You—our customers, partners, the thousands of people using OpenSpace every day—are the reason we exist. You’re doing incredibly complex, high-stakes work, and we’re here to make that work clearer and easier.

Every workflow we rethink, every feature we ship, every late-night engineering sprint is in service of helping you make better decisions, faster—so you can keep the job moving.

What we’ve accomplished together in 2025

This was a monumental year for us, and it was genuinely shaped by your feedback, trust, and appetite to try new ways of working. Here are a few numbers I like to talk about, because they’re pretty great at telling that story:

• 62% of the ENR Top 400 GCs and trades have adopted OpenSpace into their operations
• You’re part of a community that now numbers 350,000 users across 125 countries working on over 80,000 projects
• You’ve documented more than 50 billion square feet of jobsite conditions, and counting
• You’ve captured more than a million drone images in OpenSpace, and counting
• You’ve reported 41% fewer insurance claims when using OpenSpace, driven by clearer documentation and faster decisions

These numbers are fun (50 billion square feet of imagery is a lot!), but they also show something deeper: the industry is shifting toward visual, reality-based ways of working. It’s just faster. It’s just easier. And it’s more trusted. And you’re leading the charge.

I’d like to share a handful of customer spotlights that shine a light on your successes::

• Suffolk Construction was an invaluable partner as we built OpenSpace Field. And the results speak volumes: Suffolk saw an 86% speed improvement in documenting issues using AI Autolocation and AI Voice Notes. Along with incredible time savings, their notes are high quality with properly assigned trades, drawings, zones, location, and other critical data. Watch this Waypoint session for more details.
• Our collaboration with Gilbane on OpenSpace Air is another example of great solutions coming out of great partnerships. Their feedback helped shape OpenSpace Air into the flexible, fully integrated, easy-to-use tool it is today. Check out the blog they wrote about our work together and how having drone imagery in OpenSpace means Gilbane doesn’t have to switch platforms or waste time with fragmented data.
• We’re inspired by the work Gap İnşaat is doing to improve safety workflows with their use of Field Notes in OpenSpace. By connecting Field Notes with Power BI, they’ve turned a manual, one-day-a-week reporting process into real-time visibility. Now, dashboards refresh every morning—a reduction of reporting time to near zero, safety observations are up 8X, and managers can take action the same day issues arise. Impressive numbers! Learn more in our case study.

2025: OpenSpace evolves into a Visual Intelligence Platform

We first announced Visual Intelligence at Waypoint 2025, and we’ve been talking about it since. When we started OpenSpace, the mission was simple—make it incredibly easy to document what’s happening on-site. Walk, capture, done. That was step one.

But capturing images was only the beginning. Builders need more than more photos—they need intelligence from those photos. Intelligence that’s fast, accurate, and embedded directly in the way the field works.

This year, that evolution became real. We’re using AI to understand what’s in your images and place them in the right context. And we’re reinventing punch, QA/QC, safety, and other workflows, to be fundamentally faster and more reliable, because they’re oriented around reality, not just words. Finally, and most importantly, Visual Intelligence surfaces the insights you need via our OpenSpace Progress Tracking product—when and where you need them, from the field to the office to the executive suite.

When you can truly see the state of the project, everything gets better. You get fewer surprises. Faster decisions. Better coordination. Lower risk. Teams aligned around the truth.

Here are some important ways our Visual Intelligence Platform is coming to life:

• OpenSpace Air: We brought drone imagery into the platform, giving you ground-to-sky visibility from day zero. Upload imagery from any drone and get orthomosaics, 3D meshes, and point clouds—automatically processed and connected to everything else happening on your site. And this month we’re adding more power to OpenSpace Air with measurement capabilities for distance, slope, area, volume, and cut/fill and virtual control points to help improve the alignment accuracy of orthomosaics.
• OpenSpace Progress Tracking: Following a partnership we announced in June, and months of working together and validating the technology in the field, we acquired Disperse, our progress tracking partner. This brings industry-leading, verified progress analytics directly into OpenSpace, which gives you trustworthy insight into what’s built and what’s not, so you can stay ahead of schedule and avoid costly surprises.
• OpenSpace Field (currently in Early Access): This is a big one. For the first time, field teams can use the device they already rely on—the smartphone—to capture site conditions, log issues, and record observations in seconds—way faster, way more accurate than older ways of doing things. Using our Spatial AI Engine, OpenSpace Field powers innovations like:
  • AI Autolocation: real time location, indoors, on your phone, on any project using OpenSpace
  • AI Voice Notes: just talk, and the note logs itself, all the fields get filled out automatically
  • Deep, two-way sync integrations with Procore and Autodesk Construction Cloud: so high quality visual information can flow between your systems of record
• New capabilities that make OpenSpace even easier to use: We rolled out features like AI Image Enhance to automatically sharpen your 360° images with a single click, and QuickCodes for saving valuable time on capturing and on training new users.

For more on what we delivered this year, watch our end-of-year product roundup webinar.

Looking ahead to 2026

By the way, we’re just getting started. In 2026, Visual Intelligence from OpenSpace will continue to bring construction back to its roots. As one superintendent told me this year, “Your guys’ technology is badass and amazing. But what I love about your new ways of doing things, is that it’s like the old way.” I so loved to hear that. We want to let builders rely on reality, not documents or opinions, to understand what’s happening on-site. Because the field—where projects are actually getting built—is where money is made or lost.

You’ll see this vision come to life with the full launch of OpenSpace Field, bringing super fast, image-first field workflows to the center of daily jobsite coordination. And we’ll continue to invest in our groundbreaking AI Autolocation technology, so that work you do in OpenSpace always has a location attached to it, automatically.

