The depth of digitalization of Russia's largest construction sector – residential construction

Introduction. The article is devoted to the analysis of the depth of digitalization in the Russian construction industry, which is one of the key sectors of the economy. In the context of the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation on the strategy for the development of the construction industry and housing and communal services, the importance of three areas of transformation is emphasized: administrative, digital and professional. Special attention is paid to digital transformation as the main vector of innovative development, contributing to increasing transparency of procedures in construction.

Aim. Identifying the current level of digitalization of the largest construction sector, searching for growth and efforts applying points in accordance with the Wilfredo Pareto (80/20) principle to ensure digital transformation in the largest but opaque sector of one of the most inert sectors of the economy.

Materials and methods. The author of the study applied a comprehensive methodological approach to analyze the level of digitalization in the Russian construction industry. The main research materials and methods include: analysis of the regulatory framework; comparative analysis; qualitative research methods; quantitative research methods; case studies.

Results. The study shows that the construction industry is highly conservative, and innovations are being implemented faster in the segment of apartment buildings, while individual housing remains at the initial level of digital transformation. Key digital technologies such as electronic document management, electronic signature, cloud systems, dynamic pricing and digital design are considered. The analysis shows that leading development companies are significantly ahead of other organizations in digitalization, while individual housing construction has low rates of digital solutions implementation. 95 % of interactions in urban planning activities are still carried out on paper or in non-editable electronic format.

Conclusions. Based on the conducted research, the article highlights the main directions of digitalization of the individual housing construction sector for 2025, including the development of electronic services, the expansion of the use of BIM technologies, and online design. It is emphasized that significant market fragmentation and low digital maturity of contractors are the main obstacles to the digital transformation of the construction industry in Russia.

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