Everyone has smartphones and tablets on the jobsite. But are you using the cameras on these devices as a competitive advantage? Most contractors are taking photographs on the job. But the experienced ones are using software which documents not only when the pictures were taken, but uses the GPS capabilities of the device to store the exact location as well. And the best contractors can pull up drawings on their tablet and see pins dropped automatically on the plans, showing where the pictures were taken. This type of progressive visual documentation can be invaluable not only to the owner, but to the contractor as well. During later phases of construction, say after the sheetrock has been in

In the construction industry, safety should be the number one priority on every jobsite and with the increased use of new technology such as BIM, the industry is finding ways to not only reduce onsite injuries, but to reduce the overall construction schedule at the same time. 

In a recent report, McGraw Hill Construction discusses the top causes of uncertainty in construction projects and their effects on the schedule and cost of the projects. Once the top causes were identified, the report dives into ways an entire team from the owner to the architects and the contractors can improve performance.

BIM is the future of the construction industry. In fact, BIM adoption in North America reached 71% in 2012 up from only 17% in 2007, according a McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Report. The reason might lie in the fact that 67% of users in this report that demonstrated a very high level of BIM engagement saw a positive return on investment (ROI) (specifically a 52% increase in their profits) compared to only 20% of low-level users.

If your company isn’t using BIM, you’re already behind. Half of the industry and half of contractors use BIM in some capacity, according to a McGraw-Hill SmartMarket report on BIM adoption in the AEC fields. And contractors are reaping the biggest benefits: seven out of 10 report positive results from their use of BIM.

Over the next two years, contractors expect the percentage of their work that involves BIM to increase by 50%, on average, according to 2013 McGraw Hill Construction data. Because of this, every construction owner should be learning how to incorporate BIM into their business. Here are two reasons why.

ABC has teamed up with Synergis Engineering Design Solutions, a Platinum provider of Autodesk products, to bring customized BIM training and design exclusively to ABC contractor members to make them more productive, efficient and profitable. The training is part of a larger effort known as Project Virtual. 

The National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance is hosting a series of webinars in July on how to submit a ballot for the National BIM Standard – United States™ Version 3 review period that all building professionals are invited to participate in. Ballot submissions are due Aug. 19. 

The National Institute of Building Sciences has opened the ballot submission period for the National BIM Standard – United States™ Version 3 (NBIMS-US V3) for all building professionals to offer their ideas to influence the future use of building information modeling (BIM) in the United States. 

At an Oct. 11 national meeting of the BIMForum in Tacoma, Wash., McGraw-Hill Construction presented new research showing that 74 percent of contractors are now using Building Information Modeling (BIM). The report also showed that BIM usage among architects, engineers, contractors and owners in North America is at 71 percent, compared to 49 percent in 2009 and 17 percent in 2007.