And we have a lot of work bubbling with our AI team based on your needs—building technology that truly understands reality data in images, location, and the meaning of those images. AI that understands reality, not just words. Spatial AI is the next generation of AI, and we’re going to bring its benefits directly to you.

That’s the future we’re building: helping you run projects with confidence, grounded in what’s actually happening—not in guesswork or outdated reports. And we’ll continue to make this happen with technology that’s incredibly intuitive, lets field teams continue to work how they work, and makes the truth of the jobsite visible to anyone who needs it.

I’m excited for what we’ll create together in 2026—to see how you combine OpenSpace tools with your irreplaceable expertise to build with clarity and confidence in the year ahead.

We’re happy to connect

Reach out to your OpenSpace representative to scale OpenSpace across more projects, and to learn more about how Visual Intelligence can help you turn jobsite visuals into insights you can act on.

Not an OpenSpace customer? Our hardworking team is ready to chat and give you a quick, live demo to show you how Visual Intelligence could look on your next project.

The post 2025: An inspirational year of innovation & building appeared first on OpenSpace.

January: Launching OpenSpace BIM+

We started 2024 with a big product announcement. To help our customers bridge the gap between the field and the office, we introduced OpenSpace BIM+. The product features user-friendly 3D tools that simplify routine tasks and enable construction teams to manage on-site coordination issues without requiring extensive BIM expertise or reliance on a VDC manager for common questions.

February: BW Workplace tells us how they leverage OpenSpace to engage with clients

BW Workplace Experts is a commercial fit out contractor in London and the South East, specialising in high quality fit outs. In February we got to sit down with Tom Parish, Technology Engineer, and Julian Eley, Senior Project Manager at BW to talk about how they use OpenSpace in their day to day, from client communications to subcontractor coordination. Read the full case study here.

March: Connected Construction with Procore

At OpenSpace we know that aligning multiple stakeholders and teams across construction projects can be a real challenge. This is why we have teamed up with Procore to streamline visual documentation, Observations, RFIs, snag lists, and QA/QC processes for construction teams. In March we had a joint webinar where we showcased how to leverage our integration with Procore to streamline workflows and eliminate data silos.

April: Our team at the National Construction Summit Ireland

In April we headed off to Ireland to showcase OpenSpace at the National Construction Summit Ireland. It was a pleasure to talk about our latest product innovations on stage, to make new connections at our booth, and to engage with existing customers and partners.

May: Top MEP contractors in the region capture with OpenSpace

At OpenSpace we are very proud that many of the leading MEP contractors in the UK and Ireland work with us to capture their projects, improve remote workflows and collaboration, and reduce site travel. In April TClarke officially announced their selection of OpenSpace across major London projects for site capture and project management. We also sat down with Padraic King from King & Moffatt, one of the largest mechanical and electrical contractors in Ireland, to talk about how they use OpenSpace and the value they’ve been seeing across national and international projects. Watch the full conversation here.

June: great conversations at Digital Construction Week

Digital Construction Week is THE industry event of the year in London with almost 7,000 attendees coming together to learn about the latest trends in digital construction. So of course we couldn’t miss this one. Our team had so many great discussions at our booth, we made fantastic new connections, and we were especially happy to catch up with some familiar faces.

July: bringing the team together at our summer social

At OpenSpace we work 100% remotely, so we make sure to regularly set aside some time to catch up face to face. We use this time to review the past quarter, to plan upcoming activities, and to have fun as a team. In July we discovered our passion for Padel, starting a new tradition for our quarterly team socials.

August: McLaren announces OpenSpace agreement

McLaren is one of the largest players in the UK construction industry. After a thorough RFP process, in August the company officially announced their selection of OpenSpace for AI-powered 360° reality capture across their UK projects. Read the complete announcement here.

September: joining our customers on-site

It’s always great to hear from our customers on how they are leveraging OpenSpace on their projects. It’s even more exciting to be invited on-site to learn more about the diverse projects our customers are working on. In September we headed to Scotland to meet up with the fantastic Robertson team at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh. An intensive restoration project of one of Edinburgh’s most significant cultural landmarks with many unique challenges, and a brilliant project team making it all happen.

October: weaving The Golden Thread from construction into operation

With the publication of the final Grenfell Report in September, the Building Safety Act has once again resurfaced as a key topic for the industry. We teamed up with George Stevenson from Activeplan and John Curry from JJ Rhatigan to discuss how 360 reality capture can be used to ensure as-built conditions are captured seamlessly throughout the construction process and about how data silos can be avoided. Watch the full webinar here.

November: event season

We’re always excited about any opportunity to showcase the value of OpenSpace in-person and to meet customers, partners, and new contacts face to face. November was our busiest month yet when it comes to events. We kicked the month off at a buzzing Digital Construction North in Manchester, then headed back down to London to catch up with industry peers at London Build, and finally got to meet some exciting companies in the infrastructure and civil engineering space at TechFest.

December: Mace shares their insights on how 360° reality capture solved an immediate need and delivered much more

Just a few months after mace commenced construction work on UCL East in summer 2019, the entire country went under lockdown. We sat down with Ivana Tudja, Associate Director for BIM and Digital Engineering at Mace, to talk about how her team has leveraged 360° reality capture to tackle the resulting challenges and managed to get a lot more value out of the solution in the end.

Time to reflect

As we say goodbye to 2024, we carry with us the priceless experiences, connections, and innovations that have shaped this remarkable journey. We look forward to continuing our ambitions and projects in the new year with new knowledge and strengthened partnerships.

