Welcome back to our blog series aimed at demystifying Autodesk technology for design and manufacturing. In this article, we will investigate how Autodesk Construction Cloud workflows can be leveraged for factory planning and factory design, with insights from our expert, Ives Veelaert, Autodesk's Principal Technical Solutions Executive for EMEA.
Today, we will focus on multiple collaborative workflows spanning multiple products for factory layout. Let's break down these workflows into three core elements, each tailored to achieve a unique objective:
When it comes to factory planning, the smooth integration between architectural layouts and mechanical design is paramount. With Autodesk Construction Cloud's large model viewer, this seamless interaction is possible between Revit and Inventor, two vital components in the Autodesk suite. As an example, let us look at HVAC systems.
Step-by-Step Guide to Linking Revit and Inventor:
With Autodesk Construction Cloud, you can communicate using "packages." These packages represent different disciplines, such as factory layout, architecture, and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing). This unification enables you to check distances and alignments just like you would with Revit and Inventor.
One of the standout features of BIM Collaborate is the ability to colour-code according to the discipline delivered to the package. This colour coordination corresponds to teams set up within BIM Collaborate, adding another layer of clarity and coherence to the design collaboration process.
Now, let’s have a look at how clash detection can be performed between all these disciplines in BIM Collaborate.
Step-by-step guide to Clash Detection in BIM Collaborate:
Navisworks and Revit
Through Navisworks, you can access the same issues that you have identified and created in BIM Collaborate, all made possible through the plugin for Autodesk Construction Cloud.
The connection between Navisworks, BIM Collaborate and Collaborate Pro helps to pinpoint what the problems are and follow-up on them.
To resolve the issues and complete the workflow, you will need to go to Revit and activate the very same issue through Associated Models that was initiated on the package and modify. Then, you can modify it as you see fit, thus resolving the issue and enhancing the overall design.
Watch the video below: Factory Planning & Design Collaboration
By streamlining these workflows by integrating Navisworks, Revit, and BIM Collaborate, construction owners are empowered to tackle complex challenges with confidence and precision.
Stay tuned for our next blog post in the series, where we will continue to explore the possibilities offered by Autodesk technology in the design and manufacturing landscape.
This October 15-17, you’ll have the opportunity to learn, grow, and gain crucial knowledge about the construction industry with professionals and experts ready to give you the industry insights you need at Autodesk University 2024 in San Diego.
Over the course of three action-packed days, you’ll have a chance to glean insights from global peers in the realm of architecture, construction, and engineering. This is your chance to gain the crucial insights needed to embrace the future of construction and improve the quality and profitability of future projects.
Whether you’re looking for executive- and owner-centered sessions, construction profits, BIM and VDC, or business and project outcomes, you’ll find everything you need to help your business become more efficient and successful.
AU 2024 only comes around once a year, so mark your calendar and register today!
Here’s a quick preview of the important topics we’ll be covering in 2024 sessions. Please note that this session list is just a preview and is not comprehensive. Check out the full session catalog here to discover even more opportunities to learn and connect.
A recent McKinsey study found that over 80% of executives surveyed say that innovation is among their top 3 priorities, yet less than 10% report being satisfied with their organizations’ performance. In this session, you will hear from visionaries across three leading construction companies as they discuss their approach towards driving successful innovation while balancing the near-term operational demands. You will also hear from the Autodesk Construction Strategy team about the state of the venture market in construction, key trends and what technologies excite them the most. This is not a session to be missed!
Hear from industry leaders, Bill Okland, CEO of Okland Construction, Raghu Kutty, CIO of Power Design and Roger Wahl, CTO of Innovo Group about their experiences of incorporating innovation to enhance efficiency and sustainability whilst maintaining quality, safety and meeting regulatory requirements.
This session will involve Mercury Construction—European leader in construction, delivering projects for the world’s leading corporations—and SSEN Transmission, owner and operator of the electricity transmission network in Northern Scotland. Working on either side of the client/contractor fence, Mercury will discuss its respective digital journey and how it embraced the power of Autodesk Cloud Services to deliver excellence and galvanize collective expertise across its teams. Working in different industries, with different targets, you’ll learn how these two organizations developed similar tools and practices to overcome challenges. They will debate the strategies used to achieve success and what may work for one, but not the other. The panel will show the importance of engaging with people outside traditional digital and engineering roles to maximize the impact of digital transformation and ensure everyone is represented, showing that organizations from different industries, with a different outlook, find solutions for similar challenges.
Construction companies want to keep their project team in their operations tools and their accounting team in enterprise resource planning (ERP) with a tech solution that automatically synchronizes both systems, eliminating the tedious and error-prone work of double data entry. However, integrating these systems hasn’t been easy and could take weeks to months. That changed with Agave’s platform approach. Agave built its own customizable, turnkey solution that allows construction companies to connect their systems in less than an hour and turn on automatic sync workflows right away. Join a panel of construction companies (Satterfield & Pontikes, Brinkman, Hamel, and more) to discuss their ERP sync journeys, and see how you can make job costing always accurate and up to date at your company.
Are your project managers struggling with data silos and inefficient processes on their projects, especially in critical areas like cost management, where the stakes are high? Join us as Jacobsen Construction and Autodesk come together to share Jacobsen's success story in overcoming cost management obstacles stemming from these challenges. Together, the team members will discuss the significance of integrating Cost Management in Autodesk Build software with their ERP system (Viewpoint Vista), and lay out how they optimized efficiency using Autodesk Construction Cloud Connect for eSignatures, eliminating time wasted on signature chasing. They'll also dive into their data and analytics journey and how they use Power BI dashboarding for descriptive and predictive insights.
Explore the impact of building information modeling (BIM) on the iconic Real Madrid stadium revamp. Discover how digital technology and BIM methodology have boosted Real Madrid’s stadium design and construction works. Learn how data is transferred seamlessly from cloud to field, aided by cloud-tech real-time collaboration. The session will showcase doc management, coordination models, and on-site QA checks powered by Autodesk cloud services. More than 30 firms were aligned through ISO 19650 standards, coordinating efforts within the common data environment (CDE). Meanwhile, 11 construction teams ensured stakeholder needs were met and the megaproject optimized in a fast-track challenging delivery. Learn how the iconic stadium’s 1950s legacy was preserved, conserving part of the structure while demolishing outdated sections while the stadium and its services were in use. Using BIM and design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA), a new steel structure enhances sustainability and efficiency, accurately manufactured to reduce material usage and resource wastage, particularly if dismantled someday.
The panel discussion will provide insights into transitioning from field roles to virtual design and construction (VDC) roles in construction. Attendees will gain practical insights, explore technological advancements, and discover professional development opportunities in this evolving construction career landscape. The discussion will cover how to attract field engineers to VDC, understand the changing role dynamics, integrate VDC practices, and utilize technology for improved project outcomes. Through real-world experiences and actionable steps, the panel will propose a roadmap for navigating this transition, developing training strategies, and leading teams to achieve construction excellence.
AU 2024 is going to be an amazing experience that brings us together with industry professionals, colleagues, speakers, experts, and other talented individuals in the industry. We’re so excited to bring everyone to one place in San Diego!
Ready to register for AU 2024? Just go to the official AU 2024 website and get your tickets today. Registration is now open, and we can’t wait to see you! With so much to see and do, this year is looking like one of the most exciting ever. Register today!
Construction work sites have been a part of my life since early childhood when my twin sister and I would visit our dad at work. He led large construction projects of an enormous scale – but particularly for a kid like me who was amazed by the number of cranes, backhoes, forklifts, and workers, I could also see how hard of a job it was. It was always either too hot or too rainy, and the work looked incredibly difficult for those who did it. Back then, all the workers were men, and they all seemed to be the strong, silent types like Gary Cooper and Clint Eastwood, brushing off injuries and the exhausting nature of the jobs like it was nothing.
But these things can take a toll, and the stress can become overwhelming. The men working on my dad's job sites were raised to be stoic. They stifled their struggles and generations of workers who trained under them followed suit. It’s a mindset that has contributed to mental health issues that have become pervasive in our industry. And a recent CDC study shows that the suicide rate among construction workers is more than four times greater than the national average. This statistic is the second highest of all industries, with 53.3 construction workers out of every 100,000 workers who die by suicide. In stark contrast, the average suicide rate in the United States is 12.93 individuals per 100,000 people. These statistics are not something to be brushed off; they are a loud warning bell for all of us in the industry.
The CDC analyzed two sets of contributing factors for these statistics. The first set involves the stress-inducing nature of construction careers and workplaces. Working on job sites is physically demanding and dangerous, with high-risk tasks that must be completed on stringent deadlines. It also often requires long commutes and lengthy absences from family and friends. Shift work systems, job uncertainty and the cyclical dips in the construction industry all contribute to the intense stress on workers too.
The second set of contributing factors for these poor mental health stats points to demographics. The construction industry workforce has a high concentration of Caucasians, men, and military veterans – three demographics with above-average mental health and suicide rates. Potential solutions need to take these demographics into account to tackle this industry-wide issue.
Simply put: We need to be deliberate about reducing worksite stressors AND create and nurture environments where people are not repressing the stress they feel, shedding the strong silent archetype and expectation that has perpetuated this mental health crisis.
Compass recently launched a program that we believe is a major step toward accomplishing both of those goals: the Frontliners Program. Frontline supervisors, traditionally called foremen, are the most important people on construction sites because of their critical role in understanding a project’s big picture while being responsible for so many of the details. They are also deeply tuned into their crews, giving them insight into workers’ stress levels and morale. Frontline supervisors are in one of the most stressful positions on job sites, given their responsibility for safety and quality, while also working against aggressive timelines – a seemingly conflicting set of priorities.
Those pressures can leave frontline supervisors feeling isolated, burdened with impossible goals, and suffering from mental health stresses that they dare not share with others for fear of losing respect or losing their jobs. These pressures also create unforgiving environments for frontline supervisors and their crews, who face harsh consequences when mistakes happen. In the process, they retreat from identifying areas for improvement, admitting mistakes, offering solutions, and being candid in other ways that would enhance safety, quality, and speed...and relieve mounting pressure and stress.
The Frontliners program provides a blueprint for how the industry can change those dynamics and create an environment and culture where workers feel safe and rewarded for talking openly about what they could have done differently. My colleague Rachel Neal, who oversees global safety for Compass, captures it perfectly with this quote:
“Can you imagine a climate in the construction industry where frontline supervision is celebrated for talking openly about their vulnerabilities and things they could do differently to create a safer work site? We encourage participants to ask questions which may appear simple, but they are groundbreaking for the construction industry. People and organizations both grow when they acknowledge failures and learn.”
The Frontliners Program is built around some simple but groundbreaking questions:
When frontline supervisors are encouraged by upper management to reflect on these issues and speak openly about them, they are empowered to be stronger advocates for mental health while also driving dialogues that increase safety, quality, innovation, and speed.
What I think is so important about this blueprint is that it shows that all those goals align rather than compete with one another. Safety is not in conflict with productivity. Steps that reduce mental health stressors don’t undermine timelines--and talking about areas for change doesn’t detract from completing everything on our checklists. The opposite is true. Supporting each one of those helps achieve the others. This is a call to action for every company in our industry to look closely at this issue and adopt programs like Frontliners that will make an immediate and lasting impact on mental health issues.
Our industry needs to do more to address this issue, and I am heartened to see more discussion and more action, including Suffolk Construction’s and the nonprofit HomeBase’s joint call for OSHA to make suicide awareness and prevention a mandatory training requirement for all workers in the industry. Their open letter to OSHA perfectly captures the urgency of the issue and our collective responsibility to respond to it:
“Our collective goal as an industry should be for every worker to return home to their families each day, It is our job as industry leaders to train, support and educate our workers on the symptoms of mental illness and identifying suicide risk factors, which should be taken as seriously as any jobsite risk. The time is now to rally our entire industry to address this dire issue.”
The CDC stats are an alarm bell ringing loudly. We all need to respond, and now we have proven blueprints to do so.
Sustainability should be a priority for all organizations, but it's especially critical for companies in the construction industry, which has a substantial environmental impact. With construction being one of the largest contributors to global emissions and waste, the need for sustainable practices has never been more urgent.
On the bright side, there are steps you can take to significantly elevate sustainability in your business. One firm making waves in this area is Webcor, a premier provider of commercial construction services. From optimizing its fleet to becoming a pilot adopter of the US Green Building Council's latest certifications, Webcor is a pioneer in sustainable construction. As further testament to its credentials, the company recently delivered the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) zero waste for construction-certified public project.
To go behind the scenes on the strategies, practices, and mindsets driving Webcor’s green initiatives, I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Rege, Senior Sustainability Director at Webcor, for the Digital Builder podcast.
You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
We discuss:
Sustainability can feel like a broad term with many acronyms, jargon, and frameworks. But at its core, Sarah says it's a balanced approach that encompasses environmental, social, and economic responsibilities.
"Sustainability, in the most resilient way, is not only the obvious environmental aspect or doing what's right for the planet long term. It's also about doing the right thing for the communities—i.e., that social aspect. Then, the third piece is the economic viability of the strategy."
"I always refer to that as the three-legged stool. You can't do one without the other, and I think that's a more holistic approach to sustainability."
When Webcor started on a journey to reduce its carbon footprint, Sarah says the company focused on tracking and reducing emissions in three scopes.
"Scope one is your direct emissions, such as emissions from your fleet. Scope two is your indirect emissions—for example, where you purchase electricity from the grid. Finally, scope three is the upstream and downstream emissions that are not included in either scope one or two," Sarah explains.
Of course, launching sustainability programs is one thing, but how can you measure their success?
Sarah says it starts with identifying sources or metrics you can track and then collecting whatever data you can.
"We started with something we thought was pretty achievable, and that was to look at scope one and two and identify the sources of our emissions. From there, we looked at what data we had on each of those sources."
She adds that firms shouldn't let having imperfect data stop them from launching and measuring their sustainability initiatives.
"We don't have perfect data. We haven't been measuring all these things historically. Still, we don't let that stop us from doing initial measurements because once you get something measured, you can look at how to improve the quality of that data and then ultimately how to reduce it."
One of the first things Webcor tackled to reduce its carbon footprint was shifting its fleet to electric vehicles.
"Fleet vehicles comprised over 60% of our scope, including one and two carbon footprints. So, it was easy to identify that as an area to start," explains Sarah.
