Modern Contractor Solutions July 2021

JULY 2021

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JULY 2021

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JULY 2021 VOLUME 15 special focus ISSUE 07 Inside This Issue technology 50 22 equipment solution Data Flight drone...

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Modern Contractor

Solutions Magazine

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Modern Contractor

Solutions

PROJECT PROFILES

Buildable Space ......................................................... 14

Hybrid Roofing Materials ........................................... 16

EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

Cat Mulchers ............................................................. 18

Piping Materials ........................................................ 20

Data Flight ................................................................. 22

Moisture Meters ........................................................ 24

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION

Time Factor ............................................................... 26

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Collective Data .......................................................... 30

HR Workflows ........................................................... 32

PR Power .................................................................. 34

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

Digital Data Flows ..................................................... 38

Integration Works: Part 2 of 2 .................................... 40

LEGAL SOLUTION

Construction Claims .................................................. 44

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Laser Scanning .......................................................... 46

Preventing Loss ......................................................... 48

Estimating & Bidding ................................................. 50

SAFETY SOLUTIONS

Smart PPE ................................................................. 52

Summer Jobsite Health ............................................. 54

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CLOSING THOUGHT

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JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com20

equipment solution

ver the last 50 years, the

plumbing industry has seen a

huge shift in piping materials.

Contractors and plumbers have swapped

costly steel and metal piping in favor of

less expensive plastic piping in most new

construction projects, without sacrificing

durability. Read on to learn more about

the benefits and limitations of a variety

of piping materials, and which are best

suited for certain applications.

PLASTIC PIPING

PVC Pipes: Polyvinyl chloride piping,

also known has PVC, is a popular piping

option for new construction projects,

and for good reason. PVC piping is

lightweight and less expensive than

other piping materials. It can be installed

in both warm and cold climates, as

well. Durable PVC comes in two sizes:

Schedule 40, which is more commonly

used, and Schedule 80, which has thicker

walls, increasing durability and costs.

Both sizes are easy to install, requiring

only solvent cement at the joints.

While PVC is strong, it has a shorter

lifespan than other piping materials.

It also has heat limitations and cannot

be used in applications where water

temperatures top 140 °F. PVC shouldn’t

be used to transport drinking water but

can be installed where higher water

pressure is needed. Use PVC piping in

drain lines, main water lines, vent stacks,

and storm drainage.

CPVC Pipes: Chlorinated polyvinyl

chloride, or CPVC, piping is similar to PVC

piping but with added chlorine. Plumbers

and contractors will still enjoy many of the

benefits of PVC piping, like its lightweight

design and easy installation, but with

added durability and heat resistance.

Unlike PVC, which cannot be used with

water temperatures exceeding 140 °F,

CPVC can withstand temperatures up to

200 °F. It’s also fire resistant and more

flexible than standard polyvinyl chloride.

These added features do come at a

slightly higher price than PVC, but the

versatility of CPVC may be worth the

extra cost. Consider using CPVC piping in

hot drain lines, wastewater disposal, and

even transporting drinking water.

Learn more about the differences here.

PEX Pipes: PEX piping, also known as

polyethylene cross-linked pipe, is another

plastic piping material that has gained

popularity in recent years. One benefit

of PEX is its flexibility. It can easily snake

through walls or in crawl spaces, and

because it uses compression fittings,

solvent cement is not necessary when

joining and installing. PEX comes in a

wide variety of sizes, which makes it

a great option for retrofitting in older

homes, as well.

The initial cost of PEX piping is higher

than other plastic piping, but installation

and maintenance costs are typically

much lower. While it is heat resistant,

PEX cannot be attached directly to a

hot water heater and must instead be

connected to an 18-inch section of

another heat resistant piping, like copper.

PEX is often used for water supply lines

and in areas of construction where

bending and snaking are necessary.

COPPER PIPING

Copper piping became a popular building

supply in the 1960s, and because of its

durability and long lifespan, many older

Piping MaterialsPiping Materials

a breakdown for new construction

PLUMBING INDUSTRY

By Mark Ligon

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

homes still have original copper in them.

One reason for the longevity of copper

piping is that it is resistant to heat and

corrosion. It’s also antimicrobial, which

means it’s a good choice for drinking

water supply lines, HVAC refrigerant

lines, and underground services lines.

Additional fittings and soldering are

required when joining copper piping,

which makes the process to install

more tedious. However, it also creates

a tight seal, which cuts down on the

potential for leaking. Used copper can

also be recycled. Copper piping is more

expensive than other piping options.

Unfortunately, the high price of copper

often makes it a target of theft at

unattended jobsites.

BRASS PIPES

Another higher priced option, brass

piping may be the right choice for a

limited number of applications. It’s

long lasting and resistant to corrosion

and heat damage. Because brass is

softer than copper, a tighter seal can be

achieved, as well. In the past, there were

concerns that brass pipes may contain

lead. However, plumbers and contractors

can now purchase lead-free brass that is

safe for supplying drinking water, as well

as drain lines and gas lines.

STAINLESS STEEL (SS) PIPES

When it comes to appliances, stainless

steel is a trend that doesn’t seem to

be ending anytime soon. Stainless

steel piping, on the other hand, may

look great, but it’s not always the right

choice. Like other piping materials,

stainless steel is durable, and it also

comes in both rigid and flexible options

and a variety of sizes. Installation and

retrofitting, however, can be more

challenging with stainless steel because

specific couplings are required. It also

comes at a much higher price point than

other materials. One important feature of

stainless steel is that it is highly resistant

to corrosion. Because of this, it is often

used in areas where corrosion could

occur, like coastal regions.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Unlike several years ago, when

plumbers and builders had a limited

number of piping options, today there

are many, each with its own benefits

and challenges. Consider the location

and function of the piping needed,

as well as the overall budget of the

project when selecting the piping

material that is best suited for your new

construction building.

about the author

Mark Ligon is the marketing manager at

Commercial Industrial Supply, a distributor

of industrial piping, valves, and fittings. Since

2009, CIS has been dedicated to providing

the best name brand products to customers

in a wide range of industrial, commercial, and

residential settings. For more, reach out to Mark

at www.commercial-industrial-supply.com.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com22

equipment solution

he world is moving into the post-COVID era, and the

economy continues to rebound. As a result, construction

projects are kicking into high gear.

Couple that with the all-time high prices of materials, and

companies need a technology solution that allows them to

optimize their procurement processes and make wise use of

their precious and increasingly expensive resources.

The good news is there is a readily available technology that

will allow them to do so: drones.

DRONE TECHNOLOGY

The adoption of drone technology has increased in heavy

construction in recent years. Because drone systems are

easier to use than ever before, they enable generalists to take

advantage of the technology and deploy them to save time and

money on critical projects.

These systems provide increasingly accurate data. As a result,

they offer a cost-effective way to use technology to tackle

long-standing needs, such as safely capturing the accurate and

robust data needed to make real-time decisions that can make

or break a project’s bottom line.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there

are more than 1.7 million drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles

(UAVs). Additionally, 203,000 remote pilots are registered

with the federal agency, numbers likely only to rise in the

coming years.

Recent data from The Civil Quarterly (TCQ), a quarterly

research report on the current business health of contractors

from Dodge Data & Analytics, revealed that the heavy civil sector

has widely adopted many advanced tools and digital processes.

For example, more than half of contractors said they used

drones and ruggedized tablets.

Heavy construction contractors need solutions that simplify

their workflow and allow them to leverage vast amounts of data

to make actionable decisions. Here are a few new ways drones

are shaping commercial projects.

DRONES CAPTURE ACCURATE DATA CONTRACTORS

NEED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS

Drones capture more data in a 20-minute flight without

disrupting jobsite operations than a team can capture during

a week of traditional terrestrial measuring. This data leads to

improved client visualization as a drone’s detailed images show

overall site progress against the design.

Processing these images—known as orthomosaic images—as

three-dimensional points on the ground can be combined with

three-dimensional points from other collection sources. Those

points can be used in computer-aided design (CAD) to create

three-dimensional surfaces, contour lines, surface features,

three-dimensional models, site progressions documentation,

and volumetrics for earthwork calculations.

Because the data is dense, rich and accurate, it enables more

detailed analysis, translating into quicker and more complete

decision-making at the project management level.

DRONES HELP TEAMS SAVE TIME AND MONEY

In heavy construction, much of the focus has been to use

drones to quantify earthwork volumes. For example, contractors

often use drone technology to help with their pre-bid analysis.

By ensuring they know the correct quantities needed, they

can create optimal designs and implement efficient haul plans.

Then, throughout the construction process, contractors can

use drones to track earthwork volumes. With this information in

hand, they can knowledgeably provide feedback on completed

tasks and analyze the work remaining to inform project plans

that allow for faster replanning cycles.

Additionally, teams should use this technology to monitor

their jobsites to gather data for progress reporting and stockpile

management. This information should drive lean procurement

management, ensuring teams have on-site the materials they

need when they need it and that it is stored in the correct

location to keep it safe and secure until the proper time.

Similarly, operators should deploy drones to observe their

on-site equipment to ensure it is appropriately utilized and verify

Data Flight

drones are reshaping construction

TECHNOLOGY ON THE MOVE

By Troy Dahlin

orthomosiac image

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

a location’s conditions are safe and

comply with all applicable regulations.

