I have spent the last 3 years or so working with the latest construction technology. I started while working for Graphisoft/Vico Software as a liaison between software people and construction people. That's a hard gap to bridge at times. So I spent my time working at Vico helping some of the largest construction firms in the world implement Virtual Construction (or Building Information Modeling-BIM for short). The driving thought behind VC is that you can build a 3D model of a building, with all of the building elements included, to see what fits, where problems might arise and where productivity can be improved. Once you have a model, you have all the geometry needed to estimate the costs of the project. If you have all the costs, and labor productivity that drive the costs, you then have all that is needed to create a schedule. Schedules then can be linked to the model, and you can animate the construction process for better visualization and communication. That is what we call '5D'. 3D models, plus cost and time. Once I had my head wrapped around the concepts and the change in the process that the technology calls for - and the industry desperately needs - I couldn't wait to implement the new processes in a firm. I had some limited opportunity to do that while working in a consultant role with Vico. But I really wanted to get into the day to day activities of a company and change the thinking form within. Then came RQ. RQ Construction hired Vico and thus, me, to deliver a project in 5D prior to construction to reveal design flaws, provide quantities, and check the construcabilty of the schedule. That was in April. I started as a full time employee on July 1.
95% of the projects that RQ delivers are Design-Build. Meaning that we contract directly with owners to provide design and construction services for the projects. Historically, architects deliver design, then contractors bid based on the design. Architects are notorious for underestimating the costs of a project, over designing, and producing drawings that are unconstructable. Hiring a construction firm to design a project improves the owners chances for getting a project that is under budget and leaves out costly items that do not contribute to the functionality of the building. (Case in point: We recently submitted a proposal on a museum for the Navy SeaBees for $9 million. Previously, they had an architectural design that was designed to cost $16Million. Our proposal actually ADDED square feet to the building, kept all of the desired functions, and did away with features that didn't add to the appearance or functionality of the building).
Our in-house design team was already designing in 3D. My role is to implement 3 Major efforts to bring complete 5D projects to the job trailer. First items on the list: Implement model-based estimating and total project cost management. I was given 9 to 12 months. After months of analyzing how we estimate, what works, what doesn't, what the new process should be and building a brand new database from scratch; we will role out model based estimating on Monday. For those of you good at math, you understand that is a month earlier than expected. And I'm pumped. Additionally, we are starting this week to track the design changes on a project that is in the pre-construction phase. We rock. Once a database is linked to a model, any changes to that model are (nearly) automatically recorded, and their associated cost impacts are flagged.
By my estimation, we will realize a 33% increase in pre-proposal estimating, and no less than 50% increase in productivity on cost management. Did I mention we rock? We totally do.
Next up? Integrated Project Delivery. Our Design team, using the same model as Structural & mechanical & electrical engineers to eliminate waste and re-work on the job site. (35-50% of construction cost is re-work...no, really). After that, we tackle model based schedules. Tieing schedules to a model to more accurately visualize where we are ahead, behind or on track. In the job trailer, on site. Over all goals? First, is to revamp the way we write contracts and pay sub-contractors. Today, payment is based on what has been accomplished in a month. Our goal is to move to a performance based payment structure. Meet your goals and get paid this month. Don't meet your goals? We'll pay for your pay-roll and materials, but that's it. Next, I REALLY want us to be the first company in the country (or world) to deliver a project without the use of 2D paper plans. We aren't that far.
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