Common causes of Construction delays.

What is a construction delay? Well in lamens terms anything that prevents a site from moving forward is a delay.

There are many different causes of construction delays However many of them can be prevented.

Weather, well we all might be thinking that we cannot control the weather, which is 100% correct, however one can watch the weather forecasts closely and plan ahead as far as possible.
There are many reliable weather sites available to us now days, so one should make use of them and plan accordingly IE one cannot lay roof sheets if you are expecting gale force winds, and you cannot pour concrete when it is raining.

There is however an old saying in the industry “ rain before 7 clears by 11” not too sure how true this is but it’s something I have heard many times before.

• Insufficient funding, Oh yes MONEY can make or break a site. If the budget is not sufficient enough then this can have an enormous impact on the project, or if funding is not adequately released during the correct phases of the project then this too can have a huge impact, as this impacts delivery of goods, wage payments etc.
• Decision making, Yip you heard right, if the Client cannot make up their mind during the project then this will cause serious delays, as well as if the client is changing their mind constantly, as the contractor and their subbies must now sit and wait for the final decision because if the contractor make his own decision then the client might not pay.
• Poor Coordination. Now I am sure that we have all heard contractors blaming subbies and subbies blaming contractors , however it boils down to poor coordination / Time planning, if a contractor does not order their materials timeously the manufacturer cannot produce it on time , causing delays. If the Subcontractor or manufacturer does not plan ahead, and manage their own production correctly this too will cause delays.
• Unskilled labour, Many people think it’s quite easy to lay bricks, or to tile, piping etc. when in actual fact if you do not know what it is that you are doing it will cost the site time and money to break done what has been done in order to fix it if it has not been done correctly leading in the obvious Time delays.
• Incorrect designs, Yes designs…. If the professional consultant has not done all the correct designs, just a simple error can cost a huge time delay on site to try and correct or amend to make the design work again…
• Then there is the ever popular Labour issue which is so common in South Africa. If you’re Labourers or SMME’s are not in agreement with regards to rates or wages, they often shut down an entire site and no further construction will commence until the dispute has been resolved.
• Community related issues, this can cause huge delays , especially if there has not been a community buy in on the project, because the project is been done within their community, it needs to be of benefit to them, and if they do not feel it is for the better of them, they will be stopping the project as well.

This leaves me to the conclusion that it’s definitely quite a stressful job being in the construction industry as everything needs to run like a well-oiled machine.

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

 

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Time Management

Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities.
Good time management enables you to work smarter and not harder in this way you get more work done in less time, even when time is tight and you are stressing.
It is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, productivity and efficiency.
It is a key aspect of project management and involves skills such as planning, prioritizing and setting goals for a better performance.Management

Essential time management skills: • Goal Setting • Prioritisation • Self-awareness • Self-motivation • Focus • Decision making • Planning • Communication Skills

Time Management of Construction Projects:

Time management is the organising and putting in to place a strategy related to the time required for work activities on a project. Effective time management is essential to successfully and efficiently meeting budget and programme targets, as well as achieving profitability.

Projects can risk unnecessary cost and delays as a result of bad or ineffective time management, either by failing to allow for the full details of the project or by failing to effectively manage the work schedule properly, In a large project the client may appoint a programme consultant to structure a detailed programme for the project at hand that includes an outline programme for construction if the contractor has not been appointed.

Once a contractor is appointed they will then take over the construction works but the programme consultant may continue to develop an overall programme for the client.
While in the planning stage all work activities needs to be properly understood and thought out. This needs to be planned in detail, meaning all work needs to be understood and the role everyone plays.

Estimates can be made of how long each activity will take. This is critical to the setting of millstones and deadlines, for allocation of resources, and for determining the pricing of contracts and cash-flow requirements.
Construction is a complex process, involving a number of activities and participants throughout the entire undertaking. The requisite tasks, as well as the responsibilities of the owner, architects, contractors, and subcontractors may be organized in many different ways to deliver the desired result.

Time management is critical for all in the construction process, including Contractors, Architects, Owners, and Subcontractors. Professional management and administration of the contract time is crucial to avoiding and minimizing time and cost overruns.

