Contents 2011 • Issue 02 - Skanska

The Employee Magazine for Skanska USA
2011/Issue 02
coasttocoast
The
BIM
Issue
On the Cutting Edge
Virtual Project Models on Jobsites Across the Country, page 8
Sharing Best Practices
The VDC Group and BIM Network, page 13
Bringing BIM to Light
BIM Survey Results, page 14

Hit the Ground Innovating
Innovation drives business success. There’s no question about it. Particularly in tough
economic times, it’s more important than ever to find new ways to be as efficient and
productive as possible while delivering evermore value to customers. Those who are
able to make this happen emerge as the true leaders of markets and set the pace for
the pack. Or as Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs once said, “Innovation distinguishes between
a leader and a follower.”
As the market becomes more competitive we’re often forced to find ways to do more
with less, to be more productive. The status quo is no longer an option. If you continue to
operate the same way as the market competition intensifies, you simply won’t survive.
At Skanska, we are committed to staying ahead of our competition and
continuing to be a leader in our industry. But to do so, all of us have a role to play
in thinking about how to continuously improve the ways we operate, so we can
have the most efficient operating base to support the delivery of our services.
We have to be open to fresh ideas and not be afraid to try new ways to do our jobs
and make them more productive. We also need our leaders and managers
to foster open environments in their organizations so that creative approaches and
open dialogue around change are the everyday norm.
I’m proud to say that this is exactly what we're doing here at Skanska – we see the great
value of investing in and encouraging innovation and we’re beginning to see the results.
Great examples of innovation can be found across Skanska USA. As you'll
read in this issue, innovative approaches are increasingly reshaping many of our
processes and helping to make us a more productive and efficient service provider.
These include Building’s Innovation Grant Program, which funds the development
of great ideas from all over the organization; the many ways we use Building
Information Modeling (BIM) across the company to increase our productivity;
and Civil’s national BIM Network, which shares best BIM practices and ideas.
One of the benefits of being a global organization is that we can share
innovation best practices across continents. To ensure this happens, we have
created the Skanska Knowledge Network. I encourage all of you to go to
OneSkanska, our global intranet, and explore how our Knowledge Network can
connect you to global experts throughout the company who are ready to share
some great innovative practices.
For us to continue the success of our company and maintain our leadership role,
each of us needs to put innovation at the forefront of everything we do. Don’t be
afraid to challenge the status quo and help drive change. It’s often said that the law
of the wild is “only the strongest survive.” Well, the law of the business world is
“only the strongest and most innovative survive.”
Enjoy this issue as you think about new ways to make Skanska great.
Mike McNally, President, Skanska USA
Contents 2011 • Issue 02
Page 02 Page 06
Page 08
Page 14 Page 16
Safety
02 Big Goals for 2011 and Beyond
The National Environmental, Health and Safety
Leadership Team's plan to enhance safety performance.
03 Dos and Don'ts
Our People
04 Building to New Heights
Jim Becker pens an editorial on the world
of virtual design and construction.
05 A Day in the Life... Christian Sandberg
05 Panel Question: How is your team using BIM?
06 Raising the Bar
06 Skanska Survey
07 Community Timeline
Our Projects
08 On the Cutting Edge
A look at the resourceful and progressive ways Skanska
project teams across the country are using BIM.
Focus
13 Sharing Best Practices
How two national groups are working to provide project
support and keep employees informed about BIM.
14 Bringing BIM to Light
16 Training Day
17 Taking a Stand
[ FSC STAMP TO BE
PROVIDED BY PRINTER]
Page 13
coasttocoast Publisher Mike McNally Editor Shana Bitterman
Editors/Writers Shana Bitterman, Beth Miller, Mary Humphreys,
Shelby Adams, Jessica Murray, Marshall Jones, Jay Weisberger,
Nicole Didda, Kelly Smallwood Printer FLM Graphics coasttocoast
is the quarterly employee magazine from Skanska USA. Subscribe free
of charge by sending an e-mail to: shana.bitterman@skanska.com.
coasttocoast is printed on FSC certified environmentally friendly
paper. Feel free to copy from the magazine or quote us, but please
name the source. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited material,
though you are welcome to send your ideas and suggestions
to the editor at: shana.bitterman@skanska.com.

NEHSLT:
Big Goals for 2011 and Beyond
Working for a company with world-class safety and environmental standards requires a paramount
commitment that needs to be embraced by every employee. With this in mind, Skanska’s National
Environmental, Health and Safety Leadership Team (NEHSLT) has carefully developed ways
to engage all employees and workers to enhance safety performance. The NEHSLT has formed three
subcommittees that will meet throughout the year to develop and implement three main tasks to
help the company meet the goal of zero accidents.
» Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital project team in Sarasota, F.L.
