Radically reduce rework: Key takeaways from our webinar

04 July 2023

Construction rework not only diminishes margins and destroys project schedules, but also results in a staggering annual waste of $625 billion globally.

Resulting in 2 billion tonnes of material waste annually; in a time when the planet's future health relies on sustainable building, it's impossible to ignore rework’s broader existential implications.

In our latest webinar, "An $18 Billion Opportunity: How to Radically Reduce Rework,” our Founder & CEO, David Mitchell, leads a panel of experts – Jonathan Munkley, Co-Founder of Zero and Technical Director – Digital Services Lead at WSP, and Steve Green, Tech Working Group Member at GIRI and Framework Bid Writer at Bowmer and Kirkland – to tackle the irritating issue of rework and explore the tools available to regain control over projects.

Deploying cutting-edge technology to build it right, first time

“The technology already exists to execute projects completely error-free.” – Jonathan Munkley, Co-Founder of Zero

The panel discusses how until recently the construction industry lacked technology with the capabilities to proactively address mistakes and rework; previous verification and validation processes were reactive, like laser scanning, only identifying mistakes after they’d already taken place and incurred substantial costs.

Additionally, the augmented reality (AR) technologies previously available failed to produce the level of accuracy that would make them useful onsite, with users often experiencing drift and being unable to load large or complex design models.

The arrival of the Atom™, however, the world’s most accurate Engineering Grade Augmented Reality (AR) headset solution, signaled a transformative shift, empowering construction crews to validate installations in real-time, ensuring projects are built right, first time.

The destructive fallout of poor communication

The panel also delves into the devastating consequences of inadequate communication and how it leads to errors and rework, and how the Atom solves this problem by facilitating a continuous, seamless information flow between field teams and offices, enabling real-time data to ensure that everyone is working from the latest design iterations.

Additionally, David and the experts examine the tremendous confusion that arises from the reliance on 2D drawings onsite; it’s very difficult to keep track of the large volume of ever-changing PDFs.

Interacting with 2D representations also presents its own challenges – two-dimensional drawings can be difficult to interpret and visualize in three dimensions, leading to misunderstandings and mistakes.

Design in 3D. Build in 3D. Validate in 3D.

Deploying an immersive augmented reality technology such as the Atom in combination with a solid BIM process allows the client, the contractor and the design teams to visualize their project in 3D from the very beginning, aligning their goals at the outset.

This facilitates a collaborative process that lasts throughout the project’s whole build lifecycle.

Sustainable building with the Atom

The panel experts also discuss how rework significantly impacts the planet through material waste. Thus, the Atom is an effective solution that enhances sustainability by eliminating rework and therefore minimizing environmental consequences.

Solving the rework problem with innovative tech

A key takeaway from the webinar is that forward-thinking construction industry leaders are realizing that tech offers the most effective solution to the rework problem.

“[The Atom] can save you money by catching errors early.” – Steve Green, Tech Working Group Member at GIRI

The Atom proactively identifies mistakes, preventing clashes saving you valuable time and money.

To learn how the Atom is tackling the rework problem, watch the webinar "An $18 Billion Opportunity: How to Radically Reduce Rework.”

Take a deep dive into our ground-breaking research report exploring the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the US & UK construction industry: https://www.xyzreality.com/resources/constructing-tomorrow