To maximize the chances of success all that is involved need to have full understanding of:
• Delays and how they can happen.
• Basic concepts of schedule and delay analysis methodology.
• Critical path scheduling techniques, the accompanying scheduling specifications, and the software used.
• Pros and cons of numerous schedule and delay methods used by construction project participants.

Major factors impacting successful project delivery include:

• Construction brokering by the contractor
• Errors and insufficient time extensions, and varying site conditions.
• There is also the risk of uncertainty and misunderstandings in terms of what is an acceptable standard of proof for acceptable delays.

Justifying a Delay
Whenever a delay happens early attention and timely action of the owner or construction manager is required. It is important to identify the responsible party quickly, developing and implementing a plan of action.

To do so, it is of great importance to have an effective plan for preparing a timely assessment of changes and delays, making it possible to formulate a clear, brief, persuasive position on each of them.
Because time is finite, construction project managers must use their limited time as productively as possible. Below are some time management tips for construction managers to help them manage their time:

• Keep the project schedule at the forefront
• Prioritize your task list
• Delegate tasks as needed
• Conduct actionable meetings
• Communicate clearly and effectively
• Use the right tools

 

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Sources:
Science Direct
eSub

Women in Mining

Men continue to outnumber women in many industries and sectors. However, just because you’re outnumbered doesn’t mean you can’t be a huge success. Woman entering the mining industry is a fast growing phenomenon. Mining is seen mostly as a male dominated environment but this is changing.

Not so long ago, in the 1990’s when I was born, woman weren’t permitted to work. And now look at us! Dominating and working in all kinds of industries, showing that we can do anything and do it just as well.

Many steps have been taken to allow woman equal opportunity in this industry and South Africa is leading this movement.

Working in the mining industry can be a difficult journey and is often misunderstood. Initiatives in the form of bursaries have been introduced in an attempt to attract young women to compete in these male dominated sectors.

Barriers:

• It’s a mine, what did you expect? It’s going to be dark, dusty and hot. Greasy workshops, muddy sites and hot furnaces. Mines were not designed with Woman in mind. Some mines lack proper toilets and hygiene facilities but this is changing as we adapt to having Woman in the industry.

 

• Super Woman. You have to be considered tough and be willing to work hard and long hours. Most mines require overtime and this could mean waking up at 2am or trying to organize a baby sitter for the night shifts.
• Woman are seen as primary caregivers and you will need to balance life, childcare and work.

• Look, you will be working with Men and might experience verbal harassment in the workplace. Treat people well and do not entertain confrontation or get defensive. Show you’re a strong independent woman. Take the proper steps to report the incident.
• Some men won’t want to be led by a woman. “I’ve been doing this for years and don’t need to be told by a woman what to do or when to do it.”
• Gender Equality. You will not receive special treatment just because you’re a woman.

Benefits:

• Most Wanted. That’s right! Opportunities will come flying at you as you are one of the few woman qualified and able to work in the mining industry.
• It is a huge achievement to work within the mining industry and takes hard work and years of studying. Bragging rights.
• Role Model. Other young females studying mining engineering will have you as their poster on their wall.
• The Money. Always go where the money is.

Money

I know you were all thinking it. Is it worth it? Well, just like any other job, the money depends on your experience and what position you hold in the workplace.

I read about a 37 year old woman named Bukelwa Dwenya, who works at Sibanye Mine in Rustenburg, North West. She said she earned about R20 000 a month excluding her bonus and other benefits and worked 8 hours a day like you and I do. She is responsible for lowering and lifting workers in a cage down to a depth of about 11 000m throughout the day.

The average mine worker earns about R109 to R120 per day. There are also other positions such as in management or drilling operations, drivers or safety officers.

I read that Impala Platinum Mines’ salary for a driver was sitting at R7000 per month and about R52 000 per month for a safety officer.

Tenders

More money 😉 Get tender opportunities for your mining business through an extensive resource of online tender notices at Leads 2 Business. Successfully applying for the correct tender can help you to win large orders and grow your business. By partnering with Leads 2 Business, we offer you a large database of mining opportunities in Africa and Southern Africa.

