Galbraith/Pre-Design, Inc. Design Build Construction Blog

13th November, 2019 Mark Galbraith Construction Process, General Contracting

How Lean Construction can Eliminate Waste and Improve Efficiency

Economic pressures (that include preventing another recession) are pushing hard on today’s construction industry to improve productivity and eliminate waste. Over the past 20 years, the manufacturing sector has increased its labor productivity by 3.6%, and the construction sector by only 1%.

Increasing productivity has an array of benefits, including addressing the chronic labor gap for the industry, reducing materials and costs, preventing accidents, decreasing stress for workers, increasing customer satisfaction with reliable timelines, and enhanced worker accountability and job satisfaction.

Yet unfortunately, the construction industry is actually second to last within all U.S. sectors when it comes to levels of productivity. How can we make a change? Instituting lean construction.

The 5 Principles of Lean Construction

Basically, this method of production that is strongly focused on reducing time, materials, costs and effort on a construction process needs a clear-cut strategy from the beginning. Here are the principles that align with minimizing the bad and maximizing the good.

Identify value from the customer’s point of view. Looking past what the customer wants you to build, but why they want you to build it establishes trust and deep understanding from the start.
Define the value system. Only add steps to the process that are adding the value to the project that the customer wants, removing unnecessary tasks or effort.
Eliminate waste. This includes waste from defects, overproduction, waiting, not utilizing talent, transport, inventory, motion, or over-processing.
Design a cohesive flow of work processes. In traditional models, mass production includes little to no interaction between each touch point of a project, with only the worker’s one job being their main focus. In lean construction models, employees, distributors, and all managing parties work cohesively together throughout the project, continuously verifying and communicating how the original strategy and timeline is being carried out.
Continuously improve. At the heart of the lean construction philosophy is the necessary ability to be flexible throughout the process. Recognizing opportunities to eliminate waste, either in material or effort, and acting upon them is a critical part of the method.

Ditching Traditional Methods, Improving Efficiency

We’ve discussed modular construction in a few of our previous blog posts, but it’s also very relevant to the issue of “building lean.” This process of creating structures in a controlled environment, then taking to the jobsite reduces waste of materials and saves time by simultaneously building the structure (in a place where weather elements won’t push the timeline) while getting the jobsite ready. This is certainly a process that would fit in with the philosophy of lean building.

A Leaner, Cleaner Future

In a McGraw Hill Construction survey, 84% of companies who were questioned reported higher-quality projects since moving from traditional processes and adopting lean construction. Additionally, 80% saw greater customer satisfaction, 77% experienced greater productivity, and 77% saw improved jobsite safety.

Galbraith’s Commitment

We are taking every opportunity we get to worker towards cleaner, more efficient and productive strategies as we approach construction projects. In a recent cold storage industrial job, we reduced waste and time by implementing modular construction. Check out the results, and let us know what you’re looking for in your next construction project!

9th October, 2019 Mark Galbraith Construction Process, General Contracting

Using the same contractors to design and build your next project

There was a time when the thought of using the same contractors to design and build a construction project was outrageous.

Those days are over.

The master design-build approach has quickly surpassed the role of an alternative way to complete a project and has become dominant in today’s world. It’s now responsible for nearly half of U.S. nonresidential spending.

The Design-Build Institute of America recently held its 25th-anniversary celebration, in which design-build projects were a primary topic of discussion. It was mentioned at the event that there are only three states that have yet to embrace design-build procurement and delivery for public projects, but their acceptance is soon forthcoming.

To add, spending on these types of projects is estimated to increase by almost 18 percent in the next three years, to equate to roughly $324 billion.

3 Reasons Why Design-Build is Climbing to the Top

So, why is the industry turning to this solution for so many of today’s projects? Several benefits come along with using the same company to both create and carry out the design of a construction project.

Cost: With this process, there are fewer expenses involved with its streamlined organization. Bidding to build and implement a separate design is traditionally more costly.
Timeliness: There’s no lag time between the design team and the build team when issues arise during the stages of bringing the design to fruition.
Universal application: Design-build projects aren’t something that only large-scale corporations can be qualified for. Nowadays, these contracts are in play for smaller projects, such as transportation, costing around $5 million to complete in the same way as they’re applied for commercial building projects.

