Modern Contractor Solutions May 2020

MAY 2020

DIGITAL EDITION

MAY 2020WWW.MCSMAG.COM

BOOMERS

IMPACT ON

THE ECONOMY

PROJECT

BUSINESSES

ADOPTING A

CLOUD STRATEGY

JOBSITE

ISSUES

POSSIBLE

SETBACKS

LEVERAGING

TECHNOLOGY

BE COMPETITIVE

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION

Retrofits for Cutting Carbon Emissions

SOFTWARE SOLUTION

Using Data Metrics for Profitability

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION

Researchers Use Enerpac for Safety Testing

SAFETY SOLUTION

Adjustable Arch Lifting Technology

project profile

Atomized Mist

curing concrete with consistent humidity level

MAY 2020

VOLUME 14

ISSUE 05

Inside This Issue

ON THE COVER

Photo courtesy of Morooka

USA. A Morooka MST-2200VDR

helps move dirt for a creek

restoration project near

Charlottesville, Virginia. Its

unique ability to rotate its

upper structure without moving

the tracks allows for it to easily

maneuver smaller jobsites. See

the Morooka USA ad on the

back cover.

www.morookacarriers.com

special

focus

IN EVERY ISSUE

Industry News .................................08

Modern Construction Products.......63

What’s Trending ..............................66

safety solution

Common Sense

returning to the office as states reopen

legal solution

Delay Issues

a glimpse into construction setbacks

management solution

Project Businesses

adopting a cloud strategy

software solution

Leveraging Technology

remaining competitive

projects

software solution

Digital Transformation

effect of digitization

Donna Campbell

Editor in Chief

From the Editor

www.mcsmag.com

P.O. Box 660197 | Birmingham, AL 35266

DONNA CAMPBELL

Editor in Chief

donna@mcsmag.com

MIKE BARKER

Publisher

mike@mcsmag.com

RANDY MOON

Media Consultant

randym@mcsmag.com

MICHAEL FISCHBACH

Media Consultant

michael@mcsmag.com

JOHN FRIEND

Media Consultant

john@mcsmag.com

KEVIN MCCLARAN

Media Consultant

kevin@mcsmag.com

LISA AVERY

Art Director

lisa@mcsmag.com

CRISTELA TSCHUMY

Graphic Designer

cristela@mcsmag.com

SETH SAUNDERS

Digital Media Specialist

seth@mcsmag.com

INGRID BERKY

Office Manager

ingrid@mcsmag.com

TIM GARMON

CEO

RUSSELL HADDOCK

President

CHRIS GARMON

CFO

DONNA CAMPBELL

Vice President, Editorial

TONYA BROWNING

Vice President

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Modern Contractor

Solutions Magazine

Modern Contractor

Solutions

PROJECT PROFILE

Atomized Mist ....................................................................16

EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

Proper Footwear .................................................................20

Compact Utility Loaders .....................................................24

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION

Disaster Recovery Plan ......................................................28

MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

Those Darn Boomers: Part 1 of 2 ......................................30

Project Businesses .............................................................32

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

Digital Transformation ........................................................36

Leveraging Technology ......................................................38

LEGAL SOLUTION

Delay Issues .......................................................................42

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS

Thermal Bridging: Part 3 of 3 .............................................44

Battery UPS ........................................................................46

Healthcare Construction ....................................................48

SAFETY SOLUTIONS

Common Sense..................................................................52

Digital Tool Adoption ..........................................................54

MAINTENANCE SOLUTION

Seasonal Care ....................................................................58

FEATURED PRODUCT

Mi-T-M .................................................................................62

PROJECTS CONTINUE

I’m thankful construction is deemed essential. In fact, I view every industry as essential to the

American way of life. There will always be an unforeseen issue that will need to be handled.

I learned as a Girl Scout that the first rule of thumb was to not panic. In other words: do not

overreact, think logically, and form a solution.

Solutions are at the core of MCS and this issue puts a focus on projects. From the footwear

needed on the jobsite (pg 20) to the versatility of compact utility loaders (pg 24) and adopting a

cloud strategy (pg 32), the importance of technology and using data remains.

We are still dealing with COVID-19 as states reopen. For articles related to the pandemic, read

the legal issue of delays (pg 42); returning to the workplace as states reopen (pg 52); and a

Q&A with Jon Tate, vice president of construction risk engineering for Zurich North America, as

he shares his insight on the current state of the construction industry (pg 66). A close look at

Baby Boomers and their impact on the economy is presented by Preston Ingalls (pg 30); part

two of this article will be in the next issue of MCS.

No doubt we’ve learned a lot about ourselves and business operations during this global

pandemic. Will changes be made to better adapt to changing landscapes? Will safety in the

workplace and on the jobsite be viewed differently? Together we will answer these questions

and more as the year unfolds. For now, I leave you with commentary below from a GC in New

York regarding his projects and the emphasis on safety.

Cheers,

SUPPORT FOR WOMEN

IN CONSTRUCTION

Guest Post by Michaela Coston

“As far as I can see, the construction industry has been wearing gloves and masks, using

hand sanitizer, and practicing proper social distancing. Our projects in New York, whether

essential or not, have been working since this [pandemic] started and what we are seeing is

if you maintain the proper protocol, we should be safe. All of our clients and employees have

been very safe and we haven’t heard of any cases within our own people or clients whom

have had this other than a subcontractor that we know who contracted the virus. We firmly

believe the safety behind controlling the virus works and will continue to be successful if the

proper safety measures are maintained.”

Michael A. Bordes

Certified General Contractor and President of AA Jedson Company LLC

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inquiries or changes:

205.380.2048

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com8

industry news

SOFTWARE PLATFORM ENHANCES EFFICIENCY AND

ELIMINATES RISKY IN-PERSON CONTACT

Extracker, a cloud-based collaboration platform that helps

general contractors and subcontractors create, track, and share

change orders and time and material tags, offers added safety

and financial security during the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring

real-time visibility into project costs for all parties and providing

tools for working remotely and touch-free.

In addition to financial protection, Extracker provides many

of the country’s subcontractors and general contractors a key

tool to track T&M work while complying with COVID-19-related

jobsite distancing requirements. Instead of filling out paper

T&M tags for physical authorization, subcontractors can use

the Extracker mobile app to professionally document their work

and request a digital signature by email. The touch-free process

automatically generates a cloud-based log for both companies.

Many construction companies in the United States trust

Extracker. Turner, a global provider of construction services with

10,000 employees, recently leveraged Extracker to convert the

Sacramento King’s former NBA Arena into a field hospital to

treat up to 360 COVID-19 patients.

Instead of bidding the project, Turner agreed to perform

the work on T&M. All of their trade partners were trained

on Extracker in less than 24 hours and used the touch-free

workflow to get T&M Tags signed and automatically price out

a change order request at the end of each day. With Extracker,

Turner was able to see the project costs in real time and keep

their teams healthy.

“The goal for our customers right now is to get their teams

back to work, and to do that in a healthy way,” says Cameron

Page, founder and CEO of Extracker. “Our tools allow them to

do their jobs touch-free in a challenging environment and also

help them protect their profit margins in this new economy.

These are difficult circumstances, but it’s also an opportunity

for companies to evaluate their processes and workflows to

incorporate new ideas and technology that will continue to give

them competitive leverage after the current crisis has passed.”

For more, visit www.extracker.com.

DOUBLE COIN AND LOVE’S TRUCK CARE/SPEEDCO

ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP

Double Coin and CMA, a leading tire manufacturer and marketer,

announce its joint partnership with Love’s Truck Care and

Speedco. In addition to the hundreds of current Double Coin

dealer locations, Love’s customers can now select from a wide

range of Double Coin’s Truck and Bus Radial (TBR) tires at any

of the more than 380 Love’s Truck Care and Speedco locations

in the United States. Some of the available tires include: the

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com10

industry news

RR150 premium 5-rib steer/all-position multi-use tire, the

RLB400 closed shoulder drive position tire, and the TR100 ultra-

premium shallow tread trailer tire.

Love’s and Speedco combined represent the largest oil

change, preventive maintenance, and total truck care nationwide

network, and provides professional drivers and fleets access to

certified technicians to help get them back on the road quickly

and safely with the best range of proven products and services.

For more, visit www.doublecointires.com and www.loves.com.

REDTEAM PROVIDES CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WITH

ROI CALCULATOR TOOL TO MEASURE TECHNOLOGY VALUE

RedTeam, a collaboration platform for commercial contractors,

announces its new ROI calculator tool to help companies

estimate and measure the value of construction technologies.

The new tool furthers RedTeam’s commitment to servicing the

construction industry by helping companies understand how

benefits may be realized through the adoption of technology.

Project delays caused by COVID-19 have given many

general contractors the time to reevaluate their businesses

and determine which workflows can be optimized. One of the

biggest considerations is the adoption of new software—and

understanding which software is worth the investment is critical.

While most GCs have a clear picture of the general benefits of

their technology options, there was no easy way to determine

how these benefits will translate into their specific operations.

RedTeam’s new ROI calculator allows GCs to quickly determine

the value of a new technology for their specific needs. The

calculator takes the benefit (financial value created by the

technology being used) divided by investment (the total cost of

buying, implementing, and maintaining the software) to find the ROI,

or total net value created. Benefits are measured in four categories:

Labor Savings: Doing the same amount of work and doing it

with less people, reducing overall labor costs

Productivity Gain: Uses a method based on applying

weighted per hour productivity calculation using average

revenue per employee multiplied by gross profit hourly wage

Workplace Benefits: With stronger controls and workflows,

businesses have less conflicts and are able to run more

smoothly, reducing stress and helping to retain employees

Risk Mitigation: Technology helps to lower company

exposure to costs associated with project disputes

“While many GCs are interested in exploring options for

a technology software and have a sense that there are clear

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com12

industry news

benefits to adopting the right technology for their business,

the value created from the use of software is not always easy

to measure,” says Frédéric Guitton, chief strategy officer at

RedTeam Software. “When you evaluate technology, there are

a lot of variables to consider that are not always apparent. With

our ROI calculator, we help assess those variables to ensure you

are getting the most accurate sense of the return on investment

you feel is attainable for your business.”

The ROI calculator is located on RedTeam’s website for free

download. Companies can simply download the spreadsheet

and input their specific structure and estimated impact to help

optimize operations and profitability. To download the ROI

calculator, visit www.redteam.com/roi-calculator/.

COAST-TO-COAST U.S. COVERAGE NOW

DEPLOYED FOR TRIMBLE’S CENTERPOINT RTX FAST

CORRECTION SERVICE

Trimble announces the completion of the breakthrough

expansion of its CenterPoint

RTX Fast correction service, with

coverage now spanning the contiguous U.S. and southern

Canada. This expansion is central to Trimble’s vision to

transform how and where users can leverage precision and

accuracy. Ideal for autonomous applications in both on-road and

off-road markets, the coverage and performance of the service

enables industry professionals to rethink what is possible when

using augmented positioning for improving safety, performance,

productivity, and operational efficiency.

