As a former construction estimator, I vividly remember the constant struggle of finding new projects to bid on. The task was often daunting, time-consuming, and sometimes felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. This was especially challenging when our firm was trying to expand into new cities or regions where we did not have existing relationships with general contractors.
Back then, I would have loved to have access to a platform like BuildingConnected’s Plan Room inside Bid Board Pro. It’s an incredibly useful tool for subcontractors and vendors to discover publicly shared projects on BuildingConnected.
It’s simple to search for projects, whether you are looking in your backyard or a new area that you are expanding to. One of my favorite features is the map view, which allows you to find projects you might not have been aware of otherwise.
If you are ready to get started finding new jobs to bid on, check out my latest video to walk you through Plan Room. Please note that I am currently in a demo environment, so the live map will display many more projects than what you see here.
And general contractors, stay tuned for an upcoming video that will guide you on how to make your projects public in the Plan Room!
At Autodesk, we are unwavering in our dedication to providing construction teams with the tools they need to work smarter and faster. In November, we are excited to roll out product releases across the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform, bringing even more value to our users.
With a wide range of updates across Autodesk Construction Cloud Platform, Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk Build, Autodesk Takeoff, and BuildingConnected, let's explore how these enhancements can significantly elevate your construction processes. Discover how these new features and improvements can help you streamline workflows, enhance collaboration, and drive better project outcomes.
Dig in by product:
*Autodesk Construction Cloud Platform & BIM 360
** Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro
*** Autodesk BIM Collaborate, Autodesk Build
**** Autodesk Build, Autodesk Docs
Activity Log | Export Functionality
Within the 'Activity Log' Admins now have the ability to export the log to share with external team members. This helps meet compliance regulations like ISO 19650 or CDE and ensures teams can easily extract historical data for future reference.
Bridge | Support Subfolders in Folder Automations
Now when a member sets up a folder automation, they can opt to include any subfolder(s) within the shared folder in the automatic updates, providing the receiving team with the most updated information.
Data Connector | On Demand Activity Log Data
Within the Data Connector teams can now make a special request to extract activity log data. Since this is a large data set, it won't run by default, so the requests will be made one off and will be available for up to 30 days to download.
Data Connector | Schema Enhancements
Updates to the RFI and Cost schema sets available via the Data Connector tool including a new data set table for 'RFI_Transitions' and new cost fields within 'change_order' and 'main_contracts'.
Files | Automated Drawing Extraction (Beta)
Project members with at least the Edit permission can extract custom attributes and text from the title block of single-page and multi-page PDFs in the Files tool. Note: This feature is gradually releasing to customers to prioritize performance and stability.
Files | Naming Standards in Project Templates
Account administrators can now manage naming standards in their Autodesk Docs project templates, helping save time and standardize their project setup.
Files | Revision Label (Beta)
Project administrators can opt to turn on a revision label beta setting for all Autodesk Construction Cloud projects to more easily view the revision information of their project files.
Issues | Attachments Improvements
Attachments can now be added at Issue Creation. Files, including photos and pdfs, are now faster to attach to issues.
Library | Parameters Support in AUS Data Storage Region
Parameters in the Autodesk Construction Cloud library is available in the AUS data storage region, helping regional account administrators manage Revit shared parameters and import them into Autodesk Docs.
Markups | Stamps****
Project members can create a stamp template and place a stamp onto a construction document.
Markups | Rotations****
Teams can now rotate markups, making it easier to adjust and customize markups.
Product Experience | Project Number Displayed Project Picker
Identify projects quickly. The project number will now be displayed in the project picker and be searchable by project teams.
Reports | Insight Builder (Beta)
In order to give teams more flexibility and visualizations of their data, we are building a new Insight Builder tool that will allow users to create custom reports and dashboards natively within Autodesk Construction Cloud. This will help improve standardization of reporting to mirror specific user needs and give more transparency into metrics across tools and products. Both reports and dashboards are easily shareable within or across teams.
Reviews | Allow Step Reviewers to Suggest Attributes
When editing an existing or creating a new approval workflow, project administrators can allow step reviewers to suggest an attribute value during an active step, which are reviewed by the final approver and then updated in the file after approval.
Reviews | Support Move/Copy in Auto-trigger Rules (Beta)
In the Auto-trigger Rules beta, project administrators can now choose “Copy files” and “Move files” as a trigger action to automatically start an approval review workflow.
Templates | Copy Project Templates
Account administrators can more easily create and manage their project templates with the new ability to copy an existing template. This capability is also available to project administrators with member and admin access to a template.
Coordination | Large Model Performance (Beta)
Our latest model viewer enhancements give BIM Managers smoother, faster navigation through large, complex, multi-trade models with improved fidelity and performance.
Coordination | Save Object Color Snapshots (Beta)
Give onsite teams color-coded insights on mobile. Save views with object colors in Docs so teams can view multi-trade layouts with clear visual guidance. Apply colors from property, file, or model data, then save a snapshot to keep everyone aligned and ready to act.
Coordination | Save Configurations for Object Table
Each project team has unique data needs. The object table offers a tabulated view of model data, and with this release, BIM Managers can save specific columns to quickly access the model data most relevant to them.
Data Connector | Clash Data (GA)
The clash data schema that was previously in beta is now generally available. Updates improve usability and consistency including more consistent field names and updated descriptions providing better clarity.
Assets | Assets in New Mobile Model Viewer
Monitor materials, equipment, and more with asset, system, and progress tracking on the new mobile model viewer. From the jobsite, check progress and update asset statuses in real time.
Assets | Asset Systems Import
Easily import Asset Systems by using the import Excel template and adding system details before importing.
Correspondence | Create from Reference Picker***
Build and BIM Collaborate users can now create a new Correspondence directly from the reference picker in the Meetings tool and other Correspondence threads.
Correspondence | iOS Mobile Enhancements***
Correspondence users on mobile iOS are now able to draft messages using rich text capabilities, both when replying to a thread and creating a new Correspondence.
Cost Management | Automated Contract Code*
Cost Management now provides multiple formatting options to help automate consistent code formatting to suit internal and/or ERP standards.
Cost Management | Date Range Based Forecasting*
In the Budget overview, Cost Management users now have a simpler way to forecast time based resources reactively to actual costs and proactively to forecast the future. While the user focuses on forecasting the cost to complete, Cost Management calculates the delta between plan and actual automatically, the result of which you can either save for unknowns or automatically generate forecast adjustments providing a clear audit trail of how the user got to the current position.
Cost Management | New Home Page Cards*
We have added three new cards to the Home Page:
Forms | Forms Mobile Backend
Recent backend improvements to Forms on mobile means project teams can create, load, and submit forms faster and more efficiently.
Forms | Scaling Forms Initiative
Enhancements to the Forms experience enable project teams to build larger forms with more information quicker and with improved stability.
RFIs | Reviewer Response Attachments
RFI Reviewers can now include attachments as a part of their RFI response, more easily providing supporting context and documentation. RFI Managers and Coordinators can include these attachments, as well as new attachments, as a part of the official RFI response.
RFIs | Data Connector Export Enhancements
RFI data exported through the Data Connector is more comprehensive, now including a table of status change dates for all RFIs on a project. Teams can use this data to calculate important insights, such as how many times an RFI was sent back and forth and how long an RFI was waiting for each ball in court.
RFIs | RFI Page Usability Improvements
We've updated how the RFI page is arranged to make it easier to find the right information. The original RFI question, suggested RFI answer, and activity log are now clearly positioned at the top of the page. Additionally, users can expand the rows of the reviewer response table to more easily read the entire content of long responses
Schedule | Schedule References Improvements
When adding references to schedule activities, members now have the option to add planned tasks. Additionally, they can create new tasks within the same interface while adding these references.
Schedule | Task to Task References
Members can now add a planned task as a reference to another task, regardless of the work plan the task belongs to. Additionally, they can create new tasks within the same interface while adding these references.
Submittals | List View Usability Enhancements
When working in the Submittals items list, users can now edit due dates directly in the table and perform additional actions by right clicking on a Submittal item. Additionally, the “Due date” column has been relabeled “Ball in court due date,” and the “Required approval date “ column now displays the days till due, or days overdue, for each Submittal item.
Takeoff | Multi-Segment Linear Takeoff Improvement
Members can now select any number of linear takeoff objects and access the Explode polylines command, which allows this takeoff to be broken down into individual segments that can be moved, edited and quantified individually.
Bid Board Pro
Opportunity Tracking | Bid Board Pro & Autodesk Docs Integration
The Bid Board Pro and Autodesk Docs integration empowers Bid Board Pro users with centralized file management and connection to other workflows in Autodesk Construction Cloud. Users can now sync their internal files as well as Client Files from General Contractors and even create a ‘tri-link’ between Bid Board Pro, BuildingConnected Pro, and Autodesk Docs to establish a single source of truth for all construction files.
Construction disputes can wreak havoc on projects and drain both money and time.
Research by Arcadis shows that in 2023, the average value of disputes in North America surged to $43 million, while the average length of disputes increased to 14 months, representing a substantial delay that can stall project progress.
The good news is that teams today have robust tools for daily construction reports and forms, which can ensure proper documentation to safeguard against disputes. Well-maintained forms can help you resolve disputes quickly or even prevent them altogether.
We wanted to shed light on how teams can use forms and daily reports in dispute prevention and resolution. So, we turned to the Big Room and asked the community how they use these tools to minimize conflicts on the jobsite.
In case you're unfamiliar with it, the Big Room is an online hub where people discuss all things construction, including trends, best practices, and technology.
In line with that, our blog series, Overheard in the Big Room, showcases some of the top conversations in the community, highlighting expert advice and practical solutions. In this latest installment, we explore best practices for preventing disputes on the jobsite through the effective use of forms and daily reports.
Some members of the Big Room pointed out that daily records are invaluable when it comes to clarifying responsibilities and resolving conflicts quickly.
"Well-maintained daily forms can assist in disputes regarding who was on site that day or claims work wasn't completed on time (daily forms would show what was planned for that day and what was completed, hopefully with pictures as proof)."
"I've had multiple times where my field's daily reports/forms (including their pictures) have helped me prove to a GC that we'd either installed something undamaged, so the damage must be trade damage caused after the fact or prove that we'd installed something fully and properly." - Kira Vander Zanden, Junior Project Manager at Pacific Glazing Contractors
"We had a situation where there was a disagreement about who was responsible for a certain task on the jobsite. Luckily, because we had detailed daily forms documenting each team member's responsibilities and progress, we were able to quickly resolve the dispute and prevent any misunderstandings from escalating." - Bob Kevin Bataller, BIM Manager at Aidea
Staying on top of daily forms can also help clarify project timelines, ensure everyone is on the same page, and reduce the likelihood of disputes. If conflicts do arise, these forms offer a clear, documented record that can be used to address them.
"Detailed daily forms helped resolve a dispute over project delays. Accurate records clarified responsibilities and kept the project on track. I believe that these forms are essential for transparency and accountability." - Negar Moghtadaei, Architectural Designer at AECOM
"Well-maintained daily forms provided evidence to resolve a dispute regarding project timelines, highlighting the importance of documentation in mitigating misunderstandings and ensuring accountability on the jobsite." - Steven Bloomer, Regional BIM Lead at GHD
"When dealing with change orders especially, going back to the moment the work was started is key in figuring out exactly what needs to be done. If daily forms aren't completed correctly, you will not be able to fully understand what work has been completed and how." - Senior Estimator
From uncovering funding issues to ensuring timely payments, teams can use forms to maintain accountability and prevent delays.
"The forms helped to find the main reasons for overpayment." - Lead Engineer
"Our forms have helped us manage scheduling and pay app issues in the past. Documentation has been key to help people 'remember' and not derail us on discussions that someone else's poor memory was driving." - Frank Guckin, Project Manager at Grand Canyon Development Partners
In addition to sharing how forms can prevent or aid in disputes, the community also touched on how teams can ensure that construction documentation practices remain consistent and reliable across the project.
"Proper and thorough documentation will always mitigate possible conflicts and save time and headaches later." - Spencer Pursley, Project Manager at QTS
"Well-maintained daily forms played a pivotal role in resolving a dispute regarding project progress and payment on a construction site.
By accurately documenting daily activities, including work completed, materials used, and any issues encountered, we were able to provide indisputable evidence of the work performed. This transparency helped clarify misunderstandings and build trust between project stakeholders, ultimately leading to a swift resolution without escalating the dispute further.
The key insight from this experience is the importance of consistent and thorough documentation in mitigating conflicts and fostering collaborative relationships on construction projects." - Tracie Vân-Trang T. Nguyễn, Platinum Student Ambassador at Autodesk
We hope you enjoyed this installment of Overheard in the Big Room! Remember, the things we shared here are just tidbits from the rich conversations that take place in the community every day. The Big Room is brimming with expert advice, real-world experiences, and practical solutions—and we'd love to have you there!
So, if you're looking for a place where you can ask questions, swap ideas, or just keep up with the latest discussion, sign up for the Big Room and be part of a thriving network of construction professionals
See you there!
Say goodbye to delays and litigation! See how the Activity Log in Autodesk Construction Cloud offers a record of truth for your projects. See how it works:
Since introducing Autodesk Construction Cloud, design firm Graphite has been able to reduce the time needed to complete a project by 25% and on certain processes by 65%. New ways of working have boosted efficiency and customer satisfaction, while internal and external collaboration has improved significantly.
Based in Dubai, Graphite is a multi-disciplinary built environment design consultancy. Established in 2014, the firm operates across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in Asia, Africa & Europe. It delivers design solutions – architecture, interior design, project management and engineering – to clients across a range of sectors.
“Our offering extends to post-contract construction supervision services, cost consultancy, MEP services engineering and coordination,” says Asif Nassarudin, Project Manager at Graphite. “We’re at the forefront of construction technology and embrace BIM [building information modelling] and construction technology for the design and delivery process.”
Earlier this year, Graphite decided to introduce Autodesk Construction Cloud to help boost teamwork and efficiency on a premium school project in the UAE.
“We implemented Autodesk Construction Cloud to improve collaboration,” says Asif. “It’s an efficient way of managing documents, streamlining the estimation process and offers an all-round solution.”
Working on complex projects needs meticulous planning and coordination, which is why the team use Autodesk Takeoff, Build and Docs. With so many stakeholders involved in the project, Graphite needed solutions that would help the team increase productivity and reduce the potential for errors.
“We just finished the design phase of the project,” says Asif. “We used Autodesk products for this phase. Now we’re moving to the construction phase and looking forward to implementing Build to increase efficiencies, reduce variations and enhance stakeholder collaboration across the project delivery teams.”
Moving systems can often bring challenges. The transition to Autodesk Construction Cloud, however, has been smooth, says Asif, with the help of software and services company Accienta.
Carolina Fong, Co-founder and Digital Engineering Manager at Accienta, has worked with the Graphite team since the beginning of the year to help implement Autodesk solutions.
“As the project leader, I was assigned responsibility of implementation,” continues Asif. “We got a clear idea from Carolina what we needed to do and we were able to transfer this knowledge to the rest of the team. We attended multiple training sessions that were facilitated by Carolina, and made it mandatory for all project stakeholders to implement Autodesk Construction Cloud as their document management system.”
“Autodesk Construction Cloud is very user-friendly, so it wasn’t difficult for people to understand it. The team and clients easily adopted it,” he says.
Carolina adds, “It’s been a journey over many months. We started with Docs, looking at folder structures and having discussions around admin permissions. Then we introduced Takeoff and we recently had some sessions on Build. Graphite’s use case for Autodesk Construction Cloud is very particular. We don’t see a lot of companies that get to use the full spectrum, so it’s been very interesting.”
Before introducing Autodesk Construction Cloud, the team relied on multiple systems throughout a project’s lifecycle. There was one document management platform and a separate system for design. As a result, inefficiencies and errors occassionally crept in.
“We had a document management system for all documents and reviews,” says Asif. “But we'd have to use separate software for design. There were too many platforms and a lack of interoperability between them.”
Autodesk Construction Cloud has helped the team at Graphite to work together more effectively. In fact, according to Asif, the team has cut the time spent on projects by 25%. Moreover, working on a single platform has significantly improved the customer experience.
“It’s a single platform everyone can work on,” says Asif. “ACC has really improved collaboration across teams and we’ve seen a positive response from the client. Take, for example, the school project. We’re working with teachers and stakeholders who aren’t necessarily technical. Autodesk Construction Cloud gives them easy and transparent access to what’s happening throughout the design phase.”
According to Asif, giving clients access to 3D models of the designs has helped create a more seamless customer journey and boosted the clients confidence that the project is on track.
“Everything is stored in Autodesk Construction Cloud and the client is really excited because they can see actual 3D models without having to install the software,” he says. “It gives them a better understanding of the design phase. This helps us efficiently collaborate and allows them to give timely feedback, which is a real advantage.”