Confirming this information and acting

quickly when a problem arises will

save the time, expense, and hassle of

correcting a problem.

This provides a feedback loop for

the field to the office and back again to

merge drone data with design, as-built,

and on-site progress updates captured

with photos, notes, and machine tracks.

Contractors can also use drones to

validate and hand over the asset to

the owner, helping reduce the time

needed with manual approaches. In

addition, taking this approach ensures

the final product is constructed within

specification, eliminating the need for

costly fixes.

DRONES GO WHERE NO TEAMS

CAN, LEADING TO INCREASED

JOBSITE SAFETY

While drones’ most significant upside may

be their fast and flexible data collection,

the technology delivers reduced worker

costs, enhanced jobsite safety, and faster

surveying and construction time than

traditional data capture techniques.

Drones enable heavy construction

contractors to safely, efficiently, and

accurately capture data from hard-to-

reach, potentially hazardous or otherwise

inaccessible locations that would be too

risky or expensive to capture traditionally.

They are instrumental in urban

environments or on heavily canopied

construction sites.

They permit safe automated data

capture to create measurable 3D models

and powerful 2D visuals to incorporate

into workflows. Drone deliverables enable

contractors to bring more eyes to a problem

and do this within the safety of an office.

Despite their proliferation, many

contractors are unaware of the profound

benefits drones bring to the modern

jobsite. Many construction companies

initially deployed drones thinking they

would have them on hand at a site at all

times, but they work best when they are

not viewed as a tool to be used 24/7.

Over time, companies’ plans for

drones evolved into having a dedicated

team of professionals who travel from

site to site where their drone operating

services are needed.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Solutions today make jobsites safer

while driving cost savings; contractors

must view today’s technology as the

professional partner that will help

them save time and money. When

implemented correctly, technology

provides the most potent tool in

contractors’ toolboxes.

about the author

Troy Dahlin is vice president, heavy

construction segment, US/CAN of Leica

Geosystems, part of Hexagon. For more, visit

www.leica-geosystems.com.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com24

equipment solution

n the construction industry, the

quality of cast-in-place concrete

foundations, superstructure, slabs,

stairs, and architectural features, along

with the speed of project completion,

can largely depend on getting moisture

measurement right—and the same is true

with the masonry mortar used to build

brick, block, or stone walls.

Water is an essential element of both

concrete (i.e., water, aggregate, cement)

and mortar (i.e., water, aggregate,

binding material). However, at the jobsite,

everything from seasonal temperature,

rain, humidity, and groundwater to

circulating air can affect the moisture

content in concrete and mortar greatly.

This can impact setting and drying time—

and incorporating the wrong moisture

levels in concrete and mortar can be

disastrous to quality, finish, longevity,

and even safety.

Although the construction industry

has access to moisture meters, to some

extent, these tools typically require

calibration, sampling, and time. In

addition, they are not always portable or

durable enough to be used on jobsites.

Fortunately, hand-held, durable, instant

moisture measurement devices are now

available that allow anyone without special

training to spot check concrete and mortar

at the jobsite to assure that it is properly

mixed, set, and dry. In many cases,

such pre-calibrated systems allow non-

destructive, non-invasive testing on digital

displays with no pin holes or discoloration.

This approach facilitates construction

work as soon as feasible, speeds project

completion, and improves quality.

SEASONAL HEAT, MOISTURE

Concrete-water ratios can make a big

difference in the permeability of concrete,

but air humidity and summer heat also

can affect the rate at which moisture

migrates through drying concrete.

“High humidity can increase the

risk of fractures and other structural

issues. Concrete can also gradually

change from ductile to brittle when

humidity decreases, which naturally

occurs when summer heat affects

concrete’s evaporation time,” says John

Bogart, managing director of Kett US, a

manufacturer of a full range of moisture

and organic composition analyzers.

He notes that concrete cures best

between 70-80°F, so if temperatures

rise above that and climb towards 90°F,

concrete can be affected and cause surface

problems as well as reduced strength.

Hot weather, wind,and dry conditions

can increase a concrete slab’s rate of

evaporation, which can threaten the

integrity of the top layer of concrete.

Water quickly evaporates from the

surface layer, which can cause the mix

to be drier and susceptible to surface

cracking and shrinkage.

Reduced strength can also become

an issue with hot, dry weather, which

can shorten the hydration portion of the

curing process (when water is absorbed

and crystals form in the concrete). Then

the concrete mixture has less time to

hydrate these forming crystals and

create strong compressive strength. So,

concrete curing in hot weather can suffer

from limited strength and durability.

On the other hand, in wetter seasons,

excess moisture can do a great deal of

damage to concrete and its protective

coatings, as well as affect concrete-

water ratios. Because concrete is porous,

issues arise when water is trapped within

the concrete.

When it comes to structural

concrete, including foundational slabs,

construction contractors do not want to

“guestimate” moisture levels, which can

potentially jeopardize the whole project.

MEASUREMENT BENEFITS

Although traditional laboratory and online

based moisture measurement techniques

are useful in the right settings, they

have lacked the simplicity and flexibility

required for frequent spot checks

on construction sites. Because such

moisture tests are too slow, laborious,

and alter or destroy the sample, they

are not practical for the jobsite, where

concrete or mortar must stay in place.

Instead, what is needed is a fast, easy

method to determine moisture content.

So, industry innovators have developed

a simplified approach with testing

Moisture Meters

ensuring concrete and mortar

are properly mixed, set, and dry

SPOT CHECKING

By Del Williams

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

equipment that allows anyone in the field

to get laboratory-quality measurements

in any environment.

As an example, using a hand-held

device such as the HI520-2 concrete and

mortar moisture meter by Kett, the worker

would select the calibration (i.e., concrete

or mortar), press it against the sample,

and moisture is immediately displayed

with accuracy of +/-0.5% (0-12% for

concrete/0-15% for mortar). Automatic

temperature compensation enhances

measurement accuracy, and two “raw”

modes allow the user to calibrate for

deep or shallow samples. Up to 1,000

measurements can be stored in memory

and downloaded to a PC for analysis.

The device utilizes high-frequency

capacitance, comparing the di-electric

constant of the solid with water. A direct

relationship exists between this and

moisture content.

According to Bogart, one construction

contractor used the moisture meter to

confirm that the concrete flooring on a

20-story building was ready for custom

surface treatment. In fact, the contractor

was able to test the entire project in

one morning.

“With an instant moisture meter,

flooring installers can test concrete

humidity as water passes through the

concrete’s surface even after it hardens.

This kind of testing is critical in indoor

installations, where high levels of moisture

and trapped water in concrete can create

mold or lead to bubbling or degradation of

its strength and integrity,” says Bogart.

This approach can be particularly

helpful to contractors responsible for

concrete subflooring.

“If you are building on a slab, you know

the importance of a concrete subfloor

that is fully dried and accurately prepared

for use. Knowing how the concrete will

act when the concrete is coated, flooring

is installed, or the slab is prepared for

final use, is key to success,” says Bogart.

For contractors who need more

specialized applications of measuring

moisture, such as for “wet” concrete,

this is also available with other units.

For instance, with such units, the

sample moisture of slurry and aggregate

can be instantly measured, allowing

contractors to optimize batch mixing

anytime, anywhere.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Whether summer, winter, spring, or fall,

the bottom line for contractors working

with concrete or mortar is that using

hand-held devices that provide instant

moisture measurement helps to ensure

that quality work is done as soon as it is

feasible, without excess or insufficient

moisture, setting, or drying times. In the

end, this facilitates project profitability.

about the author

Del Williams is a technical writer based in

Torrance, California. For more about Kett, visit

www.kett.com.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com26

environmental solution

he total amount of time needed

to complete the waterproofing

system installation should be

considered carefully when exploring the

various product options. Commercial

builders, designers, and architects

should look closely at the time required

for each step, from preparing the

materials and substrate to applying the

product and curing when evaluating the

application. Each waterproofing system

option is vastly different, especially when

you compare cold-applied versus hot-

applied waterproofing systems.

CONSTRUCTION TIME FACTOR

Construction projects are always on tight

schedules, as they involve numerous

tasks and jobs performed by a variety of

vendors or trades, each within specific

timeframes and deadlines. It’s necessary

to keep the numerous jobs moving along

and meeting those deadlines. Delays

incur added costs for equipment rentals

and for labor, which can be costly as they

sit idle waiting to come onsite to start or

proceed with a job.

Sequencing is critical as certain

jobs on a construction site need to

be completed before others can be

started and may take some time before

enabling a return to service. In the case

of waterproofing, the system needs to

be fully dried or cured before anyone can

enter the area to walk or perform work.

The time needed to complete a

waterproofing job is especially vital

in an emergency renovation or repair

scenario. For example, if a multi-million

(or billion) dollar commercial building in

a city’s downtown has water from the

roof or horizontal deck penetrating the

penthouse below, there is a very short

window of time (typically only 4 hours)

to resolve the issue in order to keep

the tenant happy and avoid significant

internal damage.

