Construction Global - Summer/Autumn 2020

Introducing the Construction Startup Competition 2020

Construction SUMMER/AUTUMN 2020

constructionglobal.com

The global digital ecosystem platform

STATE OF THE ART CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE

TRANSFORMING OPERATIONS THROUGH DIGITISATION Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, on digital transformation and the impact of COVID-19

TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD

FOREWORD

W

elcome to the Summer/Autumn issue of Construction Global magazine!

and Marcus Lawrence highlights the ways that construction is benefitting from Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In this issue we hear from Mark Lowman, the Vice President of McDermott International, about the positive impact that digitalisation is having on construction projects in the energy industry. Mr Lowman also tells us how the company is reaping the rewards of working the ‘One McDermott Way’.

As Dubai’s Burj Khalifa tower prepares to lose its crown as the world’s tallest building, we give a profile of the skyscraper that is about to take its place, and put a spotlight on the rest of the 10 tallest buildings on earth.

In our lead digital report we speak with CEMEX Ventures about the future of innovation in the construction industry. The head of CEMEX Gonzalo Galindo explains the link between venture capital and construction, and introduces the 2020 Construction Startup Competition.

I hope you enjoy reading! To suggest a feature for an upcoming edition of Construction Global, feel free to get in touch with me before our next issue.

Jonathan Campion jonathan.campion@bizclikmedia.com

Elsewhere in the magazine, Georgia Wilson explores the smart cities of the future, Harry Menear reports on the digital manufacturing revolution happening in the construction industry, c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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05

PUBLISHED BY

PRODUCTION MANAGER

MEDIA SALES DIRECTOR

Owen Martin

James White

DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS

DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Jason Westgate

Jonathan Campion

Kieran Waite Sam Kemp

EDITOREDITORAL DIRECTOR

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Stacy Norman

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Matt High

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

Leigh Manning

PRESIDENT & CEO CREATIVE TEAM

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Oscar Hathaway Erin Hancox Sophia Forte Sophie-Ann Pinnell

Shirin Sadr

PRODUCTION DIRECTORS

PROJECT DIRECTORS

Georgia Allen Daniela Kianickovรก

Glen White

DIGITAL MARKETING EXECUTIVE

Dan Weatherley

Manuel Navarro Tom Venturo c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

10 Digital Realty: the global data centre ecosystem platform

26 Fostering the construction revolution

36 48 Oracle: connecting construction

SMART CITIES: THE FUTURE OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

62

74 The case for integrating AI into construction

Digital manufacturing revolution in the construction industry

TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD

86

126 Bentley Systems

104

140

McDermott International

158

186

Indosat Ooredoo

Star2Star

172 Mircom Group of Companies

200 DC Blox

Chayora

214

254

MTR Corporation

Nordex North America

236 268 Sify Technology

Great Southwestern Construction

302 Stockholm Data Parks

284 PLC Construction

316 Hansen Yuncken

10

Digital Realty: the global data centre ecosystem platform WRITTEN BY

MATT HIGH PRODUCED BY

GLEN WHITE

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

Chris Sharp, CTO at Digital Realty, on powering data centre digital transformation with a global ecosystem platform

“

F

orget data lakes, we’re now talking about some of the largest data oceans ever created,” says Digital Realty’s Chris Sharp,

discussing the seismic evolution of data – and how 12

enterprise and hyperscale customers use that data – towards a series of interconnected global, digital ecosystems capable of supporting even the most complex digital transformations.

Digital Realty, at which Sharp holds the role of Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President and Service Innovation, is a key enabler of those transformations. The company supports the global data centre, colocation, and interconnection strategies of leading organisations worldwide with a fit for purpose global data centre platform, PlatformDIGITAL. This comprehensive solution offers a model built around network, control, and data hubs, and has been created to enable the ever-changing data, security, and networking demands of these global enterprises as they grow.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

13

2001

Year founded

$3bn+ Revenue in US dollars

1,500 Number of employees

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

“ We are really focused on supporting our customers in their enterprise journey, and a crucial aspect of that is not only focusing on what they need today, but what they’ll absolutely need tomorrow” — Chris Sharp, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President and Service Innovation 14

The pace at which the global digital economy has evolved has changed the way enterprises in every sector create and deliver value. Now more than ever data, technology and an effective IT strategy are essential to enterprises.

Equally so, is operating on demand, ubiquitously and in a manner that is augmented by real-time intelligence at every point of business globally.

Yet, with that growth comes challenges.

For example, as data creation and consumption rises, so too does the need for effective tools, networks and infrastructures to access and analyse it. This creates data gravity – a point that many enterprises reach as they scale in a digital environment.

THE GLOBAL DATA TRANSFORMATION Sharp is a seasoned technology leader, with more than 20 years’ experience and a proven track record of evolving businesses to meet the most complex and demanding technology trends.

From the countless enterprise organisations that he and Digital Realty work with, he identifies an overarching trend driving change: as enterprises scale, they deploy globally and need access S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

to their data and public cloud-based systems in a different way, yet they also all need help managing the complexity from this shift. “This is where, in my experience, Digital Realty is really able to differentiate itself from others in the market,” he says. “We are dedicated to supporting our customers in their enterprise IT journey and a crucial aspect of that is not only focusing on what they need today, but also what they’ll absolutely need tomorrow.

“It’s essential to recognise that all enterprises and businesses – not just the hyperscalers that we deal with – are often going through significant digital transformations,” he continues. “Part of that, in terms of their data, is about being able to deploy globally consistent infrastructure to manage efficient data exchanges, rethink data flows to a broader set of partners, and build these ecosystems of community interest.

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Chris Sharp Title: Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President and Service Innovation Location: Menlo Park, California Chris has more than 20 years’ experience and a proven track record of evolving businesses to meet the most complex and demanding technology trends. He has a strong understanding of technology and its business impact with a deep network of relationships in the internet, telecommunications and IT industry.

During his career, Chris has led acquisition and integration for seven successful companies since 2003, valued over $3bn in managed network services, colocation and security services.

Providing those organisations with an innovative and market-leading platform that’s exactly the same whether they’re in Silicon Valley, Chicago, London, Osaka, or any other location worldwide, allows access to revenue and ecosystems in a very repeatable fashion.” c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

15

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a very different ethos at Digital Realty, where we want to empower our customers and be a true open platform.”

That ethos, as Sharp explains, mirrors the broader evolution of the data centre sector, as well as how companies – indeed, all of us – use data. “We’ve seen a shift wherein customers don’t want to be siloed into different products or different services – so, the differences between collocation and scale, for example. Typically, particularly with how rapidly the landscape is changing, you’ll see customers may go into collocation and outgrow it very quickly because the economics and the sheer infrastructure they need just can’t be provided through a collocation

BUILDING A GLOBAL DATA CENTRE PLATFORM

model. From our perspective, it’s about

This approach, Sharp explains, is the

manage all of those different fields in

driver behind PlatformDIGITAL, which

a seamless fashion. It’s why you’ll see

he says is “about being entrenched

us stop talking about collocation and

in what each customer needs and

scale, and just talk about ‘the platform’.

truly supporting them on a global

building out a robust platform that can

“That shift is really dictating the direc-

basis. This is what directly drove our

tion of PlatformDIGITAL,” he adds. “You

recent announcement of expanding

don’t go to Hertz to rent a car for three

PlatformDIGITAL with Interxion, adding

years, you know? It’s economics. So, for

more value to our customers and deeper

us, it’s always about understanding a

reach into Europe and beyond. We have

customer’s requirements around sizing c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

17

D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

Digital Realty: PlatformDIGITAL CLICK TO WATCH

|

0:59

18 so we can work on an environment

created in a centralised place, the

that lets them ‘land and expand’. The

proliferation of digital technologies,

other critical challenge enterprises

smartphones, cloud, mobile analyt-

face today beyond that blended set of

ics and more means it is now being

services, is really around what it means

created everywhere. That data must

to be open, so that they can get the full

still be aggregated in order to ana-

value from the broader landscape that

lyse, understand, and learn from it.

they need access to.”

When it collects, a growing number

The last major challenge in the shift

of services and applications use it —

to a global ecosystem is data gravity,

against this proliferation of devices,

which Sharp describes as fundamental

data gravity interacts. This can result

to successful enterprise infrastructure.

in data that is near impossible to

By 2025, it is estimated that 463 exabytes

move and, according to Digital Realty,

of data will be created daily worldwide.

“unfavourable complexity when factor-

And while that data was typically

ing business locations, proximity to

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

users, regulatory constraints, compli-

a customer’s data – say they are look-

ance and data privacy.”

ing to carry out some data analytics

To grow globally, businesses must

and want to stand up an AI farm with

use the global open platform approach

several GPU processors, for example –

offered by Digital Realty to mitigate

which is a real game changer for many

the data gravity barriers created by

of those enterprises we’re working

digital transformation. “Some of the

with. They’re all trying to work with data

enterprises we work with aren’t fully

analytics, to use multi-hybrid cloud

aware of the issue, or that they should

architectures and our platform does

deploy in proximity to where all of this

that — when that data doesn’t have

data is burgeoning or being built, and

to travel far because the customer is

this is where PlatformDIGITAL brings

immersed right in it, that’s probably

huge value,” Sharp notes. “So, we can

the most optimal architecture that an

procure a cabinet in close proximity to

enterprise could hope to achieve.”

Solve data gravity challenges and scale digital business by implementing the PlatformDIGITAL solution model

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

CONTROL, CONNECT, OPTIMISE There is also a notable trend of enterprises looking to move away from running their own data centres and data locations, Sharp reveals. He explains that, in this context, solutions like PlatformDIGITAL enable those businesses to get ahead of the curve before their footprint is too difficult to move, adding that “we can expose the benefits of having that fit-for-purpose platform that’s heavily interconnected.

Believe me, I don’t run into any custom20

ers that tell me they want to continue building their own data centres.”

PlatformDIGITAL allows enterprises to leverage full interconnection capabilities across Digital Realty’s global ecosystem, including cloud service providers, partners, networks and customers, that will drive their business. According to the company, the core benefits of the platform revolve around three distinct opportunities: be in control, be connected, be optimised.

In the case of control, for example, standardising deployment and operations on a single platform simplifies infrastructure and reduces risk, while the greater connection of a global S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

platform improves business performance through participation in global digital ecosystems; it also shortens the time to connect with markets and other players in that ecosystem.

The platform tailors infrastructure deployments and controls matched to specific business requirements, irrespective of data centre size, scale, location configuration, or ecosystem configurations. In line with the scaling of modern, digital enterprises, it lets customers operate deployments as part of a seamless extension of any global infrastructure, says the company, thus enabling global, distributed workflows at centres of data exchange

“ Forget data lakes, we’re now talking about some of the largest data oceans ever created” — Chris Sharp, Chief Technology Officer, Executive Vice President and Service Innovation

to remove data gravity barriers.

CONNECTION AND SX FABRIC “To embark on a digital transformation, the first thing an enterprise needs is storage,” Sharp says. “They need their own data store, and that’s where the IP for a lot of our customers comes from, the ability to have that data store and run analytics against it. You’re no longer talking just about owning land, but the ability to deploy high power density infrastructure in close c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

21

D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

proximity to that data store once you

global exchange of data centre cloud

factor in things like AI. There’s not an

and connectivity solutions that enables

industry out there today that isn’t look-

interconnected global workflows, the

ing to up its data analytics capabilities

integration of cloud and B2B ecosys-

and it’s the proximity element that

tems with virtual interconnections,

PlatformDIGITAL enables in a very

and the ability to virtually connect

efficient way.”

clouds and digital ecosystems both

After storage, says Sharp, connec-

22

locally and globally. “It essentially lets

tivity is crucial. It is here that Digital

enterprises click and procure,” says

Realty’s Service Exchange (SX)

Sharp. “They’re afforded a portal within

Fabric on PlatformDIGITAL proves

which they can pick any one of the

crucial. SX Fabric, which is powered

150-plus cloud on-ramps from all of the

by Megaport’s multi-cloud and eco-

top cloud providers globally through

system connectivity, is an automated

SX - all without ever having to use an

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

engineer, or even understanding the

and giving them as open a platform

level of complexity behind it.

as possible. We really like to invest

“The work that we collaborated on

in our partners, not to compete with

with Megaport on SX is really at the

them, and have those best-of-breed

highest level,” he continues. “It’s very

relationships that let us deliver the best

technically challenging to achieve

capabilities to our customers.”

because it revolves around the hybrid multi-cloud approach that a lot of

GLOBAL FOOTPRINT

enterprises are taking, wherein they

SX Fabric is just one aspect of the vast

need to establish a location to stand

PlatformDIGITAL capability roadmap.

up their private infrastructure and then

For example, the platform offers cover-

access multiple public clouds. From our

age from more than 265 Digital Realty

perspective, it was really about aligning

data centres in 20 countries and 44

our enterprise customers in the market

metropolitan areas. Connections are offered through physical and virtual cross-connects and includes more than 2,000 ecosystem participants — the company plans to extend this to more than 10,000 in the future.

More recently, the business has completed projects in Frankfurt, Dublin, and Tokyo, locations that Sharp describes as “hotbeds for enterprise customers trying to access revenue opportunities”. Take the new Clonshaugh data centre in Dublin, which forms part of an existing portfolio in the Irish capital. Ireland’s data centre economy is growing rapidly having already contributed 7.13bn euros c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

23

D I G I TA L R E A LT Y

24 to the nation’s overall economy in the

28MW; it offers solutions from Network

last decade. Digital Realty has invested

Hubs through to Data Hubs.

more than 200mn euros in Ireland

“With our size and our balance sheet,

to date, with the latest Clonshaugh

there’s rarely an opportunity in the

development designed to underpin the

market that we don’t see,” says Sharp.

importance of data-led technologies

“If there’s an asset that will trade or

to Dublin’s economy.

customer demand around an area

The company has also expanded

then we’ll spend a lot of time assess-

PlatformDIGITAL in Germany, purchas-

ing that prospect. We already have

ing 1.35 acres of land in Frankfurt to

one of the most robust platforms to

address increasing customer demand.

serve Europe with the recent expan-

The new campus, purpose built for

sion of the Interxion assets, we’re

those enterprises looking to exploit the

constantly watching for opportunities

opportunities that PlatformDIGITAL

in the Middle East and we also have an

provides, will add an additional 6MW

eye on some of the deeper elements

of power to the company’s existing

of the African market. It’s also worth

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

25 noting that we’re always looking to go

trends we have discussed, as well as

deeper into existing markets. That’s

other emerging trends like the personi-

particularly the case in terms of new

fication of the data centre becoming

technologies, such as 5G or edge

a critical asset. Every industry and

computing, both of which will still

every customer out there, regardless

need efficient access back to the core

of size, will need to have a fundamental

infrastructure we have today.”

foundation like PlatformDIGITAL that

Those new technologies aside, Chris

allows them to increase in power den-

believes that the global ecosystem

sity, increase interconnection, increase

model enabled by PlatformDIGITAL

in square footage or footprint, and

will continue to dominate. “If you

increase in global presence.”

would’ve told me 15 years ago that I’d still be going to work in a data centre, I’d have found it hard to believe,” he states. “But what continues to draw me in is my passion for those secular c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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Fostering the construction revolution WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

CEMEX VENTURES

Gonzalo Galindo, Head of CEMEX Ventures, outlines the 2020 Construction Startup Competition and what his company hopes to achieve

A

lthough construction might be amongst the oldest industries in history, CEMEX Ventures is dedicated to making sure

that it keeps its sights set firmly on the future.

Launched in 2017 as the corporate venture capital arm of Mexico-based building materi28

als company CEMEX, CEMEX Ventures takes a global view of the market and seeks to empower innovative entities in the construction sector via investment, engagement and shared expertise from its extensive network. Open to working with startups, entrepreneurs, universities and more, CEMEX Ventures takes small companies on a 14-step journey from basic evaluation all the way up to investment. We spoke with Gonzalo Galindo, Head of CEMEX Ventures, about the company’s drive to foster a revolution in the industry.

With a diverse background of skills, Galindo says that he was keen to combine his knowledge of the construction sector within a corporate venture context. “I have a lot of experience in the construction industry, especially the building

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

CEMEX VENTURES

Construction Startup Competition 2020 – The power of five construction industry leaders CLICK TO WATCH

|

2:14

30 materials. I think it’s a combination

to understanding your subject from

which works well together,” he

the bottom up, which in turn relies on

explains. Priding himself on a style

being open to new ideas and perspec-

of leadership which emphasises a

tives on well-known topics.

receptiveness to change, a passion

Perhaps nothing could have made the

for construction and an innovative

importance of this more abundantly

attitude, Galindo states that CEMEX

clear than the disruption caused by

Ventures fundamentally realises that

COVID-19. “CEMEX looks outside

adapting to new market conditions is

itself to the world and continues to

imperative for a thriving industry. “You

learn what is happening, about dif-

really need to be adaptive and keep

ferent trends and how construction

your core intact by supporting your

is evolving,” Galindo says. “It’s a very

people, learning from them, helping

challenging environment and it will

them and providing them with a clear

continue to be so. We all need to

vision to focus on.” This comes down

really push our limits to succeed.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

The introspective nature of CEMEX

Part of this attitude can be

Ventures is partially the reason for its

accounted for by the uniqueness

success; acting with purpose and well-

of CEMEX Ventures itself: among

thought-out intention, the company

the first of its kind, Galindo says

goes beyond what most corporate

that because it was uncharted ter-

venture funds would consider neces-

ritory the team had no barriers or

sary. “We do a lot of insight-analysis

preconceptions to impede how it

on the industry to form a better overall

approached business. Now, as the

strategy. We’re also investing in con-

company continues to gain recognition,

cepts and business models which may

make investments and develop pro-

help CEMEX create additional sources

jects, Galindo believes that its track

of revenue for the future,” he adds.

record for success and efficiency will 31

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Gonzalo Galindo Title: Head of CEMEX Ventures Company: CEMEX Ventures Industry: Venture Capital & Private Equity With over 20 years of experience in CEMEX, Gonzalo Galindo is the head of CEMEX Ventures, promoting a construction revolution by working with startups in construction, entrepreneurs, universities, and other entities interested in the industry.

Thanks to Gonzalo’s work and his team in CEMEX Ventures, he has been named the most relevant investor in the construction ecosystem for the second year in a row.

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

CEMEX VENTURES

only grow with time. “CEMEX is probably

Competition’, an event designed

one of the most innovative companies

to identify and foster the newest

operating today, not only in terms

innovators in the sector. Beginning

of scientific innovation and product

three years ago, the competition has

development but also in the business

gained more and more traction on the

models that the company has applied in

world stage as a fruitful opportunity

order to grow. I think CEMEX has been

for newcomers to prove the worth

a game-changer for the building materi-

of their concepts. This year, CEMEX

als industry throughout these years.”

Ventures is joined by several global

CONSTRUCTION STARTUP COMPETITION 2020 32

leaders of the industry: Ferrovial, Hilti, VINCI Group’s Leonard and NOVA

by Sant-Gobain. With the quality of

The culmination of this focus is

the entering startups intensifying

its annual ‘Construction Startup

year-on-year, Galindo is confident

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Focus areas – construction startup competition 2020 CLICK TO WATCH

|

1:05

33 that the 2020 event will be one for the record books. “We’re providing a robust proposition to the startup community. From the level of discussions occurring to the quality of the processes running the competition itself, it’s getting better and better,” he claims. Entrants have until 26 July to participate in the event.

With two trends seeming to pervade the contemporary construction industry – the introduction of digital tools in the building process and environmental considerations on the whole process – Galindo anticipates c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

CEMEX VENTURES

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

that the event will produce a satisfying cross-section of responses from innovators on these topics. Keen to stand at the forefront of a revolution that it hopes its actions will instigate, CEMEX Ventures warmly extends an invitation to all startups in the sector to take part and be part of the industry’s future. “I’d like the startup community to go to our website (https://www. cemexventures.com/startup-competition-2020/) and join an event filled with innovators working on great new business models,” Galindo concludes.

“CEMEX Ventures is willing to give them support and help make stronger startups and solutions.”

APPLY BEFORE JULY 26TH

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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D I G I TA L C O N S T R U C T I O N

36

Oracle: connecting construction WRITTEN BY

DAN BRIGHTMORE

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

37

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L C O N S T R U C T I O N

Construction Global hears from Oracle Construction & Engineering’s Director of Innovation, Burcin Kaplanoglu, on why connectivity is king when it comes to enabling the digital technologies transforming the construction industry

T

oday, there’s a huge trend towards

remote operations and connectivity

is key to that. You need to make sure

you have the right bandwidth, latency and a reliable connection from your site back to your

38

point of digital operation.” Oracle Construction & Engineering’s Director of Innovation, Burcin Kaplanoglu, speaks with authority on the topic having spent the last two years developing Oracle’s Innovation Lab in Chicago; a hands-on trusted space for customers to see solutions in action and collaborate with Oracle’s Partner Network (including the likes of Bosch and nPlan) on how to build the construction sites of tomorrow.

INNOVATION LAB In December 2019 the Innovation Lab moved from being a simulated to an actual site with a general contractor ready to utilise Oracle’s learnings over the previous 15 months to inform new approaches to safety, productivity and connectivity while delivering a planned expansion S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

39 to the facility. “Remote site monitoring demands reliable connectivity for streaming live video and real time data,” explains Kaplanoglu, who points out that 80% of the solutions used at the lab are now commercially available. “We’re able to capture and laser scan from the site 360-degree videos, drone imagery and photos in order to match that information to a BIM model and construction schedule.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaplanoglu notes the remote monitoring products Oracle were implementing are now being used broadly c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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Accelerating Digital Transformation CLICK TO WATCH

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2:34

41 across the team, by the general con-

“The installation of 4K cameras on

tractor, owner and designers. “The

site with super high resolution for the

design team doesn’t need go to the site

live streaming of imagery required

anymore,” he adds. “They can remotely

to gain a more reliable view of site

monitor and see changes and address

progress requires tremendous

issues off site. However, to utilise all of

bandwidth,” confirms Kaplanoglu.

this innovation, high bandwidth con-

“The implementation of 5G can sup-

nectivity on site is paramount.”

port this along with the operation of autonomous equipment and vir-

5G

tual reality solutions.” Allied to this,

The need for high bandwidth and low

Kaplanoglu points out that with the

latency at the construction sites of

proliferation of devices connected by

the near future is amplified by the

IoT, 5G will be capable of managing

demands of digital transformation

the flow of data from millions of sen-

across mission critical operations.

sors per square kilometre. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

D I G I TA L C O N S T R U C T I O N

42

“Everybody’s looking for connec-

BUILDING IN A POST-COVID WORLD

tivity,” he says. “Currently, at many

With the construction industry ham-

sites in Europe, the US and around

strung by the global pandemic, huge

the world, we must identify a reliable

impacts to schedules were inevitable.

network - whether it’s wireless

Kaplanoglu highlights the uncertain-

through a carrier or a local provider

ties around the accessibility of labour,

or a site that provides its own wi-fi

the availability of materials and, when

connections. With the broader

on site, the ability of crews to perform

adoption of 5G we’ll no longer need

their roles freely. How can Oracle

to do that. The connectivity will

help companies address the evolving

be instantly available for everyone

challenges faced around safety, ef-

to take advantage of through the ex-

ficiency and productivity?

panded capacity of enhanced mobile broadband.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Kaplanoglu explains the increased use of remote monitoring (with solutions

“ Today, there’s a huge trend towards remote operations and connectivity is key to that. You need to make sure you have the right bandwidth, latency and a reliable connection from your site back to your point of digital operation” — Burcin Kaplanoglu, Executive Director of Innovation, Oracle Construction & Engineering Oracle is also addressing the challenges presented by social distancing to safeguard the health of workers and the general public. “Our teams have explored new processes and praclike Reconstruct) is allowing construc-

tices while keeping the project moving

tion teams to access a single source

forward with as little disruption as pos-

of truth where a BIM model is united

sible,” says Kaplanoglu. The Innovation

with a schedule utilising data on what

Lab hosts many technologies whose

materials and workers are in place on

unique capabilities could be brought

site. “Our architects and designers don’t

to bear on the new set of problems

have to be in Chicago for OAC (Owner

the pandemic presents. “For example,

Architect Contractor) meetings, we can

Oracle’s partner technology Aconex

do everything for the Innovation Lab

facilitates a common data environment

remotely,” he offers by way of example.

