Construction POC – Page 36 – Just information about construction

Primavera Project Manager And Construction Projects

Posted on April 24, 2018 by blogger

With more than 25 years of industry experience, Primavera is a leader in construction project management software. Primavera Project Manager simplifies and facilitates construction project management in a number of ways. While it was initially used for large-scale projects, Primavera has become increasingly popular for use with smaller-sized construction projects. It is essential for ease of management in scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, time lines, and the creation of graphics and reports.

It is ideal for simplifying the process of planning and scheduling complex projects. Primavera Project Manager helps in the identification of distinct phases of a project, which facilitates communication and goal-setting. This allows for the coordination of labor, equipment, and materials to ensure both proper allocation of resources and project completion that is both timely and on-budget. Primavera also offers customizable graphics and activity network diagrams to identify driving relationships in the project.

Primavera excels at simplifying the creation of complex schedules. It facilitates the identification of events which are interdependent and the scheduling of the people and resources required by these tasks. Because the software responds to real-world scenarios, Primavera Project Manager can accommodate uncertainties in time-line duration. It optimizes the scheduling through identification of the critical path and can provide historical information on the relationship between planned and actual project performance. Because Primavera allows for quick short-term planning, it facilitates communication about responsibilities for the upcoming day, week, month, or whatever time period is needed.

In addition to this ease of communication, Primavera Project Manager facilitates collaboration between workers or subcontractors by making it possible to easily email entire projects. Industry standard reports are customizable to communicate project status to all project team members. Primavera eases the budgeting process as well; baseline budgets are easily compared to actual costs. With the correct use of Primavera Project Manager, on-time and on-budget project completion is virtually guaranteed, as it so readily facilitates the coordination of labor, materials, equipment, and sub-contractors. Because it allows for what-if scenario planning, Primavera allows users to design their project with their strategic objectives in mind. This integrated construction project management software is essential for exemplary management.

Prefabrication And Modularity In Bim Construction

Posted on April 21, 2018 by blogger

As Building Information Modeling continues its march through the AEC industry, its effects and advantages for construction management are coming more into the spotlight. BIM construction is a fundamentally different animal than past practices. In terms of the relationship between the owner, designer and builder, in how construction is actually accomplished, and in terms of the bottom-line, BIM construction is changing in subtle and radical ways how a project is executed. Construction managers are now included in the design process, prefabrication is increasingly used and build times, change orders and site logistics are all positively affected by BIM construction.

The construction industry has lagged far behind most other industries in leveraging modern technology for productivity gains.One of the most glaring facts about the construction industry as a whole is encapsulated by the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Labor Statistics finding that the construction industry has had continual losses in productivity since 1964, in stark contrast to all other non-farm labor, which has almost doubled productivity in the same 40 years.

One of the prime reasons for declining labor productivity in the construction industry has to do with the traditional process by which a project is conceived and delivered. The design-bid-build paradigm is a fragmented process, where the owner contracts with separate professionals for the design and construction of the project, and each phase follows the previous one. Any collaborative involvement between the design professionals and the construction professionals is highly limited, leading to change orders, errors and other issues when the best-made plans are confronted with construction site reality.

BIM construction provides the necessary platform and processes for reversing this trend. The National Research Council of the National Academies identified BIM construction enabled prefabrication and modularity as important components to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the US construction industry in a 2009 report. As 3D modeling and parametric design make constructability part and parcel of the design process, construction managers are increasingly brought in early in the projects design phase, to evaluate the practicality of a design. This involvement has driven what some call the oldest new idea in construction. Prefabrication, and modularity, bring to bear in the construction industry practices that Henry Ford discovered well over a hundred years ago. Fundamental to this is the decoupling of manufacture from assembly. Instead of costly, time-consuming onsite fabrication and fitting of parts, prefabrication in a controlled environment allows for a reduction in labor, faster completion times, less waste and change orders. This is particularly true in the finish and detail portions of a building, as well as the skin and faade systems.Modular components are then brought to the site for efficient assembly. This is neither new nor particularly foreign to the construction industry.