The CenterPoint RTX Fast subscription service delivers

horizontal positioning accuracy of one inch or less in under a

minute, with the versatility of satellite or cellular delivery. This

expanded coverage makes it the largest, high-performance

GNSS correction network in the world. No other GNSS

correction service provides this combined level of accuracy,

convergence speed, flexible delivery, and geographic coverage.

Now, with more than 5 million square miles of CenterPoint

RTX Fast network coverage worldwide, users across North

America and Europe, including farmers, land surveyors, and GIS

professionals can untether from the cost and complexities of

GNSS base stations. In addition, Trimble RTX Fast offers a single,

continuous correction technology platform ideal for enabling a

broad range of safety-critical autonomous applications in markets

such as automotive, agriculture, and construction.

CenterPoint RTX Fast subscriptions for Trimble RTX-

compatible GNSS receivers are available through Trimble’s

Authorized Business Partners or Trimble’s online store

at: tpsstore.trimble.com.

Trimble RTX correction services

are available throughout most of the world. For more, visit

positioningservices.trimble.com.

SOLUTIONS FOR 80 YEARS

BUILDING INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT

TALBERTMFG.COM | 800-348-5232

NOTHING BETTER BETWEEN THE LOAD AND THE ROAD!

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com16

project profile

Atomized Mist

curing concrete with consistent humidity level

AIRFIELD TARMAC PROJECT

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

pioneer in atomized mist

technology helped a government

contractor comply with

strict

military concrete quality and

dust

emission standards during the

construction of an airfield tarmac. By

providing a consistent humidity level

in a high-heat desert environment, the

DustBoss

DB-30™ (manufactured by

BossTek) helped Southwest Concrete

Paving Company (SWCP) maintain the

proper moisture levels needed for high-

grade concrete production. In addition,

the mobile misting cannon offered dust

suppression during the demolition of the

previous tarmac and storage of dusty

material. The result of the 9-month,

multi-phase contract was a premium

quality 87,000-square-yard concrete

tarmac that passed inspections the first

time while adhering to all workplace

dust standards throughout the project.

PROPER CONCRETE CURING

The consequence of not meeting the

required standards can be ripping out

entire sections of the project to create

a compliant product. The lifecycle of a

normal road is 15 to 20 years, whereas

the lifecycle of an airstrip apron is 40

to 60 years. Due to the point loads of

jets and other aircraft, proper curing

is critical, thus engineers meticulously

test for slump and moisture content

every step of the way.

Paving crews in arid conditions

generally work through the night

to control surface temperature and

slump. Critical factors include ambient

temperature, concrete temperature,

wind speed, and humidity. As the

concrete mix temperature increases,

slump will decrease approximately 0.8

inches for every 20-degree Fahrenheit

rise in temperature.

“The night temperatures fluctuated,

but often remained above 80-degrees

Fahrenheit,” explains David Rath,

QCQA manager for SWCP. “In those

conditions, the relative humidity across

the curing slab has to consistently

stay above 40 percent. If the surface

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com18

project profile

conditions aren’t precisely controlled,

the concrete surface will be prematurely

exposed to tensile stresses that it cannot

withstand before the hydration of the

cement has passed a certain stage. This

causes small cracks known as plastic

shrinkage, which can significantly reduce

the life of the concrete.”

PRECISE MOISTURE CONTENT

Once the sun went down, the atomized

misting cannon was moved to the

front of the paving machine to lay an

even surface of moisture across the

base layer. When pouring, the moisture

content of the concrete mixture is

precise, but the dry ground can draw the

moisture out of the meal, increasing the

chances of cracking.

Due to the need for mobility, SWCP

secured the DustBoss DB-30 to the back

of a flatbed truck with a 250-gallon water

tank and a portable generator to create

a completely mobile and autonomous

unit, designed for conditions that lack

adequate access to water and power.

The water cannon could be removed

and placed on a hydraulic forklift as

high as 40 feet in the air. This allowed

improved targeting of the atomized

mist sprayed over and around the newly

poured concrete to provide the humidity

and surface moisture needed for proper

finishing. Using the variable height and

the DB-30’s adjustable 0- to 50-degree

vertical angle settings, operators were

able to control the humidity levels and

coverage area, while compensating

for wind.

EVENLY DISTRIBUTED DROPLETS

Water from the tank is forced through

a circular stainless-steel manifold with

30 atomizing spray nozzles at the front

of a heavy-duty cone-shaped barrel

design. A powerful 7.5 hp fan at the

back of the cannon, producing 9,200

cfm of airflow, launches millions of

tiny droplets in a 100-foot cone. With

180-degree horizontal oscillation, the unit

has a coverage area of 17,000 square

feet. Using only 9.8 gpm of water, the

unit raises the humidity of an entire

area with evenly distributed droplets

between 50 to 200 microns in diameter

(approximately the size of fine dust),

while minimizing pooling or runoff.

The unit is designed to be set

up by a single worker and operated

autonomously without further attention.

Able to be operated by remote control,

the DB-30 also has a touch screen panel

for adjusting the settings (oscillation,

pump settings, etc.). The panel is

encased in a NEMA 3R cabinet to

protect it from the harmful elements of

outdoor operation such as dust, rain,

and contaminants.

ADJUSTABLE TO THE JOB

The mobility and adjustability of the

DB-30 allowed crews to reposition and

recalibrate the settings of the atomized

mist cannon to raise the humidity above

the paved surface and prevent water from

being sheared away by high winds.

“Some of the wind conditions would

have stopped construction cold in

the past,” says Rath. “Positioning the

DustBoss upwind, allowing the air to

carry the humidity with it, kept us up and

running on several occasions. Otherwise,

we might have had to go back, rip out

what we poured, and start again.”

Wrapping up the finishing touches of

the project, core samples of the concrete

taken by inspectors demonstrated high

quality, with no compliance issues.

The meticulous planning, technical

skill of the staff and use of modern

technology allowed SWCP to complete

the project on time and on budget with no

major downtime.

CLOSING THOUGHT

The atomized mist technology has

proven to be applicable across several

segments within SWCP’s business,

from road construction to military and

public airports. Enhanced control over

the finishing process helped improve

the outcome and extend the life of the

finished product. This attention to detail

and quality has become a hallmark of

SWCP projects.

for more information

BossTek is a global leader in dust and

odor control solutions for the storage and

handling of clinker, petcoke, coal, rock and

aggregate, as well as controlling air quality

during port unloading, recycling and scrap

processing, mining, earth moving, and

construction demolition. For more, visit

www.bosstek.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com20

equipment solution

Proper Footwear

considerations for choosing the right work boot

CONSTRUCTION JOBSITE PPE

By Xavier Kawula

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

ootwear is an essential tool

and element of protection for

contractors. Depending upon what

you put on your feet, standing, pouring,

climbing, and working for long periods of

time can positively or negatively impact

your productivity. Looking generically

for a work boot may set you down a

bad (and uncomfortable) path. When

choosing the proper footwear, your key

guidelines are function, fit, and features.

A basic boot that fits well and hits

all required governmental regulations

is great, but could you do better? For

example, the Muck Chore Classic has

been a mainstay of the work boot world

for 20 years. It was built on that proven

framework and designed the new Chore

Max with a composite toe, which has a

slower heat transition rate (vs steel toe

boots) to keep feet warmer longer in cold

weather. The traction was improved with

a new outsole design and put a non-

metallic puncture resistant plate in every

pair. The Oliver line does things similarly.

The 65493S is a rigger boot that nails the

functions of the class. ASTM and CSA

certified, but with additional features

like an ergonomic toe cap, antimicrobial

linings, a dual density insole, barnyard

resistant leather, slip resistant outsole,

TPU toe and heel for additional wear

resistance, and Kevlar stitching along the

vamp plug for additional durability.

Key features when considering a boot

are: waterproof protection, climate

control, slip resistance, and cost.

WATERPROOF PROTECTION

The workday doesn’t stop just because

it’s wet outside, even if it is very wet or

cold. The client wants the job completed

on the contracted date. The problem

with leather boots is that eventually they

will start absorbing water—yes, even

waterproof leather. When it becomes

saturated, it loses strength and begins to

tear and leak. The performance features

of some brands, like the Original Muck

Boot Company, are built to be fully

waterproof, keeping feet safe and dry

regardless of what Mother Nature puts

in your path. Muck boots keep your

feet warm and dry even in the worst

conditions as they are constructed from

hydrophobic materials such as rubber

and neoprene, no matter how many

days in a row you have had the worst

conditions. The same goes for days you

are pouring concrete or doing irrigation

work. The performance features of

reliable boots like the Chore Classic,

Chore Cool, and the new Chore MAX

mean that you can get the right boot for

the right job no matter the conditions.

CLIMATE CONTROL

How you protect yourself from the cold

is also becoming more sophisticated in

footwear design. In the past, contractors

have looked for higher and higher

temperature ratings, thinking that more

is better. Instead, we are seeing a trend

in contractors looking for climate control

in the boots rather than simple insulation

in the product design. High insulation

values that cause perspiration create a

worse condition than the cold itself, as

the now released perspiration condenses

and soaks even more heat out of the

body, especially when the person goes

from active to inactive states. This is

where Honeywell industrial work brands

such as Muck, Oliver, and Ranger have

additional insight, as many years ago,

Honeywell was an early innovator in the

concept of climate control. Therefore,

when designing products for contractors

and other industrial workers, creating the

right climate in the boot is thought about,

not just loading it up with insulation.

SLIP RESISTANCE

Another important feature for a

contractor is slip resistance. Whether

working on a roof or pouring concrete,

traction is an important feature of a

safety shoe and something that all

workers should consider. However,

there is a lot of industry frustration and

confusion around slip ratings and what is

best. Many products will say they are slip

resistant or call out their slip resistance

as Fair, Good, or use another subjective

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com22

equipment solution

term. If you are truly looking for footwear

to be compliant to a Slip Hazard

Assessment Plan, it is important to be

able to review the manufacturer’s actual

slip scores in the standardized tests. The

current standard for slip-resistant testing

is the SATRA, which is a whole shoe test.

Older tests were designed to test the

floor, not the shoe, and are considered

obsolete. We suggest looking for SRA for

most wearing occasions and an SRC slip-

rated outsole when looking for best-in-

class slip performance. If an outsole has

a passing score on the Slip Resistance

A test—soapy water on quarry tile—it

can be labeled SRA. If an outsole has a

passing score on the Slip Resistance B

test—glycerol on stainless steel—it can

be labeled SRB. If it passes both tests, it

can be labeled as SRC.

COST OVER TIME

Lastly, it is important to consider cost

over time in your footwear investments.

Often when shopping for boots, we only

focus on the initial sticker price and don’t

take into account such things as average

wear time or time to failure. Higher-

end manufacturers take a lot of things

into consideration to make sure you are

getting true quality from what you spend.