(CDE) where images from a site can be

“The cameras and scanning equipment

grabbed and processed by its AI engine.

require terabytes of data for large

This technology can scan for objects to

image files so high bandwidth connec-

process compliance to PPE and enable

tivity, such as 5G, is becoming essential.”

us to keep people working in their set c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

43

D I G I TA L C O N S T R U C T I O N

groups,” explains Kaplanoglu. “It’s not about facial recognition or highlighting violations but about educating people on the best practice for changing working conditions. Here, we’re not processing live images so you could rely on a 4G connection.”

Kaplanoglu believes another key area for improving efficiency involves better

“ Necessity is the mother of innovation. Things have changed in terms of how fast companies are looking to scale solutions” — Burcin Kaplanoglu, Executive Director of Innovation, Oracle Construction & Engineering

supply chain management, which goes beyond materials handling to materials

44

Oracle’s payment processing solu-

readiness. “Our partner product (from

tion Textura is helping companies

Jovix) integrates with our schedule to let

upgrade their financial manage-

us know the percentages of materials

ment. “We can only share metrics

already being use in production, avail-

of success if the customer accrues

able on site and what remains to be

it,” stresses Kaplanoglu. “They ac-

delivered. We can track materials linked

tually have improved the speed of

to the schedule which are scanned by

their payment processing during the

gate meters on site when they arrive.

pandemic by as much as two weeks.

For material delivery it’s good to know

It’s important that they were able

you can have delivery on site without

to ramp up how fast they pay to the

signing for anything. You unload and

general contractor during the pan-

the gate reader tells you what’s arrived.

demic. And one of the key things is

For large infrastructure projects it’s

because this product is fully digital,

often a challenge to locate materials

you don’t need to write a check, you

on site when they’re stored in different

don’t have to mail it, everything is

locations; our approach is getting great

done online. All the documentation is

feedback from customers looking for an

done online and so with management

efficient solution and relies on consist-

teams working remotely during the

ent back office connectivity.”

pandemic, connectivity is key.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Laser scanning solutions are also

maintains this is not about robots

provided by Oracle partner Faro

versus humans but about automating

(famous for its work with Boston

repetitive tasks requiring multiple

Dynamics on the payments robot

tripod set ups. “We believe robots

Spot). “We’ve been working with one

can be a complimentary labour force

of their robots on site since April,”

allowing humans to do what they’re

reveals Kaplanoglu. “It goes to a

best at. We’re testing more ways of

location, it scans the site, it climbs

outsourcing other repetitive or high-

up the stairs, goes to the second

risk tasks for more agile operations.

level, stops in a location, scans

As the industry progresses more

the site, goes to another location

towards fully remote operations 5G

and so on… So, we now have auto-

will be vital to ensure low latency for

mated laser scanning.” Kaplanoglu

this type of real-time data capture.”

45

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D I G I TA L C O N S T R U C T I O N

R ECO N ST RU CT

Reconstruct, an Oracle Industries Innovation Lab tenant and member of the Oracle Partner Network, has developed a Visual Command Centre that supports remote monitoring, explains Oracle Construction & Engineering’s Director of Innovation, Burcin Kaplanoglu.

46

“Reconstruct’s AI technology consumes data from reality capture devices—and integrated project management systems - to provide a visual street view tour. This enables project teams to remotely collect, measure, document, and communicate issues around progress, productivity, and risk on site. Data is collected from a variety of tools - drones, 360-degree cameras, laser scanning, light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR), and live cameras - to power the command centre.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

We’ve integrated Reconstruct and Oracle Aconex so users can connect a Reconstruct project to the corresponding project in Oracle Aconex. This integration enables users to transfer files directly from the Document Register in Aconex’s common data environment (CDE) to the Data Manager in Reconstruct. These files include images (including 360-degree images), videos, PDF f loor plans, and 3D models.

For schedules, integration with Oracle’s Primavera P6 Enterprise Project Portfolio Management automatically pushes schedules into Reconstruct, and, in return, shares actionable progress updates into the Oracle scheduling solution in the cloud. Reconstruct also utilises Oracle Aconex model coordination to enable reality capture and BIM overlay.”

“ Collaboration with customers, partners, and industry institutions - especially at a time like this - is really important to help us build a better future” — Burcin Kaplanoglu, Executive Director of Innovation, Oracle Construction & Engineering

In tandem, the work Oracle Construction & Engineering is doing at the Innovation Lab is being extended across Oracle’s other businesses. “We now have Oracle Utilities and Oracle Communications joining the lab,” explains Kaplanoglu. “This gives us the ability to show how you can build

MAKING FUTURE CONNECTIONS

capital projects or a utility like infra-

Throughout the pandemic, the resulting

structure. We can also demonstrate

enforced lockdown and gradual reo-

how you can actually have a smart

pening of construction sites worldwide,

grid at your house and how the en-

Kaplanoglu has seen an increased

ergy use can be monitored via Oracle

appetite for technology investments.

Communications bringing technolo-

“Necessity is the mother of innovation,” he

gies from its partners across energy

says. “Things have changed in terms of

and utilities. It’s an exciting time as we

how fast companies are looking to scale

seek to expand the mission of the lab

solutions. For example, how people per-

beyond engineering and into the com-

ceive technology is changing. Previously,

munications industries that complement

if an evolving solution could only solve

construction. We truly believe that, as

70% of a problem it wouldn’t be adopted,

an organisation, the only way to improve

but right now the response I get from

the industry is to share what we’ve

the customer is that 70% is better than

learned. If we all keep the knowledge to

0%. There’s definitely a willingness to

ourselves, we’re not going to get there.

make new connections and be part of

Collaboration with customers, partners,

the development of these technologies.”

and industry institutions - especially at a

Kaplanoglu is excited by IoT partner tech-

time like this - is really important to help

nologies like Versatile – a camera box

us build a better future.”

that can be attached to crane hooks to measure productivity in real time. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

48

SMART CITIES: THE FUTURE OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT WRITTEN BY

GEORGIA WIL SON

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

49

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

We explore the smart cities of the future, understanding more about their development and why we will benefit from them WHAT IS A SMART CITY? A smart city is a framework designed to harness the capabilities of innovative technology to connect, protect, and enhance the lives of a city’s citizens.

By harnessing information and communication technologies (ICT) and the Internet of Things (IoT), a 50

smart city collects and analyses data from multiple channels to ‘sense’ the city’s environment, providing real-time information to help governments, enterprises, and citizens make better and more informed decisions to improve the overall quality of life.

When developing such a project, there are typically 11 core focuses that are considered for a smart city framework. These include: air quality, communication architecture, environment, lighting, parking, public wifi, safety and security, transportation, urban mobility, waste management and water management.

DEVELOPING A SMART CITY FRAMEWORK Outlined in Eden Strategy Institute’s most recent ‘Top 50 smart city governments’ report, the organisation conducted extensive research into the top 50 smart city governments, discussing S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

51

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

A simpler approach to a future-proof data center.

With scalable pre-fabricated solutions like Vertiv™ SmartMod™ and the quickly deployed Power Module, Vertiv is standardizing modular systems so you can get your data center running, faster.

Vertiv.com

S U S TA I N A B L E T ECHN O LO GY – MO BI LI T Y

Bike sharing: public-use bicycles, providing an alternative to driving, public transit, and private bike ownerships.

Car sharing: providing access to short-term car use without full ownership.

Congestion pricing: fees for private car usage in certain areas and during times of peak demand.

Demand-based microtransit: a ride-sharing service with fixed routes and/or stops to supplement

existing public transit routes, harnessing algorithms to analyse historical demand to determine routes, vehicle size, and trip frequency.

E-hailing (private and pooled): real-time ordering of point-topoint transportation through a mobile device.

Intelligent traffic signals: improving overall traffic f low through dynamic optimisation of traffic lights and speed limits.

Source: McKinsey

the core factors involved in a modern

include: taking stock of a city’s natural

smart city framework.

strengths and assets, to build the foundations for a smart city vision; en-

1. AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY, BUDGETING

gaging with citizens when it comes to

“Developing a smart city vision involves

determining the smart goals and areas

multiple stages: defining the relevant

of development; encouraging private

smart city concepts; designing the

sector involvement; identifying focus

planning process; engaging and draft-

areas; establishing a specific criteria

ing approaches with stakeholders; as

for the city in order to prioritise the

well as prioritizing initiatives and craft-

multiple opportunities available; and

ing the roadmap.”

ensuring that each initiative is planned,

Within its report, the Eden Strategy Institute LLP details six steps for an effective smart city strategy. These

sequenced and validated.

When it comes to developing a smart city, “budgetary limitations often c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

53

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

S U S TA I N A B I L IT Y T ECHN O LO GY – EN ERGY

Building automation systems: systems that optimise energy and water use in commercial and public buildings with the help of sensors and analytics.

Distribution automation systems: smart grid technologies, which include FDIR, M&D, Volt/ Var, and substation automation, to optimise energy efficiency and stabilise the power grid.

54

Dynamic electricity pricing: utilised to reduce peak time demand as well as the electricity generation cost.

Home energy automation systems and tracking:

constrain the pace at which cities can

optimising home energy consumption using smart thermostats, programmable and remote controllable electronic devices as well as standby electricity control. In addition to, providing information on tracked residential electricity consumption to increase awareness and encourage conservation.

Smart street lights: Harnessing connected and sensor equipped energy efficient street lights to optimise brightness and reduce maintenance needs.

Source: McKinsey

Of the top 50 cities within the

realise their development potential.

report, 37% have access to national

The top 50 cities have turned to innova-

and state level funds to develop

tive ways to secure funding, including

their smart city frameworks; while

competitions and hackathons, partner-

23% rely upon private-sector par-

ships with private companies, smart

ticipation; 18% use hackathons and

procurement policies, or national and

competitions to identify worthwhile

state-level funds. In many cases, these

smart city project investments; and

acted in concert to improve fund-

9% utilise smart procurement poli-

ing outcomes,� highlights the Eden

cies and practices, to optimise the

Strategy Institute.

use of public funds.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

The Need for Smart and Connected Cities Today CLICK TO WATCH

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3:20

55 “Done correctly, smart cities have

they prepare future plans for their cit-

the potential to transform the charac-

ies. These often assume that citizens

ter and liveability of a city, rejuvenate

enjoy internet access, and are tech-

its economy and heritage, enhance

savvy enough to use and interact with

its resilience and sustainability, and

the city’s spaces and services. Reality,

even tighten the social compact with

however, presents a wider range of city

the government and among citizens,”

users, and cities risk excluding entire

states the Eden Strategy Institute.

segments of their population from the smart city experience if efforts are not

2. DIGITAL INCLUSION, BUILDING A SMART WORKFORCE AND OPEN DATA “A city only becomes truly ‘smart’ when

made to bridge the digital gap,” emphasises the Eden Strategy Institute.

As a result, it is important when de-

all citizens are ready for it. Urban plan-

veloping a smart city framework that

ners and innovators might develop

every group within the city is account-

personas of the ideal ‘smart citizen’ as

ed for to ensure that the readiness of c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

56

individuals to adopt technology within

opportunities to add value and have

the city isn’t overestimated. A part of

a part to play in developing the city.

ensuring that the city is ready for such

As industries face increased

innovations, it is equally important

demands for transparency and

to provide accessibility to both the

accountability, particularly when it

internet and the devices to utilities

comes to the environment, open

online capabilities, as well as having

data has emerged as a cost effi-

the technological skills to utilise the

cient way to improve transparency,

capabilities of a smart city.

accountability, efficiency and re-

Building a smart workforce is an-

sponsiveness. However, to best

other aspect of ensuring that smart

utilise this technology, it is important

city initiatives are adopted. A holistic

to not only have the technological

strategy ensures that all ages have ac-

skills for effective use, but also to

cess to technology, education and the

establish open data policies.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ D eploying a range of applications to the best reasonable extent could cut emissions by 10 to 15%, lower water consumption by 20 to 30%, and reduce the volume of solid waste per capita by 10 to 20%” — McKinsey a larger variety, volume, and quality of insights, ideas, and feedback to establish the most cost-effectively and

3. CO-CREATION AND SHARED KNOWLEDGE VIA DISTRICTS AND CONFERENCES

functional smart city.

“We have observed a ready willingness

geographically-concentrated inno-

for many of the top-ranked cities in

vation ecosystems.” This approach

our study to accept that they may not

develops an ecosystem of shared

have all the answers,” comments the

knowledge and well connected

Eden Strategy Institute. In order to

capabilities to drive innovation that

really drive innovation and ensure that

is tailored to local needs. Smart dis-

the city is striving to connect, protect,

trict models have been successfully

and enhance the lives of its citizens,

developed in two ways: top-down

cities should look to involving outside

strategies, which are decided and

stakeholders - businesses, startups,

led by the government or local au-

students and the public - to develop

thorities, or bottom-up ones that are

Currently, “cities around the world are increasingly experimenting with

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT

initiated and driven by the private sector. This results in an innovative culture at the heart of the city.

When it comes to shared knowledge via conferences and expos, 86% of the top ranked cities in the Eden Strategy Institute’s report are hosting these types of events as well as

“ We have observed a ready willingness for many of the top-ranked cities in our study to accept that they may not have all the answers” — The Eden Strategy Institute

other shared knowledge mechanisms such as joint ventures, collaborative S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y T ECHN O LO GY - WAT ER AN D WAST E 58

Leak detection and control: leveraging sensors, cities can remotely monitor pipe conditions and control pump pressures to reduce or prevent leakages.

Smart irrigation: cities can optimise irrigation by analysing information such as local weather, soil conditions and plant types to eliminate unnecessary watering.

Water consumption tracking: providing information on tracked residential water consumption to increase awareness and encourage conservation.

Water quality monitoring: harnessing real-time capabilities to monitor the quality of water to S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

warn the public and provide more informed information to cities and utilities in order to manage the problem.

Digital tracking and payments for waste disposal: using digital payment methods for ‘pay-as-youthrow’ solutions to increase awareness and reduce waste.

Waste collection route optimisation: installing sensors in bins to measure the volume of waste to direct the routes for bin lorries, providing a more efficient route for lorries to travel minimising visits where there is not much waste.

Source: McKinsey

planning, and developing specialised

responsibilities across departments,

knowledge and industry clusters.

as well as forming partnerships with the public and private sector.

4. LEADERSHIP MODEL

leadership model. Some of the most

HOW SMART CITIES CAN DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS AND ENERGY EFFICIENCIES

successful cities it has seen have

Having the capability to advance

used a single dedicated office for their

Sustainable Development Goals by

initiative with flexible pathways for

70%, smart cities can deliver a cleaner

leadership to evolve naturally. However,

and more sustainable environment.

other successful smart cities have

With increased urbanisation, industri-

also used models that distributed

alisation and consumption comes the

When establishing a smart city framework it is important to have a clear

59

Deloitte c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

addition of increased environmental challenges. While technology is only one element that can help to address these challenges, overall analysis by McKinsey highlights that “deploying a range of applications to the best reasonable extent could cut emissions by 10 to 15%, lower water consumption by 20 to 30%, and reduce the volume of solid waste per capita by 10 to 20%.�

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS For cities that find structures as a major 60

source of emissions, McKinsey reports that building automation systems can

ability to make more informed deci-

lower emissions by just under 3% in most

sions. McKinsey reported that Beijing

commercial buildings and 3% in resi-

reduced its deadly airborne pollutants

dential homes. Other technologies that

by 20% in under a year by closely

can significantly impact emissions are

tracking the source of pollution and

dynamic electric pricing, ride-hailing and

regulating traffic and construction.

demand based microtransit, intelligence

In addition, sharing real time air

traffic signals and congestion pricing.

quality information provides the public with the capability to take protective

AIR QUALITY

measures to reduce negative health ef-

While some of the above can improve

fects by three to 15% depending on the

air quality, to directly address this chal-

current levels of pollution.

lenge requires implementing air quality sensors. While this does not automati-

WATER CONSERVATION

cally solve pollution, the technology

Harnessing water consumption

can identify the source, providing the

tracking technology paired with

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“ Done correctly, smart cities have the potential to transform the character and liveability of a city, rejuvenate its economy and heritage, enhance its resilience and sustainability, and even tighten the social compact with the government and among citizens� — The Eden Strategy Institute 61 advanced metering and digital

volume of un-recycled solid waste. An

feedback messages can reduce

example of this could be to harness

consumption by 15% in higher income

digital tracking and payments, however

cities where residential water is high.

this should be considered alongside

However, McKinsey notes that its ef-

other policy initiatives particularly

fectiveness depends on whether it is

for developing economies with tight

paired with a pricing strategy.

household budgets.

In developing countries, the biggest source of water waste is leaking pipes.

Utilising sensors and analytics can help to cut the loss by up to 25%.

SOLID WASTE REDUCTION With low-tech recycling reaching its limits, McKinsey reports that technology could help to further reduce the c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

ENGINEERING

62

Digital manufacturing revolution in the construction industry WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

kreo.net 63

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ENGINEERING

Construction Global examines the ways in which digital manufacturing can benefit the industry

D

igitisation is the megatrend that has

shaped the past decade, and will con

tinue to transform the shape of our soci-

eties as we progress towards the future.

In every market and vertical, digital transfor64

mation is reimagining the way we gather and interpret information, organise and deploy resources, and perform complex tasks. However, in spite of the radical changes that have completely reformed the entertainment, healthcare, logistics and many more industries, the con-

mckinsey.com

struction sector remains relatively far behind the curve when it comes to digital adoption.

In some ways, this isn’t at all surprising. The construction industry is almost as old as human civilisation itself, and has played a central role in the identity of those civilisations over thousands of years. “Despite its fundamental impact on our way of life, our approach to construction has changed little over the ages,� notes a report by The B1M. Construction is an industry steeped in tradition, from organisational techniques to building supplies.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

mckinsey.com

65

“ Despite its fundamental impact on our way of life, our approach to construction has changed little over the ages” — The B1M

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As Industry 4.0 takes an increasing-

sector is not for lack of awareness.

ly firm grip on other verticals around

Another report by global consultancy

the world, the construction sector is,

Roland Berger (this time focused on

by and large, a follower. A 2019 report

the German construction industry -

from construction firm Kreo noted

which is one of the most advanced in

that construction technology and

the world) asserts that: “Clearly, the

productivity have been flat for ages,

industry is aware of the importance

and that fewer than 10% of the re-

of the megatrend toward digitisation.

spondents from a recent survey in the

The problem lies rather with imple-

US believed their construction com-

mentation,” and notes that “according

panies’ technology to be cutting edge.

to one study by the Association of

However, the relatively slow pace of

German Chambers of Commerce and

digitisation across the construction

Industry (DIHK), 93% of companies 67

kreo.net

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ENGINEERING

68 agree that digitisation will influence

millennia, and many markets still rely on

every one of their processes.”

cheap, low-skill manual labour as an al-

This month, Construction Global

ternative to more modern solutions. The

explores the key reasons behind slow

nature of construction projects and the

adoption of digital manufacturing

way that they’re typically organised also

technologies in the construction sector,

creates problems, as we’ll explore. In

and examines the ways in which digital

short, in addition to the usual problems

manufacturing can benefit the industry.

that can plague a digital transformation (like unclear goals, failed integrations,

BARRIERS TO CHANGE

uncooperative workforces) there are el-

In many ways, the global construction

ements of the construction sector itself

industry has operated in much the

that are uniquely opposed to sweeping

same ways for hundreds of years. The

digital transformation, which go a long

world’s most common building materials

way towards explaining why the sector

have been a part of our structures for

is stuck in an analogue age.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

twi-global.com

“ 93% of construction companies agree that digitisation will influence every one of their processes” — Roland Berger, Digitisation in the Construction Industry apply repeatedly. Limited R&D budgets prevent businesses from spending as much on digital as companies in other sectors do. And construction work often takes place in remote, harsh environments that are not well suited to hardware and software developed for Global consultancy McKinsey also re-

the office. It is no wonder, then, that many

leased a report last year, which claimed

businesses end up with little to show for

that the construction (and engineering)

their technology investments.”

sectors were some of the least digitised

These challenges can be broken

in the world. However, the report also

down into four major factors which

noted that the difficulties are under-

obstruct digital adoption: fragmentation,

standable. “The typical construction

which refers to the fact that construc-

project involves a multitude of independ-

tion projects are usually highly siloed

ent subcontractors and suppliers, which

along the value chain, with many small

have little incentive to embrace new

groups of contractors working on pro-

methods during the brief periods when

jects without too much regard for the

they are on the job,” the report’s authors

larger organisational structure; unique-

observed. “Projects vary greatly, so

ness, reflecting the old adage that

construction companies often struggle

no man steps in the same river twice,

to develop tools and methods they can

meaning that construction projects are c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

69

ENGINEERING

almost always one-of-a-kind due to the number of contextual variables in play; transience, which refers to the fact that most construction projects bring together a team of diverse specialists which then go their separate ways

“ Projects vary greatly, so construction companies often struggle to develop tools and methods they can apply repeatedly” — McKinsey, Decoding digital transformation in construction

upon completion, making continuity and long-term training a challenge; and decentralisation, which is an internal

70

reflection of the fragmentation across

need to be addressed. “Higher profit

construction projects, meaning most

margins, reduced cost, time efficiency,

construction companies are “highly fed-

better collaboration, and productivity

erated”, with multiple internal siloes.

– digital technology does influence the

If construction companies are to re-

construction industry in a way it never

alise the kind of sweeping, sustainable

did before,” concludes the report from

digital transformations that will pro-

Kreo. “Implementing it is not a choice;

duce long-term value, these pain points

it’s slowly becoming a necessity.”

BI M

One of the core technologies driving transformation across the construction industry is Building Information Modeling (BIM).

Simply put, BIM is an intelligent, model-based process that allows architects, engineers and construction professions to work collaboratively on 3D rendered models of building projects. The

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

fact that the functional and aesthetic components of a design can be present in the same model, with input from professionals and companies fulfilling different functions, goes a long way towards demolishing the siloed methodology that prevents many construction projects from fully utilising digital tools.

What is BIM (Building Information Modeling)?

CLICK TO WATCH

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DIGITAL MANUFACTURING IN CONSTRUCTION

approach to manufacturing throughout the production process.

Digital manufacturing is a growing

In construction, digital manufac-

trend that isn’t confined to the con-

turing’s primary benefit is the ability

struction space. In fact, its biggest

to move elements of construction

impact so far has been further up

off-site and into controlled environ-

the supply chain in the materials and

ments. These controlled spaces allow

equipment manufacturing industries.

for the introduction of manufacturing

Digital manufacturing is a broad term

lines, AI-powered automation and

describing the application of computer

more stringent quality control. Off-site

systems to the manufacturing pro-

assembly also reduces the amount

cess, with the aim of linking together

of time that a project spends on-site,

systems and processes in order to

which cuts down on overhead costs

create an integrated, end-to-end

and helps minimise environmental c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

ENGINEERING

72

Construction’s Digital Manufacturing Revolution CLICK TO WATCH

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14:51

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K REO

UK and Belarusian-based software developer Kreo was founded in 2017 and has spent the last three years creating solutions for the Architecture, Engineering and Contractor industries to better collaborate and visualise the construction process.

Using AI-powered automation technology, Kreo’s cloud-based BIM solutions allow multiple enterprises with different goals

and areas of expertise to work together on building designs and pre-tender offers. Kreo is split into two main platforms, Kreo Plan and Kreo Design. Kreo Design is a tool to help companies create BIM models at the concept design stage. Kreo Plan analyses existing BIM models, fixing them and generating detailed reporting, information and project predictions.

73

“ Implementing digital technology is not a choice; it’s slowly becoming a necessity” — Kreo, How digital technology is changing the construction industry

projects. The concept of off-site prefabrication is by no means new to the industry, but advances in automation and digital manufacturing technologies are pushing the practice to the fore, in response to skilled labour shortages, rising populations and the growing need for urban residential

disruption. One method in particular,

and commercial development.

centred around a component-based approach to prefabricated construction elements, allows construction operators to draw from a pre-designed kit of parts that helps increase standardisation across multiple c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

TECHNOLOGY

74

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75

The case for integrating AI into construction WRITTEN BY

MARCUS LAWRENCE

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TECHNOLOGY

76

AI and its derivatives stand to offer enormous benefits to the construction industry, and adoption looks set to rocket in the coming years

A

rtificial intelligence (AI) has

industry’s long history. Environmen-

become all but an inevitability

talism, space limitations, ethics and

for the vast majority of indus-

human rights, health and safety, and

tries, and construction is no different.

efficiency and productivity summarise

It stands as one of humanity’s oldest

the bulk of the challenges that modern

disciplines, refined over millennia and

construction faces, and AI appears

swayed in new directions by every civi-

poised to address each of them whilst

lisation and major cultural shift to reach

fulfilling that most essential of business

the job sites of today. Construction on

needs: cost reduction.

the scale of the modern day, growing at

Loosely defined and operating as

pace as globalisation and urbanisation

a banner for machine learning, deep

have accelerated over the past cen-

learning, robotics, automation and

tury, is replete with challenges that will

more, AI in broad terms is technology

define our own epoch’s chapter in the

capable of performing processes and

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77

completing tasks that traditionally require human input. With additional data pooled from myriad, relevant sources, AI can also become incrementally better at its job, opening up new avenues for efficiency, productivity, safety, and reliability. The Internet of

Research Dive highlights the following as leaders in the AI in Construction space: • Building System Planning (BuildingSP) • Autodesk

Things (IoT) and sensory equipment can

• Smartvid.io

be combined with AI to actively monitor

• Volvo AB

conditions on-site, catch overlooked

• Komatsu

elements of risk, observe the productiv-

• NVIDIA

ity and compliance of workers, forecast

• Doxel

overspending and late completion, and

• Dassault Systèmes

improve a building’s efficiency from

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

Digital Transformation.