One of the earliest examples of modern prefabricated construction was the magnificent Crystal Palace in London, built for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Made of cast-iron and glass, the Palace was longer than Versailles and higher than Westminster Abbey. The building was completed in less than 200 days, from conception to occupation. 3300 iron columns, 2150 iron girders, 250 miles of sash bar, 293,635 panes of glass. The crucial detail is that these all conform to a basic 24 foot module, allowing the manufacture to be contracted to several foundries and glass factories. The entire structure was dismantled in 1852 and moved to another site, reassembled and stood until fire destroyed it in 1936.
The Hilton Palacio del Rio in San Antonio was designed, built and occupied for the Texas World Expo in 202 working days! A 500 room deluxe hotel, still in use today, had each room factory built and placed by crane in 46 days.

Most recently, in Lin Gang Industrial Zone in Xiangyin County, a 17,000 square meter hotel known as T30 was completed in an astonishing 15 days! Over 350 rooms with restaurant, gym, swimming pool and underground parking, 93% of the building was pieced together onsite with premade assemblies. Earthquake resistant up to magnitude 9, the building boasts quadruple-paned windows, external solar shading, LED lighting and an innovative air filtration system.
One of the main challenges in prefabrication in BIM construction is the necessity for working with tight tolerances from the start of the design process. This is aided by 3D modeling, as BIM construction brings the trades in early in process, driving a new design philosophy. Instead of onsite builders building to the design, designers now design to the module specifications, achieving substantial savings and compressing construction schedules.

Another stumbling block is what is known as multitrade prefabrication. Common in Europe, but almost unknown in the US, this involves the creation of modular units with duct work, gas mains, hot water supply, electrical conduits and communication pathways built-in. Independent prefab firms in Europe have developed BIM construction software for these horizontal systems that convert the model into a bill of materials on a module by module basis. The need for multi-trade coordination in the design of these modules is obviously necessary.

Another challenge is the task of lifting and manipulating these large modular units on the work site. With stick-built construction, only raw materials are handled by individuals or well-developed machinery systems. New systems and logistics will now need to be devised to transport, store and place the multi-ton, large-dimension assemblies that are a result of BIM construction prefabrication.
On the flip side, the advantages of modern prefabrication and modularization in BIM construction are overwhelming. So much so that the McGraw-Hill SmartMarket Report: Prefabrication and Modularization: Increasing Productivity in the Construction Industry reports that their survey shows that 98% of all architects, engineers and contractors expect to be using prefabrication and modularization to some extent in the projects. Healthcare facilities (49%), hotels and motels (11%), commercial warehouses (11%) lead the way in using BIM construction driven prefabrication. The building elements most conducive to prefabrication and modularization are building superstructure (27%), MEP systems (21%) and exterior walls (20%).

The reasons listed in this report for using prefab and modular systems include: improved project schedules, reduced costs and budgets, site safety improvements and green building/waste reduction.
The ability of modern prefabrication to provide a spectrum of customization possibilities is an important part of the new surge in acceptance of BIM construction modularization. The maturation of the manufacturing industry now provides sophisticated understanding and processes of the customization spectrum which can translate to the burgeoning sector of BIM construction prefabrication.

The terms made to stock (MTS), assembled to stock (ATS), made to order (MTO), and engineered to order (ETO) are used in manufacturing to define the extent to which a product is customized. This is generally considered proportional to the cost and lead time necessary for production.
This allows owners to achieve both a uniquity of design along with the savings of prefabrication. No longer does modular and prefab mean drab and boring. In the modern era one no longer needs to sacrifice aesthetics for the efficiencies of factory production.
BIM construction, in and of itself provides many benefits to the AEC industry. But its ability to lay the groundwork, along with IPD and new contractual landscapes, for modern prefabrication and modularization, heralds an almost revolutionary change in commercial building.