WATERPROOFING TIME FACTOR

Waterproofing is a process that includes

several steps: preparing the surface or

substrate that is being waterproofed,

preparing the materials, priming, detailing,

applying the waterproofing product,

applying a reinforcement or protection

system, and ultimately drying or curing

the system. When comparing cold-applied

versus hot-applied liquid waterproofing

systems, there are vast differences in the

number of steps, what’s required for each

step and, ultimately—the time needed to

perform each step.

Note: Application Guidelines, including

the minimum concrete cure time and

required preparation, are provided by

the waterproofing product manufacturer

and should be reviewed specifically

for each project.

PREPARATION

Hot-applied waterproofing requires a

crew to clean and prepare the substrate,

then prime and detail. Detailing is a

separate step, demanding a separate

setup as an additional material (a

polyester fabric) needs to be obtained

and applied for the detailing process.

In new construction, the concrete must

cure for a minimum of 28 days prior to

beginning the preparation. It can take

days to complete all the preparation

required depending on the size and

complexity of the project.

With cold-applied liquid

waterproofing, there are some systems

that can go on 14-day-old concrete. The

crew cleans and prepares the substrate

in the same way; however, the detailing

is greatly simplified. Generally, these

steps take 1 to 2 days depending on

the project size and complexity, about

a third of the time required for hot-

applied systems.

Time Factor

cold-applied vs hot-applied liquid waterproofing

MEETING PROJECT SCHEDULES

By Greg Austin

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

Time-saving benefits of cold-applied

versus hot-applied liquid waterproofing

during preparation: Cold-applied, such

as GCP’s SILCOR

liquid waterproofing

system, has 2-3 times faster preparation

time than hot-applied. Waterproofing can

begin 7 days earlier than with traditional

hot applied methods. This equates to a

2-week schedule savings over using a

hot-applied process.

APPLICATION

Building the membrane with a hot-applied

liquid waterproofing system requires five

to six layers, including primer, rubberized

asphalt and reinforcement, and the

protection layers made of separate

materials. In addition, there is the time

needed—about 3 hours each day—to

heat up the rubberized asphalt in a kettle

and bring it to 375-400°F. The average

hot-applied installation is 2,100 square

feet per day in an open area, including

primer, first ply, reinforcement, second

ply, and protection board. The detail

work is separate.

The cold-applied liquid waterproofing

membrane requires only two to three

layers including primer, which only takes

1.5 to 3 hours to apply. No reinforcement

layer is required as the membrane is

self-leveling. A comparable cold-applied

installation covers 7,000 square feet

per day, or more, including primer,

membrane and details, and it requires a

crew of only three installers. The cold-

applied liquid waterproofing application

is clearly much simpler, saving time and

labor compared to a hot-applied system.

Also, the primer can serve as temporary

waterproofing in the interim before the

membrane is applied. There is virtually

no preparation time needed for the

membrane material as the crew only

needs to mix the product components,

per the manufacturer’s instructions, and

they are ready to go.

Time-saving benefits of cold-applied

versus hot-applied liquid waterproofing

during application: With fewer steps

involved, cold-applied is 3.5-4 times

faster to install than hot-applied

(installation time comparison is based on

industry information).

CURING/RETURN TO SERVICE

The time that it takes for the hot-applied

installation to cure or harden and for the

surface to be ready for return to service

can be up to 24 hours. Cold-applied

installation can withstand foot traffic in

as little as 2 hours and enables faster

construction sequencing.

Time-saving benefits of cold-applied

versus hot-applied liquid waterproofing

during curing: Cold-applied can be 12

times faster than hot-applied to cure and

enable a return to service.

THE SPEED FACTOR

Cold-applied liquid waterproofing is

available in a spray-applied and a hand-

applied version. With the spray-applied

version, the liquid is simply mixed and

applied. It’s a faster application than the

hand-applied version, as it allows the crew

to immediately apply a single membrane.

With the hand-applied version, the liquid

is poured onto the concrete surface and

spread quickly and easily with a squeegee.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Time is money when it comes to meeting

project schedules on construction sites.

The time savings offered by cold-applied

liquid waterproofing over hot-applied

translates to cost savings in terms of

labor, materials, and equipment rentals.

Among the liquid waterproofing options,

cold-applied not only saves time and

money, it also provides a more durable

product and a safer solution.

about the author

Greg Austin is the global product director,

specialty building materials, for GCP Applied

Technologies. He has a background in

consulting and almost a decade of experience

in waterproofing system development and

construction materials.

STAY

UPDATED:

@modern

contractor

solutions

@mcsmag

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com30

management solution

very day, construction projects

generate mounds of data that hold

tremendous potential to inform

business decisions and drive more efficient

projects with better outcomes. Once

thought only to be useful or financially

accessible for large corporations, accurate

data capture and analysis can be a secret

weapon, providing insight into many

aspects of the business, for any size of

construction company.

To help industry leaders better

understand the current construction

landscape and assess how their own

companies are tracking against industry

averages, Viewpoint, a Trimble company

and construction ERP leader recently

soured data from nearly 1,000 customers

between Jan 1–March 31. The resulting

insights into trends related to project

starts, contract values, hiring metrics, and

cash-flow movement are published within

its Quarterly Construction Metrics Index:

Q1 2021. As we look back at the first

quarter of 2021, what do the trends in the

Index reveal, and how can contractors

use that information to their benefit?

PROJECT BACKLOGS ARE

SLOWLY REBOUNDING

Project starts are the lead indicator that

business is getting back to normal.

Without project starts, contractors can’t

hire employees, bid on contracts, or

spend money on materials. Although the

impact of the pandemic is still being felt,

the rate of projects in the pipeline still

hovers around 20% below where they

were in the first quarter of 2020. That

being said, there are currently 26,000

pending projects in the Q1 2021 backlog

compared to 30,000 pending jobs in Q1

2020, a 15% decrease that suggests

backlogs are slowly rebounding.

When looked at by vertical, heavy

highway and civil projects fared the

best with 10% more pending projects

in March 2021 than March 2020. This

could be due to the fact that the vertical

is largely funded by federal and state

governments or municipalities whose

budgets have already been allocated,

with projects set to start accordingly.

Backlogs for general contractors have

largely been holding strong, though there

are still about 10% fewer pending projects

in Q1 2021 as compared to Q1 2020.

The decrease could indicate that general

contractors are lowering their risk threshold

by taking smaller jobs, which would help

account for lower project starts.

Specialty contractors, who had the

smoothest ride in 2020, had 25-35%

fewer pending projects in January and

February 2021 as compared to the

previous year. This could be due to having

service businesses and picking up work

left behind by general contractors in 2020,

resulting in an abundance of previous

work finally catching up with them.

CONTRACT VALUES MIRROR

PROJECT STARTS

Contract values have largely held steady

since October 2020 but still saw a 52%

decline as compared to Q1 2020. This is

not surprising as contract values tend to

mirror project trends. As projects decline,

their values decline proportionately.

The decline was seen across all three

verticals during Q1 2021, with specialty

and general contractors experiencing 50%

declines in contract values, while heavy

highway and civil saw a 30% decline.

With contract values holding steady

since October 2020, lower contract

values indicate that there is still

uncertainty in the market as contractors

continue trying to mitigate their risk. One

dynamic that could affect contract values

moving forward is cost fluctuations with

construction materials. Trade tariffs,

production challenges, shorter supply

cycles, and transportation issues have all

contributed to higher material costs for

contractors, with many eating potential

contract profits to keep work moving.

Additionally, lower contract values may

be the result of more competition with

fewer projects available for bid.

HIRING STEADILY INCREASES

Although we entered the pandemic

with a labor shortage, hiring has been

net positive in 2021, meaning more

employees were hired than fired. Hiring

Collective Data

insights into the industry’s near-term future

SECRET WEAPON

By Anne Hunt

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

is still 12% below what it was a year ago

but has steadily increased throughout the

quarter with net employment up 45% in

March 2021 as compared to March 2020.

Geographically, the Southeast

experienced the largest net hiring

increase—103% as compared to a

year ago—which was followed by

the Northeast, which also saw a 75%

increase. Regional hiring will likely follow

the overall hiring trends, which suggest

that hiring will remain down in 2021;

however, the Southeast and Northeast

might fare better than the Plains, Pacific

West, and Midwest given their more

consistent employment track records.

Regions in which manufacturing and

warehouse construction starts are strong,

particularly the Plains and Midwest, may

realize an increased need for skilled labor.

CASH FLOW AND SPENDING

VARY ACROSS VERTICALS

In 2020, construction companies tended to

be more cash positive than in years past, as

the pandemic and the uncertain business

environment led them to hold on to cash

rather than spend it on new projects.

In Q1 2021, heavy highway and general

contractors remained cash positive,

while specialty contractors were cash

negative, spending roughly 150% more

as compared to Q1 2020.

This uptick in spending could suggest

increasing confidence among specialty

contractors that new projects will soon

be underway.

Although the specialty trades were

hit particularly hard by the workplace

restrictions imposed by the pandemic,

cash flows for the specialty sector

should normalize in the coming months

as restrictions continue to ease.