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“ Adjacent industries, such as transportation and manufacturing, are already in the process of breaking down the barriers between one another and operating more as ecosystems” —McKinsey planning through to post-construction.

analysis that stand to enhance AI’s

It can also use information, such as

capabilities even further. McKinsey’s

budget, dimensions, and proposed

article said that, while AI adoption

materials, to generate workable

in the engineering and construction

construction plans to specification.

industry would prove to be modest

Elsewhere, automated robotics can

in the immediate future, there is an

produce the structural elements of

additional driver of the industry’s shift

a building for assembly by human

towards intelligent solutions. “Indeed,

workers on-site, while on-site robotics

adjacent industries, such as transpor-

could be deployed for physical con-

tation and manufacturing, are already

struction with calculable precision.

in the process of breaking down the

In 2018, McKinsey’s ‘Artificial intelli-

barriers between one another and

gence: Construction technology’s next

operating more as ecosystems (for

frontier’ highlighted AI as becoming

example, solutions, tools, and algo-

increasingly important at an end-to-

rithms that were industry-specific

end level in the industry, and since then

are more likely to become effective

the advent of 5G has blown open new

having impact across industries)—

possibilities for data collection and

increasing the threat of competition c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

79

TECHNOLOGY

Artificial intelligence and its derivatives offer a broad range of potential benefits for the construction industry, including: • P roject planning • Productivity monitoring • Cost reduction • Risk mitigation • Generative design • Cost and time overrun prevention • Enhanced safety

80

• Off-site construction • Post-construction and building management • Labour shortage mitigation • Building efficiency and sustainability

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

from market entrants that have not traditionally been capital project players,” McKinsey explained.

The case for AI in the industry, as with any looking to maximise efficiency, safety, accuracy, and productivity whilst cutting costs, is clear.

In terms of limiting factors, Research Dive’s ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Construction Market Insights, - 20192026’ report found that the greatest is the skills gap that must be bridged for successful implementation. The complexity of the construction journey stands to be streamlined by AI as it’s trained to answer tricky questions and solve problems at a greater pace than a team of people, but that pre-existing complexity is, in itself, a wall against such far-reaching technological change. With the very real pressure of being left behind, this is a challenge that enterprises in the industry are increasingly willing to face. Research Dive predicts that the AI in Construction, as an industry in itself, will generate cumulative revenues of over US$2.6bn by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3% between 2019 and 2026. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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TECHNOLOGY

When it comes to the leaders in this

KOMATSU

apparent race to become AI-ready,

Industrial equipment manufacturer

more specifically those leading the

Komatsu launched its SMARTCON-

charge with AI-powered software

STRUCTION solutions business

designed for construction, Research

in 2015, focusing on data-driven,

Dive highlighted several. Here is a

machine learning-enhanced

selection of those leaders, and the

analysis and strategy. KomConnect,

work they’re doing to drive AI adoption

the keystone of the SMARTCON-

in construction.

STRUCTION model, intelligently assesses data derived from sensory

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BUILDINGSP

equipment (such as drones, cameras,

Clash detection, the art of finding

and smart machinery) in real-time

instances of conflict between two

to provide accurate and up-to-date

models of the same building (for example, walls and electrical cabling), has long been a vital element of the construction process that stands to be simplified and accelerated by AI. BuildingSP’s ClashMEP is an intelligent plug-in for Autodesk’s Revit, a leading building information modelling (BIM) platform, which detects clashes in realtime with minimal latency and without the need to export files to other platforms. Testimonials on the company’s product page highlight the acceleration of operations that real-time clash detection enables, as well as the minimal training required to incorporate ClashMEP into existing workflows.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

analyses of project and site conditions. The result is a considerable improvement in efficiency, accuracy, and quality in the final build thanks to actionable insights derived from reliable automated systems.

DASSAULT SYSTÈMES Regarded as a world leader in 3D modelling solutions, Dassault Systèmes’ EXALEAD and NETVIBES incorporate AI to drive enhanced operations in construction.

“ Automated robotics can produce the structural elements of a building for assembly by human workers on-site, while on-site robotics could be deployed for physical construction with calculable precision” 83

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TECHNOLOGY

84

“ Environmentalism, space limitations, ethics and human rights, health and safety, and efficiency and productivity summarise the bulk of the challenges that modern construction faces” S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

EXALEAD actively aggregates data from multiple sources and presents it in an effective, actionable fashion in real-time, while NETVIBES actively accrues data from social media, news articles and more with tailorable pertinence to an organisation’s operations. Both stand to offer fresh, intelligently analysed and delivered information for construction professionals to more accurately define and execute their strategies.

AI in Construction Can Streamline Tasks, Improve Insights, Even Save Lives CLICK TO WATCH

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AUTODESK

goals and specifications. The soft-

Renowned construction and architec-

ware also delivers performance data

tural solutions leader Autodesk has

for each design it concocts, enabling

supplemented its offering through

the designer to examine trade-offs

Autodesk Research, an arm dedicated

and benefits comparatively. This is

to exploring new ways to boost effi-

an elegant example of the utopian

ciency, productivity, and creativity for

ideal of AI’s integration: a marriage

designers and strategists. Project

of human ingenuity and a software

Dreamcatcher is perhaps the most

freeing that ingenuity from time and

prominent brainchild of Autodesk’s

effort-based impediments.

research, capable of generating thousands of designs that meet a designer’s c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD For more than a century, engineers, architects and investors around the world have battled it out in a race towards the sky. Today, skyscrapers dominate the skylines of our cities, standing apart as some of the great engineering marvels of the age. This month, Construction Global breaks down the world’s 10 tallest buildings.

WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR

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T O P 10

10

CITIC TOWER, BEIJING – 527M

Completed in 2018, CITIC Tower (also known as China Zun) dominates the Beijing skyline with its distinctive swooping shape coated in glass that shimmers across the Chaoyang District. Standing 527 metres tall, the CITIC tower is a rare creation, in that it hasn’t accentuated its total height with an antennae or spire. In fact, only the final 14 metres of the building are unoccupied by offices.

The tower has 109 floors above ground and eight 88

below, which are serviced by 100 elevators. The next-tallest building in Beijing, the China World

10

Trade Centre Tower III, is a full 190 metres shorter than CITIC.

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09 TIANJIN CTF

FINANCE CENTRE, TIANJIN – 530.4M

The Tianjin CTF Centre was completed last year and is the tallest in the city of Tianjin (or at least it will be until the Goldin Finance 117 building is completed). Standing 530.4 metres tall, the structure

89

09

has an elegantly fluted, all-glass

design that increases its resist-

ance to seismic activity. The

tower’s carved glass exterior is made entirely of flat glass pan-

eling, a major feat of engineering,

while strategically placed, multistory wind vents combined with

the tower’s aerodynamic shape reduce vortex shedding, which

in turn minimizes wind forces.

Tianjin CTF has 97 floors above

ground and four below, serviced by 80 elevators, making it the

world’s tallest building with fewer

than 100 floors.

By BD2412 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Between hope and possible there’s a bridge.

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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T O P 10

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08 CENTRE, GUANGZHOU -530.4M GUANGZHOU CTF FINANCE

With its sweeping angular lines, the building’s form is sculpted at four major transition points: office to residential, residential to hotel, hotel to crown, and crown to sky. One of the most interesting features of the 530.4 metre-tall tower is the amount of terracotta used in its construction which, in practical terms, makes a lot of sense – terracotta has a lower level of embodied energy than aluminium, steel or glass, is self-cleaning, corrosion resistant and readily produced throughout China. The building is currently owned by Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and is divided into office space, 355 apartments and 251 hotel rooms across its 111 floors (plus an additional five below ground). c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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07

O NE WORLD TRADE CENTRE, NEW YORK – 546.2M

Standing 546.2 metres tall, the One World Trade Centre in New York City is the tallest building in the Western World. Also nicknamed Freedom Tower, the project was proposed back in 2005, four years after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2014. The tower sits beside the Ground Zero memorial to the 9/11 attacks, and serves as a point of commer-

07

92

cial pride, and a memory of the city’s loss.

With its sweeping v-shaped front, the

building rises from a cubic base, its edges chamfered back, resulting in a faceted

form composed of eight elongated isos-

celes triangles that creates an effect that

is symmetrical and random, like a kaleidoscope. The One World Trade Centre is made up of 94 floors above ground and five beneath.

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06 LOTTE WORLD TOWER, SEOUL – 555.7M

The Lotte World Tower stands 555.7 metres tall and has 123 floors above ground, with an additional six below. Its exterior design draws influence from Korean ceramics, porcelain, and calligraphy. Its tapered design points from its location in the Songpa-gu district towards the old centre of the city in Myeongdong. Inside, the building is divided into a number of commercial and public functions, including retail spaces, offices, a 7-star luxury hotel, and an officetel: a common feature of South Korean real estate which offers studioapartments for people who work in the building. The tower’s top 10 stories are earmarked for extensive public use and entertainment facilities, including an observation deck and rooftop café. Construction on the Lotte World Tower began in 2011 and was completed in 2017. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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T O P 10

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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T O P 10

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95

PING AN FINANCE CENTRE, SHENZHEN – 599.1M

The Ping An Finance Centre is the second-tallest building in China and the tallest in the country’s tech and industrial centre of Shenzhen.

Standing 599.1 metres tall, its design is both aesthetically striking and practical, as the streamlined shape of the tower improves both structural and wind performance, reducing baseline wind loads by 35%.

The building is designed to be hyper-dense, and intrinsically connected to the surrounding commercial and residential properties, as well as nearby high-speed rail links. According to the Skyscraper Centre, the tower is adorned by the largest stainless steel façad in the world to date, using a total of 1,700 tons of stainless steel. The Ping An Financial Centre has 115 floors above ground and five below. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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04

MAKKAH ROYAL CLOCK TOWER, MECCA – 601M

The 601 metre tall Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Mecca, Saudi Arabia sits at the heart of Islam’s holiest city. The tower was

developed as a component of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project and provides temporary accomodation for millions of

Muslims that make the journey to the city every year during the Hajj period. It is located directly beside the grand mosque, which sees an average of two million visitors during its busiest periods.

The building has a total of 858 hotel rooms in the central tower, spread across 120 floors above ground, with an additional three 96

floors below. Four gigantic clock faces are mounted near the top of the tower, and hold the record for both the largest and highest clocks in the world. At night, the clock faces are illuminated by one million LED lights.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

03

4

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03

SHANGHAI TOWER, SHANGHAI – 632M

Completed in 2015, Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in all of Asia, and the crown jewel of the city’s Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone. Standing a full 632 metres tall, the tower’s twisting glass design appears remarkably fluid for something so large and is said to symbolise the dramatic emergence of modern China. Its dynamic outline has a practical purpose as well, as wind tunnel tests confirm a 24% saving in structural wind loading when compared to a rectangular building of the same height. The building has 128 floors above ground with an additional five beneath, and is serviced by 106 elevators. These elevators travel at an average of 20.5m/s, making them the fastest in use anywhere in the world. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

T O P 10

Meet Oren.

Your mining & B2B industrials marketplace 98

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02

BURJ KHALIFA, DUBAI – 829.8M

Still technically the world’s tallest structure, the

Burj Khalifa is expected to lose its decade-long record some time this year. However, the 829.8

metre tall megastructure, with its 163 floors and distinctive sail-like shape, remains for now the tallest man made structure in the world. The tower and the neighbourhoods that surround

it are some of the most densely populated in Dubai and offer keen insight into the future of

hyper-densified urban living. The exterior of the 100

Burj Khalifa is clad in aluminum and textured stainless steel spandrel panels, designed

to withstand Dubai’s extreme temperatures during the summer months by using a low-E

glass to provide enhanced thermal insulation.

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Jeddah Tower 2020 Update Timelapse 1000m+ World’s Tallest Building CLICK TO WATCH

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KINGDOM TOWER, JEDDAH – 1,000+M Rising through sky and clouds to heights in excess of 1,000 metres, the Kingdom Tower in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah will be the tallest structure to ever have existed when finished. The building’s jagged, needle-like design is intended to evoke a bundle of leaves shooting up from the ground, meant to emanate the growth, prosperity, and regional emergence of its homeland on the global stage. Upon completion the Kingdom Tower will have 167 floors above ground, with just two below, and be mixed use. At the very top, a massive penthouse will allow a tenant to reside at the crown of the building, which could very well end up being the most expensive penthouse in the world. Jeddah tower is expected to top off this year.

By S.Nitzold – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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TRANSFORMING OPERATIONS THROUGH DIGITISATION WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

GLEN WHITE

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M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations at McDermott, discusses the impact of COVID-19 in the oil and gas industry

M

cDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of technology, engineering and construction solutions to the energy indus-

try. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott’s locally focused and globally integrated resources include more than 42,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and 106

fabrication facilities worldwide.

Mark Lowman is Vice President of Operations at McDermott. Having spent his early career as a Submariner in the Royal Navy, Lowman worked his way through the ranks to advance to Lieutenant Commander, before spending a further four years with the Royal Australian Navy. In 2000, Lowman left the Navy and joined the oil and gas industry and, over the next few years, gained experience as a Project Manager delivering projects in the Subsea, Offshore and Onshore business segments. In 2012, he joined McDermott to oversee company fabrication operations in Asia and to manage the Batam Fabrication yard. Two years later, he stepped into his current role as Vice President of Operations and is now based in Houston, Texas. “I loved my career with the Royal Navy, but I always knew I was S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

— Makes operations and asset optimization easier than it looks ABB Ability™ Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite In today’s trying times, we need every angle to solve business challenges faster. Analyzing data can give us an edge. But deciding which data and how is a whole different game. As a leader in digital technologies that help customers improve operations, we developed the ABB Ability™ Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite. Genix takes data from distributed control systems and devices, and combines it with data from information and engineering systems to provide multidimensional analytics that help you increase production, optimize assets and streamline business processes. Artificial Intelligence helps you produce predictive and prescriptive actions to improve. The Genix platform is augmented with easy-to-use applications and supplemented with expert ABB services to help you find the right solution to solve business challenges faster. abb.com

ABB: accelerating digitalisation with McDermott ABB is a leading global engineering company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels.

Heather Cykoski is the Group Vice President at ABB. Having worked for the organisation since 2005 in several different leadership positions, she has a comprehensive understanding of the industry and has observed her organisation’s digital transformation journey first-hand. “It’s incredibly interesting to be where we are today. Digitalisation has been at the core of what we do for many years; however, the acceleration of implementation today is truly transformational,” explains Cykoski. “Now is the time for those who lead in this space to transform and deliver digital value to both our own operations and to our customers. Today’s challenging economy makes this more urgent than ever. There is so much more to deliver, and we need to deliver fast.”

Rajesh Ramachandran is the Chief Digital Officer for ABB’s Industrial Automation business.

He joined ABB in February 2019 and brings over three decades of experience in technology and business leadership to ABB, having helped to transform world-class multinational organisations such as Oracle, Siemens, PayPal and more.

ABB Partner Video

“Having established a key, strategic business relationship with McDermott, Cykoski affirms that this collaboration is influential to mutual success.

“The partner ecosystem has changed. The combination of a technology provider like ABB, and an EPC like McDermott, supporting the end user, is the trifecta that creates the perfect project,” says Cykoski. “We know how important an EPC is: 80% of large projects go through an EPC. When you look at digitalisation and partnerships, what it truly means is that you trust one another and collaborate to provide value. McDermott and ABB both have very similar outlooks and values, and that is key.”

“With the future in mind, Ramachandran has a clear idea of what the partnership with McDermott could hold. “We’re actively working on how to build solutions together that have a “Different customers are at different points of lifecycle value for customers, from design through their digital transformation journeys,” says operations through continuous improvement,” he Ramachandran. “This is even true with the solution says. “The trusted relationship that we have with providers as they are learning along with the McDermott is important to ensure projects are customers on what the real value of digital is to delivered on time at the right cost. There is now a drive business outcomes. In today’s highly new normal in the industry following the pandemic. competitive landscape, industries are able to It’s the right time for partners to come together embrace digital technologies to address their core and develop, test and implement new technologies — challenges, while striving for operational excellence that challenge traditional ways of working. We’re Makes operations and asset and output of the highest quality.

Digital confident that by working together, we will ensure transformation has becomeoptimization a high priority due easier safer, than smarterit and more sustainable operations looks to its promise of addressing strategic business across the industry. “It’s a great opportunity to ABB Ability™ Industrial Analytics andknowledge AI Suite imperatives. Many companies are struggling withGenix bring the combined power of domain how to leverage this potential. We believe the and leading technology to our customers. We’re In today’s trying times, we need every angle to solve business challenges faster. Analyzing data industry must adopt a clear can roadmap of how to confident this jointgame. value will help our give us an edge. But deciding which data and how is a whole different As a proposition leader in technologies that help customers improve operations, we developed the ABB Ability™ address digitalisation, from digital enabling it to customers succeed today and tomorrow .”

Genix Industrial Analytics and AI Suite. Genix takes data from distributed control systems and implementing it through focused solutions, devices, and combines it with data from information and engineering systems to provide multidimensional analytics that help you increase production, optimize assets and streamline keeping in mind the longer digitalisation journey. business processes. Artificial Intelligence helps you produce predictive and prescriptive actions to improve. effectively The Genix platform is augmented with easy-to-use applications and supplemented At ABB, we can help our customers with with expert ABB services to help you find the right solution to solve business challenges faster. these challenges.”

Learn more abb.com

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

“MCDERMOTT HAS CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EMPLOYEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENGAGE AND PROMOTE THEIR IDEAS AND WE HAVE A MANTRA TO ‘TAKE THE LEAD” 110

Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, McDermott

going to move jobs eventually because there comes a time when you can no longer serve at sea,” explains Lowman.

He studied at Deakin University and was awarded an MBA in Law, Finance, Human Resources, Economics and Marketing in 2001. He points to that experience as vital in providing a network of like-minded individuals. “That programme had a big influence on me as I got introduced to a number of senior executives from other companies and those conversations about opportunities really drove me to switch my career.”

Lowman believes the oil and gas industry has been slower to adopt new technology than other industries, but recognises that digitalisation is beginning to have a greater influence on operations. “When I started, digitalisation was in its infancy in the industry,” he explains. “McDermott was still working in the same way it always had with adequate systems and processes while not fully understanding the benefits of digitalisation. We have created our Digital and Project Innovation Group who are supported by resources across the organisation. This allows us to educate our employees and the leadership as

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Ship-to-Ship Motion Measurement System CLICK TO WATCH

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111 we prepare to evolve to a digital culture.

we can find. Going forward, our focus

Digital disruption is very likely to upend

is heavily on technologies which help

the way we operate.” Pointing to his

us improve collaboration, expand our

organisation’s ongoing digital transfor-

project predictability through analytics

mation journey, Lowman acknowledges

and automate repetitive activities to free

that there has been a combination of

up our people.”

small point solutions as well as longer

With the COVID-19 pandemic

running programmes. “We’re leveraging

impacting businesses across the globe

cloud technology in certain areas, such

during the first half of 2020, Lowman

as our ERP and utilising technology

recognises how difficult the challenge

platforms like PLM from the aerospace

of transforming operations rapidly was.

and automotive industries,” he says. “We

“There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has

have tried to ensure that we don’t have

had a significant influence on the way

an ‘only invented here’ mentality and are

businesses operate now,” he explains.

always looking to leverage the best that

“Almost overnight, we had to switch c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

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“THE KEY IS UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER’S DRIVERS” Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, McDermott c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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ServiceNow: driving digitalisation with McDermott Kevin Galloway, Director of Enterprise Sales, and Sunny Mahato, Advisory Solution, Consultant at ServiceNow discusses their firm’s partnership with McDermott.

ServiceNow is an industry leading SaaS provider, helping to make the world work better for people and has a mission to improve the overall employee experience.

ServiceNow has formed a key, strategic relationship with McDermott and helps the organisation with their digital strategy. Kevin Galloway is a Director of Enterprise Sales at ServiceNow. Having been with the company since February 2019, he has operated in the oil and gas industry over the past decade and has observed the rise of digital transformation first-hand. “Before McDermott brought in ServiceNow, they had a very manual process,” he explains. “If there was an issue, it would have to be passed around different employees until it reached the right person. With ServiceNow, we automate that process.” Sunny Mahato is an experienced technology leader with experience in strategic account software sales cycles, advanced enterprise software applications, business process optimisation, solution development and consultancy. He believes that ServiceNow’s solution is of significant value to McDermott as it streamlines the process considerably. “McDermott doesn’t have to worry about maintaining or managing the servers or having people go into the office to look after it. It’s all driven from the cloud.”

Prior to joining forces with ServiceNow, McDermott had no way of tracking inventory or streamlining their HR processes. Galloway believes that upon the beginning of the partnership with his organisation, the cost savings have been considerable. “McDermott went from 100% manual intervention and spreadsheets to now running our platform which they now use as ERP,” he says. “They track millions of dollars of assets automatically through our platform and their onboarding process has transformed from a manual process to a workflow which streamlines that process. Sometimes, people don’t realise

ServiceNow

the cost involved with some of these manual processes and the cost savings are in the millions.” Mahato affirms the importance of displaying a compassionate and understanding approach to customers and employees alike. “Our mission is all about showing compassion to not just employees but also our customers, particularly in the current challenging environment,” says Mahato.

“We want our employees and customers to know that we stand with them.”

Looking to the future, Galloway has a clear idea of the next stage of the partnership with McDermott. “As we continue to grow our relationship with McDermott, we want to begin to leverage AI into our platform and machine learning to help McDermott further automate their environment,” explains Galloway.

“The world is going more mobile, particularly because of COVID-19. Working from home isn’t going to go away so being a cloud-based mobile platform provider has become more important than ever. The ability to connect mobily and through an automated fashion is vital.” Mahato adds that he believes in an agile and lean approach in order to drive success in the market. “We’re hopeful we can continue to help McDermott with project management and introducing greater technology such as AI and ML,” adds Mahato. “It’s crucial to be as proactive as possible instead of reactive.”

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

116

from a normal office environment to

reassurance,” says Lowman. “We have

virtual working. Travel restrictions meant

fabrication operations where we have

that we haven’t been able to visit our

thousands of staff that work in close

customers face to face and as we’re a

proximity to one another and we need

global operation, travel was an essential

to be able to communicate and reassure

element to remain connected. COVID-

them, while ensuring they understand

19 has forced us to make the switch

the evolution post-COVID-19.” Despite

to online communications as well as

the unprecedented challenge of the

encouraged us to find innovative ways

coronavirus, McDermott managed to

of working together.” Lowman rec-

keep all sites fully operational glob-

ognised the importance of reassuring

ally. “From the beginning, our QMW

employees while undergoing significant

Fabrication operation on the Qingdao

disruption and change to everyday

coast, Shangdong province, Central

operations. “Our employees needed

China, was able to respond quickly and

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Mark Lowman Title: Vice President of Operations Industry: Oil & Energy

Company: McDermott

Location: Texas, USA

Mark Lowman is an accomplished, highly resourceful Executive Management professional with a wealth of experience in managing multi-billion dollar construction projects in the Oil and Gas industry from inception to delivery.

Prior to his career in the oil and gas industry, Mark had a successful naval career moving from the ranks to Lieutenant Commander.

Mark has been with McDermott International Inc. for seven years in a variety of roles, including as the Director of Fabrication in Batam, Indonesia, Senior Director of Commercial Asia Pacific, and Vice President of Project Execution in both Asia Pacific and in Houston. Prior to McDermott, Mark held leadership positions at Technip Oceania Pty Ltd. Marks holds a Master of Business from Deakin University and has degrees in Nuclear Engineering, Naval Science and Operational Studies, from Britannia Royal Naval College and Royal Naval College Greenwich.

