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Plants & Facilities
Being a plants and facilities manager can be a challenging but rewarding job. It requires you to have a deep understanding of complex systems and processes, as well as the ability to manage budgets, prioritize projects, and ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards. The job also involves working closely with a variety of stakeholders, including city officials, engineers, contractors, and sometimes the public, to ensure that your plants and facilities are functioning efficiently and effectively.
Having limited funding makes managing budgets and controlling costs that much more important. And with the deteriorating state of aging infrastructure, how you strategically allocate that money is key. The last thing you want to do is spend money needlessly.
Being overly organized, adaptable, safety conscious, and having the ability to motivate your team to perform are traits of a successful plant and facility manager. But even the best of managers can find it difficult to keep capital projects under budget.
Budget overruns are a common issue for capital projects
80%
of AEC projects go over budget
#1
cause of project overrun is poor planning
20
The average construction project goes over schedule by
35%
of construction projects experience at least one major change order
35%
of construction rework is caused by design error
months
1
1
10
11
12
The three major causes of project failure are
Poor Planning
Design Errors
Communication Issues
Poor Planning
Proper planning is crucial for the success of capital projects. Budget overruns and delays can be caused by inaccurate cost estimates, unforeseen challenges or issues, and changes in scope. Effective project management and careful planning can help mitigate these risks and ensure that capital projects are completed on time and within budget. It is important to have a clear understanding of the project's objectives, timeline, and budget, as well as a solid plan for managing and mitigating risks that may arise during the project. By investing time and effort into planning, organizations can minimize the potential for costly mistakes and ensure the success of their capital projects.
35%
of Contractors say that underpricing and inadequate information at tender is a common dispute cause
13
Design Errors
Design errors can cause significant budget overruns on capital projects. When design errors are discovered during construction, they often require costly and time-consuming rework to correct, which can delay the project and increase expenses. Additionally, design errors can lead to safety issues and quality problems that require additional resources to address.
Inaccurate as-builts can be a major cause of design errors in construction projects. As-builts are supposed to provide an accurate representation of the building or structure as it was constructed, but if they are not accurate, then the design team may not have a clear understanding of the existing conditions. This can lead to errors and omissions in the design, which can cause delays, rework, and increased costs during construction. To avoid these issues, it is important to invest in accurate as-built documentation and to ensure that the design team has access to this information throughout the project.
"Contractors who provide quality as-constructed records are in the minority."
CM eJournal:
As-built Problems &
Proposed Solutions
"When as-built or record drawings are found, they are of widely varying levels of quality, completeness, and reliability."
ES Engineering Systems:
Are Your As-built Markups
Appropriately Marked-up?
"30% of data is lost during an average construction project leaving as-builts incomplete."
Autodesk:
6 Next Level Strategies
to Improve As-builts
Communication Issues
Communication issues are a major cause for construction project overruns. Poor communication between project stakeholders can lead to misunderstandings, errors, and delays in the construction process. For example, if the design team is not communicating effectively with the construction team, there may be discrepancies between the design documents and the actual construction, which can result in costly rework and delays. Similarly, if the project owner is not communicating effectively with the project team, there may be misunderstandings about project objectives, timelines, and budgets, which can lead to misaligned expectations and delays in decision-making. It is important for all project stakeholders to prioritize clear and effective communication throughout the construction process to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.
33%
of project failure is caused by poor communication
14
So, how do we take back control of our projects?
We improve the quality of the information we work with and the efficiency of our workflows
Quality
Efficiency
Costs
And how do we do this?
By modernizing the way we collect, work with, and share site information; leveraging the best tools technology has to offer.
#1
trend that will shape construction and capital projects
3D Laser Scanning
15
#3
trend that will shape construction and capital projects
Digital Collaboration
15
40%
Can reduce safety incidents by up to
50%
Can reduce time spent on site by up to
50%
Can reduce rework by up to
80%
Can reduce change orders by up to
2
8
16
3
Stop throwing your money out the window
and enjoy a little less stress in your life
Find out how we can help
Sources: (1) Digital Technology is disrupting capital projects. Companies that want to emerge as leaders must transform their organizations now. - McKinsey & Company 2017 (2) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2023 (3) The business case for laser scanning - Construction Industry Institute 2012 (8) Laser scanning for civil infrastructure - American Society of Engineers 2013 (10) What is a change order? - Autodesk Digital Builder blog 2020 (11) The impact on rework on construction & some practical remedies - Navigant Construction Forum 2017 (12) 4 reasons construction projects fail - Builderstorm.com 2019 (13) Global Survey on International Construction Arbitration Highlights Opportunities for Efficiency - The Canadian Bar Association 2021 (14) Project Management Institute 2017 Survey (15) Imagine construction's digital future - McKinsey & Company 2016 (16) Laser scanning saves money and improves quality - Construction Users Roundtable 2011
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