The construction technology landscape continues to rapidly evolve to make jobs easier. At Riley Construction, we look to implement leading technologies into a lean culture to drive efficiency and flexibility for clients.
Technology has vastly improved modern-day construction strategies, including InSTEP – Integrated System of Team Engagement Planning – a core driver of everything we do. These tools help our customers throughout project design, planning, and management.
Here are some technology philosophies we follow at Riley Construction.
Build more with a lean mindset
Technology plays a role in every step of the project. Riley’s goal is to ensure that every software platform or process we implement is innovative and provides tangible benefits that help reduce costs, avoid delays, and save time. The right technology also ultimately helps Riley team members obtain more precise data to plan and execute projects more resourcefully.
With the speed at which construction technology is advancing, it’s important to understand how these tools work together and how they can benefit our project teams and stakeholders. Some of the top features Riley looks for in new technology include:
- Fast implementation and scale: Downtime in construction can significantly reduce productivity and disrupt workflow on a jobsite. The right technology will
quickly provide actionable data and enhanced workflows that support early decision making, enabling projects to be completed on schedule and within budget. - Data integration: Duplicate data can result in flawed information. Riley invests in software applications and programs that connect data to one another and eliminate this issue.
- Collaboration: Platforms that update data in real time and allow multiple users to interact and collaborate within a workflow create stronger communication.
- Accessibility: Ideally, the software we use has mobile capabilities to allow our crew to access data or models from anywhere via tablets or smartphones.
What does this mean to our clients? Investing in these aspects of technology allows our project teams to provide accurate information to our clients and trade partners whenever they need it. An intuitive platform or workflow allows this data to move seamlessly into any type of visualization an end-user may want.
Ensure the job is done right the first time
Before any project begins, we understand the importance of pinpointing potential issues that need to be addressed and implement the correct tools and workflows to do so. Asking the right questions upfront and involving the right stakeholders throughout the project are important steps.
We strongly believe it’s important to identify the right technology platforms and partners that fit the job. We take the time to determine whether a project will require one-off technologies or a larger workflow with multiple tools. Before investing in new technologies, we thoroughly evaluate what we already have in our toolkit and identify adjustments to current workflows that will aid our teams with a familiar process or tool.
Integrate lean technology for maximum efficiency
According to our InSTEP philosophy, technology is used to make the entire construction process innovative and efficient from preconstruction to project completion. For one, technology allows us to operate lean with project teams. It also enables us to tailor our deliverables and processes.
With technology, communication becomes more transparent. From real-time jobsite updates to bid management software that keeps rapidly changing cost information at our fingertips, integrated tools are make easier to keep our clients informed at every stage. Customers value transparency since it empowers them to make crucial decisions related to design and operations early. It also allows Riley to develop our construction plans earlier, avoiding errors and redundancies.
Research the newest technologies
Riley is continuously adopting new technologies to enable efficiency, help identify potential obstacles before construction starts, and minimize waste throughout the process. With construction technology offerings growing exponentially over the last decade, it’s even more important to be able to navigate these waters and know what technologies will create the best value for our clients. We must look beyond the “shiny object” and apply the right tools for the challenge at hand.
Many of these technologies, in addition to improving productivity, also help increase worker safety, which has always been a top priority. Additional technologies Riley uses to help improve the overall processes and outcomes of projects include:
- Building information modeling (BIM): While BIM is not new, it evolves within our processes as we see new tools to assist in collaboration efforts. From
assisting design and constructability processes to identifying potential problems before they develop into issues, it not only provides a realistic view of the finished project before construction takes place, but also allows for adjustments to occur before they are identified in the field. BIM is the technology that truly encompasses the Frank Lloyd Wright quote, “You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledgehammer on the construction site.” - Reality capture: Laser scanning creates a “reality capture” that helps immensely with projects, especially those that involve renovation. Our point-cloud laser scans can quickly capture the conditions of a building or equipment and integrate seamlessly with 3D models.
- Immersive reality platforms: Technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) allow construction teams to visualize data and models in an immersive environment to allow faster decision making and a more realistic view of the finished product.
- Data analytics and business intelligence (BI): Gathering data throughout the design and construction process is great, but it needs to be easily organized and consumable by the project team and stakeholders. Platforms that allow us to easily visualize these datasets factor directly into how decisions are made during a project and when planning the next one.
Technology allows for more efficient teamwork, smoother communication, and leaner processes that result in higher returns for our customers. To learn more about how Riley uses the most trustworthy technologies to create certainty, minimize redundancies, and produce successful outcomes, contact Kevin Kendellen at kevink@rileycon.com.