Webcor surveyed its employees to identify their concerns about using EVs, and the results showed significant worries about range limitations and access to charging infrastructure.
"Range anxiety came up consistently, as did infrastructure because there weren't charging stations at home, in the office, or at the jobsite."
To address those concerns, Webcor implemented several supportive measures to ease the transition.
"We worked to evolve our EV policy. Based on the survey, we felt that we needed incentives to reach critical mass and get early adopters into these vehicles. And so, we have a higher vehicle allowance where you get a little bit more money for your vehicle if you choose an EV."
She continues, "We also did some one-time incentives to set up home charging and a monthly electrical cost stipend afterward. If you're in an apartment or you can't add an EV charger, we allow that to be charged on a card so that you can charge at charging stations."
Sarah acknowledges that there are still challenges to overcome, particularly with charging infrastructure.
"I think infrastructure has to catch up, but right now, we have made some post-EV adoption surveys and have a lot of good comments. I think there's still work to do to get charging in more places, but it's been successful overall."
Regarding how owners approach sustainability conversations, Sarah says it varies depending on the client's priorities and the specific project.
"It depends on the client and their objectives, but most conversations start with goals that are more baseline-focused than aspirational. Cost always becomes part of that conversation, and I think LEED certifications and driving operational energy have been really successful in that."
Additionally, there's a growing awareness and concern among owners about emerging regulations and the environmental impact of building materials.
"I think where it's shifted now is that owners are aware of legislation around embodied carbon. Things like mass timber and concrete also come up. They ask questions like, 'Can we have some reductions? Can we do it at no cost? If there's a premium cost, what is it?'"
As for how GCs can navigate these discussions, Sarah recommends taking a proactive and integrated strategy to sustainability.
"We approach sustainability in an integrated fashion, which helps support that conversation. Projects have a long life; even just the construction phases of a project can be several years long. So, what we like to do is introduce or provide awareness to all of the other things going on with other projects in the area that meet California's requirements. Then we talk about how the project could address these things and have it introduced at the beginning."
She continues, "Of course, cost comes into consideration. But we start having that conversation as soon as we can, and that helps us get to the higher level of aspiration versus saying, 'They didn't ask for it, so we're not going to mention it.'"
In 15 to 20 years, Sarah predicts that many of today's sustainability goals (i.e., being carbon neutral by 2030 or California having zero-emission vehicles by 2035) have already been achieved, so new challenges and opportunities are emerging.
“What comes to my mind is the innovations and technology that we don't know yet about. So, what other zero-emissions energy sources—whether they are fuel cells or whatever—have we developed and focused on? Are they cheaper in buildings? Are they faster to install? Do they have smaller footprints and longer lives?"
On the technology side, Sarah predicts a (near) future where automation plays a crucial role in measuring emissions and tracking the success of sustainability programs.
Beyond that, she envisions a more integrated approach to decision-making through digital tools.
"I hope that in the longer future, we're using more digital methods to evaluate what these things mean before anything is realized. That way, we're making decisions based not only on cost but also on carbon emissions. We should be folding those two pieces together to harness all the reductions without causing waste as a part of that system."
Digital Builder is hosted by me, Eric Thomas. Remember, new episodes of Digital Builder go live every week.
Activating warning: This article discusses suicide and may be distressing to some readers.
Working in construction can be stressful. Between our shrinking workforce and increasingly compressed project timelines, the mental strain can take its toll on our people. And while a low to moderate amount of stress isn't necessarily a bad thing, too much can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, safety issues, and even increase risk of suicidal ideation.
With Construction Suicide Prevention Week taking place on September 9-13, it's worth looking at some sobering statistics. Consider that the construction and extraction industry is the number one occupational group for male suicides in the US, and has almost twice the suicide rate of 32 other states.
If you take all fatal work-related injuries in the construction sector and add them all together, suicide is still five times greater. We're witnessing similar stats in the UK, which sees an average of two deaths per day from construction professionals working in England and Wales alone.
Now, it's easy to move past statistics and view them as just numbers on a screen. But it's important to remember that each figure in these statistics represents a person—someone's parent, friend, co-worker.
I bring this up because construction is very much a people business. The engine, the labor, the brain power, the heart and soul of construction are in people. We are the ones who build roads, bridges, and buildings. The very space you are in right now was built by people. We need to protect and support folks from a mental health standpoint because without healthy, supported workers, the very foundation of our industry is at risk.
One of the ways to do that is to address the issue of burnout.
In this article, I discuss how burnout manifests in the construction industry, its impact on mental health, and practical steps that both individuals and organizations can take to combat it.
Eric Thomas and I discussed also this topic on the Digital Builder podcast.
Industry data shows that the construction sector has the third highest burnout among workers, indicating the significant toll the current work environment is taking on our workforce.
Several factors contribute to this.
There's the labor shortage, which puts extra pressure on existing workers to pick up the slack, leading to longer hours and increased workloads.
We have fewer people, and we have a lot of work that needs to be done. Many baby boomers are retired (or retiring soon), so a significant labor group is now out of the workforce. There are still a lot of projects, and not many people are entering construction. All of that contributes to stress among workers.
In addition, some construction professionals may find themselves in less-than-ideal working conditions. Projects aren't always 10 minutes from home. In other cases, jobs might be in another city or state, so you're away from family, friends, and your support system for long periods of time.
Adding to these pressures are issues out of the worker's control—e.g., supply chain problems or unexpected delays that throw schedules into chaos.
When we are working long hours our work-life balance becomes, well, out of balance. We cannot sustain long hours and overtime indefinitely, there is a price to pay and our body and mind pay that price.
It's a challenging environment out there, so it's crucial to recognize the signs of burnout and take steps to get on the right track.
If we want to address burnout, we must first recognize the signs. Burnout is characterized by exhaustion and a lack of drive and motivation.
So, if you're feeling exhausted and helpless, saying (or thinking) things like, "I just don't have the energy anymore to go through this" or "What is the point of this?" then you could be burning out.
Burnout can also manifest in external behaviors.
External signs that people will notice in themselves is if they start getting late for work or being less attentive. There is often a rise in safety incidents, headaches or illness, sleeplessness, and pulling away from others and social events.
Internally our productivity and creativity diminishes, and the ability to solve problems becomes reduced.
These things can be dangerous because they not only affect the individual's health and well-being but also compromise job safety and efficiency. Distraction, tardiness, and absenteeism lead to physical safety issues on the job site. If someone isn't quite as sharp as they usually are, the likelihood of accidents or near misses increase.
All this to say that while burnout primarily affects the individual, it can seriously impact a person's colleagues, family, and, ultimately, the industry. This makes it all the more important to address.
If you see these signs of burnout in yourself or in others, consider taking these steps to protect your mental health.
The first step is recognition. If you spot signs of burnout, have an honest conversation with yourself. Resist the temptation to push through it. Instead, acknowledge that you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed and that those feelings are entirely valid.
The next step is to make a change. I say this to clients and students all the time: if nothing changes, nothing changes.
Identify areas in your routine or workload that you can adjust to reduce stress and promote balance.
This can be as simple as getting more physical exercise and movement in your day. Sometimes, you may need to talk to someone to shift your perspective and gain clarity into what you need to do.
It's also critical to monitor your well-being and check in with yourself regularly.
We give oil changes and tire rotations with our vehicles on a regular basis to keep them running at optimum performance. Are we doing that with our minds? Are you checking in and asking yourself:
Depending on what those answers are, it might be time to make a change.
Preventing and addressing burnout should be an organization-wide effort, and firms will be much more successful if the initiative comes from the top. If you're an executive or manager, strive to connect more with employees and cultivate better relationships.
Take an interest in your people. Ask them how they are and mean it. You don't have to be a therapist. You just have to be a good human.
If you spot behavior that's affecting their performance, take the time to understand what might be causing it and offer support. Don't get on them about being late; figure out why they're being late. They want to know that you care, so start asking those questions.
Now, not everyone wants to open up—and that's ok. In these instances, it may be better to point them to resources that can help.
If someone isn't comfortable talking to you as a manager about what's going on in their lives, let them know the resources. One of the most staggering statistics is that 46% of people don't seek help because they don't know what's available.
We can drastically improve our mental health simply by talking about it and removing the stigma that comes with these conversations.
Normalize talking about mental health. We talk about safety. We talk about stretching exercises before the job every day. What about mental health exercises—for example, checking in?
I encourage business owners and leaders to have these conversations because the more we talk about this, the more we normalize the discussion.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to ignore burnout—in ourselves and others. It's not hyperbolic to say this is a matter of life and death.
As mentioned above, suicide in the construction and extraction industries is the highest of any sector. So, we must prioritize mental health discussions just as we do with physical safety protocols.
In the same way that we talk about OSHA, safety, tie-offs, and harnesses, we should also talk about mental health.
If you or someone you know are having trouble coping with work-related stress, talk with someone who can help: In the United States, call 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Hotline or visit https://988lifeline.org/.
For those living outside the United States, you can find local resources here: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/.
Finally, if you need additional resources to share with your team—including videos, helpful links, and phone numbers, the Resources section of Construction Suicide Prevention’s website is a good place to start.
Educators: Join us for a new webinar series designed to help you bring the latest tools and technologies from the construction field into your classroom to inspire your students with lessons that are grounded in real-life skills and scenarios.
Our next live webinar on Tuesday, September 17 at 11 am ET will focus on Setting Up for Success with ACC: From the classroom to the field.
Our featured guest speakers will be Dr. Jeong Woo, Department Head and Professor of Construction Management at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Tara Messa, Data Manager at Fortis Construction, Inc.
Dr. Woo will share how he teaches an integrated construction workflow using Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) at Cal Poly. From developing a digital twin of their campus, to organizing hands-on service projects that bring solar power to under-resourced communities, Dr. Woo and Cal Poly are making learning relevant and engaging for students.
As a decision-maker in her role at Fortis Construction around the adoption of new technologies, Messa will discuss how she evaluates new tools and how jobs are changing because of technological innovation.
“It's not even necessarily somebody's ability to use a specific tool, but just to think in a different way than we used to think,” says Messa.
In addition to exploring questions about how to best support your students in making the transition from the classroom to the field, you will also hear from the Autodesk Construction Cloud team about how to get started with ACC, including tips for project administration and quick and easy set-up.
You will take away core skills to develop your knowledge in construction that can be applied to teaching curriculum that bridges the gaps across vocational education, academia, and industry.
These one-hour interactive sessions are a combination of information sharing and product demonstrations. Recordings are available after each event, but educators are encouraged to join us live and make connections within our vibrant education community. We’ll also leave time for participants to ask the Autodesk Construction Cloud team questions.
In addition to this webinar, we have recorded a playlist of previous episodes with an exciting array of topics and speakers meant to aid you in helping your students discover how cutting-edge technology can overcome some of construction’s biggest challenges.
You can catch up on previous webinars in this series here.
Learn how to access a free education entitlement for Autodesk Construction Cloud here.
The construction industry is embracing ACC! We’re excited to partner with the education community in developing the digital skills that next generation builders will need for this transformation.
Don't innovate alone! Register now.
We’re thrilled to announce that Autodesk University is back and better than ever before! We’ve made sure to pack every hour of the event with opportunities for you to learn, grow, and connect.
Whether you’re learning from experts in a dynamic conversation panel, rubbing shoulders with industry professionals at an evening reception, or learning about emerging technologies, there won’t be a wasted moment.
This year’s Autodesk University will take place in San Diego, October 15-17. Over the course of three days, we’ll provide a treasure trove of information for construction professionals like yourselves.
Here at Autodesk, we understand that preconstruction professionals face many unique challenges related to workflows, data, and other tasks. We’ve crafted our event specifically to help you meet those challenges head-on.
By attending AU 2024, you will walk away better equipped to embrace the future of construction. We’ll cover topics and host sessions relevant to your day-to-day tasks, such as connected workflows, advanced innovation, and data-centric sessions.
You’ll have a chance to meet face-to-face with Autodesk product experts and connect with hundreds of trusted partners, allowing you to fully unlock the benefits of your cloud-based solutions.
Wondering which sessions to attend for the latest in preconstruction, field teams, construction collaboration, and handover? At AU 2024, you can pick and choose from among hundreds of options that help you discover key insights and improve your teams.
If you’re not sure where to get started, we’ve curated our top picks for the sessions to help you learn more. Remember: This list is just a quick preview of the sessions you’ll find at AU 2024. You can check out the full session catalog here.
Step into the forefront of innovation with Autodesk's preconstruction portfolio that spans across quantity takeoff, estimating, bid management, and qualification. Engage directly with our product experts as they discuss recently released functionality across our Autodesk Construction Cloud preconstruction portfolio that helps you focus on winning business, reducing risk, making sustainable choices, and protecting your bottom line. But that's not all. Get an exclusive sneak peek into the upcoming features on the road map. Products covered will include Autodesk BuildingConnected Pro, Bid Board Pro, TradeTapp, Autodesk Takeoff, and ProEst software.
In-wall coordination is arguably one of the most complex workflows to manage throughout the whole lifecycle of a project build. But it doesn't have to be. There are many factors that go into designing and building the interiors of any project, and this can become even more complex in projects involving health care and life sciences. In the construction industry, it’s not uncommon for the walls of a building to be coordinated by traditionally marking up construction documentation or by field coordinating MEP rough-in. However, this approach can lead to a lot of RFIs and rework—and an overall quality reduction. Enhancing in-wall coordination through a virtual coordination process will not only improve the overall efficiency of your project build, it will also unlock many prefabrication opportunities for the general contractor and trade partners. And it will provide opportunities for multitrade layout through robotics, combat labor shortages, and greatly increase the overall quality output of the project.
India’s oldest construction company was established in 1865. Learn how it’s swiftly adapting to the ongoing advancements in cloud-based common data environment (CDE) platforms for efficiently managing highly fragmented construction data generated on a large-scale project in Mumbai, India. In a traditional setup, more than 200 hours of additional time is spent per month across five functions and 12 roles, leading to multiple layers of duplicity of information and data entry. In an attempt to drastically reduce this time spent, the project team has adopted Autodesk Construction Cloud to create powerful workflows that successfully connect teams across various functions, leading to a significant improvement in data transparency and accessibility, and thus closing the gap between site and the project management office. In this session, discover how throughout the last 18 months the platform has been used to create and manage more than 90,000 assets, 9,000 forms, 6,500 files, 1,000 reviews, 600 transmittals, 500 issues, and 50 RFIs—with very little change management involved.
