For forward-looking construction companies, emerging technologies can have major time and cost savings. Examples include cloud computing, SaaS solutions and big data. Today, there are construction technology solutions to track almost every aspect of a job. They can help ease the entire process, from bidding and field data collection to project management and monitoring building performance.
And the timing seems to be right. According to a 2015 JBKnowledge survey of construction professionals, more than 80% of companies provide both laptops and smartphones to employees.
Four examples of construction technology that can help streamline your business:
Bid Management Software
Bid management software vendors and subcontractors can use to bid on work is becoming more common. Products such as BidTracer and Project Mates store information on vendors and subcontractors. They allow users to share information on a project and invite bidders, then track responses from a single dashboard. A major advantage is that addenda and Q&A can be managed seamlessly in one place. (No more responding to individual emails!) You can also quickly convert from bid to contract stage.
Tracking Sustainability
Firms that work on green buildings may be interested in tools designed to tie in with the LEED credit program. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED App Lab has several plug-ins. AutoDesk also has LEED plug-ins for their projects.
For example, Revit Credit Manager helps automate LEED calculations and streamline submission. Life Cycle Assessments with Tally calculate the environmental impacts of building materials. The more specialized Green Stormwater Infrastructure allows users to incorporate low impact development components. Elements like green roofs and bio swales can boost stormwater credits.
Cloud-Based Building Codes
Several construction technology apps provide searchable, digital access to building codes on mobile devices. This can be a big productivity booster. It eliminates trips back to the office to consult hard copy documents and time spent searching for information online. Instead, users can do a quick search from a smartphone. It’s easy to pull up the data they need and address site issues on the spot. The best part is that codes are in real-time so they’re always up-to-date.
Building Information Monitoring (BIM)
For a more holistic perspective, use the Building Information Modeling (BIM) framework. It makes it possible to share information about a project throughout its lifecycle, from design to operation.
BIM uses a virtual information model that is shared among all team members. Each party that works on the project (architects, engineers, surveyors, etc.) add their discipline-specific data into the overall model. This allows all information to be captured in a systematic way.
Extend the use of BIM into the operations and maintenance phase to reduce time, effort and costs in facilities management. For example, designers can enter manufacturer, model number and performance criteria when specifying equipment. This data is fed into the system. Serial numbers, warranty info, maintenance procedures and operating conditions can be added upon installation.
Having all the data in one place allows historical and operational data to be collected and tracked over time. This provides valuable insight into servicing requirements and building performance. It also helps capture information for future capital planning. Construction technology software like 4tell™, Bentley, Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD are all designed to work in a BIM framework.
These construction technology tools can save firms time and money. They increase the efficiency and effectiveness of day-to-day business.
Photos: Sorapop Udomsri, yyama, Franck Boston via Shutterstock.com
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