Manufacturers look at where the high-

wear, high-flex, and high-stress areas

of the boot exist, and how to mitigate

damage through material selections and

design changes, so you may be paying

more upfront but the longevity and quality

of the product is well worth the price.

CLOSING THOUGHT

What you put on your feet needs to

be what is going to work best for you

over time. Whether you are out on a

job in the wet, cold weather setting

deadlines and budgets; coordinating with

subcontractors; or obtaining appropriate

building material; your footwear is a

key piece of gear to keep you safe and

comfortable. It is important to keep

overall costs, climate control features,

slip resistance, and waterproof features

in mind when purchasing.

about the author

Xavier Kawula has 20+ years footwear experience. He currently serves as Honeywell’s liaison for innovation,

as well as product manager for Honeywell’s Work and Hunt offerings. Prior to Honeywell he was a product

manager at Timberland Boot Company and Timberland PRO.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com24

equipment solution

Compact Utility Loaders

versatile machines for the jobsite

GAINING MOMENTUM

ompact utility loaders (CULs) have been gaining

remarkable momentum in recent years, and rightfully so.

These powerful, durable, and versatile machines are a

hit in the compact equipment industry. With the CUL segment

gaining in popularity, this category has already started giving

compact track loader and skid steer loader manufacturers a run

for their money.

CULS ON THE RISE

Contractors, both large and small, continue searching for

creative and effective ways to maximize their overall capital

equipment investments. We know that a CUL generally has

a smaller upfront investment than its rivals in the skid steer

loader and compact track loader classes. However, in addition to

offering you a bigger bang for your buck, do CULs also deliver

high-performing results on the jobsite?

In the past, contractors realized the benefit of the

smaller upfront investment with CULs; however, they were

a bit skeptical of how the CUL would perform on a typical

large-scale jobsite.

Luckily, with recent major technological enhancements from

popular CUL manufacturers like Toro, contractors are realizing

that CULs can lift as much or even more than entry-level skid

steer and track loaders. It’s evident that when you have a CUL,

you can take advantage of all the other benefits associated

with a smaller machine. Not to mention the lower upfront and

ongoing maintenance costs when compared with skid steers

or track loaders.

OPERATIONAL COST SAVINGS

Numbers aside, in terms of performance, there are really

three main reasons that any contractor looking to minimize

operational costs should consider. First, compact utility loaders

can go places skid steer loaders and compact track loaders

cannot. Thanks to the compact footprint and lower overall

operating weight, the machine is both easier to transport and

typically nimbler and maneuverable on the jobsite.

Second, the fact that operators can mount and dismount

the machine easily is a feature that can be very attractive for

contractors and equipment operators. If a specific job requires

crew members to get in and out of a machine frequently, the

CUL class has the edge. Stepping off the platform is objectively

much simpler than climbing in and out of the cab of a machine.

Finally, a CUL offers superior visibility over a skid steer loader

or a compact track loader. Where the latter two classes of

equipment rely on mirrors and backup cameras, the compact

utility loader class requires the operator to simply turn their

heads for a panoramic, unobstructed view of their surroundings.

By Kyle Cartwright

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

NEXT GENERATION OF CULS

There are also several innovative and intuitive features that

have been engineered into the CUL category. Here are a few of

the smart features that would make an excellent choice for any

contractor to include in their fleet: effortless controls, which

allow the operator to have all the controls of the machine on an

easy-to-navigate control panel at their fingertips; a high-drive

track system which mimics the design of many CTL models and

ensures that it can withstand the demanding conditions of a

construction site; and comparative height and reach statistics

when compared to entry-level SSLs and CTLs.

And, they’re getting more powerful and innovative. For

example, in February 2019, Toro introduced the Dingo TXL 2000,

which harnesses all the benefits of a compact utility loader

with an outstanding rated operating capacity of 2,000 pounds

and telescoping loader arms. They’re also getting smarter.

The next generation of CULs is also starting to feature electric

compact equipment, with the introduction of the world’s first

revolutionary electric Dingo—the Toro

e-Dingo™ 500 compact

utility loader. With an operating capacity of 515 pounds, the

e-Dingo allows contractors to utilize all the benefits and power

of a standard compact utility loader with no fuel costs and zero

exhaust emissions. Higher efficiency and reliable performance

set the e-Dingo apart for faster completion times and higher

ROI for rental partners. It’s also powered by lithium-ion battery

technology designed for tasks that require heavy or continuous

operation for indoor applications. Now that electric-powered

equipment has found its way into the CUL category, contractors

could anticipate even more popularity with CULs. After all,

people do enjoy using machines that are lighter, quicker, high-

performing, and sustainable—factors they can expect to find in

CULs, specifically in electric-powered CULs.

CLOSING THOUGHT

When you break it all down, CULs are an outstanding alternative

to the two other equipment classes. They now have the power

to rival their larger equipment counterparts and the intelligently

engineered features to make the compact utility loader not only

a legitimate option, but potentially a superior option on the

jobsite for light-, mid-, and heavy-duty applications alike.

about the author

Kyle Cartwright is the marketing manager at Toro, a leading worldwide

provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf

and landscape maintenance, snow management, rental and construction

equipment, and irrigation solutions. For more, visit www.toro.com.

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environmental solution

he tornadoes that tragically

ravaged the southern U.S. recently

underscore the reality that natural

disasters can strike at any moment.

Ongoing construction projects are

particularly vulnerable to natural disasters

and catastrophic weather events. Owners of

construction projects and their contractors

should have an effective disaster recovery

plan in place that contemplates legal and

insurance issues related to extreme or

catastrophic weather events.

INSURANCE ISSUES

When drafting recovery plans, project

owners and contractors have numerous

insurance-related questions to consider

including whether the project owner has

coverage for flood damage, for example

through the National Flood Insurance

Program, and/or for windstorm damage.

Project owners and contractors should

review all property, casualty, builders

risk, and other policies and determine

the availability and scope of insurance

coverage; identify the causes of all

potentially covered property damage,

for example whether damage was

caused by wind-driven rain, wind, storm

surge, a breakdown of flood protection

systems, and/or flooding from rain;

and identify issues that may affect a

policyholder’s ability to collect on a

claim. The policyholder will likely need

to review how the policies define key

terms such as “flood” and “wind” to

determine whether the policy language is

broad enough to cover potential property

damage caused by these elements.

Other considerations should include

whether builders risk policies are in place

that will cover natural disasters; whether

policies cover any expected business

interruption losses caused by delays,

or “contingent” business interruption

losses, which are losses suffered

because a supplier or subcontractor

was delayed; and, if a disaster occurs,

how project participants will collect

and preserve materials necessary to

substantiate claims.

In addition, companies should

be prepared to determine, after a

catastrophic weather event, whether

it is necessary to engage a forensic

accountant or other consultant—the cost

of whose services may be covered in

a policy—because specific specialized

information may be needed to develop a

claim for business interruption or other

types of loss. Project participants must

also know how to comply with notice

requirements of the relevant policies—

which is generally a mandatory condition

precedent to a claim—and provide timely

notice to all carriers whose policies

potentially provide coverage.

CONTRACT CONCERNS

Project participants should also

understand their contractual rights and

obligations in the event of a severe

weather event including, for example,

those related to increases to costs of

work, termination, delays, and claim

submission requirements.

Delays and Increased Costs: Delays

caused by severe weather events are

treated in many construction contracts

as “excusable delays,” i.e., the

contractor is entitled to additional time

to complete the work but not additional

compensation. Delays are generally

compensable only if they would not have

occurred but for the action or inaction

of the owner, or where the delays arose

Disaster Recovery Plan

recovering your construction project after a natural disaster

BEST PRACTICES

By Daniel A. Kapner, Esq.

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

as a result of a condition that the owner

was originally responsible for, such

as differing site conditions. However,

some contracts do contain provisions

expressly addressing extreme or

catastrophic weather events, so project

participants should carefully review

the particular terms of the agreement.

Project participants should also analyze

the terms of the contract to determine

the contractors’ entitlement to increased

costs arising from natural disasters such

as the costs of cleanup, correcting and/or

replacing damaged work, and increases

in the cost of construction materials,

and determine whether further insurance

coverage is necessary to protect against

the risk of incurring such costs.

Claim submission requirements:

Most construction contracts require

the submission of claims and notice of

claims within mandatory established time

periods. Because many jurisdictions strictly

enforce such provisions, it is critical that

project participants strictly comply with

the procedure for asserting claims and all

associated notice requirements. Parties

should also ensure that claim notices are

properly submitted to sureties, if applicable.

Termination: Whether a contractor is

contractually entitled to terminate a

contract is complicated and depends on

the particular terms of the agreement.

Even if a project has become

significantly delayed, the contractor may

be responsible for a substantial increase

in costs. If it appears unlikely that the

project is able to achieve completion

due to a natural disaster, the contractor

should not assume that it is contractually

entitled to or advisable to terminate. If

a contractor is considering termination,

they should exercise the utmost care and

caution because terminating a contract

regularly leads to disputes.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Project owners and contractors must

carefully review their construction

contracts in preparation for an extreme

weather event and understand their

rights and responsibilities, so they are

best equipped to get the project back on

track if a natural disaster were to occur.

about the author

Daniel A. Kapner, Esq. (www.slslaw.com/daniel-a-kapner) is a member of Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram’s

trial practice, construction law, and power and energy construction groups, where he advises local, regional,

and national clients in various sectors of the construction industry on contract and commercial disputes,

mechanics lien claims, construction defect claims, design errors and omissions, real estate and property

disputes, and contract drafting. Contact him at 202.689.1900 or kapner@slslaw.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com30

management solution

o, you have to work with a Baby

Boomer or two? Ever notice

they are different from the

other Generations, like Gen X or Gen Y

(Millennials)? Well, the reason they seem

different is because they are.

DECADES IN THE WORKFORCE

Let’s explore the Baby Boomer. I am

offering my unique firsthand perspective

because I have been one all my life.

Although I started working part time after

school at the age of 12, it wasn’t until I

was 16 years old that I started paying in

on Social Security, meaning I have over

five decades in the workforce.

It might help to define exactly who

qualifies as a Baby Boomer. Technically,

it is an individual born between 1946

and 1964—that makes up 20 percent

of all Americans.

The origins of the Baby Boomers

began after the end of World War II,

when birth rates across the world

increased sharply. The explosion of

new infants became known as the Baby

Boom. During this period, almost 77

million babies were born in the United

States alone, making up almost 40

percent of the American population.

BOOMER SPENDING

According to an AARP bulletin, Baby

Boomers spend roughly $7 trillion

per year on goods and services. And

even though we are getting older (the

youngest Baby Boomer would be in their

late 50s in 2020), we continue to possess

considerable corporate and economic

influence. In fact, 80 percent of the

country’s personal net worth belongs to

Baby Boomers.

America’s post-World War II

prosperity provided well for the previous

generation, the Greatest Generation.