The Galbraith Difference

Design/Build has been around since the beginning of the construction industry. Galbraith has been following these standards for at least 55 years.

We’re more than happy to offer the design-build process and its extensive benefits to our clients. This capability uses one contractual agreement and one point of responsibility, which means you can rely on our services from beginning to end.

Our design-build approach alleviates anxiety caused by the coordination and interaction of disciplines required to achieve a finished structure. At the same time, we give you the ability to remain as involved as you wish in the construction management for your project.

Contact us today to get started and streamline your next construction project.

16th September, 2019 Mark Galbraith Construction Process

4 Ways Technology is Here to Help

“Humans have this amazing ability to take a challenging situation, think in real time and then be able to adjust to it.” – Scott Peters, President and Co-founder of Construction Robotics

This is something that most robots can’t do.

There’s a fear circling around the construction and manufacturing industry that claims it will be taken over by machines and robots as the age of technology only enhances. Why don’t you need to worry about this happening?

Because technology cannot replace the skills of a human, only supplement them. It’s here to help, and here’s how:

The Internet of Things

Smart devices that are connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) can provide your firm the opportunity to collect, monitor, and make adjustments based on real-time data. There are sensors, cameras, and wearable equipment for your workers that can give you insight into the overall safety of your operation, as well as how to optimize your job site. For example, these tools could allow you to monitor your crew’s health levels to prevent any injury from things such as heat exhaustion during the hot summer months.

Artificial Intelligence

The IoT is able to collect tons of data, but Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning is what to use to analyze all of it. Instead of spending your time getting lost in tracking through data coming in at real-time, you can shift your efforts to making high-level strategic decisions based on what machine learning alerts you about from the data. An example of this efficiency is the technology from Smartvid.io, a platform that uses visual information from a jobsite through live camera footage and tags potential safety hazards and violations occurring on the jobsite. The company has seen reduced injury rates up to 30 percent, avoiding 1 of 4 predicted incidents and saving companies $1.4 to $3.6 million with the incorporation of their AI technology.

Virtual Reality

Say goodbye to the “It just doesn’t look like what I had imagined” situation. Virtual reality can be used for both clients and construction managers alike, allowing the project to be seen in a finished state while still in the planning phase. This ability can enhance how you present your plan to a customer, as well as make sure what you have developed will be correct when it comes time to fit all the parts together.

This tool has even been used by doctors when developing plans for new hospitals or medical centers. They’re able to see what the rooms would look like and practice performing surgery in this virtual space to make sure it fits all of their needs.

Drones

Another way of increasing the safety of your operation is to prevent workers from having to climb to extreme heights while using crucial time and energy just to get an overhead look at things. Using drones is a safe way of getting a bird’s eye-view of the state of your project, making sure to keep your crew safe while maintaining accurate to the plan, timeline, and budget of your construction project.

As time goes by, I am sure we will be seeing more technological tools developed, but it’s important to remember, these “robots” aren’t here to take our jobs. They’re here to give more space and opportunity for our creative, strategic, and critical thinking skills to thrive in the construction and manufacturing industries.

13th August, 2019 Mark Galbraith Construction Process, General Contracting, Industrial

So, What is Modular Construction?

Modular construction is the process of building parts of a structure, or the entire construction, away from the job site—in a controlled indoor environment (an off-site manufacturing plant). The building is then brought to the job site, completed and ready for the finishing touches needed for full implementation.

Typically, these “modules” are between 8 and 16 feet wide, with the sections’ lengths ranging from 20 to over 70 feet long. These structures can be used for both temporary and permanent construction projects, and will still be able to match the aesthetics of the overall design.

Who is Using This Process?

About 35% of U.S. contractors use these techniques during their construction processes, and that number is expected to grow. Today, the modular construction market stands at about $112.4 billion, but is projected to reach $157 billion by 2023 (a 6.9% increase).

How Does Worker Experience Change?

Primarily, working outdoors to construct a building or its subparts can lead to an inconvenient, uncomfortable, and potentially unsafe experience when being exposed to the elements. Many parts of construction require a steady hand, and when dealing with wet, muddy, or cold water, this presents new challenges for your crew that aren’t at play with modular construction.