Fashion

Mining clothing has changed and is now tailored to woman and their needs. Many clothing companies have managed to create comfort through intelligent and innovative designs. There are many things to consider when creating clothing for mine workers.

• Ensure maximum safety
• Visibility
• High standards and quality
• Performance
• Durable
• Movability

As a woman, wearing a full overall is not ideal, especially when you need the loo and you have to fully undress in a little stall.

Covergalls is one of the sites I have been looking at and they have come up with some pretty nifty ideas. They made woman’s mining clothing with a roomier chest area, the right length and adjustable waistband (lord knows how we need this). They also have a hidden zipper leading to a trap door solving the whole bathroom dilemma mentioned previously! Immediately I went to look at the colours you can choose from – Navy Blue, Safety Orange, Royal Blue and red. Hamm I didn’t see hot pink anywhere? Hopefully this is in the pipeline 😉

 

Types of Mining

• Coal mining
• Gold mining
• Surface mining
• Underground mining
• Subsurface mining

 

Should I do it?

Listen, from what I have read, it’s no picnic. It seems like one of the toughest industries and I’m not going to sugar coat it. You will need to work hard and be one tough cookie! Take nothing to heart and know your worth. Work until they no longer see you as “Just a Woman” but as a leader. If you feel you can do it and are passionate about mining, I’m sure it would be absolutely worth it. There are many perks and I think it would be an amazing opportunity. I would say – “Go for it.”

 

SA Schools of Mines

• University of South Africa (UNISA) – I had a look at mining engineering, this is an 8 year course.
• University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) – Johannesburg, South Africa
• University of Johannesburg – Johannesburg, South Africa

 

Change your mind set, adapt to the ever changing world and grow with the future. Know more – do more.

 

#WomenInMining #MiningEngineers #Mining #MiningTenders #MiningInSouthAfrica #Women #EqualOpportunity #MiningIndustry #WinningWomen #GoldMining #Diamonds #Coal #CoalMining #Covergalls #ProtectiveClothing #MiningInAfrica #MiningWoman #MiningPeople #WIM #WiMSA #MiningIndustry #WorkingWomen #WomenMiningEngineers #LadiesInMining #SchoolOfMines #Equality #GenderEquality #FaceofMining #MiningUniversity #MiningDegree #MiningLadies #GoldMine #Miners #UndergroundMining #MiningSector #FutureOfMining

 

Sources:
Wikipedia
Mining Review

 

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What is the difference between opencast & underground mining?

Mining is something quite extraordinary. When we think of mining we think dusty, dark, unflattering settings. In contraire it is quite in fact the opposite.

 

So what is open cast mining?

Open cast mining is the removal of rocks or sediments that contains minerals, with economically important elements.

The advantages of open cast mining:
• More cost effective, than shaft mining
• The working conditions are safe for miners, there is no risk of toxic gases or cave ins
• Trucks and mining machinery can move around freely

Have you ever wondered what extraordinary materials are extracted from the open pit mining?

Here are a few:
• Coal – used for electricity generation, steel production, cement manufacturing
• Marble – Used for its beauty in architecture & sculpture
• Granite – Used in countertops, floor tiles, cemetery monuments
• Metal ores – important to industry & trade, like gold, copper & iron
• Diamonds – are known for their durability & lustre. Aside from being a beautifully polished gem, diamonds are also used to cut, grind or drill other materials.

Underground mining uses different underground mining techniques to excavate hard minerals, such as ore which contains, gold, copper, silver zinc. Underground mining not only produces gold, copper & silver but also precious gems like diamonds & rubies.

The advantages of underground mining:
• There are no damages to the surface environment or mine area
• The ground does not require blasting with explosives
• There is a higher production volume
• Cost effective than surface mining

The types of underground mining:
• Room & pillar mining –
• Longwall mining
• Slope mining
• Block caving

Mining is important to the South Africa Economy. Not only is gold one of the biggest exports it also creates one million jobs.

