PlanToBuild

As construction firms take on the challenges of the present and aim to be future-proof beyond 2021, leaders have an opportunity to drive an innovation mindset and technology adoption strategies for exponential growth. Over the years, digital technologies played a significant role in the construction industry’s growth through increased visibility, improved workflow, and streamlined scheduling. From connected job sites to digital supply chains, construction firms seek to calibrate various state-of-the-art technologies that can transform their workplace and bring greater efficiencies. Similarly, the pandemic-accelerated BIM adoption in the construction industry is also worth mentioning due to its strength as a single source of data for complex projects. “A platform that everyone can access to exchange information in a transparent manner is the basic requirement for any successful construction project management. It enables firms to record and communicate faults consistently to highlight and predict consequences,” says Marcel Kyeck, Product Manager at PlanToBuild.

However, merely adding new tools to an existing stack will not solve the root challenge of stagnant and out-of-date workflows, nor does it create lasting differentiation. A need for collaborative software is prominent in the construction industry, with the requirement to seamlessly communicate information in real-time between various stakeholders at the office and the field. Access to up-to-date and relevant information is vital in the decision-making process to avoid disruptions and keep projects on schedule within budget. PlanToBuild offers comprehensive project management software for the entire life cycle of a building with the option of seamless and structured transfer of all information and the individual project phases and the whole value chain of the elements. Developed by industry insiders out of the day-to-day operational needs—the company’s trade-independent and cloud-based software solution is designed to simplify construction processes for all project participants by empowering project managers to alleviate workload digitalization.

Based on a modular and intuitive operating concept, PlanToBuild focuses on providing a real competitive advantage in the construction industry through process reliability, adherence to deadlines, and optimal capacity planning to save time and money by eliminating disruptions, defects, or delivery delays. The company’s platform enables project participants to intuitively capture and edit targeted information either via the desktop application in the office or via the mobile app on the construction site. “With the establishment of schedule templates and the structured documentation, project managers can quickly support each other and step in,” explains Kyeck. PlanToBuild integrates all construction project-relevant functions on one platform to generate daily logs, defects, quality controls, planning, and control of resources.

The company facilitates the acquisition of a digital building, including its elements from the specifications, technical drawings, floor plans from 2D drawings, or 3D representations created via the BIM interface.

A unique function is enabling users to create various templates to facilitate project standardization and efficiency by linking every graphically scheduled process, document, task, and element. With PlanToBuild, both internal and external participants can view visual progress in real-time and locate all the building components and units on the uploaded construction plans. On this basis, all information can be attached to individual elements and saved, such as checklists, installation dates, documents for assembly, and maintenance instructions. Users can instantly access information about each component by scanning QR codes or NFCs for predictive maintenance. Also, sensors are installed to provide further information for support. “With the project at the center of PlanToBuild, data is recorded and linked precisely to relevant elements to help project participants save time in gaining decisive insights for building maintenance and life cycle,” adds Kyeck.

To further illustrate the efficacy of PlanToBuild, Kyeck cites a case study where a German company, Reko GmbH & Co. KG, currently uses PlanToBuild to enhance coordination of the individual milestones with its clients.

PlanToBuild platform’s multiproject management function offers Reko a perfect overview of all active projects at all times. It also integrated legal framework documents to help minimize risks and guarantee a successful project. As part of Schüco International KG, PlanToBuild was established in 2019 to ensure the smooth running of a construction project with slim chances of costly errors and delays by facilitating real-time coordination among the different actors in project management. “It quickly became clear, with a view to trends and opportunities in the context of digitalization, that only a cloud solution can guarantee a transparent exchange of information and communication in construction projects,” elucidates Kyeck. Today, with an internationally networked team working from Bielefeld and New York City, PlanToBuild serves customers in German-speaking countries and in Scandinavia, the UK, and North America.

The latest customer, is from the UK. The English company Openwood Facades, with many projects in the heart of London, has discovered PlanToBuild for itself and can now also win projects by using the software, because they promote transparency towards the customer. If, for example, a glass order is delayed, the customer can see this quickly and be informed of the consequences. They use the scheduling properly and also link important documents to the individual tasks so that you can find them again quickly. Even after many years, they can still find the information they need efficiently.

Openwood uses various checklists to track the status of each individual component, from manufacturing and transport to assembly and acceptance. The QR code technology and the mobile app help them to do this quickly.

The data is transmitted in real time and provides quick information from the construction site to the offices.