Through a detailed exploration of safety workflows within the platform, attendees will learn to customize processes to meet project-specific needs and compliance standards. You will discover how Autodesk Build software fosters real-time collaboration among stakeholders, facilitates data-driven decision making with advanced analytics tools, and empowers proactive safety management. Drawing from industry best practices and illuminating case studies, this session will equip attendees with the practical knowledge and insights needed to elevate safety standards, mitigate risks, and drive continuous improvement across construction projects.
For most people, one of the first things you were taught as a kid was how to share with others. Sharing is caring, right? It turns out that the older we get, the less we remember the teachings of our youth. In the design world, we are constantly reliant on the data of others, and they’re reliant on us. We live in a world where many people are still working locally and emails still reign supreme. Cloud tools have unlocked the possibilities of collaboration, but if everyone isn’t contributing, these tools are no better than the email threads of the past. A design mistake costs a lot less than a construction mistake, and good data-sharing practices can mitigate many mistakes from making their way into construction. Out of these concepts and challenges, some major questions arise: When and how do we share with others? How often should we share? And how do we make sure that all project information is available to everyone? These are the questions we hope to answer, and we hope you'll join us to learn more!
Jump in for an exclusive behind-the-scenes of the Paris Basket Arena design & construction! This versatile venue can accommodate up to 9,000 spectators for concerts, various performances and basketball games, and is one of the very few new buildings build for Paris' games… This Class will showcase the successful integration of BIM for this challenging project on an immovable deadline, high technical complexity, with nothing but excellence as a goal for a seamless Paris' games experience. By harnessing the power of BIM technology , the project team achieved outstanding results in meeting client expectations, addressing environmental challenges, and enhancing productivity and safety. Explore with us how innovative technical tools and processes were developed with Revit API to set up a safe seamless and efficient construction site. The Paris Basket Arena stands as a remarkable testament to the power of BIM in realizing architectural excellence, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
This session will look at how Boustead Projects implements processes for monitoring and tracking prefabricated elements. It involves overseeing design approval before fabrication, as well as the real-time tracking of asset location and status with the use of QR codes. This real-time tracking facilitates the generation of accurate status reports for project stakeholders. For mechanical and electrical equipment required for testing and commissioning (T&C), each named asset is tagged with its T&C status, which is then documented in the intelligent model data. This data includes parameter values like equipment site label, site location, and system description, which are used for the respective unit on-site. Internally, Boustead Projects uses Assets to track the lidar scanning statuses based on rooms per level, keeping management informed about the progress of lidar scanning activities.
Are you finding it challenging to track project components from design to handover? Since 2020, total project input costs—from labor to materials and equipment—have increased by 41%, making the design, delivery, installation, and commissioning of critical components a focal point for successful project delivery. With the Assets tool in Autodesk Construction Cloud, there's a better way—better resource planning, better progress tracking, and a better return on your building information modeling (BIM) investment with project assets from design to handover, all in one place. Join this class for industry best practices and a preview of Autodesk's comprehensive asset-tracking technology that provides your office and on-site teams with reliable 3D tools to deliver quality projects and get a handle on project costs.
AU 2024 offers construction pros some of the best opportunities to level up their careers and businesses. Whether you’re looking for knowledge and tools to help you and your teams work together or you’re interested in connecting with like-minded individuals, Autodesk University has something for you.
According to the World Green Building Council, more than 11% of global carbon emissions are caused by constructing buildings. A further 28% of emissions comes from those structures’ ongoing use and management.
It’s no surprise then that organisations worldwide are being asked to manage and reduce their operational carbon emissions and the embodied carbon of their developments.
Beyond societal pressure, many of our clients also have to comply with government mandates that require them to implement practices or processes that reduce their projects’ carbon footprint. Larger organisations are expected to take steps to measure their carbon emissions, or at least within their strategic direction, formulating a statement such as carbon neutral.
The European market faces even more rigour around building permits and approvals as life cycle assessments become mandated. We might expect to see similar expectations in the APAC region, too.
For smaller contractors, there's a commercial necessity for sustainability. When responding to tenders, they are expected to provide methodologies detailing how they will minimise on-site waste and mitigate impacts on surrounding neighbourhoods, among other considerations.
It is also becoming a point of difference for contractors to stand out from the rest. For example, improvements in product or manufacturing processes that reduce steel or concrete can offer a leading edge when being considered by principal contractors.
Manufacturers see this as a positive for the environment and a selling point. Companies are trying to create products with less raw material, often including recycled materials, to deliver solutions with lower embodied carbon.
Meeting sustainability requirements is no simple feat. There are many factors that influence sustainability beyond simple materials selection–travel patterns, power consumption, and project timelines all have an impact on the carbon emissions associated with any given project.
In this complexity lies an opportunity–the virtualisation of processes. This involves the creation of detailed digitised environments that cover the entire design-build-manage lifecycle. These provide real-time, realistic, and accurate representations of complex projects, resulting in increased levels of communication, clarity, and engagement for all stakeholders.
If done well, project lifecycle data will be accurate and accessible for future needs and analysis. It will inevitably act as the new foundation for project-ready design delivery, reducing the need for traditional discovery and project-startup labour costs and effort.
By leveraging technology to simulate and analyse operations, we can achieve a previously inaccessible level of measurability. This approach enables organisations to gain insights into their environmental impact and identify areas for improvement.
When projects take years to complete end-to-end, and with zero opportunities for a do-over, how can we effectively measure and optimise carbon emissions for construction? This is where digitisation comes in.
Reducing waste is one straightforward route to reducing carbon emissions–use less concrete, for example, and you get a double benefit of lower construction costs and lower embodied carbon for your building. However, this methodology can be short sighted sometimes. What if we could predict and plan how we interact with our built world for years to come?
At DBM Vircon, we use the term SAIM, which stands for Serviced Asset Information Model. SAIM is the provision of services to curate a facilities asset information model that provides the SAIM representation of real-world assets. This includes creating and managing the model to maintain its currency and accuracy for the life of the asset.
This is a service that integrates project lifecycle data within the as-built 3D model, creating an information-rich asset that allows clients to understand their built environment through a whole new lens. It enables you to analyse, assess, and track your environments in more detail to update any operational changes and amendments to your facilities so you can keep track of your built environment data.
Understanding the built environment enables sustainable practices in a few ways:
For example, within vertical construction, services are quite often inaccessible – especially services that are inground. Understanding the condition or status of these services is also difficult to track, with SAIM, you can monitor and manage things like water usage, detect leaks, and optimise water distribution systems to reduce wastage.
At DBM Vircon, we advocate for the use of advanced technology to virtualise, plan, and validate construction methodologies.
Just one example of how this works is modelling the use of steel rebar for concrete reinforcement. Steel rebar is responsible for a significant amount of wastage and embodied carbon, so any reduction in wastage can lead to major savings.
The management and installation of rebar is often left to the supply chain. Steel is bent on site, leading to wastage. Anything not used on site goes to landfill, wasting resources, time, and labour, and of course leads to an increase in the embodied carbon on the project.
To mitigate this, we meticulously model and analyse rebar utilisation in a virtual environment, so steel can be bent offsite and delivered ready to install, minimising the majority of traditional factors when it comes to waste.
This doesn’t just save time and money in the installation of rebar – using these same 3D models, it’s possible to optimise the placement and configuration of concrete to make lighter and more energy-efficient structures. Structures that go through a virtualisation process are built to last, reducing the need for repairs and extending the life of the asset.
And because concrete and steel are standard materials with a known carbon footprint, it’s simple to measure how much carbon this activity saves, too.
Virtualisation doesn’t just stop with reducing material waste. 3D models can be generated to create immersive environments that can be used for a range of tasks after a building has been completed.
Consider the costs of flying new team members out to remote sites across Australia (or anywhere else in the world) for safety briefings or site inspections, or the costs involved in real-world inductions for tower crane operators. All of these could be achieved through virtual reality (VR) interactions within virtualised environments. VR can facilitate virtualized training and onboarding, too. The sustainability benefits here are multifaceted: this reduces emissions, reduces energy use, and has safety benefits.
Navigating these spaces in VR from the comfort of a head office, or even your own home, could represent a huge reduction in emissions you gain by cutting down on flights and other travel, not to mention the huge cost reduction for the businesses involved.
COVID-19 saw the transition from office-based working to home-based working. Society adapted quickly to virtualise how we interact with each other. The result is a significant decrease in our impact on the environment. Whether it's a scope 1, 2 or 3 emission type, virtualisation within all delivery and management processes will reduce emissions.
Virtual models also reduce mistakes – they provide the opportunity to plan, in detail, the movement of plant or large shipments through existing sites.
Using a virtualised environment based on BIM data and incorporating photogrammetric scans gathered from the site gives a richer context for models and movement, meaning these environments are more immersive than ever before.
The improvements of Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies can now support this integration allowing teams to plan, map and virtualise the outcome before it even happens. These allow the market to reduce errors and risk, reuse past data to make better decisions and recycle these practices for optimal delivery.
In fact, these models can provide even more information that wouldn’t be possible in the real world. In a single view, the real-world environment can be shown with bespoke overlays displaying live power lines, exclusion zones, or even progress reports for project completion.
These are just a couple of examples of how virtualised construction methodologies can help your business think differently about sustainability and carbon reduction, and what the returns on that investment could be. Many sustainability efforts come with associated benefits to the bottom line – they just shouldn’t always be the first consideration.
Virtualisation does require increased investment and effort up front in a project, and some of the benefits may not be fully realised for decades or even generations to come. But if we collectively reframe our thinking on what return on investment means in the context of sustainability, we can all work together towards a better future.
Implementing a digital tool or platform can be quite a process, especially for larger organizations. Unlike personal gadgets like smartphones, where you just swap the device for a new one and tap a few buttons (if only it were that easy!), integrating new technology into a construction firm involves careful planning across multiple teams.
It's not just about installing software; it's about ensuring that the new system aligns with your workflows, is embraced by your team, and ultimately drives better project outcomes.
For this week's Behind the Build series, we interviewed two people with hands-on experience in a company-wide tech rollout.
Meet Adam Roberts, Corporate Quality Data Analyst at Rosendin Electric, and Dee Farmer, Senior Quality Department Manager, also at Rosendin Electric.
Adam and Dee recently implemented Autodesk Build at their firm and revealed the rollout strategy that led to a seamless transition and positive impact. In our insightful conversation, we discussed their approach to implementing the solution, what they did to get folks on board, and the results they've seen so far.
Check out what they have to say.
Dee: Founded in 1919, Rosendin is one of the country’s largest electrical contractors nationwide and currently employs over 9,000 employees with a net worth of $2.9 billion in annual revenue. We pride ourselves on building quality electrical and communications installations, as well as building up the people within our company and the communities we all work and live in.
Our team provides support for our employees to ensure the highest-quality electrical installations are completed and turned over to our customers. We are committed to providing our teams with comprehensive training and expertise to deliver the best product possible.
I specialize in helping the team wherever help is needed. As the Quality Department Manager, I organize our department team building events, meetings, annual summit, and annual quality week plans. I also work alongside compliance with the company's manual development and lead the Quality Champions program.
Adam: Rosendin has been operating for over 100 years and is 100% employee-owned. We seem to attract individuals who care greatly and want to put their best foot forward. Going above and beyond seems to be Rosendin's modus operandi.
As for my specialty, I focus on data analysis and dashboarding, which revolve mostly around the data harvested from Autodesk platforms (BIM 360 and Autodesk Build). I have built internal dashboards using Power BI as our backbone for report consumption. I also help support ACC Build requests and issues alongside Dee, we have built a support structure our project teams can rely on to get help quickly. I have also helped with ACC Build training and continue to help develop our program to ensure our users have the resources and training they need to continue to build high-quality projects.
Dee: A colleague referred me to Rosendin in early 2016. I started as the Quality Control Administrator for the renewable energy division, where I initially used Vela (BIM 360 Field) for our projects. A few of my responsibilities included creating new projects and setting them up with equipment and checklists, printing blank checklists, and compiling them into binders. Once the project was completed, I would enter the completed reports into BIM 360 Field and turn them over to the owners or GC for completion.
Over the years, my role has evolved significantly. In recognition of my experience with the platform across numerous projects, I was invited to join the Corporate Quality Department in 2021. Since then, I’ve transitioned to BIM 360 Next Gen and currently Autodesk Build via Autodesk Construction Cloud. This journey has been incredibly rewarding, reflecting the dynamic changes in our field and the continuous advancement of our tools and processes.
Adam: I come from a technical background. I started my career in IT in 2010 and joined Rosendin in that capacity in 2014. My technical prowess is what made me attractive to the Quality department. There was an opportunity to move over in 2020 to help with a new dashboarding and data analysis objective. I worked very closely with someone from the Quality team, and we had a good rapport. Since then, I have helped develop analytic solutions that are far-reaching in our organization.
I'd like to think that I got the job because I was a good fit personally. Obviously, the skills help, too, but our team seems like it's built up of individuals who work really well together. Our mutual boss, Brandon Floyd, often says that the team was handpicked as much as it could be.
Dee: One of the biggest challenges I face in my role is providing effective in-person training across our nationwide offices to ensure the successful rollout of Build. Due to tight timelines and our team's diverse learning preferences, it's crucial to accommodate both face-to-face and self-paced online training.
Technology helps me overcome this challenge by enabling web-based training solutions that cater to various learning styles. This allows me to help deliver comprehensive training programs efficiently and flexibly.
Adam: My biggest challenge seems to be the accurate collection of good information at the project level, that we can use to make organizational improvements. There are several contributing factors, and we acknowledge that there are many things to juggle for a project to be successful. We believe that Build will help streamline and simplify processes for the project and field staff while also allowing us to gather more accurate information, which we can use to make better decisions at a higher business level.
Dee: In the rollout of Autodesk Construction Cloud for Rosendin, I played a pivotal role in several key areas. Initially, I was part of the pilot program with the Autodesk team, contributing ideas and feedback to enhance the Build implementation to meet our field technicians' needs and improve turnover documentation.
Our rollout strategy included setting up a comprehensive communication plan for our employees and creating a LinkedIn learning path with links to the Autodesk Build training modules. This learning path served as a prerequisite for the in-person training sessions conducted across Rosendin's nationwide offices. We also implemented Rosendin learning credits for each module and training course completed for Build.