Mark has a proven track record leading global operations, building business and setting up operations in new geographical areas and countries. He is a results-driven business leader who creates shared vision and leads from the front, to build, empower and motivate multi-cultural, cross-functional teams to achieve goals.

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

117

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

O N E MCDERMO T T WAY

Customers rely on McDermott to deliver certainty to some of the most complex projects, from concept to commissioning.

To help provide consistency and assurance of delivery, McDermott has established the “One McDermott Way” which means the same vision, values and processes are always observed.

118

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“This particularly helped when we combined with CB&I as we put a huge amount of effort in working as coming together as one team,” says Lowman.

“McDermott has created an environment where employees are encouraged to engage and promote their ideas and we have a mantra to ‘take the lead.’”

Our Vision is One CLICK TO WATCH

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1:53

119 proactively by introducing control and

McDermott currently has a backlog

mitigation measures well in advance

of US$16bn worth of projects to execute

of Government restrictions,” explains

over the next few years. “This is a great

Lowman. “This has also been the case

position to be in, particularly at a time

for all our fabrication yards including

when market conditions are so uncer-

Dubai, Indonesia and Mexico, as well as

tain,” affirms Lowman. The projects

our project construction sites in the US

in question include BP Cassia – Cassia

and across the world.” McDermott took

C Greenfield and Gulf Coast Joint

the pandemic seriously from the outset

Ventures – MEG project. “In terms of BP

and quickly established global and local

Cassia, McDermott is undertaking the

area Crisis Management Teams. “We

procurement, construction and fabrica-

very quickly and efficiently developed

tion of a 7,250 MT topsides and a 3,400

procedures and processes to manage

MT four-legged jacket and piles. That

our response to the pandemic, but more

project is progressing well and our fabri-

importantly to keep our employees safe.”

cation yard in Mexico has remained open c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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27,000 Tons delivered in 17 months

“WHEN I STARTED, DIGITALISATION WAS IN ITS INFANCY IN THE INDUSTRY” Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, McDermott

you can’t do it as a one- man band.

You need a series of experienced, industry professionals whom you can trust to build the team and empower them to align to the project goals.”

McDermott places considerable value on sustainability and has established several CSR initiatives. McDermott holds an Annual Batam International Golf Tournament which has been able to raise over US$1mn to fund the build-

during the pandemic and has responded

ing of orphanages in Batam Island in

with remarkable productivity,” explains

Indonesia, providing health kits to chil-

Lowman. “With the MEG project, we’re

dren, digging wells for a nearby island

fabricating large modules in two of our

and offering a range of other events.

global fabrication yards. The first mod-

“We have a series of sustainability goals

ules were delivered in early April and they

that we’ve been developing over time,”

are now in Texas where the construction

explains Lowman. “We like to engage

site is putting together and creating the

with the communities to ensure we

plant.” Despite the seismic shift in the

provide the support that is needed and

scale of projects, Lowman believes the

make sure that McDermott as a busi-

core foundations remain the same. “The

ness is conscious of the worldwide effort

key is understanding the customer’s

to reduce carbon footprint.” Those goals

drivers,” explains Lowman. “This will help

that Lowman mentioned centre around

execute the project successfully and

developing sustainable solutions that

provide a level of assurance to the cus-

support energy transition, contribut-

tomer. As a project director, I would want

ing to sustainable growth, reducing

to build a project management team with

operational environmental footprint and

a high-level of experience. With some of

promoting workplace and community

these larger multi-billion dollar projects,

wellbeing. Having previously focused on c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

121

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

developing natural gas power technology that produces low cost electricity while providing zero carbon emissions with NET Power, Lowman says that McDermott remains well placed to keep sustainability at the fore. “Everyone understands that climate change is an area that needs to be considered in planning,” he says. “Clean Fuels and NET Power have generated interests and we’re still providing customers with the opportunity to become engaged.”

Lowman recognises the importance 122

of partnerships and believes developing key, strategic business relationships are vital to success in the oil and gas industry.

“Due to the sheer size of some of the projects, it means that you have to share the risk and one partner may have a higher level of expertise in a particular area

“DIGITAL DISRUPTION IS VERY LIKELY TO UPEND THE WAY WE OPERATE”

than another,” he explains. “However,

Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, McDermott

as particularly important. “We’ve been

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

by working together, this allows for more confidence in delivery and we rely on partners and vendors across the globe.” Lowman points to McDermott’s relationship with Baker Hughes and ABB working together on Subsea production solutions in conjunction with Subsea

123

umbilical rises and flow lines (SURF)

Onshore and Offshore business and

and by collaborating we’ve been able

is extremely supportive. They’re also

to offer solutions to the market that can

involved in some of our management

deliver savings to the customer that are

discussions with customers in terms of

potentially in the millions,” says Lowman.

providing the best lower cost solutions

“ABB is a great supporting company

that the customer is always looking for.

that provides technical solutions to help

The relationship is really built on aligned

us position ourselves to win work. ABB

goals and the ability to communicate

offers switchboard equipment for our

and work together effectively.” c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

M C D E R M O T T I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N C

Striving to make the world better, for everyone To help solve the biggest flow-control challenges, customers worldwide rely on the product brands, engineering, project management and service expertise of Flowserve.

We help our customers lower operating costs, optimize performance, prolong equipment life, mitigate risks and drive higher productivity.

“I BELIEVE WE WILL EVOLVE AND BECOME A DIFFERENT KIND OF COMPANY, BUT WE WILL ALWAYS BE HERE TO DELIVER PROJECTS TO OUR CUSTOMERS” Mark Lowman, Vice President of Operations, McDermott 125 Having been around for almost 100

the forefront of technology and the

years, McDermott has significantly

ability to continue to offer project

evolved over the years. Following the

concepts to final delivery to our

merger of McDermott and CB&I in

customers both upstream and down-

2018, the organisation has matured

stream from Petrochemical and LNG

into a company that has a presence

plants, Storage Tanks and Offshore

both Onshore and Offshore. “Despite

and Subsea. I believe we will evolve

the challenges, we’ve adjusted and

and become a different kind of com-

grown,” affirms Lowman. “We con-

pany, but we will always be here to

tinue to be a company that prides

deliver projects to our customers.”

itself on technology-led solutions and we have secured a partnership with Lummus Technology for the longer term. This relationship will enable McDermott to remain at c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

126

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Bentley Systems’ cloud offering drives business resilience WRITTEN BY

MARCUS LAWRENCE

PRODUCED BY

ARRON RAMPLING

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

127

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

Jeff Richardson, CDO at Bentley Systems, discusses the state of the art cloud infrastructure that benefits internal and external stakeholders

T

he global business community has responded to the coronavirus pandemic with considerably more focus on remote

working than has ever been seen before. For every industry, from media to construction, demand 128

has rocketed for technological solutions that will enable continued operations with minimal disruption. Bentley Systems, a world-leading software solutions developer serving major infrastructural construction projects around the world, has long been a proponent of this breed of tech, and today boasts a cutting edge cloud infrastructure whose benefits are more apparent than ever. In normal times, its end-to-end suite of software solutions for such large projects ensures a seamlessness of delivery for its users while cutting-edge telemetry capabilities mean development and subscriptions are current, flexible, and fair. All of that remains true during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the global crisis has revealed that Bentley’s greatest strength is perhaps in the flexibility it offers both external and internal stakeholders.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Jeff Richardson, CDO, Bentley Systems

129

1984

Year founded

$700mn Revenue in US dollars

3,800 Number of employees

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

“ We use the rules of compliance as foundational guidelines, and we always try to exceed those guidelines by orders of magnitude” 130

— Jeff Richardson, Chief Data Officer, Bentley Systems

Jeff Richardson, Chief Data Officer at Bentley Systems, has been with the company since 2004, rising through the ranks from an SAP developer to the head of the firm’s data lifecycle and data strategies. In Richardson’s view, ‘global mobility’ is 2020’s key trend, and it has certainly become the undercurrent for business in a world where face-to-face contact is being kept to a minimum.

“Businesses have quickly tried to adapt to global mobility now that face-toface culture is out the window, and we instead need to have a culture of ‘can you do your job globally, but remotely to where you are?’” he says.

The scope of the construction projects that Bentley facilitates means the capability required goes way beyond the collaboration tools and Zoom meetings that have come to pervade many industries. Building a 100-storey skyscraper, for example, comes with immense data requirements, with file sizes spanning gigabytes and terabytes. “A single BIM model, made of the structural elements of the building, could be many, many gigabytes of data. The question is: how do remote workers seamlessly

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Bentley Systems: ProjectWise Components Center Overview CLICK TO WATCH

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1:26

131 access files of that size to make edits,

on integrating a robust and industry-

updates and run analyses?”

leading cloud security platform. Along

Bentley’s state-of-the-art

with instituting a security office, we

ProjectWise 365 tools provide the

have beefed up our security staff and

answer, with distributed file sharing

infrastructure by around 800% in

and caching technology that enable

the past five years, we’re constantly

workers to easily operate within the

running penetration exercises on our

cloud regardless of where and when

cloud infrastructure, and we are just

they are, all with the confidence that

now implementing mock data breach

the system is secure and continually

scenarios with our larger cloud infra-

stress-tested against potential threats.

structure compliance and data teams.

“Living in a cloud-focused world,

As we store more and more of our

security is huge for us. Our CIO, Claire

users’ data in the cloud, it is both our

Rutkowski, came on board in October

responsibility and desire to be as safe

2016 and has been heavily focused

and resilient as possible.” c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

132

During this period of business

‘ELS contracts’, Richardson explains:

instability and uncertainty, Bentley’s

“We were selling contracts like that as

protections for its customers have

far as back as 2006 - I’ve never heard

extended beyond its cybersecurity.

of another company that was doing

Owing to the business disruptions, the

the same that far back in time. With

company has waived the pay-what-you-

the light telemetry we had available

use subscription fees for ProjectWise

to measure usage, we were able to

through to 30 September 2020; a

do that.” Data gathered from across

measure that ties closely with Bentley’s

software suites has not only enabled

mantra that its success is measured

reactive and incisive development of

by that of its users. The firm has been

successive products, but has made

a pioneer of this payment-by-usage

the pay-for-what-you-use model the

subscription model, known internally as

norm for Bentley for over a decade.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Jeff Richardson Jeff Richardson is a seasoned data and analytics executive leader with a cloud-first focus on evolving technology and trends.

Over a 17-year career, he has crafted a results-driven strategy for growth and delivered outcomes which have helped Bentley achieve a leading position in cloud technology, record revenue and user growth.

Today, the latest data measurements are even more precise and complex, making for a robust service model that is accurately proportionate to the user’s needs. Not only does each contract have an unlimited potential value ceiling for Bentley, they also ensure users are never encumbered with a subscription that they don’t need and actively use. The tech also paints a

A prolific speaker on the topics of cloud, data and analytics, Richardson can often be found at conferences and networking events in the Greater Philadelphia and mid-Atlantic area.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Providence College, where he was also a Division I swimmer, a master’s degree in Statistics from Central Connecticut State University and recently completed a business capstone program at Yale University.

picture of the usage increase that has come with vaster proportions of workforces working from home during the c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

133

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

For an open relationship with your data.

Multi-cloud Data Integration & Analytics | qlik.com

135 COVID-19 pandemic. “When the crisis hit, many companies who were using other, server-based products in offices became stuck and couldn’t access those resources. For our customers, the users of our distributed cloud products, the transition was seamless and we can actually see that in the telemetry. It shows us that our work-sharing products had no disruption in usage during the country-based shutdowns resulting from the pandemic. In fact, our collaboration tools actually saw an 8-13% increase in usage, year on year,

“ A single BIM model, made of the structural elements of the building, could be many, many gigabytes of data. The question is: how do remote workers seamlessly access files of that size to make edits, updates, and run analysis” — Jeff Richardson, Chief Data Officer, Bentley Systems

from last year.” c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

Partners enabled us to build an analytical suite in conjunction with our Microsoft Azure partnership.”

136

“Bentley tends to partner with software vendors very tightly to build solutions for things that work for us and can be fed back into the larger software development ecosystem. SAP is a great example, and we’ve been a tight partner with them since about 2005. We use SAP for all of our internal applications, such as ERP and CRM systems, to run operations internally along with its people management and success factors. We work very closely with SAP to develop products that we’re going to use, and I’m positive that development is used to enhance SAP’s only products too.”

“Over the past ten years, Qlik has been a great software vendor and partner for Bentley. We’re using the most recent release of its cloudfocused Sense technology, and it has S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“I have a close relationship with a lot of the guys that started the company.

As an analytics and data storagefocused cloud developer, Thoughtspot is positioned to be the market leader in cloud-based analytics.”

“We recently partnered with Snowflake to support our cloud-first approach, and it is rapidly growing to become the leader in data warehousing and storage technology. We’re going to use Snowflake internally to store our featurelevel data, which consists of huge amounts of highly detailed telemetry data. Their pricing structure is very elastic, with a fair billing model focused on pay-what-you-use, just like Bentley.”

The sheer capability and flexibility

develop solutions in collaboration with

of Bentley’s cloud infrastructure, which

its key vendors to solidify its leadership

has in recent years been a huge invest-

in the market. Not only that, but cloud-

ment focus for the firm, has been

based operations have made Bentley

predicated on CEO Greg Bentley’s

enormously flexible in how it operates,

insistence that its operations are

meaning that, of its 3,800 staff world-

cloud-first and cloud-forward wherever

wide, Richardson says that only 73

possible. This pioneering approach

were unable to dive into the working-

to cloud, dating back to the launch

from-home scenario of the coronavirus

of Microsoft Azure and the subse-

pandemic from day one.

quent close partnership that the two

Across such global operations, this is

firms have shared since, has enabled

a great indicator of Bentley’s flexibility

Bentley to both seize the opportunities

at work. As the coronavirus pandemic

of cloud-centralised operations and

gathered pace, Senior Leadership of

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

137

BENTLEY SYSTEMS

138

“ Living in a cloud-focused world, security is huge for us. Our CIO, Claire Rutkowski, came on board in October 2016 and has been heavily focused on integrating a robust and industry-leading cloud security platform” — Jeff Richardson, Chief Data Officer, Bentley Systems S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

IT meetings were held to workshop worst case scenarios, and the preparation that resulted has ensured what Richardson calls a “totally seamless” shift to the new normal. Questions of access to vital resources from home, including licences, hardware and software were answered promptly in a show of remarkable preparedness in such unprecedented times.

“We use the rules of compliance as foundational guidelines, and we always try to exceed those guidelines

139

by orders of magnitude; comply-

the next decade.” This sentiment is

ing whilst building infrastructure

reflected in Bentley’s continued ability

that supports those guidelines in a

to serve its clients and continue as nor-

best practice sense, and exceeding

mal internally, a powerful indicator that

those standards as far as possible,”

Bentley’s cloud software will retain its

Richardson enthuses, highlighting

market leadership long into the future.

the strategic focus that has ensured Bentley Systems is ready for anything.

To close, Richardson shares the ethos at the heart of Bentley’s operations: “We don’t want to build cloud software that’s reliable for today, we want to build cloud software that’s reliable for c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

BUILDING OUT CHINA’S DATA CENTRE INFRASTRUCTURE 140

WRITTEN BY

JOHN O’HANLON PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

141

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

C H AY O R A

Chayora has a unique approach and unparalleled expertise when it comes to establishing new, world class data centres in China

A

s China opens its expanding economy to global businesses to meet the growing demands of its 1.4 billion people, it

presents a compelling market to global retailers, manufacturers and service companies. Starting up or growing in China is not like starting or scaling up in any western-style economy. A partner that understands the need of businesses in the wider 142

world to gain a presence within China, and offer that access from within and at scale, is essential.

Chayora was conceived and launched nine years ago to provide just that bridge into China, a secure and carrier-neutral base for transactional data and operations. Founded by Oliver Jones, Jonathan Berney and Steven Cao, respectively CEO, COO and China Chairman, its focus is entirely on using the unique know-how, expert team, licensing and corporate structure it has created to develop and operate data centre campuses in China.

Conceived on a scale that will make Chayora a major player even by China’s standards, the sites are strategically located and truly hyperscale developments, covering typically more than 30 hectares and with over 300MW of gross power

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

143

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

C H AY O R A

“ I was approached by a large global bank looking for an innovative way into China – and I quickly realised that the other major banks had the same problem” — Oliver Jones, CEO, Chayora

load. Sites this large have all the expansion capacity needed, and customers can be accommodated on a flexible funding basis, from being fully funded

by Chayora to being self-funded by the customer.

There are very few international data centre operators that hold the necessary IDC (Internet Data Centre) licences needed to enter China’s market, says Jones. “The potential opportunity was highlighted originally when I was approached by a large

144

global bank looking for an innovative way to handle their data storage in China – and I quickly found out that the other major banks had the same problem.” Understanding both the opportunity and the formidable difficulty of grasping it, the founders put their heads together and set about gathering talent. “We needed the best, so we identified extremely collaborative and competent people to join our team.” The Chayora team is very strong today, well-balanced in global presence, gender mix and relevant professional backgrounds enabling it to deliver a unique proposition to its customers.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Chayora Introduction CLICK TO WATCH

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1:56

145 Jones and Berney are both Hong Kong based, the latter responsible for creating Chayora’s ability to

delivering for customers. We work in the space where these converge.”

Chayora’s key attraction for custom-

deliver and execute its strategy. In

ers is reliable speed to market. This

China, all land is government owned,

is achieved by having pre-approved

with long-term leases acquired by

designs that satisfy national regula-

auction. The first site in the Tianjin

tory requirements. Where a customer

Beijing corridor was acquired in 2017

needs to vary that design the team

as part of an investment agreement

is in place to obtain approval very

with the local government.

quickly. The first facility on the Tianjin

“We have three main business driv-

site, known as TJ1, will accommodate

ers,” Berney explains. “To align with

3,000 racks in six data halls at rack

the China Five-Year Plan and its poli-

densities up 30kW per rack to the

cies, secondly, the objectives of our

customer requirements. Construction

shareholders and, most importantly,

of the first phase shell is complete, c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

C H AY O R A

146

equipment is being installed and it is

A customer can come in at a mod-

due to come on stream in September –

est level and scale up to tens or even

the first of nine data centre facilities

hundreds of megawatts. “Hyperscale

on this campus.

generally means over 10MW of IT load

A second campus in Shanghai, which

and is built to suit in our cases,” says

has a population of nearly 25 million,

Jones. “We are able to deliver that now

is at an advanced stage of planning.

to the largest companies in the world,

It will be fully permitted and licensed

which is rare if not unique in China.

and, like Tianjin which serves greater

The large cloud companies coming

Beijing, will be carrier-neutral with

into China have had to start small

enough power available for any

compared to their typical requirements

future expansion offering low-latency

while they build demand but growth

ultra-high-speed connections at

has been constrained due to lack of

a competitive TCO.

facilities at scale and performance.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Though the core team is built of expe-

stimulating. “I have never encountered

rienced developers, operators and

anything as exciting or as rewarding

entrepreneurs with more than 100

as the progress Chayora has made.”

data centres under their belts, Jones says they find this venture the most

In every sector, customers appreciate Chayora’s ability to help them

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Oliver Jones Title: Co-Founder & CEO

Company: Chayora

Industry: Technology industry Location: Hong Kong Oliver Jones is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Chayora. Oliver originally qualified as a chartered surveyor after graduating from Kingston in 1983 and after completing his MBA at London Business School in the late 1980s, specialised in corporate finance and the fast-growing management areas of property and business services outsourcing. Oliver specifically focuses on complex outsourcing transactions and property operating related investment deals. His experience in public partnerships has its roots in the UK in the 1990s when market testing and PFI models were developed. During this time, Oliver advised the UK Government’s Cabinet Office through his role on the UK PFI Panel Property Group and various industry professional bodies. He has worked extensively in real estate and service operator businesses internationally and has a particular insight into the Middle East and Asia through past business interests specifically the UAE, where he was a founder director of Emrill when with Carillion; Hong Kong and China with Citex and EC Harris; and Australia with Symonds. c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

147

C H AY O R A

148

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

149

“ We took up this challenge because despite it being such a massive market none of the major international tech firms had an effective strategy for accessing it” — Oliver Jones, CEO, Chayora c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

C H AY O R A

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Yali Liu

150

Title: EVP — Network & Strategy

Company: Chayora

Industry: Technology industry

Location:Hong Kong

Ms. Yali Z. Liu joined Chayora in 2020 as Executive Vice President responsible for network connectivity products and solutions, as well as business strategy, being a member of the management board of Chayora, supporting delivery of large scalable high performance data centre campuses in China. Yali has over 15 years of strategic and operational leadership experience in global internet, cloud and data centre development, driving transformation and supporting business and customer demands worldwide. Yali was Executive Director at Verizon, responsible for global network planning, engineering and network product development, leading large geographically dispersed global teams to provide development and operational support for innovative product portfolios while aligning technology strategy with business and financial objectives. Between 2014-19, Yali was Vice President of ChinaCache responsible for global business development. She was instrumental in driving carrier-neutral data centres and building the first internet exchange (CHN-IX) in mainland China for more effective regional connectivity among cloud and data service providers and ISPs. Yali holds a B.S. in Mathematics from Peking University, an MBA from University of Dallas, and an M.S. in Computer Sciences from University of Texas in Dallas. Yali has a US patent in internet technology, and is an advisory board member of the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC).

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ It’s exciting to be developing truly carrier-neutral data centres – something entirely new to China” — Yali Liu, EVP – Network & Strategy, Chayora

to data centre capacity needs. “It’s exciting,” she says, “to be developing truly carrier-neutral data centres – something entirely new to China.”

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced that from July 2020 the fee charging model between three big indigenous operators China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile

formulate a business plan and decide

(which has 950 million subscribers)

whether to choose a wholesale build-

shall be scrapped and internet back-

to-suit data centre or go for racks

bone peering introduced.

within their “colo” to get their services

This is a very important step for-

started. They can expand as their

ward and will significantly improve

business grows.

network performance and user

The buzz around Chayora attracts

experience once fully implemented,

vibrant talent, typified by the recent

Liu affirms: “I am happy that the

appointment of Yali Liu as EVP of

government has opened the way to

Network and Strategy. Liu has one

seamless connectivity to the internet

foot in Texas and the other in Beijing,

backbone in China. Chayora now has

an ideal international background

a colocation partnership agreement

for working with key stakeholders.

with Telstra, under which Telstra will

Formerly Executive Director at Verizon

also be the campus’ network man-

and responsible for global network

ager offering carrier neutrality. Our

planning and VP for ChinaCache, one

customers can now come in with the

of the largest content delivery net-

carrier of their choice. Connectivity

works (CDN) providers in China, she

to international standards is a big

has a rare understanding of both the

focus for us. Customers need to

American and Chinese approaches

know that though we’re China-based c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

151

C H AY O R A

“ Our drivers are threefold, to comply with the political and regulatory environment, secondly ROI, and finally delivering for customers” — Jonathan Berney, COO, Chayora

the US West Coast and specifically in the Bay Area of San Francisco, which is where Karen Kesner, EVP and Head

we have international expertise,

of Americas is based. She leads key

so transparency is a hallmark of

go-to-market and growth acceleration

our business.”

activities for Chayora customers in

Having a strong presence in China 152

the US.

and also in western markets sets

Each of the leaders we spoke to

Chayora apart. Many of the biggest

emphasised the importance of cultural

global tech players are situated on

sensitivity when coming into China.

Chayora – Enable Access CLICK TO WATCH

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E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Jonathan Berney Title: COO Company: Chayora Industry: Technology industry Location: Hong Kong With over 30 years of international business experience, in technology, finance and property, before creating Chayora along with his two fellow founders, Jonathan worked as an analyst with Cazenove in London, was CEO of .com, Head of Implementation of an early mobile commerce platform and, more recently, was a regional managing partner with EC Harris. Here he helped organisations with business-critical assets transform and outsource, including the development of mission critical data centres across Asia. He oversaw the mobilisation and operation of Hong Kong’s first Tier IV equivalent data centre.

As well as working in the investment banking and asset worlds, Jonathan spent three years with Gemini Consulting as part of the cap gemini group focusing on helping organisations transform their people, technology and physical assets, and was part of the leadership team for delivering the world’s first public sector e-procurement platform. Jonathan is passionate about the confluence of physical assets and technology developing the new world of digital infrastructure and enabling business through it. He sees himself as a closet entrepreneur bringing an entrepreneurial, transformational approach to often traditional industries. Prior to moving back to Asia 12 years ago, he led a number of development and asset organisations through significant transformations in order to maximise their development and operational performance. These included BAA, Land Securities, London and Continental Railways, American Express, Rail Procurement Agency and the Grosvenor Estate. c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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C H AY O R A

154

2011

Year founded

20+

Number of employees

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“Business relationships are much more

She is inspired by her work with advisory

relational, and that relationship has to be

councils in America, China and Europe

built,” says Kesner. “For example, one

and connecting these organisations

of our co-founders, Steven Cao worked

globally to help young people under-

with MIIT in many different projects when

stand their options within technology

he was senior manager in China’s State

and the wider STEM environment.