For more information about BIM construction visit ODonnell & Naccarato BIM:
Dennis Mordan ([emailprotected])
Jon Brazier ([emailprotected])
877-854-9783
www.o-n.com

Top 6 Construction Site Hazards!

Posted on April 16, 2018 by blogger

Construction sites are considered the most potentially hazardous and accident-prone parts of any working environment. Excessive exposure to these construction site hazards exposes workers to injury and possible death. To prevent this, a company should know how to identify and be aware of all possible dangers that can be encountered during normal business operations. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) wants every employee to have sound knowledge of their susceptibility to harm or injury in the workplace.

Listed below are the top six construction site hazards identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

1. Electrical- Electricity is one of the greatest hazards to people either at home or at work. Power line workers, electricians and electrical engineers work continuously with electricity and can face exposure to this hazard on a daily basis. At the construction site, the best way to prevent this kind of hazard is for the power line workers to be a safe working distance away from the power lines. Other precautionary measures includes guarding and insulating of the vehicle from which they might work. This would help prevent electrical hazards from injuring them while working.

2. Excavation and Trenching OSHA has recognized excavation and trenching as the most hazardous construction site operation. From the year 2000 to 2006, the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics (USBLS) recorded 271 worker fatalities in trenching and cave-ins. These hazards are preventable yet injuries related to these hazards are still happening. Both employer and employee must follow safety standards and use protective equipment to minimize hazards while trenching and excavating.

3. Falls – Falling from scaffolding over six feet or a fixed ladder over twenty feet is the most dangerous and common construction site hazard. Falling from high places such as a ladder, scaffolding and roofs account for more than fifty percent of the accidents that happen at the workplace. The usual cause of this incident is slipping, tripping and using unstable ladders. There are thousands of reasons for fall hazards and to eliminate such risks, employers must have a fall protection program as part of any overall workplace safety and health program. Workers should be trained to identify and evaluate fall hazards and be fully aware of how to control exposure to such risks as well as know how to use fall protection equipment properly.

4. Stairways and Ladder – According to OSHAs construction safety and health standards, stairways and ladders are major sources of injuries and fatalities among construction workers. These recorded injuries are serious enough to put a worker out on sick leave. OSHA registered approximately 24,882 injuries and 36 fatalities yearly that are related to falling from stairways and ladders used at the construction site. To prevent such accidents and injuries, employers and employee must comply with OSHAs general rule for the safe use of ladders and stairways.

5. Scaffolding – Every year, approximately 60 workers die by falling from scaffolding; one out of five construction site falls are fatal. The most potential risk of scaffolding is due to moving scaffold components; scaffold failure related to damage to its components; loss of the load; being struck by suspended materials; electrical shock; and improper set-up. Construction workers who assemble and dismantle scaffolding and work platforms at construction sites face the risk of serious injuries due to falls. The scaffolding hazard is addressed by stated OSHA standards. They give specific requirements for the maximum load, when to use scaffolding, bracing and the use of guardrails.

6. Heavy Construction Equipment – Approximately 100 construction site workers die each year due to heavy construction equipment. The main causes of such accidents includes: ground workers struck when a vehicle is backing up or changing direction; equipment rollovers that injure the operator; mechanics run over when brakes are not properly set; and ground workers crushed by falling equipment from backhoes, buckets, and other moving construction vehicles. To prevent this kind of risk, workers should follow all construction safety guidelines necessary to eliminate the exposure to such injuries and accidents.

Safety risks on construction site are unavoidable; however, these can be prevented if workers are instructed on how to identify the hazards that might be present at the work-site. The employer must establish proper safety standards that meet the maximum requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This will ensure that workers will have a safe working environment during normal operation.

This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of construction site risks; however, these top six items are certainly important ones that all construction site employers should be aware of and continually working to eliminate them from happening.

Speed Up Software And Web Construction With Premade Icons

Posted on April 13, 2018 by blogger

Are you a website or application developer looking for a unique navigation icon? Do you have a due date approaching, but the user interface is still poor? And, it’s not enough time to order custom graphics? Now, receive your icons in no time! Save time and funds on custom graphics, and pick stock icons as a substitute to contracting a designer.