Furthermore, I coordinated in-person and remote project admin training to ensure our teams were set up for a successful training rollout. Another critical aspect of my role involved setting up new projects and managing permissions according to our company standards using a ticketing system. I also logged product support feedback and provide feature requests to Autodesk to continuously help improve the platform.
Additionally, I worked closely with our IT department to facilitate the transition of new PlanGrid projects to Build, addressing any miscommunications and ensuring a smooth rollover process.
Adam: Rosendin is currently rolling out Autodesk Build company-wide. Our department has a large stake in the success and adoption of the solution as it pertains to data strategy (which directly benefits my day-to-day workflows). I also have prior experience with conducting training. I believe my skills made me a logical choice to assist with program development, rollout, and training. We have a small team and most of us are involved in every facet of our program. Personally, I contributed greatly to building our template and project provisioning documentation, as well as developing our IT support structure and ticketing process, and have attended every in-person training that was conducted.
Dee: The impact of the rollout this past year has been significant across our company. I have seen a high level of engagement in the training programs across all regions, with employees eager to learn and adapt to the new system. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, even with the considerable shift to a new application. Users have expressed a strong preference for the platform, indicating a desire to replace several of our current tools with Autodesk Construction Cloud’s comprehensive suite. This enthusiasm and adaptability have greatly facilitated the transition and promise enhanced efficiency and productivity company-wide.
Adam: We have been actively rolling out Build projects for about five months (outside of our pilot). Many people across the company are actively engaged with providing us feedback and feature requests – they have really gotten behind Build. We have found that the data we see in the platform is much more helpful and targeted when it comes to analysis and potential change.
Dee: The Autodesk platform allows me to efficiently provision new projects, providing a structured learning environment for those interested in using it as a sandbox. Also, it provides visibility to all projects, ensuring that quality protocols are consistently applied and maintained. This integration enhances project oversight, supports continuous learning, and maintains high standards across our operations.
Adam: From an analytics standpoint, we can guide users into making better choices pertaining to the data they are putting into the platform. That helps me provide the best information to our stakeholders when it comes to process improvements.
Also, Autodesk's reference and learning resources have really empowered users to seek their own answers and learn at their own pace. This has reduced the number of overall tickets and questions our team gets.
Dee: What I value most about our partnership with Autodesk is the exceptional relationships we have developed with our account representatives and trainers. They are diligent, personable, and genuinely invested in ensuring the platform's success for our company. Their commitment and support have been instrumental in helping us maximize the benefits of the Autodesk platform and foster a collaborative and productive partnership.
Adam: The team at Autodesk has been great. We are a vocal customer—for better or for worse—and we ask for a lot. Our Autodesk team works to get us information we need fast. What I value most is that Autodesk understands our goals and our needs when it comes to the platform, and they're always there to help facilitate that.
Dee: I would strongly advise prioritizing early and maintain consistent communication about the rollout across all departments, ensuring that this communication starts several months in advance and includes clear expectations. I would also develop project-specific training materials tailored to the unique needs of your teams focusing on enhanced operations and efficiency.
Adam: For starters, get out to a project. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to understand their needs. Develop your program around the people doing the work.
My goals regarding data don't align with anyone at the project level. However, if you want a new platform to be fully adopted, it needs to be designed in a way that is value-added to the people using it, and it needs to fit their workflows. You can't just buy new software and expect people to develop it on their own.
Secondly, train more and train continuously. You will always have new people coming to your company and there has to be training content for them to consume when they get there. Also, communicate more than you think you need to.
Lastly, keep developing and reviewing. Once your initial rollout is complete, keep having conversations about the program. Adjust and improve based on the feedback you receive. Keep going.
When the topic of architecture comes up, most people immediately think of building designs and aesthetics. And while design is undoubtedly a huge part of being an architect, there is a branch of architecture that deals mainly with construction administration and delivery.
I'm referring to executive architecture. Firms in this unique subfield of architecture focus on the implementation and management of projects, ensuring that designs meet both client expectations and regulatory standards.
One such firm is House & Robertson Architects (HRA), a firm that focuses exclusively on offering executive architecture and architect-of-record services.
Here to discuss the role and importance of executive architecture is Alma Jauregui, Principal at HRA. Alma leads the firm's San Francisco office, where she oversees the execution of HRA's services to a wide range of clients and collaborators.
You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
We discuss:
First, let's level set: what does an executive architecture firm like HRA do, and why do clients need one? According to Alma, HRA was founded by Jim House and Doug Robertson, who realized that many projects require a specialized focus on the construction execution stage, separate from the design phase.
"When you think of architects, there is a full-service person—someone who does everything from drawings and design to construction administration. Now, Jim and Doug realized when they were working together back at Lang and Wilson that they were only doing the executive architecture portion. This meant they handled project management tasks while someone in the office was doing the design.”
Alma explains that it was then that Jim and Doug saw the need for architects who focused solely on overseeing the construction admin process.
"There are only a few other architecture firms that specialize in executive architecture. So they decided to branch out and only do that," she says.
"Essentially, we provide developers and clients the best of both worlds. You get the high-end designer or someone really good at design while we do all the execution. We do project management details and execution of the product of the building or whatever we're working on."
Executive architecture is a relatively niche branch. Alma says that executive architecture companies such as HRA typically work with clients who understand the value of having separate teams for design and execution.
"There is a level of sophistication for different kinds of clients. Many clients or developers aren't aware of executive architecture. But then there are also developers who only strictly work in that type of architecture firm because they know they're getting the best of both worlds," she remarks.
This means clients can choose to hire an architect whose strength lies in design while still having an executive architecture firm manage the project's construction phase.
"For example, maybe you want this architect who comes in from Europe, and you know they've got the design chops, but they don't necessarily know the local municipality. They don't know the California building code, which is super nuanced versus the IBC. This is where a firm like HRA comes in."
As with any project, effective collaboration between stakeholders is a must. To ensure successful project execution, HRA emphasizes proactive communication and detailed planning.
Alma says it's all about aligning expectations and ironing out designs and plans right from the start.
"Our goal is to ensure that the designer's expectations are met, and we see to it that the owner's vision is met. Ultimately, they're paying for this, and we want to ensure that the contractors get all the information they need. Our philosophy is not to let the 'perfect' stop the 'good enough,'" Alma says.
"We aim to make sure that we're providing full service for everybody and ensuring that those communications are met, whether it's in the RFP process, helping ownership with contractor bidding, and being there with the contractors."
Alma adds that consistent and transparent communication is crucial, especially during the bidding stage.
"I'd rather have higher GMP [Guaranteed Maximum Price] at the beginning than death by a million cuts with a bunch of change orders. We're not trying to get one under or over the contractor or owner."
Certain types of delivery processes lend themselves well to HRA's collaborative approach. According to Alma, design-build and design-assist methodologies are particularly effective.
"This is where design-build comes in. There are also situations where you've got the contractor for precon or design-assist, and that's always been so helpful."
She references a project in which HRA is doing a mass timber project in Santa Monica, collaborating with the supplier in a design-assist role to ensure feasibility and smooth execution.
"We're working on a mass timber building in Santa Monica, and we've got the mass timber supplier on design-assist. We're reviewing our details with them and the structural engineer and are trying to determine what's feasible. That way, when it comes out on site, the actual installer also is part of this conversation."
Every project comes with unique challenges and lessons that teams can apply to future projects. At HRA, Alma says they capture and apply those lessons by regularly reviewing past experiences and incorporating that knowledge into current practices.
"Every Friday in our office, we have this thing called 'code breakers,' where one of our principals, Doug, goes through every chapter of the building code per week. It's a consistent initiative, and we've gone through it three times now."
She explains that this ongoing review process allows the team to continually refine their understanding and application of building codes. For example, there was a week when they focused on exit passageways (chapter 10) and discussed all the lessons they learned from relevant projects. In doing so, HRA ensures the insights they picked up from past projects are carried forward and applied to future work.
Beyond that, the teams at HRA make it a point to communicate and learn from contractors in the field.
"Another thing that we do to help with the lessons learned or even have more collaboration with our contractor is to be there with them."
Alma says this practice has led to stronger relationships and more effective problem-solving. "We say, 'Tell me how I can learn from this.' And I think that's been one of our strongest relationships and one of our strongest proponents for HRA. Contractors appreciate working with HRA because we're partners in the field, not adversaries. We work together to find practical solutions rather than engaging in constant headbutting. It's an invaluable experience you can't learn in the office or school."
Digital Builder is hosted by me, Eric Thomas. Remember, new episodes of Digital Builder go live every week.
One of the many joys that construction professionals experience working in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is having the privilege of contributing to the built environment in a concrete way (sometimes literally).
Whether you're in the office working on plans and drawings or out in the field building the structure, many folks get a profound sense of accomplishment from contributing to lasting landmarks and infrastructure.
One such individual is Mark Dinius, VP of Innovations & Technology at Satterfield & Pontikes (S&P). Mark was drawn to the industry because of his interest in the visual aspects of construction and ultimately seeing the tangible results of his efforts.
Today, Mark leads the implementation and use of technology at S&P, ensuring teams are equipped with tools to bring projects to life in the most effective ways.
We caught up with Mark recently to gain insights into his experiences and perspectives. He talked about his career journey, the exciting things they're working on at S&P, and his thoughts on emerging construction trends and technologies.
Satterfield & Pontikes (S&P) is a family-owned and operated innovator in construction management systems and has pioneered numerous technological advancements across its broad portfolio of diverse projects. Our co-founder, George Pontikes, is still at the helm with us and is really into the tech scene, involved in various startups and investments. And so S&P, as much as we're a general contractor, sometimes feels like a technology company too, which is unique.
We have a handful of wholly-owned specialty subsidiaries that provide us with the ability to self-perform several essential construction activities. When you look at the entire Satterfield & Pontikes family of companies, we are right at a billion dollars a year, so we're growing rapidly, which feels good.
I specialize in looking at our software stack and how it fits within our entire ecosystem of products. I ask questions like, “What does it do? What's the value of it? Is it best in class?”
This focus is a direct initiative derived from our corporate strategy related to the analytical side of our business. We are trying to leverage many different types of data from different systems to help improve how we deliver on budget, on time and to be the best company we can be.
I got into the construction industry because it's quite hands-on. I started in engineering at Purdue, and ultimately, the theoretical side didn't speak to me as much as the practical side of application.
I got into construction because I wanted to be in a hands-on role and see the things that you're building come to life. Instead of the numbers and science behind it, it's more about the visual side of things, which really resonated with me. I actually started in the BIM and VDC space, graduating from Purdue with a construction graphics degree.
I started at S&P as a VDC engineer and saw all these aspects of the virtual side. Then, I got more into project controls for some of our bigger clients and worked my way into the IT and database scene. From there, I started up the analytics group.
I came out as a VDC engineer, doing a lot of coordination and model building. I ran our department for a couple of years and then had the opportunity to work with Delta Air Lines on a large job in Los Angeles. I spent a few years at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) managing the BIM group before taking on project controls for the program.
I got married, returned to Texas, and took on a role at S&P, overseeing the VDC group.
Then, IT came under my umbrella. They were looking for someone to focus on technology and to understand its applications a little better. From there, it grew into the database and systems admin groups.
As we started leveraging our tools better and streamlined processes, the company spun up a business intelligence group. That analytics group was started a couple of years ago and falls under the technology branch. As soon as I began to hire some good people across all those departments, I took on this vice president role where I currently oversee that larger team.
The commonality across everything I work on is that it's all technology-related. Whether it's in the preconstruction and conceptual phases or all the way through to turnover and leasing, there's technology in every step. Our major initiative is to see the continuity of data and information from beginning to end of that project’s lifecycle.
So, it's a pretty cool task. You've got all these different tools that are unique in the various processes of the construction life cycle, but trying to keep that data consistent throughout is a challenge.
The change management side of people is very difficult, especially in the construction industry. We've got one of the biggest gaps between this old-school knuckle-dragging type of mentality for the way things "should" be built and how things "should" be done based solely on that person’s previous experiences. The industry is evolving quickly – more and more investments are made in construction technologies. Now more than ever, our workforces need practical, efficient tools to ensure their safety and project success. Our teams have to be open-minded and willing to leverage new tools to help them execute in the field.
Change management with people is always the hardest thing. For example, we recently rolled out Autodesk Build’s Cost Management tools. It definitely shifted our entire operations. Many of the teams were resistant to change well before trying the tools.
The biggest way we've overcome that hurdle is by having peers train peers. We have superintendents train superintendents, project managers train project managers, etc. There is a mutual respect and understanding of responsibilities when peers train peers. They’re able to focus on efficiencies and their responsibilities, which helps build a strong relationship.
Secondly, you have to spend time with the team to help them understand why it's important. You always have to understand what they need, what they want out of it, and what their difficulties will be. We spend extra time listening and tweaking controls to ensure our teams have everything they need to be successful.
Whether it's old school or new school, everyone wants to be heard, and I think that's been our recipe for success.
Many people think that everything has to be perfect. They say, "It should do what I want it to do when I want it to do it, and that's it."
My perspective has changed in that there are many different ways to achieve your end goal, and it doesn't have to be a direct path. You could take whatever course you want as long as it makes sense and you're learning from it.
When you talk about social impact, technology will rarely be exactly the way you want it to be. And that's good because a lot of people learn technology by making mistakes. If you take the direct path, you don't understand all the pitfalls along the way.
As for innovation—it's always going to be important. I’ve focused my career on controlling innovation. My perspective has changed as I've delved into technology: While everyone strives for perfection, it's okay not to achieve it. Sometimes, the less traveled path is more impactful.
On the social side, as long as people pay attention to what they're doing, they develop a better understanding than they realize. Many people are too focused on “What button do I push?” when they should be focused on “Why do I push that button?” This holistic approach benefits both technology and innovation, fostering a deeper understanding.
AI is going to do a lot of good. I think people are overwhelmed by it right now, given that there is so much uncertainty and misnomers about it.
Do I think that AI will take over the world like in The Terminator movies? No. Do I believe that AI will significantly make our teams more efficient on a technology front? One hundred percent. All of the repetitive tasks that people have to do will be alleviated by AI.
When you think about these large language models, they enable normal people to interface with AI. That large language model bridges a communication and technology gap, so people can ask AI questions similar to asking another human being. This makes it easier for people to achieve some of the rewards that AI can bring without having to be tech wizards.
As long as people aren't trying to overwhelm the company with too much at once, emerging technologies are going to be huge. People just need to keep their feet grounded and recognize how it can help them.