Grid Corporation and he has a great

“Chayora is extremely supportive of

understanding of Chinese business

that work through a variety of different

compliance. Having people like him and

mechanisms and programmes.”

Yali Liu on the networks side within the business is indispensable.”

The Chinese market is one of the most predictable stable markets, but

Employing great people from diverse

is characterised by a very different set

backgrounds is a core value for Chayora,

of parameters to a typical free market.

and Kesner is deeply involved in the

The current Five-Year Plan talked

advancement of women in technology.

about localisation and innovation.

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Karen Kesner Title: Head of Americas and Executive VP

Company: Chayora

Industry: Technology industry

Location: USA

Karen Kesner is based out of Palo Alto, USA and leads multiple aspects of Chayora’s go-to-market and growth acceleration activities, including strategic partnerships, marketing, branding and communications for China entry and expansion. Kesner has more than 20 years of experience in the technology industry, having held senior positions across sales, alliances and business development at several of world’s leading IT businesses, including Tata Communications, CenturyLink and Oracle, among others. c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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C H AY O R A

156

“ Business relationships [in China] are much more relational, and that relationship has to be built” — Karen Kesner, Head of Americas and Executive VP, Chayora

Its successor, the 14th Five-Year Plan running from 2021 to 2025, will be a crucial element in shaping the new era, both for China and for the world.

Understanding this and aligning your approach with it is a prerequisite to doing business within China. “One of the biggest barriers to entry is the regulatory structure around telecoms and the internet, but China represents almost 20% of the world online market, which means that people need to find

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157

a way to overcome this challenge,”

gas to levels never seen before—an

reiterates Jones. “We took this up our-

increase of $200bn over two years in

selves because despite it being such

just one (if the largest) global market.

a massive market many international

Chayora is not only able to navigate

firms still have to develop effective

the maze of regulation, it is completely

strategies to access it.” According to

aligned with helping China fulfil its Five-

the WSJ the first phase of the US-China

Year Plan and deliver its international

trade deal signed earlier this year lays

trade targets.

out an aggressive schedule for ramping up China’s purchases of American farm products, manufactured goods, business services and oil and natural c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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Indosat Ooredoo: modernising legacy infrastructure WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

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I N D O S AT O O R E D O O

Farizul Ahsan, Vice President, Network Programs and Solutions, VP (A) Network CME Infrastructure for Access and Data Centres, discusses his organisation’s challenges in the industry

I

ndosat Ooredoo (IO) is a leading telecommunications company in Indonesia with around 60 million subscribers. IO

is the largest operation of Ooredoo Group and 160

operates in 10 countries. With a focus on human growth, IO strives to improve the quality of life through the digital world. Helping to achieve that is Farizul Ahsan, Vice President, Network Programs & Solutions as well as Acting Vice President of Network CME (Civil, Mechanical & Electrical) Infrastructure for Access Sites and Data Centres.

Upon arriving full-time at the organisation in 2016, Farizul helped oversee the deployment of Indonesia’s first state-of-the-art high density (13 kW per rack) data centre and Ooredoo Group’s first data centre using DRUPS (Digital Rotary Uninterrupted Power System) technology.

IO subsequently built two more new data centres, all of which successfully passed the Uptime Tier III Design and Built certifications.

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I N D O S AT O O R E D O O

“ There is a real focus on uplifting and modernising many dozens of our legacy data centres that can support the new generation high density equipment” 162

— Farizul Ahsan, Vice President, Network Programs and Solutions, VP (A) Network CME Infrastructure for Access and Data Centres, Indosat Ooredoo

IO not only possesses modern data centres but also has legacy data centres across many regions of Indonesia. “The company was established in 1967 and has subsequently owned the current infrastructure for a considerable length of time,” Farizul says. He has an ambitious drive to modernise IO’s legacy data centres infrastructures but understands the challenges of doing this while still operating legacy systems and processes. “Currently, there is a real focus on uplifting and modernising dozens of our legacy data centres that can also support the new generation high density ICT equipment,” he adds.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Compro INDOSAT OOREDOO SUB ENGLISH 1 CLICK TO WATCH

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163 Farizul understands the importance of treating each location separately and catering to individual

and -48VDC power and distribution infrastructure.”

In the past, most telecommuni-

requirements. He points to several

cation equipment were based on

key challenges that IO faces. “We

-48VDC equipment, however IO has

assess our needs and validate which

now ensured that all telco nodes

data centre location can support and

are transitioning to a cloud-based

which can’t. It’s about re-engineering

infrastructure and use 380/230

available capacity while coping with

VAC equipment generally. “We have

network growth. Generally, we are

decided to phase out the -48VDC

agile enough to upgrade. However,

power and distribution infrastructure

it’s not always possible if the utility

which will contribute to dramatic cost

company has limitations in some

reduction as well,” explains Farizul.

areas. There are also challenges

“Cable infrastructure is another chal-

to maintain both 380/230 VAC

lenge that we face. To combat this, c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

I N D O S AT O O R E D O O

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“ If we’re building a new data centre or upgrading existing ones, we take input from our subsidiaries and we all have our own part to manage” — Farizul Ahsan, Vice President, Network Programs and Solutions, VP (A) Network CME Infrastructure for Access and Data Centres, Indosat Ooredoo

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Learn More

LEARN MORE

we’ve introduced a backstop which

to have a strong foothold in a host-

will allow us to expand in steps. We

ing/colocation business utilising

also now design the upstream and

existing data centers. Lintasarta has

downstream at optimum capacity

been receiving international awards

and therefore no longer need to

and accolades such as “best data

change the cables every time we

centre provider” due to its vast certi-

need to upgrade.”

fied personnel, who are adhering to

IO is not only one of the largest telecommunication providers but also a provider of a full range of digital

the highest level of operation and maintenance standards.

One of IO’s modern data centres is

services including satellite commu-

located right at the heart of Jakarta’s

nication along with its subsidiaries,

commercial and financial business

Indosat Mega Media (IM2) and

district, attracting banks and other

Lintasarta, which have enabled IO

large entities. “We have strong

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Farizul Ahsan Title: Vice President (Acting), Network CME Infrastructure for Access and Data Centers

Location: Qatar

Farizul has been working in Telecommunication industry for over 15 years in various technical and management roles. He is a subject matter expert for Cellular site and Data Center infrastructure solutions. He is one of the key members among all the Ooredoo Group Operations to transform to high density mission critical facility infrastructure strategy. He is very passionate in finding ways to introduce innovative solutions to drive down the total cost ownership while improving resiliency. Farizul holds Electrical Engineering and Computer Science degree from Texas Tech University, USA. He received various professional certifications for Data Center facility infrastructures from UK as well. Prior to Telco industry, Farizul acquired experiences in custom circuit design for automotive, avionics and communication technology.

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

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I N D O S AT O O R E D O O

1967

Year founded

29.8tr+

Rp 

Revenue in rupiah

168

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

synergy despite working in different areas within the business,” explains Farizul. “For example, if we’re building a new data centre or upgrading existing ones, we take input from our subsidiaries and we all have our own part to manage. Collaborations such as this are very important.”

IO spends millions of dollars every month on its energy bill due to its vast number of cellular sites and data centers. “There is a strong drive to reduce energy spending, not only for cellular sites but also for data centres without compromising resiliency and agility to grow quickly to meet the business needs. We are laser focused now to improve PUE (Power

“ There is a strong drive to reduce energy spending, not only for cellular sites but also for data centres without compromising resiliency and agility” — Farizul Ahsan, Vice President, Network Programs and Solutions, VP (A) Network CME Infrastructure for Access and Data Centres, Indosat Ooredoo c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

169

I N D O S AT O O R E D O O

ALL-IN-ONE CONTAINERIZED DATA CENTER SOLUTIONS Quick deployment for edge computing in the IoT world Learn more

171 Usage Effectiveness) for all legacy

partnered with these big players in

data centres,” says Farizul.

power and environmental infrastruc-

To build new and upgrade exist-

ture because they possess sound

ing cellular and data centre sites, IO

technical competencies with an ade-

entered into strategic partnerships

quate product portfolio and required

with Huawei, Delta/Eltek and Vertiv.

implementation capacity to support

Huawei has built our first 2 state-of-

group wide strategy with agility.”

the-art high density data centres in record time. Farizul believes a solid partnership is extremely essential to have a successful outcome. “That’s why these partners had undergone competitive assessments by Ooredoo Group and its operating companies,” explains Farizul. “We’ve c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

172

MIRCOM GROUP’S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF REAL ESTATE WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SMITH

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

PRODUCED BY

ARRON RAMPLING

173

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MIRCOM

JASON FALBO, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, MIRCOM GROUP, DISCUSSES HOW THE COMPANY USES TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE BUILDINGS SMART FOR THE BENEFIT OF TENANTS AND OCCUPANTS

“W 174

e work hard every day to modernize the real estate industry, which from a technology standpoint hasn’t changed as much

as other industries in the last 50 to 100 years,” says Jason Falbo, Chief Technology Officer at Mircom Group, a Canadian leader in the smart building space. “Our goal is to make buildings safer, smarter, and more livable.”

Tracing its origins back to the 1960s with founder Tony Falbo’s involvement in predecessor company Mirtone, today Mircom remains a family business that nevertheless competes with the largest corporations. “We’ve seen great consolidation amongst the competitors in the market and we now find ourselves one of only a handful of global players in the fire and life-safety industry. Our competitors are behemoth companies, all multi-billion-dollar, multinational firms. Fire is a very small part of their business, whereas, it’s our primary focus and the biggest part of what we do on a daily basis.”

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MIRCOM

Mircom offers a broad range of products and solutions for the modern smart building. From a long-established core of fire detection sensors and alarms, to security solutions such as perimeter protection, intercoms and access control, the company rounds out its offering with building automation products covering heating, ventilation and cooling, lighting and power metering.

Since 2010, it has also offered its flagship OpenGN building intelligence product, based on a prediction 176

that building control systems were only going to become more integrated in the future. “We developed award-winning 3D facility management software called OpenGN, which ties

“ W E SEE OURSELVES of hardwired or wireless building sensors in a way that’s simply beautiful and easy AS THE DIGITAL to navigate,” says Falbo. “It’s a software CONSULTANT FOR THE package that is scalable for the modern smart building and supports both PEOPLE PUTTING UP Mircom and third-party products through interfaces and open standards such as BUILDINGS TODAY” together the monitoring and visualization

Modbus. Recently, we’ve been prototyping the next generation OpenGN, which

will be cloud hosted and available as a subscription software offering” S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

— Jason Falbo, Chief Technology Officer, Mircom Group

That level of flexibility is important when considering the different vintages of technology employed by its customers, as Falbo explains. “It’s very important for us to maintain legacy wiring and communication options for many of our products, in addition to offering IP and POE solutions, because we understand not all of our users are cloud ready today. Although it’s becoming increasingly popular, we have to be able to migrate along timelines that are comfortable for them.” Nevertheless, Mircom’s cloud offering is robust and comprehensive, from mobile apps to a

Mircom: Corporate Video CLICK TO WATCH

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MIRCOM

178

service known as the Unified Building

connected service bus that pulls data

Solution (UBS). “We partner with sev-

from different edge devices covering

eral companies to deliver this service

the domains of fire, security and auto-

to our end users in the real estate and

mation within buildings and campuses.

property management market,” says

The previously siloed system data is

Falbo. “Microsoft, Dell, and Arrow

then pushed to tools like OpenGN for

Electronics are all considered key part-

enterprise monitoring manifested as

ners and they’re helping us to deliver

visually stunning dashboards.”

on our smart buildings as a service

Data is the lifeblood of smart

model. We’ve modified, enhanced

buildings, with the data produced

or adapted existing products and

by sensors being fed back into the

solutions that we’ve been offering for

building to drive efficiencies and

almost 30 years now. We’ve developed

optimization. Consequently, the data

an enterprise solution that uses a

Mircom collects runs across all the

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

areas its products cover. “We collect environmental data, especially on the fire and life-safety side, looking for things like smoke, heat and gas levels that might create a hazardous issue for building occupants. On the security side, we’re collecting data that tells us who is in the building, where access has been granted or denied, who let the visitors in, at what time, which doors are open, which doors are locked, whether there’s an intrusion alarm going off in the building. Then there’s general building performance

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Jason Falbo Title: Chief Technology Officer Location: Canada Jason is the Chief Technology Officer at Mircom, Canada’s most successful intelligent building solutions provider. Jason is a software engineering graduate from Western University in Ontario, Canada, and has obtained his MBA at a joint program offered by “Bocconi University” in Milan, Italy and “UCLA” in Los Angeles, USA. Jason has led the design and development of multiple successful products in the domains of fire, security, and automation. Mircom designs, manufactures and distributes smart building products to over 100 countries around the world in addition to a branch network for sales and service across North America. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

179

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“ EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION” — Jason Falbo, Chief Technology Officer, Mircom Group

data. Things like the temperature of different zones, the humidity levels, power consumption, light levels. All of those pieces of information can be used to optimize building comfort for the occupants and to keep the operating costs down for the management companies.”

Gathering this data typically involves a hybrid cloud architecture wherein edge devices act as gateways, promoting data to the cloud for monitoring systems.

Securing that data, meanwhile, are bestin-class Microsoft cloud services, with all data written to Azure Storage being encrypted and access tightly controlled.

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MIRCOM

With such a volume of data, there are many opportunities to use AI to gain insights into a building’s performance. “AI plays a really important role for our end users,” says Falbo. “The building data that we collect allows operators to lower the total cost of ownership of their properties. AI can support the implementation of energy strategies based on consumption data, with predictive analytics to tell you, for instance, the best time to turn off the lights automatically.”

182

Aside from the technology it offers to customers, Mircom has experienced its own digital transformation, with cloud-based technology at the core of its systems. “We have a number of servers that were previously deployed on-prem that are now moved entirely to the cloud. Things like an active directory for our account credentials management, our email server, which is now completely on the Office365 platform, a corporate intranet site for data storage and sharing. We use SharePoint as well, which is also hosted on the cloud. Then we also have several areas where we’ve leveraged cloud, not necessarily for primary S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

183

“ OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE BUILDINGS SAFER, SMARTER, AND MORE LIVABLE” — Jason Falbo, Chief Technology Officer, Mircom Group

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MIRCOM

184

application delivery, but for either scalability or backup purposes.” Alongside the introduction of new technology, Falbo emphasizes the intertwined consideration of culture. “Our opinion is that employees should not be left alone to deal with the challenges of digital transformation. Executive leadership should be involved from the CEO’s office to the front line. Digital transformation is more of a business strategy than an IT strategy these days.

As a smaller player in the industry, we recognize the need to be nimble and S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

1991

Year founded

$100mn+ Revenue in US dollars

500+ Number of employees

185

quick to help our people adapt to new

considerations you should have, not

business models and tools. That’s one

only for providing application specific

of our advantages we have versus our

solutions, but also ensuring those

bigger, more bureaucratic competition.”

solutions form a cohesive, integrated

Due to such an approach, Mircom has positioned itself as a go-to part-

environment for the needs of your occupants and tenants.”

ner for the real estate industry. “We see ourselves as the digital consultant for people putting up buildings today,” says Falbo. “If you’re looking for financial advice, you find a financial advisor. If you’re looking for building advice, we’re the people that you can count on to guide you through the c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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INNOVATION IN COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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S TA R 2 S TA R

Michelle Accardi, President and CRO, explains why Star2Star’s industry-recognised communications solutions are so popular and why remote working is the company’s 2020 focus

W

ith the new paradigm of remote working suddenly becoming a necessity for many businesses stemming from the COVID-19

(coronavirus) pandemic, having a solid communications network with the latest technology has taken on global importance. It is arguable that few companies are poised to remedy the situation quite like Star2Star.

188

Having recently enhanced its remote work solutions with extended features and capabilities, the company understands the current challenges that businesses face when transitioning to a remote environment. Star2Star’s bespoke communications solutions factor in the size, operational scope and technical requirements for businesses of various operational models and industry backgrounds.

Relatively unique in the industry, all of Star2Star’s enterprise solutions are developed in-house, meaning they are seamlessly compatible with each other and able to be scaled up or down depending on the customer’s requirement. It was this aspect of the company which attracted Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer, to join Star2Star in 2013. Having previously worked in a range of different roles at companies such as S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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S TA R 2 S TA R

“ I can relate to the challenges of my partners and my customers because as a business leader myself I now fully understand what they are facing” — Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer, Star2Star

This expertise also helps Accardi focus on how to direct Star2Star’s efforts in developing solutions that meet and answer a market need.

When the subject of her being recog-

190

CA Technologies, Accardi states

nised by CRN as a Channel Chief – an

that these experiences have created

endorsement of an individual’s effec-

her holistic approach to working at

tive management and high standing

Star2Star. “I’ve been in all areas of

in the business community – for the

the technology and communications

sixth year consecutively is mentioned,

business, whether that’s development,

Accardi is modest and states that

operations, marketing or sales. I can

she is simply happy to play a part in

relate to the challenges of my partners

Star2Star’s mission. “It means a lot and

and my customers because I fully

to be recognised for building a busi-

understand what they’re facing.”

ness that enables other companies

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Star2Star — A New Perspective CLICK TO WATCH

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191 to be successful,” she explains. “Being

communications system. Possessing

recognised as a Channel Chief means

a portfolio that includes solutions

that you’re truly impacting a greater

for voice, video, instant messaging,

ecosystem of people and reaching

mobile, fax, collaboration, integration

more customers. So, I think it’s quite

and communications management

an honour.”

tools, Star2Star’s comprehensive

The breadth of Star2Star’s expertise and the crafted integration of

solution set is designed to meet every business need.

its platform are, for Accardi, vital. Its

When asked what trends she sees

cloud-based business phone and

as important, Accardi has a simple and

communications facilities, includ-

prescient answer: the cloud. “There

ing VoIP (voice over IP) services and

are still some companies that aren’t in

its enterprise solutions platform

the cloud and that is something which

deliver the reliability, flexibility and

will either drive transformation, or, if

integrity required of a corporate

they don’t adapt, could result in them c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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DESK PHONES

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S TA R 2 S TA R

194

“ It means a lot and to be recognised for building a business that enables other companies to be successful” of a ‘complete cloud communications’ — Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer, Star2Star

platform.” The importance of the cloud for Star2Star cannot be overemphasised, as it is the environment from which the company’s vision of a com-

going out of business.” She goes on

plete integrated platform sprang; it was

to address Star2Star’s new position-

by leveraging the inherent potential of

ing, saying, “We’re changing how we

the cloud that the company is able to

talk about our platform. We previ-

offer its scalable and seamlessly inter-

ously called it a full spectrum solution

woven solutions.

because it offers end-to-end applica-

For Accardi, it is the company’s in-

tions, but now I’m envisioning it as more

house development capabilities which

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Michelle Accardi Title: President & Chief Revenue Officer

Location: United States

As President and Chief Revenue Officer, Michelle’s mission is to inspire and maintain growth for the company and its partners and ensure that customers get significant value from Star2Star’s products and services. Michelle works with the executive leadership team of Star2Star to define long-term vision and operational strategy to assure that growth and market potential are achieved. In pursuit of this goal, Michelle sees as a primary function of her role to engage and listen to employees, partners, and customers to gather information needed to keep Star2Star on the optimal strategic path. In this way, customer success is assured as employees and partners are inspired to deliver an excellent product and experience with every interaction. In her previous position as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Michelle used these same methods to develop new processes and systems to streamline business interactions. She grew departmental leadership and expanded Star2Star’s support capabilities to better serve customer and partner needs.

Michelle is also regarded a technical thought leader on next-generation marketing and communications strategies. Her book, Agile Marketing, chronicles her experiences applying agile methodology to the marketing process for better results and faster time to value. She brought her substantial executive-level and tech industry experience with her to Star2Star, having driven innovative, agile, revenueproducing field and channel marketing programs for one of the world’s most relied upon technology companies, Computer Associates. In 2016, Michelle was named to the CRN 2016 Power 100 – an elite subset of CRN’s prestigious annual Women of the Channel list – for the second year in a row. In 2015, she was named a CRN Channel Chief, an annual list representing select leaders in the IT channel who hold direct responsibility for driving growth and revenue through the reseller channel. In 2014, Michelle was honored to be named Businesswoman of the Year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Michelle holds an MBA from American Intercontinental University and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida.

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S TA R 2 S TA R

Tour de Star

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2006

Year founded

99.4%

Customer retention rate

250+ Number of employees

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“ Our mission this year is to help other companies that are going to struggle” — Michelle Accardi, President and Chief Revenue Officer, Star2Star

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

distinguish it from its competitors.

“The technology we’ve built ourselves enables really great call quality and capabilities for a good price, whereas other companies, because they’re dependent on third-party products, whether it’s video or contact centre, it drives their costs up,” she states.

“Because our competitors only have the ability to work with third-party products, they don’t have something that’s built specifically for their network

With the need for reliable communication networks growing rapidly as more workforces settle into working from home, Accardi views remote working and business continuity as paramount to the company’s vision for the rest of 2020. “Thankfully, Star2Star is a very financially healthy organisation.

Our mission this year is to help other companies that are going to struggle,” she says. Identifying the assistance of other businesses and organisations is characteristic of Accardi’s approach and representative of Star2Star overall. Its flexibility, diversity and tech expertise packaged with a highly customer-oriented approach has already earned it acclaim and is sure to to ensure call quality.” This end-to-end

build a strong reputation in the North

development forms the crux of what

American communications sector. “We

makes Star2Star so valuable in today’s

have solutions for every business, big

market: it’s a company that wants to

and small,” Accardi concludes. “We

provide great value to its customers by

believe what we offer is far better than

bundling services together and scaling

what customers could get piecemeal or

the product to suit their business needs.

even in bundles from other competitors.

And its approach seems to be working:

We’re focused on doing everything we

Star2Star has an impressive 99.4%

can to help companies as they deal with

customer retention rate amongst its

the new challenges of remote working.”

thousands of clients, a sure indicator of the perceived quality of its services. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

199

200

DC BLOX: SERVING LOCALLY, CONNECTING GLOBALLY WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SMITH PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

201

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DC BLOX

JEFF UPHUES, CEO OF DC BLOX, DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S GROWTH IN UNDERSERVED MARKETS AND HOW IT EMBEDS ITS TIER 3 DATA CENTRES INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

D

C BLOX was established in 2014 to provide data centres to markets with a distinct, but unfulfilled, need for them.

“I’ve been the CEO of DC BLOX for about three years now,” says Jeff Uphues. “I originally joined as 202

a supervisory board member and then was asked by the board of directors to come into the role and lead the company in its expansion, placing these data centres in underserved yet growing markets throughout the Southeastern United States.”

Fulfilling this vision has required a focus on a few core fundamentals. “There’s three things that we do and stay focused on,” he says. “One is providing in-market colocation, meaning the housing in a safe, secure environment of servers as well as other technology infrastructure. We provide robust connectivity across our platforms with connections to other cloud service providers, connections to the internet, connections to other major markets. Then we provide cloud services ourselves. Not all data is created equal, and it’s critical to be able to store it close to where it’s actually being consumed.”

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2014

Year founded

HQ

Atlanta, Georgia USA

35

Number of employees c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

DC BLOX

“ WE HAVE ONE VISION WHICH IS TO SERVE LOCALLY AND CONNECT GLOBALLY” 204

— Jeff Uphues, CEO, DC BLOX

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

There are currently four such locations of consumption catered to

by DC BLOX, with data centres in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama; and Atlanta, Georgia. All are growing markets, as Uphues explains. “We see a significant migration of population and businesses in the US from northern cities down into the Southeast. What’s driving them there is the cost of living or quality of life and just good weather.”

What these diverse cities share, apart

DC Blox: Connected datacenters for digital business CLICK TO WATCH

|

1:47

205 from a relative geographic proximity, is a burgeoning technology scene.

“Many of these markets are not known as technology hubs, but they see the benefits of the growth and they need the core infrastructure such as the data centres and network services which we provide. Generally, our target markets are below the radar of some of the major national markets where you find a lot of competitors, so they really embrace us.”

