Turner Construction Company
Sincerely,
TURNER CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Mr. Steve Rule
Territory Engineer
Engineering Department
Turner
PMI: Communications in Construction
I. Opening Remarks
Introduce Turner Speakers and describe backgrounds. (if not already done
by PMI moderator.)
Outline the material to be discussed. Lecture followed by panel
discussion with audience. Discussion will focus more on the role of
communication in accomplishing the construction mission than on the tools
used to communicate.
Where have we gone wrong? San Francisco City Hall design example, then
(1915) and now. VISUAL: STACKDOCWENTS.
How we think this presentation can help PMI.
How we think PMI can help us.
II. Why Building Construction is Unique
1. Communications are project centered. RELATIONSHIP CHART
2. Look at the team:
a. Large number of active participants.
b. Diverse technical, educational and social backgrounds require
different styles of communication.
External customers - Private Owners ( developers, blue chip
corporations), Public Agencies ( city, county, federal ),
Architects, Engineers ( Civil, mech., elect. ), Building
Departments, Fire Marshals, trade unions.
Internal customers - Field staff, support staff, subcontractors,
tradespeople, manufactures, vendors, management.
c. On an individual basis, there is a good chance that nobody has
ever worked with each other before.
3. Look at the project:
a. A building is a custom product, assembled at its place of use
from components made all over the country and world.
4. Look at the mission:
a. The Owner must communicate to the Architect what he wants.
(IDEAS)
b. The Architect must communicate to the Contractor what it is that
must be built. (DESIGN)
c. The Contractor must take the design and convert it to solid
structure. (REALITY)
III. How the General Contractor Communicates.
1. Preconstruction
a. Cost Estimate (GMP)
b. Constuctbility Reviews. Brainstorming. Sharing experience at
Business Unit level.
c. Schedule Development
Establishes the preliminary plan.
Is the basis for General Conditions planning and estimating.
d. Overall project plan - Job Meeting I and la.
2. How Turner Communicates
CONSTRUCTION
Conbined Engineering & Field into one
<5233 A. Key Issue
Turner must manage communications between Multiple Entities
WHO? HOW?
Owner @ SCVMC Method
---------------- -------------------- ---------------------------
Onsite reps. • 2 Individuals Mtgs/Corresp./Verbal
Offsite Reps. • BO of Sup. Monthly Reports
• County Council
STATE Verbal/Face to Form
OSHPD Plan Check Corresp./Transmittal/Mtgs.
Inspector Verbal/Face to Forrn
Fire Marshall Plan Check Corresp./Transmittal/Mtgs.
Inspector • RFI's
DESIGNERS Multiple Archs. •
Design Arch. • Design Bulletins
Consultants Multiple Engineers • Meetings
• ME&P • Situp Drawings
• Struct. • Submittals
• Verbal Corresp.
<6220
PRIME CONTRACTOR
Onsite • PM. • Corrd. Meetings
• Supt. • Corresp.
• Engineers • Verbal
• RFI
• Submittal
Home Offce • President • Corresp.
• Vice President • RFI
• P.M. • Submittals
Staff + 20 People Meeting / Staff
Onsite E Mail
Verbal
Facets Face
Local Office Phone / Fax
(SF) Verbal / Face
Staff Meeting
Corp. Office
(NY)
B. Who we communicate with is not as important as how we track or
manage the projects.
Computer Systems
1) DOCS - Created by TCCo for TCCo. (Proprietary)
• Relational Data Base
• Links various Items
• Submittals
• RFI's
• Contract Documents
Not suited for every jobs.
2) Expedition (Being used by SCVML)
(Created by Primavera)
Tacks: Same as DOCS, more powerful?
Some owners specifically request this system
• State of California (Soledad
• City of San Francisco
To close this section I recommend tacking one item (RFI, Submittal,
Coord. Meeting...) and follow it through "The system" on SCVML
+----> Arch -------+
| |
RFI - Prime TCCo ---Å----> MEP --------Å--> TCCo
| |
+----> STILL ------+
Could be a bulletin
IV. THE FUTURE
COMMUNICATION IN CONSTRUCTION
THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION
In the immediate 5 - 10 years the we don't foresee any radical changes in
the construction end of the business. At the pre-construction stage the
process of integration of documents with the help of sophisticated CAD
systems will continue.
a. CAD drawings will become databases of objects that will have quantity
and pricing information. These electronic object will be provided by
vendors, suppliers etc.
b. There will be substantial increase in communication between the
Owners, Architects, Engineen, Contracton and Vendon during the
pre-construction stage.
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There is a move to reduce the replication of data (input) at various
levels - Job site, accounting, Cost and the corporate.
Video conferencing - Because so many players from different parts of the
globe are involve continuously video conferencing (once it becomes more
affordable) will become common.
96
Construction documentation is an important part of our business -
Currently still pictures and time-lapse videos are common. We foresee a
move to digital recordings. Digital videos of problems encountered at the
site could be transferred to engineen electronically for their review.
The integration of CAD drawing with project schedules. Already research is
underway and preliminary work has been completed.
Collection of data at the job site is tedious - Punch lists, DCR's etc.
The use of hand held computers such as Newtons will be put to use.
We may be able to give video demonstrations to worker's on site on new
products, tool etc. By electronically linking to vendon and manufacturers.
(On site when needed).
Conference reviewing of drawings and details on PC's with audio
capability.
Review of products and literature from vendon using tbe World Wide Web.
Retrieval of site maps from national data base electronically.
V. Closing