Many had company-funded pensions.

For example, according to the Social

Security Administration, 90 percent of

retirees today receive Social Security

benefits, in contrast with only 69 percent

of retirees in 1962. They also benefited

from a workforce in which there were

six employees for every retiree. Plenty

of people in that generation were able to

retire at the official age of 65 and many

even younger.

LONGER LIFESPAN

Another significant change from then

to now is that a large portion of the

72 million remaining American Baby

Boomers will actually live 10 to 25

years longer than our parents did.

That means those folks retiring in

their 60s can expect to live about

25 years beyond retirement, thanks

to healthier lifestyles and improved

healthcare systems.

But most companies did away with

pension plans in lieu of the 401K

plan. Because Boomers were the first

generation to encounter these changes,

a majority of the them didn’t start

saving enough or early enough, with

many procrastinating.

Those Darn Boomers

the baby boomers’ impact on the economy

EXPERT COMMENTARY

By Preston Ingalls

PART 1 OF 2

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

In addition to most not saving enough

money, Baby Boomers experienced the

Great Recession in the late 2000s at a

crucial time for their retirement savings.

The meltdown of 2008 in the mortgage

industry and the subsequent stock

market crash left many Baby Boomers

struggling with their retirement savings.

Many lost their jobs and subsequently

turned to borrowing against the equity

in their homes as a solution, which put

them further in the hole. Countless

Boomers were frightened by the crash

and missed the rebound.

THE WORRISOME WRINKLE

Here is the bad news … research by the

Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) showed

that 45 percent of Baby Boomers have

no retirement savings. Only 55 percent

of Baby Boomers have some retirement

savings and, of those, 28 percent

have less than $100,000, which will

be totally inadequate to fund the 10 to

25 years of projected retirement. This

appears especially troubling when you

consider that, based on information

from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,

adults between ages 65 and 74 spend,

on average, $48,885 a year. This means

many will depend on Social Security for

those retirement years. However, the

average Social Security benefit of $1,503

per month for 2020, according to the

AARP, is less than half the average wage,

which is approximately $3,668, according

to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Current events will create even more

stress. With an uncertain future, Baby

Boomers could face difficulty in returning

to the workforce due to employers

opting to hire cheaper, younger workers

and discouraging older, more highly

compensated workers from returning

to their jobs. And, many Boomers may

decide, “What the heck?” it’s time to go on

Social Security and Medicare ... that will

be a disaster.

CLOSING THOUGHT

As we can see, we depend on Boomers

returning, so let’s hope they do. The

economy needs it and so do they

(we). Now that you know the basics of

Boomers, get ready for part two of this

series in the next issue of MCS, which

will cover how to work with a Boomer.

Check out this article

on mcsmag.com for

added commentary from

Bloomberg Opinion

about the author

Preston Ingalls is president and CEO of TBR

Strategies, LLC, a Raleigh, North Carolina-

based maintenance and reliability firm

specializing in the construction and oil and

gas industries. Preston can be reached at

pingalls@tbr-strategies.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com32

hile the federal government

has not announced any

guidelines on construction

during the coronavirus pandemic,

many state and local governments

have issued their own regulations.

However, despite the fact most

states have implemented a “stay-at-

home” order excluding construction

workers, there’s no denying construction

projects are slowing down, on standby

mode, or completely shut down.

According to the Association for

General Contractors of America,

27 percent of construction firms reported

coronavirus-related layoffs. In addition,

the firms responding to the Association

survey that said they have been ordered

to stop or completely cancel projects by

their clients jumped to 55 percent.

The impact of the coronavirus

has forced many companies to work

remotely. Unfortunately, most project-

based companies, also known as Project

Businesses, are not equipped to do so. Of

course, it is understood that construction

work requires a hands-on approach;

however, that’s not to say there isn’t

a need be able to work and manage

projects remotely.

The fact is, Project Businesses are

not set up to take advantage of the

cloud. Unlike traditional business

industries where it’s much easier to apply

technology to standardized processes and

data in order to automate and accelerate

production, it’s not so easy with Project

Businesses with their unique products

and non-standard business practices.

IDENTIFY THE ISSUES

Most Project Businesses operate within

a host of disparate tools and applications

to run their entire business (e.g., project

management, time and expense, project

accounting, ERP, and lots of spreadsheets).

In addition, they spend a lot of time,

money, and resources trying to manually

translate, consolidate, and validate large

amounts of project data from these

multiple solutions. On top of that, many

of these applications are not cloud-ready,

meaning they may not be accessible

remotely, or the applications and files

could be sitting on someone’s desktop,

inaccessible from the rest of the company.

And while this fragmented setup

means these companies have no way to

integrate, share, and present that data in

these remote working conditions, it also

means project managers and executives

do not have real-time visibility into the

status of their projects. This disparate

landscape leads to mistakes and delays,

which can cause important business

decisions to be made based on

outdated and unreliable information.

What should construction

companies do now?

Where do you start and how should

you move to the cloud? If you replicate

your fragmented environment in the

cloud, you’ll have the same problem,

just in a different place. Construction

companies need to rethink their cloud

strategy. To benefit from the cloud, you

need to consolidate your multiple point

solutions into one, end-to-end cloud

system. This approach maximizes the

value of the cloud not only by reducing

overhead costs to manage individual

applications, but you can eliminate

them altogether.

PROJECT BUSINESS AUTOMATION

Moving to the cloud represents an

opportunity for construction companies

to unify their organization by

integrating all the project functionality

normally managed in disparate

applications into one, end-to-end

Project Business system. This is a

new concept called Project Business

Automation (PBA).

Project Businesses

adopting a cloud strategy is key during and after pandemic

IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY

By Daniel Bévort

management solution

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

PBA standardizes, integrates, and

automates all Project Business processes

and data. With this structure, PBA

can produce time-phased operational

and financial threshold data, giving

construction companies the ability to run

their projects with real-time visibility and

control over processes, costs, and risks.

This will allow project managers and

executives to determine if any projects

are running late or over budget and can

mean the difference between low and

high profitability. Let’s face it, being able

to anticipate and respond to changing

market conditions can make and save you

a lot of money.

Implementing a project-based cloud

solution not only creates the data structure

necessary to operate like a well-oiled

machine, but enables your employees to

collect, share, and analyze the right data,

at the right time. When your project plan

is the central entity against which a host

of other operational activities are planned

and managed, you need to make it central

to your business system strategy. With this

approach, you will be able to make better

business decisions faster and improve the

overall productivity of your company.

CLOSING THOUGHT

By the time we get through this

pandemic and on the other side, the way

we do business will never be the same,

and the reboot to normalcy will demand

more than business as usual. Project

Businesses need to prepare now. Take

this time as an opportunity to restructure

your organization and data processes

in a way that allows you to efficiently

and effectively work, collaborate, and

manage your projects in times of crisis

now and in the future.

The temporary pause forced upon

us by COVID-19 presents a narrow, but

unprecedented opportunity to make bold

moves. In good times when business

is humming along, making the move to

an integrated cloud system might be

seen as disruptive and put on the back

burner. Now companies have the chance

to make that move quickly and set

themselves up for success on the other

side of this.

about the author

Daniel Bévort is the founder and CEO of

Adeaca, a specialized Microsoft industry

partner focused primarily on the development

of new business processes and systems

for project-based companies. For more, visit

www.adeaca.com.

Editor’s Note: What has your

experience been using an integrated

cloud-based system? If not currently

using a software solution, do

you have plans to update your

operational technology? Email me at

donna@mcsmag.com.

Look for answers to this question and

more in the next issue of MCS.

f you’ve followed the predictions of

construction industry technologists

over the last decade you could be

forgiven for skepticism about the

current hype. Similar to Chicken Little’s

warning about the falling sky in the

children’s fable (turns out it was just an

acorn), the promised mass reckoning

for industry laggards and Luddites has

not yet materialized. But just because a

prediction hasn’t come true yet doesn’t

mean it won’t. The growing demand for

built infrastructure and Silicon Valley’s

generous subsidization of innovation

seem to indicate that the construction

industry will soon reach its tipping point.

HARBINGERS OF CHANGE

Another key driver for this change will

be a critical mass of savvy owners

implementing new approaches to

planning, procuring, building, and

operating their built assets. The

incremental efficiency gains within

siloed project stakeholder groups will

compound and then accelerate, as clients

increasingly require a more integrated

design and construction supply chain.

What will this digital transformation look

like for the construction industry? The

results of this will look a lot like the future

the technologists have been promising.

Construction tech insiders are seeing

a number of trends that will soon pose

real risks to unprepared firms. Miners

would bring canaries to work to warn

them if they needed to evacuate when

conditions became unsafe (they warned

them by dying).

Here are three canaries to watch and

how to prepare for their eventual demise.

ACCESS TO SKILLED RESOURCES.

The construction industry skews

disproportionately older, and we will

soon feel the impact of lost technical

expertise as the Baby Boomer generation

retires. Additionally, young people

are increasingly picking professions

in different industries, depriving the

industry of new blood. Companies

should be prepared to adjust to a

new reality in which expertise is

increasingly scarce and distributed. A

critical success factor will be the ability

to leverage technology to capture

knowledge that until now existed in the

brains of the most seasoned workers,

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com36

software solution

Digital Transformation

three ways digitization could change the construction industry

SEIZING OPPORTUNITY

By Sean Olcott and Scott Unger

THE GROWING DEMAND FOR BUILT

INFRASTRUCTURE AND SILICON VALLEY’S

GENEROUS SUBSIDIZATION OF INNOVATION

SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION

INDUSTRY WILL SOON REACH ITS TIPPING POINT

OF EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY AND MOVING

FORWARD TO BE COMPETITIVE AND ALIGN

ITSELF WITH DIGITAL BEST PRACTICES.

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

and to implement systems that can

automate the application of it. Another

factor will be the ability to leverage

new technologies to scale operational

processes and best practices, so that

companies can still grow even with a

shrinking talent pool.

DESIGN-BID-BUILD PROJECTS.

Owners are adopting project delivery

methods that better align team

incentives and facilitate improved

collaboration, such as Design Build,

Construction Manager at Risk, Design

Assist, and Integrated Project Delivery.

Many of the features of a successful

design-bid-build engagement for an

individual operator in the supply chain—

the hoarding of information, the allergy

to risk, the change order—cannot be

maintained in a contracting method

where project success is defined by the

absence of those features. A key enabler

for these delivery methods are modern

systems that leverage the cloud, are

flexible enough to accommodate unique

user requirements, and are predisposed

towards integration. Companies must

embrace these systems and the

transparency it brings to projects, or will

increasingly find itself on the outside

of these new contracting approaches

favored by its clients.

SOFT COSTS AND BILLABLE HOURS.

