Don’t shy away from learning opportunities.

Learning and development (L&D) opportunities are incredibly valuable, especially when starting out in your career. In fact, a survey by LinkedIn found that the majority of professionals agree that learning is key to their success. This is even more pronounced among young professionals—76% of Gen Z respondents consider L&D as an essential component in their career growth. 

What’s more, LinkedIn’s research found that learning is more effective when combined with social elements like being able to connect with instructors and fellow learners. Ninety-one percent of L&D pros believe that teams are more successful when they learn skills together.

These findings highlight the importance of learning and development in your professional life. If you want to accelerate your construction career, it’s well-regarded to continuously pursue new knowledge, skills and challenges. 

At Autodesk, we want to help you do just that, which is why we regularly hold Autodesk Construction Meetups—a virtual series that gives you the opportunity to learn and connect with other construction pros. These events take place on a bi-monthly basis, and they cover three key areas: BIM, Preconstruction, and Project Management. We’d love for you to join our meetups, and you can do so right here.

 

Career advice for those new to the construction industry

During recent Autodesk Construction Meetups, customers shared the advice they wish they’d been given when starting out in their construction careers. Here’s what they said:

1. There are no stupid questions

“Be curious, speak up, ask questions, and document the answers. Someone else is probably wondering the same thing you are.” —Melissa Schulteis, Virtual Construction Lead, Miron Construction

 

The statement, “There are no stupid questions” might sound trite, but it rings very true in construction. A lot of people hold back from speaking up or asking for clarification out of fear of looking foolish. However, this behavior could be holding you back from discovering new things and ultimately, advancing your career. 

So, get curious. Keep asking questions and always share the knowledge with your peers.

2. Plan, plan, plan

“Proper prior planning prevents poor performance.” —Camille Hardin, Project Manager, Flint Builders

 

Planning ahead is one of the biggest lessons Camille has learned in her career, and she encourages everyone to take the planning stage seriously. She also recommends using technology and tools like BIM to aid the planning process. 

By planning for different contingencies, you’re able to prevent issues before you have to disruptively react to them.  Thoughtful planning helps you minimize scrambling to put out fires. 

3. Plan some more

“Plan the work, then work the plan.” —Spencer Mullaney, Project Engineer, Shimmick Construction

 

Like Camille, Spencer emphasizes the importance of planning. He advises ironing out as many details as you can before the project breaks ground. According to him, it is more cost-effective to plan everything in the office instead of dealing with issues out in the field. 

And while you should certainly be flexible in the event of unexpected circumstances, you must still go into a project with a plan and a solid idea of what you intend to do. 

4. Training your workforce is key

“We can provide as many resources as we want, but if someone doesn’t know how to use them, they won’t use them.” —Melissa Schulteis, Virtual Construction Lead, Miron Construction

 

In construction, we utilize numerous tools and processes. And while these things are essential, they won’t provide a lot of value if people don’t know how to use them. 

Team members, particularly those who are just starting out, need adequate training to do their jobs well. Whether it’s showing them how to use different technologies or walking them through your organization’s project management procedures, investing the time to educate workers is a must. 

5. Always ask why

“[When] it comes down to a project’s success and trying to figure out how to do it, you’ve got to understand the ‘why’ first.” —Camille Hardin, Project Manager, Flint Builders

 

“Why?” is a powerful question, as it helps you uncover the reasons, motives, and underlying factors driving a project. This seems fundamental, but bears repeating as it supports #1. Get curious and get answers. Asking “why” helps you figure out better ways of doing things. In some cases, the answer can tell you whether or not something is worth doing. 

Understanding the “why” for every aspect of a project can give you a major advantage in achieving a great project outcome. So don’t shy away from asking those questions.  

6. Don’t overextend yourself

“Think about what a healthy balance for your work, for your life, for everything means to you, and then go build it for yourself.” —Spencer Mullaney, Project Engineer, Shimmick Construction

 

At the beginning of your career, it’s tempting to say “yes” to everything and demonstrate that you’re willing to learn and work hard. Spencer points out that while there’s a lot of value in this, you also need to draw the line to make sure that you’re not overextending yourself. 

Being overextended could jeopardize the safety of the team and the quality of the work, so be mindful of your capacity. Don’t take on tasks or projects if you don’t have the bandwidth to do so. 

