There’s a common misconception around prefabrication—that it amounts to bland, cookie-cutter boxes rolling off an assembly line. But the truth is that prefabrication techniques can allow design teams to produce beautiful, innovative designs that meet the distinct needs of individual clients. 

Plus, prefab elements can often be produced more quickly with minimal resources and waste, making it a favorable option for builders and owners alike. 

Joining us this week to talk about all things prefab are Nick Coubray, CEO at Howick Ltd., and Amr Raafat, VP of VDC & Technology at Windover Construction. Both guests have extensive experience with prefabrication, and in this episode, we had an interesting discussion on:

• The benefits behind prefabrication technology 
• The common myths associated with prefab 
• Some successful real-world examples 
• And how to get started with prefabrication

“Prefabrication combined with other technologies, such as mixed reality, can really enhance the quality of our production in the factory.” — Amr Raafat

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3 Takeaways on Prefabrication for Production in Construction

Before diving into the benefits and best practices around prefab, let’s first get clear on what it actually is. Prefabrication refers to the technique of prefabricating assemblies—from whole buildings or entire rooms to much smaller elements and components—in a controlled factory setting. The elements of a building are constructed off-site and then transported to the job site, where they would be assembled.

If you’re curious about prefab and are interested in implementing the practice in your projects, I encourage you to read on. Nick and Amr share their expert takes on prefabrication benefits, myths, and best practices. 

1. Debunking common myths about prefabrication

Myth #1: Prefabrication is only impactful for large components or building features

This isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, prefab can also be used to improve the production of a single repeatable feature or very small building elements.

As Amr puts it, “It doesn’t have to be a whole building or a whole room. Prefabrication can be applied to something as small as simple trusses or smaller elements.”

“It doesn’t have to be a whole building or a whole room. Prefabrication can be applied to something as small as simple trusses or smaller elements.” —Amr Raafat

Nick agrees and adds that “Everyone always jumps to volumetric boxes. But like what Amr said, prefab can be applied to something as small as a single component. It doesn’t have to be a fully-finished building and it doesn’t have to be expensive either. It can actually be quite simple, but it’s really about being design-led, rather than actually just making something in a factory.”

Myth #2: Prefabrication only creates unattractive boxes

This is another persistent myth, but untrue. Just because something is made in a factory doesn’t mean it has to be bland or boring. 

With the right practices and technologies, you can prefabricate beautifully designed buildings in an efficient and cost-effective way. 

“With our prefabrication techniques and our focus on data and technology, we can really produce beautiful designs that could be flexible and respond to client needs,” shares Amr. 

He adds, “Our design teams can actually innovate and be more creative in terms of functionality.”

The takeaway? Don’t let old myths and misconceptions stop you from exploring prefabrication. There are a lot of advancements in the realm of prefab that give construction pros more flexibility to design great-looking buildings. 

2. Prefabrication unlocks serious production potential

Prefabrication can benefit the entire project and team in a number of ways. Here are the key advantages discussed in the episode. 

It saves money. Since prefabrication happens in a factory or manufacturing site, you have more control over your environment, schedule, and timeline. Having a handle on all these things helps minimize unexpected costs. 

In addition, prefab enables automation in a factory setting, resulting in fewer errors and labor-hours, so you can keep your costs in check. 

No weather delays. Prefab allows projects to be weather-independent. Building something in a controlled environment helps you avoid weather-related and other external disruptions, so projects can be completed faster. 

Environmentally friendly. Prefabrication leads to fewer errors and delays, which also means lower energy consumption and less waste — particularly when used with other technologies. 

“Prefabrication combined with other technology, such as mixed reality, can really enhance our production in the factory with great quality. What I love about the machinery and the prefab concept is that this machine produces almost zero waste,” says Amr.

Increased quality. Prefab technology and automation guarantees that materials are produced with consistent quality. “Prefab allows you to better control quality. All the BIM data in Revit is carried over into manufacturing, so what you created is exactly what was modeled and approved by the design team,” adds Amr.

Improved safety. Working in a controlled environment means strict safety procedures can be enforced. This is especially important when there are social distancing measures in place. And since the work happens inside a factory site, employees encounter fewer job site-related hazards and unexpected events. 