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Sources:
Ritchie Wiki
Born 2 Invest
Wikipedia
Sciencing
EBRD
Brand South Africa

The world’s biggest diamonds.

 

Diamonds dates back billions of years, and tells a tale of beauty, wealth and spirit. The word ‘Diamond’ originated from the Greek word ‘adamas’, which means unconquerable or unbreakable.  For thousands of years diamonds have stood for far more than just a beautiful sparkly gem.

The Pharaohs believed that diamonds represented the sun (a symbol of power, courage and truth).  In Ancient India it symbolized clarity and invincibility. Ancient Greeks believed diamonds to be the tears of the gods. In the middle ages it was believed that the diamond was a miracle stone, having exceptional healing abilities. In Europe, 322BC, diamonds were reserved only for Kings as it stood for strength, courage and invincibility and by the 1600 – 1750 diamonds symbolised ultimate prosperity and wealth among woman and men.

The tale of the modern diamond market really begins with the discovery of diamonds in Kimberly round about 1866. South Africa plays one of the most important roles in the history of diamonds as 65% of all diamonds were mined in SA and some of the world’s most famous diamonds have been discovered in SA.

 

Here are 8 of the world’s biggest diamonds ever to be discovered:

Sergio (3,167 carats)

The Sergio is the largest carbonado (black) diamond ever found. It is also the largest rough diamond ever found. This very rare diamond was discovered in the state of Bahia in Brazil in 1895. Carbonado is the toughest form of natural diamond which is an impure form of polycrystalline diamond consisting of diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon. Like many other carbonado diamonds, it’s believed to be of a meteoritic origin. The diamond was discovered by Sérgio Borges de Carvalho.  The diamond was broken up into smaller 3-6 carat pieces as industrial diamond drills.

 

Cullinan Diamond (3,106.75 carats)

The Cullinan Diamond was discovered by Sir Thomas Cullinan in 1905. This largest gem quality rough diamond which was ever found was discovered in the Premier No. 2 mine in Cullinan, South Africa.  The Cullinan was placed on sale in London in April 1905 and despite a large amount of interest stayed unsold after 2 years. The Transvaal Colony government bought the Cullinan in 1907 and presented the diamond to King Edward VII on his 66^th Birthday.  The Cullinan was cut into various sizes such as Cullinan I (also known as the Great Star of Africa) and is the largest clear cut diamond in the world and is mounted in the head of the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross. Cullinan II is the second-largest (also known as the Second Star of Africa) and is mounted in the Imperial State Crown. Both these diamonds form part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II privately owns 7 other major diamonds which was cut from the Cullinan. These diamonds she inherited from her grandmother, Queen Mary in 1953.

Excelsior Diamond (955.20 carats)

This diamond was known as the largest gem-quality diamond in the world from the time it was discovered on 30 June 1893 until 1905 when the Cullinan Diamond was discovered.  The Excelsior diamond was discovered at Jagersfontein Mine, South Africa, in a shovelful of gravel that was being loaded into a truck by a worker.  The diamond was unsold for many years before the owners of the diamond made the decision to cut the stone in the several smaller stones, which meant that it would never be a single large spectacular stone. The diamond was of a blue-white tint colour.

 

Star of Sierra Leone (968.9 carats)

With the discovery of this Diamond in the Diminco alluvial mines in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone on 14 February 1972, it was ranked the fourth largest diamond found. This diamond was also ranked as the largest Alluvial diamond ever to be discovered, which is the term used to describe diamonds which has been removed from the primary source (the kimberlite pipe) by natural erosive action over an extended period of time and finally deposited into a new environment such as a river bed. The diamond was cut into an emerald shaped stone, but was re-cut at a later stage due to an internal flaw.  This resulted in 17 separate diamonds of which 13 were deemed to be flawless.

 

The Incomparable Diamond (890 carats)

Discovery of this Diamond was near MIBA Diamond Mine, Democratic Republic of the Congo and was found in a pile of rubble from mine dumps by a young girl in 1984. The rubble was considered to be too bulky to contain any diamonds and therefor had been discarded.  The young girl gave the diamond to her uncle, who then sold it to a diamond dealer. Once the diamond was transported to Belgian, it took years of master craftsmen to cut this diamond into a gorgeous yellow-brown diamond.