Prevent Complacency
Team: Larry Gillman / Hendrik van Brenk /
Paul Haining / Greg Peele / Ed Szwarc
Mission Statement: Recognize that even though
Skanska USA’s environmental, health and safety
performance is among the best in class, it remains
clear that a level of comfort and complacency can
invade the culture. To prevent complacency, a tool
will be developed to measure and promote a level
of engagement in both the pre-task planning (PTP)
and executive safety site visit (ESSV) processes.
Project Safety Leadership Team Review
Team: Norm O’Brien / Dave Schmidt / Greg
Willingham / Courtney Lorenz
Mission Statement: Develop guidance documents
and provide tools that support each Project Safety
Leadership Team (PSLT) in successfully impacting
environmental, health and safety performance.
In addition, implement methods to observe, measure
and provide feedback to the PSLTs on their performance.
Safety Barricades
Dos & Don'ts
Do!
Use the proper barricade for the
message you're trying to convey.
Red danger tape means don't cross
or enter and yellow caution tape
means proceed with caution.
Always communicate a specific
hazard and contact information
by way of a sign or form.
Don’t!
Never disregard a barricade or remove
a barricade without permission.
Don’t allow barricaded areas to
become unkempt and never leave
barricade materials lying around
when not in use.
2 coast to coast coast to coast
3
Deliverables:
1
2
3
Develop a qualitative metric that evaluates
engagement at the project level
Provide examples through case studies
of outstanding PTPs and ESSVs
Conduct a monthly project assessment to
ensure compliance and help to provide
safety feedback before an incident occurs
Deliverables:
1
2
3
Develop project-specific boilerplate mission
statements for PSLTs
Provide organizational guidelines of the PSLT
Develop recommended processes to
include agendas, action plans and Safety
Week involvement materials
Multi-Level Communication Strategy
Team: Jessica Murray / Bob Rose / Paul Settle / Ryan
Aalsma / Tina Reinert
Mission Statement: Deploy a communication strategy
that ensures both objectives and performance statistics
are communicated at every level of the organization.
Deliverables:
1
2
3
4
Project-level performance communication templates
Review existing safety reports and develop a plan to
communicate results at every level of the organization
Enhance the communication of the monthly
national report
Develop a strategic plan with an objective to
effectively communicate performance and
objectives at every level of the organization

Editorial
Building to
New Heights
Over the last 40 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work
in many facets of the construction industry, from steel
fabrication and teaching design and construction, to real
estate development and running a construction company.
But in almost every stage of my career, I’ve seen that one of the biggest challenges we face
in this industry is managing the vast amount of information accumulated in every phase of
construction, from planning, to design, to building, to the facility management process.
Like many of you, I often hoped for a better way to make this daunting task of
collecting and analyzing so much data easier. But as time went by, only incremental
changes occurred, which would as often complicate as simplify our management task.
Luckily, technology has improved over the years and we finally have a way to work
smarter and not harder. And that way is through Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Skanska is already using BIM to work
This new world of
virtual design
and construction
has the potential to
leverage Skanska’s
ability as builders to
new heights.
on many of our projects in a virtual space.
Today, BIM allows us to conduct 3-D
coordination of our trades, detect clashes
earlier, sequence scheduling in 4-D and
perfect our schedules – to name just a
few advantages of BIM. But maybe most
importantly, BIM allows us to visualize
how a building will come together and how
it will respond to its environment. It also
allows for a collaborative approach, where
project teams can play out multiple building
scenarios until they find the solution that
works best for the client and our company. In the future, this virtual building will also
become a critical component in the ongoing management of the facilities we build.
This new world of virtual design and construction has the potential to leverage Skanska’s
ability as builders to new heights. I remember the world of blue prints and slide rules – a
world virtually void of computers, faxes and cell phones. But sitting here today, it’s hard to
believe that such a world ever existed. Back then, computers took up entire rooms, if not
small buildings, and now I carry more computing power in my cell phone alone.
In the future, we can build and rebuild in a virtual world, not only increasing our
productivity, but also helping our company achieve operational excellence. ◆
—Jim Becker
Corporate Senior Vice President, Boston, M.A.
A Day in the Life…
Christian Sandberg
Commercial Manager, Valhalla, N.Y.
5:30 am Alarm goes off. Grab breakfast with my oldest daughter Julia before
heading to work.
6:40 am Arrive at the office. Read and write several e-mails.
7:30 am Hold the weekly progress review meeting with the Catskill/Delaware
(Cat/Del) Water Treatment UV Facility project team.
8:30 am Participate in a claim strategy meeting to make sure we’re complying
with the conditions of contract for notices and documentation.
9:30 am Sit down with the commercial team to identify any new potential issues
that could have cost or schedule impact on the Cat/Del project.