As processes go digital and project

teams become more integrated, the

industry will see increased scrutiny of

what activities add value to the design

and construction process. This will not

just touch the more easily automated

administrative and oversight activities on

projects, it will even impact professional

services resources who must justify

pricing paradigms based on old ways

of doing business. As owners begin to

recognize the possibilities of greater

visibility and more control of their project

delivery supply chain, organizations will

need to adopt Lean principles and be

prepared to reevaluate how they should

be compensated for their work.

CLOSING THOUGHT

When the Dutch sailors arrived on

Mauritius in the late 16th century, they

weren’t the first humans the Dodo Birds

had ever encountered—but they were

the ones that drove them to extinction.

There are real reasons to believe we are

approaching the long promised digital

transformation of the construction

industry. Firms that will thrive in today’s

economy and the coming years will be

the ones able to not only spot the risk,

but to seize the opportunity it presents. It

will be these companies that succeed.

about the authors

Sean Olcott, technical director at Gafcon (www.gafcon.com), has been at the bleeding edge of industry

innovation since 2006. Prior to joining Gafcon in 2013, Sean worked at industry start-ups that brought

emerging solutions to the market for Building Information Modeling, business process outsourcing,

managed service cloud platforms, and digital twin technologies. At Gafcon, he helps project owners make

sense of the expanding alphabet soup of industry technology acronyms (PMIS, VDC, BI, EDMS, CMMS,

BI, IoT, UAV, AR, VR, and more!) to design and implement solutions that enhance collaboration, drive

accountability, and increase predictability on their capital building programs and projects.

Scott Unger is the co-founder and CEO of Kahua (www.kahua.com), the creator of the world’s only

collaborative network for real estate and construction project management. He helps the world’s leading

owners, contractors, architects, and engineers to profitably deliver the highest performance capital projects

at the lowest possible cost. Prior to Kahua, Scott was co-founder, president, and CEO of Constructware, the

first cloud-based SaaS project controls solution. Constructware was acquired by Autodesk in 2006, and he

served on the Autodesk executive team following the acquisition. Scott has served as chairman of the Board

of Directors for Associated Builders and Contractors.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com38

ising material and labor costs,

coupled with an increasingly

competitive landscape, means

tight margins for construction firms and

little room for error when it comes to

delivering construction projects. A 2020

Deloitte Engineering and Construction

Industry Outlook report noted that most

engineering and construction firms

“continue to experience low profitability

and margins … The industry’s

traditionally

low margins, combined with increasing

project complexity, fierce competition

from Asian companies, and supply chain

constraints, will likely continue to put

extra

pressure on US companies’ profitability

in 2020.”

In this environment, many construction

firms are struggling to grow and achieve

business goals. Leveraging technology in

project design, building, and managing

can help firms remain competitive and

improve profitability.

DESIGN

A design-assist approach, which

brings together key construction team

stakeholders with design professionals

early in the design phase, is a collaborative

approach that helps address complexity

in construction projects. Advances

in technology are helping facilitate

this approach connecting architects,

contractors, engineers, and key

subcontractors to develop a shared

understanding of

the project early in the

process. This can help

make projects more

profitable by minimizing RFIs and change

orders, saving time and money.

The time it takes to manage

and answer

RFIs can be costly. A higher quantity of

RFIs to answer is not necessarily the core

problem on its own, but a lack of proper

tracking and communication can heighten

risk and cause issues.

Firms are using cloud-based

construction

software to break down

the communication silos that add time

and cost to RFI responses and wreak

havoc with project timelines. Cloud-

based project management technology

streamlines communication and provides

anytime, anywhere access to project

information. An added benefit of the

technology is real-time information

which keeps all project stakeholders on

the same page and the project on-track.

BUILDING

The way firms execute projects has a

major impact on profitability. Productivity

and jobsite efficiency are key drivers for

controlling costs and keeping a project

on schedule. Factors such as scheduling

mishaps, supply chain issues, and rework

can derail productivity and decrease

profit margins.

A report released by FMI and Plangrid

revealed that construction professionals

spend 35 percent of their time on non-

optimal activities, such as, looking for

project information and data, conflict

resolution, and dealing with mistakes

and rework. This non-optimal activity

accounts for $177.5 billion in labor costs

per year in the U.S. alone.

Rework, in particular, is one of the

issues which has a major impact on

project profitability. The same report

estimated that $31.3 billion of rework

in the U.S. in 2018 was caused by poor

data and

miscommunication.

Construction project management

platforms can reduce rework by connecting

cross-functional and distributed teams

ensuring a “single source” of truth with

a central repository of the most accurate

and up-to-date information on project

drawings, markups, RFIs, and change

orders. This streamlines communication

and improves productivity and workflows,

minimizing rework, which is often

considered one of the most inefficient

activities on a construction site.

The boost in productivity, efficiency,

resource, and time savings that result

from reducing the incidence of rework

translates to more profitable projects.

MANAGING

To protect the profitability of projects,

construction firms need to stay on

top of risk management. This involves

tracking all of the resources, assets,

and activities that impact productivity.

Managing financial resources is

foundational to achieving better

profitability. This process starts with

Leveraging Technology

remaining competitive to improve profitability

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

By Frederic Guitton

software solution

creating detailed, accurate estimates that factor in the real costs

associated with overhead, risk, and job costs.

Technology that simplifies estimating and integrates accounting

into project management can help construction firms accurately

assess how job progress and profitability stack up against real-

time revenue recognition—the barometer for measuring job

profitability, cash flow, and working capital efficiency.

Project management platforms further help firms mitigate risk

through document management. The complexity of construction

projects generates thousands of documents firms must track

through the lifecycle of a project. Proper documentation

and collection

can help construction firms more quickly settle

disputes that can adversely impact profitability.

Disputes and litigation are costly. According to the 2019

Arcadis Global Construction Disputes Report, during 2018 in

North America alone, the average dispute cost $16.3 million and

lasted more than 15 months. The report noted that “projects fail

because they are unable to adequately manage uncertainty and

expectations. The plans are either too optimistic (i.e., the budget

and schedule are based on the wrong assumptions), or external

events and risks impact the plan’s objectives, often giving rise to

construction claims and disputes.”

Cloud-based technology provides access to updated real-time

information from the office to the field or anywhere in between.

Centralizing document management and tracking can help firms

easily access information to avoid disputes and litigation and

protect project profitability.

Visibility into project data provided by project management

technology can also help manage risk. Deloitte’s 2020 Engineering

and Construction Industry Outlook Report highlighted the

importance of digital technology and real-time

data for helping

“project managers make better-informed decisions around

scheduling labor and materials and this type of

project monitoring

is moving beyond documenting cost overruns and construction

delays to include more forward-looking insights.”

CLOSING THOUGHT

In an environment of increasing competition as well as labor

and material costs, project management technology can give

construction firms a competitive edge. Construction firms that

embrace the use of technology in all phases of projects can better

collaborate, execute, and manage projects from preconstruction

to closeout. This maximizes productivity and minimizes RFIs,

rework, and other risk factors to boost profitability.

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

about the author

Frédéric Guitton is chief strategy officer/chief marketing officer at RedTeam

Software. Frédéric works closely with financial and strategic partners,

identifying new partners, providing an excellent experience and great support

to existing clients. For more, visit www.redteam.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com42

Delay Issues

a glimpse into construction setbacks due to global pandemic

ESSENTIAL BUSINESS

By Christopher S. Drewry

ince March, the COVID-19

pandemic has wreaked havoc

on the United States and the

rest of the world. Beyond the obvious

health consequences and the changes

in peoples’ daily lives, the virus has also

crept into the world of construction.

Despite the fact that many (though

not all) states throughout the country

have deemed construction an essential

business and the ongoing work on

construction projects therefore has (for

the most part) continued, there are still

a variety of impacts on those jobs due to

the pandemic.

In addition to the health of and well-

being of the workers and the overall

operations,

there are widespread concerns

over potential delays and other impacts on

projects. Specifically, there are questions

of whether the COVID-19 pandemic gives

rise to excusable or even compensable

delays. The construction industry has been

facing myriad issues, including labor and

manpower shortages, disruption to supply

chains, material delays, resequencing of

work, issues relating to social distancing

requirements and other excessive or

stringent protocols, and even voluntary

withdrawal. Additionally, there are impacts

to productivities and efficiencies as

companies and jobsites have adapted to a

variety of requirements and protocols laid

out by OSHA, the CDC, and others.

EXCUSABLE DELAYS

It seems almost inevitable that there

will be some form of delay or labor

inefficiency on any given project.

Ultimately, this begs the question: Will

such claims be viable and, if so, who

will bear the burden of any cost and/

or schedule impacts? Many industry

experts have debated whether the

pandemic itself and/or any of the

resulting impacts will qualify as an

excusable delay or force majeure event.

At its core, “force majeure” is the

excusing of contractual performance as

a result of unforeseen circumstances.

Although many people associate

force majeure with “Acts of God,”

the application can vary significantly

depending on the wording of the contract.

In contracts, the purpose of an

“excusable delay” or “force majeure

clause” is to (1) allocate risk, and (2)

provide notice to the parties of events

that may suspend or excuse performance.

Many construction contracts will make

express reference to “Acts of God”

or utilize the broader language of

“circumstances beyond the control” of

the parties. Specifically, the American

Institute of Architects (AIA) A201 General

Conditions § 8.3.1 pertaining to Delays

and Extensions of Time states as follows:

“If the Contractor is delayed at any

time in the commencement or progress

of the Work by (1) an act or neglect of

the Owner or Architect, of an employee

of either, or of a Separate Contractor;

(2) by changes ordered in the Work, (3)

by labor disputes, fire, unusual delay

in deliveries, unavoidable casualties,

adverse weather conditions documented

in accordance with Section 15.1.6.2, or

other causes beyond the Contractor’s

legal solution

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

control, (4) by delay authorized by the

Owner pending mediation and binding

dispute resolution; or (5) by other causes

that the Contractor asserts, and the

Architect determines, justify delay, then

the Contract Time shall be extended for

such reasonable time as the Architect

may determine.”

Additionally, the ConsensusDocs 200

Standard Owner-Constructor Agreement

expressly refers to “epidemics” in its

excusable delay clause. Although inclusion

of the term “epidemic” or “pandemic” may

make the analysis more straightforward

under the ConsensusDocs, most parties

nevertheless will be left to argue whether

the COVID-19 pandemic fits within the

scope of their respective excusable delay

or force majeure clauses. On the one

hand, the overall COVID-19 pandemic and

the related social distancing measures

and shutdowns of non-essential business

would most likely fall within the broad

scope of these contracts’ force majeure

clauses. However, excusing non-

performance or delayed performance

resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic

remains an issue. Stated differently, the

resulting events and impacts stemming

from the pandemic must be evaluated and

put under the contract microscope.

Regardless of the scope of clauses

like the AIA A201 or the ConsensusDocs,

the parties must look to their respective

contracts to determine whether only a

time extension is allowed, or whether

there are grounds for an adjustment to the

contract price. The contract may further

define (a) the types of costs recoverable;

(b) the burden or methodology needed

to establish, prove and document such

costs; and (c) notice, timing, and formal

submission of claim requirements

associated with pursuing any time

extension or contract price adjustment.

