From Trailer to Tablet: Making Schedules Work Where the Work Happens

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By Nitin Bhandari For most superintendents, the project schedule is both the north star and a constant source of frustration. It dictates everything from when concrete is poured to when drywall goes up. Yet, too often, the schedule is a dense printout in a trailer — or worse, a PDF emailed from an office far away. The gap between the schedule as planned and the schedule as lived on the jobsite is wide. A new approach — visual construction scheduling — is beginning to bridge that gap. Unlike traditional scheduling platforms, visual scheduling puts information in a format that is … Read more

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From the Field Up: Rethinking Career Paths in Construction

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By Emory Sweeney Across the construction industry, companies are working to address the labor shortage by promoting the opportunities available in the skilled trades. For general contractors, the challenge is twofold: attracting new recruits while also supporting the career growth of current employees. A key part of this effort is shifting perceptions about what a career in the trades really looks like. Our industry already talks about changing the prevalent narrative in America that college and careers in services are the only path to success. We know the trades offer great earnings without college debt. One blind spot, however, has … Read more

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WELL Building 101: Health, Productivity + Satisfaction

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3 ways superintendents can lead the way  By Ken Osmun For many years, building “green” has been at the forefront of construction for many building projects but — more recently — a new focus has emerged: the impact those structures have on the well-being of the people who build and eventually use them. That’s where WELL comes in. While Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards address sustainability, WELL Building Standards promote the health, productivity and workplace satisfaction of those in and around built spaces. The result: buildings with higher property values that command higher rents, in addition to better … Read more

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Partnering on Environmental Compliance

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Pitfalls, best practices for project success By Michelle Logut One of the most critical decisions to project success comes before designs are developed or shovels break ground — and that is the selection of the complete project team, including environmental consultants, subcontractors and everything in between. From economic and pricing uncertainty to continued supply chain and labor issues, construction teams have their fair share of challenges keeping schedules and budgets intact for projects of every size. Navigating environmental compliance regulations poses another challenge. And while project teams can get creative in some parts of the job, such as trade sequencing … Read more

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Field Notes: People-First Planning

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Lean-driven tools to drive on-time project delivery By Paul Studley Over the past three decades I’ve spent in the field, I’ve learned some incredibly valuable lessons. One: a toolbox says a lot about the person carrying it. Two: in this fast-paced, high-risk industry where change is the only constant, you need more than blueprints, Bobcats and boots on the ground to be successful. To get the job done right and delivered on time, you need the best tools at your disposal — from sophisticated, Lean planning resources, to emotionally intelligent operations leadership and a project-first team culture. Like any industry … Read more

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