10:00 am Attend a change order meeting with the construction manager to discuss
all ongoing and identified change orders and identify issues that may
develop into change orders.
11:30 am Prepare for the monthly schedule update meeting by coordinating with
the schedule team to complete the presentation.
12:30 pm Grab lunch and catch up on e-mails.
1:30 pm Meet with the project controls manager to review outstanding commercial
issues, such as cost for allowance work, design changes and schedule issues,
to ensure all parties are on the same page.
3:30 pm Work on the agenda for the monthly conference call with the BIM
Network, Civil’s national BIM team that supports regional BIM efforts
and shares best practices.
3:45 pm Coordinate with Building’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC)
Group on 3-D modeling for a Civil project and discuss opportunities
different BIM applications may bring to the project.
4:00 pm Teleconference to discuss the progress of BIM implementation
throughout Civil and the results of the recently completed BIM survey.
5:00 pm Create an outline for a BIM presentation for the Riverside office’s road
show and overall BIM implementation.
6:00 pm Leave the site. Make a quick stop at the driving range to practice my
swing and enjoy my new driver.
7:15 pm Late dinner with my family.
8:00 pm Read bed time stories to my daughters Julia and Sarah.
How is your team using BIM?
At the MidMichigan
Medical Center
project, we
incorporated an SDS
model from our structural
steel subcontractor with a
3-D model from our architect
and then distributed it to our
mechanical, engineering and
plumbing subcontractors to be
used in clash detection to identify, inspect and report
interferences in the 3-D project model. BIM was also
utilized to perform coordination on the patient floors
and the operating room, and the field superintendent
utilizes the model on his tablet to review any conflicts.
—George Riggen
Senior Project Manager, Midland, M.I.
At the Catskill/
Delaware Water
Treatment UV Facility,
4-D scheduling tracks the
project’s progress and develops
work sequences. We’re
also using 3-D coordination
to eliminate any conflicts
among the trades prior to
installation in the field. Each
trade has developed a 3-D model of its area and weekly
coordination meetings prevent conflicts beforehand.
We’re also using BIM for logistics planning to
determine the optimum placement of cranes.
—Keith Chouinard
Vice President of Operations, Valhalla, N.Y.
4 coast to coast coast to coast
5
Q
A
The first step for
the Mission Critical
Center of Excellence
was providing subcontractors
with a 3-D model that shows
the piers and foundations
within the building’s footprint.
The subcontractors use this to
create fully integrated models
of their specific scopes of work.
Weekly coordination meetings help our team build the
virtual model, detect and remove clashes and alter the
design (if necessary) prior to building in the field, which
saves in cost and schedule. Additionally, we use 2-D
documents as references for subcontractors to begin
their work and for field layout.
—Elda Bruza
Assistant Project Manager, Stratford, O.N.

Raising the Bar
Skanska offices marked Earth
Day with a flurry of activities
that blossomed from ongoing
efforts to implement green
practices in every office.
“We’re starting to see
that these special events
are more and more
business-as-usual… in
a good way,” says Myrrh
Caplan, who chairs
Skanska’s network of
local green councils. “So
many of our offices are
living and working in
sustainable ways yearround
that Earth Day
events are extensions
of normal activities.”
Still, even as Skanska
works more sustainably
than ever before, Earth
Day saw new ways to raise the bar. The tone was set by Skanska USA President
Mike McNally in an editorial in Skanska USA’s Green Newsletter.
“I challenge every Skanska USA office to see what they can do in their markets
to lower Skanska’s environmental footprint even more,” Mike wrote. “If we can do
it for ourselves, we can show our clients how they can too. Whether we’re helping
our clients or our own business, we’ll know we’re doing our part to ensure that
our country’s growth can be supported with affordable resources for all.”
Offices are starting to answer the call.
At the Seattle office, which sits within the urban core of the city, the green
council introduced an office bike.
“We’ve long had a hybrid vehicle that has seen significant use,” says Administrative
Manager Claire Laister, who leads the office’s green council. “This is an additional option
for business in the immediate vicinity of the office, without any carbon emissions.”
In Nashville, the office set an aggressive goal of quantitatively measuring bottom
line savings from environmental practices on 100 percent of the office’s jobs.
“The process is in its early stages, but almost every job is tracking savings so
far,” explains Project Manager Mary D. Bartoe, who helms the office’s local green
team. “We’re seeing savings from paperless jobsites, use of compact fluorescent
lights for temporary lighting and more. These are common practices, but we
think people will be surprised at the bottom line benefit.” ◆
Skanska Survey
Did your office/jobsite participate
in any Earth Day initiatives?
No
56.2%
Yes
43.8%
Want to see your opinions represented here?