Are These Structures Durable and Safe?

When it comes to product quality, modular construction provides many advantages. By being built indoors and avoiding bad weather, better air quality ensures the materials will remain moisture-free. Since these projects also have to withstand transportation, they are generally built to be stronger and more structurally sound.

And the market isn’t the only thing that’s growing as far as modular construction is concerned. These projects have been reaching new heights—literally. Construction Dive recently discussed a company called Prescient, and how their modular construction projects topped out at five stories in 2015, but are now reaching up to 18. The square footage of their projects has grown tremendously as well, at 60,000 in 2015 to 200,000 today.

Will This Increase ROI?

Additionally, the timeline of a construction project when completed through this process is significantly faster than traditional methods, estimated between 30-50% quicker. With modular construction, your team is able to develop the site and lay the foundation at the same time the structure is being built, doubling your productivity during this time period. Not to mention, weather delays won’t be pushing back your plant construction timeline.

Is This a Type of Green Construction?

Absolutely. This process produces much less waste than on-the-jobsite construction methods. Materials are optimized and kept safe from exposure to the inclement weather at outdoor environments. Also, companies can reuse the project’s materials for different needs by disassembling or relocating these structures, instead of disposing of materials in good condition and starting again with new.

What Type of Maintenance is Involved?

For modular construction buildings in particular, Vanguard has outlined these steps to maintain great condition:

Change HVAC filters at least once per month, and change them more frequently if you’re in a dirty environment
Never block a return air register and clean ducts as needed
Report any leaks resulting from plumbing or rainwater immediately
Inspect the roof periodically for visible tears, cracks or loose shingles. Clean the roof and gutters of debris, and remove snow to prevent leaks
Maintain adequate stormwater drainage away from the building
Maintain floor coverings
Replace batteries in smoke detectors/emergency exit lights once a year at the very least
Operate the air conditioning during evening, holidays and weekends to maintain a reasonable temperature and humidity level
Periodically check caulking around windows, doors, and siding

What Materials Are Used?

Since the buildings have to undergo the same inspections and have to meet the same building codes as any other structure(regardless of construction method), the same top quality materials that you would see used in a conventionally constructed building are available.

Typically, the base frames are structural steel, while the walls and ceiling are made of either wood or steel and concrete. It all depends on the requirements at the job site.

Galbraith’s Contribution

We’re proud to say we offer modular construction services to our clients. We’ve developed a history of pre-fabricating different parts indoors before delivering them to a jobsite. Check out how we recently used this process for a cold storage industrial job. Get in touch with us today to start designing your next project!

24th July, 2019 Mark Galbraith Medical

From facility construction to wearing PPE, ways to protect against infection

According to the CDC, one out of every 20 patients will develop a Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI). Annually, these infections specifically are contracted by 1.7 million patients and cause 99,000 deaths. There are financial burdens as well, with an estimated $35.7 to $45 billion in expenses for these infections.

This is a problem everybody in the healthcare industry needs to be aware of. Whether you’re a patient, provider, nurse, physician, janitor, or construction and design-build, understanding HAIs, and how to prevent them is essential to reducing their incredibly adverse effects.

How Infections Spread

With powers like invisibility, speed, and a proper environment, HAIs can be tough to defeat. But knowing their stages of spreading can help provide opportunities to stop them in their tracks.

The spreading of infections can start with an agent, like a bacteria, virus, etc., that is developed inside of a reservoir, such as another person, piece of equipment, or even water.

The agent leaves the reservoir through a portal of exit, and the way the transmission functions depends on the type of infection. Contact with the skin, particular bodily fluids/matters, or even inhalation can be examples of transfer processes for HAIs. Make sure you understand the specific characteristics of each of these infections to be prepared for preventing or dealing with any of them exclusively.

The agent finds a portal of entry for its next susceptible host, and the cycle begins again.

The most common ways to break this chain of infection include:

The reservoir’s environment is changed in a way that it can no longer support the infectious agent, eliminating or inactivating it.
The portal of exit is highly monitored with standard precautions (in further detail below).
Transmission is prevented entirely with standard precautions.
The portal of entry is protected by safe care in that area.
Recognizing and identifying high-risk patients and reducing their susceptibility to HAIs.

