Research supported by the Danish government shows cost reductions of up to 7% by using a digital communications platform on large-scale construction projects. A six-month research project by the Danish Building Research Institute, initiated by a government fund, shows significant cost reductions if stakeholders in a construction project report their
Gate Safe is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Gate Safe Visualiser, an interactive tool designed to help anyone looking to specify a safe automated gate. The Gate Safe Visualiser has been in development for 10 months and represents a pioneering move towards improving the understanding of how
YellowJacket is a cloud-based software for reporting and managing quality and health & safety performance. It was developed by Mace, from whom BRE has taken it over to further develop its use. BRE said that the tool has more than 12,000 users on a range of construction projects across the
Research supported by the Danish government shows cost reductions of up to 7% by using a digital communications platform on large-scale construction projects. A six-month research project by the Danish Building Research Institute, initiated by a government fund, shows significant cost reductions if stakeholders in a construction project report their progress every day through a shared communications platform. Three large-scale construction projects, the Maersk Tower (pictured above), the Niels Bohr Building and the Danish Defence’s Property Agency, have been the basis of the research, where the effects of GenieBelt – the platform used in all three construction projects – have been analysed. “In addition to the immediate cost reductions, it will improve project planning, and everyone involved can prioritise based on a better knowledge base. If we assume that the efficiency through the project is consistent, with a small decrease in the last months, the potential savings could be as much as 7%,” said Jan Fuglsig Lambrecht, researcher at the Danish Building Research Institute. A large construction company in Denmark, Juul & Nielsen, started using GenieBelt a few months after the construction activities at The Maersk Tower began, and they confirm the positive results. Currently, they are developing a “lean” process to initiate before each project begins to further increase the value of the tool. “We did not measure the effects ourselves, but we noticed cost reductions of 2-3% on the construction project, and we experienced great dynamics and fast communication across all units, which contributed with an overview of emerging problems and the necessary knowledge to take action when needed,” said Martin van der Watt, project director at Juul & Nielsen. Ulrik Branner: savings recorded “In addition, there’s more transparency for reporting at construction meetings and the obstacles we encounter.” The contractor of the Niels Bohr Building, The Danish Building and Property Agency, also followed the results closely and sees a potential in better retail and lean planning as a result of using digital communications platforms. “The Danish Building and Property Agency is very aware of the opportunities that digitalisation implies in connection with construction projects. By using a shared digital communications platform, the retail planning of tasks on the construction sites gets strengthened,” said Signe Primdal Lyndrup, deputy director of the Danish Building and Property Agency. “The communications platform is also a valuable tool for lean planning, which we encourage in general. For that reason, we are continuously reviewing the potential with using digital platforms and IT tools in our construction projects.” “No one else in the world has documented financial savings on construction projects this large. And that’s just the immediate savings without including reduced waste, a decrease in bankruptcies, less arbitrations or increase in invested capital that is released,” said Ulrik Branner, CEO of GenieBelt. GenieBelt is used in 43 countries, and in Denmark, several municipalities are using the platform to keep up with the developments in construction projects.
Gate Safe is proud to announce the launch of its innovative Gate Safe Visualiser, an interactive tool designed to help anyone looking to specify a safe automated gate. The Gate Safe Visualiser has been in development for 10 months and represents a pioneering move towards improving the understanding of how to install a safe powered gate. The detailed infographic takes the specifier (who could be an architect, an electrician, a home owner or anyone involved in making the decision to install this type of device) through a step by step list of questions, supported by a series of visual prompts detailing the various factors that need to be taken into consideration to enable a safe and legally compliant installation. Gate Safe has always adopted a practical ‘plain english’ approach to explaining automated gate safety and this is a further example of how the charity is striving to maximise the understanding of the complex subject matter – in an easy to follow, user friendly format. The Gate Safe Visualiser is accessible via the Gate Safe website. Initial industry feedback on the Visualiser is positive: ECA Training, Health and Safety Manager John Corcoran commented: “The ECA has been working with Gate Safe for around four years and were one of the first organisations to endorse their safety-first approach. We strongly support initiatives like this which are aimed at improving safety and security in the sector.” Commenting on the launch of the Gate Safe Visualiser, Gate Safe founder Richard Jackson says, “Gate Safe has always tried to demystify the technical jargon which, features in most of the guidance pertaining to automated gate safety. By ‘talking’ in pictures and providing a step by step guide as to how to deliver a safe gate we hope that we can put an end to the installation of hazardous gates and address the fact that currently more than 70% of gates in the field are capable of causing serious injury – or death. Five years on since our original launch in 2010 we continue to look at new ways of sharing the knowledge required to fully understand what constitutes a safe and legally compliant installation.” The Gate Safe Visualiser can be accessed via the following link: www.visualiser.gate-safe.org.
YellowJacket is a cloud-based software for reporting and managing quality and health & safety performance. It was developed by Mace, from whom BRE has taken it over to further develop its use. BRE said that the tool has more than 12,000 users on a range of construction projects across the UK. Ownership of YellowJacket was acquired by BRE on 16th July 2015. BRE business development director Miles Watkins said: “BRE sees a bright future for YellowJacket as the preferred health, safety and quality tool for the construction sector in the UK and overseas markets. Our plan is to invest in the further development of the application. More recognition for the tool and broader adoption will bring even greater value and opportunities to current users of the product.”