More flexibility. Because components are prefabricated off-site, it’s easier to transport, assemble, and disassemble different elements. This gives you more flexibility when it comes to implementing design changes or relocating materials from one location to another. 

3. Start small, but with real projects

Thinking of getting started with prefab? Nick and Amr recommend starting small—but doing it with real projects, so you can learn and improve as you go. 

“What I would suggest to people is to start small. Start a single component, like a 2D panel. Then it’s easy to transport to the job site,” says Nick. 

He continues, “[with prefab,] the first thing people jump straight to this massive volumetric plant — something like a car factory and a hundred thousand square feet. In reality, what we see is most people begin with a small factory — like a 3,000 square feet facility with a single machine in it.”

“Everyone always jumps to volumetric boxes — or fully furnished units — whereas it can be as small as a single component.” —Nick Coubray

When you’re starting out, you need to ensure that “you have the right data and model,” according to Amr. “You can translate and unify it with manufacturing technologies and techniques.” This is an important consideration as these things will be the foundation of your unified building approach.

Implementing prefabrication successfully requires strong skills and knowledge around BIM and coordination, so it’s recommended to hire team members accordingly. You need the best people who can ensure that all your prefab elements will fit perfectly on-site. 

Catch the Full Episode of Digital Builder

Amr and Nick go even further into the ins and outs of prefabrication and how you can implement it successfully. Tune in to the latest episode and discover the best practices and technologies you can use to make prefab work in your business. 

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• or wherever you listen to podcasts

The post Digital Builder Ep 18: 3 Key Takeaways on Prefabrication in Construction appeared first on Digital Builder.

“The AO team believes in the mantra ‘better together.’ It’s more than just architecture for us.”

The construction industry is known for its capacity to build, and its very foundation is built on relationships. Industry leaders continuously maximize the value of long-lasting relationships, particularly in partnerships, to improve business outcomes, secure more projects, and foster greater collaboration. 

Jeff Thomas III, Design/Workflow Technology Lead with leading architecture and design firm AO, understands how vital relationships are to advancing innovation and productivity in construction. We recently spoke to Jeff about his career in design and workflow technology, the evolution of the industry, how to handle relational challenges, and more. We encourage you to learn from his approach by reading his story below. 

Tell us a little bit about AO and what you specialize in.

AO is a full service architectural, master planning and design firm specializing in retail, residential and mixed-use projects. We’re based in Orange, California, with additional locations in Atlanta, Solana Beach, and Sunnyvale. We have expertise in interiors, multi-family, retail, hospitality, restaurant, mixed-use, office, and industrial parking. 

In addition to architecture, the AO team believes in the mantra “better together.” It’s more than just architecture for us. AO believes in the power of relationships. Everything we do is motivated by what it takes to be effective and successful for our clients. So we are indeed better together. 

As for my role, I’m an analytics junkie, which is weird for a designer. I’ve always related to an African proverb, “Ubuntu”, which means, “I am who I am because you are who you are.” When coming to AO about a year and a half ago now, it just lined up with my belief and their beliefs. 

Walk us through your career and what led you to become a Design/Workflow Technology Lead. 

In junior high, I used to paint fire escapes for my uncle who was a general contractor.  He would always tell me, “You don’t want to do physical labor. You want to be the one designing the buildings because they make more money.” That was always his thing. 

I got my degree in industrial design, not architecture.  I was working for an architectural firm in Colton, California, when I got my degree, and the architect gave me a promotion. I’ve been in the industry for 22 years now.

I’ve always been intrigued by architecture, but what I’ve found out over the years is that it was the creative problem-solving that really did it for me.

I’m less proud of the physical buildings I’ve helped create than I am of assisting my colleagues in coming to that “aha!” moment. -Jeff Thomas III, AO

It’s about the ability to find creative solutions to things that most people overlook and bring other people along for the ride. Using design, technology, workflow, processes, and guidelines help feed that for me.

As construction evolves, how do you see your role changing?

I see it being more collaborative. I also see other industries merging or converging into our industry. For example, the AEC space with the medical industry or even the internet of things.