Log in to the Hub Survey Page: www.skanskasurvey.com
Community
Timeline
Boston, M.A.: Birthday wishes
The office's preconstruction and HR departments
prepared hats and cards and stuffed goody bags
for Birthday Wishes, an organization that brings
birthday parties to homeless children.
Philadelphia, P.A.: Caring for the kids
Employees held a pot luck lunch and 50/50 raffle
to help three independent living youths. The event raised
$1,134 and each child received $378 in Visa gift cards.
Portland, O.R.: In the can
Using 1,680 cans of food, the
Beaverton team, partnered with
LRS Architects, built the Heart
in Oregon logo for Portland’s
CANstruction competition. The
cans of food were then donated
La Porte, T.X.: Planting the seed
The Houston team participated in the Trees for
Houston Potting Event, helping to pot more than
1,000 seedlings throughout La Porte Tree Farm.
New York, N.Y.: Knowledge is power
Members of the NY Metro Region attended an ACE
luncheon to present a $6,000 Skanska-sponsored
scholarship to a freshman at Tufts University.
Durham, N.C.: It’s a toss up
The office hosted its inaugural Tailgate Toss, a corn
hole bracket-style tournament, to raise money for
the Rex Healthcare Foundation benefitting
Courtyard for Co-Workers and the Ronald McDonald
House of Durham.
The Bronx, N.Y.: Making a contribution
The Croton Water Filtration Plant team donated
materials to Renaissance Education, Music,
Sports, to help complete the build-out of the
organization's new space.
6 coast to coast
coast to coast
7
MAY APRIL
MARCH
Atlanta, G.A.: Down the garden path
The office teamed with a local homeless shelter to
construct downtown Atlanta's first Urban Garden,
which will provide fresh produce for the more than
425 homeless and recovering people at Atlanta Mission.
to the Oregon Food Bank. Orlando, F.L.: Shaping up
The office had 22 runners and
Seattle, W.A.: Team spirit
Seattle’s Community Involvement
Committee held a dinner for 83
guests at the Seattle Cancer Care
Alliance House.
Nashville, T.N.: Spring makeover
Volunteers spruced up St. Luke’s
Community House, painting
the gym, conference rooms and
common areas. Leftover supplies
were donated to the “Restore
the Dream” center to help families
recover from natural disasters.
walkers participate in Insurance
Office of America’s 17th annual
Corporate 5K, which benefitted
the Track Shack Foundation.
Fort Lauderdale, F.L./Oakland, C.A.: Helping hands
In honor of National Rebuilding Day, employees from
the Fort Lauderdale office joined the South Florida
Skanska Young Professionals to lead Stretch and Flex
for more than 300 volunteers and restore the exterior
of a local home. In Oakland, the team spent the
day refurbishing a local children’s amusement park,
Children’s Fairyland at Lake Merritt.

"We’ve been able to identify trouble areas
and find solutions before material
was ordered and fabricated, saving
the job money and time.”
— Assistant Project Manager Adam Kochendoerfer
8 coast to coast
On the
Cutting Edge
From Oregon to New York, Skanska is using Building
Information Modeling (BIM) to create virtual project models
to develop outperforming schedules, avoid potential conflicts
between building systems and even visualize opportunities
for prefabrication. These cost and time-saving benefits mean
BIM is no longer a specialty, but a necessity. Here’s how Skanska
project teams across the country are using the collaborative
and innovative technology to stay at the forefront of progress.
coast to coast
9

1.
Collaboration is the name of the game on the Pier 5 Replacement
project at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, V.A.
During the project’s bid stage, Civil Senior Estimator Matt Boynton
reached out to Building VDC Director Albert Zulps for help with the
BIM model.
“After the job was awarded, I helped update the model to integrate
the architectural and engineering models and add temporary works,”
Albert explains, “and then Project Engineer Nate Meyers took over
to work out construction sequencing and logistics, and bring the
model into operations.”
“We were able to link the project schedule to create the 4-D
scheduling model,” Nate continues, “which we use to identify
space constraints and equipment conflicts for the barges, rigs
and cranes.”
The project team will continue to use the model to show new
hires the overall approach to the schedule, coordinate work and
compare project schedules.
2.
Two heads are better than one
Communication is key
BIM can serve as a tool to communicate key building elements
that aren’t readily apparent in a normal rendering. Such is the
case as the Oregon team works on the design phase of the Oregon
Sustainability Center in Portland, O.R.
“There are so many elements to make the world’s first mid-rise
Living Building,” says Vice President of Preconstruction Steve Clem.
“For public reviews, we knew we needed to do more than tell the
audience about innovative green methods to get us to net zero.”
BIM was employed to provide visuals of the proposed building’s
solar shading and wastewater and photovoltaic systems.
“BIM really helped us bring average people into the guts of the
design in a simple way,” Steve says. “It probably saved us a lot of
complicated explanations.”
1
Two heads are better than one
3.