The support, honestly. We've had some incredible people working with us, from our account rep to some of the folks who have come out and trained our teams and have been there for us.
We took on a mountain, and we climbed it faster than we were supposed to. From the point when we signed the contracts back in late December until about mid-February—so two and a half months—we stood up our entire environment. We rolled out eight projects on March 1st.
Our team of three could never have done that without support from the Autodesk folks.
The support has been incredible. We've been evaluating the product for well over two years, specifically the last 18 months, and we've seen so much investment in the product. We're encouraged by that. We hope Autodesk keeps investing in their core products.
The structured data is amazing. That's the stuff we have to live on. When you talk about business intelligence and trying to create standardization across a company with three locations and two major projects in different regions, developing standard processes and putting controls in place using the platform gives us confidence that we're steering people down the right road. We're building accountability and empowering people to make the right decisions.
We've done a great job setting this up to keep people focused on their tasks and their neighboring tasks without being overwhelmed by how they can execute. So, for us, the confidence is that people are in the right lanes of accountability to execute.
In addition (at least from my part of the back end), having all the structured data helps us make more informed decisions. We’re able to loop into that data and see anomalies that could impact a project and we’re doing that well before it’s a realized impact.
Autodesk helps us narrow down to specific areas, which could be RFIs, submittals, or change management. The point is to find out WHERE the issue is and then the WHY. Once you identify the issue and its cause, you can start to correct it. With structured data, you can look across your entire organization and find those "whys" much faster than with spreadsheets, Outlook, and unstructured data from undefined processes.
There are two. Earlier, we talked about how George has a couple of companies he's invested in, and I think they're onto something big. There's a ton of innovation happening, and I'm excited for the companies we’re advising.
I think what they're doing will be the standard in a couple of years from now, especially the components around data and recall of construction data.
On the S&P side, we're trying to be more of a leading edge than a bleeding edge these days. We're looking to find the balance between leveraging more out of Autodesk Construction Cloud and when to go and rely on other tools and products that may be more focused on a specific niche of our group. We'll strive to continue finding that balance. It's going to drive productivity.
We're also going to focus on this predictive aspect of the company. We want to understand what trips up projects and how we can turn that around. We want to use data and insights to create a predictable engine for managing jobs.
Let's say an owner is late on a payment. If an owner is late, have we historically had issues in those projects, and what kind of issues and where? We can then take that learning and apply it to the future.
We are focused on trying to do that from a prediction standpoint, whether for construction or preconstruction. Can we get to a spot where we don't need drawings or deep information to give an owner, project team or public entity a price and say, "We’re confident we can build your job"? By knowing the industry and learning from our historical data, we can say, "Here's your project, and based on inflation, here's your midpoint of the job," and be confident.
In our world today, where so much is digital, one of the most fundamental pillars of society is brick-and-mortar real estate. Built assets underpin so much of our lives, including fostering community development, creating employment opportunities, and supplying essential services. It’s where we live, play, and come together to nurture friendships and collaborate.
However, it takes a lot to bring these projects to fruition and the path to completion isn’t an easy one. From conception and planning through to construction, there’s a lot that goes into built assets with collaboration required across many teams and stakeholders.
In today’s marketplace, property developers across the Asia Pacific region will have many challenges to grapple with now and over the coming years, including:
Let’s dive into a bit more detail on these challenges, as well as how technology is supporting property developers to navigate them.
Despite access to financing being crucial for property development projects, developers are struggling to secure funding due to factors such as regulatory constraints, market volatility, and perceived risks.
In the first half of 2023, rising interest rates posed challenges for bank financing, resulting in a 24% year-on-year decline in real estate investment transactions in the APAC region. This decline was even more pronounced globally, with a staggering 54% drop, reaching its lowest point since 2010.
Without financing, projects may struggle to get off the ground.
With varying rules and regulations across countries and markets, the regulatory landscape in the APAC region is complex and diverse. When you’re navigating through things like permits, land acquisition laws, zoning regulations and building codes, projects can become hindered and delayed.
For example, shortcomings detected in the Opal Tower project in Sydney and the combusting façade in the docklands Lacrosse Towers in Melbourne prompted the Australian government to release the Shergold/Weir report on ‘Building Confidence’, listing 24 recommendations for the Australian construction industry and their supply chain to address.
In India, regulatory challenges such as land acquisition laws, environmental clearances, and local zoning regulations often lead to delays and increased project costs. According to a Knight Frank report, regulatory hurdles have resulted in significant project delays, with around 30-35% of residential projects facing delays in delivery.
Across the region, it’s clear that issues are resulting from the complexity of the regulatory environment.
Land is at a premium across the region, with rapid urbanisation leading to increased competition for prime land. This is driving up land prices, making it challenging to secure suitable land for development at reasonable prices.
In Singapore, land scarcity is a big challenge with the government tightly controlling land supply through its land sales program, leading to fierce competition and high land costs.
In Australia, land acquisition costs have also been rising steadily – particularly in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
Construction is going green, there’s no doubt about it. With growing awareness of environmental issues, there is increasing pressure on developers to adopt sustainable practices and build environmentally friendly structures.
With this comes a need for compliance with environmental regulations, green certifications, and addressing concerns such as carbon emissions and water conservation. Getting clear sustainability credentials is critical when it comes to attracting and retaining new customers, but it’s providing an additional hurdle for developers.
Given these challenges, it’s important for property developers to be across industry trends and how they can mitigate risk for their projects and leverage the latest tools to help their projects into completion.
These challenges may paint a complex picture for property developers to navigate, but there are clear solutions and the savviest industry players are embracing the latest technology tools to help them bring successful projects to life.
While many have started to digitise their workflows, often systems and data are disconnected, and frequently stored in separate locations. This can result in project teams working with incorrect or incomplete information, ultimately leading to rework and derailed workflows.
An ideal solution is the adoption of a single cloud-based construction project management platform such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, helping teams collaborate with ease across the project.
Recognising the critical role of data in informed decision-making is the first step in addressing the priorities of today’s property developer. Accessing the right data during construction, and retaining ownership of that data post-construction, can help reduce operational costs and optimise asset lifespan.
Adopting a Common Data Environment (CDE) to serve as a central hub for project information will streamline collaboration across teams by providing a single source of approved project data. Key capabilities of a CDE include a shared project workspace across teams, controlled access to stored information, a structured approval process to regulate data flow, and mechanisms for tracking and managing CDE-related activities.
In a nutshell, by implementing a standardised document management strategy and embracing a CDE, property developers can foster effective collaboration, ensure data security, and enhance project outcomes. Inconsistencies, rework, and misunderstandings are minimised, saving time and frustration.
To learn more, check out all the findings in the full eBook The Real Estate Developer’s Guide to Gaining Value Faster from Projects.
When Elgaard Architecture began working on plans to restore a historic church in central Copenhagen, it immediately knew building information modelling (BIM) would be vital to the project’s success.
“The project was about restoration of the church floor and, as part of it, a new heating system had to be implemented,” explains architect William Lorentz Celliers. He’s the BIM manager at the Danish firm, which specialises in restoring heritage buildings.
“In the initial phase, we had the Church 3d laser scanned and with a detail BIM model produced based on the scan.”
Elgaard’s portfolio of work spans a complex array of historic structures, from castles and manor houses to landmark cultural buildings and residential complexes. Connecting past, present and future, they seek to amplify the historic identity of buildings, while activating their cultural heritage potential and increasing their business potential.
To visualise, manage and build these complex projects, the firm makes use of 3D modelling in Autodesk Construction Cloud’s BIM Collaborate. In fact, it attributes its success in winning some of Copenhagen’s biggest restoration projects to its ability to work in 3D.
“When you begin a restoration project on listed or protected buildings, there are often no previous set of drawings or blueprints to refer back to,” explains William, “and certainly no digital twins already in place.
“Without that quantified information, we usually approach the client and ask to scan the building. A land surveyor then measures everything up and produces a BIM model base on our modelling specifications, which is the base the consultants will be working from. Having a digital twin and digital prototyping model has huge advantages for us.
For example, it enables us to enhance our coordination with engineers, so we’re not jostling for space in a duct when it comes to the build, but have figured out beforehand how we hide installations in such places in a protected building.”
One typical recent example was a project Elgaard completed in 2021 – the transformation of a modernist office block in central Copenhagen, originally designed by the famous Danish architect Svenn Eske Kristensen.
“This was a super exciting project to work on and everything was coordinated within Autodesk Construction Cloud,” says William. “It involved a lot of tough detailing and we had to get additional laser scans done, as we had a very complex and tricky circulation spot to solve in the existing structure.
“The fact that we could share schedules, schemes and notes that were accessible for everyone on the project and could have many authors contributing simultaneously was a huge plus,” he says.
“Project deliveries were initially sent be email until the transition to Construction Cloud where project documents consolidated centrally, to which multiple authors could contribute was an incredible timesaver for coordinating this project.”
As a digital-first firm, Elgaard is at the vanguard of building restoration. “We work predominantly with listed and protected buildings,” says William. These built heritage projects typically involve a lot of specialists and typically can be very 2D-oriented. This means that this sector of the architectural market that can be a little bit behind digitalisation, “ explains William.
“There can be a sense that people in this field are still operating in antiquated ways, working in dusty rooms. We know some of our competition are still stuck with 2D hand drawings.”
While contractors in the conversation and restoration arena can be conservative and reluctant to move to digital project management, Denmark in general is a leader in digitalisation so most of Elgaard’s partners see the likely benefits of BIM and are keen to work with it.
“We coordinate beforehand on 3D models of existing buildings where we are not sure about things. It makes things much clearer and our use of time is more valuable. We’re not leaving critical issues until we are on site, but we have formulated an approach of what it is we are going to be doing.”
Elgaard Architecture decided to embark on digital transformation in 2020. “I had worked elsewhere as a BIM and ICT manager,” explains William.
“I could see the potential of the technology to transform the heritage projects this office does, but also knew it would be a paradigm shift for everyone who works here. The digitalisation of the office and our work processes meant moving away from things being kept on desks and moving information and documents onto a shared server.”
The firm has found the collaborative licensing approach to the solution particularly attractive. “This tool is where we host all our models now,” he says. “We are not bounded by who has licences and who doesn’t, we can just issue licences as needed so common documents are shared across consultants.”
He adds the firm is constantly exploring potential new uses for Autodesk Construction Cloud. “We have used it as a bidding platform,” he says. “On a lot of our sites, because of the work that we do, some clients are really tech-savvy, but some are less so. At the same time, sometimes there is funding from a client to host these platforms, but sometimes there isn’t the budget for that.
Before any of this becomes an issue, we can say we have Autodesk Construction Cloud. We can retain all the advantages of having historical versions of these documents, while also being creative about how we apply it.
In the past, when William was responsible for clash control, there were no BIM collision tools. The traditional clash control process involved different stakeholders and contractors sending models with this being connected in an external programme. Then he would have to run through every individual check and send back reports manually.
“Now, I can use model coordination on our projects, even when it is quite complicated and involves five or six different models from architects and engineers. There can be tens of thousands of relevant clashes, but I can really organise them, sort them and send them out in a few days. For me, it’s insane how much time I saved on every collision control task.
As I’m sending the clash in the same online environment and getting immediate feedback on issues, there’s no backwards and forwards across systems. It saves weeks.
When it comes to coordination meetings, he says Autodesk Construction Cloud has also made life easier. “We can just have the model up and viewable. It’s quick to access and make note if something needs to be checked. I could really see with other client consultants who were used to working with drawings in meetings that it was especially valuable and an ease to the meetings.”
One application which Elgaard is working on consolidating at present is quality assurance of drawings. “Traditionally, this has always been an issue with architectural companies. Drawings get printed out, someone marks them up and they’re scanned. But then someone crosses something out, and someone else changes something, and suddenly the process can get complicated.”
Moreover, he adds, it can take a few hours to decipher multiple notes in different handwriting on drawings. “That time could be much better used somewhere else,” he points out.
By using Autodesk Construction Cloud, however, he says it’s clear they can make quality assurance a much more effective process. “By creating issues and markups within Autodesk Construction Cloud, we can make sure they are sent to people on the team with one consolidated point of entry. An issue can be created, sent immediately to the person responsible who can get a status and give feedback, all in one central place.”
While Elgaard makes use of Autodesk Construction Cloud for large projects involving multiple consultants and on-site contractors, it also makes use of it wherever possible. “It’s very adaptive,” says William. “We use it on smaller projects too. We have used it to host documents for bidders, and for our own models and common documents.”
In time, he hopes to streamline the firm’s project management and have all projects hosted on Autodesk Construction Cloud at all times.
“These things take time. While some people are adaptive and can see the advantage immediately, sometimes we need to introduce change slowly within a project and let people come to the soft realisation of how valuable it is and how clear everything is.”
As the world grapples with the realities of climate change, the urgency for meaningful action has never been clearer. India, a major player on the global stage, has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. This ambitious goal places the spotlight on the construction industry, a significant contributor to the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
Cement production, a cornerstone of the construction industry, is a major source of greenhouse gases. In fact, in 2021, cement alone was responsible for over 7% of global CO2 emissions. While globally, buildings account for a staggering 40% of energy-related carbon emissions, with 11% attributed to construction materials and processes—what experts call embodied carbon. Given India’s fast-paced development, this figure could be even more concerning locally. As India aims for its net-zero targets, addressing construction-related emissions is non-negotiable.
India’s green construction movement is powered by a mix of government policies and growing market demand. The government has rolled out initiatives like the Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC), which sets the standard for designing and constructing energy-efficient buildings. Another key initiative, the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), provides a framework for sustainable construction practices, offering incentives for those who build green.
But it's not just the government pushing for change. Investors, developers, and consumers alike are prioritizing sustainability. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are increasingly becoming integral to business strategies. In fact, a report by the International Finance Corporation estimates that India’s green building market could hit $1.4 trillion by 2030. Clearly, green construction isn’t just good for the planet—it’s good for business too.
‘Operational carbon’ is the CO2 emissions attributed to building operations, while ‘embodied carbon’ is attributed to building and infrastructure materials. Operational carbon emissions can be mitigated by implementing a variety of measures such as energy-efficient building systems and renewable energy initiatives. In contrast, the effects of embodied carbon in construction materials are irreversible post-construction.