Design and Construction Planning to Prevent Infection

Standard precautions such as hand hygiene, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), injection safety, proper environmental cleaning, injection safety, and respiratory hygiene are common precautions that exist in healthcare facilities as guidelines to break the chain of infection. So, how do facility planning, design, and construction play a role in proactively reducing infections in healthcare facilities? The often-overlooked fact is that the physical (built) environment of a healthcare facility, such as hospitals can be directly linked to overall human health.

Healthcare organizations and the construction companies who are building the facility have an obligation to patients, visitors and staff to ensure the facility is designed to be open, accessible and a safe environment for the public with proper controls in place to reduce the spread of infection. When designing a healthcare building, it’s imperative to make a decision based on the following factors besides cost.

Facilities and systems are designed around handling hazardous materials and waste
The facility and environment are secure and safe
Proper ventilation to ensure infection doesn’t spread
Construction of emergency areas for appropriate management of these situations
Built to provide fire safety protection
Strength of the construction material
If an existing building where renovations are being considered, the overall health of the facility should be accessed
Proper environmental protection
Energy savings
Durability for the building
Utilization rate to ensure the building is design to accommodate the population being served
Built-in flexibility to expand or redesign based on population or healthcare demand
Infection control location to isolate the issue

Healthcare facilities are complex and need to be used for a vast array of services and procedures. As a visitor to a hospital, we often do not think of all of the specialized areas of a hospital or clinics like high use areas, circulation areas, wards, specialized theaters, and hazardous material areas. Choosing the proper materials and finishes for these areas is critical to the overall planning. All of this can pose a challenge during the planning phase for a new building or renovation as planning needs to ensure the facility can solve for new and emerging infectious diseases.

Overcoming Barriers and Working Towards a Better Future

Infection control within a healthcare facility is critical. It is the little things that matter the most, but unfortunately, compliance with these standard precautions. Many barriers can stand in the way; however, if we all act as good stewards of infection prevention with these facilities, we can take our part in the future of our healthcare facilities.

Devoting energy into making sure no steps are missed in the precautions against healthcare-associated infections should be a top priority for every organization in the industry.

17th June, 2019 Mark Galbraith Food Processing

5 Ways New Technology Can Help Your Production Process

With the growth of technology seeming to be limitless, we are always faced with the question: Are these advancements helping or hurting us?

Here are five ways that the food manufacturing process can benefit from digitization:

1. Improved Communication

As you know, communication is key. Preventing issues, misunderstandings, inaccuracies, and more within the food production process starts with proper communication between team members. The good news is, today’s technology makes many tools available for this to be an improved aspect within your operation, including software available to make sure messages are efficiently passed throughout your entire team without any time being wasted.

Along with internal communication, external communication is just as vital. Many customer-relationship management software are available to make sure you understand your consumers’ reactions to your products and can adjust your operation to optimize success, based on their demand.

2. Added Innovation

Digital tools can introduce new ways to go about your food production process. Drones, for example, can contribute greatly to precision agriculture—a way of using satellite imagery and GPS technology to monitor soil levels, weather patterns, and crop success. Another instance is the use of 3D printing, which can make more options available for your operation to be able to produce. The movement of “going green” has resulted in sustainable technology advancements, such as edible or bacteria-fighting packaging. Almost all of these innovations do not entirely replace the efforts of a human workforce, but rather give them more tools to work with to increase efficiency and safety efforts.

Even the concept of robotic machines can help in food production. In 2016, a tech company replaced certain cuts of their meats originally done by human workers with these machines to reduce the chances of severe workplace injury.

3. Enhanced Analytics

Recording data of your results is incredibly important when it comes to food production. Making sure standards are met and your products are of the highest quality is a top priority, and especially important when aiming for repeated achievements. Using data tools to show and analyze real-time numbers of your operation will help you stay on top of things and prevent any problems from leaving your facility.

4. Simplified Compliance

Tracking and tracing methods have improved with the growth of digital technology in the food production process. Hector Bonilla from SWK Technologies said, “Tainted products can be traced back to their package shipments, these shipments can be followed back to their point of origin, and the processing factors involved in production (such as the recipe data used) can be reviewed to prevent repeat incidents.” Make sure to see how the implementation of technology can ensure food safety and production efficiency.