CLOSING THOUGHT

While it’s always tough to predict

the future, many are hopeful that the

upcoming infrastructure bill will inject

some much-needed investment into

the industry, helping to modernize our

aging infrastructure and stimulate the

labor market. This could have a positive

effect on all of the indicators examined

above; however, if the bill doesn’t

pass in its current form, it’s projected

that even a more limited plan would

still have a meaningful impact on the

industry, leading to more projects, higher

contract values, additional hiring, and

greater cash flow.

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about the author

Anne Hunt is the director of data and

analytics for Viewpoint, a Trimble company

that delivers leading-edge construction

management software. Hunt leads the

incubation and innovation of new data first

services to revolutionize how clients and

the construction industry operate. For more,

visit www.viewpoint.com. The Quarterly

Construction Metrics Index: Q1 2021 can be

viewed at www.viewpoint.com/quarterly-

construction-metrics-index.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com32

management solution

fter more than a year of dealing

with a dismal pandemic,

America’s construction industry

is bouncing back from the COVID-19

crisis with an expected growth rate

of 15.6% this year, according to

ResearchAndMarkets.com. With this

predicted upturn comes the opportunity

for construction companies to leverage

the right technology to increase

their growth, attract new talent, and

remain compliant.

As manual tracking of employee

time, activities, production, and payroll

informaiton can reduce efficiency,

leveraging a human capital management

(HCM) solution is critical to addressing

the evolving complex HCM needs

of the construction industry. By

utilizing a robust platform to handle a

company’s payroll tracking, attendance

management, and training to remain

compliant gives HR managers more

time to focus on what matters:

company employees.

For example, construction managers

are all too aware that as today’s

workforce becomes more complex,

so does payroll management. That’s

where HCM solutions come in. Rather

than burdening HR manager’s with

time-consuming payroll management

tasks, adopting the right software will

alleviate the daunting administrative

tasks placed on HR professionals and

free them up to focus on value-added

tasks for the organization.

Here are three examples of how a

robust HCM platform can address the

needs of construction companies:

INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN

PAYROLL AND ATTENDANCE

Many companies continue to use

antiquated technology to manage

payroll and attendance separately.

Utilizing software that combines the two

increases efficiencies and accuracy by

automating the application of complex

performance based pay structures and

addressing each employee’s varying

pay, so HR managers don’t have to

do it manually.

ACCURATE EMPLOYEE

CLASSIFICATIONS

Part of managing a complex pay

structure is ensuring each employee is

accurately classified, whether they be

an independent contractor or a full-time

employee with an extensive benefits

package. Guaranteeing that employees

are appropriately classified helps

take the burden off the HR manager,

but most importantly, it ensures the

company is regulation compliant.

Misclassification comes with significant

penalties from a state and federal tax

revenue perspective.

EFFICIENT TIME-TRACKING

PROCESSES

A time tracking system ensures the

time, labor, and production data is

collected efficiently and accurately and

is the source to valuable business data

analytics. Field employees can utilize

technologies, such phone-in, mobile,

tablet, and portable devices in order to

accurately collect activities when and

where they occur. Finally, an automatic

time-tracking system helps keep

companies compliant with the Fair Labor

Standards Act (FLSA) regulations.

CLOSING THOUGHT

After reviewing the above capabilities

available to the construction industry,

companies should remember that the

purpose of investing in HCM technology

is for the benefit of employees. After all,

they are a company’s most important

asset. Investing in their people is the

best thing organizations can do for

their business’s operations, reputation,

and functionality.

HR Workflows

streamlining human capital management

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

By Teresa Levis

about the author

Teresa Levis is the vice president of presales

at Ascentis. She has more than 30 years of

experience in the HCM industry, with a focus

on helping clients meet their needs through

change management, technology, and best

practices. As a senior leader with Ascentis,

her teams’ focus is working with companies

to align their business strategies and

processes to solutions.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com34

management solution

PR Power

building media coverage and exposure

HOW TO TELL YOUR STORY

eather Ripley, CEO and founder

of Ripley PR, shares about the

power public relations can have

for both general contractors and the B2B

companies that serve them.

MCS: Creating market differentiation

is sometimes a challenge in the

construction industry. How does public

relations fit into the equation?

RIPLEY: It’s pretty simple. All

businesses benefit from media exposure.

Studies consistently show that people

are more trusting of third-party articles

from credible sources than advertising

messages. Public relations is about

building a strong foundation of earned

media coverage for your company, each

story adding to the portrayal of the

business as a credible industry expert.

This is not to say that PR should

replace paid advertising. It certainly does

increase the effectiveness of marketing

over the long term, though. It’s easier to

reach new clients if you’re already top of

mind as the best and most well-known

contractor in the market.

MCS: What is the difference between

public relations and marketing?

RIPLEY: Marketing encompasses

everything you’re doing to sell your

company’s services or products. Public

relations is a tactic of marketing. PR is

getting someone else to talk about your

company and say how great you are.

An effective and well-executed public

relations plan will help with all of your

company’s efforts to be more visible

online, no matter what the platform.

A good PR strategy ensures your

marketing efforts are guided by a

consistent vision. The objective is to

increase your brand’s visibility, boost its

reputation, and keep it top of mind with

potential clients. Some of the tactics

that can be used to accomplish this

include securing earned media coverage

and television appearances, regularly

releasing informative and newsworthy

press releases, and creating engaging

social media and website content.

MCS: What issues can contractors face

when trying to boost their brands?

RIPLEY: Have you ever thought word-

of-mouth is dead? It’s not. It’s still one

of the best ways to attract new clients.

These days, it’s taking place online

through forums and online reviews, and

you cannot afford to ignore them.

Reputation management should be part of

any comprehensive public relations strategy.

Its usefulness shouldn’t be underestimated.

Word of mouth is still powerful, and ignoring

what is being said about your company

online means losing control of the narrative

and giving someone else the power to

define your company in negative ways.

MCS: When it comes to promoting

positive images of their businesses,

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

one question that construction

business owners struggle with is

whether they should draw attention to

their charitable giving? Isn’t that too

self-serving?

RIPLEY: Sharing your company’s good

deeds without coming across as overly

self-promotional means walking a fine

line. But I highly encourage it! Your

company is able to donate more money

or services than most individuals can,

so you have the opportunity to make a

greater difference in helping your chosen

cause. Plus, you are raising awareness

of the need and could potentially

inspire others in your community to

do good, too.

We all know it’s hard to find

skilled labor right now. Sharing your

company’s charitable giving could help

a candidate choose your company over

someone else’s.

There are definitely ways to talk about

your giving culture without it being

overbearing or offensive. Make sure to

keep your public relations efforts in line

with your overall business brand. That

lets your good deeds blend unobtrusively

in with your business philosophy.

MCS: How do you recommend a

company share its charitable giving

without coming across as too

self-promotional?

RIPLEY: For our clients, we always

recommend that it be done sincerely and

with consideration. The way to approach

the issue is by putting the charity at

the heart of the giving story and not

putting the stoplight on the size of your

donation. Public relations is a way to

help the charity get needed attention

and publicity. Charities need visibility to

garner the donations that let them do

their own good works.

MCS: Closing thought?

RIPLEY: When thinking about public

relations, all construction businesses

must be able to set clear goals to aim

for in order to keep growing and thriving.

The most successful companies are

continually refining and retuning their

marketing. Today, your goal might be to

cement your image as the top contractor

in the market. Tomorrow, your goal might

be to get acquired. Either way, shining

a media spotlight on your company will

help you get there.

about the author

Heather Ripley is founder and CEO of Ripley

PR, an elite, global public relations agency

specializing in home service and building

trades. Ripley PR has been recognized by

Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Franchise PR

agency 3 years in a row and was named to

Forbes’ America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021.

For more, visit www.ripleypr.com.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com38

software solution

any arduous processes plague

the construction industry,

such as data silos, process

invisibility, and fragmentation, making it

nearly impossible to track progress. The

industry is realizing that feeding real-time

data straight from the field is crucial

for success. When working entirely

around outdated information, project and

financial managers can make mistakes

that dramatically reduce a job’s profit;

but, when working from consistent,

accurate data, guesswork and poor

decision-making are greatly reduced.

Adding real-time data to the management

mix ensures efficient and productive

decisions that will benefit every project.

Real-time data allows teams to stay

up-to-date with the project status and any

issues that may arise. Identifying these

issues early on allows management to

adjust their plans to resolve issues before

they cause real damage. Having data flow

from field to office can also help team

members learn from patterns and optimize

workflows to get the best possible results,

and the information gathered can be utilized

to derive useful insights for future growth.

BUILD A DATA RELATIONSHIP

Cloud-based, platform-enabled solutions,

like CONNEX Jobsite from Command

Alkon, digitize information from paper

tickets so the entire supply chain can

see ticket data in real time, throughout

the ticket’s lifecycles, from anywhere.

Projects reduce waste, eliminate

manual tasks and duplicate data entry,

standardize processes, improve materials

yield, and track job costs daily with digital

workflows from vendor to field to office.

The CONNEX Jobsite solution has been

a great value add to the team at Grand

Parkway Infrastructure, LLC. Providing

the streamlined workflow with ticketing,

payments and materials tracking needed

on such a large infrastructure project,

providing a single source of info for

multiple stakeholders, and keeping the

entire team on the same page.

