a shortage of skilled laborers. What this means for the RFID industry is an increase in usefulness as well as necessity. For instance, collaborative projects require more personnel, all of whom require access to the work site, which RFID badges help to facilitate. On the other hand, there are projects incorporating prefabrication techniques. While these projects might require less personnel, there is more importance placed on the specifications of materials, which RFID scanners do a great job of keeping track of. As far as a shortage in skilled laborers, RFID cannot create these. However, it can help manage, track, and appropriate the available skilled workers in a way that deadlines and completion dates may still be met.

New and exciting implementation of RFID is being developed every day. Here we mentioned its usefulness, particularly in project and asset management, although we are just beginning in to scratch the surface of the full scope of its applications.