7. Get buy-in

“When all the team members are on the same page, you will be successful.” —Melissa Schulteis, Virtual Construction Lead, Miron Construction

 

Melissa is a firm believer in keeping everyone aligned. After all, a company won’t achieve its desired outcomes if team members can’t agree on what needs to be accomplished. Getting top-to-bottom buy-in on projects, objectives, and other crucial decisions will ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals. 

8. Make cost-based decisions

“Simplify the problem, determine how big of a deal it is, then use that as a gauge of how much time to spend on it.”  —Spencer Mullaney, Project Engineer, Shimmick Construction

 

Some decisions require more time, while others can be made quickly. If you’re buying $25,000 pumps, for example, then you’ll need to carefully weigh your options. But not all decisions require a huge time investment. If you’re purchasing $50 shovels, you don’t need to take too much time deciding what to get. 

Spencer says it’s important to weigh the different decisions you have to make throughout the project, and determine how much time to allocate to each one. This ensures that you’re spending your most valuable resource (i.e., time) wisely.

9. Never assume

“It’s always best to ask as many questions as you can. It’s an easy phone call, just to make sure if you’re assuming correctly or not.” —Camille Hardin, Project Manager, Flint Builders

 

Assumptions can lead to misunderstandings and costly mistakes. These are things we want to avoid at all costs, particularly in a tight-margin industry like construction. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to prevent incorrect assumptions. 

As Camille puts it, all you have to do is ask and clarify. If something is vague or confusing, talk to your team to confirm the details. This often takes just a few minutes, but it can save you costs (and headaches) over the course of the project.

10. It’s ok to not have all the answers

“You don’t need to know it all.” —Melissa Schulteis, Virtual Construction Lead, Miron Construction

 

Knowing everything isn’t necessary to succeed, says Melissa. It’s far more important to be aware of the resources you have available and where to find them. 

It’s ok if you don’t have all the answers right from the get-go. Recognize that learning is a continuous process. As long as you know how to tap into your available resources (e.g., other people, a knowledge base, etc.) you’ll be able to find the information you need.

11. Learn when to wing it  

“It’s important to know when to build or design a system for what you’re going to do, and when to just wing it.” —Spencer Mullaney, Project Engineer, Shimmick Construction

 

Systems and processes are important, but not all situations call for a formal procedure. As Spencer puts it, sometimes you can just wing it. 

How do you decide when to wing a situation and when to systematize? According to Spencer, you need to look ahead. If it’s a one-off situation, it probably doesn’t need a process or system. On the other hand, if it’s a task that needs to be repeated in the future, then you’ll want to design a procedure for it. 

12. Get to know your teammates personally

“It’s a little easier to work through a problem if you can do it with a friend.” —Melissa Schulteis, Virtual Construction Lead, Miron Construction

 

Melissa recommends cultivating personal relationships with your colleagues, as this will enable you to build trust with other team members. Needless to say, when there’s trust, you’re far more likely to have a pleasant and harmonious relationship with your peers. This leads to a better and more productive working environment.

13. Learn the difference between high-quality work and high-quantity work

“You don’t want to just produce for the sake of producing. You want to produce for a reason.” —Spencer Mullaney, Project Engineer, Shimmick Construction

 

When someone is busy or overloaded, they may have the tendency to just go through the motions of their job and simply do tasks to check things off their list. Spencer cautions against falling into this trap because when you’re completing tasks just to show that you did them, you’re not doing quality work. 

It’s important to catch yourself during these situations and ensure that you’re being thoughtful with what you’re doing.

 

Final words

There are plenty of things to learn about the construction industry. Fortunately, we have industry professionals like Melissa, Spencer, and Camille who are more than willing to impart their wisdom.

If you want to continue learning and advancing your career, don’t miss Autodesk’s Construction Meetups. These bi-weekly events give you the chance to hear from other industry pros, ask questions, and network with your peers. 

Sign up today and we’ll see you at the next meetup!

 

The post 13 Things “I Wish I Knew About Construction When I Started” appeared first on Digital Builder.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.arizonasolarsociety.com/?p=1029

Developer Conygar has submitted redrawn plans for phase 1B of Nottingham’s biggest regeneration scheme for decades, The Island Quarter scheme.