Although platform-enabled jobsite

technologies do wonders from a

digitization standpoint, the majority of

the tickets in the construction industry

are still just pieces of paper that get

passed through multiple touchpoints.

TicketPro, part of the CONNEX Jobsite

tech stack, makes it possible to digitize

100% of your material and haul tickets

and invoices and do some incredible

things with the digital data, such as

job cost reporting, accruals reporting,

automated invoice reconciliation, and

delivery of more insights that can help to

run a more efficient job.

FUEL FIELD PRODUCTIVITY

Capturing tickets on the jobsite takes

just seconds using the TicketPro mobile

app. The ticket signer simply selects

the project, chooses the material being

hauled, and snaps a picture of the paper

ticket. The app even filters the projects

that are displayed to the user by a 1-mile

radius and attaches the GPS location of

where the ticket was captured, to help

eliminate fraud and errors at the jobsite.

All of the tickets submitted show up at

the top of the Tickets Page instantly, and

the user can click on the details to view

who signed the ticket, what time, the

location, and more.

TicketPro can also utilize scanner

integration to upload and analyze tickets

in half the time, while extracting data

Digital Data Flows

get rid of paper management and reconciliation processes

EFFICIENCY MATTERS

By Lori Allen

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

from tickets using OCR technology.

Hundreds of tickets can be imported

in minutes, and users can also capture

tickets directly from the scale printer

with an integration that imports the

tickets as soon as they’re created by the

scale operator, or through an integration

with CONNEX for companies that are

already taking advantage of the platform.

TicketPro has an army of people around

the globe that are working 24 hours

a day to verify data entry. This makes

TicketPro part of a new generation of

technology where robots and humans

have a symbiotic relationship and work

collaboratively to create a new level of

service that traditional software systems

do not provide.

The TicketPro Trucking Cycle report

displays the total loads and weights

delivered to date, as well as monitoring

for problematic trips that are running

long or short. This report provides project

managers and foremen with all of the

information needed for job cost reporting.

AUTOMATE RECONCILIATION

In the past if an invoice had a

discrepancy, it would take weeks to

pass changes back and forth before

it gets paid. With TicketPro’s invoice

portal, contractors can communicate

with vendors in seconds to make sure

their records match and then process

the invoice within hours. Vendors

can also request early payment to

fill in those cash flow gaps. With

the Reconciliation tool, the user can

verify the work completed by simply

scanning in a paper invoice and

asking TicketPro to match tickets in

the system with each line item on

the invoice. TicketPro then highlights

any missing, duplicate, or previously

invoiced tickets for review, to ensure

that the work being paid for has

been completed, and that it hasn’t

been paid for previously. TicketPro

integrates with multiple accounting

software solutions, such as Viewpoint,

Quickbooks, and more.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Digitizing the data from tickets that are

coming into the jobsite requires field

personnel to work more collaboratively

with the back office. Taking this a step

further, the relationships between

suppliers or haulers and contractors has

been contentious, and technology can act

as a facilitator in improving and enhancing

collaboration across the heavy building

materials supply chain. Systems like

CONNEX get everyone in the supply chain

collaborating more, sharing the same data,

and optimizing their business processes.

about the author

Lori Allen is the director of marketing at

Command Alkon. In her 20 years with

the company, she has worked in training,

technical writing, product development,

quality assurance, and process development

roles. For more, visit www.commandalkon.

com/getconnexjobsite.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com40

software solutionsoftware solution

Integration Works

focusing on the business side of projects

EXPERT Q&A

By Donna Campbell

focusing on the business side of projects

By Donna Campbell

Integration Works

focusing on the business side of projects

EXPERT Q&A

By Donna Campbell

focusing on the business side of projects

By Donna Campbell

PART 2 OF 2

n part 1 of this Q&A with Adeaca’s

vice president of market innovation

and project business evangelist, Matt

Mong, we spoke about Project Business

Automation, a new category of software

solutions designed to help project-based

businesses, including AEC, to integrate

all core project business processes into

one comprehensive system.

We also covered the importance of

identifying as a project business and why

focusing on the business side of projects

is key to ensuring AEC projects are

delivered on time and on budget. Now,

I want to take a deep dive into Project

Business Automation, or PBA, and

how PBA could be the future of project

business.

MCS: What is Project Business

Automation?

MONG: Project Business Automation is

a new category of solutions designed to

help project-based companies integrate

all core project business processes

into one, end-to-end system. PBA is a

new approach in solutions for project

businesses. It rejects the status quo of

disparate, disconnected applications in

favor of one integrated business system.

More specifically, one that includes

support for all project business processes

and connects them seamlessly in real

time. The PBA approach is the future of

project-based industries.

MCS:

So, how is PBA different than

other “apps” claiming the same thing?

MONG:

Great question. Let’s break

it down. In order to create a complete

business system, it must tie together

support for all major business processes.

For project businesses, including AEC,

this not only includes backend ERP

functionality, such as accounting, general

ledger, customer management, HR, supply

chain and MRP, but also project-driven

processes such as project financials and

accounting, project management and

operations, project sales and proposals,

project insight and analytics, as well as

customer collaboration.

PBA is the only system that reaches

this level of comprehensiveness.

Other apps only address part of these

business areas, not all of them. Yes, you

could implement a sophisticated project

management application, but if it doesn’t

connect in real time to your backend

financials, you’ll have a difficult time

running an enterprise based on projects.

Most likely, you’ll employ a hoard of IT

and financial controller resources to

maintain these applications separately

and integrate the data between them. It’s

not only time consuming, but tedious.

MCS: Makes sense. Can you tell me

how PBA works?

MONG:

There are essentially three core

elements of PBA: Project Financials,

Project Operations, and Project Insight.

Beyond these central functions, there are

further enhancements and extension to

PBA, but I’ll just focus on the main three

right now.

The first is Project Financials. PBA

provides the financial structure for any

AEC company to operate. Effective

financial management of AEC projects

requires much more than what traditional

project accounting systems provide.

PBA closes the gap between what AEC

companies need and what mainstream

ERP solutions offer.

While a solid accounting framework

is required to track actual costs and

invoices, revenue recognition, accruals

and budgets; when it comes to securing

AEC project profitability and support

effective decision making, it’s much

more important to track cost and profit

variances, contingencies and productivity

while at the same time identifying trends

and maintaining a full audit trail.

The second main component if

PBA is Project Operations. PBA goes

beyond project management. For AEC

companies, projects are not simply

an internal exercise in productivity

improvement. When delivering projects

to your customer is how you generate

revenue, your project operations are the

lifeblood of your company.

AEC companies know how critical it

is to be able to accurately plan those

engagements while managing resources,

subcontractors, risks, deadlines, and

related supply chain activities. A lack

of real-time insight into your delivery

operations will result in increased risk

and decreased profitability.

Project management applications were

originally built to manage standalone

projects. They are not meant to run your

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

entire business. PBA is a completely

different approach to managing project

operations. It offers a complete and

real-time integration between back-end

ERP functions and your operational

project management activities. With

PBA, all critical operational business

processes are executed within a single

solution with built-in processes and audit

control. This means AEC companies can

control process flows throughout the

enterprise, establishing an enforceable

and repeatable business model.

The third core element of PBA is

Project Insight. PBA brings leaders of

AEC businesses the real-time insight

they need to transform their companies

into high-performing enterprises. It

gets the right information to the right

people instantly. When you bring all

essential project functionality into one

system, AEC companies have access

to project and business intelligence

faster than ever before. When you have

access to the financial and operational

status of all projects and the enterprise

simultaneously, managers and

executives are able to make decisions

with the most accurate and updated

information available.

CLOSING THOUGHT

The bottom line is PBA for AEC

companies is all about making the

business more effective. That means

delivering more projects on time

and within budget. PBA helps AEC

companies produce better outcomes for

their customers, which ultimately leads

to increased revenue and profitability

for more information

Matt Mong is a project business evangelist,

leading thought leadership efforts for Adeaca.

Matt has worked to define and expose the

fundamental issues plaguing project-based

companies. He coined the product category

term Project Business Automation, now

adopted by Forrester, as a new approach

to digital transformation for project-driven

businesses. For more, visit www.adeaca.com.

Our digital marketing campaigns

can identify prospects interested

specifically in your product, and

then tell you exactly who they are!

See what our customers are saying:

The reports are awesome!

Thank you. If we can

get that level of

information from all

of our suppliers, we will

be very happy! We have

already made one machine

sale to a prospect from

the eBlast and I am sure

there will be more.

Paul Gazik,

Business Development/International Sales

for

Call us today to get started at

205.795.0223 or email us at

russell@mcsmag.com

You Need Leads!You Need Leads!

We Have the We Have the

Solution!Solution!

PBA FOR AEC BLUEPRINT DOWNLOAD:

www.adeaca.com/project-business-automation-blueprint

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more resources

Construction Claims

how to calculate the recoverable costs and damages

RISK ASSESSMENT

By Aman Kahlon

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com44

legal solution

hen negotiating a complex

change order or preparing to

litigate a claim, calculating

actual recoverable costs incurred can

be a difficult exercise. You will want to

first review your contract to determine

what kinds of costs are compensable.

