CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive

16 June 2009

Implementation Investments

William A. Berry & Son Announces Paperless Construction Project Results

Today, construction management firm William A. Berry & Son, Inc. (Berry) announced impressive results in its quest for a paperless project. Using Bluebeam PDF Revu, Berry, project architect Perkins+Will and all sub-contractors electronically redlined over 42,000 pages of construction documents in PDF – making the project almost completely paperless. By reviewing these documents electronically, the team reduced the project’s carbon footprint by 1,557 lbs of CO2. Based on this achievement in sustainable communication, Berry is applying for a LEED Innovation & Design Credit from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).

Berry achieved this milestone by deploying Bluebeam PDF Revu, a PDF creation, markup and editing solution, to the entire project team working on the Overlook Center. Berry managed the core and shell construction, and is currently managing the fit out of this 100,000 square foot building in Waltham, MA.

Developed by Bluebeam Software, Revu was selected due to its specialized features for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals. Unlike other redlining tools, Bluebeam PDF Revu includes industry standard markups and takeoffs, an exclusive Tool Chest for storing custom annotations, a drawing comparison feature, integrated tracking and tablet PC compatibility. Combined, these features enabled all project documents –submittals, RFIs, punch lists and more – to be reviewed and redlined in a light-weight, universal file format.

“Bluebeam was instrumental in helping us review and respond to project documents electronically,” said Jay Bradley, Project Manager at Perkins+Will. “We found that Bluebeam was an essential part of streamlining and simplifying the construction administration process. The inherent simplicity of utilizing Bluebeam technology was key in helping achieve a cost effective, time sensitive, and sustainable solution to our daily work output.”

To ensure project-wide adoption, Berry and Bluebeam collaborated to train its staff, the Perkins+Will architectural team and sub-contractors on best practices for PDF markup and editing. As a result, Berry created a blueprint for paperless workflows that is being replicated on all of its future projects.

“Bluebeam PDF Revu helped us transform the way we manage project communication and its unique tools for AEC allowed us to design an electronic workflow that is scalable,” said Jake Chace, Senior Project Manager at William A. Berry & Son. “We’re already using this process on current green building projects to eliminate paper usage and distribution, and hope that the example we’ve set will be recognized by the USGBC.”

“The paperless project has been the holy grail of the construction industry,” said Richard Lee, CEO of Bluebeam Software. “Berry has proven that it is possible to go virtually paperless and engineer an electronic workflow that can be duplicated using Bluebeam technology. By recognizing paperless workflows in the LEED standard, the USGBC can incentivize green builders to follow Berry’s lead in process sustainability, and affect real and significant change industry wide. Using Berry's results as an example, we estimate that the USGBC would be responsible for the reduction of over 25 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.”

Berry has submitted a LEED Silver application for the Overlook project and is currently awaiting notification from the USGBC.

About William A. Berry & Son, Inc.

Founded in 1857, William A. Berry & Son, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest construction companies. Berry has an extraordinary portfolio of institutional and corporate construction projects throughout the Northeast.

About Perkins+Will

Since 1935, Perkins+Will has collaborated with globally recognized clients to set worldwide standards for design innovation and exceptional service. Their practice spans Corporate + Commercial + Civic, Aviation, Healthcare, Higher Education, K-12 Education, and Science + Technology. Their areas of expertise include architecture, interior design, branded environments, planning + strategies, and urban design.

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