SymTerra, the construction management software for real time updates and reporting from site, has today launched SymPlan – a scheduling and workflow feature that for the first time connects scheduling, BIM and construction management with the full supply chain on one platform. Building on SymTerra’s record-right-first-time site reporting tool, which
Autodesk, Inc. has unveiled the first set of capabilities of Autodesk Forma, an industry cloud that will unify workflows across the teams that design, build and operate the built environment. Forma’s initial capabilities target the early-stage planning and design process with automations and AI-powered insights that simplify exploration of design
The construction industry is in the eye of a perfect storm. A major skills shortage, an ageing workforce and economic uncertainty are making it harder to run profitable projects. But rather than letting these obstacles rain on their parade, building companies are ready to face today’s challenges head-on. And digital
Elecosoft, the international building software specialist, has officially been awarded accreditation from the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service for its entire range of UK training courses. Elecosoft has been providing training programmes to its customers in a variety of formats for over 35 years, some of which were already
Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced the winner of Bentley Education’s iTwin4Good Challenge. Organized in partnership with international nonprofit organization Enactus, the iTwin4Good Challenge saw university students in the United Kingdom combine creativity and software development abilities with their passion for environmental and social action to
A new app can deliver more than 40,000 decorating, plumbing, heating, electrical and general building products to tradespeople’s doors in just two hours, with the average delivery time in central London being 57 minutes. The TradeKart app was launched in December 2021, with a mission to bring convenience and flexibility
City Plumbing, the UK’s leading plumbing and heating merchant, has partnered with technology firm, Vericon Systems, to bring a series of new tools to the market, helping private and social landlords remotely monitor and manage heating systems using real-time data. Vericon uses a universally compatible piece of telematics hardware, called
A new partnership between Planning Portal and Barbour ABI will provide the construction industry with the quickest access to planning application data available. The new system is expected to speed up the release of this information by an average of 1 month compared to the current process, where people must
Digital transformation continues to open new doors for streamlining processes, innovating faster and improving the customer experience. And, it’s influencing how companies run their asset and facility maintenance operations. Digitising maintenance through computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) and computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) solutions positively impacts the maintenance workforce. Companies are
DIGITAL construction platform Construct.id has announced a strategic partnership with its first national framework provider, Pagabo, in an effort to raise standards and drive betterment among contractors on national construction frameworks. Being offered first to the 94 contractors on Pagabo’s new Medium Works Framework, the digital credential platform will be
SymTerra, the construction management software for real time updates and reporting from site, has today launched SymPlan – a scheduling and workflow feature that for the first time connects scheduling, BIM and construction management with the full supply chain on one platform. Building on SymTerra’s record-right-first-time site reporting tool, which captures data at the point of work, the launch of SymPlan completes SymTerra’s end-to-end project reporting approach to eliminate risk and hidden costs that result from reporting inaccuracies, difficulty accessing historic data, and weak chain of evidence required for commercial defensibility. SymPlan provides Project Managers with the bird’s eye view of all site data across the supply chain to feed into project reporting – scheduling and workflows – with a level of accuracy and timeliness never-before-seen in construction. From technical queries through to snagging and commissioning, this brings a project’s real time data under one roof allowing project management teams the visibility and control to spot and mitigate risk, measure performance in terms of quality, schedule and safety across the entire supply chain, and ultimately, reduce time waste and eradicate errors from project reporting. John Ryan, co-founder and Director said: “Scheduling and workflow management on projects have been top down since time began; the way information is sourced and reported on – from cost to resource loading – hasn’t changed much since Henry Gantt himself came up with a chart concept over 100 years ago. It is inconceivable that Project Managers today are still manually drawing from multiple static documents – with information sometimes two weeks old – to feed into Project Reviews that are meant to give control and visibility to drive progress and mitigate risk. The impact of inaccuracy and error in construction is a well-documented, multi-billion-dollar re-work and disputes risk that is paralysing both for the progress of projects and the profitability for construction firms in this economic and regulatory climate.” Since launch of the SymTerra site management platform in 2022 – capturing bottom-up BIM data and live reporting from site and eliminating reliance on high-risk alternatives such as WhatsApp – the team has been working with users and customers to expand its application