On the Croton Water Treatment Plant project in the Bronx, N.Y., BIM
was used to visualize, coordinate and schedule the project.
“We received a 3-D model from the owner, which we used for
sequencing, crane placement and synchronizing our work with other
prime contractors on site. From there, the 3-D model was broken into
smaller parts that corresponded to the activity schedule to create a 4-D
scheduling model to effectively monitor the project schedule,” explains
Project Executive John Crecco.
Once individual items in the model were linked to schedule
activities, video files with time sequenced animations were generated
for each structure within the plant to compare the progress to the
baseline schedule to keep the team on track.
4.
Communication is key 2
Timing is everything
Innovation in mind
Building innovation is the theme at the Hunt Library in Raleigh, N.C.,
where Skanska is constructing the signature project on North Carolina
State University Centennial Campus.
The building not only features some of the latest technologies,
like chilled beams and an automated book delivery system, it’s being
built with innovation in mind too. The project team has collaborated
with the design team and the project's subcontractors, using BIM
as a key part of estimating, 4-D scheduling, logistics planning and
coordination/clash detection.
"Perhaps the most unique use of BIM is the material tracking
and supply chain management being done via barcoding on the
curtainwall," says Innovation Intern Josh Vaughan. "The building's
skin is comprised almost entirely of this custom curtainwall, with
each unique panel having to be installed in a certain location, so
the challenge really lends itself to barcoding. We’re able to track
production rates at the fabrication facility as well as installation rates on
site, with the information linked into the model. This has allowed us to
more actively manage the project schedule and sequence other work.”
Real-time strategy
It goes without saying that clash detection is important in a healthcare
facility. Use of BIM went far beyond that for the project team that
recently completed Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, W.A.
“Technology was all over this job from the very beginning,” says
Project Executive Raul Rosales. “We knew if we used these tools
to their full potential, we would not only make our work go more
smoothly, but deliver the client a better building.”
Even from the initial run of the model, it was clear that some of the schedule
sequencing would have to be revised to account for site constraints and dry-in
requirements. The team also kept a live model throughout the project.
“We had real-time drawings and requests for information networked
through the site,” Raul says, “so it only made sense to make sure the
BIM designs were kept in real time as well. Our people need accurate
information at any given time for any task.”
When work began on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, Skanska Koch
searched for an alternative method of surveying. The complex geometry and
lack of sufficient as-built data made 3-D laser scanning the perfect candidate.
Similar to conventional surveying methods, 3-D laser scans involve
locating an existing structure within a specific coordinate system.
The main difference is that the scans consist of thousands of points
rather than just a few. Also, the data can be obtained from the ground,
which eliminates safety risks associated with tying off and operating
man lifts – risks common to conventional surveying methods.
“The scans help in a lot of other ways too,” says Survey Manager Larry
Guli. “Because they’re computerized, time is saved on coordinating trades
to do surveying, and I can pull up missing data right from my desk rather
than convening the field crew to collect information.”
Surveying isn’t the only aspect of the project reaping the benefits of
3-D laser scanning; it also helps the team erect new parts of the bridge,
create demo procedures and monitor traffic patterns.
Complete outperformance
10 coast to coast coast to coast
11
5.
6.
4
Innovation in mind
Surveying the scene
Real-time strategy 5
Timing is everything 3 Creating an efficient process 8
Sureveying the scene 6
7
7.
BIM strategies were utilized from beginning to end to construct the
Interdisciplinary Science Teaching and Research Facility, located in the
heart of University of South Florida’s Tampa campus.
During preconstruction, material quantities were pulled from the
BIM model to generate project estimates, greatly reducing the amount
of time spent producing estimates.
“By virtually travelling through the model, we were able to quickly
provide the client with project estimates and identify complex construction
areas that would be difficult to detect from traditional 2-D drawings,”
explains Florida's VDC Manager Christina Huber.
From there, the project team created 4-D construction sequences to
visualize complex time scheduling data, linked the 3-D design model to the
construction schedule to create simulations that illustrated the construction
processes in time, coordinated the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire
protection systems and produced project safety planning.
“These strategies ensured that the project was delivered under
budget and ahead of schedule,” Christina adds. “In fact, we reduced
the structural schedule by 90 days.”
8.
Complete outperformance
Creating an efficient process
A project utilizing both prefabrication and BIM may sound daunting, but
this hasn’t hindered the team on the Smyth County Community Hospital
project in Marion, V.A. In fact, the team has found a way to merge BIM
and the prefabrication process.
“The operations team brought prefabrication into play for the
overhead utility racks, patient bathroom modules and patient room
headwalls,” explains Project Manager Jeff Elpers. “In order to support this
effort, BIM is used to integrate the prefabrication support systems into
the existing 3-D models.”
