Paperless

We went paperless. 

On the construction project just completed, we used a paperless submittal process. For those not familiar with how a commercial construction project is managed, the submittal process is a last check before materials are ordered and building components fabricated. Subcontractors provide shop drawings, cut sheets, and samples to ensure the right things are procured, and to coordinate the work before a dozen guys with tools are standing around ready to install them.

The submittal usually involves lots of big paper (think of the blue lines you see architects rolling out in TV ads or movies) in multiple copies, and the byzantine, time consuming practice of transcribing notes (by hand!) to each of those copies. 

Photo: ღĴęNňζ™(OFF) on flickr

Because the clock is ticking, submittals are generally couriered or FedEx'd from subcontractor to general contractor, general contractor to design consultants and owner, architect to general contractor, general contractor to subcontractor. Lots of paper, lots of gas to lug the paper around, lots of time.

So Jason Mayes (our sharp twenty-something office engineer) pushed paperless, driven by the possibility of bagging a LEED innovation point (which might take the project from Certified to Silver certification). Subs agreed to email submittals in .pdf format; the architect to set up an ftp site as a landing spot for the e-submittals. Using Adobe Acrobat, notes could be attached, and digital stamps and signatures used to authenticate the review. 

While the experiment was a resounding success, two things will make it better. First: doing better at getting hard copies to the field. We were sloppy on this point, which made for a frustrated and sometimes out-of-the-loop superintendent (the one guy who must be in the loop). Second: reviewing submittals requires cross-referencing to contract documents and other reference sources. Two big, side-by-side computer screens should make this cross-referencing exercise easier and thus more effective.

Otherwise, paperless is quicker, easier to involve everyone that needs to see the submittal, saves on paper, transportation, storage, and disposal costs, and is better for retrieving those documents once the project is complete and the construction trailers are gone.

Paperless showcases the best of the green building movement: using the sustainability paradigm to ferret out changes that improve construction processes, save money, improve the working experience, and use resources wisely.

Photo: ღĴęNňζ™(OFF) on flickr