CIO OPINION boardroom executives may only learn afterwards about increased material costs or a significant amount of rework on a project and people on site could be working off outdated drawings or getting delayed because the wrong materials have been supplied . Mistakes like this can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds in rework and project delays . This is why it is so important to digitise the business and facilitate real-time information flow through construction management software . We have seen first-hand when working with many Procore customers how becoming more data-driven can reduce rework , waste , improve margins and overall project outcomes .
In enhancing short- and long-term planning within construction projects , what measures can be implemented ?
The construction industry is undergoing radical change . It is moving away from siloed and linear processes with limited numbers of stakeholders at each stage , to a more dynamic and iterative process with a complex matrix of stakeholders , ranging from owners to material suppliers , all of whom need to keep abreast with realtime updates . This is where construction management platforms come into their own . They are designed to manage projects to a high standard from preconstruction planning through to handover .
A construction management platform like Procore connects everyone in one place . It follows the new and ever-changing dynamics of projects , making the right data available to the right people at the right time . This is made possible because , with their subscription , a company gets unlimited users , data and support from Procore . The historical data that platforms like Procore capture can highlight behaviours or trends that can improve planning for future projects . This results in greater business predictability and therefore greater efficiency for every project that follows .
Post-COVID , the construction sector is regarded as one of the backbones of the economy that will give other sectors a boost . What strategies can construction companies employ to prosper in this evolving landscape ?
I believe that despite the headwinds and obvious challenges today , we in construction have reason to remain confident . It has always been an extremely resilient sector and one that has proved capable of building through recessions , wars and pandemics . Very few sectors can say that . What boosts my confidence today is that we have technology on our side to improve our work efficiency , the quality of our decisions and business results in general . Digitising their business to gather data and insight into what works for particular types of projects should be front of mind for business leaders . This will translate into even greater resilience overall .
Every day we see impactful ways in which the Procore platform helps with big and small tasks . From quickly moving construction materials depending on the changing weather conditions , to timely approvals that help in avoiding delays . We have customers who track snags throughout the course of the project , allowing them to always keep their finger on the pulse . This helps to avoid surprises at the end . Everything becomes more predictable and less of a surprise when you develop standardised practices and processes supported by technology that people use every day .
Procore ’ s ease of use and 24-hour real-human workforce support is something our clients cite as a major reason why they choose to work with us and adopt this new technology . The more predictable and efficient the sector becomes , the less rework and waste in the entire process . Increased profitability and resilience will ensure we can continue building and evolving our economy and society , doing so more safely for all and to stricter standards .
Procore ’ s How We Build Now 2023 benchmark report revealed some interesting insights from the UK and Ireland ’ s construction leaders . What are the most important of these revelations and what valuable lessons emerge from them ?
The report revealed the resilience of the construction industry , with four-out-of-10 respondents being ‘ very confident ’ and five-out-of-10 ‘ somewhat confident ’ in the coming year . Construction firms said that business productivity would be most improved through :
• Implementing best practice processes and protocols in pre-construction
• Building employee engagement
• Staff having the ability to work remotely from the site
If you look broadly at these improvements , construction management technology can facilitate all of them . We
The UK ’ s built environment is responsible for approximately 25 % of total UK greenhouse gas emissions .
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