Additionally, since the project is design-build, the team used 3-D
coordination in early stages of the design, enabling clashes to be resolved
before the release of construction documents.

9.
When BIM became a reality on the Newtown Creek Water
Pollution Control Plant project in Brooklyn, N.Y., the team
tapped Skanska’s overseas resource for assistance.
The Skanska Centrum for Utlands Projektering group
in India helped the mechanical team model the odor
control area of the South Control Building, which aided in
coordinating the movement of large diameter ductwork and
various types of equipment in a restricted area.
Additionally, 3-D modeling was employed to help design
and visualize a unique drilling and bulkhead operation to
close off the sewage force main.
“Precision was critical in the fabrication of the drill and
auxiliary equipment and tolerances were extremely tight in
the construction of the drill shaft,” explains Vice President of
Operations Larry Gillman. “So the model helped us clearly
communicate the importance of precision and accuracy to
everyone involved in the operation.”
10.
Expanding to new dimensions
While a 3-D model was developed for a major portion of
the 11th Street project in Washington, D.C., the team took
the use of BIM one step further.
With a 4-D movie, the team shows visitors and
construction staff how the project will develop. Additionally,
3-D renderings depict the final product, including the new
movements of traffic.
As Project Control Manager Bjarne Gudmundsen
explains, “We’ve learned quite a lot about the BIM process,
and if we’re able to develop additions to the project we plan
to implement the technology from the very beginning to
take advantage of modeling conflict work and determining
deliverables of quantities for each element.”
11.
Dropping a line
Breaking fresh ground
BIM played a key role on Miami Valley Hospital South in
Centerville, O.H., a project that’s applying integrated project
delivery, emphasizing collaboration to maximize efficiency.
Due to an aggressive project schedule, BIM was
used by the design-assist subcontractors to facilitate 3-D
coordination and prefabrication during the design of the
project. Not only has this resulted in a fully coordinated
mechanical, engineering and plumbing design, it also
allowed the team to prefabricate mechanical racks and
associated supports as well as full bathroom pods.
“Through collaborative efforts from our structural
detailer, electrician, fire protection subcontractor and
mechanical and plumbing subcontractors, we’ve been able
to identify trouble areas and find solutions before material
was ordered and fabricated, saving the job money and time,”
says Assistant Project Manager Adam Kochendoerfer. ◆
Dropping a line
Expanding to new dimensions 10
Breaking fresh ground
9
11
Sharing Best Practices
Since 2009, Skanska has been mandated to use BIM in some regard on all design-build projects.
This now longstanding commitment has resulted in the formation of two national groups
that are developing their own unique ways to provide project support and keep employees across
the U.S in the know about BIM.
“Building” a stronger team
Building has created a thriving BIM community. A group of
13 people make up the VDC (virtual design and construction)
Group, led by Corporate Senior Vice President Jim Becker,
which provides visualization and BIM support to better serve
Skanska’s clients.
Monthly webinars are held for Building employees who
are interested in the BIM community and learning more about
the technology.
“Typically, between 35 and 45 people participate in these
meetings,” Jim reveals, “proving that they’re a great way to keep
people informed and linked together.”
Over the last 10 years, BIM has progressively become a key
tool for Building, helping improve efficiency, reduce risks and
ultimately produce higher quality results.
Construction, communication and collaboration
Within Civil, the BIM team learns and spreads the word on how BIM
is being used on past, present and future projects.
The BIM Network, led by Commercial Manager Christian Sandberg and
made up of 12 representatives from across Civil’s regions, holds monthly
conference calls to share the newest BIM practices and support the local
business with regards to BIM applications.
“For the meetings, each region has made presentations on what BIM
applications they use so that our sessions become roundtable discussions,”
explains Christian. “They’re a networking tool for us, a way of spreading
BIM knowledge.”
In effect for less than a year, the network has become an integral part
of Civil’s operations. To keep this up, the team will continue its monthly calls
and each member is responsible for internally communicating the latest
on BIM in order to maintain an ongoing dialogue. ◆
Learn more about the VDC Group at https://myskanska.com/usa/bldg/vdc/Pages/default.aspx
Learn more about the BIM Network http://one.skanska/en-us/Tools--Services/Organizational-units/Skanska-USA-Civil/Building-Informaiton-Modeling/
12 coast to coast coast to coast
13

Bringing BIM to Light
As the 2011 – 2015 U.S. Business Plan indicates, improving
the usage of BIM is a business imperative. Succeeding in this
initiative will help deliver projects more efficiently, which
ultimately means profitable growth for the company. So, to
reach this new level of excellence, Skanska set out to see how
BIM was being used and whether employees were aware of,
and on board with, implementing the technology.
Mapping it out
During a rotation in the Core Competency Training
Program, Engineer Madeleine Myers spent four
months studying BIM.