On behalf of the entire team, we’d like to thank everyone who has been part of our incredible journey in 2024. Here’s to a successful and innovative year ahead!

Happy holidays,
Tamas Borodi, Regional Manager, UK/I, Northern & Eastern Europe

The post Team UK & Northern Europe lookback – a year full of innovation and collaboration appeared first on OpenSpace.

Making Connections on the Procore Exhibit Floor

As exhibitors, we had the chance to showcase OpenSpace’s reality capture technology and how it helps construction professionals simplify site documentation and collaboration. It was energizing to see so many familiar faces—catching up with existing customers and hearing their success stories using OpenSpace. Equally exciting was meeting new people and learning about their challenges, goals, and how OpenSpace might fit into their workflows.

The Procore exhibit floor was buzzing with energy, as always. From engaging booth setups to the latest industry innovations, it was clear Procore once again nailed the balance between education and networking. We left feeling inspired and grateful to be part of such a thriving construction technology community.

We also welcomed a very special visitor to the booth—Tooey Courtemanche, Procore’s CEO. Tooey stopped by to say hello and chat with our CEO, Jeevan Kalanithi. It was a great moment to exchange thoughts about the industry and share excitement about where construction technology is headed. Interactions like these underscore the collaborative spirit that makes Groundbreak such a unique and inspiring event.

A Toast to Collaboration at Wynkoop Brewing

Beyond the conference walls, we hosted a happy hour at Wynkoop Brewing, Colorado’s first brewpub. The warm, inviting space was the perfect backdrop for an evening of good beer and even better conversation. It was wonderful to unwind and connect with so many of you on a more personal level—sharing stories, insights, and a few laughs over a pint. Events like these remind us how much this industry thrives on collaboration and relationships.

Kudos to Procore

We’d be remiss not to give Procore a huge shoutout for their incredible work in organizing Groundbreak. The conference featured a variety of informative sessions that sparked meaningful discussions about the future of construction. The seamless execution of the event, from the exhibit floor to breakout sessions, made it easy to feel immersed in the experience.

Looking Ahead

As we wrap up another successful Groundbreak, we’re reminded of the power of community in construction. It’s always a privilege to come together with peers, share ideas, and work toward shaping the future of the industry. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, joined us at Wynkoop, or simply said hello—we’re grateful for your support and partnership.

Until next time, Groundbreak! Cheers to building stronger connections, one conversation at a time.

— The OpenSpace Team

The post OpenSpace at Procore Groundbreak: Connecting the people who build the world appeared first on OpenSpace.

To illustrate this point, here are some inspiring stories from Benelux customers that demonstrate the global appeal of OpenSpace in the construction sector.

How VORM uses OpenSpace to accelerate the construction of affordable homes.

VORM, a renowned real estate developer, uses OpenSpace to accelerate the construction of affordable housing. With OpenSpace’s advanced 360° reality capture solution, the team can work remotely and intuitively monitor construction progress. This has not only led to a significant reduction in travel time and costs but has also contributed to faster decision-making and better collaboration between different stakeholders. Thanks to OpenSpace, VORM can confidently deliver projects within tight deadlines while optimizing costs. Read the full story.

BAM benefits from viewing projects remotely, which fits seamlessly with hybrid working arrangements.

BAM, a leading construction group, has embraced OpenSpace to meet the demands of hybrid working arrangements. Using OpenSpace’s innovative platform, team members can remotely view issues and virtually participate in construction meetings and inspections. This capability has led to a better work-life balance for employees while still allowing them to be fully involved in projects from any location. BAM has found that OpenSpace plays a key role in supporting flexibility and enabling seamless collaboration, which in turn has contributed to increased productivity and customer satisfaction. Read the full story.

According to Geveke, OpenSpace helps gain the trust discussed in the WKB.

Geveke, a leading construction company, has embraced OpenSpace to meet the requirements of the Construction Quality Assurance Act (WKB). By leveraging OpenSpace’s extensive documentation and reporting features, Geveke can provide transparent and detailed visual data to construction inspectors and stakeholders. This capability has increased confidence in the quality and safety of the company’s projects and led to a smoother approval process. Geveke is convinced that OpenSpace has made a valuable contribution to gaining the justified trust that the WKB requires. Read the full story.

Principal benefits of reality capture according to our customers

These three customer stories illustrate the value OpenSpace brings to the construction industry. With advanced technologies that deliver efficiency, cost savings, and improved collaboration, OpenSpace is a driving force for innovation in the construction industry. Organizations such as VORM, BAM, and Geveke have proven that OpenSpace is the key to successful construction projects and an improved competitive position.

Here are some of the principal benefits customers share that they are experiencing when using OpenSpace:

Accelerated construction processes: As VORM’s experience has shown, our customers can benefit from accelerated construction processes thanks to the use of OpenSpace. The advanced 360° reality capture features enable them to monitor construction progress remotely, leading to faster decision-making and more efficient collaboration between different stakeholders. The improved efficiency allows projects to be delivered faster, which is cost-effective and provides a competitive advantage.

Flexibility for hybrid working practices: As BAM’s experience has demonstrated, OpenSpace customers have the option to view jobsites remotely, which fits perfectly with hybrid working requirements. Equipped with reality capture technology, team members can stay directly involved in projects from any location, giving them a better work-life balance while still enabling them to actively participate in meetings and inspections. The result is increased productivity and employee satisfaction.

Improved trust and quality assurance: As Geveke’s story illustrated, OpenSpace helps builders gain the justified trust that the Construction Quality Assurance Act (WKB) discusses. By utilizing comprehensive documentation and reporting features, customers can provide transparent and detailed visual data to construction inspectors and stakeholders. This capability increases confidence in the quality and safety of our customers’ projects and helps them move through the approval process more smoothly.

