Project Execution

This paper focuses on off-site construction from the perspective of prefabrication, and installation of preassembled building components within “traditional” site-built construction project delivery methods or systems. The paper validates the savings identified in earlier reports and adds definition and dimension to the advantages associated with prefabrication and modularization in the MEP and HVAC and sheet …

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Continuous improvement, as used in this paper and in the industry, is the name of an approach to improvement known and used around the world for decades. It applies to processes in the office, project or anywhere within the organization. The major components of continuous improvement are often referred to as an acronym, DMAIC: Define …

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Risk assessment, management, and mitigation are critical components to ensuring project success. This Risk Assessment Manual/Model: Develops understandable model calculations to assess risk factors Identifies risk mitigation options based on the nature and severity of the risks Documents the process so that it can be followed by contractors The report includes a documented process that …

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Boost Labor Productivity: HVAC Project Cost and Schedule Tracking using the Earned Value System Effective tracking of construction project cost and schedule deviations is essential for success. The New Horizons Foundation groundbreaking approach utilizes the Earned Value System to improve labor productivity for mechanical, HVAC, and sheet metal contractors and provide invaluable insights into project …

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Owners and managers are constantly searching for production improvement applications. A Kaizen Event, when properly planned, coordinated, and executed, can increase performance, with little or no capital expense, in seven significant ways: Increased productivity Reduced inventory Lower setup times Less waste Space use reductions Quality improvement Order-to-delivery time improvement To attain improved performance, management must …

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This project updates research conducted in 2005. The need for the update was driven by the increasing complexity of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and sheet metal construction industry. Advancements in technology, financial pressure, and customers seeking greater involvement and value from their projects are the main contributors to this complexity. A goal …

Continue reading “Thinking Lean – Tools for Decreasing Costs and Increasing Profits”

HVAC and sheet metal contractors are faced with the challenge of improving productivity to remain successful in an increasingly competitive industry. In an effort to meet these challenges, they are turning to preconstruction planning as a method for improving efficiency, and increasing profitability. The purpose of this implementation manual, developed as part of a three-phase …

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Changes in customer expectations in the construction industry regarding project delivery, time, cost, and quality have forced stakeholders to search for new operational models. While productivity increased significantly for most industrial sectors during the 1990s, it decreased for the construction industry. One cause of this is that the procurement chain management system is no longer …

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The lean production principles that have led other industries to higher profitability and lower costs are easily applicable to the sheet metal and HVAC industry. Lean thinking can help: reduce costs in the office, yard and fabrication areas reduce waste in the field by eliminating double handling, crews waiting and time spent searching for materials …

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Change on construction projects is inevitable, but the effects of change are often disputed among owners and contractors. The complete effects that change orders have on a project are difficult to quantify because they involve direct costs of extra materials and hours, as well as changes on the flow of work (its effect on labor) …

Continue reading “Quantifying the Cumulative Impact of Change Orders for Sheet Metal Contractors”