The Generals - Spring/Summer 2016 - (Page 37)

FEATURE New Technologies for Builders By Jason Woerner, EllisDon Corporation W hen we talk about information technology and construction, we often talk about inefficiency with field operations and how IT departments still haven't solved this problem. However, our industry is embracing new technology, often in spite of the negative impact to our field efficiency, because these innovations can offer value in other ways. A great example of new technology is the proliferation of mobile apps for design collaboration between generals, subs and consultants. Project teams love the way these apps ensure everyone is on the same page and superintendents love being able to easily refer to drawings when in the field. Everyone hopes that this technology can reduce the cost of printing the drawings, which can easily get into hundreds of thousands of dollars on large projects. But what exactly is happening with all this collaborative information? Questions answered via a mobile device might be formal RFIs. Deficiencies don't just need to be identified, but also reported and tracked, sometimes for months. And of course, all this information is linked; RFIs connect to site instructions, sometimes connect to change orders and connect to project milestones. The answer is that at best we are managing this data, but inefficiently. At worst, we aren't, and we may be possibly losing this data when it's stored in someone else's cloud. Take a look at the challenge of managing construction data in the interest of servicing our clients. We need to manage the data not just because we want efficiency in the field, but because our clients demand this data to be easily available to them in a meaningful way throughout the life of construction and building operations. Example: when a client refers to a building system or asset, let's give them all the meaningful construction data for that asset (purchase orders, invoices, shop drawings, deficiencies, commissioning, etc). It's also very important to factor in the emergence of BIM. The more of this data that is accessible via the asbuilt BIM model, the better service we are giving our clients. We are seeing clients start to demand this from their general contractor, recently with regard to shop drawings, and this trend will only grow. It also introduces the challenge of managing data efficiently between the Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Spring/Summer 2016 37

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Generals - Spring/Summer 2016

Chairman’s Message
President’s Message
Government Relations Report
Events, Upcoming Events & Member Milestones
Following Their Footsteps: A Profile of OGCA Chairman Jason Ball
Meet the 2016 OGCA Board!
COR – The Game Changing Revenue Driver
PCL Raises the Roof on BMO Field
78th Annual AGM & Conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Investigative Solutions Network Inc. Provides Workplace Threat and Risk Assessment
New Technologies for Builders
How Lean Can Impact Construction
Five Things You Should Know about WSIB’s New Rate Framework
Index to Advertisers

The Generals - Spring/Summer 2016