Better decision-making: Customers can make better decisions by leveraging the detailed and visual information that OpenSpace provides. Seeing the real situation on the construction site or in remote meetings allows teams to make more informed choices, leading to more successful projects and higher customer satisfaction.

Take the next step in your own innovation journey

In summary, all of these benefits contribute to the success and efficiency of OpenSpace customers in the construction sector in 93 countries and counting.

Are you interested in learning more about OpenSpace? Access our free product demo and start exploring OpenSpace now. Click around an actual customer project and capture data to see just how easy it is to navigate and collaborate.

The post OpenSpace Customer Stories: Innovation in the Construction Industry appeared first on OpenSpace.

There’s so much to take away from this show, both through the sessions and the conversations had in our booth. While there were many sessions I wanted to attend, I found myself with a bit of FOMO, not wanting to leave the booth in fear of missing one of those good conversations with attendees and customers.

This year, we had a lot to talk about in the booth. In addition to sharing the new features of OpenSpace BIM+, we debuted a new integration point with Procore’s Punch Lists, allowing users to utilize OpenSpace Field Notes to pass punch list items along to their projects in Procore. We also launched Timelapse Videos, a new feature in OpenSpace Capture that enables customers to produce and share timelapse videos of their projects, either from a fixed perspective or as part of a rotating 360° view, at the click of a button.

From Procore’s perspective, I saw a big emphasis on risk mitigation in numerous sessions, and this is something we also focus on here at OpenSpace. Comprehensive documentation of projects has proven to be invaluable when it comes to damage on the jobsite and filing insurance claims. We’re also hearing a lot more frequently that safety teams are utilizing the OpenSpace platform to help track, correct, and train on safety issues. I spoke with several people in the booth who asked about this. One, in particular, noted that as a superintendent, his company requires its teams to make a minimum number of safety observations each month; it’s one of the company’s KPIs, and it’s tied to comp plans. He noted that OpenSpace allows him and his team to capture those observations in real time and take action immediately.

Data was another often highlighted topic throughout the show. In years past, Groundbreak sessions have posed the question, “We’re collecting all this data… but now what do we do with it?” This year continued to build on that story of how the industry is able to capitalize on data to improve efficiencies, whether it be visualization of data to support collaboration or maximizing the value of connected data to drive decisions.

We also saw that DEI initiatives and mental health remained at the forefront of the conversation, with several sessions focused on the importance—and benefits—of cultivating a diverse employee population. And, as we must all continue to acknowledge, construction is among the top industries to struggle with mental health disorders. Closing keynote speaker, Michael Phelps, spoke on the importance of mental health advocacy and coming together to enable change.

On a more social note, it’s always great to connect with teammates and industry partners. On Tuesday evening after the show, we partnered with our friends at Document Crunch (coming in with some good Procore partnership news), Briq and Genda, to host an architecture-themed boat tour along the Chicago River. While rain tried to put a damper on the event (damper, lol), we had a good group of people who didn’t let a little rain get in the way of their fun. Our tour guide was very engaging, and we learned all about some of Chicago’s most famous buildings and historical events—including how the city reversed the river in 1900. Spoiler alert: it involved a boozy attempt with dynamite (if only there were someone there to capture that safety observation with OpenSpace!).

And finally, before we part, I will share that one lucky person from Three Rivers was the proud winner of our OpenSpace prize pack consisting of a Yeti Tundra 45 cooler, a free jobsite capture, and some sweet OpenSpace swag. Congratulations! Be sure to follow along on our LinkedIn page as we continue to journey to new shows and events.

Until next year, Groundbreak.

,
Ginger

The post Groundbreak 2023: Our recap and conference highlights appeared first on OpenSpace.

Watch this inspiring video to go behind the scenes of this important project and get a closer look at the challenges the team faced to understand how the technology added value.

Overcoming unique challenges with OpenSpace

Beyond the historical significance of the structure and the enormous sacrifices it honors, what made the project special to the team was the strong collaboration MAPP enjoyed with the owner, trade partners, architects, exhibit designers and fabricators, and numerous consultants. Using OpenSpace meant that the geographically distributed team could work remotely by taking virtual walkthroughs of the site, saving significant time and money on avoided travel. In addition, the technology provided an indisputable source of truth and greater transparency that kept the project on track and everyone on the same page.

Moreover, the complexity of the building demanded tighter coordination than usual, while the Museum’s angular design required the use of BIM on-site. According to the team, OpenSpace was a perfect solution on both counts. Normally, to allow instant access to a BIM model in the field, the team would have needed a lot of specialty hardware and a dedicated team member with specific skills, but neither of these options was possible. Instead, the web-based BIM integration that OpenSpace provides gave the team direct and easy access to the model using their mobile devices in a user-friendly split view, ensuring everyone had the latest information.

OpenSpace even helped bridge a language barrier on the project by making it easy for a trade partner with limited English proficiency to navigate the BIM and communicate effectively with the rest of the team. MAPP benefited greatly from the self-service aspects of using OpenSpace. Anyone on the team was able to see the entire project using the “Hub”—an on-site technology station equipped with OpenSpace and a read-only version of Procore—to answer their own questions and keep things moving. The super estimated this alone saved 20-30% of his time on the project.

Discover the value of reality capture

There’s even more to the story. Watch this on-demand webinar to explore the Museum build in greater detail, hear more stories about the project, and get valuable tips from the team on how to get the most out of OpenSpace.

You’ll quickly understand why MAPP was able to earn new business from the owner on this project. Start a conversation with us to see how your own team can benefit from a reality capture solution.