Millennium Star (777 carats)

This near to perfect diamond was discovered in the Mbuji-Mayi district of Zaire in 1990 and is currently owned by De Beers Company. This pear-shaped stone is stunningly flawless internally and externally and is known to be the second largest top-colour rating diamond in the world. This diamond is one of the most beautiful diamonds in the world, and experts have declared it to be priceless.

 

The Woyie River Diamond (770 carats)

This beautiful diamond was discovered in Koidu, Sierra Leone in 1945 and at the time was the largest alluvial diamond ever to be found. The rough diamond was brought to London in 1947 where it was viewed by Queen Mary and later exhibited in 1949 at the British Industries Fair.

 

The Golden Jubilee (755 Carats)

This gorgeous yellow-brown coloured gem was discovered in South Africa in 1985 and was first known as the “Unnamed Brown” due to its colour. The diamond remained unknown to the outside world until 1990 and required 2 years work to bring this beauty to its current state. The diamond was purchased by a group of Thai business people led by Henry Ho in 1995. It was arranged for the diamond to be given as a gift from the people to King Bhumibol to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the King’s accent to the throne. It was received on his behalf in 2000 by his daughter, Princess Matia Chari Sirindhom and is now on display in the Royal Museum at Pimammek Golden Temple Throne Hall in Bangkok as part of the crown jewels.

As one of the world’s most precious substances, diamonds have been greatly desired across the globe for countless ages. They are changeless and astonishingly durable. The powerful symbolism they embody only adds to their tremendous worth.
Diamonds don’t get old, they only become more valuable.

That’s why they perfectly represent love, power, and the majesty & mystery of the universe.

 

Sources:
Wikipedia
Flickr
Pixabay

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Smart Highway

To be honest, I had never even heard of the term “Smart Highway”. It is not a term you would use for our highways and I tend to avoid the highway at all cost. Accidents, traffic jams, big trucks…it can be a nightmare!

So, What is it?

According to Wikipedia the ‘Smart highway’ and Smart road are terms for a number of different proposals to incorporate technologies into roads for generating solar energy, for improving the operation of autonomous cars, for lighting and for monitoring the condition of the road.

We always need to make sure our cars are roadworthy, but our roads are not always car-worthy. Most of us have had our soul leaving our body and apologising profusely to our beloved cars when hitting a pothole that you could probably swim in.

So now how can ‘Smart Highways’ or ‘Smart Roads’ help us?

Roads that may be able to think, feel and predict the needs of people and the vehicles that travel on them? Roads that have an environmental conscience and can help improve our safety?
Roads that could maybe actually make a difference to the world?
Apparently they are very much in the pipeline.

Solar Roadways:
The main purpose of solar roadways is to replace asphalt roads with Solar Panels which generate energy through the sun that can be used by local houses or businesses that are connected to the system from either the house’s driveway or the business’s parking lot.

Road Markings:
Photo-luminescent paint for road markings, which was developed by Studio Roosegaarde and Heijmans in the Netherlands, absorb light during the day and can glow for up to 10 hours.

Solar Road Panels:

There are 3 layers that make up the solar panels:
1. The Road Surface Layer – The Road Layer is the High Strength layer that has the photovoltaic cells which attracts the sun’s rays, has traction so vehicles won’t slide off the road, and it is waterproof to protect the layers below.

2. The Electronic Layer – The Electronic Layers contain a mini microprocessor board that helps control the heating element of the panels. This technology can help melt the snow that lands on the panels so that hazardous road conditions will no longer be an issue in snowy weather. This layer can sense how much weight is on the panels and can control the heating element to melt the snow.