DC BLOX’s data centres are all built to Tier 3 standard, signifying a high level of reliability. That’s achieved firstly c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

DC BLOX

206 with quality infrastructure. “Our data

connectivity, it’s a question of how we

centres have to be highly resilient in

build these facilities to be Tier 3-rated.

terms of network architecture and the

It comes down to being concurrently

type of equipment that we use. We use

maintainable, meaning that if any one

premium products, driven by premium

system in the building fails, there is a

service level agreements. We build

backup system that can take over. It’s

our own private network across the

part of the design, it’s in the materials

Southeastern US and then we connect

and the type of vendors that we use.

that back into exchanges and public

It’s in the architecture for how we con-

cloud providers. We really look at that

nect them together.”

connectivity and the uptime of our

The pace of DC BLOX’s growth has

facilities as the core value that we bring

been steady, having launched a data

to our markets.” Achieving DC BLOX’s

centre each year since 2017. That’s

high standards also requires a high

not engendered any complacency,

standard of construction. ”Beyond the

however, with the organisation looking

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

to accelerate its growth. “We’ve spent a lot of time looking at where we can expand and how we can grow even faster. There are 16 markets we’ve identified, and we’ve lined up roughly the next five to six locations. We’re picking up our pace to put in at least two to three data centres per year.”

The choice of a new location is only arrived at after significant investigation, however, as Uphues explains. “To help us determine the size and scope of the facility we’re looking to build, we look 207 E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Jeff Uphues Title: Chief Executive Officer

Location: United States

Jeff leads DC BLOX as a proven C-Level executive with deep expertise in data centre infrastructure, hybrid cloud services and the operation of communication networks. He is responsible for setting and leading the company’s strategy in driving the growth and profitability of best-in-class infrastructure for digital services. Prior to DC BLOX, Jeff held numerous C-suite leadership positions in sales, marketing and operations for Liquid Web, Cbeyond, Bandwidth, ACSI Network Technologies and MCI. Jeff graduated from the Harvard Business School, Rice University’s Jones School of Business Executive Education program and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Arlington.

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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“ IT’S CRITICAL TO BE ABLE TO STORE [DATA] CLOSE TO WHERE IT’S ACTUALLY BEING CONSUMED” — Jeff Uphues, CEO, DC BLOX

at the size of the market, the amount of fiber, the number of businesses headquartered there. Then we look at markets that are underserved but growing. What does the competitive landscape look like? How well would we be received with our vision of serving locally and connecting globally?

And then, finally, we work with state and local governments and corporate leaders to confirm the need for and the advantages of what we do. Each market takes us about a year and a half to really get to understand it.”

DC Blox holds Birmingham grand opening CLICK TO WATCH

|

3:38

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DC BLOX

210

“ WE LOOK AT MARKETS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED BUT GROWING” — Jeff Uphues, CEO, DC BLOX

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

211

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DC BLOX

212

It’s not just its technological capabili-

we’re serving the community and

ties that have led to DC BLOX’s growth.

understanding their challenges and

The company also prides itself on its

their needs. We’re a part of the fabric

integration with the local community.

of the community when we come in as

“The one thing that I know sets us

well as contributing to the technology

apart, because I hear it all the time, is

environment.”

our community focus,” Uphues empha-

For the industry as a whole, Uphues

sises. “When we come into a market,

anticipates the importance of edge

we have one vision which is to serve

computing, where facilities are built

locally and connect globally. That

close to where they’re needed, to only

means we’re serving local businesses,

increase. “For us, the edge is where

we’re serving with our time through

the application meets the network.

volunteering, we’re serving nonprofits,

Trends like 5G, IoT and gaming mean

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

213

we need to push compute closer to

business. It’s a great time to be doing

consumers. That’s going to require

this across underserved markets. We

more local and regional data centres to

can become a strong partner for the

handle all the data and best connect it

community, both in our ability to serve

to the network.” As for DC BLOX itself,

locally and connect globally as DC

the focus has been on edge markets

BLOX continues to expand across the

and the goal is to increase the pace.

Southeast United States.”

“We know that gets harder and harder as you get bigger,” Uphues says, “but we’re a company that is doubling revenue every single year and doubling the size of our footprint of where we go.

It’s a great time to be in the data centre c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

214

HONG KONG’S MTR MAKES NAVIGATING OUR CITIES SMARTER, MORE EFFICIENT, AND MORE DIGITAL THAN EVER WRITTEN BY

RACHAEL DAVIS PRODUCED BY

KRISTOFER PALMER

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

215

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

MTR

Renowned for its efficient, reliable and tech-optimised railways, MTR is making travel smarter than ever. CEO Dr Jacob Kam tells how technology enhances integrated, streamlined and sustainable public transport

V

enturing into a new decade, a crucial and pertinent question in urban planning revolves around how to make our cities

smarter. A pivotal aspect of more intelligent city 216

living is public transport, ensuring residents can navigate their daily lives efficiently, reliably, and increasingly more sustainably.

MTR operates Hong Kong’s railway services, and is also a key property developer and manager in the city. It additionally invests, or takes part in O&M contracts for rail services in eight other cities globally: Beijing, Hangzhou, Macao, Shenzhen, Melbourne, Sydney, Stockholm and London.

In Hong Kong, the railway is the backbone of the city’s transport. Public transit is the most used mode of transport: 90% of citizens use public transport in their daily lives. Train travel is the most efficient way of moving large amounts of people through the compact city, and MTR has made social and environmental friendliness a priority.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

217

Advanced digital technologies are enhancing MTR’s asset management and customer service c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

Intelligence that perfects travel door to door Countries, cities and transport operators rely on Thales’ ground transportation solutions to adapt to rapid urbanisation and meet new mobility demands – locally, between cities and across national frontiers.

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And no matter how challenging the project, we stay by your side, committed to helping you creating the digital railways of the future.

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Keep Hong Kong Moving: How Thales and MTR Corporation Drive Digitalisation of Metro Systems Thales and MTR are entering their 25th year of collaboration.

Since first cooperation on the Lantau Airport Railway, MTR has trusted Thales to assist in the rapid expansion and digitalisation of its metro systems. As a central contributor to this project, Thales’ systems in the OCC have played a key role in its success. Driven by data, the multiple systems control components of the MTR ranging from power supply, electromechanical equipment, and the environment facilities within the network. This helps to ensure smooth train services and optimizes power consumption, making the network greener and more efficient while consistently providing an excellent passenger experience.

Through early localisation of its Hong Kong business, Thales garnered a deep understanding of the customer requirements allowing to quickly support local needs. This has been a crucial step in building trust with local partners and establishing a long-standing and robust relationship with MTR. The partnership now focuses on digitalisation. Thales has been committed to digital technology for many years and has been supporting the MTR’s transformation by advancing the rails’ connectivity and smart capabilities.

The Hong Kong MTR will soon employ Thales’ predictive maintenance facilities to anticipate technical faults in trackside equipment. Leveraging Big Data and AI, this warning system can pinpoint in advance exactly when and where equipment failure will occur, enabling corrective maintenance to correct it before its failure. This is critical to the continued improvement of services.

MTR is taking its expertise in railway operations worldwide.

In 2019, Thales extended the scope of its partnership with MTR to the expansion of the Central Control and Communication Systems for the Sydney Metro to City & Southwest.

Thales continues to be proud partners with MTR, supporting their ambitions to provide its exemplary service both at home and abroad, and keep cities across the world moving.

Learn more

See the world from a new perspective At Otis, we’re dedicated to helping you see the world in new ways.

Learn more about Otis technology, service and expertise at otis.com.

Made to move you

Digitalisation is at the heart of

“We believe that the only way to

MTR’s drive to enhance public trans-

push beyond the current high perfor-

port for the masses, says CEO Dr

mance is through better digital

Jacob Kam. Utilising smart technology

technology,” says Kam, and utilising

facilitates enhanced customer ser-

this technology in asset management

vice, improved asset management,

is an important step. “One aspect is

and a more efficient and reliable ser-

discovering how best to predict fail-

vice. MTR’s trains already run at an

ure, so that we can act on that failure

on-time performance of 99.94%, but

before it happens. This predictive

customers want better. Through its

maintenance relies on image and

ongoing digital transformation, MTR

data analytics supported by artificial

aims to enhance the reliability, effi-

intelligence and helps us to regularly

ciency and integration of their

inspect our equipment and detect

services, not only in Hong Kong but

any problem early and consistently,”

in its other global cities of operation.

Kam explains.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

DI D YO U K N OW?

• On-time performance is at 99.94% • 90% of Hong Kong’s residents use public transport

221

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Jacob Kam Title: Chief Executive Officer Location: Hong Kong Dr Jacob Kam joined the Company in 1995 and had held various management positions in Operations, Projects and Mainland China and International Business Divisions. He was appointed as the CEO on 1 April 2019, and has been a Member of the Board since then. Before the CEO appointment, Dr Kam was the Operations Director between January 2011 and April 2016 and the Managing Director – Operations and Mainland Business from May 2016. As CEO, Dr Kam is responsible for all performances of the Company and its group companies both in and outside of Hong Kong. c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

Your Trusted Digitalization & Automation Experts Roctec Technology Limited was found in 1987 and is a leading solution provider and system supplier in Hong Kong while our footprint covers Asia-Pacific area.

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Experts at - One - Stop Solutions for Communications, IoT, Networking Security, Public Address, Multimedia Display and Simulation System - IT Infrastructure and ELV Engineering Consultation - Expertise in Cyber Security and Data Network solutions - Tailor-made complex railway and transportation solutions - Hardware design and software development

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Roctec Technology Limited E: info@roctec.com.hk W: roctec.com.hk

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Shaping connected mobility With a comprehensive and on-demand digital portfolio globally, Siemens Mobility not only creates values for partners sustainably over the entire life cycle, but also enhances people’s seamless travel experience every day

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AI is also used to assist with planned construction and maintenance on MTR’s railways. Using AI to optimise planning, it is possible to maximise the usage of the line when it is not in service to minimise the disruption when unavoidable planned construction or system upgrades are

1975

Year founded

$53.9bn Revenue in HK dollars

necessary, and ensure that ongoing works do not disrupt the functional rail lines.

AI-enhanced driving is a tool which goes hand-in-hand with more reliable operations. MTR’s trains already have

47,327 Number of employees

automatic operation, but sometimes the fail-safe principle will slow operations. By introducing artificial intelligence into the driving of trains,

Intelligent Inspection Robot

Big Data Studio

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

225

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“ To use public transport is, in itself, a way of making travelling more efficient and environmentally sustainable — but of course we have ongoing energy saving schemes which we invest a significant amount of money in” — Dr Jacob Kam, CEO, MTR

227

MTR’s state-of-the-art Operations Control Centre is at the heart of Hong Kong’s heavy rail network

MTR will be able to mitigate this risk

meet a customer demand. Furthermore,

when every second counts in train

MTR is providing real-time service

operations.

information to their customers, such

At the heart of these applications

as when the next train is due to arrive,

of technology is the drive to improve

and plans to expand its offerings to

the customer experience. Advanced

include how crowded trains will be and

data analytics are being used by MTR

which carriages have space available.

to predict customer movements and

This real-time information is even

demands to better plan its service – in

available for very frequent services,

due course, the same technology will

Kam explains. “On many of our lines,

be used even to respond in real-time to

our train service frequency is already c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

FOR BETTER RAIL TRANSPORTATION Traffic Control Technology (“TCT”) is the most innovative and customer centric player in the rail transit industry, formed a close partnership with HK MTR – the world’s leading transit rail service provider to develop state-of-the-art systems, including big data analytics in supporting real time track side equipment performance monitoring and analysis, intelligent detection system as “the independent and additional robotic intelligent driver’s eye” to improve operation safety under manual or degraded modes.

LEARN MORE

MTR Global Brand Video CLICK TO WATCH

|

3:30

229 at a few minute intervals. However,

accessible on demand. By investing

our customers still want to know

its assets into the concept of MaaS,

when the next train is coming,” he

MTR is subscribing to the cohesive

says. This use of data not only allows

concept of a door-to-door transport

MTR to help its customers plan their

system, aiming to provide a “total

journeys, but also allows the opera-

solution” to its customers’ transport

tor to assess demand and improve

needs, Kam says.

availability, frequency and reliability in the long term.

Reliability and maximum conveni-

In practice, this would mean that when customers need to use a variety of modes of transport — for example

ence are two of the core values of

taking a taxi to a train station, taking

Mobility as a Service (MaaS), an

an MTR train, then taking a bus to

industry-wide initiative which aims to

their final destination — MTR can

integrate various modes of transport

have a hand in arranging every aspect

into a single mobility service,

of this service to make it as consistent c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

MTR

C OM PA NY PARTNERS

Kone “The new Kone escalators and lifts are equipped with a digital controller to view a status and fault log for troubleshooting, and to remotely control ON/OFF to pave for smart station operation.”

230

Roctec “Roctec is an Information & Communications Technology solution provider for MTR. They provide Integrated Speed and Position Supervision System (iSPS) in Light Rail, Smart Tunnel for location tracking, and Infotainment & Advertising Systems.”

Traffic Control Technology Co.,Ltd “TCT provide advanced S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

technological alternatives to enable a wider spectrum for smart metro operation options in MTR, including the trial of a Train Intelligent Detection System on one of our metro lines.”

Hyundai Rotem “Rotem is currently working on the incorporation of a digital track inspection system onto the new FAO train for a new line, and they are also actively working on the technical proposal on automatic wheelset maintenance centre using robots.”

Siemens “There are several asset condition monitoring data analytics projects which MTR is conducting Proof of Concepts together with Siemens.

These systems include Platform Screen Doors, Signalling system, Main Control System, etc.”

OTIS

Arup

“OTIS has provided strong support to MTRCL in conducting studies on innovation initiatives for escalators, including Escalator Comb Object Identification, Escalator Step Vibration Monitoring and Automatic Speed Change Systems. These aim to enhance passenger safety, escalator reliability and customer service.”

“We have worked with Arup on some initial concepts of applying technologies to our Smart City initiatives, focusing on sustainability initiatives such as driverless modes of transport, use of drones and innovations in operation of shopping malls and initiatives on energy saving concepts. We are also looking at possible collaboration on applying more digital technologies for project and construction management.”

Thales “Thales started early collaboration with MTR on smart operation in pilot implementation of full automatic control in Disneyland Resort Line. They continued various provision of advanced train control systems in our network for both greenfield and brownfield application.”

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

231

Transforming connectivity Combining our deep technical expertise with advanced digital technology, Arup helps to realise the vision for next generation urban rails that connect people and places, improve lives and enables sustainable growth.

We shape a better world | www.arup.com

“ Our on-time performance is already one of the highest in the world — but our customers want even better” — Dr Jacob Kam, CEO, MTR

as possible. Its analysts will gain access to enhanced user and demand data, leading to new opportunities to serve unmet demand.

MTR is able to take this concept a step further, as its ventures include a property business run under the same umbrella as its railway. MTR properties, which incorporate not only railway stations but residential and commercial buildings as well as luxury, regional and neighbourhood shopping malls, “creates a better, 233

MTR has achieved financial and environmental sustainability by integrating rail and property c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

more integrated living and travelling

together. Consolidating the supply

environment for our customers,”

chain of multiple industries, and

Kam says.

thinking macroscopically about soci-

“Theoretically, customers could

ety as a whole gives MTR an edge

travel from their home — a property

in building customer trust and retain-

managed by us, to an MTR railway,

ing loyalty across different markets.

to their office block which is man-

Naturally, the various innovations

aged by us, have lunch or meet

and initiatives are supported by a

friends in a shopping mall managed

range of partnerships. MTR works

by us,” he expands. This synergy

closely with Kone, Rotec, Beijing

not only retains custom and builds

Traffic Control Technology, Hyundai

trust within the market, but creates

Rotem, Siemens, OTIS, Thales and

an integrated society where loosely-

Arup to deliver its services efficiently

related aspects of daily life are

and sustainably by employing pio-

connected to run seamlessly

neering technology.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ The only way to push beyond the current high performance is through better digital technology” — Dr Jacob Kam, CEO, MTR

MTR actively encourages the use

analytics to push efficiency to a new

of public transport by making the

level, MTR fulfills its mission to “Keep

process streamlined, efficient and high-

Cities Moving” with a sustainable finan-

functioning: an essential stance not

cial model, upgraded assets, and an

only as the world’s cities become more

intelligent approach to public transport.

populated, but also as a defence against unsustainable, environmentallyhazardous travel habits. Using electric trains and energy-saving schemes, reducing waste and employing data c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

235

236

DATA CENTRE IS THE EPICENTRE OF CLOUD AND DIGITAL TSUNAMI WRITTEN BY

DAN BRIGHTMORE

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

237

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SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

HOW SIFY TECHNOLOGIES HAS TRANSFORMED FROM BEING A STANDALONE NETWORK AND DATA CENTRE-HOSTING SERVICE PROVIDER TO A FULLY-FLEDGED DIGITAL ICT SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES COMPANY

238

S

ify Technologies (Sify) was founded in 1995, as India’s first private internet services provider (ISP). Driving the nation’s consumer

internet revolution was the main focus during the late

1990s and through the company’s fledgling years as a consumer services focused business offering hubs across the country to handle cyber traffic.

At the turn of the millennium, Sify launched the country’s first commercial data centre (DC) and first MPLS network, beginning a transition towards enterprise services as India’s first commercial internet provider. The country’s emerging network requirements saw the business enter its third phase (from 2006-12), undergoing a full transformation into an enterprise services company. During this period, Sify moved out of the consumer broadband services space, focusing instead on internet-as-aservice for businesses and the launch of its cloud services offering.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

239

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

“It has been a fruitful journey across

“ WE HOST AND BUILD DATA CENTRES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS ALONG WITH THE IT, NETWORK, SECURITY AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THEY NEED. WE’RE MAKING IT EASIER FOR THEM TO MANAGE THEIR IT REQUIREMENTS WITH ONE PARTNER” 240

— Kamal Nath, CEO, Sify Technologies

25 years of transformation,” confirms CEO Kamal Nath, who joined Sify in 2012. Overseeing the transformation of the company from a standalone network and data centre hosting service provider to a fully-fledged digital ICT solutions and services company, Nath’s stewardship heralded a fourth transition in 2017. The addition of further portfolios to Sify’s data centre and cloud offering set the framework for the company’s “Cloud@Core” approach, which began in 2018.

INDIAN EXPANSION Looking back at Sify’s genesis and how the company became a major force in the Indian market, Nath recalls a time when most of the data centre players were telco service providers operating data centres at their point of presence (POP). “It was a natural extension of our telco business,” he says. “However, we didn’t follow the traditional path as we thought it was important to develop data centre hubs in major cities like Mumbai, where we set up our first commercial data centre in 2000. This was the key to our S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Sify Hybrid Multi Cloud with Cloud Adjacency CLICK TO WATCH

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2:55

241 expansion across India. Today, we

to diversify its suite of services is

have nine DCs across the country:

part of the Sify philosophy. “Over

four in Mumbai, and five spread

time,” he adds, “the data centre has

across Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi,

become the epicentre of Cloud and

Hyderabad and Kolkata. And we’re

Digital transformation.”

planning more in the near future.”

Sify now offers a host of man-

When Nath joined in 2012 the network to non-network revenue

aged, migration, assessment and

was approximately 80:20. Today it’s

security services for DCs. “We’ve

50:50. “We’ve grown the DC and

interconnected 48 DCs across the

DC-centric IT services business

country, not only our own but third

beyond simply being an IT services

party DCs,” adds Nath. “We’re creat-

provider,” he notes. “Both areas of

ing more value by offering extended

the business have grown, with our DC

service portfolios on top of our DCs

offering triggering a range of services

as a platform.” The constant quest

including, hybrid IT and multi-cloud.” c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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DRIVING DATA CENTRE GROWTH

need to expand existing IT networks.

Sify’s Head of Data Centre and Cloud

Similarly, the growing use of social

Services, Sushant Purushan, notes

media and online platforms demands

that India’s DC market is currently

that the needs of high compute net-

pegged at $2bn and expected to grow

works be met to support the likes of

22% to 24% CAGR. “This includes

content providers and gaming portals.

hyperscale DC, managed colocation at

Elsewhere, the rise of elearning and

service provider location, captive DC,

the country’s growing insurance sector

DC offshoring, disaster recovery-as-a-

is increasing its investment in IT, while

service, DC managed services and DC

regulatory compliance across indus-

applications implementation,” he adds.

tries is ramping demand for the digital

Driving that demand across India is

backup and archiving of information

the rise in ecommerce and digital pay-

sensitive services. Collectively, this

ment solutions. Banking services such

drive towards digital is aligned with gov-

as ewallets and payment gateways are

ernment initiatives such as the Smart

increasing transactions, triggering the

Cities programme and Digital India with

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Kamal Nath Title: Chief Executive Officer

Company: Sify Technologies

Industry: Information Technology & Services

Location: India

An Electronics and Communications graduate from a premier Technology school in India, Kamal has the enviable distinction of building business from their infancy or turning the corner in others. The architect of Sify’s digital transformation journey, Kamal prefers an entrepreneurial approach to engaging with industry verticals. This disruptive, zealous methodology has seen him build a billion dollar business in his earlier organisation. Going by the reception that Sify is receiving in the market, he is on track for an encore. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

243

SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

public sector companies, especially across the energy and manufacturing verticals, aggressively adopting digital.

“Under the Indian government’s National Digital Communication Policy, the three pillars – Broadband India, Secure India and Connect India – aim to connect the country’s villages and rural communities via local institutes while targeting fixed line broadband services in 50% of households, along with 10 million public WiFi hotspots,” explains Nath.

India’s digital economy is expected to reach $1trn by 2025. An entire 244

ecosystem of primary and associated services is benefiting from this Tsunami of change. This applies to core DCs, DC interconnection, edge DCs and network services for both enterprise and consumers. “In the near future, technologies in their infancy in India – IoT, AI and machine learning applications, Big Data, analytics and their application ecosystems – will see an upward associated consumption,” reasons Purushan.

EVOLUTION Sify has evolved in anticipation of this rise of digital to offer a mix of services. “We build and host data S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ SIFY HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON ADAPTING TO THE CUSTOM NEEDS OF HYPERSCALE USERS, CREATING A COMPLETE ECOSYSTEM OF CLOUD PROVIDERS, INTERNET EXCHANGES, CONTENT PROVIDERS, CDN PROVIDERS, ISPS…” — Sushant Purushan, Head of Data Centre and Cloud Services, Sify Technologies centres for our customers along with the IT and network infrastructure they need,” confirms Nath. “We’re making it easier for them to manage their IT requirements with one partner. We’re replacing legacy service providers for customers who want managed services (on-site or remote) addressing all the required models with a hosted data centre plus cloud. And through our network portfolio we not only provide data services to our clients, but also transform their network landscape influenced by adoption of cloud. They don’t need to look elsewhere, we offer c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

245

GROWTH

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Galaxy™ VX UPS EcoStruxure IT

it in a full stack – from DC hosting to

capacities were server hall floors in

custom-build and cloud services, we

buildings. Selection and deployment

can manage the whole piece. This is

criteria then changed to dedicated

how we’re evolving into a converged

buildings, POD-based design fea-

ICT ecosystem player offering hybrid

turing power substations within DC

IT and DC with integrated security ser-

premises offering multiple fiber paths

vices to meet the needs of businesses

for adaptive approaches to security

across verticals.”

and safety requirements. We now

The philosophy behind Sify’s DC

focus on creating DC campuses hous-

business has evolved to support the

ing multiple towers.”

changing market. Sushant elaborates: “Sify has been focusing on adapt-

DC DESIGN-BUILD AND OPERATIONS

ing to specialised custom needs of

Sify’s Head of Project Design,

hyperscale users, creating a complete

Roopesh Kumar, explains that the

ecosystem of cloud providers, internet

company’s design philosophy is flex-

exchanges, content providers, CDN

ible and hybrid to cater to the needs

providers, ISPs etc. Our initial DC

of all requirements: “Both IT and

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Sushant Purushan Title: Business Head Datacenter and Cloud Services

Location: India

A veteran IT professional, Sushant has been in the thick of the evolution of the Indian IT industry from a provider focused on application to one that evolved into infrastructure for the DC and the Cloud. He wet his feet with some of the big names in the industry donning roles across sales, operations, service lines & practice management, strategy and presales. At Sify, he puts a combination of these roles to play, architecting some of the unconventional solutions to Enterprise problems. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

247

SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

non-IT facilities are catered to in a way

key criteria including the availability

that enterprise and retail customers

of quality power, physical connectiv-

can partake of the same colocation

ity and telecom infrastructure. “The

facility.” Sify’s approach to design has

platform to innovate is centred around

moved on from low density retrofits

the design philosophy of our infrastruc-

in shared IT spaces to purpose-built

ture,” says Roopesh. “The modular and

facilities and now a third generation of

scalable backplane design can grow

custom designed and built greenfield

with the business and also multiply

projects following an inside out design

capacity in a single floor to meet high

where the whole building is based on

demand customer requirements. The

the server hall design to support large

design allows us to increase the power

hyperscale colocation requirements.

density in a single floor by adding com-

Physical site selection is driven by 248

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

ponents without disturbing the working

backplane infrastructure. The SCADA

flexibility to use this total power in multi-

based building automation system is a

ples of standard POD configuration. We

new initiative we have implemented in

have floors supporting 800KW for very

the past year.”

low density to 4800KW for high density

Roopesh highlights that Sify’s DCs

customers. These flexible PODs are

are built to accommodate scale and

defined during the initial master design

flex. “Each facility may have an overall

stage, allowing the business flexibility to

capacity limited by infrastructure space

design products accordingly.”

for transformers, generators and chilldesigned, this total capacity is defined

CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE CONNECTING THE FUTURE

and accordingly the base building infra-

Sify is responding to a maturing

structure is planned. The design allows

Indian market demanding hyperscale

ers, but when a new facility is identified/

249

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Roopesh Kumar Title: General Manager

Location: India

Roopesh Kumar leads the data centre engineering and projects. Having built a number of large data centre facilities for Sify in the past, he is working on their “new generation” data centre facilities projects now.