further upstream to complete the information management puzzle. Scheduling and workflows that feeds into Project Reviews, is the next big ‘data’ gap on the information management journey of any project; and for Project Managers, planners, health & safety teams and quantity surveyors, reporting has never been an exact science. Sarah Crawley, co-founder and Director said: “SymPlan is the first scheduling tool that links site to the programme, combined with the SymTerra app to put the right digital tool in the hands of site teams capturing accurate data at point of work – recording it right, first time. This is the final, missing piece in the data puzzle, giving Project Managers full control, access, and visibility; a never-before-seen level of detail they need to understand the impact of change on programmes, and the ability to review historic data to apply greater efficiencies on projects moving forward. It’s the bird’s eye view in one single source of truth, powering your projects.” Tanja Kufner, Head of Startups & Venture Investments at the Nemetschek Group, an early investor in SymTerra said: “Driving innovation and digitisation throughout the entire value chain of construction is central to our strategy, and SymTerra is playing a role in pushing the industry closer to bridging the data gap. We’re excited to support the launch of the SymPlan feature, and to see how the SymTerra platform can provide the end-to-end, seamless reporting infrastructure missing in the sector today. This can only mean greater efficiency at scale across construction, and importantly will help eliminate critical risks associated with data inaccuracy and miscommunication, which are impacting productivity and profitability.” SymTerra was created by John Ryan and Sarah Crawley, construction site experts turned innovators on a mission to fix construction’s information management legacy; a record-right-first-time approach that starts from the ground up – putting digital tools in the hands of those on site to capture data at point of work. Eliminating the need for reliance on WhatsApp and multiple sources of information, SymTerra has taken on construction’s historically absent, incomplete, outdated & incorrect data gap. SymTerra will be exhibiting – alongside major corporate investor Nemetschek – at Digital Construction Week (17 – 18 May 2023). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Autodesk, Inc. has unveiled the first set of capabilities of Autodesk Forma, an industry cloud that will unify workflows across the teams that design, build and operate the built environment. Forma’s initial capabilities target the early-stage planning and design process with automations and AI-powered insights that simplify exploration of design concepts, offload repetitive tasks, and help evaluate environmental qualities surrounding a building site, giving architects time to focus on creative solutions. The release marks the first step for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industry cloud, as new features and capabilities will be added to Forma on a continual basis. “Forma gives architecture professionals the agility to work iteratively rather than sequentially between planning and detailed design, supercharging what they can accomplish,” said Amy Bunszel, Executive Vice President of Architecture, Engineering and Construction Design Solutions at Autodesk. “From rapidly evaluating a large set of factors–from sun and wind to noise and operational energy– to offloading computational tasks to the cloud and connecting with Revit, Forma unlocks great value for our customers.” Forma will help users to rapidly evaluate dozens of design options and improve upon the desired qualities of a design. Productivity gains will be realized from quick project setup; users can unlock advanced capabilities without requiring deep technical expertise; and data can be used to tell a convincing story about the design vision to secure buy-in and bring stakeholders along. These outcomes will help architecture firms to better meet client demands and achieve higher-quality deliverables, thereby winning more bids and driving business growth. Included in Autodesk Forma’s initial capabilities: CUBE 3, an architecture, interiors and planning firm, is migrating its work to digital, cloud-based solutions to future-proof its business. “We pride ourselves on creative, intelligent designs that take our clients’ needs, budgets and the environment into consideration,” said Tony Fiorillo, Chief Information Officer at CUBE 3. “When we evaluate software solutions, we’re looking for ways to improve communication with our clients, increase speed to market, allow our team to work with flexibility in a hybrid environment, and help us adapt quickly to change. Solutions like Autodesk Construction Cloud and Forma are a huge value-add–giving us unprecedented access to data, which allows us to work smarter and go where our clients need us.” With Forma, Autodesk now offers a full end-to-end solution for building design–from early-stage planning through to design in Revit with its vast ecosystem of connected products including Autodesk Construction Cloud. For existing subscribers, Forma is now included in the Autodesk AEC Collection. “This is just the beginning,” said Bunszel. “I’m excited for the future as we continue to build out Forma, reimagining BIM to focus on achieving outcomes instead of modelling, and connecting data, teams, and workflows across the entire project lifecycle.