This highlights the importance of making informed choices about building materials in construction projects to reduce environmental impacts. Not all materials are created equal; depending on how and where they were manufactured, one building component could have much lower embodied carbon than another that looks and performs the same.
Modern construction projects generate mountains of data, and how we manage this information is key to making smarter, more sustainable decisions. Traditionally, data in construction was siloed—each phase of a project kept its own data, limiting transparency. But digital solutions like a Common Data Environment (CDE) are changing the game. By sharing data in real time across all project participants, CDEs boost transparency and help drive sustainability. In short, architects, engineers and contractors can now make informed decisions about the materials they use on their projects while balancing costs, performance and climate impact.
Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) users can achieve this through the integration of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3). Created by Building Transparency with input from nearly 50 industry partners, including Autodesk, EC3 is a free, cloud-based tool that helps users choose carbon-smart materials.
The EC3 and ACC integration enables connected workflows between Autodesk Takeoff, a 2D and 3D quantification solution in ACC, Autodesk Docs, the centralised document management solution, and EC3. Together, these solutions empower builders to optimise their decisions based on environmental impact. Ultimately, this helps construction firms build more sustainably and paves the way for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industry.
The EC3 and ACC integration enables connected workflows between Autodesk Takeoff, a 2D and 3D quantification solution in ACC, Autodesk Docs, the centralised document management solution, and EC3.
India is at a crucial juncture in its development journey. As urbanization accelerates, the construction industry’s impact on the environment will only grow. Embracing green construction practices isn’t just a regulatory requirement—it’s a smart business move that can bolster a company’s competitive edge while contributing to a more sustainable future.
Read our ebook Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of Data in Green Construction for a deeper dive into the role of data in transforming green construction.
Image courtesy of Sweco Belgium
Over 80% of construction companies still have room to improve their data capabilities, according to new market research from Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Autodesk.
The report found construction managers and executives spend an average of 11.5 hours per week researching and analysing data. And those in building information modelling (BIM) and preconstruction roles spend even more time looking for data, averaging 12.3 and 13.4 hours per week, respectively.
Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) companies generate an enormous amount of data every second, including design models, issue reports and change orders. Meanwhile, project timelines are growing increasingly compressed.
Efficiency within each phase of a construction project has become imperative.
Without a structured approach to information management, AEC companies can lose valuable time – as well as vast amounts of rich data and the insights it could have provided.
Recognising this shift, leading engineering and architecture consultancy Sweco embraced a digital-first approach, establishing Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) as its common data environment (CDE) to streamline data management and enhance project efficiency.
Over the years, Sweco has become a major international player. Its 22.000 architects, engineers and other experts support projects across Europe and the world. Sweco’s guiding principle is ‘sustainability by design’. And its strategy is to harness the power of digitisation as it builds for a sustainable future.
For the team at Sweco Belgium, following BIM processes for data management and establishing a common data environment (CDE) on projects have been pivotal in improving their information management practices. (CDE) on projects have been pivotal in improving their information management practices.
As the project manager for some of Sweco’s most complex multidisciplinary programmes of work, Fréderic Dierinck knows the value of effective information management.
“You'll notice big data is becoming increasingly significant in recent years, and rightly so,” he explains. “Projects are becoming more crunched for time, yet there's a push for more detailed development at each stage. Information management has, therefore, become a critical element of the project process, both in design and execution.”
Under the pressures of modern construction, the old ways of working just don’t work. Fréderic explains that a linear approach to projects is a thing of the past.
“Now, everybody works in parallel, on multiple models. And that’s why, as a company, you need to work within a common data environment. You can't just wait for someone to finalise something, and then brief you about what’s next. You need to have information accessible on a continuous basis, so you can immediately either fine-tune or redirect the other party, or redirect your own design, based on real-time developments.”
Fréderic’s most recent project, a new factory build for one of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, was certain to generate volumes of information. So he was proactive about managing the complexities of its data, setting up a CDE for transparent and seamless communication.
“We've implemented ACC as a common data environment, guaranteeing everyone has access to the latest information, supporting clarity and informed decision-making,” says Fréderic. “As an organisation and service provider, we're looking to not just focus on model management but also to include data handling in our scope. It’s therefore crucial to have a strong BIM manager on this kind of project. In this case, our BIM process manager Emilia Zybek-Tsatsiashvili did the important work of implementing our standards in a consistent way across the entire array of information, and ensuring connectivity across all team members.”
With ACC, the Sweco team was able to cut time turning around drafts and visuals, reducing rework and errors while keeping their client closely involved with up-to-date 3D models.
Since adopting ACC, Fréderic has noticed a new feature in his team’s communication. “Whether collaborating online or in meetings, we’ve started to use a lot more link references. This has saved us a lot of time. If I tell you where to find something, and five months later there’s a new version of it, you can use that original link and find all the new documents.”
Team members don’t end up unwittingly viewing an old version of a document, or spend time looking for a newer link. However, old documents are still accessible, allowing for transparent version control.
Fréderic explains that in an iterative design process, it can be dangerous to change tack without being able to refer back to the reasoning behind your change. Access to version history can save time and provide clarity, he says.
“Down the road from a change, you may realise you have other factors to consider, and you’ll want to consider going back to your initial position. In ACC, you can easily refer to an earlier version of a model to check what was different and why. You don’t have to search around for a file from a few months ago.”
Anthony Kennes, BIM Manager for Sweco, appreciates how having live linked models across disciplines also saves time and effort. He shares an example from the project where the team realised it needed to slightly shift the foundations of an existing structure to accommodate the build of a new one.
“In the past, we would have had standalone models for each discipline, and it would take a considerable amount of time and effort to understand how changes would affect all the elements – and what’s collateral for one discipline is a massive impact for another. But now, because all our models are linked, we can see the impact much more quickly.”
As Fréderic sees it, the construction of a factory building is, essentially, building a shoebox. The shoe – that is, the production line that will be installed later – is the most essential part of the project. And for Fréderic, sharing a CDE with the production line designers was a massive step forward.
Frederic’s team made a model-within-a-model that represented the void where the production line would be installed. “Everywhere something would touch the void – be that structural beams, air handling units, ducting, an electrical room, or what have you – is linked and available even for non-Revit users, so all project members can see the impact much more quickly.”
The installers didn’t need access to all of Sweco’s information to proceed with their own design phase, but they could benefit from a warning when an element was going to touch the void. Likewise, Sweco could benefit from learning if any element in the installers’ plans was going to exceed the limits of the void.
“In the past, this kind of communication would have been super difficult to develop,” says Fréderic. “But now we have a single source of information to share with a third party, which is tangible and readable, so everyone involved can have all of these objects resolved before construction. We find ways to optimise interface management on a need-to-know-basis – decluttering the design process whilst keeping the momentum.”
ACC has already improved Sweco’s internal collaboration and efficiency – and for Fréderic, the improvement to client relationships has been transformative too.
“We found two big benefits to adopting Autodesk Construction Cloud. The first is that having one central system for data collection ensures everyone has access to the most current information. Second, the system's capacity to clearly show progress and status is invaluable – it simplifies complexity for the client,” says Fréderic.
Sweco’s strategic approach to managing project information keeps the end user in mind. For example, the team can access complex and intricate processes within Autodesk Construction Cloud. But team members who are client-facing can access information about certain elements or items on a ‘need-to-show’ basis.
“We can isolate specific elements within our models and represent them visually still without information loss,” explains Anthony.
The result? A significant improvement in client confidence. Fréderic explains: “When we introduced Autodesk Construction Cloud to our clients, many of whom were unfamiliar with such tools, there was a marked improvement in their perception of our work. It boosted their confidence, as the theoretical and generic discussions in meetings became concrete and could be assessed visually."
Adopting virtual reality (VR) technology along with 3D modelling has improved the way Sweco interacts with clients. Sweco’s automotive client benefited from an immersive experience on its project by the linking 3D models in the CDE to a virtual reality headset, allowing stakeholders to walk through the site virtually.
Frederic says: “The shift from traditional 2D to 3D modelling may give an impression of a loss in detail to some. Using modern solutions like Autodesk’s tools ensures, however, that the quality and control are not only maintained but enhanced.”
Using technology to visualise the end goals of the project provided valuable insights into its scope and design details. Virtually walking within a model of a building – especially a manufacturing plant, with its massive spans – immediately gives clients a deeper understanding of the project, its scale and its objectives.
Looking to the future, Sweco continues to lead the charge when it comes to adopting digital tools and exploring how digitalisation can improve project outcomes. “Action is critical in construction, and must happen faster than ever before. It's not only having all the useful information, but playing with the available information in an insightful way, that allows qualitative decision making – thus reducing errors,” reflects Frederic.
Ensuring the quality of your decisions directly depends on the quality of your data. Incomplete or inaccurate information makes you more likely to face errors, delays, and poor outcomes. Providing your teams with the appropriate data at the right time is crucial.
As the Sweco team knows, this requires conscious effort, a strong commitment to data quality and an efficient information management system. “We’re on our way to defining what information management looks like at Sweco and constantly evolving to conform to industry standards and best practices. It’s an interesting road,” concludes Anthony.
Design and construction teams are fundamental to how every project in the world gets built. But far too often, there are gaps and silos between design and construction teams, which can lead to unpredictability, project delays, and higher costs.
At DPR Construction, innovation and collaboration are at the core of how we build and deliver projects. Particularly, we've found that integrating design and construction teams and workflows at the earliest project phases leads to better outcomes for our teams, business, and clients.
As Atul Khanzode, our CTO, pointed out on a recent podcast, "The biggest cause of the lack of predictability is not having key stakeholders like builders, GCs, and subs involved early in the design process. This adds to a lot of missed opportunities to incorporate their knowledge into the complete design to be buildable."
Everyone can agree that stakeholder involvement and collaboration are crucial. Of course, doing it is easier said than done, given that team members (especially from external organizations) often have different processes, standards, and tools.
At DPR, we've prioritized integrating design and construction workflows, and we’ve seen great project outcomes as a result. With that in mind, DPR Superintendent Adam Valles and I recently joined a webinar with Autodesk where we shared how we've been able to drive more successful projects by implementing “construction-informing design” workflows and improving teamwork.
Check out these five key learnings from the session.
With incorrect, late-issued, and incomplete designs being among the top five causes of capital project claims and disputes, it's clear that early stakeholder involvement can prevent major issues.
When it comes to construction projects, we strive to bring everyone together at every stage. The type of contract we use in our projects is a big factor in making this happen. In some contract scenarios, particularly traditional design-bid-build, there isn't much room for early engagement since the team isn't on the project yet. However, progressive design-build contracts and integrated project delivery (IPD) allow for early involvement or "left of line" engagement.
The good news is owners increasingly recognize these advantages. As Adam points out, "We're seeing more and more clients realizing the benefit of construction-informing design workflows, having the model complete before construction."
It's also worth noting that some of this work takes place during the pre-bid phase. We bring partners on board based on their processes and ability to perform the job efficiently, not just their bid price. In other words, we're selecting teams based on their efficiency and methodology.
Bringing people together is incredibly challenging if team members use different tools and platforms. That's why we implement a centralized document control system that ensures all parties are working with the latest information.
Beyond giving teams a single source of truth, having a central data and document management hub allows us to improve client satisfaction and trust. According to a global study by Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Autodesk, 61% of general contractors agree that clients seek greater transparency in key data points and information about a project.
At DPR, we use Autodesk Construction Cloud as our single source of truth for document control, with a big focus on model-based workflows. We like to say that “if it’s not in the model, it doesn’t exist”, and that’s because we want our teams working in 3D and tracking decisions in the model. It's been a huge asset in streamlining communication from architects to management to the field. With Autodesk Construction Cloud, we can publish web-based 3D viewers, so our entire team doesn't need to be in Revit to see the model. We give project managers and project executives access to both the 2D drawings the 3D model directly rather than having them wait until plans are published.
These steps also ensure that all team members speak the same language. This is critical because the sooner we reach that common data language as a team, the more successful we'll be.
We want to eliminate the boom-bust cycle on construction projects. For instance, if an architect and owner designs something too expensive, they must value engineer the costs down and cut the scope. One way to avoid that is to bring builders like us into a virtual environment before it physically exists so we can give input on the design long before we break ground.
The goal isn't to change the design intent, but to inform it with real-world constraints and experience from past projects. Let's say we're looking to prefabricate a panel. With construction-informing design, we would get involved early and work directly with design teams to figure out the best way to do that. What is the ideal width for that panel? And if that width makes a door move, does the design team or owner have concerns about that?
These are types of things we can address early on to create a smoother project experience down the line. By collaborating with architects, engineers, owners, and specialty contractors in a shared environment, we can make more informed decisions that enhance both design and constructability.
In lean management, there’s a principle called the “Gemba Walk,” in which leaders walk through a workspace or a factory floor to observe what happens where the core work takes place. At DPR, we apply a similar approach to construction projects.
Our version of the Gemba Walk is a virtual one, using model-based workflows. We have our field teams look at the work before it makes it to them, so they can review the design and provide input before the actual construction takes place. In doing so, we bridge the gap between field realities and design intentions, promoting a smoother construction process.
As Adam puts it, "When you close the gap between field issues to the design team, your project will be that much more seamless and efficient."
It doesn't stop there, though. We continue to connect design and field teams throughout the project through iPads and BIM stations that our team and our trade partners can all engage with.
Good relationships are built on communication, and this also applies to office and field teams in construction. For projects to move forward efficiently, all stakeholders must be on the same page. That's why having a common data environment (CDE) is crucial—it keeps everyone in sync. At DPR, our CDE is central to all project-related matters, whether you're in the office or the field.
"We make sure it's up to date, so it's almost instant when the field gets information," shares Adam. We're not just relying on the shop drawings; we're relying on the real-time information from the design team.
That real-time component is incredibly important, given that most teams work on compressed timelines. Schedules are getting shorter, so we often need to move quickly. Anytime there's a silo of information—even between teams coordinating with each other—we're already past that in the main source of truth.
Beyond getting people to commit to using a shared platform, establishing regular meetings and using technology to facilitate those touchpoints greatly improve stakeholder communication.
"We set up a BIM station on every floor, and if they have any questions, we have coordination meetings every morning," explains Adam. “Then, if there are issues in the field, we'll validate them with the model first. If it's a true issue, we'll capture it, get it to the office, and get on the phone with the architect by 10 a.m. Communication is faster now that we have more technology out in the field."