The proposals – which were initially submitted in January – include a 223-room hotel, 247 flats and an extensive food and beverage area in a 100m long forum.

As well as improving ventilation and access routes to the building, the changes build in extra flexibility during the construction process to face industry challenges, such as material shortages and labour availability.

Tom Huffsmith, of Conygar, said: “Throughout the last year, we have worked closely with our design team to ensure that the plans for The Island Quarter have constantly been updated to meet the changing needs of a post-pandemic world.

“These alterations to 1B reflect those made to the overall masterplan for the site, which has been reimagined to include more green space, better routes for pedestrians and cyclists, and a focus on intergenerational living.

“1B is going to be a truly iconic building for the city, and we’re working closely with Nottingham City Council to ensure the plans will be approved and progress can continue to be made on this important site.”

David Jones, director at planning consultant AXIS, said: “While these changes will bring a positive impact to both the useability and buildability of 1B, the design intent is very much the same. The functions of the building itself remain as they were in the original planning submission – 1B will be a real flagship for The Island Quarter.

“The design changes are indicative of the impact of the pandemic, which is reflected more widely in Leonard Design and Studio Egret West’s emerging masterplan for the site as a whole.”

 

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.arizonasolarsociety.com/?p=978

Effective communication is vital to the successful completion of any construction project. Good communication can improve teamwork and lead to better project collaboration. Poor communication can result in misunderstandings, delays, and issues down the road.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.arizonasolarsociety.com/?p=957

The face of construction is changing. As the industry sheds its brash reputation, it attracts more professionals into long-term construction careers. To discuss this and more, we had a quick chat with Aisling Goff, Business Unity Quality Manager at Mercury Engineering.

 

Aisling, how did you get into the construction industry, and can you tell us a little bit more about your career journey to date?

If I’m honest, it was an accident! Originally, I was training to be a teacher when I realised it wasn’t for me. I took on an admin role in Mercury with the view it would be a short term role, while I figured out what I wanted to do and have been here ever since. I have been lucky enough to work with some fantastic people over the years who took the time and patience to teach me things and I am now the Business Unit Quality Manager for Mercury’s data centre business unit. 

Early on in my time at Mercury, I decided I wanted to do a master’s degree in business which Mercury sponsored. It was a big investment to make in me, and I was fortunate and grateful to be given lots of opportunities to grow.  Over the years, I have spent time working in and across different departments and quality assurance teams learning more about the business and the industry. I’ve also been lucky enough to travel with Mercury and have spent time working in Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK and Germany. I feel this has helped me to become more rounded in my role as I learnt so much about other cultures and observed other ways of working across jurisdictions.

You’ve travelled and worked in lots of different countries across Europe in your current role, what are the main differences you’ve experienced when it comes to approaching construction jobs?

There can be substantial differences to the way construction projects operate across Europe—if you drive for four and a half hours from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, the regulations can differ significantly and this affects how you execute the project from start to finish. This can be from how you deal with local authorities to subcontractor partners, or the contract structure. It’s been fascinating and rewarding to learn about these diverse ways of working.

How do you think we can attract more females into the industry and what changes have you seen over the years when it comes to women in construction? 

Years ago, I could have walked into client and project meetings and been the only woman in the room but it’s great to see that this is changing and quickly. When I look around our data centre business unit in Mercury, I see many more women in a variety of roles demonstrating the industry is diversifying and attracting more female talent. Recently, I’ve been involved in reviewing applications for our graduate programme, and we’ve seen some really strong CVs from young women wanting to break into construction which I think is fantastic. There’s still a long way to go but I feel confident that in a few years the gender balance in construction will be much more equal. 

Traditionally, the construction industry is perceived as being very male-dominated and perhaps a hard industry for women to work in as a result. I used to find the culture seemed very ‘blunt’ and confrontational; I do think women and men are built differently when it comes to the way they adapt to work cultures.  However, I think that this too is changing. The industry is becoming a lot more professional, whereas in the past we were a bit further behind other industries. 

The industry is open to many different types of people and personalities now—it’s not the traditional aggressive industry full of confrontation that many people may view it as. There are opportunities for all kinds of different roles. I believe that technology and innovation are helping to scope out new roles and opportunities.  My advice to any woman thinking about pursuing a career in construction is to give it a chance. Don’t be put off by anything you may have heard previously. The classic approach to construction is gone. The industry is embracing new ideas and ways of working which will bring important benefits to all.