For example, the change order provision

of your contract may provide a specific

markup that can be included in a change

request or limit the recovery of indirect

costs and overhead associated with

a change. Similarly, a termination for

convenience provision may prohibit

recovery of profit or provide a defined

demobilization fee. Your contract may

also include liability caps or waivers

of certain types of damages (e.g.,

consequential damages). Damages

waivers may try and limit exposure

of both parties to indirect, hard-to-

determine costs.

ECONOMIC LOSS DOCTRINE

Beyond the contract terms, recoverable

costs will also be limited by the different

methodologies or approaches used

by various courts. One of the primary

limitations on recovery in contract

disputes, including those involving

construction, is the economic loss

doctrine. Most states have adopted the

economic loss doctrine in some form.

While a detailed discussion could fill

up several pages, the basic premise of

the doctrine is that a party cannot avoid

contractual limitations on recovery by

alleging a tort (e.g., negligence) for

purely economic losses.

ACCOUNTING METHODOLOGIES

Other challenges to calculating

recoverable costs relate to the

accounting methodologies used by a

party in developing a claim. When things

go wrong on a construction project,

it may be difficult to adequately track

costs or assign costs to particular

impacts. Concurrent delays, acceleration

directives, interference with the work,

and other issues all complicate the cost

accounting exercise. Even the most

sophisticated contractors, can have a

hard time tracking their costs. Courts are

not always forgiving of the complexity

involved in tracking construction costs,

so be careful about trying to submit

your claim as a total cost claim (i.e.,

here’s what we bid and here’s what

it actually cost to build the project;

pay us the difference). If you cannot

adequately connect your damages to

the claimed impacts and demonstrate

their reasonableness, many jurisdictions

will not permit recovery based on this

total cost exercise, although there are

exceptions and caveats.

ENSURE CLAIM IS CREDIBLE

Before you submit a claim, you should

consult internally or with a lawyer to

make sure you are adequately calculating

your damages in way that you can later

justify to a judge or arbitrator. The size

and credibility of your damages claim will

likely factor into the risk assessment that

your company makes in pursuing a claim

in arbitration or litigation.

The size and credibility

of your damages claim

will likely factor into the

risk assessment that

your company makes

in pursuing a claim in

arbitration or litigation.

consultant. The industry has a number of experts who address construction delay and

accounting matters and can help you work through a difficult or complex claim.

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

For instance, if a project manager

presents a claim that estimates total

losses of $10 million, at first glance, that

may appear like a sizable claim that is

worth pursuing. However, if on further

reflection, you recognize that the project

manager failed to account for contractual

limitations on recoverable costs or has not

done a poor job of tracking and assigning

costs to the particular impact giving rise to

your claim, the actual amount of the claim

you can legitimately support may be much

smaller. If your $10 million claim turns

out to really be worth only $1 million, the

expected attorneys’ fees and uncertainty

of the litigation process may cause you to

re-think pursuing the matter aggressively.

CLOSING THOUGHT

This article touches very briefly on some

of the complexities of determining

construction damages, but this is not

an exhaustive discussion. There are

other methodologies and approaches

contractors use to calculate their

damages (e.g., loss productivity claims)

that may be worth exploring depending on

the type of claim you are pursuing. Aside

from contacting your lawyer, you may also

consider reaching out to a construction

about the author

Aman Kahlon is a partner in the Construction Practice Group at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

(www.bradley.com) in Birmingham, Alabama. He represents owners, general contractors, and

subcontractors in construction and government contracts matters. His litigation experience covers a wide

variety of disputes, including substantial experience in power and energy matters. He also advises clients on

delay, interference, defective design, and negligence claims. He can be reached at akahlon@bradley.com.

The industry has a

number of experts who

address construction

delay and accounting

matters and can help you

work through a difficult

or complex claim.

Be careful about trying

to submit your claim as

a total cost claim.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com46

technology solution

racy Raver is a builder at heart.

As a pipefitter with 27 years of

experience in the field, he’s had

his head and hands deep in the work of

assembling complex mechanical systems

for commercial and industrial facilities

of every sort. Over the last 16 years with

Apollo Mechanical Contractors, Raver

has seen his employer grow from a local

sheet metal fabricator in Kennewick,

Washington, to a nationally respected

Mechanical Contracting powerhouse

with eight offices stretching from

Washington to Tennessee. Of all the

factors contributing to the firm’s steady

growth during Raver’s tenure, perhaps

no innovation is more significant than

embracing prefabrication’s virtually

unlimited potential.

ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY

“For me, the most exciting thing

about construction is the continually

changing technology that is improving

how we work and what we produce,”

says Raver. Apollo believes in building

people who build great things. The

firm focus on employees starts with a

drive for safety, a willingness to put the

customer first always, and a resolute

insistence on installing only the best

quality products that anybody could

supply. Apollo also takes great pride in

innovating in response to change. During

the aftermath of the 2008 recession,

like many union contractors, Apollo was

pressed to find ways to become more

productive on the work.

“Setting up a prefabrication shop

dedicated to building and pre-assembling

components in a controlled facility away

from the jobsite has been a huge success

for us,” continues Raver. Starting with just

a few common building systems, Apollo’s

prefabrication shop quickly enabled

the company to become much more

competitive on price, while increasing

product profitability, ease of assembly,

speed to market, and workforce safety

significantly. As Apollo’s prefabrication

capacities have steadily expanded in the

decade since establishing the prefab

shop, their technological capabilities and

resources also had to keep pace with the

digital world.

“Datum Tech Solutions is a local laser

scanning technology firm that has been

an important resource in our toolbox,”

shares Raver of a consulting relationship

several years in the making. Based

in Seattle, Washington, and serving

clients nationally, Datum Tech Solutions

represents the leading edge of digital

geometric shape-data capture through

point cloud generation.

REPLACEMENT PROJECT

When Apollo was awarded a complex,

equipment replacement project at

Packaging Corporation of America’s

Wallula Full-Line Plant in Wallula,

Wshington, Datum Tech was the first

resource Raver turned to.

“The scope at the Wallula plant was

to replace an intricate system of vacuum

headers on some large paper processing

machinery that had become clogged with

sludge and wasn’t maintaining pressure,”

Laser Scanning

prefabrication and point-cloud technology go hand-in-hand

GAME CHANGER

By Sean O’Keefe

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

continues Raver. “The assembly was a

tangled mess of some 30 to 40 different

pipe and valve components connecting

beneath the mainline of a processing run

in a fairly tight space. The client was very

concerned about any prolonged plant shut

down and lots of other work was being

scheduled concurrently. Our objective

was to recreate the entire configuration in

our prefab shop and save significant time

assembling it at the plant.”

PIPING CHALLENGES

In addition to the intense complexity of

the piping configurations, the machinery

had also been subjected to many years

of ad hoc repairs and patch welds. Raver

estimates that before prefabrication,

Apollo likely would have had a six-man

crew on the project for more than a

month. In the case of the Wallula plant,

the client originally anticipated a 2-week

shutdown but narrowed that window

down to just one week before the scope,

schedule, and costs were fully aligned

with their expectations.

“In terms of site constraints during

construction, the preconstruction process

revealed there would be quite a few,”

continues Raver. “There were roughly

30 other contractors doing work in the

same space the same week and layers of

scaffolding rising around this apparatus

on two sides. The prefabrication shop

became incredibly important. I estimate

that 80% of the manhours took place in

our shop and just 20% in the field. Having

Datum’s virtual model of the machinery to

build from is what made that possible.”

PRACTICAL USE OF TECH

Bob Rice is also a builder at heart.

He’s been in the construction and

design industry for more than 30 years,

maintaining a focus on the intersection

of technology and practical hands-on

reality. As the general manager for Datum

Tech, Rice has his eyes on everything the

firm touches.

“Our team excels where conditions

are extreme and require best-in-class

technology and an outside-of-the-box

approach,” says Rice of the work and

ethos at Datum Tech. “This company

loves a challenge.”

As a scanning assignment, the Wallula

plant scan certainly had its fair share of

challenges. The vacuum pump assembly

was located in a 20 ft by 75 ft maintenance

vault with a 10 ft ceiling beneath the

production run. The heat and steam of the

machinery turned the surrounding air into

a stifling soup of more than 100 degrees

F. The clouds of air were so thick, and the

Leica RTC360 3D Laser Scanner Datum

used to capture the scan so precise that

parts of the clouds rendered as tangible

data points that had to be removed from

the recap file. In a single afternoon,

Datum’s technician shot the entire

assembly in exacting detail to produce a

like-for-like virtual model of the machinery

from which Apollo Mechanical recreated

the components in exacting detail.

“From hiring the next generation

of builders to getting the work done,

technology drives our industry,” says

Raver. “Datum’s laser scan produced a

model that allowed us to prefabricate the

entire assembly off-site, and we installed

it in less than a week.”

CLOSING THOUGHT

Having finished their work early, Apollo

invited the plant owners on a tour, and

they were astonished.

“They said they had never seen

anything like it,” finishes Raver. “We all

immediately began discussing ways laser

scanning of this caliber could save us

even more time and money in the future.

It’s a real game-changer.”

