Page 25 - Q2_2020_Newsletter

COVID Effect • PROCUREMENT PPE, sanitizing equipment throughout the day, implemented

staggered break schedules. These measures have been put in
Rosendin has a reliable network of suppliers and vendors who
place to keep our people and communities safe from exposure,
we have worked with at the outset to understand equipment
all while maintaining a secure site. This crisis has taught us
availability and cost. As a result, we have been able to make
that putting trust in and relying on the people who build our
critical purchasing decisions, including bulk buys, to avoid
projects is vital. Rosendin's foremen and superintendents have
shortages and logistics hang-ups. We could not have done this
without the established relationships we have with our entire
safe while maintaining installation efficiency and delivering a
supply chain. From this crisis, we have seen the vital importance developed tools, jigs, and techniques to keep our craftspeople
fault-free project. Without the innovation, insight, and ingenuity
EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON RENEWABLES PROJECTS of maintaining good relationships with our suppliers and of the entire team, this would not be possible.
vendors and treating them fairly.
This global crisis will end, and we will return to our everyday
• CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY lives, but not in the way we remember. The lessons Rosendin
" "This global crisis will end, and we will return to our everyday lives, This global crisis will end, and we will return to our everyday lives, Perhaps the most sophisticated effort we must accomplish is has learned during this time has created a new environment and
but not in the w orchestrating the delivery, staging, inspection, installation, and processes that we will continue to implement and build upon.
but not in the way we remember. The lessons Rosendin has learned ay we remember. The lessons Rosendin has learned
during this time has created a new environment and processes that ing this time has created a new environment and processes that
dur startup of a project. There are tens of thousands of pieces with The new way of business and interaction has its challenges. Still,
we will continue to implement and build upon."e will continue to implement and build upon."
w hundreds of craft workers, multiple subcontractors, consultants, the relationships we have forged with our suppliers and vendors
and project stakeholders. In the best of times, this effort is and using the talent and innovation that our field and office
BY RON WILSON, P.E., DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING | PV MAGAZINE daunting, yet the vast majority of the time it is successfully staff possess, have been crucial in helping us deliver our projects
accomplished. In this current climate, the same work must be during a time when the industry is struggling to complete
done, but under more complicated circumstances and safety work. Our key takeaway from this pandemic is all about people.
in the "new normal" has changed. We are now enforcing Continue to build people inside and outside your organization; it
It seems everyone is discussing how the current global crisis is The choices of interactive platforms are many: Zoom, Teams, social distancing, wearing face masks as part of our required makes all the difference.
affecting their business. As an essential business, Rosendin has WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Google Hangouts - to name a few.
been able to continue operations. Still, we have certainly not The key is to select a platform and stick with it. Bouncing from
been exempted from safety concerns, supply interruptions, cost platform to platform creates confusion and frustration.
fluctuation, workforce uncertainty, or virtual interaction. As the
situation became increasingly serious, the Executive Leadership After we had established committed meeting times and a
team took early steps to address safety and project concerns and platform, the real work began. We were getting back to "normal SOLAR PROJECTS
understand how our supply chain vendors were going to react. operations" in a time where people don't see each other in
These steps became a plan of action that the Renewables Team an office. Within a few weeks, most rough spots were worked
implemented and adjusted. As a result, current projects have through, and the efforts and processes we now have in place are
experienced very few cost or schedule setbacks and we hope described as follows. WRITTEN FOR PV MAGAZINE BY ERIC WESOFF
that some of the lessons we learned can be of help to other
businesses and contractors in this uncertain time. • ENGINEERING Rosendin is a quiet, 100 year-old, under construction. The Rosendin wind Rosendin is busy on the pre-construction
employee-owned company with group has deployed 22 GW of wind side and has been able to maintain
revenues in excess of $2.3 billion. It’s one
a workforce of approximately 100
power with 1.8 GW under construction.
As with many lines of business, there are a lot of moving parts to The staff has worked exclusively out of the office for the past 9 of the largest electrical union contractors managers and more than 1,000
any renewables project: Engineering, Estimating, Procurement, weeks. With weekly staff checks as well as twice-weekly project in the country. The renewables expertise at Rosendin tradespeople in the field.
Installation, Closeout, and above all - Safety. Each of these check-ins, most jobs have run smoothly. The only trouble is when includes utility-scale and distributed
functions has a unique set of criteria and a particular sequence the Engineers make assumptions without positively verifying “We have tended to fly under the solar, wind, substation, transmission, With 200 to 300 workers on its projects,
of implementation to be the most effective. The personal them with the Project Manager or Field General Foreman. It radar,” said David Lincoln, senior VP and distribution builds. Lincoln stressed Rosendin went to three daily shifts in
interaction between members of the team has always allowed seems assumptions are not as apparent on-line. This, along with of the renewables group, “and have that Rosendin is “a true EPC — with some areas to maximize social distancing.
decisions and direction to be determined quickly and effectively. electronic page-turn reviews, including the entire team, has chosen rather to work with clients who engineering in-house.” Workers are wearing masks and gloves.
When people became separated, the challenge was in trying improved constructibility and design quality. understand our culture. That’s what The company is staggering breaks and
to adjust the interpersonal connections over phone, email, and made us successful over the years. You’d Rosendin’s work is considered implementing the six-foot rule.
on-line. The tools exist to exchange information, but the need • ESTIMATING be surprised by how many projects we an essential service. While many
to collaborate remotely took a bit of retraining. As a result, the Rosendin's Estimating Group has been working electronically, have our hands in.” construction companies have been Rosendin also created a safety and
forced to shut down their sites, Rosendin
response guide for construction in these
Renewables Team mandated weekly collaboration calls with rather than with paper drawings, for several years. The Rosendin started its renewables group in has been able to keep its renewable times of the six-foot-rule.
each group: Engineering, Estimating, Procurement, Project adjustment the group had was making the commitment to 2009 and had $3 million in revenue in its projects going. Rosendin’s work is “We’ve been able to keep our wind,
Management, and Field. review estimates and pursuits on-line every week. Estimating first year. “That’s when we thought that considered an essential service and the solar and battery storage projects up and
communicates with Engineering, Project Management, sub- a 500kw system was big. Later on, a 1 company has been proactive in fighting running,” said the VP. “We haven’t seen
Additionally, the leaders for each group met weekly to review consultants, subcontractors, and preconstruction teams several MW project had us popping corks — we to keep jobs running while keeping its any material delays, nothing significant,
pursuits and ongoing projects to stay in touch on needs and times per week. Estimating also maintains a log of costs and lead thought we had hit the big leagues.” workers safe. Lincoln notes that “Two and no changes in lead time issues — not
deadlines. However, our teams needed to settle on a single times for modules, trackers, cable, and equipment to understand The renewables group now has revenue projects on the east coast were shut on modules or inverters. There’s been
interactive platform. The platform took some getting used to, what is provided for a specific project. Estimating then passes in excess of $500 million, according to down for three days but we got the little impact on utility scale.”
but once the team became comfortable, everyone was able to information to procurement for purchase. Lincoln, with 4 GW of solar deployed, 2 governor involved and were able to lobby
interact similarly to what we had when we were in the office. GW under development and 600 MW state officials to get them reopened."

24 The Feeder | Issue 2, 2020 Issue 2, 2020 | The Feeder 25