He brings over 20 years of experience in handling network and data centre infrastructure and projects. A technology enthusiast, he is keen to explore new technologies and products focusing on efficiency in energy and operations. Roopesh is a computer engineering graduate and an executive MBA in information technology management. He is well acquainted with data centre standards and technologies and certified under various industry modules like uptime institute ATS, PRINCE2 project management, ITIL v2 service delivery, CCNA network basics and more.

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

DCs. “Moving forward from being a service provider, India has become the offshore destination-of-choice for DCs for multiple players,” reveals Purushan, highlighting that Amazon, Walmart, Oracle, Microsoft, Alibaba and a diverse cohort of other content providers and software companies are building their cloud infrastructure in India. “The availability of disparate business segments across different seismic zones, a proactive government approach to remove the gremlins in builds, a back-office-to-the-world 250

environment, along with abundant land and power have proved to be great

“ THE PLATFORM TO INNOVATE IS CENTRED AROUND THE DESIGN PHILOSOPHY OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE” — Roopesh Kumar, Head of Project Design & Operations, Sify Technologies S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

inducers for the largest hyperscale DC players globally.”

Purushan notes that, both on the government and private enterprise side, there is a concentrated effort to build data farms within networked distance of the specific business. This has helped build a secondary market of DC and infra specialist providers around the facilities. “Prospective buyers are being driven by the urgency to adopt digital forms of doing business in order to retain their

251

customers in the face of increased

workload from enterprise to hyper-

threats from new age startups,” he

scale, Nath explains Sify is partnered

adds. “By themselves, startups at the

with AWS, Azure and Oracle, while in

top of the consumption chain for DCs

negotiations with Google to broaden

are the drivers for large scale automa-

the support it is able to offer custom-

tion and hence the increasing demand

ers who need to boost the digital

for hyperscale DCs. Sify has been

literacy of applications in sectors like

closely following these demands and

banking and eCommerce and main-

quickly ramping up the availability of

tain 100% infrastructure availability.

infra specialism across the country.”

“We are the only ISP who started

In creating services capable of

out in the 90s in India, survived the

managing hyperscale clouds, and

Dotcom bust and completely reen-

helping customers migrate their

gineered the business,” says Nath c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

SIF Y TECHNOLOGIES

252

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

1995

Year founded

$312mn Revenue in US dollars

2,700 Number of employees

253 proudly. “Today, with every passing quarter we are more relevant to the market than ever before. We now compete against international technology companies with a complete digital portfolio built to meet the future demands of the Indian market and beyond.�

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

254

NORDEX GROUP:

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

IN ENERGY WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

255

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

NORDEX GROUP

John McComas, Head of Project Management at Nordex North America, discusses the impact of digital transformation in the energy space amidst the launch of a new wind turbine platform

A

s one of the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturers, Nordex Group provides high-yield, cost-efficient wind turbines

under the Acciona Windpower and Nordex brands.

Nordex has production facilities in Germany, Spain, Brazil, the US, Argentina, Mexico and India 256

and produces nacelles, hubs, rotor blades and concrete towers across its offices in 25 countries.

Following its acquisition of Acciona Windpower in 2016, Nordex became a major player in the energy space.

John McComas is Head of Project Management at Nordex North America. Having originally joined Acciona Windpower North America in August 2007 as a Supply Chain Analyst, McComas worked in several different positions before moving into his current role in May 2017. Having achieved considerable success over the past few years, McComas points to his company’s product line as a driving factor. “Our product line between the Nordex and Acciona turbines is flexible, cost effective, and client driven,” explains McComas. We’re not afraid of entering into markets where other organisations feel uncomfortable.”

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

257

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

NORDEX GROUP

“ WE CAN’T HAVE JUST ONE WAY OF DOING THINGS ACROSS A DIVERSE RANGE OF MARKETS. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE ADAPT TO WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE” — John McComas, Head of Project Management, Nordex North America

A key area of priority to McComas is the company’s client approach.

“We have an approach with our clients which is quite the opposite of ‘take it or leave it’,” he says. “It’s about trying to foster a relationship

258

and learn what the constraints, challenges and economic model inputs are in order for the projects to be successful.” Having worked in several different markets, McComas acknowledges that every individual sector has its own unique challenges.

“What makes us successful is our approach,” he explains.

“We can’t have just one way of doing things across a diverse range of markets. It’s important that we adapt to what the requirements are.”

Another important area of focus to McComas is the introduction of new technology. He understands the growing impact digitalisation is S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Delta4000 Series Start: N149/5X & N163/5X (ENG) CLICK TO WATCH

|

3:13

259 having on the energy industry and

Since its purchase of Acciona

beyond. “Digital transformation

Windpower in 2016, there has been

is one of the biggest opportunities

a noticeable shift in operations.

facing most markets at the moment,”

“Acciona Windpower product technol-

says McComas. “We used to spend

ogy was typically deployed in large

lots of time and effort collecting,

wind farms cost of energy focused

analyzing and correcting information

markets, in comparison to the Nordex

and data that came to us from paper-

technology which was deployed at

based sources. We’re flooded by

smaller wind farms in Europe that

the onset of tools, techniques, pro-

had specific requirements,” says

cesses and data, so it’s important

McComas. “Those requirements

that we use it in the right way. With

were prevalent primarily in Germany,

increased efficiency comes the

Scandinavia and the UK and that

opportunity to be safer, more quality

technology was very successful

centered, and strategic.

in those markets. However, since the c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

NORDEX GROUP

260

“ DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES FACING MOST MARKETS AT THE MOMENT” — John McComas, Head of Project Management, Nordex North America

to launch a turbine platform with

merge a few years ago, we have put

strategy. The Delta4000 turbine

in considerable effort to combine that

adapts to the grid operators’ individ-

technology into one platform.”

ual needs, local wind conditions as

a flexible rating as part of its core design philosophy and operation

That platform is the Delta4000. The

well as noise constraints. Through

Nordex Group was the first company

the platform, the Nordex Group relies

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

on tried-and-tested series production

to create a platform that best serves

technology. The primary aim is to

the needs of our clients,” explains

reduce the cost of energy by design-

McComas. “This product line is a sig-

ing turbines which provide much

nal to the marketplace that the merger

higher yields from any given site. Its

between both organisations has been

Delta 4000 portfolio demonstrates

finalised and our recent commercial

the N155/4.5, N133/4.8, N149/5.X

success with it proved that we are

and N163/5.X wind turbines.

here to stay.”

McComas believes that the new

McComas believes in the value of

platform delivers a clear message

partnerships. Nordex has established

to the marketplace. “What we set out

key, strategic relationships with Appia

to do was take the best parts from

Wind Services, DSV Air & Sea and

both the Nordex and Acciona plat-

ATS, in addition to collaborations with

forms and merge them together

global energy leaders such as Engie,

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

John McComas Title: Vice President of Project Management North America Industry: Renewables

Location: United States

John McComas is a results-orientated, strategic and bi-lingual manager with experience in a range of wind farm supply and construction. McComas has a verifiable track record in four different countries for the successful completion of utility scale projects ranging from 45 to 304.5MWs. He manages site teams, maintaining the site P&L and creating positive working relationships with colleagues, contractors, suppliers and clients. He has been in his current position since May 2017. c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

261

Appia Wind Services is a company dedicated to blade maintenance and repairs in the composite wind energy field. We provide rapid deployment of experienced technicians to complete tasks at hand.

Learn More

Powering your logistics to the next level When your needs are out of the ordinary, trust the DSV experts. www.dsv.com/project-transport

1985

Year founded

6,800 Number of employees

263

Announcing N163/5X CLICK TO WATCH

|

0:32

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

NORDEX GROUP

WIND PROJECT SERVICES

• Asset-based project management solutions

• Continental U.S., Canada, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii & Caribbean

• Hands-on, multi-modal services

• More than 65 years of experience

• In-house route surveying and technical services team

• Reliable turnkey solution for your next project

ATS Projects | Putting your projects together piece by piece Call 1 800 MEET ATS | Visit ATSinc.com | Email Projects@ATSinc.com

Enel, Duke, Acciona Energy, and others “We want to work hand in hand with our clients in order to generate collaborative solutions,” he says.

“It’s important that we meet our commitments and ensure that we’re transparent and are working together in a collaborative manner to resolve issues. We understand that if we make a mistake then being open and honest is essential. We don’t try and hide; we strive to learn from our mistakes. Being open and honest with 265

NXG Service Technicians EN V1 CLICK TO WATCH

|

0:28

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

NORDEX GROUP

“ Being open and honest with every partnership is essential and if we want to foster long-term growth, we understand we have to work collaboratively and transparently”

266

— John McComas, Head of Project Management, Nordex North America

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

every partnership is essential and if we want to foster long-term growth, we understand we have to work collaboratively and transparently.”

With the future in mind, McComas has a vision of where he expects Nordex to be over the next few years.

“We’ve almost doubled the growth of the overall organisation in just a few years and we aim to continue in that vein,” he says. “Moving forward, our plan is to focus on the execution of our commitments and make sure we deliver on the projects that we’re undertaking.” McComas also harbours ambitions of transforming The Nordex Group to being considered a leader in wind turbine supply construction and commissioning. “It’s a pivotal year for us,” summarises McComas.

“We’ve already established ourselves as a top tier supplier globally for wind turbines and we want to continue to scale.”

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

267

268

WRITTEN BY

DANIEL BRIGHTMORE PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

269

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

How Great Southwestern Construction is training its teams to offer expertise in EPC project delivery across a range of substation, transmission line and distribution system projects

S

ince 1977, Great Southwestern (GSW) has successfully completed hundreds of substation, transmission line and distribu-

tion system projects throughout the United States.

270

During the 1980s company founder and Vietnam War veteran Robert Martinez established the company’s reputation on a series of power delivery projects, securing government contracts with the Western Area Power Authority and Bonneville Electric while performing a substantial role in the Central Arizona Irrigation Project. Expanding into utilities projects, GSW became an operating subsidiary of MYR Group in 2000. MYR Group provides management expertise, resources and financial backing that has allowed GSW to achieve new levels of performance and the ability to take on larger and more complex projects. This led to GSW’s involvement in MYR Group’s largest single project to date – the 235-mile, 345kV Cross Texas Transmission Line, part of Texas’s US$7bn Competitive Renewable Energy Zone (CREZ).

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

1977

Year founded

$1.6bn

MYR Group revenue in US dollars

600+ Number of employees

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

“ We want our employees to feel as though they’re part of a large team, in a family where their interests are looked out for, that they’re valued” — Brandon Lark, President, Great Southwestern Construction

“The acquisition by MYR helped out a lot because it added the capital resources needed to grow, supporting the ability to buy equipment and bond projects with capital backing,” recalls President Brandon Lark. “Shared resources throughout the group gave us the opportunity to grow rapidly from being a project focused organisation that bounced around the country focusing on single projects all won through competitive hard bid, to an organisation that is now regionally

272

focused with long-term MSA agreements in multiple different regions across the US.” Lark explains GSW is focusing on overall market saturation from a regional aspect and keeping crews local to an area. “In the past our crews would travel nationwide, so this helps with our recruitment and our employee development.”

RECRUITMENT & TRAINING Since 2005, GSW has focused on increasing the pace of its EPC (Engineer-Procure-Construct) delivery method. “We’ve prioritised developing project management skills and capabilities throughout our organisation,” S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Great Southwestern Construction, Inc CLICK TO WATCH

|

4:10

273 confirms Lark. “We have an in-house

foundation of GSW and the organisa-

development programme to develop

tion’s expectations. Employees receive

solid project managers across the

industry training through MYR Group

board. This has paid dividends in our

going through the OSHA (ET&D) best

ability to communicate in a timely and

practice course to ensure safety is

effective way with our clients. We

paramount across all of GSW’s sites.

really like to have a very transparent

The continuous improvement of its

approach and, in order to do that, you

employees is important for GSW.

have to have a solid means and meth-

“Our employees have the opportunity

ods of communication through project

to take three paid Department of

management practices.”

Labor Bureau-accredited appren-

Training is a key part of the pro-

ticeship programmes,” adds Lark.

cess at GSW where new hires will go

GSW’s Transmission Lineman and

through a week-long orientation to give

Distribution Lineman Apprenticeship

them a grounding in the values and the

Programmes are provided through c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

BUILDING AN ENERGIZED FUTURE DynaGrid provides nationwide, industry leading civil construction solutions in the Electrical Substation and Transmission sector including sitework, foundations, grounding and conduit installations.

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“ When we’re working towards turnkey delivery methods with our clients we want to have sub-contractors, vendors and staff that are working with us repeatedly rather than going out for the lowest bid on every project” — Brandon Lark, President, Great Southwestern Construction

“Despite the fact we’ve grown tremendously since the 1980s, we’ve tried to maintain a family feeling, we do that through our people first focus,” says Lark. “We want our employees to feel as though they’re part of a large team, in a family where their interests are looked out for, that they’re valued.

We do that by ensuring everybody has a voice and understands it’s not only a right, but an expectation, that if they have questions they get the support

T&D Power Skills, and are geared to

they need. We’re committed to helping

instruct electric utility line workers

them improve their skill set to move

with up-to-date, safety-related work

forward and grow as employees from

practices and technical skills related

one day to the next.” Lark believes this

to the installation, maintenance and

approach has helped GSW develop its

removal of transmission and dis-

reputation as a solid organisation to

tribution systems. The company’s

work for. “The transmission distribu-

Substation Technician Certification

tion industry is a relatively small one,

Program is provided through the

word is spreading and people are

Northwest Lineman’s College

seeking us out.”

(NLC) Power Delivery Program, is most commonly used as the curriculum

TURNKEY SOLUTIONS

component of apprenticeship leading

GSW’s clients are increasingly looking

to journeyman certification, and is ideal

at outsourcing for the kind of special-

for adoption or endorsement by utility

ised expertise unavailable elsewhere

company associations and state-wide

or over-committed in-house. “We must

organisations. A third course focuses

be prepared to deliver turnkey solu-

on distribution alignment.

tions to answer their call,” pledges Lark. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

275

G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

Great Southwestern Construction: Apprenticeship Program CLICK TO WATCH

|

3:10

276 Delivering these turnkey solutions often

that are working with us repeatedly

comes in the form of EPC agreements,

rather than going out for the lowest bid

prevalent on more complex projects.

on every project. The best way to show

EPC agreements allow owners to share

steady improvement over time with a cli-

more risk and lower overall costs by

ent is by having a complete team that’s

transferring a project’s engineering

all in and understands their key drivers.”

design, procurement of equipment and

GSW’s in-house construction capa-

materials, and construction activities to

bilities secure the turnkey approach,

a single contractor.

offering the opportunity for early stage

To achieve this, Lark explains that

constructability analysis and the chance

GSW takes an approach of partner-

to optimise value and enhance efficiency

ships across the board. “When we’re

to deliver the best overall design. By

working towards turnkey delivery

directly managing all stakeholders GSW

methods with our clients we want to

enhances communication to minimise

have subcontractors, vendors and staff

impact on project schedules.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Brandon Lark Title: President

Company: Great Southwestern Construction, Inc.

Industry: Construction

Location: United States

From Superintendent then Project Manager to Vice President and now President, Brandon Lark’s breadth of experience at Great Southwestern has given him a raft of hands on expertise engaging with all facets of the organisation from the ground up. “It’s given me an invaluable perspective on being able to understand the challenges and the lifestyle that our folks lead out in the field,” confirms Lark. “I understand the problems they face day in and day out, and I’m always keen to get their input on how we can improve. Our senior leadership team are here to help ensure they have what they need to succeed every day they go to work.”

“My hope is that the young folks out there considering their careers and looking into the trades can see from my career path that you don’t necessarily have to jump into a four-year degree and go down that path right off the board. Actually, you really can move into a trade and take that route and it’s by no means closing a door to the future opportunities that you thought maybe your college degree would offer you; there are other ways of doing that and still achieving the highest level of success within an organisation.”

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277

G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY As an industry-leading provider of electrical construction services, GSW delivers optimal value while ensuring sustainability that depends on its ability to prioritise economic, social, cultural, ethical and environmental considerations generated throughout day-to-day operations.

“When we look at how Great Southwestern promotes sustainability and energy efficiency, it’s through supporting renewable energy projects,”

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279 confirms Lark. “We seek out and

of a 34.5kV underground collection

partner with renewable energy devel-

system and a new 138kV substation

opers to help bring solar and wind

including two 138kV breakers, eight

energy projects to market. We come

34.5KV breakers, all related steel, bus,

into play to get their green energy

conduits, grounding, foundations, cable

projects connected to the grid. We’ll

trench, control building and site work.

work on the high voltage side, and

“We’re seeing a huge drive on the

the interconnection with the host util-

energy delivery front,” says Lark,

ity.” Driven by client expectations and

highlighting the chance for GSW to

specifications, GSW has constructed

capitalise on its expertise. “There’s a

substations, transmission lines and

big push to move away from coal and

collector systems for solar and wind

towards more renewable, sustainable

farms throughout the US. The Magic

energy. With that, there’s a lot of differ-

Valley wind farm in Texas (completed in

ent complexities that come into it. One

2013) was an EPC project consisting of

of the areas we really want to focus

the construction of 258,000 circuit feet

on is that these renewable projects c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

Great Southwestern Strengths Cohesive Crews that Remain Together from Project to Project A crew works best together only when given the opportunity and time to do so. This continuity results in better performance, greater efficiency and increased safety – all factors that contribute to the success of your project.

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A Project-Based Focus on Every Job Our leadership and project management teams are skilled in all aspects of project controls and reporting systems required to efficiently and successfully execute projects on-time and on-budget. We have extensive experience in design-build and Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) methods of project delivery, and can also provide an array of pre-construction services.

Our Attract, Train, Retain & Grow Philosophy

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

We attract and retain good people because we offer attractive recruitment packages and provide a firm foundation for professional growth within the organisation.

Industry-Leading Apprenticeship, Training, Orientation and Safety Programs Our apprenticeship programs are accredited by the Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship.

Great Southwestern dedicates significant time and effort to ensure our training, orientation and safety programs provide employees with the latest, most comprehensive and accurate information possible.

Extensive Resources As part of MYR Group, Great Southwestern possesses the technical, financial and managerial resources to install multiple projects of virtually any size and type.

generally drive much tighter timeframes and therefore a higher degree of need for solid project management.

We’ve got to be much more flexible, be able to think out of the box and accelerate projects to a pace that are outside of normal utility delivery. We really see an opportunity to be the bridge between the developer and the interconnecting utilities to help make that happen.”

GROWTH MINDSET “We’ve experienced steady and sustainable growth,” says Lark proudly.

“Through that growth, we’ve been able to offer opportunities for our employees to grow too and improve their positions within the organisation. We’re in a growth mindset, which allows our teams to set high goals and ultimately go and achieve them.” Lark believes that this mindset, coupled with GSW’s commitment to safety and the value that individual employees can bring, has contributed to the company taking an industry-leading role to become best in class. “We’ve got a solid team of very dedicated leaders across the organisation and to me that’s a huge success.” c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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G R E AT S O U T H W E S T E R N C O N S T R U C T I O N

“ We seek out and partner with renewable energy developers to help bring solar and wind energy projects to market.

We come into play to get their green energy projects connected to the grid” — Brandon Lark, President, Great Southwestern Construction

2020 VISION “Projects like the Cross Texas 282 Transmission Line are huge undertakings and show the industry what we’re capable of,” says Lark. “When you look at where we’re at today, we’re excited about utilising those capabilities to develop long-term relationships with the likes of Oncor Electrics in Texas.

“We’re one of their primary contractors and we have several hundred employees on their system supporting them day in and day out. It’s alliances like these that we’re looking forward to forging across the US.” Looking to the future, Lark believes the EPC model is going to be crucial in bridging the gap to ensure deliverable timeframes are met across a range of S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

projects, especially renewable energy.

“This not only helps from a developer perspective, so they’re successful in making sure that the timelines are met; but also when dealing with the interconnecting utility and ensuring all the studies and standards of construction are also met.”

“We’re reaching a point where a lot of utilities don’t have the same in-house capabilities that they used to have, due to recruitment issues and staff retiring.

They’re looking at the EPC model as a method of augmenting their project delivery for their own capital projects.

That’s the other area where we’re looking to fill the needs across the board, and a lot of that is ensuring that we’re bringing on that expertise in-house to meet client expectations. We’re aiming to balance the needs of both sides of the fence and I think we are in a very good position to be able to do that moving forward.”

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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PCL Construction: transformation through people and culture WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY

JAKE MEGEARY

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

Mark Bryant, CIO at PCL Construction, describes how the company’s vision and “innovate or die” philosophy is helping to shape the modern industry

F

ounded in 1906 in Stoughton, Saskatchewan, PCL Construction is a construction company operating primarily

in Canada, the US, Australia and the Caribbean.

Now headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, the 100% employee-owned company currently 286

employs over 4,000 full-time professional and admin staff and more than 10,000 hourly tradespeople. Operating primarily on heavy industrial, civil and building construction, PCL has attained consistent results and broad geographic diversity to ensure its continued success. The company works on 700-800 projects each year, and is the largest contracting company in Canada and the seventh largest in North America overall.

Mark Bryant, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at PCL, joined the company seven years ago with the aim of helping the business understand how IT-based solutions could bring benefits and drive efficiencies. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial vibe and a big interest in technology,” he explains.

“I’m one of those guys that’s always bridged IT

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

PCL CONSTRUCTION

“ There’s a lot of opportunity for change.

If you’re open to change, it’s a pretty cool place to be right now” — Mark Bryant, CIO, PCL Construction

and business, even when I started at Toronto Dominion Bank, where I spent the first nine years of my career.” Having the fortune and talent to work for some of the largest, primarily Canadian, companies in the market — Davis & Henderson, and WSP — Bryant found that one thing consistently attracted

288

him: great work culture and great colleagues. Regarding the honour of being named the 2019 ‘Canadian CIO of the Year’ by ITAC, Bryant was clear on what he regards as the key to his success.

“It’s a pinnacle award for me from a career perspective,” he says. “But if you don’t have an amazing team around you, you don’t win ‘CIO of the Year’. My team at PCL has been instrumental in executing the vision that I’ve had.”

For PCL, that vision meant making a fundamental shift away from ‘legacy IT’ and towards becoming an integrated business technology group. “Initially, IT was focused on keeping the lights on,” S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

PCL’s Digital Transformation CLICK TO WATCH

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2:22

289 says Bryant, describing the limitations

management applications, the com-

of the previous tech culture’s scope.

pany has striven to be an active

“One of the things that I’m most proud

participant in the change, rather than

of is my team’s transition to realise our

merely reacting to it. According to

new strategic vision.” More specifically,

Bryant, there is a reason for this. “The

Bryant has spearheaded a new range

construction industry historically has

of products and services for PCL to

been underserved by the software

drive productivity, efficiency and safety.

development community. As one of the

This approach has proved crucial

oldest industries in the world, a lot of

in an industry that is typically slow to

practices in construction haven’t

adopt the latest trends in digitisation.

changed.” Due to the nature of the work,

Bucking the trend, PCL has been

which requires a vast amount of manual

focused on developing this aspect of

processes to function, cvonstruction

its operations for over 30 years. From

has been among the last industries

homegrown estimating software to staff

to embrace the digital revolution. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

However, with investment capital

292

for efficiency, as was integrating its

starting to flow into the industry,

technology more intelligently to allow

a huge influx of new thinking has

innovations a quick gateway into daily

opened doors for IT and business

operations. “If something new comes

professionals. “There’s a lot of oppor-

along that’s better, faster, or makes

tunity for change. If you’re open to

more sense for our business, we can

change, it’s a pretty cool place to be

rip out the incumbent technology and

right now.” The digital transformation

plug another one in. An integration

for PCL began with what Bryant calls

framework allows us to be very agile.”

the ‘four pillars’: cloud, integration,

This shift away from a ‘waterfall

mobility, and data analytics. Shifting

development cycle’ also means that

the company’s large volumes of data

applications and services can be

from its hundreds of yearly projects

brought out in weeks or months,

to the cloud was a significant move

rather than years.