With rapid changes in our industry, shorter timelines, and increased competition, integrating your design and construction workflows will be more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve. If you haven't done so yet, start taking steps to enhance collaboration and streamline your processes. Bring stakeholders together early on, equip teams with the best tools, and keep everyone on the same page using a centralized platform.
To learn more about how DPR does all of that, watch our webinar for deeper insights, tips, and strategies.
A tight preconstruction process is essential to reduce risk and ensure positive project outcomes. Take the healthcare industry for instance. Since building conditions like noise, safety elements, air quality, and more can have such a direct impact on building occupants, preconstruction is even more necessary – and exhaustive.
Enter the preconstruction risk assessment (PCRA) an essential part of preconstruction planning for the vast majority of hospitals in the U.S. Beyond healthcare facilities, preconstruction risk assessments can be incredibly valuable tools for complex and high risk projects. Today, we explore the ins and outs of PCRA and how builders can improve their processes.
Table of Contents
A preconstruction risk assessment (PCRA) is a required standard from The Joint Commission. The organization helps maintains the standards for patient safety in hospitals, clinics, and healthcare facilities. Today, over 80% of hospitals in the U.S. are accredited by the The Joint Commission.
For PCRAs, the organization lays specific requirements in Standard EC.02.06.05, which is part of the Environment of Care Standard for safety and health management.
Compliance with PCRA standards is an essential part of preconstruction to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). It requires maintaining a complex list of safety protocols and procedures that have to be followed, and each task has to be documented. The list is extensive and includes specifics relating to air quality, infection control, noise, vibration, and other potential hazards.
The Joint Commission has an eight-step process that they recommend for PCRA compliance:
No one likes construction risks. Beyond just healthcare projects, it’s critical to assess as many foreseeable risks as possible before construction begins and it eats into budgets, and timelines, or worse, threatens your team’s or future occupant's safety.
Conducting a construction risk assessment helps find all at-risk areas, create awareness about the site's risk, issue measures to avoid the risks, look if the risk has been dealt with, and then decide whether it's safe to continue the construction process.
Here are some quick facts on why a preconstruction risk assessment is essential, beyond just the formal PCRA in the healthcare industry:
The more details there are in the PCRA list, the more room there is for error, especially if you are tracking each step manually. It’s too easy for something to fall through the cracks.
While many contractors turn to spreadsheets to manage preconstruction risk assessments, they pose a number of risks that can negatively impact project schedules and accreditation:
If you fail a safety audit due to sloppy bookkeeping, you can face a hefty fine, so maintaining an accurate checklist is essential if you want to comply with EC.02.06.05.
PCRA is required for any construction, renovation, or maintenance work done in hospitals or healthcare facilities, which means contractors need to develop a detailed list of safety requirements before they can begin. The traditional methodology is to use spreadsheets to review and track safety activities, which is only one step above using a handheld clipboard. There is too much room for error, which can result in non-compliance.
A better strategy is to use a centralized, cloud-based system that is part of the preconstruction workflow. Many tools today have built in checklists and templates to easily help you expedite the creation and tracking of documents like preconstruction risk assessments. Paired with more advanced risk analysis capabilities to find subcontractors and predict risk holistically, connected risk management tools can better enhance your preconstruction processes across the board.
The best way to maintain an accurate PCRA process is by using automation. You need to start with a single data repository, so everyone has access to the same information. Then, you must maintain tight controls over shared reports.
PCRA requires a project management strategy, just like any other aspect of construction. By using a cloud-based software platform, you can integrate data and processes from all involved departments, including infection control, facilities management, safety, clinical engineering, and compliance. Automating the workflow speeds up approval time and is more accurate, eliminating errors and data duplication. It also simplifies documentation to prove standards compliance.
In addition to streamlining PCRA procedures, automated processes can be integrated with other business systems and software, simplifying tasks such as project bidding, workforce management, and managing bills of materials.
A construction risk assessment should include four major things to work effectively:
To avoid or eliminate this threat from happening, one should categorize the types of risks at the site and know how to manage them.
Risks at a construction site are categorized into various types, but here are four major construction risks:
Conducting a thorough preconstruction risk assessment is a critical step in ensuring the success and safety of any construction project, especially within highly regulated industries like healthcare. By moving away from traditional methods such as spreadsheets and embracing automated, cloud-based systems, contractors can significantly reduce the risk of errors, enhance compliance with safety standards, and streamline their overall processes. Ultimately, integrating advanced risk management tools not only fortifies preconstruction planning but also contributes to safer, more efficient, and more successful construction outcomes.
Autodesk Construction Cloud is the ideal platform for PCRA automation, providing a cloud-based project management solution for collaboration and accurate documentation. It eliminates errors, provides real-time access to checklists and procedures, and saves you time and money.
Ever wondered what it's like to be a superintendent? Perhaps you're already in the construction industry and are shifting your role to becoming one. Or maybe you're just interested in what superintendents are up to when managing modern job sites.
If so, you'll love this episode of Digital Builder, where you'll meet Erin Saiki, a superintendent at DPR Construction.
Erin has had an exciting career journey so far, having graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Most folks with this degree would spend their career as a project engineer, project manager, or eventually even a project executive. While Erin started off on the same path, she soon realized that her skills and interests would be better suited for the field.
Fortunately, DPR gave her room to explore her passions and pivot her career. In her current role as superintendent, Erin manages complex construction projects, champions technology, and fosters an inclusive environment where everyone is empowered to learn.
You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
We discuss:
Erin is optimistic about the present and future of construction. She says that now is one of the most exciting times to be a superintendent. She's thrilled to see the blending of more traditional superintendents with those who bring a more diverse, often less traditional background to the role.
"It's fascinating to see these new superintendents come in who definitely have different backgrounds but still get to interact with this generation of really talented builders who became superintendents. And when you mix them together, we get to see the full spectrum of a project, and that's exciting."
This, combined with emerging tech, makes for a transformative era in construction.
"Technology is being introduced into the construction world, and while some people may resist these changes, owners are ultimately expecting projects to be delivered quicker. They're expecting products to be delivered cheaper, and to a certain degree, you can only do that by keeping up with the times and evolving yourself."
Regardless of what type of superintendent you identify with or which generation you belong to, Erin says it's essential to be open to learning. As someone who didn't come from a traditional superintendent career path, one thing she's done is to leverage mutual learning opportunities.
"I can't come in thinking I know everything because I don't have that building experience. But I can say, 'Hey, we can sit together on a computer and work on those skills, and in return, can you go walk the field with me and show me why this is the best way to set up the scaffold or to plan this work?'"
In doing so, she's built strong, collaborative relationships that enhance her knowledge and the team's overall effectiveness.
Tech-savviness is increasingly becoming vital for superintendents, but that doesn't mean traditional tradespeople are at risk of getting left behind. According to Erin, their hands-on experience is even more valuable than ever.
"This is a golden opportunity for those [with a craft background] who seize it. It shouldn't be a time for insecurity or feeling like you're getting pushed out of an industry. There is so much more value that you bring when you come from a craft background because that is going to be dying out as more superintendents are coming from college to fill the gap."
She continues, "If anything, folks that are in the trades should be really excited and should be driving for that path because the door is not closing on them. That door is opening to them right now."
Our conversation also touched on how superintendents can set up field teams for success and ensure they get the job done well.
To that, Erin says it's all about communication and removing obstacles.
Her first advice? Actively listen to field teams and take action based on their input.
"Go and talk to the workers that are doing the work; hear where their constraints are. As long as we're removing the physical constraints in the field, the job will get done. You'll end up losing more money and time if you're sitting in a trailer environment, going through emails trying to resolve all these issues and ignoring what's happening with the craft."
In line with this, Erin says superintendents should build an environment where teams are empowered to speak up.
Her ideal scenario is having "an environment and culture on site where everyone feeds you all the information you need to win and succeed."
Speaking of managing information, Erin cautions against superintendents becoming bottlenecks that delay critical decisions.
She recommends creating processes where information flows smoothly so that field teams are empowered to make decisions.
"Coming up with ways to share information with the craft is super, super important, whether that be through tools like Autodesk Construction Cloud or taking the time to make sure they understand how to use that software and be able to leverage it."
Beyond that, superintendents should strive to democratize access to information.
"Look for opportunities where not just the foreman but the journeymen, lead men, and the apprentices on site can access information and know what they're building. It could be as simple as renderings and photos of what the final product can look like," Erin says.
"Half the time, the guys in the field don't even know what they're building because they're never in the model or in the drawings and seeing this is the final product. But if they had that opportunity and information, they could make better decisions."
Erin's advice for companies that want to bolster their team? Make it about the people.
"We must remind ourselves to treat our recruits as people, not numbers. Try to figure out what sparks their interest. There are so many avenues within construction, whether VDC, innovation, or preconstruction. There are so many avenues that as long as you find the fit and they're part of the family, chances are there's something in one of those avenues that they'll be excited to do."
She says that young folks coming out of college need guidance and opportunities to explore different paths.
"Most people in college, even if they are getting their degree, don't know what they want to do. They have no industry experience and don't know what excites them. The most powerful thing is building a relationship and being genuine with them. And if they click with you, that's the best door to open to have them be interested in coming into construction."
Erin wants the next generation to know that it's okay to change paths and recommends finding a company that supports career shifts and growth.
"Hopefully, as the industry gets more and more involved, companies will be open-minded to that. But if you're not currently at one or you're not currently looking at one, maybe that's an indication to look somewhere else."
Beyond that, Erin emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and curiosity.
"Come from a place of learning. Be a sponge and absorb all the information because it is a fire hose on site. You learn so much, especially if you're working on the GC side, interacting with every trade partner and subcontractor."
"So, enjoy the learning process, ask a lot of questions, and that'll ultimately get you to a place where your foundation is sturdy enough to run work and to feel confident interacting with everyone that you see on site."
Digital Builder is hosted by me, Eric Thomas. Remember, new episodes of Digital Builder go live every week.
If you're part of an ambitious organization, you're likely familiar with the challenges that come
with scaling. While being in growth mode is such an exciting time, they don't call it growing pains for nothing.
A great team and the right tools are crucial for navigating periods of business expansion, day-to-day operations, and project execution. Cecil Zachary, VP of Project Controls at Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, has extensive experience in all of these. Having held various roles in his decades-long career in construction, Cecil is an industry veteran who excels in leading project teams and developing operations units.
We caught up with him to discuss his career journey and the lessons he's learned from his time in the construction industry. Take a look at what he has to say.
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction is a Texas-based general contractor of about 35 years. We do heavy commercial focusing on K-12, higher ed, and several other markets, including multifamily, healthcare, industrial institutions, and pretty much anything you can think of regarding heavy commercial.
Most of our projects are Texas-based, but we also do aviation work at some of our major airports in California and New York—i.e., LAX, LaGuardia, and JFK. We also do wastewater treatment work.
We're a family of companies that work in concrete, project management, and program management.
It's a very diverse portfolio. S&P is roughly a billion-dollar-a-year company, and we've had vast growth over the last few years.
I didn't choose to get into this industry—fate led me here at a young age. I was looking forward to a different role and career, but I had a young family at the time, and I had to shift to something that would help support them. That took me away from my original major in college and other plans.
I'm from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We have many industrial plants and industrial construction companies, and my family was connected in ways to some of these companies. So, I was able to pivot my career towards that and start making a decent living early. Things took off from there.
I started my career in industrial construction during college, working turnarounds. Then, my first full-time career job was as a superintendent with a commercial contractor in Baton Rouge.
After that, I got an opportunity to become a project manager and estimator, which immediately felt like a better fit.
I left Baton Rouge in 2002 and moved to Florida with a company called Centex. At the time, resort development was booming, Centex opened a resort development division with a construction arm within this group that was styled after traditional commercial construction management. That fast-tracked my career, and I worked to become a VP of Operations.
But then the bubble burst in real estate, development, and the residential market, and it brought me back to commercial construction. I joined a traditional commercial company in Louisiana, where I took on the role of senior project manager. I was with them for about six years before moving up to Vice President of a business unit.
I then moved to S&P 11 years ago as a senior project manager. I was excited to move to a large market in Houston with a company focused on sustained growth. At the time, I felt that what I truly wanted to do was teach and develop teams. I love doing this, and I wanted to handle huge projects with a big staff. So, I did that for seven years.
Then, I finally made the move into a corporate role to start an initiative focused on centralized startup, which led to a greater role developing a Project Controls group.
I'm proud of the initiative I've mentioned with centralized startup and closeout. If you think about a large commercial project, the most chaotic points are usually the beginning and the end.
I'd argue the start is the most chaotic part. You begin work with nothing—no project team, no budgets, nothing bought—and you're expected to start immediately. This phase is crucial to gain control over the project.
When I was in Operations, I would always tell our teams that we have 60 to 90 days to grind it out and get control over the project. We must do everything necessary to get a good buyout going; that includes getting our critical plans in place, our quality plan, safety plan, baseline schedule, etc. Again, the key is to get control of the project quickly. Because if you don't, you will always be in chaos, and that usually leads to a bad project and a bad balance of life for the team.
So, we saw an opportunity to create a centralized group focused on the start of the project, which would bring standardization and consistency across all our projects.
That initiative is set up so that our onsite project teams can focus on the work. It’s our job to set up the job for the team–our PM systems, budgets, document control, prequalification, scope writing, etc. We’re here to clear space for the project teams, so they can focus on planning, building, and the overall execution of the project!
At the closeout of the project, our centralized group takes the same approach. We focus on everything that doesn't have to be done in the field so that field teams can take care of their punch out, commissioning, and warranty response.
Then, starting August of last year, we applied that same mentality to material procurement. This is probably the most revolutionary thing we've done. This includes the management of the submittal process, which has successfully ensured that the correct materials arrive onsite for on-time installation..
Overall, this initiative is showing people entering our industry a different way of doing things.
I know there's a lot of concern over AI taking over people's jobs, but I think it's going to help us do our jobs better and more efficiently. Something as simple as ChatGPT is so easy to use. We're starting to see instances where AI allows us to get answers faster. The speed of information is just amazing.
That said, I'm honestly a little fearful about its uncontrolled nature. In my opinion, technology has recently surpassed human beings' ability to leverage it correctly. It affects our lives in many ways that we're not yet equipped to handle.
So, I'm hoping the smart people in the world can guide us the right way.
I value the relationship that we have with the folks at Autodesk and the support they've given us. We just made a huge shift in our operations by taking on Autodesk Construction Cloud and replacing our previous cost management and project management systems.
