Construction waste is not only harmful to the environment, it also cuts into budgets and reduces a project's overall performance.
One of the most common causes of waste in the construction industry is the habit of ordering more than you think you need. The amount of concrete ordered is a case in point. Quite often, the planning and calculation of concrete quantities is done manually. In a hurry, nobody wants to risk ordering too little concrete for pouring, and the waste created by "ordering more just in case" is accepted.
Formwork is another example. Ordering extra formwork elements just in case and ending up with construction waste when these elements are not used. But there are many other forms of waste that go beyond material waste. Inefficiency leads to significant waste. Overlapping tasks, duplication of work and rework all result in wasted productivity and have a negative effect on project progress, which risks going over budget and behind schedule.
A growing number of construction companies are finding that most construction waste can be reduced or eliminated by adopting a constructible process using digital tools and information in building information models (BIM).
But what does this mean? In a constructible process, all phases and trades are modeled and connected. The models include construction-ready content that is easily accessible thanks to open formats. Constructible models enable smarter, more streamlined processes in the office and in the field.
A key element in this process is the data-rich, constructible 3D model, which goes beyond simple geometry and contains intelligent, accurate information that can be used throughout the project lifecycle. For example, a constructible concrete model will be complete with accurate pours including information such as surfaces, volumes, concrete mix and cost codes, as well as details of reinforcement, inserts and formwork.
Sharing concrete models with a reinforcement designer enables concrete contractors to communicate and coordinate complex surfaces more efficiently, solve congestion problems before construction starts, ensure that each reinforcement is manufactured to its exact size and delivered to the site on time efficiently, which not only saves construction time but also reduces material waste. Quantities are accurate, consistent and up-to-date, and quotations can be viewed in 3D for greater transparency and communication.
A constructive approach can help eliminate waste:
1. By facilitating real-time collaboration and communication
Breaking down communication barriers and encouraging collaboration between project teams is key to reducing waste. Being connected is the best defense against inefficiency caused by data locked in silos. Allowing shared access to data between different stakeholders enables them to collaborate, review and modify a model simultaneously.
When a buildable model is shared, different trades can coordinate, reducing the need for rework and duplication. This saves time and significantly reduces the risk of error, which has its own benefits in terms of waste reduction. Allowing shared access to data between multiple stakeholders ensures that everyone is on the same wavelength, and that data is collected, stored and shared for a more transparent process that saves materials and shortens lead times.
2. By providing more accurate data and limiting rework
Technological advances have made it possible and practical for everyone involved in a project to use constructible models, from the initial idea to the finished product and beyond. It is no longer necessary for each trade to redo or duplicate work. Recreating data increases the risk of error and leads to hidden waste when construction professionals reproduce work carried out by other members of the project team.
Wayne Brothers, one of North America's most progressive and technology-savvy concrete contractors, works closely with rebar manufacturers by sharing constructible models to reduce waste and improve workflow efficiency. For its first project using a 3D constructible model, 99% of the frames were manufactured correctly. Wayne Brothers also reduced waste by quantifying exactly how much concrete was needed, drawing information directly from the constructible model.
3. More efficient workflows
With constructible data, the tedious manual tasks of quantifying materials and managing information can be automated, dramatically reducing work cycles from preconstruction to casting. This automation also makes it possible to quickly integrate project modifications into the model.
The North American entrepreneur
F.A. Wilhelm
uses constructible models to speed up and improve formwork design and pour planning. Process automation has enabled F.A. Wilhelm to create more accurate formwork plans and, using the constructible model, to instantly access specific pour quantities to budget and allocate resources, easily monitor progress, coordinate work and report in real time. As concrete is the most expensive material for many projects, it is essential for F.A. Wilhelm to accurately count pours, which not only eliminates material wastage, but also saves time and money compared to generic quantities.
4. Better communication between site and office
In concrete construction, time is money, and efficiency is a key factor in profitability. Constructible models can reduce wastage throughout a project, especially on site. Site layout is an essential task for which precision is essential, as errors can lead to rework and delays that can be costly.
Tape measures, scribe lines and lead wires can lead to misplaced formwork, missing inserts, incorrectly positioned anchor bolts and other costly errors. Instead, exporting accurate point data from a constructible model to a total station can eliminate these errors and dramatically increase productivity in the layout process, as the model's highly detailed information is both accurate and constructible.
A constructible process streamlines construction, eliminates waste and increases efficiency, predictability and productivity. More and more contractors are adopting this process.
Implementing a constructible process can start with improving elements such as costing - the essential, day-to-day tasks in the concrete construction production chain.
The use of digital quantity surveying methods based on specially designed BIM software models can dramatically improve the productivity of concrete contractors and eliminate unproductive work and rework, both in the office and on site.
Read this ebook to discover the 5 common resource-wasting problems that traditional 2D-based quantity surveying methods and single-use data preparation create for estimators, planners and site engineers, and the ways in which digital tools and methods can eliminate them and streamline work from tender to pour.
Read this ebook to discover the 5 common waste problems caused by traditional 2D methods, and also find out how digital methods and tools can eliminate them and streamline the bidding and implementation phase.
Improve your concrete quantity survey - Free Ebook. Get your copy here!