The post A salute to teamwork: MAPP Construction and OpenSpace appeared first on OpenSpace.

The company has always been committed to delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget. However, the construction industry is constantly evolving, and Lipman faced the challenge of finding new strategies, systems, and technologies to optimize its team and make daily functions more efficient.

Enter reality capture from OpenSpace

In 2022, Lipman’s IT Manager identified the potential for improved project management by utilizing OpenSpace Capture, an automated site capture solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a live, as-built record of a construction site. The system rapidly delivers accurate data and complete documentation while reducing risk and streamlining workflows.

OpenSpace Capture is a cloud-based platform that uses 360-degree cameras mounted on hard hats to capture the entire construction site. Teams simply walk the site as normal, and the system then stitches together the images to create a virtual walkthrough of the site that can be accessed by anyone with permission.

Discovering the value of reality capture

Led by Lipman Project Manager Shamus Long, the project team was excited to test the reality capture technology and see how it could improve their daily functions. Lipman commenced live trials of OpenSpace Capture on its remote, $29 million Central West Schools project for NSW School Infrastructure. The project included the construction of new teaching spaces and refurbishment of existing facilities at Bletchington Public School in Orange and Millthorpe Public School in Millthorpe, New South Wales.

Historically, Lipman captured the build process by going around the project site and manually taking photos. This process was time-consuming, and there was always the risk of missing something important. However, using OpenSpace Capture, the project team was able to capture the entire site in a matter of minutes. OpenSpace provided better coverage of the build process, streamlined the capture of project progress, enabled the easy identification of possible defects, and gave the Lipman project team the confidence of guaranteed accurate data. As well as the team on-site, those back in Lipman’s head office could view the live captures and insights generated from the built-in AI.

“From the very start of the Central West Schools project, the value of OpenSpace really came to the fore.”
—Shamus Long, Project Manager at Lipman

Lipman delivered a new two-storey learning hub that includes 10 new flexible learning spaces, a hall upgrade, a new ICT special programs unit, refurbishment of existing learning spaces, replacement of the covered outdoor learning area, and upgraded connecting walkways at Bletchington Public School. The project was completed on time and within budget, and the client was extremely satisfied with the results.

Gaining new confidence in construction site documentation

During the project, Lipman used OpenSpace to capture a historical snapshot of the team’s progress. The software proved incredibly useful when the client requested the installation of several large pieces of artwork on one of the newly constructed walls. The project team was able to go back and look at captures taken earlier in the project to see behind the wall with supreme confidence, taking the guesswork out of installing the artwork.

In fact, OpenSpace gave Lipman a new-found confidence in its ability to accurately capture the entirety of its projects, an invaluable asset for the construction company’s ongoing delivery of school infrastructure projects in the Central West region of New South Wales.

“It’s hard to put a value on the level of confidence it has provided us. OpenSpace has optimized a task that historically was met with satisfaction, but now is ironclad.”
—Shamus Long

Harnessing reality capture to build faster and win more bids

The construction industry is constantly evolving, and Lipman remains committed to staying at the forefront of new technologies and systems to ensure it continues to deliver high-quality projects for its clients.

Lipman successfully implemented OpenSpace Capture to improve its project management and streamline workflows. The software has provided accurate data, created rapid and comprehensive documentation, and reduced risk. As a result, Lipman can now confidently deliver projects with a higher level of efficiency and accuracy, which has led to increased client satisfaction and repeat business.

You can learn more about Lipman’s use of OpenSpace in this article from Inside Construction. If you’re ready to see how this exciting technology can help your team build better, faster, and smarter, reach out to our team for a demo so you can see it in action.

The post Lipman builds with greater accuracy and confidence using OpenSpace appeared first on OpenSpace.

We were pleased to speak with Eyin Tan, QA/QC Manager at Chang Hua Construction, to delve into how the company has remarkably improved transparency, communication, and efficiency with the implementation of OpenSpace, a state-of-the-art 360° reality capture platform. In the following video, Ms. Tan elaborates on ways that OpenSpace has added value.

Challenges in the construction industry

The construction industry has faced persistent challenges, including the need to accelerate technology adoption and upskill the workforce. Chang Hua Construction acknowledged that greater efficiency and productivity were essential to remain competitive.

Additionally, attracting talent to the industry was a struggle due to the perception of harsh working conditions. A potential loss of knowledge and experience loomed if a pipeline of skilled talents was not established. These issues demanded innovative solutions that would revolutionize the company’s construction processes.

Empowering construction with OpenSpace

Chang Hua Construction’s proactive approach led the company to embrace OpenSpace reality capture. By documenting an entire jobsite, down to the smallest detail, OpenSpace empowered the construction team to gain a comprehensive understanding of the project.

In particular, OpenSpace’s BIM Compare feature proved to be a game-changer by ensuring constructed elements aligned correctly with the model, which resulted in improved construction accuracy.

Compare as-built to BIM side by side

Enhanced transparency and progress tracking

The implementation of OpenSpace yielded greater transparency in Chang Hua Construction’s projects. With real-time progress tracking and scheduling, the company experienced enhanced efficiency and accountability. The 360-degree visual documentation eliminated finger-pointing, as all stakeholders had access to an objective and accurate record of the jobsite. This level of transparency streamlined communication, enabling teams to collaborate effectively and make informed decisions.

Track progress automatically in OpenSpace

Efficient time and cost management

OpenSpace proved to be a cost-effective solution for Chang Hua Construction. By significantly reducing the need for on-site visits, the company saved valuable time and resources. The platform’s comprehensive documentation reduced the likelihood of revisits due to missed details, contributing to improved productivity.

