OpenSpace has revolutionized how CGS manages construction projects and facilities. What began as a solution to reduce travel has become an integral tool for improving communication, project documentation, and inventory management. With OpenSpace, CGS is better equipped to handle its government clients’ needs, both by improving operational efficiency and by increasing transparency in project management.
The challenge
CGS, under the direction of its innovation lab led by Maximo Moore, then Program Manager, was constantly exploring market-ready technologies to address various operational challenges. One of the major challenges faced by CGS was the extensive travel required for their team to monitor progress across multiple projects and sites. This travel was not only time-consuming but also expensive, limiting the efficiency of the company’s oversight on key projects.
Additionally, CGS was looking for ways to improve communication with its government clients regarding project progress. The need for transparency and real-time updates was critical, especially when reporting back to clients on the progress of work completed in remote and difficult-to-access locations.
Discovering OpenSpace
CGS discovered OpenSpace while attending a trade show. The reality capture technology was intriguing, and the team decided to try it out. After using OpenSpace, they presented the technology to the company president, who was immediately impressed with its capabilities. The ability to remotely monitor project progress in real-time offered a compelling solution to their travel and communication challenges.
The initial draw was that OpenSpace could significantly reduce the amount of travel required by providing comprehensive visual records of ongoing projects. Additionally, the technology allowed CGS to keep their government clients informed of progress with detailed visual updates, minimizing any potential misunderstandings.
Why OpenSpace
CGS chose OpenSpace because it provided an intuitive, user-friendly way to document, track, and manage construction projects remotely. OpenSpace’s ability to capture high-quality 360-degree images of jobsites with minimal effort was a game-changer. Its integration with existing workflows and tools like Procore also made it easy for CGS to adopt the technology without disrupting their current processes.
The adoption of OpenSpace has really changed the way we do business. While the dollars saved in travel are significant (with some site visits coming in at the tune of thousands per person, per trip), the even greater impact is in the time saved. With the breadth of projects we work on, getting out to one site could take the better part of a week or more. Now we can ‘visit’ five sites in a day, if needed. The time this frees up to give back to our clients is invaluable.
The results
Reducing the need for physical presence
Enhanced transparency and trust
Improved vendor collaboration
Improved bidding accuracy
- Reduced travel and increased oversight: OpenSpace eliminated the need for Max and his team to travel frequently to project sites. With a simple walk of the jobsite by an on-site worker, CGS could get real-time progress reports, reducing the need for physical presence.
- Improved customer communication: OpenSpace became a key tool in providing real-time updates to government customers. CGS could share visual documentation of work completed, enhancing transparency and strengthening trust.
- Virtual walkthroughs in remote locations: CGS even had someone walk a space in Guam remotely using OpenSpace. The ability to inspect and assess a site without being physically present expanded the company’s ability to manage projects globally, streamlining operations across multiple locations.
- Synchronizing future work with subcontractors: OpenSpace proved useful for keeping subcontractors aligned. Visual documentation allowed for clear communication of intent, helping to avoid misunderstandings and keeping future work on track.
- Bidding: OpenSpace also became an asset in the bidding process. By using OpenSpace to capture existing conditions, CGS could accurately assess what it would take to complete a construction project. This allowed them to provide more precise bids for future work, ensuring they had an accurate understanding of the scope.
- Visual inventory management: An unexpected use case came when the facilities manager used OpenSpace to walk and document a floor at the corporate office during a recapitalization project. Instead of manually documenting the state of the property and the existing resources, the manager captured a visual inventory using OpenSpace, saving time and ensuring accuracy in handover documentation.