5. Increased Profits

Not only do these tools prevent an expensive recall from happening (and the following possibility of brand reputation damage), they also reduce the extra use of any ingredients during the food production process with specific data to lessen the margin of any wasted time or materials. There are many ways you can get on board—consider digitizing various parts of your food production process today.

14th May, 2019 Mark Galbraith General Contracting

Do You Fall Victim to Believing in These Assumptions?

“Manufacturing is more than just putting parts together. It’s coming up with ideas, testing principles and perfecting the engineering, as well as final assembly.”
– James Dyson

People both inside and out of the manufacturing world may stumble upon a few beliefs regarding the industry that are actually far from reality. We’re here to deliver the truth—this process of “perfecting the engineering” and bringing ideas to life is actually a thriving universe in today’s society.

1. “The Manufacturing Industry Doesn’t Create Many Jobs”

On the contrary, this is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. Just in December alone of last year, 32,000 jobs were added, contributing to the 12.84 million positions available in manufacturing, a number that has only been reached before nearly five decades ago. MarketWatch added that in 2018, 264,000 new manufacturing jobs were added, representing the highest number of new workers since 1988. Manufacturing has risen for the first time since 1984 as a percentage of the nation’s entire workforce. Clearly, it’s on the rise.

2. “It’s Dangerous to Work in Manufacturing”

Due to technological advancements and increased safety measures, the risk of injury that comes with working in this industry has reduced in recent years. The rate of improvement for workplace injury rates have been significantly better for the manufacturing world than in the overall private sector. One of the largest improvements was the span from 1994 to 2012, where the rate decreased by two-thirds, according to the Manufacturing Institute.

3. “Robots Are Taking Over”

Yes, the talk you hear about the Internet of Things, augmented reality, smart machinery, and more, is real. But the most important thing to remember is that these technologies can’t fit into the world of manufacturing without the collaboration of people like you and me. Humans are the ones controlling these operations and are the link between these “robots” and their role in the industry. In essence, they help create even more types of jobs.

4. “R&D is a Minor Expense for American Manufacturing Companies”

Research and development (R&D) is an essential aspect within the operation of manufacturing companies. Andrew Keith from Cressall Resistors said, “Companies that use R&D investment as the main driver for progress are inclined to achieve better outcomes for investors and overall be more innovative than their competitors.” This industry in the U.S. actually spends more on R&D compared to the industry in any other country.

At Galbraith, Pre-Design, Inc., we understand the role of manufacturing and its longevity in our society. Contact us today for any help you may need with your operation.

7th April, 2019 Allan Galbraith Construction Process, General Contracting, Industrial

Properly Incorporate ADA Accessibility Standards into Your Next Construction or Renovation Project

When the Americans With Disability Act (ADA) was passed into law, it was a monumental step forward in making buildings accessible to all people, and it’s an integral part of commercial building design and construction projects.

The ADA Standards cover how to specifically implement safety and proper accessibility into each part of an establishment, whether it’s new construction or a renovation project. If you’re looking to alter your building or begin new construction, make sure to check these standards and safely include the following to make sure you’re on track with ADA compliance:

Safe flooring and ground surfaces
Entrances, doors and gates
Ramps
Elevators and platform lifts
Parking spaces
Passenger load zones
Stairways

Common Challenges while Striving for ADA Compliance

One of the most important parts of this process is making sure your contractor is familiar and reliable when it comes to ADA Standards. Going the extra mile, knowing all of the small details and inspecting every part of the structure that falls into the compliance category can make all the difference in your design build project. Hiring a contractor with both knowledge and experience with these standards, along with great communication skills, is a way to streamline and ensure your process will be on track.

A common problem that organizations face is the lack of understanding of the ongoing maintenance standards within ADA compliance. Lee Swinscoe from FacilitiesNet expresses the importance of all staff being aware of these standards, including cleaning and janitorial personnel:

“Cleaning staff or other employees should have a basic understanding of ADA design criteria so they are not inadvertently creating ADA compliance problems. If a trash can is pulled to the door, emptied, and left there, it can obstruct the door maneuvering clearance. Or if a hotel employee places a table against the wall in a meeting room to provide refreshments and doesn’t understand the need to provide a clear floor space for a wheelchair by the only house phone in the room, then this creates a compliance issue.”
– Lee Swinscoe, FacilitiesNet

Experienced Contractors at Your Disposal

It can be challenging to retrofit older buildings with elevators and other ADA compliant fixtures, but Galbraith has helped many clients find practical and affordable ways to upgrade their buildings. Currently, Galbraith is pleased to be a part of the construction to install elevators and other features to update two churches in making them accessible and ADA compliant.