Our move to Autodesk Build’s Cost Management is one of the most impactful shifts in our operations over the last 35 years. We're four to five months into it, and we've received a lot of support from everyone. I couldn't be happier with our partnership.
In the past, we've only been able to measure the outcomes of our performance. This has made accountability to systems & process challenging to maintain and our guidance reactionary. Measuring performance within a workflow or process is much more critical and complex than measuring outcomes.
Combining the tools available in Autodesk Construction Cloud with other systems, our Project Controls team will focus on connecting with key data points in our systems to measure and gauge our performance efficiently. This will be a proactive approach to affecting the outcome of our team performance.
We are weeks away from Autodesk University, and we couldn’t be more excited! Happening in San Diego October 15-17, AU 2024 is a must-attend for any AEC professional.
From inspiring and informative keynote sessions to networking opportunities you won’t find anywhere else, you’re bound to elevate your expertise and forge invaluable connections at AU 2024.
If you’re a subcontractor who wants to stay competitive (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), attending AU 2024 should be at the top of your list.
At Autodesk, we know you’re facing a host of challenges. Industry data shows that in 2023, a third of subcontractors saw a decline in profits, and most subs (87%) are paying out of pocket before getting paid themselves.
AU 2024 is packed with sessions and resources for navigating these challenges. You’ll learn how to use technology to improve quality and productivity while unlocking cost savings in your projects.
Take a look at our top session picks below.
Imagine having to secure more contracts and provide superior service for all clients. Where would you begin? This was the task handed to the team at Jones Engineering Fire Protection, and it’s been their focus for the past two years. They have initiated a bold digital strategy aimed at evolving their business, and they’ve identified five key areas that could be innovated through digital transformation. During this class, discover how Autodesk Construction Cloud has been a game changer in merging disparate workflows and data into a unified platform. Our expert presenter will recount the bumps hit along this road and the victories achieved, highlighting the gains in design team productivity and enhanced teamwork among engineers and on-site teams, and how they’re influencing upstream workflows to general contractors. This results in a win-win-win situation: a win for Jones, a win for the general contractor, and a win for the client. Don't miss this opportunity to peek into a leading subcontractor’s digital makeover and pick up insights to mirror in your business.
In this session, we'll explore the profound impact that diversifying trade partner relationships has had on the construction industry and how using AI streamlines subcontractor sourcing, enhances compliance efforts, and fosters innovation. Join us to discover how embracing diversity drives down costs, increases competition, and cultivates a more robust and resilient construction landscape. We’ll showcase the transformative power of inclusion in propelling the industry forward.
With U.S Air Force veteran Michelle Rasmussen as the co-host, join us for an emotional and inspiring panel discussion on the enthralling journey of being a veteran. This session will bring together a group of three to five panelists from different branches of the military, each with a compelling story of overcoming adversity and how they transitioned into their industry. Our panelists will share their experiences of overcoming specific challenges in their fields. This could include challenges related to reintegrating into civilian life, transitioning military skills to new contexts, working with civilians, accessing mental health resources, or facing discrimination. The adversities they've faced have equipped them with unique problem-solving skills and a remarkable ability to adapt, which makes them invaluable contributors who can drive innovation and positive change in any industry.
Despite a reported 91% medium or high level of improvement in productivity, only 27% of general contractors have moved to automate their payment application process through technology. This indicates a growing need towards adopting software automation tools to replace manual processes. With this shift in mind, it is essential for GCs to understand what to look for in subcontractor management software. This session explores the critical features, their benefits, and the overall advantages of integrating technology into subcontractor management along with sharing how these solutions actually work in conjunction with your construction accounting system.
Contractors with subcontractor default insurance programs face ever increasing risk from varying sectors: COVID-19 recovery, recessionary concerns, and rising costs of supply and labor. Ensuring that projects are awarded to the right subcontractor is paramount to deterring potential defaults. The combination of BuildingConnected and TradeTapp has led to a 90% prequalification rate in advance of award. By working bid packages with operations, risk management can detect potential problems and mitigate in pre-award.
As a subcontractor, the best thing you can do to gear up for 2025 is to equip yourself and your team with the right knowledge, tools, and industry connections. Autodesk University has all of these and more.
Don’t miss your chance to attend one of construction’s most anticipated events. Register for AU 2024 today!
日本の建設業界は、デジタル化による業務の革新が急務となっています。国土交通省では、「i-Construction（アイコンストラクション）」と題して、建設現場のデジタル化を推進しており、2040年度までに3割の省人化、つまりは生産性の1.5倍向上をめざしています（国土交通省「i-Construction 2.0～建設現場のオートメーション化～」）。
こうした国を挙げた取り組みの背景にあるのが、深刻な労働力不足です。高齢化にともなう労働人口の減少、そこへ若年層の建設業離れが重なり、建設業界では年々、人手の確保が困難になっています。さらに2024年4月には、建設業においても時間外労働の上限規制が適用を開始されました。これにより、一人当たりの労働時間も減少することから、工期の延長や費用の増大につながる「2024年問題」が懸念されています。
労働力不足が避けられない状況で、建設業界が持続的に発展していくためには、BIM（Building Information Modeling）やAI、ドローン、ロボット技術などを活用し、生産性の向上を図る必要があります。
また、日本は「災害大国」ともいわれ、地震や台風、豪雨などの自然災害に頻繁に見舞われます。近年は気候変動の影響から、その被害が激甚化しています。自然災害の予知やシミュレーション、リスクを考慮したプロジェクト管理、災害発生後には速やかな復旧作業が必要であり、そのためにもデジタル技術の導入が有効です。
建設業界におけるデジタルアダプション（導入したデジタルツールを効果的に活用できている状態）は、効率化だけでなく、安全性向上やリスク回避のための重要な取り組みともいえるのです。
関連記事：建設業界におけるデジタル変革：日本の現状と統合型ソリューションの役割
国を挙げてDX（デジタルトランスフォーメーション）化が叫ばれる一方、日本の建設業界のテクノロジー導入率は、他国に比べて低いことがわかっています。Autodeskでは2024年、Deloitte Access Economicの協力のもと、アジア太平洋地域のなかから6カ国（日本、オーストラリア、シンガポール、インド、マレーシア、香港）に本社がある建設・エンジニアリング企業933社を対象に、デジタル化についての調査を実施しました（Autodesk「建設業界におけるデジタルアダプションの現状 2024」）。
そのなかで、16種類のデジタル技術について、現在の導入状況を尋ねたところ、日本は2.9種類であり、6カ国のなかで最も少ない結果となりました。6カ国の平均は5.3種類であり、最も多いインドでは7.5種類にのぼります。
では、DX化が遅れている日本の建設業界において、デジタルアダプションを実現するためには、どのような取り組みが必要なのでしょうか。ここでは、デジタルアダプション実現のために有効な5つのアクションについて解説します。
関連記事：日本の建設業界におけるデジタルアダプションの現状 2024
まずお勧めしたいのが、DXの段階的な導入です。DXプロジェクトでは、新しいデジタル技術を小規模で試験的に導入する段階と、組織的に本格導入する段階を分けて考え、その移行戦略をあらかじめ計画に盛り込んでおくことが重要になります。
ある調査によると、DXプロジェクトの70%は、計画の不備が原因で失敗に終わっています。よくある失敗例として挙げられるのが、「従来のシステムから新しいシステムへの完全な移行ができない」ことです。従業員に新しいデジタル技術について周知し、その効果的な活用方法を教育できていないことが、失敗の一因となっています。
この従業員への周知・教育は、DX化の成功に不可欠なステップです。にもかかわらず、このための予算がもともと組み込まれていない、あるいはコスト削減の対象となってしまうケースが少なくありません。DX化の成功の鍵を握るのは、組織全体のデジタル戦略を策定し、そのための予算を確保しておくことです。あらかじめ本格導入の際にかかるコストを確保しておくことが求められます。これができている企業は、できていない企業に比べ、デジタル技術導入数が4.3種類多いことがわかっています（Autodesk「建設業界におけるデジタルアダプションの現状 2024」）。
組織のデジタル戦略を立てるのと同時に、DXプロジェクトの先頭に立つリーダーを選んでおくことも、DX成功の重要な要素です。
導入したデジタル技術が従業員に定着するデジタルアダプションの状態に至るには、一定の期間が必要になります。特に、本格稼働に向けたフェーズでは、予期せぬ課題の発生などで想定以上に時間がかかり、DXに対する従業員のモチベーションが低下することがあります。そんなとき、DXのビジョンやプロジェクト継続の必要性を一貫して発信するリーダーがいれば、疲労感の軽減や士気の向上につながります。
また、DX化では自社の業務に最適化されたシステムの構築が重要になります。そのためには、試験導入や導入初期の段階で、従業員の要望を集約し、ソフトウェアベンダーにフィードバックする必要があります。情報の拠点となるリーダーを配置することは、組織全体のベストプラクティスを導き出すためにも有効です。企業には、DXを牽引するリーダーを積極的に発掘し、その活動をサポートする姿勢が求められます。
デジタルアダプションの障壁として、39％の企業が「コストの問題」を挙げています（Autodesk「建設業界におけるデジタルアダプションの現状 2024」）。新しいデジタル技術を導入するには確かに初期投資が必要になりますが、将来的に生産性向上やコスト削減といった効果が投資額を大きく上回ることが期待できます。この初期投資の妥当性を証明するために、投資対効果（ROI）を明確にすることが重要です。
しかし、大規模な建設プロジェクトでは、DXへの投資以外の要因がプロジェクトの成果に影響を与えることが考えられ、ROIの見積もりが困難です。また、新しい技術を導入し、従業員が十分に慣れるまでに、ある程度の時間を要するという問題もあります。試験的な導入段階でその効果が十分に把握できなければ、さらなる投資に踏み切れなくなる可能性があります。
そこで、投資の正当性を適切に評価するために、新しいデジタル技術の導入前後で複数の成功の指標を測定しておくことをお勧めします。例えば、業務効率の改善度、コスト削減効果、収益の向上などです。ただし、これらの投資効果が明確な数値として現れるまでにも、やはりそれなりの時間がかかります。収益への反映が正確に評価できるようになるまでは、従業員の使用状況や満足度といった広範な指標を補足的に活用するとよいでしょう。
DXの成功には、パートナー企業との本質的なコラボレーションが不可欠です。デジタル技術の進歩はスピードを増しており、特にAIのような革新的な技術に自社で適応するのは難しくなっています。専門のテクノロジープロバイダとの戦略的な提携が必要であり、パートナー企業を選定する際には、業界に対する深い理解と豊富な知識をもったベンダーを選ぶべきです。そうすれば、企業が抱える課題に対し、効果的な解決策を見つけて前に進める良き伴走者になってくれるでしょう。
また、継続的なサポートが提供されるかどうかも重要な要素です。なぜなら、DXはデジタルツールを取り入れることが目的ではなく、従業員がそのツールを適切に活用し、業務を改善することが目的だからです。そのためには、従業員が導入したツールの知識をもち、使い方を理解していることが重要であり、教育やトレーニングを継続的に提供できる企業を選ぶことが、デジタルアダプションへの近道となります。
AI は今後、建設業でも一般的に使用されるようになると予想されます。前出の調査でも、94%の企業がAIのビジネスへの導入を見込んでいることがわかっています（Autodesk「建設業界におけるデジタルアダプションの現状 2024」）。
AIを使えば、新しいプロジェクト提案をゼロから作成する必要はなく、過去の同様のプロジェクトの材料や価格設定を利用することができます。導入にあたっては、オープンソースのAIツールを使用するよりも、過去のプロジェクト等の社内データを用いてトレーニングし、カスタムの AI モデルを構築するほうが、業務の大幅な効率化が行えます。
AIツールの急速な進歩と普及を考えると、その導入は建築業界でも差し迫った課題となっています。まずは自社のビジネスが AI に対応できているかを確認することが重要であり、具体的には、AIに関するスキルをもった人材が確保できているか、AIが効果的に機能するのに必要なデータの収集・管理・分析の仕組みがあるか、AIを運用するための技術的基盤（ハードウェア、ソフトウェア、ネットワークなど）が整っているかを見直しておきましょう。
DX化が遅れている日本の建設業界が、デジタルアダプション実現のためにとるべき5つのアクションを紹介しました。
すべてのプロジェクトには、ビジョンと戦略、それを発信する強力なリーダーが必要です。DXプロジェクトではそれに加えて、業界に対する深い理解をもち、デジタル技術の教育にも貢献するパートナー企業と提携することが成功の鍵を握ります。特にAIの導入は多くの企業にとって喫緊の課題となっていますが、進歩の著しいこの分野に自社のみで対応することは難しく、AIの効果を最大限に引き出すためにも、AIに精通したアドバイザーが必要です。
DX化は新しい技術を導入したから終わりではありません。自社ならではのシステムを構築し、新しい技術を従業員に定着させるために、是非この5つのアクションに優先的に取り組んでみてください。
As a construction project progresses, recurring meetings are a necessary part of daily and weekly work. From OAC to safety meetings, and from progress to status meetings, keeping tabs on all meeting logistics for setup and agendas is time consuming.
At Autodesk, we’ve heard from project managers and superintendents about just how frustrating it can be to set up the same meeting agendas again and again from scratch on each new project. For this reason, we’re thrilled to share more about our recently released and very requested feature in Autodesk Build and BIM Collaborate: Meeting Templates.
Now, admins can create preset agenda templates for those standard construction project meetings – like OAC meetings, status meetings, toolbox talks – and team members can use that template to create new meetings.
In Library, account administrators can create a meeting agenda and save it as a template. From there, admins can select which projects to make it available on.
When a meeting template is enabled on a project, project members can apply that template to a new meeting to instantly populate the agenda. The meeting title, description, and topics will all populate based on what was pre-defined in the template.
So how does Meeting Templates improve project meeting workflows? Let’s explore a couple of key ways:
Speed up project setup. Project managers and superintendents now have a faster way to set up all their standard recurring project meetings. Instead of having to recreate the same meetings again and again, on each project, project managers, superintendents, and project coordinators can create them in an instant with meeting templates.
Establish standards. Consistent project standards help projects run smoother with consistent expectations and operations. Templates make it easy for project teams and contractors to set up a standard for how these important meetings are run and documented, from project to project. When there are standards for how meetings minutes are documented across projects, it’s easier for teams to stay informed.
Here’s a quick overview:
To learn more, head over to the Help site.
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