The Secret to Faster, Smarter MEP Layout

Power Design Inc., based in St. Petersburg, FL, is one of the most dynamic electrical contracting companies in the nation. The family-run business provides service in design-build, construction and pre-construction, engineering, systems and lighting, with an emphasis on integrity, quality, innovation and teamwork. In a webinar on December 16, Bradley Moore, BIM/VDC manager of Power Design, and Stanley Lawrence, owner of Datum Tech Solutions, shared insights on Power Design’s transformation from traditional to cutting-edge MEP layout. You can access the on-demand webinar here.

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Field Layout Masters: How Successful Construction Firms Get It Right

Low productivity and high waste are common problems in building construction, driven largely by unexpected rework and change orders. Additionally, the complexity of buildings has increased, along with owner expectations to lower costs, accelerate turnaround and increase quality. Still, some construction firms have found a way to thrive in this environment. Their secret? The adoption of new processes, such as building information modeling (BIM) and digital workflows. The recent collaboration between Autodesk and Leica Geosystems is making cloud-connected, model-driven field layout even easier so construction teams can increase jobsite productivity. In a 60-minute webinar on September 3, Leica Geosystems’ Cathi Hayes and Autodesk’s Zach Crumal showed how the alliance between the two technology giants can improve your layout process. You can now view the webinar on-demand.

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No More Waiting for Points: CECO Concrete Construction Saves Time and Money with Robotic Total Stations

CECO Concrete Construction has been in the concrete industry for over 100 years. Founded in 1912, the leading concrete subcontractor has 18 offices nationwide and has worked on all kinds of projects, from parking garages and high-rise hotels to hospitals and sports stadiums. Its most recent project is the new Minnesota Vikings stadium. With projects of this size and scope, time is money and the more control a subcontractor has over the total process and schedule, the better.  Continue reading…

How HA Sack Innovates MEP Coordination with BIM

A full-service MEP contracting company that has been around the southeast since 1945, HA Sack has used modeling and layout technology on an as-needed basis in the past. But its most recent project – a two-story elementary school near Savannah, Georgia – is the first in which everyone is using the BIM process from start to finish.

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Four Steps to Connect Models to Field Work

For most contractors, accurately connecting information from the office to the field, and from the field back to the model in the office, is an ongoing challenge. In the office, the building information modeling (BIM) or virtual design and construction (VDC) group can push information and models out to the field all day long, but if the crews in the field – the ones actually doing the work – don’t buy in to the process, these models are nowhere near as valuable as they could be. How do you create a workflow that establishes buy-in from everyone on your team? Continue reading…

Facchina Jumps into BIM with DC Office Building

Facchina Construction Company, one of the most respected contractors in the Washington D.C. area, has been using building information modeling (BIM) since 2011, but the firm just recently jumped into the process with both feet. The company was tasked with handling a 20-story, 500,000 square foot above grade office structure located just outside of D.C. that presented numerous challenges. Though the south face of the building is on a radius gridline, the slab edge is faceted and complex. The project also includes numerous sloping columns with an offset orientation. Continue reading…