Lipman builds with greater accuracy and confidence using OpenSpace

Lipman is a well-known commercial builder in Sydney that has delivered a wide range of commercial, educational, and industrial structures across New South Wales. A proudly Australian privately owned family business, Lipman has constructed some of Sydney and NSW’s most outstanding buildings for more than 55 years.

The company has always been committed to delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget. However, the construction industry is constantly evolving, and Lipman faced the challenge of finding new strategies, systems, and technologies to optimize its team and make daily functions more efficient.

Enter reality capture from OpenSpace

In 2022, Lipman’s IT Manager identified the potential for improved project management by utilizing OpenSpace Capture, an automated site capture solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide a live, as-built record of a construction site. The system rapidly delivers accurate data and complete documentation while reducing risk and streamlining workflows.

OpenSpace Capture is a cloud-based platform that uses 360-degree cameras mounted on hard hats to capture the entire construction site. Teams simply walk the site as normal, and the system then stitches together the images to create a virtual walkthrough of the site that can be accessed by anyone with permission.

Discovering the value of reality capture

Led by Lipman Project Manager Shamus Long, the project team was excited to test the reality capture technology and see how it could improve their daily functions. Lipman commenced live trials of OpenSpace Capture on its remote, $29 million Central West Schools project for NSW School Infrastructure. The project included the construction of new teaching spaces and refurbishment of existing facilities at Bletchington Public School in Orange and Millthorpe Public School in Millthorpe, New South Wales.

Historically, Lipman captured the build process by going around the project site and manually taking photos. This process was time-consuming, and there was always the risk of missing something important. However, using OpenSpace Capture, the project team was able to capture the entire site in a matter of minutes. OpenSpace provided better coverage of the build process, streamlined the capture of project progress, enabled the easy identification of possible defects, and gave the Lipman project team the confidence of guaranteed accurate data. As well as the team on-site, those back in Lipman’s head office could view the live captures and insights generated from the built-in AI.

“From the very start of the Central West Schools project, the value of OpenSpace really came to the fore.”
—Shamus Long, Project Manager at Lipman

Lipman delivered a new two-storey learning hub that includes 10 new flexible learning spaces, a hall upgrade, a new ICT special programs unit, refurbishment of existing learning spaces, replacement of the covered outdoor learning area, and upgraded connecting walkways at Bletchington Public School. The project was completed on time and within budget, and the client was extremely satisfied with the results.

Gaining new confidence in construction site documentation

During the project, Lipman used OpenSpace to capture a historical snapshot of the team’s progress. The software proved incredibly useful when the client requested the installation of several large pieces of artwork on one of the newly constructed walls. The project team was able to go back and look at captures taken earlier in the project to see behind the wall with supreme confidence, taking the guesswork out of installing the artwork.

In fact, OpenSpace gave Lipman a new-found confidence in its ability to accurately capture the entirety of its projects, an invaluable asset for the construction company’s ongoing delivery of school infrastructure projects in the Central West region of New South Wales.

“It’s hard to put a value on the level of confidence it has provided us. OpenSpace has optimized a task that historically was met with satisfaction, but now is ironclad.”
—Shamus Long

Harnessing reality capture to build faster and win more bids

The construction industry is constantly evolving, and Lipman remains committed to staying at the forefront of new technologies and systems to ensure it continues to deliver high-quality projects for its clients.

Lipman successfully implemented OpenSpace Capture to improve its project management and streamline workflows. The software has provided accurate data, created rapid and comprehensive documentation, and reduced risk. As a result, Lipman can now confidently deliver projects with a higher level of efficiency and accuracy, which has led to increased client satisfaction and repeat business.

You can learn more about Lipman’s use of OpenSpace in this article from Inside Construction. If you’re ready to see how this exciting technology can help your team build better, faster, and smarter, reach out to our team for a demo so you can see it in action.