DELAY NOTICE ISSUES

This latter point regarding notice, timing

and submission is particularly important

as satisfying these claim requirements

in a contract is critical to preserving the

right to relief. Notwithstanding the issues

COVID-19 may present to office staff and

personnel, contractors must nevertheless

strictly conform with the timing and

procedural requirements to successfully

preserve a claim.

Typically, notice for any delay events—

including force majeure or other delays

which are claimed to be associated

with COVID-19—involves a multi-step

process beginning with the initial notice

requirements tied to the impact event

followed by subsequent requirements

to quantify costs as well as a “formal

claim” submission. Additionally, for

claimed ongoing delays, the contract

may require periodic updates as costs

continue to accrue. Finally, the form of

claim submission (i.e., submission by

mail or electronically, the identification of

recipients, etc.) must still be followed.

Regarding “traditional” claim

notices—that is, those not pertaining to

COVID-19—some courts have sounded a

clear warning: Only by compliance with

the notice requirements of the contract

documents can a contractor help ensure

that if (and when) delays are encountered

it can secure monetary as well as

schedule relief. Even in those jurisdictions

which take a more equitable approach,

it is still important to meet the express

contractual notice requirements to protect

against an owner’s arguments of lack of

actual knowledge and prejudice by the

noncompliance. In the end, a contractor

who fails to satisfy the contractual notice

requirements runs the risk of forfeiting its

entitlement to delay damages and/or time

extensions. This remains true on those

claims resulting from COVID-19 impacts

on a project.

CLOSING THOUGHT

In the end, this pandemic is unchartered

territory so it is not entirely clear how

courts and arbitrators may come down

on the specific issues which COVID-19

presents. Under some states’ laws,

claims that non-performance or delayed

performance of a contractual duty should

be excused under a force majeure theory

are largely evaluated on a case-by-case

basis. The first and most important issue

for courts to consider is the specific

language of the contract, as the scope and

effect of a force majeure clause or other

excusable delay provision will depend on

the specific contract language as opposed

to traditional definitions. Ultimately, we

are left with the harsh reality that delays

associated with the COVID-19 pandemic

will be extremely case specific based on

the project, the contracts involved, and

the underlying facts.

… ONLY BY

COMPLIANCE WITH THE

NOTICE

REQUIREMENTS

THE CONTRACT

DOCUMENTS CAN A

CONTRACTOR HELP

ENSURE THAT IF

(AND WHEN) DELAYS

ARE ENCOUNTERED

IT CAN SECURE

MONETARY AS WELL

AS SCHEDULE RELIEF.

about the author

Christopher S. Drewry is a partner with the

law firm of Drewry Simmons Vornehm,

LLP, in Indiana (www.dsvlaw.com). He

focuses his practice on construction law and

litigation, as well as labor and employment

law and litigation. He is also a member

of the Construction Law and Litigation

Committee of the International Association

of Defense Counsel. He can be reached at

cdrewry@dsvlaw.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com44

technology solution

art one of this article introduced

thermal bridging and its

consequences; part two discussed

the options to address thermal bridging.

In part three of this series, examples of

steel buildings constructed using thermal

breaks are presented.

REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES

Life Sciences Lab Building at the

University of Massachusetts: The

University sought to reduce thermal

energy loss due to thermal bridging

where 40 steel cantilevers that support

a canopy above an external walkway

penetrate the building envelope. Isokorb

Type S thermal breaks were installed

at each penetration point, providing

continuous insulation and reducing heat

loss by approximately 50 percent at

those points.

The use of thermal breraks—plus

the deployment of energy efficient

plumbing, chillers, ventilation, and

lighting systems—enabled the University

to save approximately $300,000 a year

in energy costs and achieve LEED

Gold certification. Preventing thermal

bridging also protects the structure

from condensation and rust damage and

eliminated conditions that could cause

mold growth, which might adversely

affect the health of building occupants.

National Museum of African American

History and Culture, Washington, D.C.:

The Museum houses priceless artifacts

that must be protected from interior

condensation. At the same time, the

Museum must provide a comfortable

interior for visitors and staff in an energy

efficient manner.

Doing so involved insulating the building

envelope where support structures for

rooftop chillers penetrate the envelope and

could lead to heat loss and condensation

on interior surfaces. An additional design

change called for swapping out a chilled

water connection with rooftop cooling

towers, leaving an area of the rooftop

unprotected and subject to a substantial

thermal bridge directly over exhibit space.

Isokorb Type S load-bearing thermal

breaks were installed to insulate and

support the cooling tower columns where

they penetrated the building rooftop.

The thermal breaks prevented conditions

that could lead to condensation and

mold growth, and helped the Museum

reduce energy loss by 50 percent at each

penetration point and maintain humidity

levels to protect the artifacts inside.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Addressing thermal bridges will improve

insulation efficiency so large amounts of

heat energy will not continue to escape

the building.

Thermal Bridging

insulating penetrations through envelopes of steel buildings

BUILDING EFFICIENCY

PART 3 OF 3

for more information

For more about Schöck North America and

thermal bridging, visit www.schock-na.com.

The UMass Life Sciences Lab features a 300-plus foot elevated walkway along the building’s façade. An overhead glass canopy supported

by 40 steel beams protects passers from the elements. Structural thermal breaks at each point of penetration insulate the building interior.

The museum features four thermal breaks at each of four steel rooftop penetrations per cooling tower preventing thermal bridging between

exterior and interior environments while supporting loads.

Photo courtesy SmithGroupJJR.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com46

technology solution

ission-critical facilities realize

that batteries provide a

trustworthily, Uninterruptible

Power Supply (UPS) to augment the grid

during outages. However, this option

has not always been available, as until

relatively recently batteries were not a

cost-effective means to hedge against

the grid’s instability. Improvements in

lithium-ion technology and scalability

have transformed storage into a notable

option for utilities, burning coal, natural

gas, or diesel fuel.

ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVE

Today, batteries are a cost-effective,

economic alternative to backup diesel

generators, due to technological

advancements in management software,

coupled with the fact that they require

minimal maintenance and are friendlier to

the environment.

Although batteries decrease

greenhouse gases and don’t need tank

loads of diesel fuel—which are difficult

to get following a natural disaster—the

main reason for selecting them is simple

economics—they are cheaper to operate

compared to generators.

They are a far superior option compared

to peaker plants, which are incredibly

expensive for utilities to maintain and

operate. Peaker plants also create an

enormous amount of greenhouse gases

in addition to particulate pollution, often

in the heart of urban neighborhoods. In

addition, batteries require no spool-up

time, as opposed to large peaker plants,

as they can start supplying power in

seconds when needed. Add to that the

ability to recycle them at end of life (as

opposed to dealing with the ground

contamination common to underground

fuel tanks, potential fuel leaks, etc.) and

the economics become fairly stark.

BATTERY OPTIONS TODAY

There are multiple viable battery options

on the market today, such as NextEra

Energy and BYD that utility-grade project

developers can consider. Perhaps the most

impressive battery options to date come

from Tesla. The company has already

demonstrated its expertise by powering

the world’s largest lithium-ion battery

installation in Hornsdale, South Australia,

using its Powerpack batteries—although

the power is being produced by the

wind. In its July 2019 blog, “Introducing

Megapack: Utility-Scale Energy Storage,”

the company boasts that Hornsdale

saved nearly $40 million in its first year

and helped to stabilize and balance the

region’s unreliable grid. Engineers were

all “charged up” by these results and went

on to produce the utility-scale Megapack,

which will ship from the factory fully

assembled and bring a payload of up to

3-megawatt hours (MWhs) of storage and

1.5 MW of inverter capacity.

In late March, Hawaiian Electric

announced the development of an 810

MWh installation at its Kahe Generating

Station on Oahu, adding to the

Megapack’s front-runner status. To put

things into perspective, it would have

over six times the energy capacity of the

Hornsdale project, and would currently

be the largest BESS in the world.

SOLAR + BATTERY

While the majority of the initial battery

energy storage system (BESS) projects

were standalone storage systems, we’re

now seeing a great many involving the

integration of solar power and battery

storage. This pairing has become popular

because solar panel prices continue

to drop, and there are sophisticated

software control systems that add a

great deal of flexibility for developing

more resilient, smart energy grids.

TOO NEW TO BUDGET

Even though many companies are

considering utility-scale battery and

Battery UPS

alternative energy sources provide power

UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY

By Abbot Moffat

technology solution

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com48

Healthcare Construction

the role of single source technology integrators

BUILDING MATTERS

oday, there is significant increase

in the number of hospitals, clinics,

and outpatient centers that are

being built or remodeled across the

country, in part due to the rise in demand

for healthcare from an aging population

and more access to health insurance.

To accommodate this rapid growth,

however, requires a sophisticated level

of technology integration that goes

beyond brick-and-mortar construction to

the design and installation of

networking,

communications, electronic record-keeping,

and patient/staff security systems.

SINGLE SOURCE TECHNOLOGY

As a result, the healthcare industry is

increasingly turning to single source

technology integrators during the

earliest phases of construction, that can

design, install, and manage an integrated

package of systems while coordinating

with other more traditional aspects

of construction.

Integration, defined on dictionary.com

as “an act or instance of combining into an

integral whole,” can be a somewhat vague

concept because the combination of parts

can be unending, while each individual

solution is specific to the application.

What is known is that the best

integrators are those that have an

extensive knowledge of the available

products and component parts of any

system and are able to connect them

together in a manner that extracts

significant added value. In other words,

the “whole” [a properly integrated

system] should be much greater than the

sum of its parts.

In healthcare, with new construction

booming “integration” has taken on new

meanings as well.

To start, technology integration in

new hospital, medical group, or clinic

construction now encompasses an

array of options from network IT and

Wi-Fi access points, to access control

systems, physical security cameras,

alarms, VoIP phones, nurse call systems,

and environmental and temperature

monitoring—to name a few.

Then there is integration of effort and

coordination with other aspects of new

construction when installing such systems.

COORDINATED EFFORT

Technology integration, it turns out, is not

covered under the umbrella of the general

contractor. That means technology

integrators, often hired by building

owners, must coordinate and integrate

their efforts with the general contractor

and associated plumbers, electricians,

drywall installers, painters, and other

tradesmen in a side-by-side effort.

In addition, technology integrators

often coordinate with healthcare company

personnel tasked with overseeing specific

aspects of the installation, whether

environmental control managers, IT staff,

or physical security experts.

In short, any integration—if not properly

coordinated, scheduled, and executed

with accommodations for last minute

changes, etc.—can be a nightmare for

those responsible for managing the

overall effort and all the contractors.

SINGLE SOURCE COMPANY

To avoid this scenario, healthcare

companies are turning to single source

companies that not only can handle the

full array of technologies, but can do so

down to the installation of the low voltage

wiring, cabling, conduit trays, wireless

antennas, hubs, electronic equipment

racks, and even the locks on the exit doors.