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Mark Bryant Title: Chief Information Officer Location: Canada As CIO, Mark is responsible for the strategic and innovative advancement of information technology (IT) within the PCL family of companies.

Mark has over two decades of IT expertise, having served in the financial services, software, manufacturing, and AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industries. Prior to joining PCL, he led the technology operations at a century-old financial services firm and was CIO at a leading planning, engineering and consulting firm. Mark received his business administration accreditation from Sheridan College in Ontario and additional credentials related to ecommerce from the Ivey School of Business. He completed his CIO MBA at Boston University.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

293

Mobility and the ability to collect

and utilised in fascinating new ways,

data from the field is also crucial to

such as monitoring conditions at the

PCL’s operations. With the advent of

work-face of construction. “The IoT

smartphones and tablets, the company

platform is 100% data driven, enabling

was able to find a way to gather this

real time alerts to anomalies and is

information more simply. More data

extremely extensible, allowing for the

also meant that an overhaul of the way

addition of new capabilities quickly.

the company performed data analysis

It allows us to make better decisions

was crucial. The launch of PCL’s smart

because now we’re doing something

construction platform Job Site Insights™

with data that wasn’t historically avail-

— a key Internet of Things (IoT) based platform and one of the core focal

able.” says Bryant.

Another great example of data

points for the company in 2020 —

being an enabler is a hazard inspection

meant that data could be collected

safety application exploiting AI c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

PCL CONSTRUCTION

“ PCL Construction is a juggernaut of innovation in the industry” — Mark Bryant, CIO, PCL Construction

294

Taking Safety into the Digital Realm CLICK TO WATCH

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2:27

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

295

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PCL CONSTRUCTION

technology to scan photographs and identify hazards. PCL has been able to reduce the time and labour spent on a crucial task — safety inspections — without sacrificing quality.

His goal is nothing short of the total digitisation of the construction industry, including how it measures quality, safety, financials, work schedules, performance and more. Data is the essential element of the large-scale

“ Our people and our culture really are the difference. I am passionate and excited about what we’re doing.

I couldn’t find a better company to do it at” — Mark Bryant, CIO, PCL Construction

improvement PCL is striving towards, as are close relationships with the

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|

2:24

297 partners and suppliers with which

a partner with a vested interest

the company works. Emphasising the

in helping us drive efficiencies.”

collaborative nature of the construc-

Microsoft will also be instrumental

tion industry, Bryant believes that

in PCL’s integration of blockchain into

PCL’s business relationships in 2020

its logistical operations, as well as

are going to be of paramount impor-

billing and receiving.

tance. “I’m really focused on continuing

Similarly, Pype has a special

to build a partner ecosystem of compa-

relationship with PCL; the company

nies that want to share our vision and

leverages Pype’s ‘AutoSpec’ product

success as we digitise construction.”

to enhance operational efficiencies.

“We have a fantastic relationship

“They’re a great example of a startup

with Microsoft,” he explains

in the construction industry that is

(Microsoft provides PCL’s cloud-

using artificial intelligence (AI) to

based services). “They’re not

review submittals and show us areas

a supplier to us, frankly. They’re

that we should focus on.” c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

PCL CONSTRUCTION

298

D I D YO U KN OW ?

• The IoT platform is 100% data driven.

• PCL work on between 700-800 projects each year .

• 4,000 full-time professional and admin staff and more than 10,000 hourly tradespeople.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“ I’ve always had an entrepreneurial vibe and a big interest in technology” — Mark Bryant, CIO, PCL Construction

Another partner offering exciting solutions to PCL is Australian company Willow, providing ‘digital twin technology’ to create a virtual model of assets, processes, systems, and other entities.

“The concept of a digital twin has been in the airline and automotive industries for years,” says Bryant. “It has not been applied to construction, so Willow will be a significant partner for us in their smart building strategy.”

Even though he has established an exciting technological vision, Bryant hasn’t forgotten that changes in the construction industry are not easy to introduce. With new technologies being introduced at breakneck speed, it’s possible that staff will reach a saturation point in their ability to adapt.

However, it is by fusing the knowledge c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

299

PCL CONSTRUCTION

300

“ Digitisation is not an option.

Digitisation is an absolute necessity” — Mark Bryant, CIO, PCL Construction S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

and experience of its field staff and technology staff, who have been working on-site for 40+ years, with the latest IT tech that PCL hopes to gain a major advantage in the market. Adopting a ‘crawl, walk, run’ philosophy of introduction, Bryant is confident that PCL will add new digital aspects at an appropriate pace. “It blows my mind how complicated our business is and how our people do such an excellent job,” he states.

1906

Year founded

$6.95bn Revenue in US dollars

4,000+ Number of employees

This represents the crux of PCL’s

difference between those companies

digital transformation for Bryant: “Our

that realise this and those that don’t.

people and our culture really are the

PCL Construction is a juggernaut of

difference. I am passionate and excited

innovation in the industry and, to me,

about what we’re doing. I couldn’t find

that’s super exciting.”

a better company to do it at.” Thinking about the journey that PCL is embarking upon, Bryant considers the upcoming change to be inevitable. “Digitisation is not an option. Digitisation is an absolute necessity. You’re going to see a big c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

301

302

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Stockholm Data Parks: making the modern sustainable city WRITTEN BY

WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

303

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

Erik Rylander, Head of Stockholm Data Parks and Open District Heating, explains how data centres may be the key to creating a sustainable digital city

S

tockholm Data Parks (SDP) represents an advanced infrastructure offering to the data centre industry; a partnership

between it, district heating/cooling provider Stockholm Exergi, electricity distributor Ellevio, dark fibre provider Stokab and the City of 304

Stockholm. Collectively driven by a vision of creating a sustainable, waste-free city that’s entirely free of fossil fuels by 2040, SDP’s contribution lies in the unique opportunity presented by the rapidly expanding data centre sector. Focused on making Stockholm as attractive to the industry as possible, the initiative believes that the waste heat expended by data centres may hold the key to making the city a beacon of sustainability.

Erik Rylander, Head of SDP, knows the energy sector well and put his insights to good use when the idea was first launched. “My career has been a mixture of very different fields within energy and it has been mostly centred on heating and cooling, but also gas. With SDP, we really took the initiative to make the data center industry more sustainable.”

Although heat recovery is now widely accepted by S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

305

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

the European industry, this was

306

“At that time, the industry was very sceptical. It didn’t really see the need for it; people saw it as a problem and didn’t want to start implementing new solutions” Erik Rylander, Head of Stockholm Data Parks and Open District Heating

not always the case. Spotting the opportunity relatively early (circa 2014-15), SDP anticipated the global shift towards the widespread adoption of eco-friendly measures in business, though others were left perplexed.

“At that time, the industry was very sceptical,” explains Rylander. “People didn’t really see the need for it; they saw it as a problem and didn’t want to start implementing new technology.” Adding to the opposition was a customer base that was seemingly indifferent, and a paucity of environmental initiatives on the global stage.

“Now, it’s really different: many things have happened to help us move into the position we are in. For example, Greenpeace started to publish the Click Clean Report and then the Paris Agreement came around in 2016,” says Rylander. With industry heavyweights like Microsoft now edging towards carbon-negativity and Jeff Bezos of Amazon pledging US$10bn to fight climate change, SDP is truly a pioneer in promoting sustainability schemes that are taking more widespread precedence in 2020.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Stockholm Data Parks CLICK TO WATCH

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307

Also the Head of Open District

temperature). “If we can buy heat from

Heating (ODH) at Stockholm Exergi,

someone at a price lower than it would

Rylander explains that the whole

have cost to produce it, that’s the real

process actually starts with ODH,

business behind heat recovery: we

which provides the business model

are saving money and companies will

of the venture. Taking advantage of a

be paid for something that is generally

2,800km network of district heating/

regarded as waste,” Rylander states.

cooling pipes that snake underground

By establishing a market for waste heat

around Stockholm, a scheme was

in Stockholm, ODH is playing an essen-

started in 2014 wherein businesses

tial part in helping Stockholm reach

were approached and asked if they

its goal of using 100% renewable or

were willing to sell their excess/

recovered energy for its district heat-

wasted heat energy on a fluctuating

ing by 2030, as well as being totally

price scale (depending on the outside

carbon neutral by 2040. “Currently, c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

308

we are 90% carbon neutral, so that

data centre investments to Stockholm

remaining 10% will need to be offset

and, by extension, a greater pool of

and one way to do that is to increase

heat recovery potential. “Our purpose

the use of heat recovery.”

remains to make this city more sustain-

After several pilot studies were

able because we, as the providers of

launched in 2016 to identify how heat

heating and cooling in the city, have a

recovery could best be utilised, it was

responsibility to furthering sustainabil-

discovered that the data centre indus-

ity,” says Rylander. “It’s really important

try provided the most effective source.

that we make the City of Stockholm

With the global data industry’s total

fit for the future.” With its focus on the

consumption of electricity estimated

rapidly growing data centre sector,

at a huge 416.2 TWh (the entire UK’s

which is also highly compatible with an

consumption is roughly 300 TWh),

urban environment, SDP provides the

SDP was established to attract more

catalyst for scaling up this vision.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Favouring an approach which

adjusted its product portfolio to fit

establishes trusting and long-lasting

the heat recovery concept, Rylander

connections with partners and sup-

affirms that Carrier put its trust in heat

pliers, the collaboration with heat

recovery and took a chance to help it

pump supplier Carrier is an example

succeed. “Without them, we wouldn’t

of co-operation morphing into endur-

have been able to get as far as we

ing synergy. “Carrier has been an

have,” he says.

important partner to the heat recovery

Success might be inevitable for

concept,” explains Rylander. “From

the SDP initiative, as it ties in with a

an early point, it showed a strong

growing global movement: the circular

commitment and belief in the idea;

economy. Seeking to eliminate ‘one

Carrier also believes that heat recovery

use’ methodologies in business, cir-

will become increasingly important.”

cular economic ideas revolve around

Stating that the company actually

the principle of minimising ‘inputs’ and

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Erik Rylander Title: Head of Stockholm Data Parks

Location: Sweden

Erik Rylander, MSc. Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, is the head of Stockholm Data Parks at Stockholm Exergy (former Fortum Värme). Mr. Rylander has a long career within Fortum in different managerial positions. In recent years he has played a leading role in the development and deployment of Stockholm Exergi’s business model that allows data centers to turn costs for cooling into revenue from recovered heat.

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

309

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

maximising the reusing, remaking and recycling of waste products. “It’s really about reusing whatever you can again and again so that you are not wasting anything,” Rylander explains. “Heat is generated whilst running data servers, which we can then capture and reuse as energy to heat Stockholm.

Technically the included components are well established, but, for some cities, installing a decent heating system might be an issue.” This is the main benefit of Stockholm’s infrastructure

SMART HEATING PRODUCTION Carrier is a world leader in high technology HVAC solutions that includes an extensive range of data center cooling and heat recovery solutions for district heating applications.

Our mission is to offer customers the benefit of our extensive experience with many projects already delivered and be their first choice.

Learn More

LAKE WATER GEOTHERMAL PROBES AND GROUND WATER

INDUSTRIES

20° C

SEA WATER

85° C

RY OVE C E TR HEA 15° C

55° C

G ATIN E H T RIC DIST OFFICES

INDUSTRIAL PROCESS

HOUSING

AND GREY WATER DATA CENTER

ADMINISTRATION

AquaForce, at the heart of smart city, providing both natural and wasted heat sources to multiple applications.

311 - 95% of the buildings in the city are connected to a heating system that can be utilised for heat recovery. It is a testament to SDP’s innovative concept, which, whilst not relying on cuttingedge technology, demonstrates an intelligent usage of existing infrastructure to make it work.

Sweden’s low power cost (approximately €0.05 per kWh) and low national carbon footprint (20g of carbon per

“If we can buy heat from someone at a price lower than it would have cost to produce it, that’s the real business behind heat recovery: we are saving money and companies will be paid for something that is generally regarded as waste”

kWh, as opposed to the EU average of 450g) provide additional incentives to data centre companies scouting areas for investment. The country’s

Erik Rylander, Head of Stockholm Data Parks and Open District Heating

c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

CO MPAN Y FACT S

• Currently, we are 90% carbon neutral, so that remaining 10% will need to be offset and one way to do that is to increase the usage of heat recovery

strong stance on combating climate change could make it very attractive to tech industry hyperscalers - such as Facebook and Google - who are looking for effective ways to simultaneously expand their business and mitigate their carbon emissions. Validation of SDP’s concept was given in 2017 when the Kista data park was established north of Stockholm. “The first milestone we had to reach was international investment coming into Sweden on this platform. That is what we achieved with the Kista site,” Rylander says. “As data centres grow, we will be able to recover approximately 40MW of heat from them, enough to heat around 80,000 modern residential flats.” This was followed in 2019 with c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

313

S T O C K H O L M D ATA PA R K S

314

the launch of the Brista site as an opportunity for data center invest-

“Our purpose remains to make this city more sustainable because we, as the providers of heating and cooling in the city, have a responsibility to furthering sustainability” Erik Rylander, Head of Stockholm Data Parks and Open District Heating S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

ment, with plans to launch a third site in Skarpnäck, south of Stockholm, currently underway.

An added benefit of Stockholm is its wide-spread optical network connecting practically all buildings in the city. Further, the city is exceptionally well connected to the rest of Europe with more than 350 million end-users reachable with 30 milliseconds of round-trip delay.

315

Looking forward to 2020, Rylander

scientists have been able to identify

is keen for SDP’s signed contracts to

which will allow us to reach the targets

materialise into construction projects.

of the Paris Agreement globally without

Now that the initiative’s concept has

carbon capture and storage,” he claims.

been proved, SDP will continue to push

“The data centre industry already

for Stockholm to be a truly modern city:

understands that this is the next phase

sustainable, low-carbon and digital.

to move into. We have a good start-

However, not satisfied with merely

ing point for applying carbon capture

achieving carbon neutrality, Rylander’s

technology that will eventually bring

company - Stockholm Exergi – will

negative emissions into the market.”

also be exploring taking sustainability to the next level with carbon capture technology. “There is no scenario that c o n s t r u c t io n gl o b a l . c o m

316

STAGING THE DRAMATIC RENAISSANCE OF ADELAIDE’S HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE WRITTEN BY

DANIEL BRIGHTMORE PRODUCED BY

TOM VENTURO

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

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HANSEN YUNCKEN

HOW HANSEN YUNCKEN’S REDEVELOPMENT OF ADELAIDE’S HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE HAS BALANCED A HERITAGE DESIGN WITH A 21ST CENTURY TRANSFORMATION

H

ansen Yuncken (HY) was awarded the contract to redevelop Adelaide’s landmark Her Majesty’s Theatre and

revitalise an iconic Tivoli Theatre, which originally opened in 1913. The $66mn redevelopment includes retaining the building’s heritage façade 318

and eastern wall, along with the construction of a reimagined auditorium capable of seating an audience of 1,467, over three levels. Modern foyers, new backstage facilities, and a redesigned front entrance and canopy make up the rest of a project, which has provided a unique opportunity for HY to showcase its unrivalled skill in meeting the challenge of delivering a 21st century transformation while respecting this theatre’s storied past.

HY was able to take the learnings from its redevelopment of the Sydney Coliseum Theatre in NSW, which was completed late 2019. “It’s a D&C contract for the state government,” explains Scott Brumfield, Project Director of Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre Redevelopment. “We’ve got a fantastic vision from Cox Architecture, and with heritage specialists on board we’ve paid S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

1918

Year founded

$1bn+ Revenue in Aus dollars

650

Number of employees

c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

319

HANSEN YUNCKEN

“ WE IMPROVED SAFETY, AVOIDED REWORK AND MINIMISED ON SITE FABRICATION, TRANSFORMING THE WAY WE APPROACHED THIS BUILD” — Scott Brumfield, Project Director, Hansen Yuncken 320 close attention to how we’ve designmanaged that process – it’s not about watering down the outcomes, it’s about maintaining the vision of those architects, but ensuring constructability including time, cost and safety, while keeping that integrity in the design. Our Design Manager, Stuart Warnes, has been key to HY building an iconic landmark building we can all be proud of.”

Working in partnership with consultants Mott MacDonald and Aurecon, the design pays homage to the theatre’s history both inside and out.

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

Hansen Yuncken: Her Majesty’s Theatre Redevelopment Timelapse CLICK TO WATCH

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2:06

321 Cox aimed to incorporate aspects of

rooms and modern rehearsal rooms.

the original heritage design into the

The purchase of a neighbouring prop-

interiors inspired by the original Tivoli

erty has allowed for further expansion

concepts. “Maintaining the theatre’s

to deliver an improved front-of-house

original façades was a key part of the

experience with heightened flow rates

redevelopment,” explains Brumfield.

for attending audiences to better

“Along the way we’ve uncovered herit-

access all the theatre’s amenities.

age artefacts such as the old friezes

The use of BIM (Building Information

and signage; we’ve also gained an

Modeling) has supported the con-

understanding of original colour

struction deliverables from the offset.

schemes - all of this has been used to

“Cox started with a point survey and

inform the new interiors,” he adds.

completed a scan of the interiors,

The design will deliver a very much

enabling them to create a design that

improved backstage experience for

interfaced properly with the existing

the performers, with new dressing

heritage facades, giving us a design c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

T HE STAT S

• At peak approx. 150 people on site • Over 80t of waste removed during soft demo, 96% of that was recycled • 80 piles across site, the deepest reaching 14m • 54.6t of steel required for façade retention bracing • Just over 400t concrete required for façade retention bracing • Approx. 950t of steel used to create building’s framework HI ST O RY

• Opened as the Tivoli Theatre in 1913 • Last surviving Tivoli Theatre in the country • During the 1960’s and 70’s the theatre was completely gutted, destroying the original architectural features

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HANSEN YUNCKEN

process that actually worked to

of stability and developing an under-

the fabric that remained,” explains

standing of how all of those pieces

Brumfield.

went together - like a big Meccano set.

The design management process was augmented through BIM with

and minimised on-site fabrication,

the creation of models for all the

transforming the way we approached

steel and prefabricated components

this build.”

ensuring they interfaced smoothly

324

We improved safety, avoided rework

Working in a tight city site such

with the building’s heritage façades.

as Her Majesty’s Theatre in central

“We were able to sequence the build

Adelaide, technology was a major

by grabbing slices of the BIM model

factor in managing the projects

to develop a truly informed process,”

stakeholder management. “We had

Brumfield confirms. “This helped

to consider our neighbours,” says

with our temporary works in terms

Brumfield. “With a car park down the

“ WE’VE GOT A FANTASTIC VISION FROM COX ARCHITECTURE… IT’S ABOUT MAINTAINING THE VISION OF THOSE ARCHITECTS, BUT ENSURING CONSTRUCTABILITY INCLUDING TIME, COST AND SAFETY, WHILE KEEPING THAT INTEGRITY IN THE DESIGN” — Scott Brumfield, Project Director, Hansen Yuncken S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

road, a pub on the corner, and an apartment block next door, detailed planning of the schedule of works was vital. We required high-level planning for road closures – which happened almost daily – so had to be mindful of the effect on traffic flow. Being able to arrange the placement of the tower crane within the building so that it misses all of the critical elements of structural steel and services, while minimising local disruption was very important. Optimising the location 325

in this way would have been almost

E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :

Scott Brumfield Title: Construction Manager Location: Australia With over 25 years’ experience in the construction industry working for the likes of Brookfield Multiplex and Built Environs, Scott Brumfield has benefited from working on a vast range of projects, from desalination plants and hospitals, to shopping centres and prisons. “Working on Her Majesty’s Theatre was all about understanding our client’s vision, and producing an outcome aligned with their needs,” he confirms. Brumfield’s client-centric approach sees him focus on building teams that share his vision and can deliver spectacular outcomes for legacy projects and new builds alike. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

HANSEN YUNCKEN

impossible without a 3D BIM model.”

HY utilised Autodesk’s BIM 360 for quality control, using iPads in the field to record all outcomes. “Our team also used HYway which interfaces with Power BI to track manpower and safety observations along with quality outcomes,” adds Brumfield. “The ability for real-time monitoring to help the site team collaborate and then to allow for monitoring further up the chain to the corporate governance at state and national levels is just incredible.”

WACO KWIKFORM Proud to supply Her Majesty's Theatre Renewal Project

1300 333 113 | wacokwikform.com.au WACO KWIKFORM SCAFFOLDING AND FORMWORK SPECIALISTS Waco Kwikform was proud to provide its expert access scaffolding services - including design, supply and labour - during the recent redevelopment of the iconic Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide.

Working closely with the Hansen Yuncken on-site team, Waco Kwikform designed and installed a bespoke scaffolding solution for this complex project, with particular attention given to the intricate birdcage scaffold in the auditorium. Waco's expert engineering team and skilled, on-site labour force worked collaboratively with the customer's personnel and other trade teams to ensure the scaffold was erected efficiently and quickly, adhering to site specific, as well as our own stringent OHS requirements.

Waco Kwikform has the capacity and proven experience to provide design, product and technical support to projects of all shapes and sizes.

we’re moving into the behavioural space with safety,” he says. “With company campaigns like ‘You See It - You Own it’, we are aiming to reinforce the message that we all get to influence the safety outcome; and it’s about individual ownership. Working with subcontractors who are exposed to different sites routinely, it can be a challenge to get them aligned with our own culture and fully engaged with our strategies. It’s working really well, and we’re seeing our operatives starting to understand that their own HYway (its forward-looking in-house management platform) allows HY to achieve a corporate overview in real-

behaviours are creating the positive outcomes we want.”

The theatre’s end user, the Adelaide

time, delivering insights that inform key

Festival Center, has been “incredibly

decision-making. “I can interrogate the

engaged” with the design process.

project’s progress, at any stage, from

Working alongside the Government

home, the boardroom, or my desk,”

of South Australia’s Building Project’s

adds Brumfield. “I can get access to

management arm, DPTI (Department of

site diaries and look at all of the cost

Planning, Transport and Infrastructure)

reports to ensure we remain on track.”

and Department of Premier and

In such a confined space and with

Cabinet, HY is delivering the first new

a large workforce, safety on the pro-

theatre built in the state for many years.

ject has been paramount. Brumfield

“It might be smaller in scale than some of

believes that HY’s systems have

our projects, but the levels of complex-

matured to provide industry best

ity and the quality of the finishes are on

practice. “To compound that progress

another level,” marvels Brumfield. c o nst ruc t i o ngl o b a l. com

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P R O J E CT S TAT S

• $66m redevelopment Theatre will re-open mid-2020 • The redevelopment will preserve the Edwardian façade and Eastern wall Auditorium over three levels, increasing the capacity of the theatre 1,467 seats • Restoring the grand circle 328

High specification acoustics and spacious back of house New auditorium and foyer designs inspired by original interiors • Redevelopment extends footprint of theatre west on Grote St to include modern, accessible facilities, bars and lifts • Improved access including better disability access Entrance restored to the centre with a new canopy incorporating modern technology

S U M M E R /A U T U M N 2 0 2 0

“Her Majesty’s Theatre has been a part of the local community for over a century. We’re proud to be preserving it for future generations,” says Brumfield. “Adjacent to Adelaide’s Central Market, without it the area would be greatly diminished. It offers a beacon for the arts and local commerce – they’re desperate to get it back so we’re pleased to be on track for the theatre’s reopening in mid-2020.”

Across the country, HY has a myriad of impressive projects across leisure and entertainment. From The Hedberg in Tasmania and the Home of the Arts (HOTA) in Queensland, through to the recently completed Sydney Coliseum Theatre in New South Wales, each project brings a unique taste of creativity and initiative, topped with HY’s enduring reputation for quality.

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