According to the team, Takeoff – which uses 2D and 3D software in one solution to produce more accurate estimates – has been an invaluable tool.
“The 3D model has really helped for certain elements of takeoff, like block work and internal partition takeoff,” says Mohamed Ashik, Commercial Manager at Graphite. “We used 2D takeoff for finishes and counting purposes. It’s also been a really powerful tool for revisions.”
Productivity has also greatly improved since the team introduced Takeoff.
“We can do the quantification for internal partitions in about seven hours with Takeoff,” says Mohamed. “This used to take us about 20 hours, so we’re much more productive now.”
Having first-hand experience of working together on a single platform, the Graphite team plans to continue its partnership with Autodesk.
“We’re working with Autodesk to establish what other areas of the design to construction process we can improve on,” says Asif. “I don’t believe there’s any other platform that allows us to do what Autodesk does.”
Cost overruns are widely accepted in the construction industry, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Studies show that 33% of all construction projects go over budget—with some infamous examples of loss-making projects among them. And the larger the project, the greater the potential for overruns to balloon. According to Navigant, 5% of total construction costs are spent on rework. Failing to anticipate such changes can lead to costs spiralling.
That’s why German construction company Matthäus Schmid Bauunternehmen has been using digital tools and processes to achieve transparency for the past 10 years.
The company is active in all areas of construction throughout Baden-Württemberg, particularly turnkey projects. It offers efficient, transparent, partnership-based project management as well as a variety of in-house services, from concreting to drywall construction.
Christian Schmid, one of the directors, is proud of the reputation of the company his father set up. "We depend on references because we work exclusively in this region. We must be trustworthy and reliable for customers to want to work with us again—and recommend us to others," says Schmid. "Our father taught us that a man's word is his bond. And we still live by this philosophy."
Knowing that unexpected costs and inefficient processes are common in the construction industry, Matthäus Schmid was determined to do things differently. So it decided to offer its customers and partners transparent, reliable real-time cost control and forecasting.
Matthäus Schmid’s teams have long relied on digital tools and processes. In recent years, however, they realised that these needed upgrading. "Simply exchanging documents was no longer enough for us,” says Schmid. “We wanted to visualise 3D models, carry out clash checks, assign events and tasks, write logs and store schedules. We wanted to break free of the PDF wallpaper."
When Matthäus Schmid is not the general contractor, the situation is even more complicated. “Then, we usually have to deal with several platforms set up by the client or project manager,” he says. “This can lead to minimal data exchange, and nothing more."
So, the company began looking for a single platform where all communication could come together transparently and in real time, with easy access for every project participant. They found what they were looking for with Autodesk.
Thanks to the Autodesk Construction Cloud, Matthäus Schmid has succeeded in moving to a single, comprehensive and easy-to-access platform. The switch to Autodesk Build, TakeOff and Model Coordination have enabled the company to revolutionise its cost control processes. "Autodesk solutions let us show our customers from different industries where their projects stand, where we've come from and where we're going," explains Schmid.
Matthäus Schmid has achieved precise cost control through Autodesk Build’s Cost Management tool, which includes in-house and subcontractor services, integrating various trades and iteratively processing quotations.
The team has been using the Autodesk Construction Cloud for more than four years. It uses Build for project and cost management; Docs for document management and workflows; and Takeoff for quantity take-off. These digital planning tools let Matthäus Schmid reliably plan and monitor costs, not only as a construction company but also as a service provider and customer.
For Schmid, one of the biggest advantages besides cost efficiency is the simplified workflow.
"It’s great for us to be able to manage everything on one platform and not have so many portals, links and passwords," he says. "When we manage an entire project, all documents are uploaded to the platform, from us as the general contractor, as well as subcontractors, planners and customers. This gives us overall documentation that is almost complete and seamless. We can even use it for facility management afterwards."
The company has completed more than 40 projects using the Autodesk software. “It’s very straightforward for our customers. They feel positive about it because they can track and understand everything—this transparency gives them confidence in the system," says Schmid.
The company adopted Autodesk Construction Cloud in stages. "We recognised the opportunities for ourselves early on and slowly implemented the platform,” he says. “We started with Autodesk Docs, then added Build and later Model Coordination.”
Now that the team has embraced the platform, Schmid has found plenty of opportunities to get even more out of it: “Autodesk University was a game-changer for us. And we get tips and tricks at regular meetings, which is always very helpful.”
Matthäus Schmid's digital ecosystem continues to grow. The company has set up Microsoft Sharepoint to synchronise identical databases with Autodesk Construction Cloud even after a project ends.
Schmid appreciates that Autodesk Construction Cloud is open to external extensions. "We can link additional web applications. For example, when we document our construction projects with a 360-degree camera, we upload the images to Autodesk Construction Cloud so that every member can access and view them, even if they’re not on site," he says.
Implementing Autodesk solutions has led to significant improvements in Matthäus Schmid’s construction project cost management, resulting in greater profitability and competitiveness. "Now we can offer our customers a precise forecast of where the project costs stand at all times, and with much less effort than before," says Schmid. This has helped it to win new business too.
Matthäus Schmid has successfully partnered with a famous fashion company on a project worth more than €20 million. "One key to winning this customer was presenting the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform—they recognised that we’re fair and transparent about cost control. It's a great success for us, and a vote of confidence," says a delighted Schmid. With Autodesk, everything comes together on one platform: from the expert report to the plans, the photographs, the entire documentation and the revision documents.
Matthäus Schmid uses digital technologies through the entire life cycle of each project—from design to construction. The company has increased the number of projects in its Autodesk Construction Cloud environment by 214% over the past two years. At the same time, the number of monthly active users has grown by 447%. Project users include subcontractors and supply chain partners, as well as clients and service providers. Technology is not only modernising the way the business works but also the interaction between project participants.
With Autodesk Construction Cloud, Matthäus Schmid has strengthened its position as a leading construction company in its region, and continues to pursue its vision of transparent, efficient and collaborative construction projects.
So, you want to win more business and better manage your construction bid proposals? You’re not the first and certainly won’t be the last. Successfully managing your organization’s process for managing request for proposal (RFP) responses is a critical driver for business in construction and many other industries.
Table of contents:
Before we jump too far into the process of managing proposals, let’s look at the basics of an RFP.
Simply put, an RFP, or request for proposal, outlines the requirements for a project. An RFP can range from a two or three page document with minimal requirements to thousands of pages and extensive contractual requirements. Private sector proposals tend to be less onerous, while working for the government will often yield massive RFPs.
In smaller organizations, RFP responses or proposals are typically managed ad-hoc as they may appear infrequently. As organizations grow, they often employ a proposal manager to fully handle responding to RFPs.
Think of a proposal manager as a very focused project manager. They own the proposal process from start to finish, ensuring the response is accurate and delivered on time to the client. Proposal managers have a hectic job, often juggling multiple proposals that are all due to different clients. Large organizations may employ an entire team of proposal managers and writers to handle the volume of RFPs they receive.
After the kickoff meeting is complete and the responsibility matrix has been shared with the team, the RFP lead should begin coordinating the cost portion of the proposal with the estimating team. They should schedule a cost and fee strategy meeting with the estimators assigned to the project. Final approval of cost and fees should be given 24 to 48 hours before the proposal is to be submitted to the client. These details should be provided to the proposal manager as soon as they are ready.
The RFP phase is an essential part of the procurement process that has many steps that occur from RFP receipt to final proposal submission. They include fully understanding the RFP, deciding if you will pursue the specific project, kickoff and strategization meetings, pricing discussions, content generation, data gathering, formal proposal review and finally–submission to the client. If this all goes well, your team may be shortlisted with other general contractors and asked to participate in a formal interview before being awarded the project.
The first step of the RFP process is to thoroughly read the construction document and understand the needs of your future client. Some members on your team may try to skim during this step, potentially missing contractual requirements or providing details to the client in their proposal that was not asked for. This could means the final proposal submitted is not compliant to the specifications in the RFP, which may cause disqualification during the evaluation process–especially if it’s a public sector project.
Start by distributing the RFP document to all your team members who should be part of the decision making process to pursue the project. Make sure everyone reads the entire RFP. A thorough understanding of the project requirements is critical in making informed and strategic decisions about the pursuit.
It’s important to quickly decide if your organization wants to pursue the project. Clients want to understand early on who is going to respond and your internal teams need as much time as possible to properly generate a response to the RFP. Larger teams typically hold what is called a ‘go/no-go’ meeting on a weekly basis where the decision makers of the organization walk through all of the RFPs they have received, deciding if they will pursue them or not. Sometimes it’s important to accelerate this conversation if a client gives a short window for response and there isn’t a go/no-go meeting scheduled soon.
The ‘go/no-go’ meeting is sometimes jokingly referred to as the ‘go go go’ meeting. Don’t fall into the trap of pursuing every proposal that comes your way. It dilutes your team’s resources and if the volume is too high, this will cause the quality of your proposals to slip. Be strategic and selective and only pursue proposals that your company is qualified to undertake. The leadership team should share the decision about pursuing the project with both the client and your proposal team as soon as possible. If you choose not to pursue the project, consider providing the reason to the client.
During this construction meeting, determine who will be your RFP lead (typically the Project Executive responsible for delivering the project should you win it) and also decide which proposal manager will be responsible for the pursuit.
Tip: Teams often receive multiple RFPs from a client each year. Strategically, it may be unwise to decline multiple projects in a row from a client, as they may stop including you in the list of potential contractors to work on their projects. Assuming it’s a ‘go,’ your proposal team will want to know immediately. Turnaround time for a proposal can be as slim as one or two weeks, so every business day is critical in providing the best response possible. Once notified, the proposal manager will then schedule the kickoff meeting for the pursuit.
The kickoff meeting should ideally occur within 24 to 48 hours of receiving the go decision and include the RFP lead plus anyone in the organization who will be part of strategizing how to win the pursuit. Everyone participating should have read the RFP prior to the meeting.
If you are unsure on how to guide your team to kick off the RFP process, download our handy RFP response kickoff meeting checklist.
The meeting should begin with the RFP lead giving an overview of the project. This overview should include details about what’s included in the RFP and any additional information the lead has from working with the client on previous projects. Sometimes RFP leads may have necessary information about a project that is not included in the RFP, so it’s important for the team to evaluate all of this detail to best determine strategy.
During the kickoff meeting it’s important to determine the best win themes to increase your chances of winning the pursuit. Win themes are the concepts that can clearly differentiate you from your competitors. It’s important to know who you’re competing against (if this information is available) so you can evaluate how other teams may choose to respond to the RFP. Some clients will share the list of contractors that the RFP was provided to, so ask the question if given the opportunity. Wrap your win themes into the narrative throughout your proposal for the best results.
It’s important to choose the project team during this meeting if your kickoff team has the authority to do so. Proposals for construction projects typically include resumes, which take a lot of time to prepare. If another group is responsible for selecting your proposed project team, ensure the proposal manager has them decide as soon as possible.
Once you have your win themes down and a project team in place, it’s time to assign responsibilities for the proposal. The proposal manager will run through each key deliverable in the RFP and the group will decide who will be responsible. Clear expectations should be set on turnaround times for each piece of the proposal.
Before the meeting ends, it’s important to see if anyone present has questions for the client. Most RFPs will have a specified date to submit questions by and the client may choose not to answer any received after the cutoff. Questions should include clarifications about the submission process, ambiguity in the formatting of the proposal, details of the project specifications, or anything else that is not clear in the RFP. Be sure to identify any inconsistencies or typos and include them in your questions. Occasionally the client makes a mistake or a typo from copying old content into a new RFP, so it’s important to get clarity.
The proposal manager should gather and submit all of the questions, unless the RFP lead has an established relationship with the customer. If that relationship exists, the RFP lead should submit the questions the proposal manager has compiled. It’s important to be strategic when asking questions.
Typically, everyone responding to the RFP will see all of the questions submitted by the other contractors. Oftentimes, other contractors can also see who asked each question. Asking certain questions of the client may show other contractors your strategy for winning the project. Other times, asking certain questions can force the other contractors into responding to a portion of the RFP in a more defined way, leveling the playing field across all respondents for the project approach and pricing. After the kickoff meeting is over, the proposal manager will send out a responsibility matrix that outlines the key parts of the proposal, who is responsible and includes the respective due dates.
Responsibilities for writing the proposal will fall under the proposal manager and the RFP lead, with specific scope items assigned to other parts of the team based on their experience and knowledge. The proposal manager often has other resources that report to them such as proposal writers and marketing coordinators. They will help with finding useful content from previous proposals or handle tracking down other company data requested in the RFP. There are also typically design resources available on the marketing team that will generate the polished final deliverables.
Proposal content often will include:
The proposal manager and marketing team won’t necessarily write every section listed above. At a minimum, they will generate drafts of the cover letter, executive summary, resumes and resume bios, project descriptions, and the organizational chart. They will also locate proposal content from prior submissions that may be useful for helping others write their sections. Having a ‘go-by’ as an example helps experienced and junior team members alike in writing their sections.
Many proposal submissions run down to the last minute before the due date, creating a stressful moment with opportunities to make mistakes. If your proposal process is managed well, there should be plenty of time to review the complete written draft before submission. This review should include at minimum the proposal manager, project executive and principal-in-charge. This review should occur at least 48 hours before the submission time and date to allow for enough time to make any necessary changes
Proposals are either submitted electronically via email, through a web portal specific to RFP responses, or via printed hard copy. It is important to note that many clients take due dates and times very seriously. Even being one minute late on a submission may be grounds for disqualification.
Electronic submissions should ideally be made 24 hours prior to the due date and time if possible. This is important because problems can come up during submission and you will need time to determine the cause. One example is that email servers can lag, so even if you pushed send before the cutoff submission time it may not arrive at the destination until after the deadline has passed.
If your submission is through a dedicated website portal, know that web portal submissions can be complicated to navigate. They require each section to be submitted in the exact format requested, so sometimes when pushing the submit button you may receive an error. Not allowing enough time to troubleshoot these problems may lead to missing the deadline. Most online portals turn off entirely once the due date and time have passed, so there is no margin for error.
If the RFP requires a hard copy submission, this should be built into the proposal review schedule. Some customers require numerous copies (e.g., 10+) to be submitted and this will require additional time for production, especially if your company doesn’t do this on a regular basis. The firm due date and time still applies to hard copy submission. If you are using a courier, this should be shipped with a scheduled and guaranteed delivery time that is included in the cost.
Sometimes the client may have questions about your proposal and will ask for more detail either via a formal request or casually via email. This may be your opportunity to determine what really matters to your client and propose something to better meet their needs (including a price adjustment). If possible, add some polish to your responses by providing an actual document with design flair instead of responding in text via email. This is a chance to show that you remain serious with your potential client.
Hopefully your proposal was so compelling that the client moves straight to awarding the project to you. Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. Clients will typically narrow down the potential winners of the project to three or five candidates and conduct formal interviews in their offices to better get to know the team and understand what you are proposing. Preparing for these interviews is a critical step in winning the construction bid. An unpolished presentation may leave the client feeling like you are not really interested in working with them.
The interview strategy meeting is an important step in preparing for your pending interview. This meeting should include senior level team members, the RFP lead, and the proposal manager. During the meeting, you should determine the interview strategy, generate a win plan and create a rough outline for how the presentation should be structured. You should also agree upon a time for the first interview preparation meeting. All of these steps will ensure the agenda is clearly defined before the meeting.
Once the interview is over, it’s important to gather as a team to conduct a debrief while it’s fresh in their minds. This helps evaluate what went well and what did not. The winner of the proposal will likely not be decided yet, but it’s good to get a better sense of how it went. It can be useful for those who participated in the interview to provide feedback candidly to help each other develop their skills and better prepare for the next interview. Document what went well and what did not so the opportunities for improvement are not forgotten.
Once the client decides who has won the project, it’s critical to meet with them as soon as possible to begin the planning phase and construction process. If you were awarded the project, quickly assess next steps and ensure your team is meeting agreed upon deadlines outlined in the construction contract and schedule. If you did not win the project, politely request a debrief from the client to better understand why they made their decision in favor of another general contractor. This feedback should drive future interviews with that particular client, as well as other interviews with new clients should the feedback be relevant.
Before you start writing, make sure that you’ve pulled any appropriate existing content from proposals that already have been written. Many RFPs will request the same details or information, so if it is correct and compelling then it should be OK to use. A good rule of thumb is to use content from winning proposals, but sometimes content used in a proposal that did not win is still OK as a starting point. Use your best judgment on what is good to reuse and what is not.
The cover letter is the first thing your client is going to read when reviewing your proposal, so it’s important to get it right. Many RFPs will not specifically request a cover letter, but it’s a good choice to include one unless there’s a page count in the RFP requirements that you may be exceeding.