“By working with a single source

technology provider that offers a

menu of technology offerings, there

is an advantage of having a single

point of contact for overall system

design, installation, management, and

support,” says Eric Brackett, president

of BTI Communications Group, a

technology convergence provider

serving the healthcare, logistics, and

aerospace sectors.

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

Brackett adds that this can save healthcare organizations

significant time and money in technology consultation, along

with saving “a lot of aggravation and headaches” related to

managing construction staff.

EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY

Traditionally, voice, data, network, and physical security system

purchases have been made independently. Security cameras

and access control systems, for example, are implemented by

security integrators, while VoIP phone systems are installed

by telecom providers. In this approach, each vendor offers a

proprietary solution with little consideration as to how it will be

converged with other aspects of the network.

However, integration of these applications during new

construction or remodeling can offer immediate significant

revenue, security, and savings to a healthcare organization’s

bottom line, says Brackett.

“If you go to a traditional vendor in commercial security, VoIP

or even IT, they may try to interest you in products that are

currently promoted,” says Brackett. “It might not end up being

a fully operational solution to the business problem they are

attempting to solve.”

“Some vendors may not comprehend the full integration

potential and so are not able to go the extra mile to deliver

advanced functional capabilities that are built into the system,”

adds Brackett.

As an example, an access control system can be integrated

with the HR database to coordinate changes in employee status

such as termination, to automatically activate or deactivate

an employee keycard. If that same employee has remote

access to the security cameras, the network can disable the

account immediately.

CLOSING THOUGHT

It is important to note also that the role of the technology

integrator does not end once the system is installed. Proactive

monitoring should be employed, so that the system actively

oversees technology performance to identify anomalies

even before a malfunction occurs. Problems are addressed

proactively often without the customer even knowing about it.

When site visits are required, the monitoring system dispatches

an engineer without interrupting the customer.

Read about managing costs in this

article on mcsmag.com

for more information

For more about BTI Communications Group, visit www.btigroup.com.

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com52

ue to COVID-19, health and safety

are the top motives for having

employees work remotely …

and health and safety will be the driving

factors for the employee’s eventual

return to the office.

Ware Malcomb’s 2020 Return to

the Office research project explored

employee’s motivations and behaviors

as they worked remotely. The research

affirmed that employees will be

emboldened to push back on returning

to the workplace until they feel it is safe

to do so. As organizations begin planning

this transition back to the office, things

will be different. Significant attention

will be paid to “visible housekeeping”

that was once intentionally concealed.

Workstation areas will no longer

have the crowded cafe feel; rather,

they will be de-densified to maintain

social distancing.

Every organization’s return to the

office will be customized to their

circumstances, but each will have

a few commonalities:

• Perception is reality and what

employees perceive is what they will

believe is happening

• Transparency is essential for building

trust and managing misinformation

• Common sense should prevail,

grounding decision making in

practical, sound judgement

The strategic and tactical planning

guidelines outlined below are

situationally dependent. Different

circumstances will require different

responses in planning for bringing

employees back to the office.

COMMUNICATIONS & TRAINING

The level of

organizational communications

prevalent during the work from home

period will be maintained after employees

are allowed back into the office. Openly

advertising protocols for visitors, social

distancing, and housekeeping will

establish a sense of trust that employee’s

health and safety are top priorities. Things

will be different around the office post

COVID-19, and a robust training and

change communications program will

establish the “new normal.” Examples

of change management techniques

include establishing back-to-the-office

instructions for using the office space,

especially if it has been newly configured

for social distancing, and posting

or sharing

change communications documents, such as

“Frequently Asked Questions” postings,

and “Stay-Safe” etiquettes guides.

SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Safety protocols can be adapted in

various ways. Screening procedures for

employees, visitors, and contractors may

use the Infrared Fever Scan Systems

(IFss) or other health assessment

measures. Staggered work times/days,

or 4-day work weeks can reduce the

number of employees in the office at the

same time. Lunch and break times can

be scheduled or lengthened to minimize

occupant loads.

In addition to social distancing and

capping group sizes, centralizing trash and

Common Sense

returning to the office as states reopen

EXPERT COMMENTARY

By Cynthia Milota

safety solution

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

recycling bins with frequent disposal can

slow disease transmission. A clean desk

policy devoid of employee memorabilia

will enable the nighttime cleaning crew to

thoroughly clean all desks.

In addition to the conventional hands-

free faucets and soap and paper towel

dispensers, no touch options can be

considered for doors, badge readers, and

garbage/recycling bins. The increased use

of virtual digital assistants for enterprise

applications is another consideration.

Employees may choose to wear

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

when returning to the workplace to

protect the transmission of germs

through contact and droplet routes.

PPEs include face masks, gloves, and

potentially goggles. Organizations may

also make these available to employees

for personal use outside the office as

an additional level of protection.

WORKPLACE GUIDELINES

As the owner and leader of your

construction company, making sure all

areas of operation meet the health and

safety regulations and guidelines is an

essential task. Below are thoughts given

to a particular space to help with overall

return-to-work readiness.

Reception areas. If no formalized

visitor protocols or badge requirements

exist, consider controlling access to the

office via signage for phone-in entry.

Temporary plexiglass “sneeze guard”

screens can be installed at reception or

check-in points. Rearrange or take away

seating in the reception area to manage

social distancing. To maintain hygiene,

remove magazines, corporate swag or

pens from the reception space, and

keep the hand sanitizer dispensers in

plain view.

Workstation areas. To accommodate

6 feet of social distancing, start with a

floor plan indicating the workstations

to be occupied and determine your

maximum capacity per floor or wing.

Remove chairs or even monitors to

discourage unoccupied workstation use.

Seating should remain assigned until the

widespread threat of virus transmission

has diminished. Employees personal

items should be removed for thorough

nightly worksurface cleaning. Additional

concepts include installing higher

panels/shields between workstations or

repositioning workstations, so employees

do not face one another.

Collaboration areas. To satisfy

the 10-person maximum gathering

rule imposed by many states and

municipalities, remove extra conference

room chairs and install signage indicating

the maximum number of people allowed

in each conference, meeting, huddle, and

focus room. Use a portion of your largest

conference room for chair storage,

until the need for social distancing

has diminished.

Breakroom. The office coffee maker,

water dispenser, and fresh fruit snacks

will temporarily go by the wayside along

with the morning bagels and birthday

cake, until the threat of transmission

has diminished. However, pre-packed

twinkies would be safe.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Touchless hand sanitizers and disinfectant

wipes will become like exit signs;

employees can see them from every

vantage point. Maintaining adequate

stock will be challenging until the supply

chain has regulated production.

ncrease “during the day” housekeeping,

maintaining a visible presence so

employees see the efforts of the

organization to keep them healthy and safe.

Virtual meeting and collaboration

platforms will continue to keep the

people connected professionally and

personally. Encouraging virtual meeting

attendance even while in the office

may be recommended until the virus

transmission has curbed.

CLOSING THOUGHT

There are vast amounts of speculation

and misinformation surrounding the

Coronavirus, leading to anxiety and

uncertainty. The local, national, and

global impacts are monumental. The

eventual return to the workplace will

provide a sense of routine and the

beginnings of the new normal. In

planning that return, the considerations

can be overwhelming.

Dated January 10, 1776, Thomas Paine

wrote the pamphlet Common Sense to

the American colonists. He began with

this line: “In the following pages, I offer

nothing more than simple facts, plain

arguments, and common sense.”

As organizations navigate the

COVID-19 complexities, let common

sense be the guide.

about the author

Cynthia Milota is director, workplace

strategy, with Ware Malcomb, where she

is responsible for leading Ware Malcomb’s

workplace strategy practice in North America.

She partners with clients to formulate their

unique objectives: mindful of employee

experience and business objectives along

with wellness, social responsibility, talent

strategy, the workforce ecosystem, and

measures for success. For more, visit

www.waremalcomb.com.

EMPLOYEES MAY

CHOOSE TO WEAR

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE

EQUIPMENT (PPE)

WHEN RETURNING

TO THE WORKPLACE

TO PROTECT THE

TRANSMISSION OF

GERMS THROUGH

CONTACT AND

DROPLET ROUTES.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com54

safety solution

f you’ve been in the industry long

enough, you’ll notice a trend in the

average age of its code professionals.

A report released in 2014 by the

International Code Council (ICC) listed

the average age of the profession as

62 years of age with 85 percent of

inspectors and plan examiners above

45, and there is no question the average

age is even older today. We’ve also

seen this firsthand with older applicants

far out-numbering younger ones,

suggesting that younger workers are

not joining the profession. Even before

the pandemic, 80 percent of code

professionals were set to retire within

the next 15 years, and unless businesses

and building departments take action,

the current COVID-19 pandemic is likely

to accelerate this trend. At SAFEbuilt,

we’ve seen how the right technology can

enable an aging workforce to continue

working past average retirement age by

reducing the risk of illness, eliminating

the physical requirements for the job,

and improving quality of life through the

reduction of travel time.

CONCERN OVER APPROVALS

While 93 percent of building departments

say they are still conducting inspections,

61 percent say they do not have the

capabilities to conduct remote or

electronic inspections. Given the average

age of inspectors and the disparate

impact COVID-19 has had on older

Americans, the fear of catching the virus

while on site is especially acute for this

group, and may push inspectors to retire

early, take a leave of absence, or to delay

or cancel inspections when possible. With

no end in sight to the pandemic and few

younger professionals to fill the ranks,

building departments and developers alike

are bracing for a potential slowdown in

permit approvals and inspections, thus

increasing project length and costs.

At SAFEbuilt, our number one priority

is safety through attention to detail in

applying the codes and standards we

review and enforce on a daily basis.

For almost 30 years, we have worked

with more than 1,100 communities

nationwide, as well as the nation’s top

five home builders, to come up with

new ways to perform plan reviews and

commercial or residential inspections

that consider the challenges that both

code officials and developers experience

in the field. With this current pandemic,

the industry has to ensure an older

workforce stays safe while not delaying

projects indefinitely. In Florida, we saw

how this played out firsthand. As a result

of stay-at-home-orders that affected our

workforce above the age of 65, many of

our projects could have been delayed

had our code officials not been able to

conduct remote plan reviews.

VIRTUAL INSPECTIONS

Remote inspections provide the best of

both worlds by giving older workers the

ability to inspect jobsites from a safe

location. An additional benefit is the

elimination of travel time to and from sites,

allowing inspectors to “visit” more jobs.

Virtual inspections connect the inspector

to the jobsite where they can tour and see

the work as the contractor walks the site

with a smart phone, tablet, or other video

streaming platform.

After testing and using this technology in

the field for more than 2 years with certified

project managers, inspectors, and plans

examiners, we have been able to determine

what inspection types it works for best.

Additionally, we are working with ICC to

ensure we continue to meet code standards.