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The construction industry is in the eye of a perfect storm. A major skills shortage, an ageing workforce and economic uncertainty are making it harder to run profitable projects. But rather than letting these obstacles rain on their parade, building companies are ready to face today’s challenges head-on. And digital transformation is providing a much-needed solution. Technology is opening new doors for digital collaboration, creating more effective ways to share data, drive progress and save time and resources. Why is digital transformation such a game-changer in the current climate? And how can it deliver a bright future for building project management? Let’s take a deeper dive… Grey clouds loom over construction’s sunny forecast While UK construction output is forecast to grow by 2.2% this year, multiple forces are battering profitability. Project leaders are navigating difficult and complex challenges, including: With these grey clouds looming, doing nothing is not an option. In January 2023 alone, 15 UK building companies went into administration. Surviving construction’s perfect storm means investing in new solutions to overcome sector shortages and offset rising costs. Using technology to tackle the storm Digital transformation is helping construction companies overcome adverse industry conditions. 66% of building firms have already digitised some of their cost estimation, prediction, planning and control processes, according to RICS. But more significantly, 60% are using digitised techniques to implement whole-of-life thinking. Digital transformation isn’t just changing practices; it’s revolutionising approaches. For example, construction companies are using cutting-edge technologies such as information management software to improve collaboration and streamline ways of working. By managing people’s time more efficiently and combining skills and expertise, building firms are offsetting the impact of recruitment challenges and rising contractor costs. A single source of truth for all stakeholders Let’s take a closer look at how information management software can help companies to improve collaboration and tackle construction’s perfect storm. An information management solution allows building firms to communicate specifications and standards for every project. All programme data is stored on a single platform so stakeholders can easily access drawings, specifications, schedules and budgets. Centralising project data prevents delays, as each person has the digital documentation they need to get on with their job. More importantly, establishing a common data environment means all updates are made in the same place. As a result, project leaders can maintain a single source of truth, and project documentation is no longer affected by version control issues. Why is this important to address industry challenges? Construction companies may need to work with contractors they’ve never used, or invest in entry-level talent. Clear specifications and standards ensure new recruits have accurate information to work from. And linking design and build teams enables the initial project vision to be executed correctly. Information management software also streamlines workflows so teams can spend more time on strategic activities. Project managers can minimise the number of people involved without compromising on quality – and working with a smaller team can offset the rising cost of building materials. Enabling on-site updates It’s not just the capabilities of information management software that improve collaboration, either. The format in which data is delivered drives close-knit working. Rather than waiting for weekly progress meetings, construction teams can use cloud-based collaboration software to respond to changing requirements in real-time. Solutions can be workshopped virtually, with design and build teams making joint decisions on how best to proceed. This rapid response prevents schedule and budget overruns, which is particularly important when contractor availability is limited. The most effective information management solutions can also integrate with other construction software to further optimise decisions, manage costs and improve project outcomes. Specialist software can deliver a bright future Building companies are open to improving collaboration using cutting-edge technology. But some fall into the trap of believing that generic project management software will ‘get the job done’. Digital transformation is not a mission to find the broadest solution; it’s an opportunity to optimise every business area using specialist technology. Choice of software will make a huge difference to how construction companies weather industry storms. Investing in construction information management technology like Elecosoft’s IconSystem will be critical to shaping the built environment and helping firms to mitigate the impact of internal and external challenges. It’s the cornerstone of clear communication and collaboration. With people and skills in short supply, and project costs continuing to rise, construction leaders need to equip their teams with the necessary tools to work together efficiently. The common data environment provided by information management software is essential to running collaborative construction projects that deliver outstanding results. