Digital Construction Works aims to simplify digital transformation and improve operational efficiencies for the construction industry. Chief executive Ted Lamboo and COO Jason Hallett set out how it will be achieved
Digital Construction Works, Inc, (DCW) is a digital acceleration services company for the construction industry. DCW provides digital automation, integration, twinning services and fit-for-purpose solutions to automate and optimise the construction process from planning through to operations that will help revolutionise the construction industry by simplifying digital transformation.
Contributing 13% of global GDP and an estimated $12.9tn market by 2022, construction is the largest industry in the world, yet the least automated and is positioned to benefit from significant value through productivity improvements. The World Economic Forum estimates within 10 years, full-scale digitisation could lead to savings between $700bn to $1.2tn (13% to 21%) in design, engineering and construction efforts.
Construction organisations need capabilities to analyse historical data, forecast what might happen in the future to avoid operational issues before they occur, reduce waste and downtime, improve safety and reduce risk and liability. Logistics and on-site materials can be managed using digital tools to reduce waste and optimise for just-in-time delivery, increasing productivity on the construction site.
According to McKinsey and Company: “GDP growth will require an estimated $57tn in infrastructure investment between now and 2030. Practical steps can reduce infrastructure spending by 40% – an annual saving of $1tn – by boosting productivity.”
Improving efficiencies in construction results in better project delivery and more construction, especially when costs go down. In addition, population growth feeds new construction in the built environment.
Projects are large and complex; the construction industry is under pressure to increase productivity, reduce risk and liabilities, and to deliver better project outcomes. DCW works side-by-side with construction teams to achieve significantly improved project performance that is both reliable and repeatable; results that are not currently possible using the status quo tools and processes.
Ted Lamboo, CEO of DCW, said: “The construction industry sees that digitising their workflows will increase efficiency and avoid risk and overruns. Leveraging digital twins and improved workflows will accelerate this process, and DCW can support the marketplace to make this transition. Our broad spread of digital solutions and services will support our users in this process.”
DCW solutions span every phase of the project – from planning to construction and operations through to asset management – creating a digital thread that connects technologies and workflows. The company also provides automation services to digitise workflows rapidly and leverages cutting-edge technology in an innovation environment, proofed, verified then implemented on construction projects.
Some examples of these services include:
- Digital twinning: View a representation of an asset at any point in time.
- Advanced work packaging: A single source for total project integration.
- Construction modelling (4D/5D): Control cost and reduce waste through optimised planning.
- Continuous surveying: Reality capture and reality modelling to update and maintain digital context.
- Visualisation and analysis: Project dashboards to enhance decision-making with user-friendly tools.
Harry Parnell, head of digital project delivery for Balfour Beatty, said: “We see the benefits of working with organisations such as DCW, whose position in the market as the only end-to-end construction solutions service provider brings us confidence in how our core business targets will be kept a priority throughout the entire project.
“Their ability to be agnostic to technology is also important. We know that a combination of technology and process improvement will provide us with the best digital solution and make sure that technology follows the operational process change efforts, but never leads it. The use of technology in silos throughout our organisation will never bring real operational or industry change, but the use of technology with digital twin workflows and key operations processes in a focused and strategic effort will enable Balfour Beatty to reduce the gap between the office and the site continually.”
Digital Construction Works Labs
To ensure DCW stays at the forefront of innovation, a large part of what it does happens in its labs, where it invests heavily into R&D to identify and validate integrated workflows using open source solutions. The DCW Solutions Integration, Digital Twin and Field Labs function as the project’s R&D to optimise processes with a continuous and comprehensive view of the project.
Jason Hallett, COO of DCW said: “We believe that open collaboration and a commitment to improving the industry are the primary requirements for step-function advancement in digital construction. No single tool company can, or should, own the entire construction process as that journey only leads to a lack of innovation.
“DCW is starting with the backing of two large product companies, and we will welcome technology partnerships and service providers that can contribute to delivering a complete portfolio of digital solutions that are capable of moving the industry toward a more efficient and automated future.”
The Digital Twin Lab develops and proves solutions and workflows that drive an efficient flow of data from the field to the office and the office to the field. Its open innovation with clients and close connections to other technology leaders allows DCW to push the boundaries of digital integration and construction automation.
The Solutions Integrations Lab delivers new data points and efficiencies not available today through key product integrations. Their development team will deliver repeatable integrations between the various toolsets used on the job today. The lab aims to produce increased project transparency and improved decision-making via deep and actionable analysis of data that reside in every project.
DCW makes data, digital workflows and best practices visible, enabling the project team to be accountable, project operations efficient and business profitable. DCW’s unique approach is leveraging its expertise and the research and development done do in its labs. These solutions provide unique and actionable insights into data, dashboards and analytics that are only now possible.
Community and partnering
These integration services can be complex. Collaboration and partnering are essential. By offering a unique combination of People, Processes, and Technology, organizations can come together in the DCW Partner Community and Partner Network of Services. DCW’s partner community includes construction professionals, service providers, educators and developers of the latest disruptive technology. This combination of talent and services enables the construction industry to more efficiently, rapidly and successfully transform its operations.
Use cases
Owners, operators and contractors don’t need to wait for years for a solution. DCW wants clients to be able to do it today. By working with DCW solutions and technology and service partners, DCW bridges the technology gaps that we know exist.
DCW is currently working with many of the industry’s top companies. For example, it is working on an integrated AWP on two ExxonMobil projects, as well as Worley, INEOS and O3 Solutions – both medium and large-scale projects. DCW has integrated the systems, people and processes for a single view of the project.
DCW has extensive experience with 4D for construction planning, modelling and sequencing. DCW is currently providing VDC SMEs for 4D services for the Exyte Intel project in Ireland.
History of Digital Construction Works
Bentley Systems and Topcon Positioning Systems joined forces in 2016 to jointly develop enhanced integration between their respective Magnet and ProjectWise cloud services to integrate engineering and construction workflows for improved project quality and performance.
In 2017, together they opened the Constructioneering Academy, including at Topcon’s “sandbox” field facilities globally, where construction professionals experience new digital best practices first-hand.
During 2018, the companies assimilated Bentley’s SYNCHRO and Topcon’s ClearEdge3D acquisitions into constructioneering offerings. Since then, Bentley and Topcon have continuously introduced new 4D innovations in surveying, reality modelling, scheduling and logistics, work packaging, machine control and progressive assurance for construction.
The focus of the partnership between Bentley and Topcon has always been for the automation of the digital construction process through surveying, engineering design, constructible model development and as-built data collection, within a connected data environment, to streamline construction workflows, improve construction execution, reduce project costs and improve project delivery.
For that reason, it seemed most fitting for Bentley Systems and Topcon to take the partnership to the next level and to form Digital Construction Works as the “digital accelerator” to enable the construction industry to become fully digital.
DCW is chartered to embed its experts within constructors’ major project teams to advance and optimise constructioneering processes for delivering better design-build outcomes. Through its digital acceleration and integration services, to connect and automate constructors’ existing processes with constructioneering, DCW can make the best projects better while also helping to institutionalise these digital workflows throughout a constructor’s full project portfolio.
DCW is led by CEO Ted Lamboo, previously senior vice-president of strategic partnerships for Bentley Systems, and COO Jason Hallett, formerly vice-president of digital construction and business development for Topcon.
The revolution into digital construction has begun, change is happening and improvement is achieved. Digital Construction Works is here to partner and help guide you on your digital transformation journey.
Beth Emmert
Senior director
Digital Construction Works
www.digitalconstructionworks.com
