Case Study: Charleville Development Accelerates Project Delivery and Improves Quality With Vela Systems for The Blue at Doral Project
Easy Integration with Primavera Holds Subcontractors Accountable and Streamlines Communications
Vela Systems and Primavera Working Together on The Blue at Doral
Charleville Development of Miami
is constantly searching for ways
to deliver better quality projects in
shorter timeframes, and the team working on
The Blue at Doral was especially motivated,
given the high visibility of this project for the
developer. The Blue is a condominium and
hotel project consisting of 15 three-story
buildings on a 17-acre site that directly
overlooks the Blue Monster, a well-known
hole at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Doral,
Fla. Because The Blue at Doral was the only
on-course development at the famous golf
resort, both consumer demand and quality
standards were very high.
To meet these high standards, Charleville
turned to technology from Vela Systems
that replaced the rolls of drawings and field
notebooks typically found on a work site with
easy-to-use software installed on Tablet PCs.
As a result, Charleville has gained at least
three weeks of time and knows exactly how
much deficient work is on the site so that it
does not pay subcontractors for work that is
not up to its standards.
"Streamlining our processes and completing
jobs faster helps us compete in the market,"
said Justin Murphy, senior project manager at
Charleville Development. "We are a relatively
small company and most of us have multiple
roles. So whatever tools we can use to
maximize our time in the
field or with subcontractors,
and minimize our time on
paperwork, really helps."
Charleville first heard of Vela Systems through a recommendation from another owner whom Charleville knew and trusted. Vela Systems has lived up to that recommendation. For example, Charleville needed to integrate Vela Systems with the Primavera software that it was using so that changes made in the field would be reflected in its construction management systems. "Setting up that integration could not have been easier," Murphy said. "The total time required to get it up and running was less than an hour, and it has performed beautifully," Murphy said. "The integration automatically moves information on projects and contacts from Primavera Contract Manager into Vela, and transfers information like field reports and punchlist items from Vela into Primavera. It's very powerful."
As a result of using Vela Systems, Charleville has been able to:
- Reduce time spent on paperwork: Each user is saving 10 hours a week as they no longer need to re-type information work-list items into a computer.
- Accelerate the project: Charleville estimates that Vela is saving at least two days per building per month for a total time savings of 30 days. Vela Systems informs subcontractors almost immediately what they need to do, so the work starts sooner.
- Hold subcontractors accountable by understanding of "the cost of quality:"
With Vela, each identified issue can automatically be assigned a cost. By tracking this "cost of quality," the project managers can ensure that subcontractors are held accountable and that Charleville does not pay for work that is not up to its standards.
The result? Charleville estimates that Vela Systems software has paid for itself 5 times over in the first year (500%+ Year 1 ROI).
Vela Systems' Field Management Software
Designed "from the ground up" to make work
in the field more efficient and effective, Vela
seamlessly integrates with Primavera for
powerful two-way distribution of information
from the field to the back office and then out
to the field again.
Typically, critical project information is trapped
in the office and is not readily available in the field where project teams need it most. With
Vela Systems, people in the field can mark up drawings, make notations and initiate work site
processes in their own handwriting while on the job.
"When I'm out in the field, I can load up a floor plan and do an inspection of each unit,
checking for painting, drywall or other issues. Each issue has a punch-list repair code for it,
so it's as simple as selecting the repair code and creating a pushpin on the digital map," said
Charleville's Murphy. "I start with a blank canvas, and at the end of the walk-through, I might
have 30 pushpins on it."
Vela Systems automatically integrates with Primavera Contract Manager modules (formerly
Expedition) for field data collection and management, and with Primavera scheduling products
for field updating of schedule activities. As a result, all information on schedules, punch lists
and contracts can automatically be synchronized and updated on both the Vela-enabled Tablet
PCs and in Primavera applications.
"It's a great marriage," Murphy said. "Vela is going to be our standard field application and
Primavera will be our office application going forward."
Linking BIM to the Field to Facilities Management: A Hospital Case Study with Barton Malow
Apr 6, 1 P.M. EDT
Register >
Benefits of BIM and Field Software for Project Controls
Watch On Demand >
See Webinar Library >
Download Brochure
Contact Us
 | 1 (888) VELA SYS [835-2797] |
 | Email Us |
 | Request an Online Demo |
 | Sign up for eNewsletter |