3. The Base Plate Layer – The Base Plate Layer is the layer that collects the energy from the sun and then distributes the power to the homes or businesses connected to the solar roadways. This will also be used to transfer the energy to cars as they drive over the strip to recharge the battery

Smart Pavement:
Photovoltaic pavement is a form of pavement that generates electricity by collecting solar power with photovoltaics. Parking lots, foot paths, driveways, streets and highways are all ideal locations where this material could be used.
Frost protection and melting snow, ice:
Snowmelt systems using electricity or hot water to heat roads and pavements would be installed in various locations. With snow and ice melt systems deployed to obstruct winter weather, this would mean that deaths, accidents, governmental and insurance costs, economic losses, and personal auto expenditures could be reduced.

But the Smart Highway is not just all solar.
The current roads are very expensive to maintain and don’t do much other than allowing above-ground transportation.
A concept that involves replacing common asphalt paving with sophisticated and upgradeable factory-made concrete slabs are currently being developed by Integrated Roadways in the USA that will give the roadways the ability to detect vehicles and know where they are in real time.
Smart roadways would be able to call first responders to the site of an accident by knowing where vehicles are and how fast they were going. It would also be able to collect real-time information on road conditions and congestion data, letting drivers (and self-driving cars) choose the route that is the most efficient and safe.
There are also reports on a technology that will use small turbines to catch the updraft from passing cars and use it as a source of energy, powering street lights by attaching specialised turbines to each. The turbines would be designed to be aesthetically pleasing by looking like small works of art, rather than the future of roadway energy generation.Asphalt and the New Materials Building These Roadways
New materials for roadway construction are also being explored, which will take traditional asphalt, aggregates and glassphalt to new applications. The American Ceramics Society have been discussing an updated “smart concrete” that will embed sensors, wireless connections and similar technology into pre-cast concrete panels. Dowel bars will connect the slabs into an integrated modular system, creating a continuous paved roadway. Access ports in each slab will allow the technology to be serviced without requiring the slab to be destroyed or replaced. Applications of new materials for roadway construction could address many of the problems that the weight and increased traffic face on the current roadways. Cement, sand and aggregate will also be freed up for other building applications.

The smart highway/road will be more ‘animated’ than its conventional ‘inanimate’ predecessor. The road will come with sensors, data capture capabilities, the ability to be responsive to changes in the environment but perhaps most importantly, be connected. Roads will be able to ‘talk’ to cars, bicycles, traffic lights and even cities. We could all benefit from quicker, safer and more effective trips, not to mention get back time that is lost to traffic jams as well as the positive environmental impact that is likely to follow building such a road would bring.

This all sounds so great. Will it ever reach South Africa? We will just have to wait and see.

 

Sources:
Wikipedia
Inmotion Ventures
Firmatek
EWN

 

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Solar & kinetic roads

Energy is the basic need for the development of the modern world, however when we think of the future most of us have started to think negatively about the planet and what humankind is doing to our home.
There are still some believers out there who believe that they can make a difference to the world and they are doing everything possible to change it.

 

Solar Roadways was founded in 2006 by Scott and Julie Brusaw, when they first introduced roads with integrated solar panelsin 2006. They claim that their technology could be a game changer in the attempt to make our planet more sustainable.

They have created the first prototype “solar panel roads” – this will replace all conventional tar roads.

This will not only create jobs in every country it is brought into, but it will also increase road safety with its built-in LED system that can inform drivers of any accidents that may be ahead or any other obstructions in the road.

South Africa can really benefit from something like this with its current energy shortages and problematic power plants. Imagine the roads you are driving on bringing electricity to the country, this would drop the rising electricity prices and provide safe roads for all to travel on.  With the introduction of this into our country there would also be an increase in jobs in this new sector, new skills to be learnt and the solar panels only have to be replaced when faulty.

 

So what are these “SMART’’ road panels and what makes them so special.  Well, if my research is anything to go by, then these revolutionary little solar panels could promise to pack quite the eco-punch.

The solar roadway is a road; a series of solar panels, structurally engineered to be driven upon.
Solar Roadway panels are made of tempered (safety) glass.
Glass was chosen for its hardness, strength, durability, and transmittance.
Solar Roadway glass is textured to create proper traction for vehicles and pedestrians.
Each unit is made of top and bottom glass panels, with the other components such as solar cells and LED lights enclosed in between.

