Why Investing in Tech Increases Productivity in Construction

You're out there on the job site. You feel that gnawing anxiety as the complexity of your project seems to multiply by the day. Hands on your hips, hard hat casting a long shadow in the afternoon sun, you can't help but wonder: "How on earth can we keep productivity up in this chaos?"

The construction sector is a wild beast of a machine. Day after day, you're up against the elements, juggling resources, warding off delays, and coaxing the very best from your team. At times, it feels like a Herculean task, and who wouldn't feel a pinch of resistance when faced with such a mountain to climb?

But then there's this sliver of curiosity about automation — the promise of a smarter, more efficient worksite. You might wonder if it’ll actually make you more efficient, or just take too much time to learn. Well, let's explore this together. We’ll take a fresh perspective on productivity in construction and examine Avvir's transformative approach. Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive in.

Understanding Productivity in Construction

Productivity in construction goes beyond swinging hammers faster or laying bricks at warp speed. It's a nuanced concept, packed with layers of complexity. It involves measuring the output produced for every labor hour spent on the job. These are not just any labor hours, mind you, but the kind that are logged and scrutinized by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They are as official as it gets.

But it’s deeper than the numbers. We're talking about real people, dealing with real problems and real-world conditions, all while trying to deliver a tangible, usable, and often monumental piece of architecture. So, how do we tackle this beast?

We start with the backbone of any construction project: the management systems and project planning. These are the nerve centers that keep the construction process humming, coordinating between various stakeholders, managing supply chains, and reacting in real time to any hiccups. But even the best-planned project can hit a snag. Maybe it's a supply chain issue causing a delay in getting the right materials, or a sudden change order that sends everyone back to the drawing board. These issues directly affect productivity in construction.

Next, we move to the job site itself. An efficient work area with easily accessible routes for construction workers and materials can work wonders for productivity. Conversely, a chaotic construction site can bog down progress. And don't even get us started on weather conditions. An unexpected downpour, a sudden freeze, or a scorching heat wave can halt construction activities in their tracks.

The role of subcontractors and other stakeholders is also crucial. A well-coordinated team of subcontractors can make your construction site hum like a well-oiled machine, while a disjointed team can send it into a tailspin.

The Imperative of Increasing Productivity in Construction

Let's face it: Construction projects aren't known for their smooth sailing. Cost overruns and labor productivity problems are the bane of the industry. The good news is, these aren't unsolvable puzzles. They’re just bumps along the road.

Consider the impact of productivity improvement on the bottom line. Imagine a world where rework is minimal and construction tasks go as planned. A world where supply chain snags are rare and all stakeholders work in sync. Sounds like a utopia, doesn't it? But it's not — it's what happens when you prioritize productivity.

Increased productivity in construction can lead to significant cost savings. Take it from Avvir, an innovative player in the construction industry. Through precision and simplicity, we make it possible to reduce rework, minimize errors, and streamline workflows. The result? Construction companies transcend mere penny-pinching and save substantial amounts of money.

Lastly, you gain a competitive edge. With the right approach to productivity, a construction project can hit its deadlines more reliably, resulting in a stronger reputation and increased trust among clients. This could be the difference between landing the next big project or watching it go to a competitor.

Avvir: A Game-Changer in Construction Productivity

From far away, construction projects might seem like a maze of intricacies, a complicated dance of personnel, materials, and timelines. But what if there was a way to bring clarity to the chaos? To cut through the fog of complexity and significantly enhance productivity in construction? Avvir, an automated risk analysis platform, has stepped into the spotlight, changing the game by increasing efficiency, reducing rework, and minimizing errors in the construction sector. Here's how.

Harnessing the Power of Automation

Picture a standard construction project: hundreds, if not thousands, of moving parts need to coalesce perfectly for the job to progress as planned. Avvir changes the script by automating production tracking. Project owners no longer have to worry about whether the contractor is meeting milestones — Avvir takes care of it.

By employing an algorithm that status-checks every Building Information Modeling (BIM) element, Avvir ensures the project is advancing as it should. Trades falling behind schedule? Avvir flags it. The result? Enhanced productivity, and a sigh of relief from project owners.

Striking a Balance Between Progress and Cost

We've all heard the age-old saying “Time is money.” In the construction industry, it rings particularly true. With Avvir's Progress 5D, installed value is tracked against expected value for each line item in your team's work breakdown structure. The outcome? A bird's eye view of budget and cash flow within Avvir, eliminating the need for endless email exchanges or various copies of files across different systems.

This streamlined approach reduces friction and time required to issue payments, keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring cash flow is effectively managed.

How Avvir Helped Skanska

Let's dive into a real-world example. Skanska, a renowned name in the industry, faced a multiyear, multimillion-dollar school project. With five buildings underway simultaneously, the complexity was daunting. The need for effective communication was paramount, and Avvir delivered.

Skanska used Avvir's platform to analyze a plethora of 360-degree photos, enabling the team to objectively communicate construction progress. This high level of detail provided a clear understanding of how different trades were progressing, what was causing delays, and how these issues were impacting the overall project schedule.

Thanks to Avvir, Skanska could obtain clear, data-driven insights into the progress of the project. And with this information in hand, they could demonstrate to the client the impact of any design delays and make proactive decisions to keep construction moving efficiently.

Moreover, the power of Avvir allowed Skanska to identify delays in the installation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. Armed with this knowledge, they accelerated the progress of other trades to minimize the overall impact on the project schedule.

Driving Change With Avvir: BIM to the Rescue

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction isn't new. But Avvir takes it to the next level by integrating BIM with reality capture analysis, creating a reliable source for project updates. For instance, during Skanska's multiyear project, Avvir's platform compared existing conditions to the BIM to present large datasets in a visually digestible format.

What's striking about Avvir's approach is that it moves beyond merely providing data — the emphasis is on providing the right information. Avvir's algorithm detects critical path issues and evaluates their impact, ensuring quality and preventing unnecessary schedule and budget overruns. By reducing costly rework and mistakes, Avvir offers a financial advantage that's hard to ignore.

This method empowers operations teams to have up-to-date BIM with as-built conditions for facilities management and future renovations. 

Forging Ahead With Technology in Your Toolbox

When it comes to productivity in construction, the feeling is familiar: a mix of anxiety and resistance, punctuated by a spark of curiosity. It's like standing on the edge of a high dive, staring down at the blue water below. There's fear, yes, but also the thrill of what's to come.

It's not a small thing we're talking about here — inviting a new player onto your construction site, asking them to change the way you've been doing things. Change isn't easy. It's human nature to feel a sense of unease when faced with new technology, new processes. 

Avvir isn't just about shiny new tools or cool graphics — it's about redefining the very fabric of construction. This is a chance to let technology shoulder some of your burdens, automate the mundane, and focus your attention on what really matters: building the future.

Avvir is here, and it's redefining productivity in construction. Take a breath, make the jump, and let's reinvent the building sector together. So, are you ready to bring Avvir on board and revolutionize your construction project? The future is waiting. Let's build it.