BW Kennedy & Co, a Massachusetts-based company established in 2009, has quickly grown into a world-leading innovative and reputable construction firm with a strong portfolio primarily in the life science sector. At its core, its company’s mission is to foster collaboration and partnership with its clients, an approach that Angelos Makras takes to heart in his role as Project Manager, Planning & Preconstruction, as he works with his clients to marry their requirements from the design phase through to the actual construction.

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Bridging this gap between the design and construction phases of client projects requires Makras to not only understand and accurately define his clients’ requirements but it requires a specific and often-overlooked focus in facilitating the initial preconstruction site logistics planning, which is a critical component in ensuring the project stays within budget and schedule to meets the client's expectations. He has been an early adopter and innovator of new digital tools and technologies on the market, which has helped him, and his team achieve success by delighting their clients time and time again, thereby building a repeat customer base.

We're simply helping our clients take an idea that they have and put it into practice. So, innovative technologies such as BIM and 4D simulation, combined in cmBuilder, allow us to seamlessly put those thoughts onto one shareable document or one shareable platform that essentially tells a story to clients through the simulation.

- Angelos Makras - Project Manager, Planning & Preconstruction at BW Kennedy & Co.

Reflecting on the most significant trends in construction technology in the past decade, Makras recognizes the revolutionary impact of cloud-based collaborative tools and Building Information Modeling (BIM). The industry’s shift from traditional pen-and-paper methods to these digital platforms has dramatically streamlined processes and boosted efficiency; cmBuilder is very much at the intersection of these two shifts, allowing for BIM-based project planning workflows on the web.

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Since early 2022, BW Kennedy has been leveraging the cmBuilder platform to deliver 100% cloud-based 4D construction site logistics planning and sequencing simulation. Through its powerful 4D simulations, the cmBuilder platform streamlines the planning, modeling, simulation and communication of everything from the flow of materials coming to and from the site, to the use of cranes and other temporary works, traffic management, and worker safety, altogether driving increased efficiency throughout the entire construction phase.

Looking towards the future, Makras foresees several intriguing developments in the construction technology landscape. He anticipates an uptick in the usage of prefabrication due to tighter schedules and higher demand in the market, combined with the use of 3D printing to streamline supply chain challenges. Robotic construction, drone utilization, wearable technologies, and innovative green materials also appear on his radar, along, of course, with the broader adoption of 3D and 4D modeling.

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When it comes to site logistics and planning or 4D build sequencing, Makras highlights the value that the cmBuilder platform brings to their projects. The platform allows them to illustrate their thoughts and plans on a shareable platform that tells a story through simulation, not just directly to their clients, but to all other stakeholders previously not able to be part of this early-stage planning. These virtual presentations can easily be shared with anyone involved, making them a powerful tool in a world increasingly shifting to cloud-based, virtual collaboration.  

BW Kennedy’s experience with cmBuilder started small with Makras needing to run a crane analysis on a single project, which quickly had them discovering that the platform offered much more than just that. Soon after, they were expanding their use of the cmBuilder platform by creating comprehensive logistics plans in 3D & 4D, providing a clearer project execution narrative to both clients and subcontractors, and fostering a more comprehensive safety plan with clearer expectations for all parties involved.

Looking ahead, the partnership between BW Kennedy and cmBuilder highlights the transformative role of technology in construction. With the BW Kennedy team building some of the most ambitious projects on the east coast and investing in best in class, cloud-based collaboration tools to embrace the latest technological advancements in the market, the future of construction looks safer, and more efficient and sustainable, than ever before.

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