“By touring all of Civil Northeast’s projects that
use the technology and reaching out to project teams
across the country, I was able to put together an
overall knowledge base of Civil’s BIM awareness,”
Madeleine explains.
With this information in hand, she devised a way
to garner a general understanding of BIM usage on
Skanska jobsites in order to improve its use – survey
employees’ familiarity and interest in the technology.
So, the BIM survey was rolled out earlier this year.
Main questions the survey set out to answer
• To what extent are employees aware
of BIM?
• To what extent are employees using BIM?
How effective do they think it is?
• To what extent are employees interested
in BIM?
• What are the main obstacles towards
Skanska USA using BIM, and how can
they be surpassed?
• How does upper management feel
about BIM?
And the survey says
Garnering 1,066 responses, the survey results reveal something very interesting – both
Building and Civil are on practically the same wavelength when it comes to BIM.
The majority of employees understand BIM’s effectiveness, with 50 percent
of Building respondents and 46 percent of Civil respondents who worked on
a BIM project ranking it “very” effective.
Employees also realize the importance of BIM, with 95 percent of Building
respondents and 91 percent of Civil respondents saying they’re interested in
learning more about the technology, and 90 percent of Building respondents
and 80 percent of Civil respondents replying that BIM has “high” to “moderate”
importance currently.
Across the board, a main reason for employees not personally using BIM was
lack of training, and many said they would be greatly motivated to use it if they
could obtain some training.
Their calls for training have begun to be answered as CADLearning, e-learning
design software that provides users with application tutorials and short videos
covering basic program tasks, is now available to all employees on OneSkanska.
Employees realize the importance
of BIM, with 95 percent of Building
respondents and 91 percent of Civil respondents
saying they’re interested in learning
more about the technology.
Strengthening the joint effort, an Autodesk enterprise agreement is in place to
promote BIM. In order to uphold this agreement, Civil and Building had to have
a partnership so that Autodesk would provide software in an economical fashion.
“The overall conclusions are that we need to continue to educate and expose
employees to potential BIM uses, select appropriate individuals to train in the
software, work across regions to coordinate BIM applications and find BIM uses
that are well-suited to Skanska’s business needs,” Madeleine says, “and that’s
exactly what we’ll do.” ◆
If you used BIM on a project, how effective was it? Are you interested in learning more about BIM?
How important do
you think BIM is to
the industry now?
Skanska USA Civil Skanska USA Building
How important
will BIM be to
the industry in
five years?
14 coast to coast coast to coast
15
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Very effective
Skanska USA Civil
Somewhat effective
Skanska USA Building
Somewhat ineffective
Very ineffective
What are the major obstacles towards you using BIM?
Not enough training
Not enough time to learn
Haven't had sufficient time to evaluate it
BIM doesn't apply well to what I do
Software not readily available
Another person on my project already does it
Costs too much
Software too difficult to use
I am using it as much as I can
My manager doesn't want it
I can't add people to the project
Current methods are better
Concerned about insurance/liability
High Importance
Moderate Importance
Low Importance
No Importance
0%
10%
20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Yes No
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Skanska USA Civil
Skanska USA Civil Skanska USA Building
Skanska USA Building
100% 100%
90% 90%
80% 80%
70% 70%
60%
High Importance
Moderate Importance
60%
50% Low Importance
50%
40% No Importance
40%
30% 30%
20% 20%
10% 10%
What are the major obstacles towards your business
unit more fully utilizing BIM?
Not enough employees are trained
Haven't had sufficient time to evaluate it
Not enough demand from clients/other
firms on project
Subs aren't using it
Limited budget
Lack of IT support
Designer doesn't support it
Software too expensive
BIM doesn't apply well to what we do
Concerned about insurance/liability
Current methods are better
50% 60%
0% 0%
Skanska USA Civil Skanska USA Building Skanska USA Civil Skanska USA Building
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%

Training Day
Last month, members of the New York and
Seattle offices were offered a glimpse into
the global BIM perspective when members
of Skanska’s BIM Competence Center, located
in Helsinki, Finland, came to the U.S. to
provide a high-level look at the technology.
Last month, members of the New York and Seattle offices were offered
a glimpse into the global BIM perspective when members of Skanska’s
BIM Competence Center, located in Helsinki, Finland, came to the
U.S. to provide a high-level look at the technology.
With an even mix of Building and Civil project managers, project
executives, vice presidents, preconstruction and operations people in
attendance, the two-and-a-half day sessions in New York and Seattle kicked
off with Skanska AB Chief Information Officer Magnus Norrström and
Skanska Finland Development Manager Ilkka Romo discussing BIM, the
BIM Competence Center and its global implementation.
Their introduction was followed by training, organized into five modules
with a balance between design and construction, that took a big picture
look at BIM, how the technology is used throughout Skanska and potential
future opportunities.