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Elecosoft, the international building software specialist, has officially been awarded accreditation from the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Certification Service for its entire range of UK training courses. Elecosoft has been providing training programmes to its customers in a variety of formats for over 35 years, some of which were already CPD accredited. Now the CPD accreditations have been extended to encompass all UK training courses. The CPD certification across the full course programme recognises Elecosoft’s commitment to providing high-quality training to the construction professionals working in the built environment industry. In a recent report published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), it was noted that it is critical to invest in new skills for workers to ensure they stay in the construction industry. Shawn Ackermann, Elecosoft’s professional services director comments, “The team has worked extremely hard to ensure our courses are delivered to the highest of standards and we are very proud to have gained CPD Accreditation.” The CPD certification assures Elecosoft’s customers that the training their colleagues undertake supports the obligations and policies of professional bodies and academic institutes. Ackermann continues, “With the CPD accreditation, Elecosoft is now industry recognised to service its customers with the latest skills and knowledge needed to use our software in the ever-evolving built environment industry. Each UK training course, including training on our ShireSystem Maintenance (CMMS) and Facilities Management (CAFM) software, reinforces knowledge and practical implications for customers of our extremely powerful tools.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced the winner of Bentley Education’s iTwin4Good Challenge. Organized in partnership with international nonprofit organization Enactus, the iTwin4Good Challenge saw university students in the United Kingdom combine creativity and software development abilities with their passion for environmental and social action to create infrastructure digital twins that addressed a particular need within their local community. The contest involved 44 students from 18 universities competing to address UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action, using the Bentley iTwin Platform. Announced at the Enactus National Expo at the ExCel London, the winner of the 2023 Bentley iTwin4Good challenge is: The Rubbish Group, Loughborough University The Rubbish Group aimed to reduce littering around Loughborough University’s campus by enabling students to report where litter has been dropped using an interactive mobile app. The app is paired with a digital twin of the campus, allowing litter reports to be mapped to their specific location. The concentration of reports will be logged using a heat map feature that will show the university site team where more litter bins are needed. Over time, an accurate representation of the campus, and where the most litter is dropped, will be provided. The application addressed three main Sustainable Development Goals: good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, and climate action. Runner-up: Peaky Ducks, Universities of Southampton, Hertfordshire, Greenwich and Hull The Peaky Ducks aimed to create a smart heating sensor and integrate it into the Bentley iTwin Platform. The project would reduce energy consumption by optimizing heating systems using smart sensors and machine learning algorithms to analyze temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors. The goal of the project is to develop efficient and cost-effective heating systems while reducing energy consumption, ultimately lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Zeljko Djuretic, head of Bentley Education, said, “We want university students to learn more about the infrastructure engineering solutions of the future while solving issues that affect the planet today. Not only have these students shown incredible creativity, but they have also produced genuine solutions that could have a real impact in meeting sustainable development goals. What’s more, by producing their own infrastructure digital twins, these students will have a real advantage when they enter the engineering workforce.” Katriona Lord-Levins, Chief Success Officer, Bentley Systems, said, “Bentley Education programs are designed to help students discover a career in infrastructure and bridge the digital skills gap for organizations. Among engineering businesses in the U.K., 49% are currently experiencing difficulties recruiting workers with the skills they need, contributing to an annual shortfall of GBP 1.5 billion to the U.K.’s economy. Bentley addresses this challenge by building a talent pipeline that gives students the skills and experiences they need for future careers in building the world’s infrastructure. iTwin4Good is one example of how Bentley is using thought-provoking contests, challenges, and hackathons to put cutting-edge technology into the hands of future AEC professionals.” Enactus is the U.K.’s leading charity using social youth and youth social enterprise that supports thousands of students across the country, delivering hundreds of projects that promote social impact. Last academic year, Enactus worked with 60 teams across the country, delivering over 230 projects created and managed by over 3,500 students. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new app can deliver more than 40,000 decorating, plumbing, heating, electrical and general building products to tradespeople’s doors in just two hours, with the average delivery time in central London being 57 minutes. The TradeKart app was launched in December 2021, with a mission to bring convenience and flexibility to tradespeople by making it easier to order from local builders’ merchants in their area. Just over one year on, TradeKart can now deliver to more than 900 postcodes throughout north and Central London, with more being added all the time. The rapid delivery app for tradespeople was founded by Alistair McAuley, previously Managing Director at AkzoNobel. He started TradeKart to give tradespeople back their valuable time, while also offering local merchants a valuable last-mile delivery solution to attract new customers and delight existing ones. Alistair explains: “Tradespeople lose an average of 3-4 hours each week from having to leave the site to collect materials. That’s a staggering two days every month and a huge financial and time cost. Working closely with a number of contractors, TradeKart has been