Furthermore, the daily records stored in the cloud provided valuable data that informed better project planning and empowered the company in tendering processes.

Save time and money with OpenSpace

Better safety measures with OpenSpace

Safety is paramount in the construction industry, and OpenSpace played a vital role in enhancing safety measures for Chang Hua Construction. The platform allowed for proactive planning of risk mitigation and identification of potential hazards. Compared to traditional manual photo documentation, OpenSpace’s efficiency significantly reduced preparation time and improved safety personnel’s ability to address risks effectively.

Spot issues faster for improved safety

By adopting OpenSpace, Chang Hua Construction has made great strides in enhancing efficiency, transparency, and communication within the construction sector. OpenSpace has enabled extensive documentation, real-time performance tracking, and improved safety measures, all of which have become indispensable pillars of the company’s success.

Test drive OpenSpace in our new free product demo

If you wish to learn from the experiences of Chang Hua and explore how OpenSpace reality capture can increase efficiency at your company, get a feel for how easy it is to use in our free product demo. Try it out to explore a real OpenSpace customer project—click around to navigate the jobsite and view 360° captures. You’ll see how simple and intuitive OpenSpace is and how you could be using your own shared visual record for remote collaboration and more comprehensive documentation.

Simply request access to our free product demo and then take a look around to understand why builders like Suffolk sing our praises.

As the construction industry evolves, the integration of such technological advancements will unquestionably be a key determinant for construction firms aiming to stay competitive in this fast-paced industry. And if you like what you see in the demo experience, you can quickly be on your way to starting your own project with OpenSpace. We invite you to get in touch with us to arrange a personalized demo.

The post How Chang Hua Construction uses OpenSpace to improve efficiency appeared first on OpenSpace.

The construction industry is facing acute labor challenges, and so at DCI, our executive team has chosen to be very intentional about making our company a place where people want to work—and stay. Company culture encompasses how an organization manages such factors as the physical and mental work environment, competitive wages and benefits, staff safety and well-being, technology investments, and career development, just to name a few.

I check in with our employees often about our company culture, and, by all accounts, we seem to be on the right track. But as the world evolves, so must employers. As an industry, we must continually evaluate our company culture and change it with the times. It is always a work in progress. I’d like to explore some of these factors and offer my perspective, as well as describe ways we are working to create and sustain an excellent company culture and a strong talent brand.

First and foremost, we are a team

The dynamic energy of our team allows us to work collaboratively with all of our clients to achieve the highest level of innovation, quality, and value. And for us, it all starts with our website address: www.dci-team.com. We are a team! We’re a group that performs interdependent tasks to meet a common mission or specific objective. We are a group of people, and we are also a group of business units working closely together, under one roof, on behalf of our customers.

When you walk in the front door of our facility, the only picture on the wall is a group photo of our company, the team. This photo is displayed prominently because we want all visitors to meet the team as soon as they enter our office. Our company needs every single employee in order to operate, and we always welcome and greet visitors as a team. And we update our team photo each year during one of our annual summer events.

It is also important to understand and teach employees who “the Company” is. I regularly hear people say things like, “The company pays for it” or “It’s not mine, it’s the company’s.” The Company is not a single person; it comprises all team members. If the Company does well, all employees also do well. If the Company does poorly, the employees will feel it. The Company earns revenue from customers, allowing it to cultivate the culture. How well “the Company” does will truly determine our ability to provide an excellent culture.

Continued technology investments—in the office and on-site

We adopted cloud technology many years ago to empower our field staff to view project documents from any physical location. We also equipped our field management team with Dell Latitude laptops and the fastest internet speeds available at the project location. Quality computer hardware is particularly important because the software will only be able to perform if the right hardware is in place. Therefore, we provide name-brand, business-level computers with solid-state hard drives, fast processors, and plenty of memory. A good internet connection is also very important in order to run cloud applications efficiently. Our cloud-based programs operate all aspects of our business, from accounting to field management.

Moreover, our heavy equipment has the latest GPS hardware and software. We constantly upgrade our heavy equipment to make the most of the millions of dollars we’ve recently invested in heavy equipment. Providing our field staff with the right equipment and tools to be successful is a top priority, ranging from hand tools to large pieces of heavy equipment. In our industry, quality company vehicles are important as well, and the majority of our fleet is less than five years old.

Our office runs on the fastest internet speeds available and has ethernet ports throughout, as well as Wi-Fi extenders to broadcast the wireless network. We have many Samsung televisions throughout our office space, which gives us the ability to receive wireless broadcasting from PCs. Large-format printing and scanning of project plans are available, as well as many multifunction printers throughout the facility for easy use. We offer Dell docking stations and extra monitors in all offices for easy viewing since most staff members have laptops. We also have flex space available for our field staff to use if needed. For example, a Field Superintendent may visit the office to review a specific task and want to leave with hard copy plans. The flex space allows them to have their own working space with access to all the amenities the physical office has to offer.

Collaborating in the physical workplace

While we leverage technology like OpenSpace reality capture that allows us to handle many core activities without being on the jobsite, we have also made significant investments in a new physical workplace because we’re highly team-oriented and value being able to mingle and collaborate with one another. We place a premium on cross-functional collaboration, mentorship, and group involvement, which are strengthened when we’re in a shared physical environment.

If you want your team to report to a physical office, I have some recommendations. Ensure your office is centrally located to accommodate those living in the surrounding areas. Be sure to include amenities and have a state-of-the-art facility. We realized this and recently purchased a location in Canal Ponds Business Park. The business park is located near major expressways and offers most of our team a 20-minute commute. We also chose a location near many retail shops, grocery stores, gas stations, banks, and restaurants so that our team has access to restaurants for lunch and/or can accomplish errands on their way to or from the workplace.