The executive summary is another section of your proposal that may not have been requested in the RFP, but should be included if allowable within the RFP requirements to showcase your firm is a qualified contractor. The executive summary should clearly summarize points that align with your win themes and differentiators from the competition. If you can provide something that a competitive proposal could not bring to the table, this may be a good opportunity to introduce that concept.
Win themes and differentiators can include a project team that has previously worked on that project site or for that client, having existing contracts with the project owner, a project team with experience that closely aligns with the project scope and your team’s utilization of construction productivity software or other technology in the field.
Most RFPs in the construction industry ask for resumes of the team being proposed for the project. This is a critical part of the proposal. Ensure your proposed team meets the requirements for type of experience and years on the job. Proposing a project team that doesn’t fit the requirements is a fast way to get disqualified. Additionally, be sure to understand your clients' expectations surrounding the team you provide.
Some contractors will propose their best team members with the expectation that they will be switched out for other staffing by the time the project is actually awarded. Some clients will penalize you financially for doing this, so read the RFP closely.
Include professional photos of each team member proposed and a brief biography of their experience tailored to align with the project requirements. Select previous projects they’ve worked on tthat are similar in scope for the project in the RFP. If you have employees with existing positive relationships or experience working with the client, consider using them on the team to improve your chances of winning.
Resumes should always be strategically customized for each proposal they are included in, as it increases your chances of winning the construction project. If the RFP does not list specific positions to include in the proposal, at a minimum you should provide the project executive, construction project manager, preconstruction manager, superintendent and project engineer. Also consider principal-in-charge (if the project is large enough), safety professionals, general superintendents, VDC managers, and preconstruction executives.
Most clients will want to see descriptions of your prior work as a firm. This is your opportunity to shine, so put some serious effort into these. Make sure your projects meet RFP requirements including the completion date, project size, and location. Include a detailed narrative about the project and a summary of what went well for the client. If there were any positive learning experiences that would apply to the project in the RFP, include those as well.
High quality photos are also important to feature in the construction project description. It’s worth having professional photos taken of your projects during and after completion. If you have lots of quality photos from your projects, you might choose some to include in different sections of the proposal. If you do this, be sure to include captions detailing what project it is and that it is your company’s project. You can also feature aspects of your work beyond the requested number of projects if you weave photos and captions into other parts of the proposal where applicable.
Some construction RFPs will restrict the number of projects you can include, but even if they don’t it’s good to be mindful of the volume you roll into the proposal. Excessively long proposals can frustrate your client and they may stop reviewing it as a result.
The technical narrative should be written by the project executive being proposed on the project. Since they are the one that will actually execute the work, it’s critical to get their input on how the job should be done. Provide as much detail as you are able in this section, as it’s where you will weave many of your differentiators into the proposal–especially if you have creative ways to accelerate the schedule, save costs, or demonstrate unique technical expertise.
Be sure to have the proposal manager review this section closely and ask questions where applicable. While this section should be technical and detailed in nature, it should be understandable to someone without a construction background since the person reviewing the proposal may not be from the industry.
If your construction company is large enough to employ a director to oversee the safety team, they should be responsible for writing the safety narrative. Make sure to indicate any safety professionals you will have onsite, security measures for the construction project, laydown areas, and any tools that your team uses that will differentiate you from competitors. Things like software tools and other modern technology have become increasingly important on the project site, so consider highlighting what your team plans to use when building out a project plan.
If the project is large enough to have a dedicated scheduler or project controls person onsite, they should generate the project timeline and write the schedule narrative. If the project is not large enough for that, then it will be the responsibility of the proposed project executive. Many construction RFPs may not ask for a schedule narrative, but it’s important to include it to help all your reviewers understand what you are proposing.
Another differentiator worth including is a map or diagram of your project laydown area. Showing the client where your materials will go, where shipments will arrive, and how traffic will move throughout the site is important to better demonstrate to the client that you fully understand the scope of the project.
The proposal manager should generate a draft of the organizational chart and provide it to the graphic design team for inclusion in the proposal. Depending on the scale of the project, the project executive may wish to weigh in on the structure before your designers begin working on the proposal. Consider clearly highlighting any joint ventures and all of the key subcontractors you plan to use on the project.
Financial details can be sensitive construction documents. If permitted by the RFP, these should be included separately in a sealed envelope or emailed directly from your accounting team to the client. Make sure to provide all the details the client requests, as non-compliance can lead to disqualification or client concern over your financial stability.
With this information, you should be ready to ace the construction RFP process and win more work for your team.
If you’re looking for a better way to manage your RFPs, it could be time to explore construction bid management software.
Estimating construction costs for projects can be incredibly challenging, especially with factors like fluctuating costs, regional variations, and changing schedules. It's also worth noting that projects consist of multiple components—from materials and labor to permits and equipment. Determining the costs for all of that is daunting, to say the least, so it wouldn't hurt to get some help.
Construction estimate calculators can do just that by enabling you to quickly crunch the numbers for certain project expenses. In this article, we list some handy calculators you can use when estimating costs.
From tools to calculate material expenses to residential and commercial construction cost estimators, these resources can save you time, money, and headaches.
Construction materials can quickly add up and vary depending on quantity, dimensions, and project scope, so it's crucial to have your calculations on point. To help you do that, here are some construction material cost calculators to consider.
These lumbar construction cost estimators from Omni and Concalculator can help determine the amount of lumber required for a project, factoring in board dimensions and number of pieces. Just enter the length, width, and thickness of your lumber and the number of pieces required, and the lumber calculators will provide the total volume of lumber you need.
This concrete cost calculator from HowMuchConcrete.io provides a straightforward way to estimate the cost of this common construction material or your project. All you need to do is select the shape of your project (e.g., slab, footing, wall), and input its dimensions. The tool then calculates the estimated quantity of concrete and its cost, helping you plan your budget efficiently while reducing waste.
Need to do more complex concrete calculations? This cement calculator from Omni allows you to select specific cement types and input variables like volume, mix ratio, and density to calculate the exact quantity required for your project.
These drywall calculators simplify estimating drywall needs by letting you input dimensions and select options such as panel size, thickness, and room details. The Omni drywall calculator focuses on accurate sheet and material calculations; you'll need to enter details like wall area, panel dimensions, and drywall thickness to get precise estimates. Meanwhile, the Home Depot drywall calculator integrates product selection and costs alongside your measurements, so you can calculate drywall expenses using the data on Home Depot's ecommerce site.
These gravel calculators simplify estimating the volume and cost of gravel needed for projects. For a straightforward gravel calculator, check out Calculator.net, where you input area dimensions, depth, and gravel density for volume and price estimates. The Omni gravel calculator offers similar functionality and also estimates costs using inputs like price per unit of mass and volume.
Need help estimating board footage and lumber requirements? Omni's board foot calculator lets you input the number of pieces, dimensions (thickness, width, length), and cost per board foot, providing a total cost and volume. The Inch Calculator for board footage also uses these measurements and includes helpful charts and formulas for additional guidance.
The framing calculators offered by BuildBook and Omni can estimate the materials and cost needed to frame walls. You can use either of these tools to calculate the number of studs, top and bottom plates, as well as total costs. Both tools factor inputs like wall size, distance between studs, and price per stud.
Omni's limestone calculator determines limestone weight and volume based on dimensions and material density, making it ideal for precise planning. Similarly, the Billd limestone calculator computes cubic yards based on width, length, and thickness.
This tile calculator from TileBuys estimates your tile requirements using inputs like floor and wall dimensions and tile size while accounting for wastage. Omni's tile calculator offers similar features, with an added pricing calculator to help you estimate the cost of your tiles.
Commercial construction cost estimators assist you with estimating the commercial construction costs per square foot of large-scale projects. They consider factors such as material prices, construction labor costs, regional costs, and project complexity so you can create realistic budgets and avoid overspending.
BuildingJournal's commercial construction cost calculator is a useful tool for creating detailed and location-specific budget estimates for various commercial projects. Simply select the type of building, project location, and cost index; from there, the tool will generate an estimated total budget and cost per square foot that accounts for overhead, profit, and bonding.
You could also use RSMeans Data by Gordian, which calculates a commercial project's cost per square foot based on RSMeans Data, North America's leading construction estimating cost database.
If you're estimating construction costs for a residential project, exploring benchmarks for how much it costs to build a home can help you plan your budget.
You should also check out residential construction cost calculators. One example is the Dream Home Calculator, which estimates home building costs using a quiz-like tool that asks you questions about the type of home you want to build, location, features, and more.
Another option is Home-Cost.com's residential cost estimating software, which provides location-specific forecasts and detailed reports to come up with cost estimates for residential projects.
Accurate cost estimation is crucial for any construction project, whether residential or commercial. The construction estimate calculators above can save you time, minimize errors, and streamline your budgeting process.
Ready to take your cost estimation to the next level? Explore ProEst by Autodesk Construction Cloud, a powerful solution designed to help construction professionals manage estimates with ease. Get started today.
From graphic design to navigating cyber security, the skills on show at this year’s WorldSkills Ireland event were more diverse and eclectic than ever before.
Designed to raise standards in apprenticeship and technical education worldwide, WorldSkills has been inspiring young people to develop their skills and equip them for the world of work since 1950.
Last month, thousands of people descended on the RDS in Dublin for WorldSkills Ireland to hear from industry experts, attend panel discussions, take part in demonstrations and meet with potential employers.
Moreover, 170 hopeful students from all over Ireland went head-to-head in a range of skills-based trade competitions for a chance to represent Ireland at the WorldSkills international finals in Lyon, France at the end of September.
Technology company Symetri, an Autodesk partner, sponsored the Mechanical Engineering CAD, Digital Construction and Digital Infrastructure. Students were given six hours across three days to create two and three-dimensional images and animations of projects, with specialist software, including information such as dimensions, types of material and tolerances.
Other competitions covered such areas as automobile design, joinery, craft butchery, visual merchandising and tool-making.
Eighteen young people were selected to travel to France as part of Team Ireland to compete in WorldSkills Lyon. Over six days, 250,000 visitors from more than 90 countries visited the event in France, while 1,400 competitors threw their hats in the ring.
Learn more about Autodesk’s involvement at the 2024 Global World Skills final in Lyon, France.
Autodesk has partnered with WorldSkills for 18 years and is committed to supporting and nurturing tomorrow’s construction industry leaders.
This year’s Autodesk stands in Dublin and Lyon gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about the company, its products and how it’s helping shape the future of construction, production and design.
According to the Autodesk team, this year’s event was bursting with best bits and had an impressive line-up of speakers, demonstrations and competitors.
For Dorothee Schmid, responsible for Strategic Partnerships at Autodesk, meeting key ministerial stakeholders and discussing how Autodesk can play a pivotal part in the next generation of industry leaders was especially inspiring.
“One of the biggest outcomes was showcasing how Autodesk is excited to enable the next generation of leaders,” she says. “And sitting down with members from the Department of Education and Dublin universities to discuss how we are bringing new software into schools and helping students build their skills to prepare them from a global perspective.”
Faruk Kayın, Marketing Manager at Autodesk says meeting young people and getting the opportunity to showcase Autodesk’s scope and solutions was a particular highlight.
“We have great solutions and workflows, so it was great to explain that to the students,” he says. “They were so interested and some were trying to figure out what direction to take. So it was really nice to share our vision and discuss the opportunities in construction.”
According to Faruk, the Mechanical Engineering CAD competitions hosted by Symetri were both inspiring and informative.
“Symetri’s competition was for students who have been trained to use Autodesk software over three to four months. They were tasked with building a 3D printer,” he says. “I also spoke to Evan Coughlan and his journey from competitor to working alongside Symetri as a competition examiner.”
Education is a priority for Autodesk, helping to open new doors and bring fresh opportunities. According to Dorothee, listening to students and educators is key to addressing educational needs.
“There’s a big gap between students, educators and industry leaders,” says Dorothee. “WorldSkills is a unique opportunity for businesses large and small to gain valuable insights, network with key decision-makers, and contribute to shaping the future of skills development.
“It also gives us a chance to showcase everything we do across our three pillars: production, construction and design.”
Faruk agrees, adding that with Autodesk’s technology, anything is possible. “‘Make anything with Autodesk’ is our tagline,” he says. “WorldSkills is a great opportunity to demonstrate that.”
The world is in the middle of a skills shortage. Almost 90% of businesses globally say they are facing a skills shortage or expect to do so in the next five years.
According to the team, events like WorldSkills can help bridge the gap by highlighting current industry trends and needs.
“WorldSkills and its competitions reflect industry needs,” says Dorothee. “As a global leader in the software that Designs and Makes the world around us, Autodesk is deeply committed to preparing the next generation for careers across Design and Make industries.”
Faruk adds, “WorldSkills is a chance to show how Autodesk can help change and improve processes and workflows. Better workflows can make builds safer and smarter.”
Moreover, Autodesk is playing its part to help close the skills gap by offering students free access to products and software to help them bring their ideas to life and prepare for a career in the construction industry.
“It’s a global initiative,” explains Dorothee. “We’re offering Autodesk software free of charge so students can be trained to use new technologies before they enter the workforce.”
A platform to build meaningful connections
WorldSkills 2024 was an all-round success, but Dorothee says she'd like to see it grow even more.
"We were exceptionally pleased with this year's event," she says. "The commitment from Autodesk executives to expand this partnership from a corporate initiative fills me with pride and gratitude.
“Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer, along with Mary Hopes McQuiston, Vice President Education, Mike Hailey, Senior Vice President Research, and Andrew Friendly, Vice President Government Affairs, took the time to attend the event, be inspired by it, and actively engage in the WorldSkills Conference 2024.
Collectively, they have emphasized that education is one of the most crucial elements that should be supported and promoted from all sides, especially since WorldSkills provides a unique opportunity at all levels to meet and exchange ideas with policymakers and industry leaders.”
Faruk adds WorldSkills is the ideal platform to reach the next generation of industry changemakers.
“We were able to share our knowledge and products with the younger generation,” he says. “They are the future of everything. So capturing that interest and showing them how we can change the future of work was the biggest takeaway for me.”
Explore more ways Autodesk is helping students succeed and shaping the future of the industry.
Project managers have always taken critical roles on construction projects. Over my career, I've worked as a project engineer, BIM coordinator, and MEP manager. The project managers I worked alongside were essential for setting the bar on their projects, and there was no way I could have done any of my jobs in the field without them.
Undoubtedly, the role of construction project managers is evolving. While the teams they collaborate with remain the same, the way they work is changing. Driven by new business models, emerging technology, and shifts in the workforce, it's vital for today's project managers to prepare for change and embrace the future.
New webinar: Stay ahead with tools and tactics for managing construction project changes by attending our upcoming webinar, "From Chaos to Calm: Navigating Changes In Construction Project Management."
At the job's core, a project manager is responsible for planning projects and managing changes. This involves meticulously tracking issues, resolving conflicts, and overseeing schedule management, all while coordinating a wide range of tasks and resources to keep the project on track.
Take change orders for instance. They are perhaps the most time consuming and tangible factors that can affect a job and the whole outcome of a project. When change orders happen, they can affect the relationship with the client and could have a considerable impact on the schedule of the overall job.
But it's not just change orders. When we polled our construction community, we found that managing client relationships was the biggest issue that keeps project managers up at night. Managing a client relationship can influence current and future work and is key to a project manager's operating model.
What separates a good from a great project manager is not always so easy to say. During my time in the industry, I was fortunate enough to learn from the best. I worked with some of the best project managers and superintendents out there. I was heavily focused on MEPs in the field, and the great project managers I worked with were always there to back me up when I needed a specialty contractor to deliver results.
Most importantly, those project managers were my allies, and they were the ones that had control of their projects. These were the leaders I learned the most from. Project managers are in charge of some of the most impactful decisions made on a project, including process, team structure, financials, technology used, and methodologies implemented.
When I worked for a small contractor outside of Boston, there was an electrical subcontractor who would never show up to my meetings, ran behind on the coordination schedule, and, ultimately, held up other trades because we had no idea where his conduit panels or fixtures were. The project manager I was working with had a lot more power than I did, as she was the gatekeeper of all of the financials. Eventually, we were able to get the subcontractor to, and without that project manager's support and leadership, that sub could have set the job back with added coordination time, potential field rework, and, sooner or later, added cost to the owner.
Conversely, I have worked with project managers who have struggled with leadership. As a result, I have had to deal with a tarnished reputation, additional unforeseen added time to the schedule, and that all happens with a cost.
At the end of the day, great construction project management boils down to communication and team management. Effective project managers build strong teams that support the many moving parts of day-to-day operations, ensuring the project stays on schedule and runs smoothly.
While it's essential to understand the current role of today's project manager, it is also imperative to acknowledge how that role is changing. One project manager we surveyed perhaps put it best, saying, "The reality of what we do is rooted in external forces, our teams, and how we prepare for the future."
This future will continue to create new and exciting opportunities. But this doesn't happen overnight, and it certainly doesn't happen without the people behind the build and a strong foundation to start from.