able to help them reduce the cost of getting materials to site by 80%, saving them each more than £50,000 a year. “We’re passionate about supporting the thriving building and trade communities right across the UK. That’s why we created TradeKart, to follow in the footsteps of other well-known delivery apps that offer convenience and flexibility. TradeKart is our opportunity to take the hassle out of collecting materials, giving tradespeople back that all-important gift of time.” TradeKart is partnering with local merchants including MP Moran, London Decorators Merchants, Paint Centre, Topdec Decorating Supplies, Nicholls & Clarke and Paint Stop. Through the app, tradespeople get to see live stock availability with access to competitive trade prices across all major brands. To use TradeKart, simply download the app for free and create an account, then the app will connect you with available local merchants in your area. You simply choose the products you need, then select a convenient delivery slot from within the next two hours if you need the items in a hurry, right through to the following week. A flat £5 fee is charged for every delivery and, once payment is made, the order is sent straight to the merchant to prepare the items for dispatch. A TradeKart delivery driver will then bring the products directly to your door, with the app allowing you to follow the delivery’s progress in real time. “I use TradeKart for all of my orders. It’s so quick and simple and it saves me so much time. It’s brilliant…my last order arrived in 25 minutes!”, says Nick Dean of InsideOut Decorating. TradeKart is compatible with both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. For more information, or to find out if TradeKart delivers in your area, visit www.tradekart.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
City Plumbing, the UK’s leading plumbing and heating merchant, has partnered with technology firm, Vericon Systems, to bring a series of new tools to the market, helping private and social landlords remotely monitor and manage heating systems using real-time data. Vericon uses a universally compatible piece of telematics hardware, called the Boiler Control Module (BCM), that can be connected to each boiler in the housing portfolio. From here, data is centrally collated in real-time to continually monitor the health of the heating system. As well as allowing customers to monitor system efficiency, the technology notifies housing providers of the fault code when detected, allowing the right engineer with the right part to be sent to complete the repair. “By working with Vericon we’re able to help social housing providers and local authorities take a more proactive approach to the mitigation and prevention of mould and damp at a time when such a solution is critically needed,” said Dave Griggs, Managing Director of Spares at City Plumbing. “As a specialist in plumbing and heating supplies and an advocate for new technologies, City Plumbing is actively developing and supplying solutions that give its social housing customers the tools they need to improve their homes. This latest collaboration with Vericon is just one in a series of digital tools and partnerships designed to enhance diagnostics and servicing.” Through real time monitoring, housing providers are in complete control, being first to know about potential issues with heating systems before the residents may even be aware of them. To measure temperature and humidity and alert housing providers of potential mould and damp issues within a property, Vericon has also developed the MultiDot. By gaining valuable insights from this aggregated data, landlords can conduct preventative maintenance, take early action, and advise residents on how best to avoid humid conditions that can lead to mould. “Using the latest in technical innovations and smart devices, social landlords and housing associations can more effectively maintain heating health in their properties, ensuring a healthier environment for their residents and preventing costly maintenance issues by identifying problems before they become severe,” added Jorden Guest, Marketing Manager for Vericon Systems. The partnership between Vericon and City Plumbing comes at a time when the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is calling for housing providers to respond swiftly to the sector-wide damp and mould issue. Following the inquest into the tragic death of two-year old Awaab Ishak, the RSH published a report revealing between 40-80,000 social homes in England have serious category-two damp and mould hazards. With Vericon’s monitored and connected technologies, providers can tackle boiler faults quickly and efficiently and identify homes at a high risk of mould. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new partnership between Planning Portal and Barbour ABI will provide the construction industry with the quickest access to planning application data available. The new system is expected to speed up the release of this information by an average of 1 month compared to the current process, where people must wait for local authorities to publish the information. The deal benefits product manufacturers, main contractors and specialist contractors who can now access planning applications faster through Barbour ABI’s FastPlan service and feed this information into their work-winning process. Barbour ABI Group Director Simon Mahoney said: “Barbour ABI has the largest team of researchers in the UK looking at market intelligence. This partnership means they will receive planning applications from this exclusive planning data source at the point of submission. At that moment, our research engine will kick in – adding value to the project information and qualifying it well before the local authorities even publish it. “We’ll be able to provide