Page 56 - Green Builder Nov-Dec 2020 Issue

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OVERVIEW OF PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT OVER TIME

Productivity (value added per worker), real, $2005
Manufacturing
$ thousand per worker Construction

105
100
95
90
85
80 1.7X
75
70
65
60
55
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

day, for the purposes of this demonstration. I laid the clear detail
against the built example, so they could see each line of the detail
over the actual elements…and the light bulbs in their heads went on.
A collaborative approach to the AEC is what needs to be presented
in every AEC course, globally. We need to teach what buildings are
and about to all of the players in the AEC. Each of us doesn’t need
to know everything about what everyone does and how to do it,
but we certainly need to be aware that they all exist. We can create
collaborative team members with mutual respect for everyone’s role in
contributing to one of the oldest, most important industries on Earth.
I attended online conferences recently in which construction
companies referred to “the construction industry”, and didn’t use
the words “architects” or “architecture”, but referred instead to “pre-
construction services.” An engineering conference I attended online
referred to “design engineering” instead of architecture. As architects,
we can do a better job of integrating ourselves into the building
industry, and can bene t from that when we do.
Today’s AEC industry can seem somewhat disjointed and
discontinuous. We need to increase our ability to successfully,
efficiently and effectively communicate building information
across the AEC for the bene t of the entire industry. Beginning in
our schools. This can actually unite us in a common goal. We need
industry members aware of the bene ts of increasing collaboration
across the industry. There is need for, and room for, improving.
During this current pause of AEC work due to the pandemic
shutdown, I encourage AEC professionals to consider how we all
can be more collaborative in successfully working across the AEC
and improving the industry for its own bene t, and for our clients. GB

Terry Beaubois is CEO of BKS: Building Knowledge Systems, LLC
(www.bksco.com/tbagbm). He may be contacted at Teamwork does it. Increased collaboration will improve the industry’s
tbeaubois@gmail.com overall efficiency and effectiveness.

54 GREEN BUILDER November/December 2020 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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