How to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate construction
Reducing bureaucracy and accelerating construction are key measures to alleviate the housing problem in Spain, where the supply of properties is insufficient in the face of ever-growing demand. This situation presents a significant challenge for the construction sector, which stands as one of the key solutions to ease market tension by creating and promoting new housing.
However, the sector faces a major issue: bureaucratic procedures. The CNMC already highlighted this at the beginning of the year, emphasizing the importance of simplifying these processes through the implementation of digital systems that enable electronic management of permits and licenses, thereby reducing response times. Additionally, it proposed leveraging new technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality to optimize project planning and monitoring.
Some autonomous communities, such as Madrid, the Balearic Islands, Andalusia, and Valencia, have begun implementing legislative measures to address this situation, though their effectiveness is yet to be evaluated. This digital transformation would not only accelerate projects but also represent an opportunity to incorporate innovative tools that promote more efficient and sustainable construction in the long term.
In this context, models such as BIM (Building Information Modeling) continue to gain traction in construction projects, both in the public and private sectors, and are increasingly becoming a reality rather than just a future promise.
Building information modeling: a new approach to projects
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a collaborative working methodology that centralizes all project information in a digital information model, accessible to all stakeholders involved in a real estate project.
In this regard, BIM represents an evolution from traditional design systems based on blueprints, as it integrates geometric information (3D), temporal data (4D), cost analysis (5D), environmental impact (6D), and maintenance planning (7D).
Furthermore, its application goes beyond the design phase, encompassing project execution and extending throughout the entire lifecycle of the building, facilitating comprehensive management and helping to reduce operational costs.
Its key advantage lies in efficiency in automating planning for all work teams in a synergistic manner, incorporating all project information (timelines, costs, maintenance, environmental aspects) that can be adjusted or edited within the supporting platform, accessed remotely. This way of working offers numerous benefits, such as quicker defect resolution and streamlined correction management in a single system, avoiding conflicts and duplications. The rise of these collaborative platforms is fundamentally changing processes through automation. As a result, time spent on calculations, planning, and other previously unavoidable manual tasks is significantly reduced, leading to shorter project timelines.
Regarding safety, these digital tools have also represented a major breakthrough, as they allow for the anticipation of hazardous situations and the planning of preventive measures, enhancing techniques such as risk simulation. When assessing a project’s environmental impact, BIM also enables more efficient management of the construction process, waste disposal, and resource optimization.
Over the past ten years, BIM methodology has been gradually adopted in various countries. For some, its implementation has become a strategic priority for public administrations, promoting its use in new construction projects in line with the recommendations of the European Public Procurement Directive 2014/24/EU. In Spain, according to the report BIM Situation in Spain 2024, published by buildingSMART Spain, its adoption is growing rapidly, reaching 12% of public tenders and 32% in private organizations.
Although these figures are expected to continue increasing, several obstacles remain to achieving an adoption that truly results in a structural shift in how construction projects are approached. The primary challenge is the shortage of qualified personnel. According to the report, for 70% of workers using these new methodologies, BIM training was a determining factor in being hired.
Additionally, the study highlights two other concerns for the sector: the varying adoption rates across autonomous communities, with some regions fully adapted to the new systems while others have almost no adoption; and the costs associated with shifting the entire strategy and adapting to the existing high regulatory standards.
Real estate crowdfunding and digitalization: a way to accelerate construction
In recent years, the real estate sector has undergone a profound digital transformation. Technological advancements are revolutionizing not only the way properties are built, marketed, and managed but also improving data processing, cybersecurity, and even the customer experience.
Moreover, digitalization has facilitated the emergence of new ways to invest in real estate, changing the traditional paradigm of property investment. Buying and selling are no longer the only methods, and it is no longer necessary to physically visit a property to invest in it or to sell the asset to generate a return. Digitalization has removed geographical, physical, and even financial barriers within the sector, thereby expanding and improving access to these assets.
The benefits of this transformation can be clearly seen in real estate crowdfunding, which has become one of the preferred investment strategies for retail investors seeking low-risk returns as an alternative to traditional assets. Digitalization plays a crucial role in this form of participatory investment, as it enhances agility, transparency, and security in the processes. A prime example of this is asset tokenization, where blockchain technology is used to record rights and returns, ensuring the security of transactions.