The days when contractors’ lone tools were a hammer and nails are long gone, in more ways than one. From BIM to on-site iPad apps, the world of design and construction is rapidly changing.
As teams are brought on board by healthcare facilities to construct the most technologically advanced, state-of-the-art facilities possible, contractors may want to start thinking along the same lines.
Shane Watts, the co-founder of general contracting and construction management firm Burt-Watt Industries of Austin, Texas, stresses the need for technology integration to coordinate all parties on a project and streamline internal processes. He spoke with Jennifer Kovacs Silvis, Editor-in-Chief of Healthcare Building Ideas, about the trends he’s seeing in the industry and what’s being implemented at his firm.
At Burt-Watts, you’re making a push toward technology integration. What initially inspired this?
At Burt-Watts, we are about getting real results. To deliver a great result, it takes effective communication with accurate, timely information and incorporating technology is an efficient way to achieve that. Recent advances in information technology, specifically the popularity of handheld computing devices, have been a demand for the use in the field. It allows for quality and productivity in construction, 24/7.
Construction sites can be similar to a hospital—someone always needs to be on-call. Technology is a necessity to best serve our clients and give them complete reassurance that we are achieving their vision.
How can construction firms redesign their internal functions and processes to work toward integration?
Six years ago, we redesigned our internal processes. First, we purchased the best tools available to ensure flawless internal and external communications. We then purchased a new construction software program to be a tool used by all of our departments and upgraded our estimating software to provide the most accurate and detailed feedback for architects and clients.
Since then, we have evaluated our internal processes and tools each year based on the performance and forecast of needs in our industry.
What do you believe to be the major benefits of this process?
