The cmBuilder community is a global community of curious, learn-it-all’s who want to collaborate with other industry leaders to make an impact on the construction industry. In this virtual roundtable event we chatted with industry trailblazers and cmBuilder customers about how they are utilizing cmBuilder on the front lines of technology and construction sites. Additionally, cmBuilder co-founder Javier Glatt offered an exclusive preview of the platform's upcoming features, as well as a glimpse into the long term vision of the platform. Our panelists for the event were:

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• Drew Rebman, Sr. VDC Manager, and Kyle Tomak, VDC Manager at HENSEL PHELPS
• James Harbin, Director of Construction Technology, and Carolyn Stovall, Assistant Survey Superintendent at JTM Construction
• Julien Bartolo, Director of Virtual Construction at DAVIS Construction
• Mike Bogdash, Preconstruction Field Manager at Landmark Properties

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HENSEL PHELPS

First up were Drew and Kyle from HENSEL PHELPS. They talked about the transformative impact of cmBuilder on logistics planning and project management within their organization, particularly in early site planning. Kyle elaborated on the evolution from traditional 2D to 3D planning, highlighting the struggle with scalability and maintenance of workflows and the challenge of making complex information accessible to field personnel, and talked about how cmBuilder has made this easy, in contrast to cumbersome legacy solutions. He highlighted cmBuilder’s capability to integrate various data types and streamline project management from procurement to closeout, noting a significant increase in efficiency and consistency across projects.

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“The benefit of cmBuilder to us is now we have a one-stop shop, from cradle-to-grave, from procurement to closeout for our projects…from bidding to planning to jobs in construction.”

- Kyle Tomak - VDC Manager at HENSEL PHELPS

Lastly, they talked about cmBuilder’s resource catalog, with custom resources developed quickly upon request. They highlighted the value of accurately representing project specifics, improving communication and planning accuracy. The conversation concludes with acknowledgment of the platform’s widespread adoption within their organization, driven by its user-friendliness and the tangible benefits seen in project management and execution.

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JTM Construction

Next up were James and Carolyn from JTM Construction, cmBuilder customers since 2019. James shared a project where they evaluated the feasibility of constructing an 18-story tower in a challenging urban environment. They appreciated the ability to run different construction scenarios in 3D, which ultimately helped them determine that the project was not feasible at the time, saving them from potentially costly mistakes.

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“We were trying to figure out a way that we could potentially make this work logistically, and quickly tested out scenarios with cmBuilder…traditionally you wouldn’t have this depth [of understanding], you would have spent a lot of time on site hoping you would figure it out and potentially impacting schedule and budget. Instead, we were able to put a very light effort in with cmBuilder…and realized it wasn’t feasible at this time”

- James Harbin - Director of Construction Technology at JTM Construction

Carolyn then discusses another project in downtown Seattle, highlighting the benefits of integrating 2D logistics plans with 3D modeling and scheduling software. This approach helped in visualizing the project's phases and managing logistics in a complex urban setting with many one-way streets. The ability to import scheduling data and update it as the project progresses was particularly valuable.

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The speakers emphasize the importance of feedback and interaction between the cmBuilder team and them as users, praising the responsiveness and the collaborative effort to improve the tool. James mentioned another project involving a refrigerator addition to a building, noting the usefulness of scanning the site for accurate topography and planning even for smaller-scale jobs. They highlight the software's value in improving project planning, logistics, and execution across different types of construction projects, from large-scale developments to smaller tenant improvements.

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DAVIS Construction

Julien shared his team’s recent experience and benefits discovered upon adopting cmBuilder for their projects, particularly in the context of office buildings in the DC area facing vacancies and repurposing due to COVID-19. Julien highlights the software's ease of use, enabling rapid familiarity and significant time and cost savings, especially in contrast to previous workflows involving tools like Revit and SketchUp. They emphasize cmBuilder's capability to streamline complex site logistics and safety planning, making it accessible to a broad range of personnel within the company, from field workers to executives.

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‍"We’ve always struggled with putting this information into everyone's hands. We have hundreds of projects going on. Doesn't matter what the dollar value is, there's always logistics and safety involved. So being able to now make [cmBuilder] available to just about everybody, 90% of the corporation, whether we're dealing with folks in operation, pre-construction, estimating, scheduling, safety, field services, scheduling, and a few others, it's nice that everyone is able to have access to the software."

- Julien Bartolo - Director of Virtual Construction at DAVIS Construction

A specific project mentioned is the transformation of an empty office space into a Hilton Hotel, where cmBuilder facilitated efficient communication and planning, contributing to a successful project pitch. Julien appreciates the software's collaborative features, such as live comments and the ability to integrate interactive elements like QR codes into presentations, enhancing client engagement and understanding.

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Julien also touches on the software's potential for improving planning, collaboration, and engagement with trade partners and clients through visual and interactive project representations. They conclude with optimism about integrating advanced features like point clouds and scan data, indicating a forward-looking approach to leveraging technology in construction management.

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Landmark Properties

Mike, was up last representing Landmark Properties, based in Athens, GA, the largest developer, builder, and end user of student housing in the country since 2004. He shares insights into a complex development project involving an existing temple in Syracuse on the National historical records, highlighting the challenges of tight site constraints, pricing issues, and the need for coordination between multiple architects and the preservation of historical structures. Mike praises the user-friendly nature of cmBuilder for facilitating project planning and coordination, emphasizing its utility for field superintendents transitioning from traditional to digital methods. He also discusses another project involving the redevelopment of an existing Walgreens in Berkeley, emphasizing the challenges of seismic regulations, water table restrictions, and logistical constraints due to surrounding infrastructure and the need for innovative construction methods like cutter soil mixing and precise tower crane placement. Mike values the ability to visualize and manage projects effectively through digital tools, acknowledging the learning curve but also the substantial benefits for project management and coordination.

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"The big thing that I found with the cmBuilder is, as a Superintendent, I don't need it to give it to no BIM guy. I don't need to give them something and it comes back. It's very user friendly. I will say if I can learn it I think anybody can."

- Mike Bogdash - Preconstruction Field Manager at Landmark Properties

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Product Update:

Javier, the co-founder of cmBuilder, shares an enthusiastic vision for the platform's future, emphasizing the goal of simplifying and accelerating the digital delivery process for construction projects. He highlights the importance of storytelling in project management, revealing upcoming features designed to enhance the presentation and collaboration capabilities within cmBuilder.

One significant update includes a new presentation mode with a timeline bar, offering a more intuitive and visually engaging way to share project milestones and simulations with stakeholders. This feature aims to provide a clearer understanding of a project's progress and timeline directly within the browser, without the need for post-editing, by allowing customization with company branding.

Javier also announces the direct support for Revit files, eliminating the need for intermediary file formats and simplifying the process of importing models into cmBuilder. This update responds to user feedback and reflects the platform's commitment to streamlining workflows and making project information more accessible.

Further, he discusses the platform's ongoing improvements in real-time collaboration, including commenting and multiplayer mode, which enable synchronous and asynchronous interactions among team members directly in the browser. These enhancements are part of cmBuilder's broader strategy to facilitate more efficient and effective project planning, execution, and communication.

Looking ahead, Javier outlines strategic goals to deepen the platform's capabilities in construction simulation and expand its integrations horizontally with other tools and services, such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, and reality capture workflows. This vision reflects a commitment to reducing friction in users' workflows and continuously improving the platform based on user feedback and industry needs.

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