How has technology helped you in your role?

Technology has provided me with a greater overview on projects and a level of transparency that I didn’t previously have. From a quality perspective, being able to deal with any issues upfront when it occurs is so valuable. On our construction sites now, our field teams have tablets to take photos so we have almost instant access to relevant data. This provides us improved insight and a sense of control which means obstacles can be easily resolved.

What’s the one piece of technology that you couldn’t live without?

In my personal life, I’d say my phone – I don’t think anyone can live without their phone! From a professional point of view, BIM 360 and the data and information which all our teams input daily help me do my job more efficiently every day.

The post Behind the Build: Interview with Aisling Goff, Business Unit Quality Manager for Mercury Engineering appeared first on Digital Builder.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.arizonasolarsociety.com/?p=948

Kent construction business Gallagher Group has more than doubled its ready-mix concrete operation buying four plants across the county from Cemex UK.

It is the firm’s first external acquisition after almost 50 years of consistent organic growth, taking its total number of concrete plants from two to six.

New facilities at Tunbridge Wells, Sittingbourne, Margate and Dover join existing group operations at Maidstone and Ashford to give full coverage across Kent.

Sean Connor, Managing Director of Gallagher Aggregates, said: “For some years, our ready-mix concrete customers have been asking us to spread our net wider.

“These new acquisitions let us to do just that. We’re more than doubling our concrete production capacity.

“We’re investing significant sums in upgrading these sites, as well as adding to our mixer fleet and taking on additional staff.”

 

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.arizonasolarsociety.com/?p=940

Agreement has been reached for the sale of the last of four stalled Elliot Group schemes after the developer collapsed into administration following the arrest of founder Elliot Lawless.

Administrators for the company’s £70m hotel scheme on Norfolk Street in Liverpool’s Baltic tech district have exchanged contracts with the scheme’s original investors.

HBG Insolvency Ltd will now put the sale proposal before the High Court for final ratification.

The 306-bedroom property had secured planning permission and construction had commenced, before ceasing when investors decided not to continue funding the project following Lawless’s arrest in December 2019.

Lawless said: “When my schemes were placed in administration I made a promise that I would work ceaselessly to help secure each site’s sale and protect the interests of investors, so I am delighted that my final stalled scheme is to be acquired by its original investors.

“The process, as with the other administrations, has been handled by a third party under strict rules and I sympathise with investors whose bids for The Residence and Infinity weren’t successful.

“It has not been easy but with flexibility and good will on all sides the administrators have been able to ensure that all of my stalled projects will now be placed in the hands of new owners and move forward to completion.

“What this latest deal reinforces is that my projects were always very good schemes in prime locations.  I’ll take considerable satisfaction from seeing them completed.  If you take a look at the outstanding job done by the investors who bought Aura in Liverpool, for example, you can see that the original vision for each project can still be delivered in the right hands.”

No charges have ever been brought against Lawless and he says he “looks forward to Merseyside Police concluding their investigation.”

“Get used to learning and unlearning.”

What drives innovation and change in our industry? Market changes and customer demands are certainly at the top of the list. But there’s another driver required, the power of curiosity. Curiosity pushes us to understand how and why things work while giving us the opportunity to make improvements and enhancements.

Gabriela Celi leveraged the power of curiosity to drive her career advancement at SEMAICA from Junior Architect to Head of Innovation, Research, and Development in less than six years. We recently spoke with Gabriela to discover why curiosity, as a character trait, has had such a positive impact on her career and SEMAICA as an organization. Read her story below.

 

Tell us a little about SEMAICA and what you specialize in.

Sevilla y Martínez Ingenieros (SEMAICA) is one of the leading construction companies in Ecuador. We’ve been in the market for 65 years. We execute all the stages of a development project (one-stop-shop) in diverse areas of expertise. From construction to renovation and restoration of infrastructure projects, industrial plants, institutional, commercial, residential, and non-residential buildings. In addition, we have expertise in civil engineering, demolition, and earthworks.