As these developments become more prevalent and more cost-effective, I see that being the status quo. Eventually, every home will be a smart home because it’s just expected. I know a pastor who said, “What one generation does in moderation, the next does with reckless abandonment.” When you look at the internet of things, right now it’s done in moderation, but at some point, it’s just going to be done with reckless abandonment. I don’t mean this in a negative context, of course. The phrase resonated with me. 

What project are you most proud of working on in your career?

I like to believe my career is unique. I’ve done everything from residential to telecommunications to retail, and even storage facilities. I’m less proud of the physical buildings I’ve helped create than I am of assisting my colleagues in coming to that “aha!” moment. That’s what took me away from doing architecture to supporting architecture.

If I had to pick a single project, I’d choose Baker’s Burger, which is a fast food restaurant in the Inland Empire. I did a number of them. I see the location off of Waterman Avenue every single Sunday on my way to church. That was done more than 20 years ago. So I get to look at this building that I worked on when I was really just starting out as a young designer, and here it is 20 years later still being used. I was also fortunate enough to work with a great team that I’m still friends with today.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role?

The biggest challenges for me are not technological challenges. They’re relational challenges. 

Every person is different, and sometimes building relationships with people will force you out of your comfort zone. Everyday I spend time outside my comfort zone. I believe it has helped me grow in terms of being able to relate to people and understand people. I try my best to be compassionate and understanding. 

I’ve always related to an African proverb, “Ubuntu”, which means, “I am who I am because you are who you are.” -Jeff Thomas III, AO

As for handling relational challenges, I do tell myself that I might be wrong and it forces me to listen to other people more or better. It causes me to have to hear what they’re saying, even beyond the frustration. 

The beauty of having worked in architecture, and now being on the support side, is that I understand the frustrations. I understand what it’s like when technology doesn’t work the way that it should or the way you expect it to. I understand what it’s like to have the pressure of a deadline. I understand what it’s like to not have enough time to get things done, but somehow you manage to figure it out. Even in all that, there’s still a need to learn new things because technology moves so quickly. What I’m trying to do in my role is to be that person for them so that they don’t have to take the extra time. I’ll take the extra time.

When you think about the future, what are your plans to advance innovation and productivity at AO? 

Automation is a word that just keeps coming up for me. With tools like Dynamo, Forge, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and BIM Collaborate Pro becoming more prevalent, automation’s the thing. If we can automate all of the monotonous things within the process and workflow in architecture, then the architect can focus on architecture. They can focus on the business of doing architecture and less on technology. That’s where I’d like to take us in the near future.

On the topic of productivity, one of the nice things about PlanGrid is that it’s just easy to use. On the design technology side, I’m also responsible for the workflow part of things. The learning curve is a big concern when you’ve got a group of people who are limited on time, and then you have to pull them away from work for multiple hours; that’s near impossible. But if you could pull them away for five, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes at a time, that would make learning new technology much more manageable. 

PlanGrid is so intuitive that I only have to teach people one feature at a time. That’s one of the challenges I think with a lot of the other construction tools that exist, because they come from the perspective of the contractor as opposed to the architect. I never felt this way about PlanGrid.

What advice would you give to the next generation of men and women entering and preparing for the future of the industry?

Be teachable. Don’t stress. Practice thinking differently; That’s something people can learn. Relentlessly pursue better.

The post Behind the Build: Interview with Jeff Thomas III, Design/Workflow Technology Lead, AO appeared first on Digital Builder.

How the Biggest Construction Companies in the U.S. Are Building Our Cities & Workforce

As the U.S. works to bounce back from the pandemic, top construction companies are helping lead the way to recovery. Across the industry, you can feel the momentum in resilience, creativity, and the human spirit for problem-solving.

While spending has seen fluctuation lately, it’s expected to rise over the next several years. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, national construction spending is expected to exceed $1.55 trillion in 2021. That’s a 7.5% increase from 2020. Of that $1.55 trillion, $1.2 trillion is expected to go to the private sector, with much of the remaining funds addressing public needs. With the passing of a major Infrastructure Deal, official construction spending estimates may change. The deal is expected to generate about two million jobs per year, for the next ten years, with an emphasis on America’s physical infrastructure.