information about planning applications one month before anyone else, meaning companies can respond dynamically to valuable opportunities and increase profitability.” The partnership supports the Government’s goal of simplifying and digitalising the planning system to improve clarity, enable better-informed decisions and meet local and national planning objectives. Sarah Chilcott, Managing Director Planning Portal commented: “This new exclusive partnership provides a digital solution that will help create a more dynamic and responsive construction market, supporting the local and national goals of the planning system.” “As the market’s leading construction intelligence, Barbour ABI was perfectly placed to help us get this information to market faster and maximise its impact. This will help construction companies provide the services the industry needs, when it needs them, improving the planning and construction process overall.” The Planning Portal is the home of the national planning application service. Formerly operated by the government, it has been run by a joint venture between the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and TerraQuest Solutions Ltd since 2015. To find out more visit https://www.planningportal.co.uk/ Founded over 80 years ago, Barbour ABI delivers market-leading intelligence, insight and analysis, so customers can identify new business opportunities, monitor clients and competitor relationships, and make smarter, more timely decisions. To find out more, visit https://barbour-abi.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Digital transformation continues to open new doors for streamlining processes, innovating faster and improving the customer experience. And, it’s influencing how companies run their asset and facility maintenance operations. Digitising maintenance through computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) and computer-aided facilities management (CAFM) solutions positively impacts the maintenance workforce. Companies are managing key assets differently to improve their operational and production effectiveness, and it’s delivering significant benefits to their bottom line. The digital transformation of maintenance using CMMS and CAFM technology is also helping companies to tackle some of their biggest business challenges in 2023. Let’s take a closer look at how they’re doing this… Driving efficiency in a difficult economic climate Most organisations are battling tough trading conditions. Economic instability, rising operational costs and increased material prices have affected profitability. UK companies have already reported higher goods and services costs, according to ONS research. And the British Chambers of Commerce estimates that three in four firms are likely to put up their prices in 2022 to 2023. In this climate, organisations are looking for ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. And this improvement drive is pressurising maintenance teams to optimise asset performance and availability. Replacing equipment comes at a cost, which most businesses would prefer to defer until more predictable times. Maintenance teams are being told to prolong the lifespan of existing assets, which means ensuring those assets and their infrastructure are entirely reliable. This is where CMMS software plays a critical role. If an asset breaks down, it could have a cascading effect on the entire operation. Planning when to regularly check and/or maintain a piece of equipment will prolong its lifespan, as maintenance teams can spot issues before they occur. Monthly checks, quarterly maintenance and annual overhauls are reducing failures, increasing machine efficiency, improving productivity, and enhancing the effectiveness of maintenance teams. Of course, managing these programmes is complex work. As a result, forward-thinking companies have moved away from using a calendar or spreadsheet to plan preventative maintenance schedules. Instead, they use digital CMMS platforms like ShireSystem to manage their maintenance teams and regularly check assets. Using automation to address labour shortages Finding skilled people is a major challenge for many companies right now. Make UK (The Manufacturers’ Organisation) estimates that lost productivity due to staff shortages cost British companies more than £7 billion in 2022. In the USA, meanwhile, industry bodies predict 2.1 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030. With talented people in short supply, many companies are automating processes to drive production with a reduced headcount. McKinsey research has found that 85% of companies have embarked on digital transformation to increase their operational efficiency. But more machinery increases the workload of maintenance teams. In light of a greater digital investment, operational leaders are looking for ways to better monitor and manage under-prioritised areas such as asset maintenance. Industry leaders are now using CMMS systems with business intelligence tools such as Microsoft Power BI to combine data from their maintenance systems with information from other production systems. This integrated approach allows them to monitor the effectiveness of production lines. CMMS software is also giving maintenance teams greater insight into their workforce, monitoring the effectiveness of shift teams week by week. Gathering this type of data will allow companies to further reduce skills and efficiency gaps, and ensure they are retaining the right employee levels in their maintenance operations. Improving sustainability using digital maintenance software While profitability is a priority in the current fluctuating market, it’s not the only target. Many companies are also focused on reducing their environmental footprint. 