"The training afforded a comprehensive
overview of BIM and VDC processes,
covering design, marketing,
preconstruction, operations,
and all the way through to building
operations.”
The courses concluded with a small, hands-on session that introduced
some commonly used technologies, including radio-frequency
identification, tablet PCs and punch lists, and how they’re utilized on
Skanska jobsites.
“Whether a project is design-build or construction management at risk,
this training has leveraged our BIM experience to positively impact the
design and construction process,” explains VDC Director Greg Smith, who
hosted the training at the Seattle office.
"The training afforded a comprehensive overview of BIM and VDC
processes, covering design, marketing, preconstruction, operations, and all
the way through to building operations,” adds VDC Director Albert Zulps,
who hosted the training in New York. “Participants were exposed to aspects
of VDC outside of their normal scope of duties, which will better enable
them to see the big picture and become better collaborators for the entire
project lifecycle." ◆
» Top: BIM training underway at the Seattle office. Above: The training session at the New York office.
Module 1: Programming
Focused on macro design and project execution planning
Module 2: Schematic Design
Looked at spatial BIM, energy analysis, green BIM
and quantity take-off
Module 3: Design Development
Explored modeling in the design development phase,
auditing a model, quantity take-off and civil applications
Module 4: Construction Documentation
Examined how models are used on the construction
site, site utilization and 4-D scheduling and sequencing
Module 5: Operations
Focused on site logistics, safety planning, surveying
and managing multiple technologies
Taking a Stand
Working closely with its Skanska construction unit partners
to implement Building Information Modeling (BIM) on
projects in the United Kingdom and most recently on
the massive New Karolinska Hospital in Solna, Sweden,
ID Americas intends to reap the benefits of this experience
with Civil and Building on projects here in the U.S.
ID works on all phases of a project from concept through finance and construction
and remains as the long-term owner-operator. This gives ID a fuller perspective on
the benefits of BIM and how they can be realized at each phase to make Skanska’s
work more efficient and competitive.
Ideally, BIM will be part of any early teaming
agreement when ID and a construction
business unit elect to pursue a project
and a designer is selected.
Specifically, ID focuses on applications of BIM
that provide the most benefit within its business
model. These include lifecycle cost “optioneering,”
visualizations, and green design. Under “optioneering,”
ID works with the design-build team to use the 3-D
model to evaluate the overall lifecycle cost of various
design options. Additionally, ID shares an interest with
Building and Civil in BIM applications that include
records management, facilities maintenance, safety
planning and simulations.
Ideally, BIM will be part of any early teaming
agreement when ID and a construction business unit
elect to pursue a project and a designer is selected.
Then the use of the same basic BIM model can ensure a
smooth transition between each phase of the project. In
the UK, ID used to receive boxes of paper documents
at the post-construction handover. Now, an intelligent
3-D model is transferred, which enables enhanced
operations and maintenance of the completed facility.
Although the application of BIM on ID’s current
development projects in the U.S. has been limited, ID
sees the process as key to Skanska’s competitiveness on
upcoming mega-projects such as the Goethals Bridge
in New York. ◆
16 coast to coast coast to coast
17

coasttocoast
The Employee Magazine for Skanska in the U.S.
The Skanska Top 10
Skanska celebrated the
opening of its operations
in downtown Cincinnati,
Dallas and Chicago.
In a joint venture with Rados,
Civil West's California
District has been awarded
its first transit job in southern
California – a $547 million
design-build contract to
extend the LA Metro
Exposition Line.
The Florida and Philadelphia
offices have been awarded
a $220 million construction
management contract
for the expansion of the
Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for
Children Inpatient Pavilion in
Wilmington, D.E.
Skanska was a recipient
of the Specialized Carriers
& Rigging Association’s firstever
Environmental Award
for its contributions
to environmental protection.
Skanska will construct a new
hospital campus in North
Carolina for $141.5 million. This
will be the third project Skanska
has completed for this client.
USA Commercial
Development’s team toured
the U.S. Department of Energy’s
National Renewable Energy
Laboratory in Denver to
benchmark ideas for its future projects.
Alongside Traylor Brothers and Jay
Dee, Civil Northeast and Southeast
will carry out the $331 million
design-build contract for
the construction of the Blue Plains
Combined Sewer Overflow Tunnel
in Washington, D.C.
Skanska Koch was awarded
a $204 million contract to
fabricate and erect the steel
for the “Oculus” building at
the World Trade Center
Transportation Hub in New York.
Alongside the Healthcare COE, the
Florida, Georgia and North Carolina
offices will serve as construction
manager for the $700 million
construction of the University
Medical Center in New Orleans.
Civil rolled out a new
Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise
Corporate Policy and
Compliance Manual.