So, who are the largest construction companies leading the way? We’ve created a SlideShare of the top 10 construction companies in the U.S. to answer that exact question. Our list is composed of companies ranking on ENR’s Top 400 Contractors list. On the SlideShare you’ll find information about each company’s location, revenue, employees and year founded. Flip through below, then continue reading to discover insights about how a few of these top companies, and more, tackle some of the most common construction challenges. 

10 of the Largest Construction Firms in the U.S.

Here are the top 10 construction companies in the United States as listed above in our SlideShare. 

1. The Turner Corp

• Location: New York, NY
• Employees: 10,000
• Revenue: $11.77 billion
• Founded: 1902

2. Bechtel

• Location: Reston, VA
• Employees: 55,000
• Revenue: $17.6 billion
• Founded: 1906

3. Fluor

• Location: Irving, TX
• Employees: 53,000
• Revenue: $19.166 billion
• Founded: 1912

4. Kiewit Corp

• Location: Omaha, NE
• Employees: 22,000
• Revenue: $10.3 billion
• Founded: 1884

5. The Whiting-Turner Contractin Co

• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Employees: 3,800
• Revenue: $6.2 billion
• Founded: 1909

6. Sto Building Group Inc

• Location: New York, NY
• Employees: 2,200
• Revenue: $4.9 billion
• Founded: 1971

7. Tutor Perini Corp

• Location: Sylmar, CA
• Employees: 10,000
• Revenue: $4.76 billion
• Founded: 1894

8. AECOM

• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Employees: 54,000
• Revenue: $13.24 billion
• Founded: 1990

9. Skanska USA

• Location: New York, NY
• Employees: 7,600
• Revenue: $6.5 billion
• Founded: 1971

10. DPR Construction

• Location: Redwood City, CA
• Employees: 5,900
• Revenue: $5.94 billion
• Founded: 1990

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How Top Construction Companies Approach 3 Common Challenges

Of course, with opportunity comes new obstacles. If you’re adept in problem solving, the following obstacles are exciting challenges that can give you a competitive edge if tactfully approached. For a better understanding of how you can approach three very common challenges in construction, we’ve provided examples of how top firms have succeeded in solving these problems.

1. Complex projects with tight deadlines

As technology improves, expectations rise as well. Highly technical projects require significant resource planning, forecasting, and attention to detail. Add in tight turnaround times and the obstacles only increase. Gilbane Building Company, ranked #11 on 2021’s ENR400, is one of the construction companies tackling challenges like this one head-on. 

The Rhode Island-based firm constructed a state-of-the-art engineering lab and academic facility for students at the Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. This project was WIT’s first new academic building in over 40 years. 

Gilbane was brought in to construct the new four-story, 78,000-square-foot academic building for engineering innovation and sciences. They were on a short, 15-month schedule. In order to meet the tight turnaround and represent the polytechnic university’s focus on innovation, the firm leaned on cutting-edge technologies and processes. Specifically, Gilbane leveraged prefabrication, design-assisted preconstruction processes, and virtual reality (VR) to meet the deadline and high-tech requirements. 

Speaking to prefabrication as one of those crucial pieces to finishing on time, John Myers, Gilbane’s director of visual design and construction for New England says, “Off-site fabrication for us, from a safety standpoint, from a schedule standpoint, from the standpoint of being able to do things in parallel instead of in sequence, those are the things that make Gilbane successful.” For a deeper dive on this this impressive, yet challenging project, we recommend you read the full story here.

In the spirit of higher education, Gilbane also created a “living” classroom out of the project. It allowed WIT students to learn the most current and advanced construction methods as Gilbane went through the building process. Students got hands-on experience with each step of the project in real-time.

2. Identifying benefits of new technology in preconstruction

We’ve all heard the adage: “No one likes change.” It’s common for firms to face resistance to new technology and innovations. Usually, the resistance is not due to an individual’s resistance—it’s an organizational challenge. Improving structure and processes can be slow when the productivity and profit gains haven’t been fully understood by decision-makers. The truth is that technology proves to be an ally over and over again. We look at how two leading firms responded to different scenarios related to the need for new technology in preconstruction.

2a. Proving value of new technology with money saved

Multinational construction and development company, Skanska, ranked #9 on the 2021 ENR400, encountered some pushback from clients when moving from 2D to 3D modeling. The company decided to switch to 3D modeling for quantity takeoff to save time and money on projects.