As a result, project managers take on more personal and professional risk than most professionals. They also have a very important and difficult job of being the voice of a project, including for their company, to their client, and to their integrated team. They also need to be a vital link for communications – ensuring teams are collaborating effectively on progress, issues, and milestones to stay on track.
There are also a lot of external factors that are changing the landscape around construction project managers, including:
The fragile state of our supply chain, the current labor situation, and the rise of transformative technologies like artificial intelligence have created new challenges for today’s construction teams. However, with anything, it does cause today’s project managers to explore alternative ways of doing things because there is no other optio
Right now, the industry is dealing with significant challenges in institutional knowledge transfer—folks are retiring, and not enough people are coming into the business fast enough. Millennials and Gen Z grew up with a lot of technology, and the Baby Boomers who are working and retiring communicate in a very different way. That knowledge transfer doesn't come easy. From communication to the amount of time it takes to teach those who are new to the business, there are plenty of challenges here.
Owner expectations are increasing, and this creates relationships that can be difficult to control. With some clients, the ability to meet expectations is more demanding than others. Some owners require customized documentation that can be challenging to focus and deliver on while trying to have a successful build, manage a schedule and team, and keep the project on budget.
With exciting industry transformations ahead, we know that the project manager's role is going to continue to rise in importance. Today is an exciting time to be a PM, but it can also be overwhelming. So what can you learn from, pivot into, and take into account for a better future? Here are a few key strategies and tools available to help project managers navigate the future:
There's a lot of construction technology out there today. With such a saturated construction tech market, you need to use solutions that make your job easier, not harder. It would help if you had fewer apps and more capabilities baked into one solution. Your day-to-day tasks need to work together to form the coherent story of your project's life. All of your work and your team's work need to connect, from preconstruction to project administration and field execution to building operations.
Project managers make impactful decisions many times a day, and having the right technology is crucial for planning and monitoring project progress from the outset. With processes like prefabrication and AI-powered tools becoming more prevalent in the construction space, advanced insights and planning methods are enabling teams to make informed decisions, build faster, and work smarter. These methods also allow teams to invest more time in the preconstruction phase, enhancing project planning and reducing risk.
Data is central to your operating model. Analytics will also play an increasingly important role in preconstruction. When artificial intelligence capabilities are applied to project data, it produces predictive analytics (like performance, potential risk, and comparative insights). Access to this insight allows you to manage data and build a better jobsite based on the factors that occur on the front end of the job—not just looking back at lessons learned.
Transparency and accountability are vital components of building a team, and a project manager has an obligation to facilitate that. This requires tools that provide them with the right insights and data to monitor quality, safety, and cost on their projects. Connected solutions like Autodesk Construction Cloud reveal not only the current status of your projects but it also tracks insights across many projects from sector to location.
We all know that if one person falls short, the team falls short. As a unit, the project team is wholly responsible for the output and supporting each other. This requires leaders to build a culture of communication, transparency, and trust.
Your team shouldn't wonder, "Is my job safe? Am I able to learn from mistakes safely? Can I ask questions? Is there a sense of psychological safety?" Project managers can use technology as a tool to build better transparency and communication for their teams. For instance, with Autodesk Construction Cloud, you can access the historical information associated with all parts of your project, including sheets, issues, photos you've taken, and any tags, even within RFIs you generate. This allows many eyes to monitor the progress of the job, making it easier to support internally and externally.
The construction industry has made massive transformations in the last decade, which has changed the role of the project manager. The only certain thing is change itself, from external factors like rising costs and the labor crisis to internal factors like cultural shifts and increasing project demands. When all is said and done, and you lock up your trailer at the end of the day, how will you choose to arm yourself and your teams for the future?
Want to advance your career and skillset in project management? Construction project managers are encouraged to check out the Project and Cost Management Master Class, where you’ll learn ways to overcome the hidden issues that impact your bottom line.
The ability to generate accurate cost estimates is a serious priority in the construction industry. With increasing competition and optimization for construction profit margins, conceptual estimating becomes a more critical part of that priority as well. As the industry grows and evolves, being able to utilize historical project costs and data to prepare conceptual or budgetary estimates is a key workflow.
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Conceptual estimating is the first predesign effort made to determine a project’s cost and is usually a part of the feasibility analysis of a project. It tells the owner the anticipated costs before contemplating a project’s feasibility and further development.
Therefore, a cost estimator prepares a conceptual estimate with limited information on scope and limited detailed design engineering data. To develop appropriate estimates using conceptual estimating, an estimator needs considerable skills, experience, and judgment.
Like any other estimation process, conceptual estimating has its advantages and disadvantages, as we will discuss below.
Working with conceptual estimates saves you a lot of time and energy when creating estimates. Conceptual estimating acts as a cost control by acting as the first preliminary check on cost. Below are some of the pros of conceptual estimating.
Conceptual estimating combines cost estimating with cost history, and this enables users to develop quick and accurate estimates. Normalizing a project cost database with inflation and location makes an old project relevant again as you can compare the related costs on labor, equipment, and materials.
The primary basis of conceptual estimating is giving a general picture of how much the project costs. It, therefore, acts as the first check against the budget.
As a check against the budget, conceptual estimating allows you to make crucial decisions that impact your building. An estimator looks at all the factors that influence costs, and as a builder, you can refine your budget to fit the requisite needs.
The first recognized disadvantage of conceptual estimating, like other estimating methods, is the inexactness of the process.
With the absence of data, there is no other way to evaluate the process other than using opinion.
Below are some of the cons associated with conceptual estimating.
Conceptual estimating is a resource-restricted activity. The primary resources are time, cost, and information. As conceptual estimating is performed early in the project, the information is restricted in detail and precision. Therefore, as much as the estimate is essential, it can’t be accorded much time and resources.
The accuracy and validity of the estimates are dependent on the information provided by the project scope. A clearly defined scope is crucial in the formulation of a reliable cost estimate.
The future of conceptual estimating involves the ability to thoroughly analyze all data points from past projects, combined with the limited scope available during the early stages, to develop an accurate proposal. The integration of AI and machine learning will be essential to this process. However, to begin, access to comprehensive data is necessary—this includes risk, safety, quality, cost, and productivity data. Currently, these data points are dispersed across multiple products; therefore, consolidating them into a platform-type architecture will be crucial to achieving this advanced state.
Below are answers to some of the frequently asked questions concerning conceptual estimation
The most common methods used in conceptual estimation are order of magnitude, top-down and analogous estimation methods. The accuracy of a conceptual estimate, however, can only be determined after project completion.
Conceptual estimating relies majorly on the scope of work. The clearer the scope of work is, the better a conceptual estimate will be.
Conceptual estimation is critical for big projects as it determines a project’s feasibility early in the project’s stages. As the estimates are compiled with little knowledge available on the scope, it is essential to use experienced estimators that will leverage their industry expertise and knowledge.
Ready to start estimating better? Learn more about how to create accurate construction estimates with Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Today’s construction projects move faster than ever with more information being added to the project from stakeholders at every phase. In fact, the volume of available construction project data has doubled in just the past three years. Specialty contractors bear the brunt of this data onslaught by spending precious time searching through new project updates to keep their team on schedule and their client happy.
Autodesk is here to help contractors manage this increased data more effectively. In September, we released 45 product updates designed to cut through the noise of construction data and help subcontractors find the information they need to do what they do best, build.
In the true spirit of cutting through the noise, below we’ve highlighted the top six recent updates for specialty contractors.
Subcontractors need to regularly win new work to build a backlog and maintain financial stability. And now, they can do just that. Plan Room is a new tool that allows Bid Board Pro users to more easily discover projects that general contractors and owners have publicly shared on BuildingConnected. Whether it’s sourcing new clients or entering new markets, Plan Room can help specialty contractors find the jobs they need.
Project templates can help any team get started quicker and increase their opportunities for success. But to get the full benefit, they need to be tailored to your specific needs and workflows as a subcontractor.
Now with Sample Project Templates, you can get your next project started more quickly with a new project template designed for specialty contractors. Use the templated forms and issues to help standardize data collection processes to ensure the information coming in is telling the true story of the project.
Detecting changes in the design and coordination phases is never easy, but we’re making it easier for your teams. We’ve added colors on models to create an easy way to understand the progress and differences found in a model. Adding colors to show disciplines, stages, or object types helps your BIM managers make the right decisions easier, to help them complete the project faster.
Managing all your asset data on a project is an important yet taxing process for even the most seasoned veterans. But now, you can track assets as a system by creating groups based on similarities or dependencies for easier asset management. Rather than seeing the vent, the duct, and the VAV box as separate assets, you can combine them to form one asset system to simplify progress tracking and commissioning.
Tracking updates, and who made them, across a single project can be frustrating. Tracking them across all projects your company is working on can be a nightmare. Now with Activity Log, you can easily pull an audit trail of activities performed across the Autodesk Construction Cloud, with time stamps and user info across all your projects – all at once.
While it’s great to help understand activities in case of dispute, it also helps drive standardization of data collection across the company by showing you who needs more training on your company’s way of working. You can tell your legal team to rest easier at night.
The tech stack of each specialty contractor is as unique as the personalities of its crew. Autodesk ensures you can customize your way of working by regularly adding new integrations to the Autodesk Construction Cloud ecosystem (already over 400!). Nineteen new integrations were recently added to help subs get the job done.
Finding all the project information you need can be exhausting – but it doesn’t have to be. With tools to organize data and provide visual cues for straightforward interpretation, you can act faster and keep your projects on track.
These latest releases are just a few of the ways Autodesk is empowering specialty contractors to cut through the noise so you can spend less time sifting through data and more time acting on it.
Want to learn more? Check out all our latest product releases.
Construction project management is tough. You have stakeholders tugging on your shirt for progress updates, financials, submittals, schedules, RFIs, and that barely scratches the surface. You have regular changes to your design, schedule, and plan, and everyone needs to be kept in the loop. Wouldn’t it be nice to cut back on the time you spend getting people the info they need?
“As simple as it sounds, having the right information in front of you is essential to managing the stress of a project management role,” shares Esteban Corrales, Senior Manager, Technical Solutions at Autodesk and a former construction project manager. “The right systems and tools can put that information in front of you rather than having to ‘Frankenstein’ information together from multiple reports on your desk, spreadsheets on a computer screen, or from a separate ERP system.”
For project managers, Autodesk Build is an essential tool for keeping the entire project team on the same page, at every stage. The solution makes daily, time-consuming tasks much easier to complete and workflows flow smoother. That’s because the right technology flexes to the needs of the project and the people behind it.
Let’s look at how Autodesk Build streamlines daily project management tasks.
New webinar: Stay ahead with tools and tactics for managing construction project changes by attending our upcoming webinar, "From Chaos to Calm: Navigating Changes In Construction Project Management."
Project delays and ongoing schedule updates are more common than we’d like, but an assumed part of construction. However, many are still communicating construction schedule updates in outdated or disconnected solutions. Because project schedules are made up of thousands of activities, staying on top of them through printouts is not an easy task.
When you do manage to get things just right in the latest schedule, it's usually out of date by the time it’s been distributed. This very manual process leaves project teams struggling to stay on top of schedule activities and communicating all the changes that need attention.
Teams need a better way (i.e. easier way) to connect and interact with the schedule as it changes throughout the project. Rather than manually marking up PDFs to send back and forth between schedulers and project team or trying to track down status of a change requested by endless phone calls and email chains, make use of the Schedule tool in Autodesk Build.
The Schedule tool in Autodesk Build centralizes all update requests to your schedule. It significantly improves collaboration and conversations around the master schedule. Suggesting schedule updates facilitates collaboration on important updates to the project schedule. The suggestions are made in the web, but the field team can view the schedule suggestions on activities in iOS to help facilitate conversation around the suggestions.
The review and approval process around schedule suggestions is streamlined, so schedule managers can stay on top of all suggestions in one location, so nothing falls through the cracks – creating a robust audit trail. Note: To make updates visible in a schedule, the schedule manager must update the schedule in an external schedule authoring tool and then import the updated version.
The time it takes to address an RFI almost always has the risk of causing schedule slippage. Worse, RFI stakeholders don’t even know there’s something to respond to. Construction project managers then have to go out their way to track people down when that part of the process could’ve been easily automated.
In Autodesk Build, you can predefine default coordinators or reviewers based on the type of RFI. For example, you can set a project’s electrical engineer to be the default reviewer on electrical RFIs. That way, they’re looped in on the RFI from the start.
Project Admins can set this up for their teams, and when a user creates an RFI, they select the specific RFI type. Then the appropriate coordinators or reviewers are automatically notified of updates as needed.
Submittals are essential to any construction project because they offer design professionals a very detailed look at drawings, equipment, materials, and much more. It’s typically a long and tedious process with sometimes thousands of individual line items in a submittal log waiting for review and approval.
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First, creating a submittal log doesn’t have to be an Olympic-worthy feat. With AutoSpecs in Autodesk Construction Cloud, you can create a submittal log from a spec book at the start of a project. Whether your spec book is 100 pages or 1,000, the tool allows you to create a downloadable and accurate spreadsheet with all your project’s submittal register items in just minutes saving you time and eliminating the chance of errors.
Also, there will inevitably be questions as the architect and design teams work through a submittal, so you have the chance to create your own submittal cover page with key submittal info. You have the option of using a blank cover page, uploading your own, or using one that is already templated in the software. The templated submittal cover pages go over the relevant information for a submittal.
The built-in cover page includes:
Members can also annotate and add stamps to the document (see next item in this list). This helps you and your team comply with any contractual requirements you have. this list). This helps you and your team comply with any contractual requirements you have.
In the past, submittals were made up of many pieces of paperwork that would have to manually travel from the field to the office. Even with technology, workflows still relied on separate PDF editing software to complete the workflow. This, of course, took additional time and effort, making the submittal process take longer.
Obviously, it is faster to annotate submittals within the technology you’re already using. So, within Autodesk Build, you’re able to utilize built-in stamps found within the software. You also have the option to upload your own stamps, so they are in line with your own language.
With built-in stamps, you can move submittals to your next reviewer much faster, preventing delays in your workflow. Plus, they’ll be consistent, making sure all submittals adhere to each project’s guidelines.
When your construction platform doesn’t match with someone else on your project team, say another contractor, there’s bound to be workflow issues. This can really hold up progress when high-risk RFIs aren’t being responded to.
RFI stakeholders no longer need to log into Build to respond to an RFI. They can simply reply directly to the email notification they received. This enables stakeholders to speed up RFI response times whether they have an Autodesk Build license or not.
The response is automatically tracked in Autodesk Build, which gives project managers the ability to quickly monitor RFI progress.
Construction meetings happen anywhere and everywhere, especially in the field. And being stuck without a laptop is expected when you’re on the move as much as a project manager. As fast as information travels among team members, it's way too easy to miss critical talking points in a meeting unless clearly documented. Very quickly your great meeting can fail to deliver the needed value among participants.
So, in Autodesk Build, you can easily edit your meeting agenda from your mobile device. You don’t need to go to the trailer or bust out a laptop on a busy job site. This feature makes every meeting more valuable to participants because they can more easily follow along and add value to the meeting with the latest agenda.
We always encourage exploration of our Learning Center. There are a bunch of helpful workflow guides, video tutorials, and product walkthroughs over there.
Whether you’re already a customer and have questions or curious if Autodesk Build is the right construction management software for you, please reach out to us with any questions.
On any given construction project, general contractors (GCs) have an extensive list of roles and responsibilities to keep everything on track. From overseeing schedules, safety, and costs to managing resources and personnel, the number of tasks and information can be overwhelming and challenging manage.
Today, more than ever, general contractors need to filter out distractions and cut through the noise to access essential information and workflows, helping them make better decisions and manage projects more efficiently and predictably. At Autodesk, we’re constantly adding product enhancements and features that help project teams work more effectively. In case you missed it, we’re excited to share eight recent features and product launches for Autodesk Construction Cloud that help general contractors stay focused and on track.
Project templates can be incredibly useful, but if you want teams to get the most out of them, they need to be tailored to your team's specific needs and workflows. This is where our new feature, Sample Project Templates, comes in. Now, GCs can quickly kick off projects and standardize data with pre-built, repeatable project templates, including ones for file management, forms, issues, and more. Here’s how it works:
You’re constantly focused on the day ahead, but sometimes you also need to look back and dig up data on completed work. With so many activities happening on a project at any given time, it can be tough to take the time to look back, conduct a retrospective, and trace actions and timelines on your projects.
With Activity Log in Autodesk Construction Cloud, this just got easier. It gives teams quick and easy access to a historical log of activities across the platform. With Activity Log, GCs can rely on a detailed audit trail to protect themselves, in case questions or disputes arise throughout a project.