At SEMAICA, we have a strong company innovation culture that’s been passed down from the DNA of our founders Gonzalo Sevilla and Ernesto Martínez. We’re one of the most innovative companies in Ecuador. For example, we were the first ones to bring an engineering computer here. It was an IBM and almost the size of a room. The first time it broke, we had to send it back to New York because it was the only one of its kind in the country.

We love to say, give us a challenge, and we’ll solve it. That’s one of our slogans; the other is that SEMAICA is built to last. The reason why we invest so much in innovation and new technology is because we wish to provide our clients the best quality they can have for their project.

“We have tripled the projects we work on, getting important multinational clients for the excellent product that we show we can reach.” —Gabriela Celi, SEMAICA

We take good care of our client relationships. For example, we’ve been working with the same production factory for 12 years. They’ll come to us when they need to extend operations, adjust, or build another industrial warehouse. So as the client’s business grows, ours does as well, which only strengthens our relationship, becoming strategic allies.

 

Walk us through your career and what led you to becoming Head of Innovation, Research, and Development?

Everything started back in college. I’ve always been really curious, and thankfully I attended San Francisco University in Quito, which has a deep liberal arts philosophy. You’re able to sign up for diverse types of classes. So, besides my bachelor’s degree in architecture I got a minor in universal history and took, for example, art, language, and administration courses. This forced me to study and understand different topics rapidly. I took 313 credits out of the 145 needed to graduate as an architect.

Then, after I defended my thesis on a Wednesday, I began working at SEMAICA the following Monday on a construction site as a construction resident of the T6 Building. Even while studying architecture, I didn’t receive many construction classes, but I still learned a lot. They were tough times because I had to manage a group of personnel and different production fronts, but we completed a magnificent building that is now the project that I am most proud to have taken part in.

Meanwhile, one of my bosses saw that I learned Revit at the university. For this reason, at the end of the project’s construction, they transferred me to the central office. After 6 months of hard effort, we developed the manuals and protocols as a plan to implement BIM in the design and development department.

“Get used to learning and unlearning. The scenarios you encounter are highly variable, so be versatile in applying your knowledge in the same way you search for solutions.” —Gabriela Celi, SEMAICA

In the beginning, I was the only person in the architectural division. Later, we hired more colleagues and got more projects because the novelty of the methodology attracted people. My boss had the vision to provide clients with this method to solve most of their pain points during construction. On the other hand, we empowered the change of mindset of our collaborators because BIM is more of an attitude focused on collaborative work. You can invest in hardware and software, but if you don’t have the right mindset to learn and adapt to fresh technologies, you won’t increase your BIM maturity level. 

Since we already had a solid architecture division, this year we decided to face a distinct challenge. Thus, after being in the design and development department for about four years, I commenced my new position as Head of Innovation, Development, and Investigation in which I am carrying out studies and transformations in multiple departments of the company.

I’ve experienced both worlds, being on-site and off-site. I know that despite having great communications on-site, there are invariably problems to figure out. If you don’t monetize them at a certain point, you may generate problems for your clients. That’s why my first big project in this role was to implement Autodesk Construction Cloud to improve the relationship between the office and the construction site.

 

What is your proudest accomplishment in your career?

My greatest professional achievement was starting and expanding the architectural design department of SEMAICA. After 4 years, we have tripled the projects we work on, getting important multinational clients for the excellent product that we show we can reach. As said before, we started only with me as an architect but thanks to a lot of perseverance and hours of work invested in growing, today we are 6 architects.

I also led the implementation of BIM in the design department, of which we have achieved a high level of maturity by integrating models that already include all specialties (architecture, structure, and MEP). Methodology that I took to be a process for SEMAICA, now allows them to comply with section 8.3 in design and development of its ISO 9001 certification. Tools that have been key in satisfying my company and our clients.

 

Tell us about the Hotel Le Parc project your team is working on.

The Le Parc project is one of the largest hotel investments this year in Ecuador. The project is nearly $30 million and will revolutionize the architecture of the city of Quito. Le Parc is an existing hotel, so the project is an expansion. Sort of second phase. It will be completed by July 2023 and has been certified with the international Edge Advanced certification (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies). This certification recognizes sustainable construction focused on efficient use of resources and zero carbon emissions.