The Skanska team has found that the best way to reassure hesitant clients is to provide proof of 3D modeling’s value. Kelsey Stein, National Preconstruction Technology Manager at Skanska explains, “By having better standards that we can give to the design team, it’s helped us perform a closer estimation while saving time and money on our projects.”

The 3D takeoff uncovered missing quantities that accounted for a 28% discrepancy….saving a tremendous amount of money that would have been lost under the traditional 2D method.

To provide greater context for clients, Skanska compared the results of a traditional 2D takeoff and a 3D takeoff using Assemble on the same project. The 3D takeoff uncovered missing quantities that accounted for a 28% discrepancy in the curtain wall scope. As a result, the firm saved a tremendous amount of money that would have been lost under the traditional 2D method.

2b. Building easy-to-use technology for your own employees

PCL, a construction company coming in at #14 on the 2021 ENR400, found themselves needing to create easy-to-use technology for their preconstruction managers—so they did just that.

Breaking out the challenge, PCL’s estimators and managers were adept at reviewing 2D drawings and managing the preconstruction process. However, the review of 2D drawings can be a very manual process and slow down workflows. This created inefficiencies. On top of that, preconstruction managers were regularly receiving more 3D models from the design team as they moved to digitizing their workflows.

Knowing they had to improve access to insights that 2D drawings couldn’t provide without significant effort, PCL created a multidisciplinary team to evaluate and identify their priority project KPIs. They determined which ones would be most effective at tracking design progress in real time and got to work building their own data management and interpretation tools. 

“Predictability is the name of the game when it comes to construction. If we can better track the progress of design, then there will be little-to-no surprises when we receive milestone design deliverables.” -Nick Kurth, PCL Construction Enterprises Inc.

Their team can now easily access critical, real time project progress data through Autodesk Assemble, Autodesk Revit and a Power BI dashboard. This technology enables them to better interpret data and generate cost-effective designs with the most efficient use of materials.

Nick Kurth, VDC Manager at PCL Construction Enterprises Inc, shares why the dashboard was so critical, “Predictability is the name of the game when it comes to construction. If we can better track the progress of design, then there will be little-to-no surprises when we receive milestone design deliverables. This dashboard solution is another means for us to drive lean principles around target value design. It’s also essential to have transparency between our design team and our precon team, and that’s a key part of what this provides.”

3. Having geometric & cost certainty

As a Fortune 500 firm and ranked #8 on the 2021 ENR400, AECOM is used to partnering with clients in the public and private sectors to solve complex construction challenges. The premier infrastructure firm is known for its construction and design-build approach, which leads to optimized collaboration, productivity, and efficiency. Under the design-build construction delivery model, contractors, designers, and owners collaborate as a team to meet owner expectations. 

AECOM America’s BIM Director, Russ Dalton, is responsible for helping the teams behind the firm’s construction and design-build approach win new business. He then supports them in making sure the projects are executed effectively. 

Technology is essential for helping Russ do just that. His team, and AECOM as a firm, has embraced BIM 360 to achieve geometric certainty and cost certainty. They’re now moving toward operational certainty. Through their commitment to achieving certainty, and the technology that enables it, AECOM has carved out a competitive advantage.

“We’ve witnessed a 32% increase in productivity with this methodology.” -Russ Dalton, AECOM America

AECOM’s Barclays Center Arena project was a testament to the effectiveness of how they use BIM 360. Russ shares, “We looked at [this project] through predictable lenses to make sure that in the construction process it could be completed with geometric certainty and cost certainty.” 

The $450 million project was not only finished early but came in under budget due to AECOM’s commitment to BIM 360. Russ says that the use of BIM 360 generated “$4.5 million in cost savings” on the project. He goes on to add, “We’ve witnessed a 32% increase in productivity with this methodology.”

The Road Ahead

These leading construction companies are showing the industry, and the nation, what’s possible on the road ahead. They’re also highlighting that it takes innovation, persistence, and the right tools to not only survive, but thrive in the face of challenge. Remember, obstacles are opportunities and the best days are ahead for our industry. Technology is helping us get there.

The post Top 10 Construction Companies in the U.S. appeared first on Digital Builder.