Commissioning is incredibly important for maintaining the quality of your work and relationships with owners. That said, not every small detail needs to be tracked alone. For example, knowing a light bulb has been installed is helpful, but knowing the conduits are properly placed, the circuit breaker was tested, and the transformer connected are the crucial components of that system that make it all light up.
Enter Asset Systems, which simplifies the management of complex systems by grouping related assets together. Now, GCs can simplify commissioning and handover with full visibility into assets underlying systems.
Unexpected costs and changes can happen at any stage, so we know how important it is to keep track of your construction budget at every milestone in your project. Now, with the new Budget Snapshots feature in Autodesk Build, finance and project controls teams can quickly "snapshot" the budget at any point in time and see not only how it’s changed, but also uncover what's driving changes.
With Budget Snapshots, you can capture the entire budget, compare up to three snapshots so you can see what changed, and easily filter by type for more in-depth analysis. Now, if there’s a sudden cost increase in construction materials or labor, teams can use Budget Snapshots to pinpoint the moment when these shifts happened and link them back to specific project events or decisions.
Greyscale model viewers can make certain decisions trickier, and lead to potential risk. For instance, if a hot pipe and a cold pipe are in the same color, teams may not know which is which. Also, consider how if electrical conduit and pipes look too similar, it could lead to confusion and potential mistakes at installation.
With Object Colors in Autodesk Construction Cloud, you now get simple visual cues for complex differences in 3D models. BIM Managers can now view models in color, so they can easily see differences in progress, object types, and more. This helps improve communication in coordination and gives you greater control over how colors are applied. With this release, BIM managers and other team members can choose to turn colors on by default in clash detection or keep the standard red-green clash highlighting. If you’d like, you can also turn colors on for ghosted background objects.
We’re making it simple for general contractors to use Autodesk Construction Cloud with existing tools with easy-to-implement API integrations. We now have over 400 integrations in the Autodesk Construction Cloud ecosystem, and we’re excited to highlight a few integrations that have been commonly requested by our GC customers:
As part of our continued effort to simplify payment applications for general and specialty contractors, we’ve made it easier to manage and make payments to your trade partners.
In many countries, for example, it’s common to pay a percentage of a subcontract in advance, which is then recovered throughout the construction contract lifecycle. We’re excited to share that our Cost Management solution now supports this workflow by allowing users to create advance payments with recoupment settings in Cost Payment Applications.
We know that you and your team of RFI managers and coordinators put together detailed responses to RFIs. A common request from customers is that you want to attach a file to your official RFI response and make it easy to know which files are a part of the RFI question and the response. This feature is now live in Autodesk Construction Cloud, helping bring more detail and context to your RFI workflows.
These are just a few of the many new features we’ve launched specifically for general contractors recently. Looking for more? Check out our 45+ new product releases and learn more about how we support GCs here.
When I was working in the field, keeping drawings current was a constant challenge. It felt impossible to stay on top of every new change, file, and document. Each update required manual, time-consuming workflows, and even a small revision could take a significant amount of time to process. The risk of miscommunication was high, and managing these tasks often felt overwhelming.
Autodesk Build would have been a game changer for me on the job. It makes uploading construction drawings and sheets incredibly simple. With just a few clicks, your team can work from the latest drawings—no more waiting on updates or chasing down files. Whether you're on-site or remote, everyone stays in sync with the freshest information, so you can spend more time actually building and less time managing files.
Watch this video to see just how easy Autodesk Build makes it to upload drawings, including different versions. For anyone who’s been through the manual grind, this tool is a breath of fresh air—no more version headaches, just seamless coordination!
The construction sector has grown and developed at an incredible pace, and while technology has certainly played a part in these changes, the true heroes are the people who think outside the box, empower their teams, and push for innovation.
Autodesk is all about celebrating the people who elevate the industry, which is why we're thrilled to unveil the 2024 40 Under 40: Champions of Construction!
Now in its 6th year, Autodesk's 40 Under 40 Construction Champions is a list of peer-nominated industry professionals who've demonstrated immense creativity, drive, and innovative thinking.
We're not exaggerating when we say these folks are shaping the industry's future.
So, without further ado, let's get into it!
The list appears in alphabetical order by company name. Click on a name to jump to the individual, or scroll on.
Throughout 2024, Joshua has driven substantial impact across AECOM through several strategic initiatives that have modernized digital delivery processes and enhanced team performance. Notably, he helped lead the development and rollout of "Project Create," an internal tool that revolutionized project setup and unlocked 85% time savings across more than 100 projects.
Joshua also helped spearhead the creation of a comprehensive SharePoint database, centralizing all regional and company BIM standards, which provided a single source of truth for all project teams. This initiative streamlined access to critical resources and fostered a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the company. He is also helping establish a new training, assessment, and upskilling program, further showing his commitment to driving technological excellence and empowering teams to achieve their full potential.
Joshua is a true construction champion due to two important factors. First is his innovative approach to digital technology, exhibited by a relentless drive to move past norms to work smarter. Secondly, his selfless commitment to advancing the field of Building Information Modeling (BIM), both within and outside the doors of AECOM, has made an enormous difference. As a Regional Director of BIM & Digital Technology, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership by managing and coordinating BIM workflows across our West Region offices, significantly improving efficiency and collaboration.
As team lead of the BIM Team, Timothy has played an important role in the Agency for Roads and Traffic over the past six years. He successfully led teams in applying the BIM methodology in road infrastructure projects and supported the necessary IT and data management developments, including an Object Type Library (OTL) as an open data standard for infrastructure assets.
Another area where Timothy is committed is his involvement in training and mentoring young professionals. He conducts various guest lectures and training sessions to enhance the knowledge and skills of future engineers and surveyors. Through his efforts, many have gained valuable insights into the benefits and applications of BIM and AIM (Asset Information Management), which led to broader acceptance and implementation of this process. Additionally, he serves as a guest lecturer at the University of Antwerp, where he teaches a part-time course on BIM and Systems Engineering for infrastructure projects.
Due to organizational shifts, 2024 has been a hectic year. But as the newly appointed head of the whole AIM-BIM Team, Timothy is ready to tackle the challenges of further implementing BIM and AIM in infrastructure asset management.
Katie's ability to navigate the complexities of the construction industry while driving innovation and growth sets her apart as a trailblazer.
As Vice President of Operations at Ample Electric, she has led efforts to enhance operational efficiency and technology and streamline processes, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. Her strategic vision has empowered teams to work more cohesively, improving communication and productivity at all levels.
She has also consistently promoted the adoption of advanced technologies, such as digital project management tools (Autodesk Construction Cloud) and data analytics, to enhance efficiency and streamline operations.
Katie exemplifies what it means to be a rising star in the construction industry, specifically within the heavy civil and electrical sector. Less than three years after joining Ample Electric, she earned the title of Vice President—a testament to her exceptional work ethic, leadership, and strategic vision.
Despite his young age, Josha demonstrates authentic leadership and a high level of maturity in strategic business decisions. From Autodesk Construction Cloud to new innovative APIs like the AEC Data Model and AIsearch, his proactive ability to identify, implement, and advance new technologies is remarkable.
It's no wonder he has taken the stage at Autodesk University three times in the past 12 months.
As a key member of the Autodesk Platform Team at Arcadis, Josha is deeply involved with Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) and the Project Creation Tool (PCT). He led the development of the PCT, a tool that automates data standardization and streamlines project creation within the Autodesk Construction Cloud, ensuring efficiency and consistency. Additionally, as Product Owner, he leads the Object Type Library (OTL) team, leveraging AI to drive innovation in data standardization and automation. His work across ACC, PCT, and OTL directly contributes to Arcadis's data strategy, where he provides input and advisory support to optimize business processes.
Josha’s influence extends beyond his teams, inspiring engineers and Arcadians to embrace digital transformation. He actively delivers training sessions and mentors colleagues, fostering a culture of innovation.
Ed's role is pivotal in promoting BIM processes and digitization within Badge Constructions. He doesn't just advance the technological aspects of BIM; he also emphasizes collaboration by providing continuous support to project teams throughout implementation milestones. He leads the implementation of BIM methodologies and practices within the business, showcasing courage and leadership.
He's also a strong advocate for digital transformation. Case in point: Ed researched digital platforms for project support, developed a detailed business case for Badge's transition to Autodesk, and integrated traditional and modern approaches in the construction industry for digitalization.
Ed has been instrumental in driving the success of numerous projects across the country. He has achieved this by gaining in-depth knowledge of the system, effectively navigating the digital platform, and meticulously investigating and implementing streamlined processes. This has ultimately resulted in ensuring that our users are able to utilize the systems with maximum efficiency.
Ashlyn has done wonders in optimizing construction processes and team efficiency. In 2024, she delivered a huge undertaking in developing standardized Autodesk Construction Cloud workflows to create Barton Malow Builder's Quality Management department.
She's also very proactive in enhancing the team's learning and development. When she noticed a lack of engagement with digital Autodesk Construction Cloud training, she led multiple initiatives to solve the problem. Virtual training videos weren't the best learning method for all team members, so she created a hands-on, interactive training option for employees to learn Autodesk Build in person, leading them through the software module by module and incorporating their specific project-based scenarios.
She worked closely with Autodesk's Learning & Development team to roll out an Autodesk Construction Cloud Learning environment customized for Barton Malow, incorporating the company's standard practices into curated, role-based training playlists for team members.
Beyond that, Ashlyn actively contributes to developing industry tools, providing research and assistance to Autodesk by submitting feature requests, engaging herself and team members in beta testing opportunities, and always giving feedback.
In the year and a half she's been at Barton Malow, Ashlyn has continuously redefined what it means to be a Technology Implementation Manager. She goes above and beyond in continuously seeking ways to make the jobs of project team members easier by evaluating and improving their workflows and how we can best leverage our technological tools.
Paniz joined Beca in October 2023 as part of the Digital Transformation team that supports those using CAD and design engineering platforms. As Digital Delivery Systems Advisor, she works closely with people to understand their business challenges and to be proactive in implementing pragmatic and enduring solutions to those challenges.
Her willingness to learn and adapt is remarkable. Despite having no experience in the AEC industry or with Autodesk, she has grown to be a specialist and the go-to person for Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Moreover, Paniz has quickly built a strong network in the business and is now actively being sought out to set up projects, manage the Beca Autodesk Construction Cloud environment, and provide guidance to both Beca staff and various teams within Autodesk.
Paniz embodies high empathy levels, tenacity, and a drive to revolutionize traditional workflows. She drives a continuous improvement culture, challenges business thinking, embraces new technologies, and thrives on upskilling and enabling staff.
Tim has a strong track record of improving work processes from pioneering various cloud-based project management software solutions as early as 2009, to implementing BIM/VDC programs across multiple companies focusing on small projects since 2012. Today, he continues pushing Autodesk Construction Cloud’s boundaries at Brinkman Construction, leading a team to develop new integrations between Autodesk Construction Cloud and CMiC.
He is heavily involved in critical projects, including Brinkman Construction's rollout of a new financial management system within Autodesk Construction Cloud. The initiative aims to eliminate manual processes and create a new dashboarding system that helps teams understand their project's performance.
Tim has a long history of finding better ways of performing his work. He also supports the use of Autodesk Construction Cloud and is responsible for configuring the software to ensure it meets the company's objectives and performance expectations. From this information, he maintains a best practice library to drive standardization of use between projects and drives our training program.
As a Senior Structural Engineer and BIM/Technology Coordinator, Fatlum has been instrumental in advocating for and implementing collaborative approaches across various projects. He has significantly increased project efficiency by leading structural engineering efforts and driving the adoption of a common data environment.
His work in the ACEGID Nigeria Phase II and the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) projects in Sierra Leone was momentous in translating every challenge into a successful opportunity. These large-scale projects have greatly impacted collaboration and communication between stakeholders and advanced the work in resource-constrained settings.
Fatlum is also passionate about advancing Design & Build platforms, focusing on the integration from design to construction, setting new standards, and promoting collaborative project models. His continuous exploration of expanding Autodesk Construction Cloud's collaboration capabilities into different departments within BHI—including integrating architecture, engineering, and financial processes—showcases his dedication to driving innovation and efficiency. He has actively shared his industry insights through various platforms. For example, he collaborated on a blog post for the Autodesk Foundation website detailing the adoption of Autodesk Construction Cloud in key projects.
Fatlum's leadership in integrating advanced tools, driving collaborative project models, and sharing industry insights makes him an exemplary figure in the construction industry. His contributions are advancing his team's capabilities and setting new standards for project management and collaboration across the industry.
Nicole—aka Nikki—is an industry star, thanks to her dedicated and impeccable work on Clayco projects. Her responsibilities grew with Clayco's growth and success, while her tenacity to execute new challenges only increased over time. She is an intrepid adopter of new processes and technology while being earthbound in her project experience and a sense of urgency.
Nikki was instrumental in supporting the adoption of Autodesk Construction Cloud across all Clayco jobs, as well as in tailoring the firm's Autodesk Construction Cloud adoption strategy to project teams and clients. She excels in communicating the company's directives while contributing to the significant build-up of the company's knowledge base. Nikki orchestrates the deliberate and standard-driven use of Autodesk Construction Cloud technology across 80 live jobs that mark Clayco's transition from BIM 360 to Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Nikki is right to the point, observant, and definitely thinks on her feet while having a keen ability to mentor and share her knowledge. Nikki is a true leader in this industry.
Nigel is a strong proponent of implementing digital transformation to the entire construction process—from pre-construction to project completion. He understands the need for a seamless transition between these stages.
In line with that, Nigel has played a crucial role in driving Autodesk Construction Cloud adoption at D&E Air Conditioning and frequently shares technological successes with the company's customers and prospects.
He's a true pioneer in the digitization of the design and construction process, including finance and accounting. He also actively promotes industry knowledge, often doing presentations at meet-up events.
Nigel is a huge advocate for digitizing the entire design-to-construction process, believing in the importance of a seamless transition from one phase of the project to the next.
Victor has been playing a key role in shaping the construction industry's future, notably with his work on a joint committee with the Government of Canada, where he is consulting on the digitization of the built environment and pushing ISO 19650 standards forward. Victor is also actively involved with buildingSMART Canada, supporting the adoption of openBIM to ensure construction projects run more smoothly and efficiently.
Aside from his committee work, Victor often speaks at industry conferences, sharing his insights on the state of BIM in Canada and responsible AI use in architecture. He has led discussions on how to implement ISO 19650 into practice. His ability to break down these complex topics and lead these conversations highlights his forward-thinking approach and eagerness to share his knowledge and insights with his peers.
Over at Diamond Schmitt, Victor is the go-to person for all things BIM, supporting each of the firm's projects and ensuring project teams are set up for success. Victor actively provides clients with guidance on implementing BIM standards in their projects, helping them navigate the industry's technological landscape. His involvement across different levels of professional practice—from government collaboration to advising clients—demonstrates his leadership as someone driving real change in the industry.
Victor has a major influence on all the projects in the office, supporting teams with BIM integration and ensuring staff have the tools and knowledge they need to succeed. One of the standout projects Victor recently worked on was the Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, where he played a key role in guiding the client, government organization Public Services and Procurement Canada, and the construction manager through BIM implementation.
Ritesh Mittal is a pivotal figure in the realm of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital transformation within the construction industry.
His expertise in Autodesk Construction Cloud and Autodesk BIM Collaborate demonstrates his commitment to enhancing construction workflows and fostering innovation.
With a deep understanding of construction processes and technology, he is not only shaping the future of construction in India but is also inspiring others in the field. His leadership and dedication make him a remarkable choice for the recognition.
Ritesh has been a guiding force in implementing Autodesk Construction Cloud solutions, ensuring seamless integration and collaboration across projects within DLF.
Katie made a significant impact at DPR Construction by leading the adoption of Autodesk Construction Cloud workflows on three large campuses and numerous individual projects throughout San Diego.
Beyond supporting team members through workflow improvements and training, Katie ensured that Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) subject matter experts were involved in all projects valued at $5 million and above. She also leveraged field technology for various purposes, including quality control of work-in-place, documenting as-built conditions, conducting drone flights for site logistics, and using field tech data to inform designs.
And that's just in 2024.
An employee at DPR for more than 12 years, Katie has spearheaded the implementation of technology trends throughout the region and nationally. She has been integral in developing a team that took the company from inconsistent modeling and field technology utilization to 100% project modeling over the past 5 years.
Katie has driven significant technological advancements within DPR Construction. She has been a driving force in implementing cutting-edge technology trends throughout the region and the company.
Matt has expanded EnviroVantage's reputation as an innovative and ambitious company by investing in technology to support on-site field operations, preconstruction, and project management. His investment in these areas has elevated the company's ability to develop and meet efficient schedules and budgets.
In addition, Matt has carefully curated a team of leaders at EnviroVantage who are a combination of company veterans and experts in their respective fields. As a supportive and transparent leader, Matt has developed several team members, providing additional training and encouraging employees to grow as the company grows.