Gabriela Summerfield, one of the most respected executives here in Quito, is leading and developing the project. The project is called I Am Beyond the Stars. It will turn the hotel into the first sustainable multi-use building in Quito, combining hospitality, residences, and corporate offices. The work will include 18 floors in a construction area of 25,000 m², 30 hotel suites, 17 corporate offices, and 108 residences. 

At SEMAICA, we’re using Autodesk Build, Autodesk BIM Collaborate, and Autodesk Takeoff on the project. It’s incredible to see the potential. Right now, we’re working on our learning processes and taking classes to learn how the tools work and how to structure information. We’re going to teach and give our subcontractors classes. I’m thrilled with the tool and ready to see what comes next. 

 

When you think about the future, what are your plans to advance innovation and productivity for SEMAICA? 

We currently have 6 ongoing studies in a space called SEMAICA Lab. In which, with the development team, we investigate various paths to solve challenges for both our external clients and the company internally. Some topics that are being developed are visualization and augmented reality, parameterization and standardization, off-site construction and connected construction. We expect that soon these pilot projects will have their implementation plan and go live. I think that as a team we have a great deal of potential ahead of us to implement new things in SEMAICA.

“We love to say, give us a challenge, and we’ll solve it.” —Gabriela Celi, SEMAICA

Likewise, I see potential for the general improvement of the construction industry in the use of big data for decision making. A lot of information that could be useful for projects just stays stagnant and archived, and sometimes is even thrown away. If instead this data were processed and analyzed adequately, it could give us interesting perspectives on efficiency, performance, productivity, or really any other improvement that could be used in subsequent projects.

 

What advice would you give to the next generation of men and women entering and preparing for the future of the industry?

I think I can focus my advice on two keywords. The first is versatility. Get used to learning and unlearning. The scenarios you encounter are highly variable, so be versatile in applying your knowledge in the same way you search for solutions.

The second is purpose. Purpose gives direction to our path and meaning to our effort. For example, spending time training on the use of new software and spending money on new hardware always serves a higher purpose. For me, in this case, our strong innovative nature is in the DNA of SEMAICA. We always want to give the best to our clients.

 

Want more stories like this?

I regularly interview construction leaders to promote knowledge sharing. We cover what works, what doesn’t, and what the future holds. Check out our entire series of Behind the Build interviews, featuring some of the best in construction.

The post Behind the Build: Interview with Gabriela Celi, Head of Innovation, Research, and Development, SEMAICA appeared first on Digital Builder.

In June 2021, we released our Zoom integration with the Meetings module in Autodesk Build. 

Now, Autodesk Build and BIM Collaborate users will have the ability to choose between launching a Zoom or a Microsoft Teams meeting. This provides companies with a wider choice of conference platforms as well as more flexibility for your project teams.  

This free integration gives meeting organizers the ability to automatically generate a Microsoft Teams meeting directly from a meeting record. When meeting participants access the agenda within Autodesk Build, they can simply select the MS Teams link to join the meeting. Not only does this integration make it easier for participants to access and join meetings, MS Teams video and audio-conferencing capabilities increase engagement during the meetings. 

 

Key benefits of the Microsoft Teams and Meetings Integration 

• Greater flexibility related to the ability to choose the video conference tool of company preference based on IT requirements  
• Integrated workflows between Autodesk Construction Cloud & Microsoft Teams 
• Improved speed and productivity  
• Enhanced collaboration across project teams 
• Single source of truth: enhanced track record of meetings in one common data environment 

 

Key features of the Microsoft Teams & Meetings Integration 

• Add Microsoft Teams Link to a Meeting
• Choose between Zoom & MS Teams  
• Join Teams meeting from the browser, Teams app or by downloading the app to the PC  

Note: Generating the link is only possible from the web interface, however, the link will be visible on the mobile device within the app.  

 

More Product Updates Across Autodesk Construction Cloud  

We have released over 40 new features & enhancements across our unified offering this month. Make sure to stay up-to-date and read about all the latest product releases in this announcement.

If you’d like a demo of the new integrations or any product within Autodesk Construction Cloud, please contact us.

The post Quickly Generate Microsoft Teams and Zoom Meetings in Autodesk Build appeared first on Digital Builder.

