Improving Project Efficiency with Pre-Construction Services

Improving Project Efficiency.png

A vital yet often overlooked part of any project development process, pre-construction services build a strong foundation that supports fewer delays and problems, higher-quality outcomes, and much happier clients. South Florida Controls offers pre-construction services to project design teams, helping them identify opportunities earlier in the process while avoiding issues that typically occur later in traditional projects.  What is Pre-Construction? 

In a project’s initial planning stage, the client, design team, and construction partner work closely to develop detailed drawings, budgets, schedules, and labor projections. This pre-construction phase requires frequent communication between the core team and any other project consultants. A comprehensive pre-construction strategy is critical to ensuring the project goes as planned and all potential needs are identified and addressed. 

SFC’s Approach to Pre-Construction Services 

As a technology and integration partner, South Florida Controls acts as a trusted resource to project design teams. We join project team meetings as needed and attend and participate in discussions about: 

  • Technology of networks 

  • IT 

  • Building automation 

  • Smoke control 

  • Access control and lighting control systems 

We also advise and assist design teams on the integration of these systems. 

Pre-Construction Phase Outputs 

Essential components of any major construction project SFC consults on include: 

  • Value Engineering 

  • Change Order Reduction 

  • Project Cost Savings 

  • Infrastructure Consolidation 

  • Scope Gaps 

Deliverables can consist of: 

  • Conceptual system architectural drawings including features and functions identified such as: 

    • Study requirements for the project. 

    • Providing conceptual drawings for evaluation early in the decision process, so the team can make accurate decisions concerning systems and options. 

    • Evaluating obstacles to networking and integration. 

    • Providing recommendations. 

  • Sequence of Operation Evaluation/Development 

    • Gap analysis between mechanical systems specifications and intended sequence. 

    • Recommendations on clarification language for mechanical system specification. 

    • Recommended enhancements to improve comfort and energy efficiency. 

    • Mechanical factory-provided equipment option review and clarification. 

  • Integration evaluation document - provides an evaluation of integration of special systems (needs and application). As the design team evaluates special systems, their application, and various options, SFC evaluates each of the integration opportunities to include: 

    • Budgetary costs. 

    • Ease or difficulty of the integration. 

    • Risk in the application. 

    • Integration protocol. 

    • Protocol standardization. 

    • Predicted integration outcome. 

    • Other recommendations. 

  • Building Automation Schematics and Design Documentation including control drawings and schedules as required to be included in the project specification as well as design documentation such as control device data sheets, part numbers, etc. 

  • Study replacement vs. extension of existing systems. SFC provides an evaluation document that sets out: 

    • Cost benefit to determine beneficial use of reusing existing equipment. 

    • Wiring and installation advantages and liabilities. 

    • Software and programming application. 

  • Commissioning Process evaluation which includes: 

    • Evaluating commissioning Cx scope of work. 

    • Providing enhancements to help streamline the process. 

    • Offering recommendations to eliminate the duplication of work. 

    • Assisting in the development of Pre-Functional Test checklist documentation. 

    • Assistance in the development of Functional Test scripts. 

  • Responsibility Matrix. SFC develops a responsibility matrix for design team review and approval that lays out installation responsibility for each of the contractor trades involved.  The goal is to define clear responsibilities which will provide for tighter and lower bid dollars at the bid date. 

Thorough and efficient pre-construction planning is essential to any project’s smooth progression and completion. Along with other enterprising solutions such as pull planning, prefabrication, and cloud engineering, it can be effective in getting a project completed on time which allows building owners, building managers, and construction managers to maximize their return on investment. 

 

Christopher Ramos