In 2024, Matt pushed the company's operation team forward by implementing real-time project tracking software that was developed proprietarily in-house. The application was designed with the preconstruction, operations, and finance teams all in mind in how they would enter, access, and receive reports on the various data points.
Matt has made a name for himself in the federal construction industry by connecting with small, medium, and large businesses alike to develop joint venture relationships, partnerships, and subcontracting relationships throughout the United States and its territories. He sees value in every business relationship and supports his industry colleagues in various ways. Matt constantly seeks opportunities to collaborate with other businesses and will not hesitate to pass along contract opportunities to colleagues who would be a better fit.
Sara embodies some of the most essential values in construction: collaboration, open and respectful communication, and positive critical thinking.
These principles shined through in Sara’s involvement in forming the “Werkgroep Digitaal Bouwen” (taskforce digital construction), a group of like-minded professionals from the four TBI general contractor companies.
Charged with accelerating innovation through collaboration, the taskforce has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including a succesful pilot with Forma for early stage design, as well as developing their own application for parametrically optimizing building designs in the following design phases.
They also hosted “Digital University,” an in-house conference that brought together directors, management, and specialists for sessions on topics like AI, generative and parametric design, digital construction, and the psychology of change and transformation. The event highlighted the taskforce’s achievements over the past year and featured external speakers to inspire further progress. It also successfully raised awareness about the critical need for C-level involvement in driving a true digital shift within the company.
Sara is a trailblazer in incorporating new technologies into design and construction processes at ERA Contour. Under her leadership, the company has successfully integrated state-of-the-art tools and systems that enhance productivity and sustainability. Her commitment to leveraging technology optimizes operational workflows and ensures that the company stays ahead in an increasingly competitive market.
Joyce is considered a rising star and leader in the construction industry due to her implementation of innovative technologies like Autodesk Construction Cloud, which facilitates seamless collaboration and information sharing among the project team, including cross-functional stakeholders.
She also led the use of AI for construction logistics, helping the firm make data-backed decisions, implement predictive planning, and automate resource management.
Joyce's ability to navigate organizational and cultural challenges is truly admirable and demonstrates her strong leadership skills.
As an early adopter and champion of innovative construction technologies, Joyce has played a pivotal role in spearheading the company's digital transformation initiatives. Her success in implementing these solutions has influenced the organization to further invest in and scale digital capabilities, positioning the company as an industry leader.
Arthur is a key driver of digital transformation initiatives in Gamuda.
From orchestrating the business strategic and resource plans to addressing technical challenges and risks in operations, Arthur has been instrumental in driving these efforts across Gamuda projects in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia.
Coming from an engineering background, Arthur has deep understanding of the AEC industry, and is keen to advance the industry through digitalisation and innovation.
Arthur manages the end-to-end digitalisation process, ensuring data is captured from the ground to facilitate insights and decisions upstream. He fosters a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within his organisation and his effort has been exemplified by the full implementation of Autodesk Construction Cloud in projects, such as Rasau Water Treatment Plant in Malaysia, CR111 Defu station and tunnels in Singapore and QTMP Rail Depot in Brisbane.
Arthur has exemplified what it means to be innovative by taking the reins of a major digitalization strategy in our growing multi-national company. Arthur can work with diverse teams from different countries, including Vietnam and Australia, to ensure the vision of a connected and integrated workplace is realized in Gamuda. He is also generally a wonderful person to work with and communicates well—a critical but often overlooked attribute in workers in this industry.
As HKA's Technical Director, Sarah oversees the firm's digital transformation initiatives, ensuring that technology is effectively integrated to enhance project outcomes.
But her accomplishments go beyond leading digital strategies.
In 2024, Sarah acted as an expert witness in multiple high-value arbitrations. She sat at the witness stand to help legal decision-makers understand digital evidence and claims involving information management and BIM.
Despite her busy schedule, she has found time to mentor others through the Women in BIM program. She has also lectured and taught students about the legal framework surrounding BIM and digital transformation. These have all had a positive impact on the industry.
As a technical director at HKA, Sarah leads the digital division within the business, and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Middlesex MSc BIM programme. These are all rare accomplishments at her age and are a testament to her dedication and hard work.
Ibens has been a pioneer in using Building Information Modeling (BIM) for almost two decades. In 2020, Christopher took up the responsibility of creating a foundation that would enable the company's ability to become data driven. One of the pillars of this foundation was the implementation of OpenSpace, a cutting-edge tool that bridges the gap between digital design and the construction phase and Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Providing a focus on the use of Autodesk Construction Cloud for all the stakeholders through the construction lifecycle, from BIM to on-site activities to service issue management to the supply chain. ibens was able to streamline decision making, safety analysis, enhanced collaboration, and maintain their outstanding 8-10% EBITDA throughout the last economically complex years.
He joined ibens in 2013 as BIM Modeller in execution with a Masters degree in Construction Engineering and an affinity for Data/IT, led to the position of Digital Innovator. Since joining in 2013, he has taken massive strides in advancing BIM, prefabrication, Autodesk Construction Cloud Docs, Build, and Openspace. His strategic vision and technical expertise have been crucial in modernizing the company's construction practices.
Christopher stands out for his leadership in digital innovation at Ibens. Since joining in 2014, he has taken massive strides in advancing BIM, prefabrication, Autodesk Construction Cloud Docs, Build, and Openspace. His strategic vision and technical expertise have been crucial in modernizing the company's construction practices.
Under Madhu Aravind's leadership, ITC Limited achieved a significant milestone by obtaining the ‘Project Kitemark certification for ISO 19650’ for the ITC Green Centre Phase II Building 3 project—making it the first project in India and the fourth in the world to receive this recognition.
In addition to achieving the Kitemark certification, Madhu spearheaded efforts to eliminate paper-based collaboration, advancing ITC's digital transformation. This success not only underscores Madhu's impact but also led to him and his team to start exploring ways to digitize procurement and cost management framework for Central Projects Organization.
Madhu has been redefining leadership in digital project management and procurement at ITC's Central Project Organization. Not only has he led the transformation on integrating design, quality, documentation, and project controls, but he also collaborated with Autodesk to provide tailored project management solutions for the AECO industry.
Jamal has successfully led numerous high-profile projects that exemplify his commitment to quality and environmental responsibility.
In 2024, he made a significant impact by leading a major hospital expansion project with innovative construction techniques and advanced project management tools, achieving notable efficiency and cost reductions. Additionally, he championed the adoption of sustainable construction practices, positioning his company at the forefront of eco-friendly building.
Even more impressive? Jamal also oversees his own hospital facility, demonstrating his versatility and ability to handle complex, high-stakes environments. This role highlights his capability in both operational management and strategic planning, further solidifying his reputation as a rising star and influential leader in the field.
Jamal has rapidly ascended as a prominent figure in the construction industry, distinguished by his innovative practices and leadership qualities. What's more, his engagement in industry forums and his focus on client satisfaction underscore his forward-thinking approach and dedication to excellence.
Charlotte is a leading advocate for Industrialized Construction across the UK and Europe, playing a pivotal role in establishing and implementing offsite processes and standards. Early in her career, Charlotte gained hands-on experience by working on the factory floor, understanding the realities of manufacturing, and ensuring seamless integration of design into the manufacturing process.
She has been quite busy in 2024 and has made an impact on the development of software that addresses the challenges of designing with prefabricated components. She also plays a crucial role in guiding the development team to stay aligned with the core mission of integrating products into projects and advancing Industrialized Construction practices.
Because of her achievements, Charlotte was selected to join the British Standards Institute, where she focuses on developing the standards and consistent datasets necessary to drive the evolution of Industrialized Construction.
Charlotte's trust and empathy have been incredibly impactful. We are a small tech company in a big industry, and being able to relate to our customers has been so important for us. Charlotte has an understanding of their day-to-day, which gives them trust that we are building to truly provide value. On the flip side, it has also helped us be more grounded as a team and not build software for the sake of it.
Kwik Trip handles around 90% of its construction projects in-house, so smooth project workflows are a must.
Seth has been instrumental in helping the company achieve that through digital transformation.
He undertook the challenge of finding the right software to fit Kwik Trip's unique construction model—a fast-growing C-store that builds and renovates multiple locations annually. Given that Kwik Trip built its processes internally, selecting complementary software was no small feat.
Seth helped implement Autodesk Construction Cloud, and thanks to his efforts, Kwik Trip now boasts over 1,200 active users and 150 projects within the first two years of using the software.
Seth has been a pivotal player in implementing Autodesk Construction Cloud at Kwik Trip. He is currently in the process of taking his architecture exams and has taken strides throughout his career to continuously improve the construction process around him.
Sara's unique approach to integrating architectural expertise within Live Nation, combined with her leadership in developing efficient workflows, really sets her apart.
She significantly improved the quality and efficiency of her team's work by introducing tools like Autodesk Construction Cloud and creating a robust, adaptable template for venue design.
Her ability to collaborate effectively with her peers—while also taking the initiative to drive decisions and improvements—demonstrates her strong leadership capabilities. Sara's efforts don't just enhance her current projects; they are setting new standards within the industry, influencing how venue design is approached in a sector that typically focuses more on entertainment than architecture.
Sara's work at Live Nation's Blueprint Studio showcases her as a forward-thinking leader bridging the gap between architecture and entertainment. By ensuring that venues are aesthetically outstanding and operationally efficient, she is redefining what it means to design spaces for live events.
Since 2018, Hantong has been a critical contributor to Meta's world-class quality program. From defining program metrics to overseeing the execution of the largest data centers in the world, Hantong has been instrumental in ensuring Meta's projects get completed on time and under budget.
He has spearheaded Meta's quality program from legacy ADSK tools (B360) to Autodesk Construction Cloud Build. He has ensured that the program's objectives are measured by performance KPIs using data from Autodesk Construction Cloud and worked with consultants to build custom tools to ensure a successful transition to data-driven construction management.x
Hantong’s thought leadership and technology innovation with our tools have led to 5,000 monthly users within Meta and their ecosystem. He has also supported "Quality Culture" within Meta and its partners, including "Quality Week," which leverages insights.
Carlee is a passionate and dedicated professional whose deep understanding of construction processes empowers her to tackle even the most complex challenges with confidence. Her unwavering work ethic shines through as she consistently goes the extra mile to ensure that projects are completed not just on time, but also to exceptional standards.
What truly makes Carlee stand out is her genuine empathy. She deeply cares about her team, recognizing the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. This heartfelt connection not only uplifts team morale but also sparks collaboration and innovation, making everyone feel valued.
As a proactive manager, Carlee has a knack for anticipating challenges before they arise, steering her projects smoothly with minimal disruptions. Her reputation as the "go-to" problem solver speaks volumes about her resourcefulness and creativity in finding solutions to persistent issues.
By staying one step ahead and being a reliable source of support, Carlee has made a significant impact on her team and projects, setting the stage for long-term success for the company. Her inclusive and inspiring leadership style empowers her team, encourages open dialogue, and fosters massive growth, cultivating a culture of respect and shared success. With these remarkable qualities, Carlee is poised to make a meaningful difference in the construction industry.
Melissa has been at the forefront of innovation at Miron Construction, driving efficiency within self-perform and field groups by introducing Model-Based Progress Tracking in Autodesk Construction Cloud. This shift has led to increased profitability on projects and has provided valuable insights for more accurate future estimates.
Beyond her work at Miron, Melissa represents Wisconsin on a national strategic council for the AIA and actively explores the potential impact of AI on the construction and architecture industries.
Recognizing the industry's demand to do more with less, she has championed 3D site logistics workflows, enabling on-site personnel to know precisely where and when equipment and materials will be delivered, ultimately contributing to a safer and more efficient worksite.
The continued rollout of Autodesk Construction Cloud has been a huge success and spread organically, thanks to Melissa's willingness to innovate and sell the benefits internally.
Kristoffer leads Norconsult's strategic and business activities, with a strong emphasis on digital transformation for renewable energy.
He's made massive contributions in the many years that he's worked in AEC, but in the last two years, in particular, he made significant steps for the water industry.
Kristoffer has successfully delivered large projects on time by leveraging Autodesk Construction Cloud to coordinate complex multidisciplinary efforts. His work earned the prestigious Design and Make Award last year. Well-known across Norconsult's 65 offices and among its 6,500 employees, Kristoffer has also collaborated closely with Autodesk management to identify the true potential of its solutions. This deep insight has allowed him to support the internal IT department's future needs while effectively scaling tools and user capabilities to meet project demands.
For 15 years, Kristoffer has held management roles in immense projects. He bridges people, organizations, and technology solutions. He is also responsible for identifying opportunities to enhance process agility, optimize operational efficiency, and leverage emerging technologies to improve KPIs.
Nick's exceptional ability to integrate advanced technology into construction processes makes him a strong leader. He leverages his industry background in manufacturing and strategy consulting to expand the possibilities and optimize project workflows.
His visionary leadership is evident in the development of a long-term strategic vision and execution plan that aligns technology objectives with overall company goals. Nick's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement has propelled their company forward and set a benchmark for industry standards.
In 2024, Nick made a considerable impact at Pan-Pacific Mechanical through initiatives like leading an automated company-wide innovation system, implementing an end-to-end, real-time reporting infrastructure, and driving automation projects to enhance productivity.
Nick has led the most well-thought-out, impactful, and deepest pilot of Autodesk Construction Cloud I have ever witnessed by a customer. His vision of data, end-user efficiency, and multi-platform CDE, all while staying empathetic to the end user, is extraordinary.
Suchet spearheads the BIM and Digital Transformation Unit in Building Project Department of Qatar's Public Works Authority and drives digital project delivery across business units through advanced digital platforms and tools.
He implemented BIM and digital technologies on major projects like the FIFA World Cup 2022, Lusail International Circuit, and National Museum of Qatar.
He's also demonstrated strong leadership in public works projects, effectively integrating BIM across large-scale jobs like bus transport infrastructure, healthcare facilities, parks, and schools.
Another impressive accomplishment? In 2024, Suchet was awarded the Guinness World Record for his participation in the Expo 2023 Project, which boasts the largest green roof in the world, exemplifying the potential of digital tools and modern construction methods.
Suchet emphasizes the Authority's visionary approach, particularly its transformative digital initiatives that are setting new standards for technology adoption in the public sector.
Suchet's leadership led to a 40% year-on-year increase in public projects using BIM within the Building Project Department of the Public Works Authority. He successfully garnered support from decision-makers to expand BIM implementation across numerous projects. As a result, we have noticed increasing demand for BIM in the region.
Ravi is an expert BIM Manager in Architecture with projects across the US, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Singapore, and India. He specializes in BIM execution and implementation across large-scale projects, including infrastructure, residential, hospitals, commercial, and retail. His astute acumen and proven track record in handling large teams and successfully delivering BIM projects have helped jobs become more profitable for both the firm and its clients.
It's also worth noting that Ravi's impact transcends Samsung Semiconductors. An industry expert and member of the AU advisory council, he has mentored several industry experts and continues to be a great supporter of Autodesk Innovation and products in the AEC industry.
Ravi's passion for innovating new processes and technology in BIM continues to help transform challenges into opportunities and problems into successful solutions.
In 2024, Clayton propelled Saunders Construction forward through his strategic leadership in technology innovation and project execution, notably on transformative projects like The Academy at Mapleton Hill and the Steamboat Springs Ski Area revitalization. His role as Continuous Improvement Manager has been pivotal in integrating advanced technologies such as Autodesk Build and BIM 360 across Saunders' projects, enhancing communication, collaboration, and efficiency throughout the project lifecycle.
On the Steamboat Springs project, Clayton's leadership was instrumental in adopting Autodesk Construction Cloud, specifically Autodesk Build, to streamline workflows and improve project management capabilities. His team successfully navigated complex challenges posed by remote mountain terrain and stringent construction timelines, leveraging real-time collaboration and data management functionalities to ensure seamless execution. This approach not only accelerated project timelines but also minimized rework and enhanced overall project outcomes.
His initiatives have elevated Saunders' capabilities to connect design with construction, enabling proactive issue resolution and data-driven decision-making.
Outside of technology, Clayton actively champions diversity and inclusion initiatives within Saunders and across the industry, exemplified by his involvement in the 2023 Circles Program and other community engagement efforts.
Clayton Neiman epitomizes the future of construction leadership, blending compassion, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to advancing industry standards. His holistic approach to project management, coupled with a strong foundation in technology and engineering, positions him as a force in driving Saunders Construction towards sustainable and innovative practices.
Val currently serves as the Director of VDC and Emerging Technology at Skanska USA Building, where he oversees an impressive $800 million to $1.5 billion annual construction project portfolio in the Metro New York region.
In this role, Val manages a team of seven VDC managers and engineers, mentoring them to become tech leaders.