New Schedule tool in Autodesk Build and an expanded partner ecosystem supercharge project management across construction teams 

San Francisco, Calif., October 5, 2021 – Autodesk University – Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced powerful new capabilities across Autodesk Construction Cloud and an expansion of its partner ecosystem, delivering new ways for construction teams to connect their workflows on one platform. Advancements to Autodesk Build, including a new Schedule management tool, further connect office and field teams and data across the construction lifecycle. Project teams can now also integrate construction data from over 200 partners on Autodesk Construction Cloud to streamline construction management in one centralized location.  

“In today’s increasingly digitized construction industry, connecting project stakeholders and data is critical for the collaboration and insights teams need for their competitive edge,” said Sameer Merchant, vice president of product development, Autodesk Construction Solutions. “Consolidating data from various project workflows into a common data environment gives team members access to the information they need when they need it and empowers project leaders to make informed decisions. Since we launched Autodesk Construction Cloud, we have been focused on connecting office and field teams and enabling easier collaboration from a single source of truth; we have introduced nearly 250 product innovations just this year. Our newest developments are another milestone for connected construction.” 

New Schedule tool in Autodesk Build bolsters project management  

A new Schedule tool in Autodesk Build empowers teams to centralize schedule management and work from the most up-to-date activities and milestones to keep their projects on track. Office and field teams can instantly share digital schedules, collaborate on updates as they happen and link documents, sheets, photos, issues, assets, RFIs and submittals to their communications for reference. Teams can also filter and search their schedules and view them in calendar or chart formats to see activity status in real time. Additionally, Schedule integrates with the Cost tool in Autodesk Build to simplify budgeting and planning for schedule-related expenses including general conditions such as material handling and clean-up. The Schedule and Cost integration delivers project-level data analyses, enabling teams to accurately forecast cash flow.  

“Distributing schedules across the team and ensuring everyone is on the same page is often time-consuming,” said Bryan Nuckolls, project manager, Boldt. “Traditional and siloed schedule management requires updating spreadsheets, publishing them as PDFs and emailing them around to the team. By automating schedule communication in Autodesk Build, we save valuable project time and keep our team updated on the latest, while remaining in the same solution that houses our other critical project information.”  

Additional recent updates to Autodesk Build include: 

• Sheet sharing across accounts – Customers can now connect data across their entire project teams. Linking sheets across different accounts gives teams the ability to share the latest sheets with other external team members including owners and other contractors who need access but may not be part of the main project account.   
• Pype AutoSpecs integration – Pype AutoSpecs automatically generates submittal logs to deliver efficiency, automation and accuracy to the submittal process. Its integration with Autodesk Build enables teams to transfer draft submittals and entire logs directly and seamlessly into their project management base for simplified submittal management.  
• Microsoft Teams in Meetings – Customers can now set up Teams meetings directly in Autodesk Build, without having to switch between other applications. 
• Data extraction & analysis – Support for sheets, transmittals and design review data extractions using Data Connector, plus new Power BI templates, lets teams analyze and optimize document management workflows for improved design review processes.  
• As-Builts – Teams can easily filter, find and export all relevant as-built information such as Sheets, RFIs and Submittals, and carry over links to other related documents like files or photos from within Autodesk Build.  

To continue Autodesk Construction Cloud’s momentum, additional capabilities coming to Autodesk Build include: 

• Progress Tracking – Teams can track the percentage of work completed on their projects and quantify the materials installed to update plans accordingly; 
• Work Plan – A new collaborative space, based on BIM 360 Plan, where teams can build their roadmaps, track commitments, manage constraints and view progress towards key performance metrics; 
• Closeout – Automation of handover document collection and review workflows, supporting project lifecycle data management in Autodesk Construction Cloud;
• Bridge – New collaboration capability that lets teams share key project data between firms without having to share an entire project, and gives each team agency over their own project data archive. 

Expanded integration partner ecosystem streamlines data across workflows 

Autodesk Construction Cloud now features over 200 partners leveraging Partner Cards and APIs, including Forge APIs, to deliver strong and meaningful integrations for customers who want to simplify data management and boost their ability to make more informed project decisions. With the expanded partner ecosystem, customers can integrate data from their safety, mixed reality, analytics and reality capture solutions, for example, to Autodesk Construction Cloud and maintain a centralized view of their project information to make decisions with more context. Among the latest integrations are Build.Works, Cupix, eFiler, NTI and RealWear, as well as hh2’s integration between Autodesk Construction Cloud and Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate. 

