Congratulations to ACCEND Construction as the winner of the 2020 Innovation Real Award in Construction.
The pandemic has had a profound global effect, upending business operations in every industry around the world and has fundamentally changed the construction industry. However, every crisis presents a choice: adapt and innovate, or remain status quo. Powered by the firm’s COVID-19 Think Tank, a national taskforce comprised of leaders from ACCEND’s family of companies, they leveraged technology and construction expertise to resolve three critical issues facing the real estate and construction industry:
- Infection control & prevention
- Schedule implications caused by supply chain disruptions
- Physical distancing constraints on jobsites
Infection Control & Prevention:
Problem:
The threat of a positive COVID case on a jobsite created the potential for project closures and large schedule delays that would lead to increased project costs and the associated health risks of workers and clients alike.
Solution:
When shelter in place began, the team at ACCEND realized the need for disinfection services to keep all people, jobsites and essential businesses safe from COVID-19. Within two months, the firm introduced a Disinfection Fogger and a Protective Shield solution that would later be used by their entire family of companies across the United States, on all types of spaces including jobsites, occupied offices, elevators, building lobbies and even local retail stores and restaurants.
Schedule Implications & Supply Chain Disruptions:
Problem:
Shipping delays and long lead times became a new and challenging reality at the onset of COVID-19. This caused procurement and scheduling issues, which lead to project timeline disruption. In early January, operations executive, Jim Melachrinakis, identified several adverse supply chain predictions and elevated the issue across the firm.
Solution:
ACCEND enhanced their proprietary SIPP meeting process into a digital software platform, which allows teams to efficiently manage project schedules and be made aware of changes in real time. Using the SIPP software platform, entire project teams including consultants were able to virtually collaborate to create accurate project schedule scenarios with the new supply chain variables.
Open Space
Problem:
Physical distancing on jobsites was one of the most challenging impacts of COVID. Staggering work shifts and creative sequencing of logistics became the norm while the practice of stopping by a jobsite to check on progress became a thing of the past for the project team, partners, and the client alike.
Solution:
When travel became difficult and unsafe, the firm’s in-house technology training team worked side by side with OpenSpace to develop best practices and a custom process to keep projects running smoothly and on-time while giving high visibility to our clients and project partners.
Project Team:
- Tim Lally, Safety Quality Production Director
- Andrew MacGregor, President
- Jim Melachrinakis, Operations Executive
- Tony Fontanetta, General Superintendent