With over 14 years in the AEC industry, Val has been instrumental in implementing project-specific digital strategies, establishing robust digital platform standards, and integrating disruptive technologies to enhance Skanska's core business operations.
One of his most notable achievements was leading the construction technology efforts for the $5 billion LaGuardia Terminal B Redevelopment project—one of the largest public-private partnerships in NYC history.
In 2024, Val has driven significant impact across projects, teams, and the company through his leadership and mentorship in construction technology. He has been instrumental in integrating advanced technologies such as underwater drones, FPV drones, and thermal drones into quality control and inspection programs, which has greatly enhanced project accuracy and efficiency.
A significant part of Val's career has been dedicated to building out advanced technology programs that push the boundaries of traditional construction methods. He has developed drone and robotics programs that enhance site monitoring and data processes.
As Executive Director of Soilbuild Construction Group Ltd, Han Ren has led efforts in digitalizing the construction process, to streamline tender processes and project execution, by incorporating advanced technologies to enhance our BIM capabilities, including 3D, 4D (Scheduling), and 8D (Health & Safety), as well as the use of Virtual Reality.
Externally, he has been pivotal in adopting digital tools that streamline tender processes and project execution, adding significant value to Soilbuild's operations. His efforts in developing data-rich 3D BIM models and digital twin technology for construction sequence and Facilities Management have enabled the company to engage clients more effectively and deliver high-quality projects, driving growth and strengthening company's market position.
Han Ren's leadership in expanding into high-value industrial buildings and driving new sustainable initiatives, further positions him as a forward-thinking leader who is not afraid to challenge traditional norms and push the industry towards a more modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious future.
Miyoshi Kouhei began using Autodesk Construction Cloud in 2024, and in just a year, he has become a champion for driving construction DX through data-driven management at Takenaka, and is now playing an active role as a top runner. Since joining the team, he has significantly expanded Autodesk Construction Cloud's usage, overseeing over 30 projects implementing the platform.
Last year, the team he previously belonged to utilized the common data environment he had set up to centralize information and save time. Among the features, they were particularly effective in using the BIM360 review features. He then built on that success in 2024 by expanding Autodesk Construction Cloud adoption to enhance workflows and data management.
In terms of environment and system establishment, we are systematically advancing the management of effective utilization with internal and project-related stakeholders, implementing introductory education, and training personnel who will become strong partners in utilizing and setting up ACC to accelerate its promotion and necessary Autodesk Construction Cloud environment configuration.
Not only that, Miyoshi has taken on a leadership role within the ACC User Group (ACCUG), which launched in Japan this year, fostering collaboration and sharing best practices to drive industry-wide digital transformation efforts.
Miyoshi collaborates with construction site leaders, owners, and designers to lead project success by utilizing Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Nicél has played a pivotal role in transforming project management within the construction sector, especially in the environment of subsidized housing in South Africa. Working in local government for the City of Cape Town, Nicél leads the implementation of projects aimed at addressing apartheid-era spatial inequalities.
Her use of Autodesk's suite of tools, including BIM, has optimized workflows, improved team coordination, and enabled more efficient communication.
Case in point: in 2024, Nicél led several subsidized housing projects in Cape Town, improving the lives of residents in previously disadvantaged communities. These projects are complex by nature: they require bulk upgrades, full civil engineering services, electrification and construction of top structures (houses). All of this must be done against the backdrop of a massive and desperate need for housing; with the housing waiting list for the City of Cape Town currently being in the region of 350,000 potential beneficiaries. This means that housing is a contested space; bringing much complexity to managing the ‘people’ side of the business. By leveraging Autodesk tools, Nicél brought predictability to this environment by streamlining project lifecycles—integrating planning, execution, and reporting— thereby significantly improving not only the transparency and accountability of these projects; but also their manageability.
Nicél's leadership has brought transformation to an essential sector of the South African landscape, where housing projects are multidisciplinary, and Autodesk Construction Cloud has been key in simplifying these complexities. Her ability to overcome the logistical and social challenges posed by South Africa's spatial legacy makes her a standout leader in the construction industry.
Karima's commitment to pushing herself beyond conventional limits sets her apart from her peers. She consistently demonstrates a unique ability to tackle complex challenges and deliver outstanding results, which has earned her recognition and respect within the industry.
Karima's hard work and commitment to personal and professional growth embody the evolving nature of construction, where success is not just about meeting expectations but constantly pushing boundaries.
Her dedication to achieving success and improving processes reshaped Turner Construction's culture, making it more dynamic and forward-thinking.
Her proactive approach and innovative mindset have significantly contributed to modernizing our practices. Karima doesn't just adapt to change; she actively seeks opportunities to drive it, inspiring her colleagues to do the same.
Camilo is a passionate digital visionary at HEB Construction, leading a diverse team of specialists to develop and implement practical approaches that truly enhance collaboration and add value to design, construction, and asset management. He supports HEB in delivering great project outcomes by finding creative solutions that focus on enabling construction efficiency and enhanced asset quality while keeping in mind the whole life cycle to enable opportunities for smart digital approaches in downstream activities such as operations and maintenance.
He is a skilled practitioner who leads teams to effectively harness Autodesk functionality, including Autodesk Docs, BIM Collaborate, Takeoff, Schedules, and Build, and creates bespoke project systems integrations through Data Connector and API. He adds value through the establishment of insightful and robust data analytics tools using Power BI, significantly boosting data-driven decision-making.
Camilo supports industry betterment and advancement through the development and delivery of digital training to HEB staff, joint venture partners, and clients, openly sharing digital lessons and participating on digital advisory boards for significant public sector clients. As a visionary and superuser, Camilo is on the Autodesk Infrastructure Customer Advisory Board, helping shape future capability
Paulo is evolving the construction industry, not just by shifting methods, but by addressing its fundamental challenge—how to create scalability and effectiveness in a field often burdened by fragmented processes. His approach goes beyond product delivery; championing a vision where processes become the products, enabling a shift from traditional, one-off construction projects to streamlined, repeatable systems. Through Autodesk Construction Cloud and the principles of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), he is leading a future where construction isn't just managed—it’s maximized for performance and long-term value.
Paulo’s mission is clear: to enable stakeholders—whether in aviation, defense, or healthcare—to achieve their vision of faster, more effective project delivery. By uniting teams under Autodesk Construction Cloud, he has redefined collaboration, allowing architects, engineers, and contractors to work seamlessly by developing custom processes that fit industry standards. This is more than improved communication; it’s about eliminating barriers that lead to costly rework, enhancing quality, and drastically reducing waste.
Where others see disconnected workflows, Paulo envisions connected opportunities. With Autodesk Construction Cloud Build, he has centralized all project documentation, ensuring that every team member—from designers to fabricators—works with the most up-to-date data, reducing risk and enabling smoother transitions across all construction phases. This shift is not merely technological; it’s strategic, driving the move toward productization and allowing the construction industry to embrace Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), reducing reliance on traditional, inefficient, labor-intensive practices.
Paulo’s leadership reflects a forward-thinking vision, where the how of construction takes precedence over the what. By upskilling his teams and transforming complex projects into scalable, coordinated systems, he is ushering in a new era of Industrialized Construction (IC)—one that harnesses technology to deliver not just buildings, but opportunities for growth. Through his work, the power of combining vision with process, proving that standardization, effectiveness, and innovation are the future of the construction industry.
It's great to officially recognize these 40 individuals for their exceptional contributions to their firms and the industry.
Of course, it's worth noting that there are construction champs in every firm, and you likely know someone who goes above and beyond to make a difference. So, don't forget to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the construction champions in your organization who may not be on this list but whose impact is just as valuable.
Also, if you'd like to get updates about upcoming 40 Under 40 lists and hear more inspiring stories, be sure to subscribe to our blog so you're always in the loop.
Autodesk University 2024 was three full days filled with infectious energy and excitement. Keynotes, meetups, sessions, and networking kept everyone engaged, informed, and overall created our best AU yet.
If you didn’t have a chance to attend, we’ve got you covered you can check out the daily recaps here:
Even if you were unable to attend AU 2024 you can still check out many of the construction sessions and theater talks, via on-demand streaming which you can access here.
We’ve put together a collection of the top 10 most attended sessions you might have missed while in person and may want to access. Check out these on-demand sessions while they’re available.
Led by Syed Muthahharuddin Azher and Dharshan P R, this industry talk takes a deep dive into the integration of a live Revit model hosted on Autodesk Construction Cloud by using the Data Exchange feature.
Empower teams with real-time synchronization of data, prioritize technical and engineering aspects, and understand quantity and design variations. Project Teams can extend the software's application to analyze aspects such as carbon footprint, cost, and other model-based analytics. Watch to unlock the potential of Data Exchange.
Led by Boriss Čerkašins, this industry talk discusses the Copenhagen Metro's embarkation on the challenge of transitioning to Autodesk Construction Cloud for the design and construction of the new M5 Metro Line. This presentation aims to share the journey of harnessing Workato's capabilities to establish efficient workflows and automation.
These initiatives facilitated Autodesk Construction Cloud implementation and enhanced user satisfaction of the platform. With cooperation from Autodesk, we've managed to speed up the implementation of Autodesk Docs and Autodesk Build modules, decrease time spent on tedious self-repeating tasks, increase quality, and use the functionalities of other tools by integrating applications with Autodesk Construction Cloud to create a holistic CDE.
In this session, Piotr Kruczkowski explains what machine learning (ML) is, what it's used for, and how it falls into the discipline of artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and computer science.
He'll also provide an overview of how ChatGPT works, and what other kinds of ML applications and models you can use to solve problems using data from Autodesk Construction Cloud, building information modeling (BIM), or any of our Autodesk services and APIs. This session benefits everyone who would like to enable their teams to quickly gain insight from historical data, speed up learning, and create a more agile collaboration environment.
Justin Schwaiger and John Fay survey current best-practices related to successful business models in offsite/industrialized construction and prefabrication including an innovative example from Ladacube, where we are seeing adoption, and digital tools that can support growth.
This session aslo synthesizes what we've learned to-date to highlight promising forward-looking practices and technologies which will enable additional growth of IC/offsite construction going forward.
Jeff Thomas III presents how Autodesk Construction Cloud can revolutionize the way your design teams collaborate. This cloud-based platform goes beyond software limitations, fostering seamless teamwork anytime, anywhere.
Imagine a central hub for all project discussions, meeting minutes, and reports, keeping everyone informed and aligned with the project. Autodesk Construction Cloud streamlines workflows by automating tasks and managing documents efficiently. The result? Improved communication, boosted project efficiency, and a significant impact on your overall project delivery. In summary, this session will equip you with the knowledge to centralize communication for complete project transparency, enable real-time collaboration across disciplines, and streamline workflows for maximum project efficiency.
Shir Rustici, Kimberley Hendrix, Shivani Soni, and Jayna Vroman present an inspiring discussion on the rise of female leaders in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry.
The panel explores how technological advancements are reshaping career paths for women in traditionally male-dominated fields. Discover personal journeys and hear firsthand how they navigated their paths to leadership, the challenges they overcame, and the strategies they used to harness the power of digital transformation for success.
Mark Da Gama Rose, Jacob Finley, and Christina Norbeck host a candid and in-depth discussion about how Clayco, Inc., transitioned to the Autodesk Construction Cloud software Autodesk Build from BIM 360 and PlanGrid.
This session covers in detail the specific areas of our Autodesk Build implementation, including how we redefined account admin standards on roles and companies, how projects were onboarded to the new platform, and how Clayco, Inc., took a measured approach to its rollout of Autodesk Build modules. We will provide extensive lessons learned from our adoption, and tips on how we track the effectiveness of our Build rollout.
Derek Bourke leads a session on The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a nation known for its architectural marvels and ambitious projects and is facing a crucial turning point. Sustainability is becoming a top priority as the country strives to reduce its environmental impact and build a greener future.
Learn how a construction giant leads the charge by embracing Autodesk Construction Cloud as it's common data environment for document management, filed processes and quality control to achieve this goal.
Chris Moore and Jason Seiler discuss challenges and conflicting priorities for scaling model-based estimating and the process Barton Malow Builders implemented to establish a more uniform practice and reliably deliver model-driven quantification for all our projects.
They mention how these methods need to fit with the overall estimating process, and the team adaptation that is needed. We will also cover how other innovations from Autodesk—such as Autodesk Takeoff and Autodesk Construction Cloud capabilities—can influence progress.
Led by Adam Roberts and Liang Gong, we embark on an exhilarating journey with Rosendin as we elucidate our dynamic approach to managing data from 1,000+ projects in Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Prepare to be dazzled as we automate data acquisition, extract actionable insights, slash errors, and save time. Dive into our groundbreaking collaboration with Autodesk, harnessing the power of Autodesk Construction Cloud Connect recipes to effortlessly pipe data into a centralized data repository. Experience innovative data engineering techniques, transforming raw data into dazzling visualizations.
From current events in the industry to best practices, there are never-ending possibilities for what you can learn with Autodesk University. If you missed AU 2024 this year or just want a refresher, don’t miss out on these on-demand sessions.
When entering into any type of agreement, the only way to make things "official" is to have a contract in place. This applies to everything, from real estate transactions to personal affairs like marriage.
And, of course, construction projects are no exception. Without a well-crafted contract, you risk running into obstacles like misunderstandings and disputes, which can ultimately derail your projects.
In this guide, we'll go over the fundamentals of construction contract management, how it works, and how to use contracts to ensure successful project execution.
Table of contents:
Construction contract management is the process of overseeing and administering the agreements made between parties in a construction project. It involves negotiating the agreement and monitoring its execution to ensure all parties fulfill their obligations and payments are made according to the contract's terms.
There are eight common types of construction contracts. They include:
Effectively overseeing construction contracts ensures that projects stay on track and all parties fulfill their responsibilities. Let’s review some of the key benefits of contract management in construction.
A contract with clear terms and well-documented expectations will minimize misunderstandings or conflicts. Construction disputes over scope, payments, or timelines are less likely when the contract clearly outlines the rights and obligations of each party. This leads to faster conflict resolution and prevents delays that could disrupt project progress.
For instance, if one party misses a deadline, the contract can specify penalties and ensure issues are addressed in a timely manner.
When contracts are properly managed, projects are more likely to stay on schedule and within budget. As such, construction managers must closely monitor performance against contract terms so that teams can get back on track quickly if issues arise.
Let's say a project runs into a material shortage that could delay work. With a well-managed contract, contingencies for such delays can be triggered to mitigate the impact on the overall construction project schedule.
A well-managed contract helps you identify and mitigate construction risks throughout the project lifecycle. You can negotiate the correct terms and see to it that liabilities and contingencies are defined and accounted for. Done right, construction contract management can also help teams prepare for unexpected challenges, such as labor constraints or design changes, minimizing their impact on the project.
Part of construction contract management means implementing a structured framework for tasks, timelines, and communication. This leads to clear expectations and robust processes, so everyone understands their roles and completes tasks without confusion.
For example, having a clear change order process reduces downtime when adjustments need to be made.
So, what exactly does construction contract management entail? Here are the steps involved in the process.
When you're working at the jobsite, you first need to lay the groundwork before building the actual structure. The same thing is true with contract management, but instead of laying a physical foundation, you're establishing a solid framework of agreements and expectations.
At the contract planning stage, project stakeholders determine the scope of work, objectives, budget, and timeline. This is where you identify potential risks and ensure all parties understand their responsibilities throughout the project lifecycle. Having a solid plan helps avoid ambiguity and sets expectations so you have a strong foundation for the contract.
At this stage, the terms of the agreement are discussed and finalized. This involves agreeing on payment schedules, deliverables, contingencies, and legal obligations. Back-and-forth discussions should be expected, as parties must ensure the contract is mutually beneficial and protects the interests of everyone involved.
Contract execution is the core of the process, so to speak. It's where the work outlined in the contract officially starts. It involves ensuring that all terms, deadlines, and deliverables are met. At this stage, construction project managers, contractors, and clients must stay aligned, report on milestones, and handle any issues that come up.
As with any project, monitoring how you're doing is a must. That's why teams should conduct performance reviews regularly to see if the work is progressing as it should. Any deviations from the contract—such as delays, cost overruns, or quality issues—must be brought up sooner rather than later. Effective oversight during this stage can help prevent problems from escalating into major setbacks.
Contract closeout is the final stage of the process, where the project is completed and the contract obligations are fulfilled. Closeout involves confirming that all work has been done according to the agreed terms and all final payments are completed.
As you can see, construction contract management has several moving parts. Tracking everything and keeping stakeholders aligned can be challenging, especially if using manual methods like spreadsheets or multiple tools that don’t communicate.
Leveraging tools like Autodesk Docs for construction document management helps to organize all project documents, automate tedious tasks, and keep relevant stakeholders on the same (digital) page.
Let's take a closer look at the benefits you can unlock by digitizing your contract management workflows.