Designing the ideal workplace for wellness and development

The building itself, opening this month, is state-of-the-art, offering offices with plenty of windows and natural light. It features a fully equipped gym (with shower), 3,000 square foot meeting/training center, printer/plotter room, cafeteria, and rooftop deck. Our team members can enjoy their lunch outside on the rooftop deck, in the cafeteria, or at one of the many nearby restaurants. They can also enjoy the business park, featuring 20 acres of ponds and 12 acres of woodlands throughout a system of walkways and bicycle paths. Our gym promotes physical wellness, while our meeting/training center provides an excellent atmosphere for growth.

The third floor of our new headquarters houses the meeting/training center. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to add a third floor, but we feel no expense is too much when it comes to the safety and development of our team. We’ll use this space for safety meetings, bringing in outside resources to teach best practices to keep our team safe. We’ll also hold training sessions to teach our team how to get the most out of the software used to manage their projects. We also plan to bring in outside resources to train our team on how to get the most out of their health benefits and 401K contributions, and we’ll even offer personal support such as financial wellness, budgeting, new home buyer programs, etc. Group gatherings with field management in this space will allow them to discuss different management techniques and field issues and share experiences to make their workdays better. If we can gather and share ideas as a group, we can all learn from each other’s successes and failures.

Self-development, safety, training, and wellness are very important to prioritize. And as you can see, we are providing a physical environment in order to achieve these objectives. It will be a great spot to throw a party or two, or three, or four to celebrate our accomplishments with each other. In fact, we have multiple gatherings throughout the year to bring our field and office teams together. Having our construction teams scattered across New York State on many projects makes it hard for them to mingle with their colleagues. We hold a summer picnic, a clambake in the fall, and a holiday party in the winter, with other events on the horizon. During these events, we get to come together as a team, take a well-deserved break, and celebrate each other. We use these events to mention individual successes and hand out company awards, congratulate staff on work anniversaries, and recognize our employee of the year annually. It is great to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

Taking a work break is only one small way to ensure mental well-being. Mental well-being is important, as we want everyone to enjoy coming to work. We want all employees to be happy on their way to work and happy on their way home. If employees dread coming to work on Mondays or constantly go home in a bad mood, we are failing them. We must provide policy, procedure, structure, and support constantly to sustain high morale. For example, when the company purchases new software and provides required training, employees may look at it negatively because we are asking them to add another task to their day. But when they recognize the software is intended to make their work easier, then the positive effects will reveal themselves, and you will hear team members say, “I don’t know what we did before using this software.”

Nurturing employees’ career goals and sense of purpose

Providing employees with a clear career path and discussing where they see themselves in the future is essential. We are here to support their individual career goals. Nothing makes us prouder than seeing our staff grow. If an employee feels the need to quit and go elsewhere to elevate their career, then we failed them. It’s our responsibility to discuss their accomplishments and failures to help them achieve growth within our organization. Providing training and mentorship to achieve individual career paths must be part of the company’s goals. Building a team relies on continuity, and you cannot achieve continuity if there is a revolving door.

I personally worked for the same employer for 20 years and only left to change industries, not employers. I enjoyed watching my colleagues’ kids grow old, and I enjoyed being part of something special, building a company. We have many employees who have been with us for many years, and we display their anniversary plaques in our office to thank them for their loyalty.

Providing avenues to support charities such as the Golisano Children’s Hospital and Make-A-Wish Foundation are also available. Offering ways for our staff to give back creates a great sense of purpose. Giving back to our community is important, and helping others is a great way to cultivate positive feelings. As employers, we must be aware of the importance of this and provide support however we can. If we can play a role in helping our employees have a positive healthy mindset, we need to take it upon ourselves to help them.

Walking the walk, talking the talk

As I’ve discussed, a positive company culture is always a work in progress. We are not perfect. But we are open-minded and truly have our team’s best interests at heart. A lot of employers say one thing but do another. I hear positive feedback from new employees, frequently mentioning how strong our benefits package is, stating how fast their computer is, and sharing how the president of their previous company never had lunch with them as ours often does.

We are a team, we are a family, we work together, break bread together, celebrate successes, and address failures together. We want everyone to have a short commute. We want everyone to enjoy the building and its amenities. We want everyone to grow their career to the extent they would like to. We want everyone to be safe. We honor our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We want to provide older employees with a place to conclude their careers and are honored to help younger staff begin their journeys. We want everyone to have a positive mindset. From company leadership to an employee in a ditch, we are all equally valuable to “the Company,” and we want all of our team members to feel the genuine appreciation we have for them.

If you’re in a leadership position, I hope I’ve given you ideas you can apply at your company to build a thriving culture that’s worthy of your team. And if you’re an employee (or potential DCI employee), I hope you know there really are companies out there like ours that will have your back and invest in your development and well-being in meaningful ways.

In this leadership series on the OpenSpace Blog, we feature perspectives from OpenSpace customers, partners, and other industry luminaries on a wide variety of topics. Hear from our other top customers in our case study library.

The post Crafting an intentional workplace culture to grow your construction business appeared first on OpenSpace.

An early introduction to construction

Jordan grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin. Her dad was a contractor at his own business, so she grew up building things and being in the built environment. “I was always building things like little birdhouses or going out to jobsites with my dad,” she shares. “Construction has always been home. That’s where I got my start in the construction industry.”

As an only child, Jordan notes, “I’m super close to my parents because they’re basically my siblings too, so sharing construction with my dad was special.”