“Financial accounting in ‘real time’ is critical to providing project teams with accurate cost information,” said Dennis Stejskal, director, construction and real estate, Sage. “We are excited to come together with hh2 and Autodesk to deliver an industry-leading integration between accounting and operations. Our partnership can help construction teams increase collaboration and data visibility between field-facing teams and accounting so project managers can make timely informed cost decisions.” 

New integrations also include 3D Repo, Aespada, Airtable, ArcGIS GeoBIM, Arkio, BIM HoloView, DAQS, Embneusys, Geometrid, GoFormz, Google Workspace, Join, Novade, Oculo, OpticVyu, ProNovos, Safe Site Check In, Shepherd, SiteKick, Stevenson Systems, StructShare, Tomorrow.io, UpKeep, vGIS, viAct and WakeCap. 

The App Gallery is also now available, making it easy for account administrators to connect Autodesk Construction Cloud platform products with third party partner applications such as augmented reality solutions and jobsite cameras. Teams can explore a range of direct integrations that leverage the Forge open platform and quickly activate integrations to further simplify data management with automated and seamless data flow.   

Additionally, Autodesk Construction Cloud Connect now supports Autodesk Takeoff, so customers can customize integrations to export information including quantities, property definitions, model mappings and classifications into a variety of software applications such as Smartsheet, Airtable, QuickBase and Microsoft Excel. 

To learn more: 

• Join us for Autodesk University 2021, a global, digital conference with no cost to attend 
• Watch the Construction Keynote on October 6th at 10:15am PT / 1:15pm ET 
• Read the Digital Builder blog for more on how Autodesk Build keeps projects on track.  

About Autodesk 

Autodesk is changing how the world is designed and made. Our technology spans architecture, engineering, construction, product design, manufacturing, media and entertainment, empowering innovators everywhere to solve challenges big and small. From greener buildings to smarter products to more mesmerizing blockbusters, Autodesk software helps our customers to design and make a better world for all. For more information visit autodesk.com or follow @autodesk. 

Safe Harbor Statement 

We may make statements regarding planned or future development efforts for our existing or new products and services. These statements are not intended to be a promise or guarantee of future delivery of products, services or features but merely reflect our current plans, which may change. Purchasing decisions should not be made based upon reliance on these statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist or change after the date on which they were made. 

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Autodesk Construction Cloud, are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. © 2021 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved. 

Media Contact 

Niyati Desai 
Autodesk 
[email protected]   
 

 

The post Powerful New Advancements Strengthen Autodesk Construction Cloud appeared first on Digital Builder.

Nmcn is going into administration after the board decided the contractor is no longer able to continue trading as a going concern.

A notice of intention to appoint Grant Thornton UK LLP as administrators has now been filed with the courts.

The company was in the middle of a protracted £24m refinancing deal with Svella plc which was being held-up by the late publication of nmcn’s latest results for last year.

A statement said: “The Board, its advisers and Svella have worked tirelessly in the intervening period. However, as previously notified, completing the preparation of the group’s accounts has revealed further underlying contractual issues with expected losses rising to £43 million.

“It has now become apparent that the company will be unable to approve the audited financial statements in a timely manner to allow the Proposed Transaction to complete within the required timeframe.

“This in turn has led to significant liquidity issues for the Group and particularly the company, which unfortunately is now considered to no longer be able to continue trading as a going concern.”

The Enquirer understands that rival firms were being offered parts of the business over the weekend.

Nmcn said: “Indicative offers have been received from certain parties for the acquisition of certain of the trading operations and/or subsidiaries of the company on a going concern basis, and discussions are ongoing with further parties which may lead to indicative offers on a similar basis.

“Following discussions with its advisers, it is expected that this process will be conducted out of administration, to safeguard the continuity of operations and employment, and consequently the consideration receivable by the company is unlikely to result in any value for equity shareholders.

“The board of nmcn wishes to thank all of its shareholders, customers and suppliers for their support over the years and particularly Svella and those who had intended to participate in the equity subscription that formed part of the Proposed Transaction, which has had to be cancelled.

“Further announcements will be made by the company as appropriate.”

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