Construction contract management software automates repetitive tasks like document creation, approval workflows, and payment tracking. This reduces the likelihood of human error and frees up time for teams to focus on higher-value activities.
One of the biggest benefits of using contract management software is having a centralized location for all project-related construction documents. Instead of sifting through emails or spreadsheets, teams can easily access the latest versions of contracts, amendments, and other documentation. That way, you and your team can spend less time hunting down information and more time acting on it.
With a centralized digital platform, stakeholders can collaborate in real-time, and people are less likely to get their lines crossed. Whether sharing feedback on contract revisions or updating deliverables, construction contract management software ensures everyone is aligned and working from the same information.
The benefits discussed above—fewer errors, centralized data, and better collaboration—help teams effectively identify and address risks. It ensures that potential issues are flagged early so stakeholders can be more proactive in addressing issues.
Advanced construction contract management tools provide valuable insights through reporting and analytics features. These insights allow teams to track performance against contract terms and identify areas for improvement, ultimately leading to more efficient and successful project outcomes.
Construction contract management is critical to delivering projects successfully. From planning and negotiating agreements to actually executing them, it's important to keep every detail organized and every stakeholder on the same page.
Fortunately, tools like Autodesk Docs can make your life easier by providing a single source of truth for all your paperwork, teams, and workflows.
Check out Autodesk Docs and discover how it can help you streamline your construction contract processes.
While no one can predict the future with 100% accuracy, we can make an educated guess on what will happen in 2025 in the construction industry.
For the next year and beyond, we anticipate that construction project complexity will continue to increase, especially with the on-going labor crunch and supply chain uncertainty. Furthermore, teams are faced with more exact and demanding project schedules that leave them with less time to plan during preconstruction. And thanks to a recent KPMG survey, we also know that the majority of owners (87%) report that their projects are coming under greater scrutiny.
So, what’s the key to managing increased stakeholder involvement and logistical challenges? It starts with efficient project management processes.
Think of yourself as an orchestra conductor who brings together various moving parts and ensures everything works in perfect harmony. If one thing falls out of alignment, it can disrupt the entire project and lead to delays, increased costs, potential safety hazards, and increased pressure from clients.
With this in mind, let's shed light on best practices and tools that can help you keep all the balls in the air as well as level up your project management game in 2025 and beyond. These strategies and resources will enable you to more proactively manage project complexity and potential issues, ensuring the successful completion of your construction projects.
New webinar: Stay ahead with tools and tactics for managing construction project changes by attending our upcoming webinar, "From Chaos to Calm: Navigating Changes In Construction Project Management."
Teams that coordinate projects across various communication channels (e.g., email, phone conversations, chat, and sticky notes on desks) are not setting themselves up for success in 2025. When your communication is all over the place, it’s easy for critical information to be overlooked or lost. Without a shared place to store and access communication, you risk losing historical records completely after project completion or if someone leaves the company.
Not to mention, the growing emphasis on remote and hybrid work means stakeholders need a central and accessible platform to collaborate.
That’s why the first step to successful project management is ensuring all communications occur in a centralized platform. Doing so speeds up the flow and frequency of information, enhances transparency between team members, and improves decision-making.
Additionally, a centralized system enables you to maintain a record of all communications so teams can retrieve information and track decision-making processes throughout a project—and beyond.
With Correspondence in Autodesk Build and BIM Collaborate, teams have a dedicated tool to manage all project communication. Correspondence allows you to:
Learn more about Correspondence.
Construction project schedules are notoriously complex. From milestone due dates to material deliveries, each element has its own timeline that must be coordinated and integrated into the overall schedule.
Projects involve multiple events and activities—many of which may take place at the same time. Without proper planning, you can run into delays, safety issues, or contractual issues.
As such, you need to have a central source of key dates, deadlines, and more. This is where Schedule in Autodesk Build comes in. This tool gives you and your teams a central source for the project schedule so you can:
Project teams consist of different stakeholders, each with their own responsibilities. Delivering a quality project on time and within budget means keeping everyone working towards the same end goal – and adjusting based on changes along the way. This is why high-performing teams have frequent and impactful check-ins to ensure everyone stays aligned.
That’s all well and good, but not all construction meetings are created equal. To maximize meeting productivity, attendees need to know what tasks they are responsible for to keep the project moving.
Meetings in Autodesk Build and BIM Collaboration makes this easy. It keeps project teams aligned before, during, and after your meetings so you can:
Construction project success requires you to make the right decisions at the right time. Numerous choices must be made throughout the project, and to make the right call, you need to have all relevant information available.
The traditional RFI process can be time-consuming and cumbersome. Communication through RFIs can be disjointed, with queries and responses passing through various channels, ultimately slowing down decision-making.
Enter RFIs in Autodesk Build, which allows teams to clarify uncertainties and make informed decisions faster. With RFIs, teams can:
Quality is the foundation of a safe, reliable, and successful project; sourcing and delivering top-notch work leads to less rework, repair, and early replacements. Moreover, firms known for quality work attract better clients and higher-value contracts, and are thus more likely to thrive in any economic environment.
One of the ways to ensure quality control is to implement solid review processes for all project materials and methods.
With Submittals in Autodesk Build, construction teams drive quality by ensuring the project is built according to specifications. This capability lets you:
Make 2025 your year to improve construction project management processes by adopting the right tools. Whether you’re looking to improve team collaboration, make better decisions, enhance the quality of projects—or all of the above—Autodesk can help.
Our construction solution solutions enable you to build faster and smarter so you can focus on delivering top-notch projects and keep stakeholders happy.
Learn more about Autodesk Construction Cloud and level up your construction game in 2025.
In today’s fast-paced construction industry, owners need to navigate a complex web of teams, technology, and data to ensure their capital project(s) are delivered with top-notch quality, on-time, and within budget. The sheer volume of information and moving parts makes it essential for owners to cut through the noise and focus on the priorities that truly matter.
With 95% of all data not used from projects (according to FMI), we know something needs to change. Owners and other stakeholders must find what they are looking for when they need it, to make better decisions. The benefits are undeniable. According to a recent report from Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Autodesk: with better and more accessible information, there is a 73% reduction in operations costs, 67% improvement in ability to track performance, and a 50% increase in average profit growth annually for data leaders.
At Autodesk, we’re committed to empowering all construction stakeholders with the tools and insights they need to harness data effectively, ensuring project success. With that, let’s dive into a few of our recent top releases that will help owners cut through the noise.
Eighty to 90% of the total lifecycle cost is incurred during operations. For owners, minimizing this cost is critical to help drive bottom line growth and build a healthy profit margin for your organization.
Asset System in Autodesk Construction Cloud helps you track all the elements of your assets in one place during and after your capital project so you can minimize your operations cost. Imagine, during commissioning, you have one light but it’s not just a single light – it’s connected to other systems like the switch, wiring, breakers, etc. You care about that one asset, but truly, you care about everything associated and connected to that item. Asset System gives you a way to track all your assets in a much-simplified manner.
Owners care about building standards to help them finish projects faster and more efficiently, get usable data they need to eventually operate their asset, and to ensure quality of their build (what they intend to be built is what is built). With Sample Project Templates, we are helping more quickly build those standards, especially for those just starting with Autodesk Construction Cloud. We are just getting started. Here is a walkthrough on this capability.
Owners need a way to track and audit what all is going on in their projects and by who to help increase transparency, meet compliance, and in the unfortunate case of disputes, a way to help resolve. With Activity Log, owners have a native in-product log that gives an audit trail of activities across Autodesk Construction Cloud workflows. Rather than having to extract activities and search through, now you can find what you are looking for directly on Autodesk Construction Cloud.
Keeping track of the progress of your project is critical for many owners, whether you have internal teams doing the work or you are working with your third-party GCs. What better way to effortlessly track your assets and projects, while improving coordination and planning work in specific industry segments, than through visual representation?
Coordination Object Colors in Autodesk Construction Cloud allows you to cut through the noise and see what’s going on in your project and understand the dynamics of your assets. This means less time wasted and more time making the decisions you need to meet your business objectives.
These are just a handful of features we believe resonate with your needs as an owner. Hear what some of peers are saying about it:
With hundreds of releases for Autodesk Construction Cloud in 2024 alone, let’s look back at a few key features our owners are raving about from earlier this year.
At Autodesk, we are dedicated in providing owners with innovative tools that enables them to streamline their projects and improve their bottom line. To learn more about how our latest releases can benefit your teams, reach out and schedule a demo to learn more.
Industrialized construction (IC) has been making inroads into the industry for quite some time now, and depending on where you are in the world, adoption rates and technological advances can vary significantly. Of course, as with any transformative technology or process, there are challenges, opportunities, and regional nuances within industrialized construction.
Here to discuss the very rich topic of IC are Tarika Jain, Co-Founder and Head of Business at nCircle Tech, and Ben Cochran, VP of Developer Enablement at Autodesk.
Tarika and Ben both have deep experience in industrialized construction, and they've seen firsthand how innovation and adaptability are shaping the future of IC.
Here are some of the highlights from our discussion.
You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
We discuss:
Industrialized construction looks different depending on where you are in the world. Some of the factors that really drive adoption are the opportunities and ROI that come with IC.
For example, Europe is quite ahead of North America in industrialized construction because higher labor costs are pushing firms to find more efficient solutions.
Ben points out: "It's a changing environment, and there needs to be key factors in place for people to change how they work. If something is 1%, 2%, or 3% better, the risk of changing the way you work is too high. But if the opportunity is large—if you start getting to 30% to 50% improvements in productivity—that suddenly changes."
"If you look at Europe, where labor costs are higher, they've already stepped into the industrialized construction opportunity. They've seen how teams can do things better and more efficiently."
Tarika agrees and points out that there are also differences in which IC approach works best, depending on the local environment and building needs.
"What defines success in Dubai may not be a successful solution in Sweden, where we experience extreme winters," she says. "So solutions definitely differ in different geographies. I see innovation and technology work hand in hand with these local conditions and play a vital role when we define their problem and their solution accordingly."
Of course, there are also some commonalities across various regions, too.
One example? The demand for housing.
"All the geographies have to cater to that,” says Tarika. “Everyone needs more houses and more places for their people. All these wars have resulted in migration, and people are looking for a suitable safe house for themselves. Governments have to work harder to achieve that material."
She adds that the global supply chain disruptions and rising material costs have made it difficult for construction teams to move forward, which highlights the need for IC even more.
"Prices have increased, and the supply chain has become very complex. So these are the challenges that every geography is bearing, and the best solution is faster adoption of industrialized construction."
Given that industrialized construction traces its roots to the manufacturing world, technology plays an essential role in making IC work.
According to Tarika, one of those technologies is robotics, which drives efficiencies in manufacturing sites. She also sees more adoption for data acquisition solutions like laser scanning and RFIDs, as well as tools for 4D scheduling and project management to improve various workflows and collaboration.
Beyond that, she says solutions that cater to each organization's IC needs are critical.
"There's extended reality and variable technology solutions, which is where we come in for our customers. Everyone in industrialized construction is doing a little differently. So they come to us to create technology platforms that suit their needs and provide interoperability among the different tools stakeholders use."
"We create bespoke platforms, configurators, and plugins to suit their modernization and standardization requirements."
One of the most significant challenges in implementing industrialized construction is managing dynamic changes during the construction process, which can affect the accuracy of prefabricated components.
Ben shares an example in which he spoke with a window manufacturer who struggled with adjusting to the shifts in the building's structure during construction.
"They build the curtain walls and the facades out of glass. The problem is when you're building something, all of the interface points for the windows move around. And so, as the building is being built, you can't model them and then know that it moved a certain number of inches. As a result, they need to go back and re-measure, which changes their manufacturing process."
This is fundamentally a challenge around data and making sure that teams can quickly capture and transfer the information they need to manufacture the right components.
As Tarika puts it, "We need to create technology and workflows which facilitate these design changes and rapid manufacturing according to the job sites."
So, how do we fill these IC gaps? A good starting point is harnessing and opening up data models to improve collaboration and efficiency.
This is something Autodesk is highly invested in.
"We're moving towards an open data model. And this open data model is a cloud-connected data model that enables developers to bridge the gap," shares Ben.
He adds that the goal is to provide developers with the tools they need today while also preparing for the future by gradually expanding the use of pre-manufactured components like pre-cut timbers, walls, and even larger elements such as balconies.
"We want to encourage that ecosystem of developers. Then, as things become standard, we want to democratize that for everyone and lift all ships."
We can't have a conversation about current and future technology without bringing up artificial intelligence. Just like in other industries, AI has permeated the realm of industrialized construction.
One way that AI has impacted IC is in predictive analytics, which allows teams to improve everything from design quality to job site safety.
"We created solutions around predictive analysis because a lot of data is getting generated. We should analyze that data and bring better results. So all these predictive analysis solutions help you do better in designs, in terms of efficiency, productivity, and safety onsite," says Tarika.
She also observed increased adoption of AI in the realm of architecture and ensign.
"I see a lot of architects and building designers using AI-based simulations to validate their designs. We are not far from where LLM models will create modular designs.”
Digital Builder is hosted by me, Eric Thomas. Remember, new episodes of Digital Builder go live every week.
The bidding process is stressful for clients and contractors alike. On the client-side, decision-makers must be mindful that they do not pay a surplus beyond their needs. For the bidders, the bidding process sometimes feels one-sided. They submit their bids but never hear back as their offers disappear from project managers’ hands.
As a result, many project owners and general contractors are left wondering what they can do to level their bids. On the other hand, trying to select the most competitive bid might feel overwhelming without an apples-to-apples comparison process.
In today’s competitive construction landscape, bid leveling has never been so important. So, let’s discuss the process of bid leveling and its benefits. This article will discuss the process of bid leveling and its benefits in construction.
Table of contents:
Bid leveling is the process of organizing, comparing, and analyzing project bids to facilitate the selection of the best subcontractors for a job. It’s also used to identify discrepancies between the bids to make sure the package details and subcontractor quotes are equal for comparison.
If done correctly, the bid leveling process can save a great deal of money. Experience, attention to detail, and self-control are essential to get optimal results. Here are some of the advantages of bid leveling:
The bid leveling process allows you to break down a contractor’s bid submission and offers you a clearer picture of the necessary assistance you might need for your project.
Review the project requirements is an essential first step in bid leveling. Make sure all bids fulfill the needed scope and project delivery requirements. Also, ensure that the bids are bondable to the project. Do not consider a construction bid if it does not match project requirements, e.g., pre-cast concrete instead of reinforced concrete. .
Next, identify the similarities and differences between the bids. Different bids may have different formats, but you can recognize similar work categories. Note any areas of divergence. If you need further information, do not hesitate to contact the candidates to clarify specific costs.
The third step is looking for the necessary permits and materials. Don’t be put off by a contractor’s high prices; make sure you understand the material costs before making your decision.
Review the most recent document plans and addenda used by all bidders. Make notes on the drawings and proposals, including their approval dates. With this information, assess all estimates and select the best bid for your project.
So, in theory, what does bid leveling look like? Let’s say you have three subcontractor bid packages for commercial landscaping services. This simplified view to analyze the bidders enables you to easily compare:
| CMP Landscape | Frank & Sons | Star Landscapers | |
| Irrigation | $13,538 | $40,230 | $83,210 |
| Plantings | $101,336 | $69,600 | |
| Mulch | $4,950 | $6,880 | $15,750 |
| Soil Prep & Fine Grade | $10,240 | $12,110 | $13,372 |
| Site Furnishings | $109,110 | $111,295 | |
| Misc/Other | $8,450 | $32,090 | $14,072 |
| Total Cost | $138,514 | $200,420 | $307,299 |
While CMP Landscape is the lowest bid on paper, with bid leveling, it’s easy to compare and contrast bids by scope of work to ensure project requirements are met. For instance, if site furnishings are a requirement for your project, you may need to contact the company for further clarification on the scope gaps to inform the best decision.
Excel or similar tools are certainly one option to track bid leveling. Nonetheless, advanced bid management software can add more value and accuracy into the process. For instance, with BuildingConnected, you can add additional context to compare bids, request more information from subcontractors, all while tracking in one system. Furthermore, the tool also has advanced options for bid analytics and management to better inform the entire construction bidding process.
The process of bid leveling is a high-touch process that’s vital to a project’s success. This process is important, but it only generates a piece of the overall proposal. Other costs need to be added as well as risks need to be assessed to generate a complete proposal.
The future of bid leveling will connect all data points and utilize AI to suggest the best subcontractors for a project. It’s not only cost getting analyzed but also quality of past work, various risk factors, bonding limits and other factors that go into the selection process. However, there will always be an approval step after the technology makes its choices because of the human element of relationships and how it they could impact an overall projects success.
The bid leveling process helps a project owner and contractors choose the best bids. After the leveling process, the highest bid may be the lowest. This process helps identify the best and most competitive bids when they come in higher than expected. It also affects whether a project is completed on time and within budget.