 

The objective of the solar roadways is to be able to tap and store as much energy as possible to be used in business & domestic consumption. It is a revolutionary way of finding solutions to the petroleum-based asphalt roads, and the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity
One advantage of this project is that it is will enable the world to cut down on greenhouse emissions by half.
One major difference one will notice when comparing Solar Roadways glass panels to traditional tar roads is aesthetics. The hexagonal panels are quite a work of art and will dramatically beautify roads, highways etc. Unlike tar roads,
Solar Roadway panels are impervious to potholes. The repair of potholes is expense, and an unnecessary inconvenience to motorists, (with the panels) you can merely remove one and fix it (No more potholes to deal with)

In China, one of the world’s first solar highways is taking shape.

In France, a 1 kilometer-long strip of road is made entirely out of solar panels. This trial solar panels is to be tested for 2 years to see how much electricity its can generate.

In the Netherlands the newest bike paths doubles as a solar energy generator that helps power surrounding neighborhoods.

One major drawback of this project is its start-up and maintenance costs
South African governments are not moving fast enough to progress the uptake of solar energy, let alone solar road energy.

 

Could the solar panel superhighway be the power station of the future?

 

Sources:
Solar Roadways
Wikipedia
Ecopreneurist
Slate
Nootrix

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Software to help benefit companies in construction

Jeepers! Where to even begin?!

Technology has transformed our lives in unimaginable ways. And for a lot of us, these systems can be a bit daunting.
There are so many different types of software that are able to benefit various types of professionals within the construction industry, that we often don’t know which would be most effective or relevant to our businesses.

So why even consider any of these systems? Since construction work happens manually, and work progresses on site through multiple visits and contracts, some large construction projects sometimes take years to complete. Digitizing a few processes might assist with getting the work done faster and better!

Let’s have a look at the biggest benefits of having a construction management software in place:

Having a system in place that will assist you with analyzing and tracking processes from conceptual to handover which keeps detailed notes of which persons are in charge of which tasks, date of completion, etc., will help keep track of delays and pick up where the faults lie. It also makes it easier to bridge the communication gap between customers, managers and the rest of the team, which in turn increases the proficiency of performance and helps mid-project changes a breeze to keep track of.

Allocating jobs to each professional also becomes an easy task.

Cost Estimation – In today’s day and age, this has to be the most important process to have in place within the construction industry. Due to human error being so real, there is no room for mistakes when it comes to cost estimation. This could make or break winning a tender. Construction software maintains financial data in a secure way, with automated calculations & predictions.

How much easier can it be? This software assists with sending out bills, generating invoices and tracking payments that need to be made and/or received. Pretty cool, right?

Project & Tender Information Platforms – This is where Leads 2 Business comes in! It’s imperative for any construction professional to know what projects are coming up where and when. The planning process is one of the most important steps to building your brand and growing your business.
To have a provider, such as Leads 2 Business, that is able to notify you and keep track of projects and tenders of interest, saves you time, money and effort. Being in the know of who to approach and when will put you that much closer to winning that tender.

These are but a few of the many construction software systems out there that are able to benefit anyone within the industry. What a time to be alive! Gone are the days of sitting in front of the fax machine waiting for a 500 page tender document to be sent (one page at a time, can you even imagine?!)
With construction management software, all project management documents are stored in a safe place and because all documents to each project are stored in a single location, important information is simply one click away! Being able to share these documents with every professional involved also becomes a lot easier, which prevents time wasted hunting through piles and piles of paperwork.

Here are a few links to some of these great software systems:

CCS (Construction Computer Software)
IntelliBuild
Agile
Contract Communicator Systems
EJM Construction Software

 

With all this amazing technology right at our fingertips, why would we still choose the old fashioned way?

As scary as it may be, the future is exciting! All we have to do is submit to it – work smarter, not harder!

Sources:
Construction Computer Software

Contract Communicator

https://www.jonasconstruction.com/blog/top-10-benefits-construction-management-software/