Traditionally, small webpage and software development firms hire a third party designer or a design studio to create the necessary symbols and images for toolbars and navigation elements. While this approach is definitely appealing in that you are getting unique, made-to-order icons, it also has its disadvantages.

Time can become a leading constraint, as artists and designers need time to draw the graphics you need. Even worse, deadlines can be easily missed by the designers, and you’ll have a difficult choice between releasing a project with no graphics at all or missing your own deadline. Besides, getting exactly what you requested may be uneasy, as programmers and designers often speak different languages. Plus, if you are happy enough to find a responsible design company with good communication skills, chances are that ordering unique graphics from them will be expensive.

Using easily accessible stock icons can easily rid you of these problems. Stock icons are ready-made, which means you will immediately receive just what you require. If you purchase from a company that has a preview, you will be able to pick exactly what you want. ready-made icons typically come in collections, which means that the icons you purchase will match each other. Finally, getting premade images is a great deal cheaper than ordering the design of a custom set.

Several great libraries of premade icons sorted by appearance and topic are offered to you at www.perfect-icons.com. With available full-size preview, you will be receiving exactly what you see. Picking an image you need could not be easier thanks to the available search that lets you to search for strictly the theme you want. For example, if you want an image shpwing a locked or password-protected feature, enter “lock” in the search field and you will get, at the moment of this writing, 34 icons of just that: a lock.

Paying for a large set of graphics is a waste of funds if you only require one or two images. Unlike the competition, 777 Icons welcomes a-la-carte orders, allowing getting only one icon or receiving a discount for buying a set.

Unique to www.prefect-icons.com, the company offers you not only an icon, but a neatly crafted masterpiece. If you buy even a single icon from www.perfect-icons.com, you will get the image in BMP, PNG, GIF and ICO formats. You will get the graphic in all commonly used sizes, including 16×16, 24×24, 32×32, and 48×48 pixels. If you require a larger size element to use in your design, www.perfect-icons.com holds a huge 256×256 pixel graphics with your order for no additional fee! Images are available in a 256-color version for using with older versions of Windows, and in full-color with transparent alpha-channel for using with current Windows XP and Vista.

Pick from several sets of readily available icons at www.perfect-icons.com and save time and funds on custom icons!

What You Should Know About Theft of Construction Equipment

Posted on April 8, 2018 by blogger

People often think that it’s basically impossible for construction equipment to be stolen, since it would be pretty noticeable if someone started driving a crane down the street. But, many construction equipment thefts are easy to conduct for quite a few different reasons. It’s actually really easy to get away with, and has become commonplace in countries such as the US, Canada, Japan and Europe. People should, therefore, be made aware of such thefts going on in their areas.

Because construction equipment doesn’t come with doors or locks, they are easy for burglars to break into. Thieves feel that hi-jacking construction vehicles is a piece of cake compared to most other types of vehicles. And people won’t be able to tell if the equipment being driven is being operated by a thief or construction worker. Most people wouldn’t recognize a piece of construction equipment if it was camouflaged somehow.

Thieves find it beneficial to steal this kind of equipment because it can command a high price on the black market. Forklifts alone can fetch a price of $12,000 to $50,000, and thieves could sell a generator for $150,00 a pop. Because constructions sites often have lots of these kinds of equipment, it’s easy money for clever thieves. Criminals are very fond of stealing construction vehicles for these reasons, not to mention the fact that most construction sites are unsecured and the vehicles are left out in the open with no protection.

The problem has become too severe to be ignored any longer. According to statisticians in Japan, roughly 450 pieces of construction equipment was stolen in 2008 alone. While in the united states, the National Insurance Crime Bureau found that nearly a billion dollars in construction equipment is stolen and sold each year on the black market.

To date, numerous government agencies and manufacturers of construction equipment have tried their best to prevent this theft from continuing. In the UK, construction equipment registration systems make it easier for the police and the companies who own the equipment to recover their stolen goods.