TECHNOLOGY

•

MANAGEMENT

MANAGEMENT •

ENVIRONMENTAL

EQUIPMENT

• SAFETY

SAFETY

• TECHNOLOGY

SAFETY

• TECHNOLOGY

ENVIRONMENT • EQUIPMENT

SOLUTIONS

TECHNOLOGY

•

MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY

•

MANAGEMENT

MANAGEMENT •

ENVIRONMENTAL

EQUIPMENT

• SAFETY

SAFETY

• TECHNOLOGY

ENVIRONMENT • EQUIPMENT

SOLUTIONS

LET MCS BE YOUR RESOURCE.LET MCS BE YOUR RESOURCE.

SEEKING A SOLUTION?SEEKING A SOLUTION?

Search mcsmag.com for

solution-based articles with

insight from industry experts.

about the author

Sean O’Keefe is a writer crafts architecture

and construction writer stories for Datum

Tech Solutions (datumtechsolutions.com) and

others based on 20 years of experience and a

keen interest in the people who make projects

happen. He can be reached at sean@sokpr.com.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com48

technology solution

ue to the advances in technology

designed for the construction

industry, there are more

innovative solutions to choose from

for estimating and bidding, project

readiness, and safety measures. I had

the opportunity to speak with Casey

Banks, senior regional risk control

consultant at Travelers, about his

thoughts regarding technology’s impact

on today’s construction jobsites. Here’s

an excerpt of our exchange via Q&A.

MCS: How are you seeing

technological innovations reshape the

construction industry?

BANKS: Innovative technologies

continue to play an important role in

enabling safer, more efficient jobsites.

We’ve seen many of our customers

benefit from incorporating a variety of

solutions designed to address some of

the main pain points they’re facing—

such as the lack of skilled labor, real-time

project visibility, and the rising costs of

worker injuries.

For instance, smarter, more connected

jobsites that provide instant data on

worker locations can reduce response

times to anyone who gets injured. The

improved visibility has been proven

especially critical during the COVID-19

pandemic, allowing companies to

respond rapidly in the event of a positive

case. Another benefit is that these tools

can aid in maintaining control over who is

or is not allowed on the jobsite.

With all the new types of technology,

many contractors are trying to figure

out the best approach to leveraging

advanced systems to help them improve

safety, while staying competitive in a

world where projects are becoming

“smarter” and more connected across

the industry.

MCS:

How can new technologies—

such as drones for site surveillance or

smart wearables for physical safety—be

used to improve safety on the jobsite?

BANKS: Each technology brings with

it the potential to address a specific

challenge. Take drones, for example.

Historically, workers would climb up on a

roof or other elevated platform to inspect

a building or a piece of equipment.

Today, we are seeing more contractors

realizing the benefits of using drones to

get that bird’s-eye view without risking

potential falls.

You also mentioned smart wearables.

While they can differ, many are designed

to help prevent worker accidents and

injuries. For instance, a worker wearing a

proximity sensor could receive an audible

or vibratory alert to notify them when

they’re too close to a piece of heavy

equipment or entering unauthorized or

hazardous areas.

Another example would be having

workers with less experience take

simulation-based training through mixed-

reality platforms. This type of solution

allows workers to experience real-life

situations without physically being in

harm’s way. This can be especially useful

in training workers to use equipment,

including cranes, and on how to protect

themselves against falls.

MCS: Why is it important that

construction businesses constantly evolve

their protective measures to minimize

risks to employees and their business,

especially around new technology?

BANKS: We’ve seen the industry

continue to evolve, especially over

the last few years, with increased use

of technology on jobsites. You may

recall that, not too long ago, there

was resistance to devices such as

cameras and tablets. Once contractors

and workers realized usage benefits,

Preventing Loss

advances in technology provide safety benefit

EXPERT Q&A

By Donna Campbell

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

including how easy they were to use

and how they could help with safety,

production, and quality control,

acceptance grew.

Even with all the technological

advances, maintaining a sharp focus

on worker safety will always be

critical, as physical labor remains vital

to every project. This reality requires

understanding the risk landscape on each

project and knowing which prevention

and mitigation tactics to put in place

to reduce the potential for accidents

and injuries.

MCS: How is Travelers helping

construction businesses foster safe

working environments and the safe use

of technology?

BANKS: As one of the largest providers

of insurance in the construction

industry and a leader in the workers

compensation space, we understand

how things can go wrong on construction

sites. One of the reasons we work so

closely with our customers is to help

them find ways to improve worker safety

and avoid workplace injuries.

Our dedicated underwriters, Claims

professionals, and Risk Control

consultants work with contractors

to share industry insights, assist in

analyzing risk, manage claims to improve

outcomes, and provide information on

safety, health, and risk management

programs to prevent loss.

We’re testing and piloting many

emerging-technology solutions, such

as proximity sensors and wearable

devices for worker safety, as well as

water sensors designed to help identify

potential risks associated with water

damage. These efforts allow us to better

understand their uses, risks, and benefits

so that we can pass those observations

on to our customers and help them make

more informed decisions.

We also work with customers to

help them understand how they can

use all the data from these solutions

to improve jobsite safety. For instance,

this information can empower managers

to provide feedback to workers to

help prevent unsafe behaviors and

as part of longer-term planning and

strategy development.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Regardless of the technology that’s being

used, establishing an effective safety

culture that starts with top management will

remain a critical component of preventing

loss. It is important for managers to lead by

example and to hold workers accountable to

established safety programs.

THE LEADER

in Innovative Products

for more information

Casey Banks is a senior regional risk control

consultant at Travelers. For more, visit

www.travelers.com/business-insurance/

construction.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com50

technology solution

stimating and bidding go hand-

in-hand. It’s the previous job

experience that informs the resume.

The ingredients that make up the recipe.

To have a successful, best-in-class bid,

you first must have the needed insight

from data you can trust to create the

well-rounded, accurate result that keeps

people coming back for more, not unlike

a family-secret recipe for cherry cobbler

that you guard for your life. No one can

steal your secret sauce when you realize

that estimating is both a science and art

that truly informs the bid.

The scientific component of estimating

includes determining the precise

quantities needed for each material.

For those contractors ready to optimize

processes, this most likely includes

utilizing technology to develop a Building

Information Modeling (BIM) model and

automate the quantity takeoff function.

The art of estimating goes far beyond

quantities. It means including logistics,

crew, and time estimates that factor

potential difficulties, risks, and waste into

decisions, painting a complete picture of

what the project might look like far beyond

just materials. This art form is what sets

apart the estimating experts from the

pack, resulting in more winning bids.

After combining the science and art

components of estimating, contractors

can feel assured they are submitting

accurate estimates that will deliver on

time and budget, including potential

external factors with the easy-to-

determine quantity numbers.

IMPROVING WITH TECH

Historically, contractors completed the

estimating and bidding processes within

spreadsheets, submitting bids in Excel.

Traditional estimating software includes

variations of spreadsheets disconnected

from actual work performed. It’s high time

this was disrupted, and new technology is

here to evolve these processes, helping to

make estimates more precise and saving

teams time and resources.

Similarly, contractors can utilize this

technology to review findings and data

from similar past projects, meaning they’re

not starting from scratch with every

estimate. This also helps better inform the

Estimating & Bidding

the current state of the process

TECHNOLOGY’S IMPACT

By Raghi Iyengar

Innovative, best-in-class

software is already

improving and informing

the art of estimating

by providing increased

visibility and transparency

into a project and its

expected risk factors.

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

understanding of potential risks based on

actual data. And it provides visibility that

impacts the construction site layout. At the

same time, teams can save time, all thanks

to the wealth of historical information from

previous and current projects.

In turn, all of this is making the industry

interesting as we effectively industrialize

construction by leveraging AI and simulation

to support better decision-making.

TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION

Offsite construction software remains

the top-tier option for the industry in

industrializing the construction process.

This technology can provide real-time

insights, visibility, and control into who is

building what components, assemblies

and modules, and where and when for

the largest construction projects.

These end-to-end construction

technology platforms allow you to look at

buildings from the product perspective. It

informs time and costs estimates while also

providing insight into relationships between

specific suppliers and manufacturers to

give better estimates. At the same time,

it helps further establish supply chain

relationships where it is beneficial.

For example, the industry can rely on

machine learning to make sense of all

the data presented and identify trends

and lessons learned across previous

projects to reduce and identify risk

factors, providing a much richer data set

that truly optimizes decision-making.

And, when this technology is paired

with visual intelligence (VI) software,

things become even more intuitive. VI

technology, in the context of digital

twins, provides an immersive experience

products, processes, people, and more.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Technology is truly revolutionizing the

construction industry starting from the

very beginning: estimating. And, as the

fourth Industrial Revolution becomes

more real for the industry, it’s time we

think about how technology can evolve

and improve the industry, elevating the

role of our teams while also equipping

the sector to make construction projects

faster, cheaper, better, and greener.

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about the author

Raghi Iyengar is the president of

Manufacton, a SaaS (mobile/web) platform

that helps construction firms plan, track,

and manage both prefabrication and

regular material handling. For more, visit

www.manufacton.com.

It’s high time estimating

and bidding were

disrupted, and new

technology is here to

evolve these processes.

JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com52

safety solution

Smart PPE

trackable heat susceptibility

and sweat rate

WORKER HEAT MONITORING

ith summer comes sun

and heat, two factors that

impact the safety conditions

on jobsites. Workers need the proper

hydration and PPE to remain safe on the

job during the hot days of summer. One

company adds to its smart PPE system

to lessen the worry of heat risk, Kenzen.

Kenzen adds two important features

to its smart PPE system for monitoring

workers’ heat risk on the job. Kenzen

technology can track the heat susceptibility

and sweat rate of individuals—key

indicators in the detection and prevention

of heat-related stress, injury, and fatality

risk of workers in hot environments.

HEAT SUSCEPTIBILITY

The Kenzen system calculates heat

susceptibility of a worker and then

classifies them into low, moderate, or high

heat-risk categories. Kenzen’s proprietary

algorithm determines the person’s heat

risk category by evaluating their medical

or physical conditions, physical fitness,

heat-acclimatization status, history of heat

injury and illness, medications, chronic

illnesses, and age. The classification does

not reveal personal information or reasons

why someone is in a particular heat risk

category; it is only used to help supervisors

monitor and manage people according to

their individual heat susceptibility.

“Managers have so much to worry

about at their worksite, including if their

workers are physically able to work

safely to get the job done well and on

time,” says Nicole Moyen, vice president

of research and development at Kenzen.

“This new feature tells managers which

workers to monitor closely on hot days,

and when and how to alter an individual’s

schedule or workload.”

SWEAT RATE MONITORING

Kenzen also has a new sweat rate

monitoring feature that uses a worker’s

information and physiological data to

calculate and predict their sweat rate,

in liters per hour. A manager can view

an individual’s sweat rate on the Kenzen

analytics dashboard, which also indicates

how much water that person needs to

drink each hour to stay hydrated. The

data eliminates the guesswork in how

to keep workers safely hydrated and

makes the Kenzen system an even more

valuable planning tool. Now managers

can bring enough water to the worksite

to hydrate their teams sufficiently based

on each individual’s sweat rate and the

predicted environmental conditions that

day. Kenzen’s proprietary sweat rate

feature gives a hydration plan that is

accurate within one quarter of a liter (1

cup of water), so that every worker will

know the specific amount of water they

need to drink that day to stay safe.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it

comes to hydration, which is why it’s

important to use each person’s sweat

rate for an individualized hydration plan,”

says Moyen. “Dehydration is a major

problem on worksites and increases

the chances of someone getting a heat

injury or illness, having an accident at

the worksite, or suffering from cognitive

impairment. Staying hydrated is a simple

fix to avoid most of these problems.”

PPE WITH SENSORS

Kenzen devices worn by workers contain

sensors that monitor, in real time, an

individual’s physiological responses.

The worker is warned when their core

temperature is too high and they are in

danger of a heat-related injury or illness

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

via a smartphone app and a device vibration. Managers have

a corresponding app that alerts them when a worker needs an

intervention to stop work, rest, and hydrate, and a second alert

for when it’s safe to return to work. EHS leaders use the Kenzen

analytics dashboard to make decisions to minimize heat-related

injury and illnesses on the jobsite.

With the Kenzen solution, only workers can view the details of

their personal health information, while safety managers and other

EHS leaders only see what’s necessary to keep the workers safe.

CLOSING THOUGHT

This summer, Kenzen has a rental program for companies to quickly

deploy the technology with packages of 10, 20, and 50 devices.

The program includes the monitoring app for managers and can

be rented for a 2-month period online at store.kenzen.com, where

training videos provide instructions for use and deployment.

for more information

Founded in 2016, Kenzen is the premier physiological monitoring platform to

keep workforces safe from heat, fatigue, and over exertion on the job while

providing data driven insights to maintain productivity. For more information

about heat stress and how to integrate the system into a safety plan, visit

kenzen.com.

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JULY 2021 www.mcsmag.com54

safety solution

t’s that time of year again. The sun is

out and the heat is here. According to

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), July is the

warmest month for most of the country.

For those working on the jobsite, it can

feel even warmer.

High temperatures pose more risks to

workers than extra sweat. Two dangers

to watch out for are heat exhaustion and

heatstroke. Both conditions can be life-

threatening and are caused by overexertion

in hot environments where the body is

unable to cool itself down efficiently or

effectively. Another risk is skin cancer, the

most prevalent form of cancer in the United

States. The leading cause of skin cancer

is UV radiation from the sun’s ultraviolet

rays and those who regularly spend time

working outdoors are naturally at more risk.

That being said, there are ways for

workers to protect themselves against

the sun and warm weather. Below are

some tips to beat the heat while working

outdoors during the summer.

PROTECT YOUR SKIN

According to the Cancer Society, outdoor

workers are 10 times more likely to

develop conditions from UV radiation. All

skin tones can be damaged by UV radiation

and the damage is not only permanent, but

increases with each exposure. UV radiation

is almost always present outdoors and

can be affected by factors including sun

elevation, latitude, altitude, and cloud

cover. Reflective surfaces from materials

often found on the jobsite can even

bounce UV radiation onto exposed skin.

Despite this, only 18% of outdoor

workers report always wearing sunscreen

on the job. It is understandable—sunscreen

is sticky, attracts dust and debris, and does

not last a full day. But as inconvenient as it

might be, sunscreen is vital for protection.

CLOTHING AS PROTECTION

For the 82% of workers who are not using

sunscreen, there are alternatives, such as

protective clothing that covers vulnerable

areas such as the arms and neck.

Workers should specifically be looking for

clothing with Ultraviolet Protection Factor.

Also known as UPF, this is the numerical

rating given to clothing to indicate

effectiveness at blocking UV radiation.

There are a variety of protective

clothing options including Truewerk’s

T.5 WerkHoody or Cloud Shirt, made with

lightweight, fast-drying, and breathable

fabric designed to keep workers cool.

And don’t forget about protecting the

head! Wear a hat and invest in durable

sunglasses with UV protection.

STAY HYDRATED

According to

Water Natura

, 75% of

Americans are dehydrated. If you’re

reading this, that means you are probably

due for a water break!

Drinking water is essential—especially

for those in the trades who always need

to operate at peak performance. H

0 is

critical when it comes to regulating and

maintaining body temperature, removing

waste, and moistening your mouth, eyes,

nose, hair, skin, joints, and digestive tract.

About 85% of the brain is made

of water and when functioning on a

full reserve, people are able to think

faster, be more alert, and concentrate

more effectively. Water is also critical

for efficiently delivering nutrients and

removing toxins from the brain.

Although it depends on H

0, the brain

does not actually have any way to store

water. Even slight levels of dehydration can

cause the brain to shrink in size. Research

from

Water Benefits Health

indicates

that when water loss is merely 2% of body

weight, brain functions such as short-term

memory and visual motor tracking can be

impaired. Those who are slightly thirsty

Summer Jobsite Health

ways to outsmart the sun and heat

BEST PRACTICES

By Brian Ciciora

www.mcsmag.com JULY 2021

are already on the way to experiencing

dehydration and slower reaction times.

This can be extremely dangerous for

anyone on a jobsite. Here are some tips to

help workers avoid dehydration:

• Drink at least 16-20 ounces of fluid an

hour or two before starting the day.

• People should drink 6 to 12 ounces

of fluid every 10 to 15 minutes they

are outdoors. Estimates suggest that

workers in heavy PPE can lose as

much as 2.25 liters every hour.

• Even after clocking out, stay hydrated.

To replace what was lost throughout

the day, drink at least another 16 to 24

ounces (2 to 3 glasses).

• Keep water cool; the body absorbs

water in the 50-60 degrees F range

much faster. Insulated stainless

steel water bottles from brands

HydroFlask

can keep water

cold almost all day and Truewerk’s

Hydra WerkPack

ensures H

0 is

always readily available.

• 20% of daily water intake comes

from food. High-water foods include

watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers,

berries, and leafy greens. All of these

foods also offer key nutrients.

RECOGNIZING WARNING SIGNS

It is essential that workers are able to

recognize signs of dehydration and

heat exhaustion. These include fatigue,

dizziness, and confusion. Urination can

also provide indicators about hydration.

Everyone should know the “golden rule”

test—if urine is clear to pale, you are

hydrated. If it appears more golden, you

should drink more water.

It is important to be proactive about

looking for warning signs—when not

treated promptly, heat exhaustion

can lead to heatstroke, which can

be life-threatening.

CLOSING THOUGHT

There are unique risks when it comes

to working outdoors in the summer, but

there are ways for workers to protect

themselves against the sun and heat.

Workers should also be aware of how

to catch warning signs of conditions of

working outdoors in the heat early. The

risks associated with outdoor work in the

summer are serious, but when vigilant

about taking the necessary precautionary

steps, workers can successfully stay cool

on the job. It is always worth it to take

the extra time to hydrate.

about the author

Brian Ciciora is the founder and CEO of

Truewerk, a direct-to-consumer performance

workwear brand driven to protect, promote,

and empower industrial athletes through

comfortable, high-performance workwear.

Committed to improving lives by setting a higher

performance standard for workwear, Truewerk

utilizes elite materials and technical design

that keeps you safe, comfortable, and looking

professional. For more, visit truewerk.com.

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