81% of consumers would prefer to buy from a sustainable brand, so focusing on green credentials makes good business sense. And maintenance plays an important role in helping firms to lower their carbon footprint. Slicker asset and facility maintenance enables companies to identify inefficiencies and other technical issues quicker. CMMS software solutions can empower maintenance teams to: Implementing CMMS software as part of an overall digital transformation strategy also helps to bring IT and OT closer together. Well-integrated solutions improve data visibility, which enhances sustainable decision-making. It’s an example of how applying technology to business goals delivers a better result. The merging of IT and OT We’ve touched on the close relationship between operational technology and information technology for data collection and analytics. But there are other ways IT can help companies improve asset maintenance. For example, the transfer of data and controls between a CMMS system and an ERP system helps businesses to manage stock and purchasing processes without manual intervention or double keying entries. CMMS software can use data from other digital assets to operate more efficiently, too. Many ShireSystem users tell us that close-coupling IT and OT systems using API technologies improves metrics and process automation. By establishing such connectivity, maintenance becomes a value-driving area rather than a cost centre. Operational teams can demonstrate and report on how CMMS software boosts efficiency, streamlines processes and reduces waste. Improve your asset maintenance with ShireSystem Market conditions and company goals have turned asset maintenance into much more than a routine process. Today, companies can digitally transform their operations to influence how well they run and grow their profits. And operational teams can now be accountable to upper management, shareholders and customers. Even well-established organisations with well-established plans are taking a fresh look at asset maintenance in 2023. Modern systems and processes can help them overcome economic pressures and future-proof their business. Even within our own customer base, a higher number of people are investing in ShireSystem to improve their asset maintenance. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
DIGITAL construction platform Construct.id has announced a strategic partnership with its first national framework provider, Pagabo, in an effort to raise standards and drive betterment among contractors on national construction frameworks. Being offered first to the 94 contractors on Pagabo’s new Medium Works Framework, the digital credential platform will be introduced to all the provider’s existing construction frameworks retrospectively and added to new framework terms and conditions from April. The partnership aims to result in every skilled worker attending a Pagabo procured project to be registered with Construct.id by the end of 2023. Martin Ward, co-founder and managing director of Construct.id, said: “Having Pagabo on board as an early adopter of Construct.id is a big step in the right direction for the construction industry. It’s a framework provider with significant influence and a large network of suppliers – all of whom will benefit from the savings and improved compliance that our platform provides. “The Pagabo team has been supportive of our vision from day one and is equally driven by breaking boundaries that have held back the construction industry for too long. We have a shared understanding on the importance of industry wide adoption of Construct.id and will be working very closely together to ensure the benefits are maximised for everyone across supply chains.” Serving the entire construction community with an independent, single source of trusted and verified identity, skills and competency data for each skilled worker, the Construct.id platform seeks to empower all corners of the construction supply chain. Contractors are given the ability to set site standards across their supply chains, while subcontractors gain greater visibility of these standards and of their workforce. Timely alerts and notifications on any credentials that have expired will improve governance, but skilled workers can prevent this independently by managing one digital platform holding their right to work and credentials – which can be used anywhere. Jason Stapley, chief procurement officer at The 55 Group, Pagabo’s parent organisation, said: “Our frameworks are designed to create competition and ensure the most suitable supplier is assigned to each job, but in some areas of the construction industry consistency and equally high standards are needed. Through Construct.id, our ecosystem will now be better positioned to tackle shared issues such as modern slavery, data duplication and digital transformation. “Whether it’s increasing site standards or reducing admin and paperwork, Construct.id is a shining example of how technology can remove human error from important processes so that the safety and security of everyone is upheld.” Gerard Toplass, group CEO at The 55 Group, said: “We are constantly seeking ways to support initiatives that we feel are for the betterment of the industry and those that work within it. Data-driven decision making is vital for the healthy future of the construction industry and we see Construct.id as a building block on the journey. “We must reform the construction industry, using data to make us stronger, faster and greener – supporting key motivations such as removing modern slavery, improving the wellbeing of skilled workers, increasing productivity and achieving net zero.” With Pagabo and Willmott Dixon already announced as partners, more Construct.id ambassadors are set to be confirmed soon. For more information visit www.construct.id or follow the business on LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