A focus on continuous improvement

Jordan started swimming competitively in middle school and continued year-round throughout high school. She would practice six days per week, often twice a day before and after school, which taught her how to structure her life and schedule efficiently. “That was the beginning of learning about responsibility, hard work, dedication, and being disciplined,” Jordan shares.

Math and science were Jordan’s focus in high school to the point that she was part of the science Olympiad, where she would compete on weekends. As she puts it, “I was always very into knowing things and getting better academically.” And this included taking many AP classes in high school that would later save Jordan time and money in college.

Finding her way “back home” to the built side

Jordan went to the University of Minnesota to study biomedical engineering with the intention of becoming a doctor. But, after her first semester, she felt like she wasn’t living her truth. So, she considered alternate majors and decided to pursue architecture.

“I felt it was the perfect blend of the math and science side, the more artistic side, and getting things built,” Jordan explains. She also took construction management classes as well. “That was my segue from the more engineering-medical side to the built side,” she notes. “I went ‘back home.’”

Thanks to all the AP classes Jordan took in high school, she graduated in three years with a Bachelor of Design in architecture. Although three of Jordan’s six semesters in college were online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she managed to actively participate as a member of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) throughout college. This entailed being able to attend talks by industry professionals and participating in design projects for the community.

A desire to learn about “the other side”

As Jordan was applying for both architecture and construction positions, she recognized she would have to get a master’s degree if she chose to be a licensed architect. But, she wanted to take time off to get some real-world experience.

“I really wanted to learn more about the other side—the construction and engineering side of things, to make me a better architect if I chose to become an architect one day. I wanted to garner that understanding of how things actually get built,” Jordan shares. “The things the construction side has to go through to make sure that buildings get built and executed to the designer’s wants,” she continues. But she soon learned that there is more to the construction side than she ever realized.

Selected for a fulfilling role

During her job search, a recruiter from Adolfson & Peterson reached out to Jordan about a virtual construction engineer position to see if she wanted to apply. She didn’t think she qualified since she hadn’t been an engineering student. But the recruiter piqued her interest. “I was very intrigued by the whole VDC process and using technology to improve all the phases of construction, from proposal through to closeout, and providing owners with models for maintenance and systems records,” Jordan shares.

When she graduated, Jordan didn’t even know VDC was a thing. But when she started her position at Adolfson & Peterson, she thought, “This is great! I love problem-solving. One of my favorite things to do is just say, ‘Okay, we have an issue, how can we fix this…how can we make it better for everyone, and improve everybody’s experience on a project?’ That’s been really fulfilling for me.”

Plus, Jordan has always loved technology. She says, “In college, I was always utilizing BIM even if it wasn’t required. The tech side has always captivated me.”

Using OpenSpace at Adolfson & Peterson

Jordan’s experience has shown her why VDC and coordination are so important. “There are so many different systems and processes. I’ve found it really intriguing that we are both mitigating issues virtually and building everything virtually before we build them in the real world,” Jordan explains, “I didn’t understand the level of complexity in which our trades were modeling. I always assumed that it was just the architect’s shell structure and maybe some structural engineering.”

When Jordan started her job, there was one project in her region using OpenSpace reality capture for documentation. Team members did two site walks per week to track a remote job. She was fascinated by the technology and asked her manager about it. He showed her how OpenSpace works and its integration with BIM, showing side-by-side comparisons to see the progress of projects.

Not long after, Jordan started getting additional projects up and running in OpenSpace, helping field teams understand how to use it, and explaining to them the importance of using it frequently. “Using OpenSpace enables the whole team to see incremental progress instead of only documenting at the beginning and end of a project, since there’s little value in that,” she explains.

“I’ve found OpenSpace to be really seamless and very easy to use,” she notes. “It’s much easier to use than 95 percent of all the other software or anything else that’s integrated. The interface is super easy to work with. It walks you right through everything in the app—connect your camera, turn it on, turn it off. It really spells it out for you.”

Adofson & Peterson is currently using OpenSpace on 12 to 15 active projects, five of which are in Jordan’s region. Jordan explains, “It’s also been a great way for us to keep track of our photos. A lot of the time, we have people going out and snapping pictures. That doesn’t keep them organized or show us where they are in the plan.”

“That’s where the automatic linking of these photos to our plans in OpenSpace is very helpful,” she says. “It shows an area that needs an RFI, has a punch list item, or needs to be fixed. You don’t have to chase things down or ask questions about where a photo was taken or on what day. It’s all right there for everyone to see.”

OpenSpace “intelligently keeps all our information together and shows us our progress through time,” Jordan continues. “This, in turn, enables us to know when things get done and what’s happening on a given project at any moment in time.”

According to Jordan, what she likes most about OpenSpace “is tracking through time, the intelligent collection of information, and the fact that it really reduces our time to complete our workflows, like RFIs, punch list items, and observations.”

What does being a Pathfinder mean to you?

“Being a Pathfinder means using technology to advance how we’re completing projects,” Jordan says. “Ultimately using technology to elevate the human experience for everyone on the project from the beginning, with the architects, through our trades during construction, all the way through to the owners at the end.“

“It’s also about making sure that we are using the progress we’re making in technology to improve everybody’s experience from beginning to end. That’s finding new technology, testing things out, and continuing to push our progress and efficiency forward.”

Pathfinders are power users like Jordan who excel at using OpenSpace reality capture. You can check out all of our published Pathfinder Spotlights in the OpenSpace Community gallery. If you’d like to be a Pathfinder, submit your Pathfinder application today.

The post Meet Jordan Tatro, an innovator focused on continuous improvement appeared first on OpenSpace.