By knowing what types of projects are

best suited to virtual inspections, we

are better able to protect our workforce

by dramatically limiting the number of

inspectors we send out to jobsites.

LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY

Digital plans submission is another

way we can leverage technology to

help expedite projects while keeping

SAFETY IN THE DETAILS

By Joe DeRosa

a necessity to protect an aging workforce

Digital Tool Adoption

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

workers safe. As of now, 60 percent of

jurisdictions do not possess digital plan

submission capabilities. For traditional plan

submission, paper copies of plans must

be delivered to building departments at

city or town halls. This traditional system

can potentially endanger government

employees by drawing more people into

municipal buildings. Additionally, as studies

show the virus can live on paper for up to

5 days, anyone handling the plans is at risk

of getting sick. Many cities have mandated

a 5-day quarantine period for all physical

copies of building plans. Using digital tools

such as email, secure online portals, or

cloud-based file drops, you eliminate the

need to ship and handle paper, reducing

the risk of coming in contact with anything

or anyone who has the virus.

Digital plan reviews have an added

bonus of being more convenient by

saving a trip to the building department

while enabling the customer to submit

plans at any time of the day. They also

more easily comply with record retention

laws, allow plans to be easily stored and

searched, and promote collaboration

among departments. Once submitted,

digital plans can be routed to a qualified

inspector, thus reducing backlogs and

related delays. Speed is especially critical

now as a quarter of building departments

recently surveyed have reported seeing

an increase in plan submissions for

temporary occupancy and/or temporary

structures as a result of the COVID-19

pandemic. To help expand services to

fight the coronavirus pandemic, many

healthcare facilities have proposed putting

beds in alternative locations (like school

gymnasiums, hotels and conference

facilities, outpatient surgical centers) or

installing temporary structures in their

parking lots. It goes without saying that

the ability to inspect these new temporary

healthcare facilities virtually is critical

to ensure workers aren’t exposed to the

virus and the facilities are up to code.

THE DIGITAL SOLUTION

Digital tools that enable projects like

these and help keep the code inspector

workforce safe, are especially crucial now

as cities think about how to address their

budget shortages at a time when they and

their workers are being asked to do more

with less. Through forward-thinking public

and private partnerships that leverage

digital tools and remote capabilities we

can help improve the efficiency of busy

building departments by helping them add

additional digital and remote capabilities

along with staff fluent in using them.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Through the use of digital tools, building

departments can ensure their workers

stay safe and healthy during COVID-19 by

reducing person-to-person contact and

thus they will be more likely to continue

working. Going forward, it is critical that

these digital tools get more widespread

adoption so that cities don’t

have to risk

the health of their inspector workforce.

These digital tools have many advantages

and will boost the efficiency of building

departments, which will be critical to

address the future shortage of experienced

code professionals. For cities with staffing

shortages or workers who are reluctant

to switch to digital code inspections or

plan reviews, private provider services like

SAFEbuilt can help cities keep workers

safe and projects

moving.

about the author

Joe DeRosa is the chief revenue officer of

SAFEbuilt. Joe and his team are responsible

for all aspects of revenue growth for

SAFEbuilt. Joe is a global sales and marketing

executive with experience in industries

including SaaS, FinTech, FinServ, Insurance,

Telecom, Manufacturing, and Industrial.

Founded in 1992, SAFEbuilt supports

municipal governments and public and private

corporations with community transformation

services, including expert and professional

community development, infrastructure,

and maintenance services to over 1,100

communities across 24 states. SAFEbuilt

offers customized solutions that are built to

fit its client’s development needs including

stabilizing budgets, maximizing efficiencies,

improving customer services, and adaptable

staffing. For more, visit www.safebuilt.com.

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com56

MAY 202058

maintenance solution

Seasonal Care

equipment maintenance for optimal performance and longevity

BEST PRACTICES

ou already realize the importance

of winterizing your construction

equipment before cold weather

hits in the winter. But did you know that

you should be taking similar measures

ahead of hot weather in the spring and

summer to ensure that your equipment

runs as efficiently as it can?

You’re probably thinking that you’ve

never taken any sort of “dewinterizing”

steps before and your equipment seems

to work just fine. Well, it’s true that you

can probably get by without prepping your

equipment for the summer. But by opting

not to take these steps, you’re decreasing

the life of your equipment, making it

more difficult—or even impossible—for

your equipment to operate at full capacity

and increasing the opportunity for small

issues to turn into larger ones.

Dewinterizing will protect your

equipment against hot temperatures,

it will improve your equipment’s ability

to perform when it’s hot and it will

extend the life of your equipment, which

increases the value you get from your

company’s investments.

If you’re not sure what you should be

doing to prepare your equipment for hot

weather, here are a few ways that you

can get started now.

REGULAR MAINTENANCE

This one seems like a no-brainer but

it’s one of the most important (and

most overlooked) steps to ensure your

equipment runs well in all weather

conditions. If you have a mechanic at

your disposal then this should just be a

matter of staying on top of maintenance

scheduling and making sure it gets done.

You’ll also want to schedule time for your

equipment in the shop for bigger jobs or

if you don’t have a mechanic who goes

job-to-job.

Even if you already have maintenance

scheduled and being performed

routinely, you should double check that

everything is being done properly since

it’s easy for construction mechanics

to get complacent about routine

work. Regular maintenance on heavy

equipment should include things like:

• Oil checking/changing

• Air filter checking/changing

• Checking/changing other fluids

& lubricants (powertrain fluids,

grease, etc.)

• Checking for broken parts

(lights, glass, etc.)

• Checking for worn parts

(rubber tracks)

If you don’t have a great

budget or enough manpower to

do routine maintenance

as recommended

then you can also

encourage your

workers to check

the equipment

before, during, and after they use it.

Ideally, this is already happening, but in

many cases it doesn’t. Getting operators

on board will allow you to identify and

resolve issues more quickly, which can

have a major impact on the equipment’s

condition and lifespan.

OPERATE WHEN COOLER

When you operate your machinery

in cold weather, the impact is often

very noticeable. But believe it or not,

the heat can take a great toll on your

equipment as well.

When temperatures get really high, it

impacts how your equipment parts and

fluids work within the machine. One

example of this is that

your fluids may get

used up more

www.mcsmag.com

www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

quickly and may even evaporate during usage. When your fluids

and lubricants get used up more quickly, it increases the risk of

damaging the equipment.

One way to protect against this happening is to look ahead

at which days of the week are supposed to be the hottest and

schedule work for your equipment on the cooler days, while

scheduling work without that equipment for the hotter days. You

can even use the hot days to get the equipment checked out for

regular maintenance.

If you’re unable to schedule your equipment to run on cooler

days, consider telling your workers to shut the equipment

down every now and then to give it a break. This will allow your

equipment to cool down and not get overworked.

PROPER CARE

Depending on the type of work you do, the number of jobs

you have going on, the size of your fleet and other factors, you

might use certain equipment during certain seasons.

If this is the case for you then you probably have equipment

sitting around all winter long and then when spring and summer

roll around you expect it to fire up as usual. But the longer your

equipment sits, the more difficult it will be to get it going again

when you need it.

Even worse, letting your equipment sit for long periods

without being checked or stored properly increases the chances

of it getting damaged or malfunctioning.

One easy step for proper off-season storage is to make sure

the equipment is clean when you stop using it. You can get by

with letting dirt, mud, and other debris hang around when you’re

using equipment daily (although you should really be cleaning it

every day) but letting debris pile up and sit for extended periods

of time is just asking for trouble. Other steps you can take to

safely store off-season equipment include:

• Draining fluids

• Shutting off fuel lines

• Covering or storing indoors (out of sunlight) if possible

• Store with hydraulic parts lowered

• Refer to your equipment manual for more

CLOSING THOUGHT

The equipment you use makes up some of the largest

investments your company makes on an ongoing basis. You

can protect those investments and get the most from them by

properly preparing for hot and cold temperatures and by taking

care of the machinery when it’s idle.

for more information

To learn more about care for rubber tracks from Dominion Equipment Parts,

visit www.depparts.com.

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Guardrail and

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Safety Boot

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• Non-Penetrating Design

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www.mcsmag.com MAY 2020

n response to the immediate need

for disinfecting equipment, Mi-T-M

Corporation introduces two new

combination models that are not only

used to dispense disinfectant but can also

be used as a cold water pressure washer.

Dana Schrack, vice president for the

Peosta, Iowa manufacturer says long-

standing customers called looking for

help, “Our sales guys started getting

calls from customers with an urgent need

for equipment to help with disinfecting.

Within 2 weeks of those first calls, we

were shipping product.”

The Mi-T-M engineering team came up

with a redesign of an electric pressure

washer, currently being sold by Mi-T-M,

and developed it as a combination model.

According to Schrack, Mi-T-M then

teamed up with another Peosta company,

“We immediately contacted our hose

supplier, ProPulse, and they were able to

redesign an existing high pressure hose

to handle the disinfectant needed to

combat COVID-19. Working together we

were able to put equipment in the hands

of people who are helping businesses get

back to work.”

DUAL PURPOSE

The electric combination 1400 psi cold

water pressure washer and 350 psi low

pressure dispensing mister is easy to

use and comes in either a hand carry or

portable model. Since it is a combination

model it can be used for all purpose

cleaning around the home or small

business and, in mister mode, used to

put disinfectant right where it’s needed.

Each unit includes a 36-inch lance and

trigger gun with quick connect nozzles

for pressure washing, a trigger gun with

misting nozzle and 75-foot x ¼-inch hose.

The high quality electric motor makes it

safe to use both inside and out.

Designed to be used with a

concentrated disinfectant mixture, you

can disinfect a multitude of surfaces

quickly and efficiently. Either model

works great on high contact areas inside

buildings, such as medical offices and

supply stores. The compact commercial

grade unit will quickly help to sanitize

break rooms and rest rooms. It can be

used in locker rooms and in gyms, on

weights, exercise equipment, and other

common spaces.

HOT WATER PRESSURE WASHERS

Mi-T-M has been highly respected in the

cleaning industry since 1971. In 2016,

Mi-T-M introduced an innovative all electric

hot water pressure washer perfect for

sanitizing food and beverage facilities.

Now, more than ever, the HAE Series of

hot water pressure washers is helping

businesses with their cleaning and

sanitizing needs.

The HAE Series is available in 2500

or 3000 psi and consists of two major

components. The high-quality belt-

driven pump and motor is protected

by a stainless-steel cabinet that resists

corrosion and rust.

The innovative heat exchanger cartridge

design provides consistent and efficient

on-demand hot water. The temperature will

rise 120 to 130 degrees above incoming

water temperature within 3 to 5 minutes, so

crews can get right to work.

To view videos of these

essential machines, visit

www.mitm.com/support/videos.

For more about Mi-T-M Corporation, visit

www.mitm.com. For more about ProPulse,

visit www.powermovingforward.com

MAY 2020 www.mcsmag.com62