In order for the industry to fully be a part of the digital revolution, information must flow between all project participants. Today, the specialty trades contractors aren’t as involved with these workflows as other team members. However, the benefits they enjoy and the need to collaborate digitally on projects in the near future are likely to lead to a greater utilization of the tools. Find out more about the ways that specialty trade contractors profit from workflows that are multi-company or inter-company in areas that could use improvements.
Technology can be a great asset in construction.
Technology-driven workflows aren’t something new. In the last few years, we’ve witnessed digital transformation revolutionize sectors like agriculture and manufacturing. In the past, construction has been slow, but this is shifting.
Construction is moving towards technological innovation, just like the way technology has changed the construction process in shipbuilding and commercial aircraft manufacturing.
The full impact of this revolution will take decades to come down the line; however, now is the best time to invest in innovative technologies that can help ensure the future of success. According to research conducted by McKinsey & Company, the effects of globalization, industrialization, and digitalization have boosted $11 trillion worth of value and $1.5 trillion in real earnings in the field of construction.
The positive side is that you’re already employing a variety of software and tools in your work to simplify the construction process. McKinsey reports that attitudes within the field of construction are changing toward technology in comparison to five years prior.
The conversation is beginning to change from ‘why it is important to make use of technology to utilize it to simplify construction, improving speed, communication, and precision.
It’s about connecting all these applications and tools, allowing users to deposit and retrieve shared data in a centralized area ( Common Data Environment). We’re discussing the use of technologies to build a linked construction environment.
It’s already taking place…
Integrated workflows improve efficiency, aid in making better decisions, and improve productivity at each stage of the project. The net gain from these advantages translates into having a better understanding of your budget and schedule.
Did you have the knowledge that over half (65 percent) of contractors, designers, and owners 1 achieved efficiency gains when they adopted digital workflows?
Many construction firms which make use of technology also boast the benefits of technology, such as:
- Better decision making
- Collaboration improved in multi-company processes
- Fewer changes to orders
- Greater cost predictability
- More productive labor
There are numerous benefits of a digital workflow that is integrated into the construction industry.
Here’s what you are looking for – what’s the expected ROI (ROI) of using the latest technology? Will it make a real impact?
The calculation of ROI for construction workflows The most crucial factor in assessing the success
All these bells and whistles, aside from us, we understand it. You need more than just an “feels-like” assessment to be able to accept the notion of making a significant technological investment.
This is when the discussion shifts to the measurement of the return you earn on your investment (ROI).
Key decision-makers at the bottom need to know how these benefits are measured in terms of days and dollars. Here’s a brief review of how the help of technology that is connected can be translated into tangible measures.
While it’s unlikely to track every aspect, you can establish an objective and select some KPIs that are in line with this goal. You can then provide the information you require to calculate the ROI on investment of the latest technologies.
ROI = (Net Profit / Investment Cost) x 100
Then, let’s look at how this is working within the actual world.
Technology facilitates seamless communication between offices and field
What causes construction projects to run over budget and miss deadlines? There’s more than just physical space between what’s happening at the construction location and the decisions made at the office.
One data-internal=”false” survey of more than 500 general contractors working in the construction industry for commercial purposes discovered that inefficiencies resulting from inadequate communication, such as conflict and rework, consume approximately 14 hours of labor each week for each employee.
The following table shows the data-internal=”false.” A $16 billion Site C Clean Energy Project to construct a dam as well as a hydroelectricity generation station over five years is a prime example of the need for improved communication during massive construction projects. Communication that is connected from the job at the site and to the external parties keeps everyone informed and gives real-time insight into the current situation.
At the beginning of the project, the team was using thumb drives and hand-delivered updates to the office. Communication mainly took place via the well-known mobile app, WhatsApp. This method was always slightly out of tune; however, as the project progressed and roles changed, they embraced a connected technology method to allow two-way communications in real-time.
Through the integration of technology, they could upload excavation plans with cosmetic adjustments so that crews working on the job could make the necessary adjustments without reworking.
Progress reports on the progress of compaction are produced within WorksOS for approval before moving into the following section.
A unified approach to technology assists in:
- Make it easy to transition seamlessly between shifts.
- Create safe workplaces by allowing contractors the ability to adjust to the actual working conditions.
- Provides for continuous monitoring of the daily progress on job sites.
- Create 3D models for the visual representation of the process.
- Keep the job site’s activities organized and efficient.
- Gain visibility from start to end.
- Organize multi-trade work sequences.
Ready to learn more information about the Site C Clean Energy Project?
Example 2: Efficient digital-first design & collaboration
Imagine for a moment the design process that goes into creating some of the most stunning structures: dams, bridges and complex tunnel systems and intercity transportation systems. Each one of these projects is incredibly complicated.
Take away the paper and pen to propel the process to the digital realm. Does it look the same? Do you think it is superior? These are the kinds of questions an European bridge network was willing to pose when they explored the possibilities of connected construction with an innovative design process that was digital first.
The Randsleva bridge, which was completed in 2021, is near Oslo, Norway’s capital city Oslo. It is a fantastic illustration that shows how construction connected technology can help solve collaborative and design challenges with 3D modeling instead of drawings.
“When you would traditionally work to build this with drawings, you’d need about 200 of these drawings. And when you would revise every one of those about five or six times, you would end up with 1,000s of drawings.” – Oystein Ulvestad, BIM developer, Sweco Group.
This allowed design development, modeling, and construction to be completed simultaneously and kept the project on track and moving forward. It also enabled a great deal of efficiency by automating and standardization.