It’s always satisfying to be a part of projects that make such positive improvements for the end-users of various structures. Contact Galbraith if your commercial or industrial building needs help with ADA accessibility updates.

10th March, 2019 admin Construction Process, Roofing Repair

Stop and Smell the Roses…On Your Roof

The commercial construction world is ever-changing and growing with innovations in the world of “green building.” Providing customers and companies with eco-friendly buildings can minimize environmental impacts. This form of construction is very vast and is privy to multiple ways to achieve being truly eco-friendly.

The “Green” Combination

One of these ways to achieve a minimal environmental impact is green roofing, or better known as a “living roof system.” A living roof system is made up of the following layers, from bottom to top:

A sheet metal roof with a drainage system laid on top
Cork or a peat moss planting grid
Plants dependent on the customer’s choice
- The variety ranges from low-maintenance and easily maintained plants to a designed landscape of multiple trees, shrubs and flowers.

Green Roofing Basics — Source: Rooftop Landscapes

A World of Benefits

One of the benefits stemming from a living roof is the potential economic return to the customer. Additionally, a living roof can provide extra insulation R-value to the building due to the vegetation blocking direct weather damage to the roof’s surface. Another benefit that is gaining popularity in the green industry is the use of the water drainage system that reduces the amount of storm water runoff around and from the building itself. According to Green Roofs for Storm water Runoff Control, a living roof system can reduce the storm water runoff by 80% per year.

My Plant Connection has an extensive list of all the benefits that come with installing a green roof system on a building. A company utilizing a green roof has the opportunity to apply for a “green roof tax credit. ”Various tax credit legislations makes for possible credits available to the owners.

As the world in its whole becomes more environmentally friendly and conscious, the commercial and residential construction community is steadily joining the effort. By creating, designing and installing these green living roof systems, we can better our quality of life while having much less of an impact on the environment itself.

1st February, 2019 Mark Galbraith Food Processing

Breaking Down The Importance of Eliminating Contamination

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,reducing foodborne illness by just 1 percent would keep roughly 500,000 Americans from getting sick every year.It’s all in the details—making sure every step of the food production process avoids any chance of contamination can go a long way. Food safety certifications can significantly help with this mission.

If you haven’t considered acquiring new food safety certifications for your business, here are a few of the accompanying benefits that you’d be able to take advantage of if you did:

Your reputation conveys your dedication to the industry. To consumers, employees, or key stakeholders, putting in the work to attain additional certifications is a vital way of showing that your business sector is devoted to good governance, corporate responsibility, quality production, and contribution towards improving the industry.
Consumers are demanding higher safety standards due to food recalls. Your company would hold a competitive advantage over others in the field, especially in the eyes of the consumer, as awareness of food production safety grows with every announcement of a food recall.
Your production can achieve greater quality. The advantages are not all external. Implementing systems into your operation that are compliant with safety certifications will assist with the actual consistency and quality of production.
Your liability remains an important factor. It’s true that some insurance companies will only provide coverage for food sector businesses with safety certifications such as HACCP.

Regarding the construction side of things specifically, EAD Engineering listed what to look for when selecting the construction company for a food processing plant. Several of the key factors included food safety certifications acquired by many leaders within the company.

Implementing Safety on All Fronts

EAD Engineering also specified some of the steps involved in food processing that reduces contamination during construction. These are similar to many requirements of food safety certifications. They include:

Train contractors through recognized programs.
Develop safety checklists.
Pre-plan workloads.
Identify which areas within the plant require certain levels of protection.
Implement enclosures and hygienic segregation.
Continuously sanitize personnel, equipment, and materials.
Control fumes and odors from vehicles and materials.
Designate specific routes for materials to travel through.
Prioritize the processes of testing and cleanup.

For a free guide on food safety during construction, click here.