An Archive of Efficiency: EDiS Tallies the Revizto Reward on Kennett Library Project

Impressive Coordination, Real-Time Digital Delivery and an Estimated $1.6 Million Savings

Using the Revizto integrated collaboration platform, construction management firm, EDiS Company, helped the Kennett Library Board of Trustees in Chester County, Pennsylvania, realize a vision that many thought impossible—build a new, modern library. Along the way, the firm’s technical expertise helped this nonprofit organization raise the necessary funds to ensure the structure maintained its character and aesthetics. For EDiS, this project was also a unique opportunity to demonstrate the $1.6 million value of using BIM and Revizto.

About EDiS

With their headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, EDiS Company is a construction management firm that provides a wide range of services including general contracting, design-build, interiors, pre-engineered solutions and BIM Services.

BIM Belief

EDiS’ transition to BIM began in 2009, a time when BIM initiatives at the state and local level were just beginning to take hold. At the time, EDiS was a novice at 3D and BIM tactics, but brought in outside expertise to help build capabilities. By 2014, EDiS had established its BIM Services, a specialized group of forward thinking champions of BIM for modeling, coordination and fabrication, and virtual design construction (VDC). Over the years, those services continued to evolve along with the technology.

By 2021, with help from Revizto, BIM is now embedded into the day-to-day practices of the firm. Determined to better understand the value that BIM brings to the project team and the customer, EDiS set out to assess the value and they had the perfect project—the Kennett Library & Resource Center.

A Shortfall Opportunity

In 2021, the Board of Trustees for the Kennett Library looked to construct the new modern Kennett Library & Resource Center, a regional library that would serve the Townships of Kennett, East Marlborough, Pennsbury, Pocopson, Newlin, New Garden, West Marlborough and the Borough of Kennett Square. The two-story, 34,230-square-foot facility features 15 meeting rooms, maker spaces for children and adults, an outdoor terrace, a 110-seat auditorium with a stage—in essence, a complex of learning, resources and opportunity.

With a design in place, the trustees looked to EDiS to help facilitate the actual build. As a guaranteed maximum price contract, the construction of the project could not exceed $21.1 million. EDiS agreed, fully aware that the non-profit was short $6 million, even as the project broke ground in 2022.

Donahue explained, “We agreed to cover the budget shortage, believing that the organization would find a way to make up the difference. We also realized this was a great opportunity to evaluate our ROI by using BIM and Revizto. We’d already used the 3D workflow on several previous projects, but only knew anecdotally the value it provided.”

Digging Out of a Multi-Million Dollar Hole

BIM and Revizto are integral pieces of the EDiS construction management workflow that begin from the project outset with design and pre-construction coordination.

“As the construction manager, we check models for clashes and constructability of every element before it goes out to bid,” Donahue said. “All of these potential issues are then resolved through coordination and some redesign, which ideally minimizes change orders in the field.”

Prior to the library project, EDiS had already performed an extensive review of its before-BIM practices, including the average time to complete key activities, such as coordination.

The Coordinated Effect that Yields ROI

Another key feature in the Revizto suite of tools is the Issue Tracker. As issues, which numbered 465, were recorded, they were automatically distributed to the right person with all relevant information including issue date, images and a link to Revizto for more details. Donahue continued, “We get answers back very quickly. This is an ideal solution for accountability and a major benefit for the project superintendent and the owner. The job just runs smoother.”

The documented cost per issue dropped remarkably compared to previous coordination efforts. What used to average about $986.50 per issue, dropped to $214.61 - a 78% decrease. With 465 issues, that resulted in a savings of $358,928.

That in-construction improvement is also readily visible. On the Kennett Library project, EDiS reduced the coordination labor, time spent on issues, minimized drawing research, and improved clash resolution time across all trades. “Our change order rates dropped drastically because of the coordination process. Since 2017, we went from a 1.25% design change order rate to almost zero (.02),” Donahue said.

In summary, the Revizto-enabled rapid review time shortened building design review, coordination and construction. EDiS calculated the savings from the pre-construction analysis, the reduced time required for coordination and the limited number of change orders compared to more conventional methods pre-Revizto. The total savings on the Kennett Library was calculated to be $1.6 million across the design and construction process.

Key Stats for the Kennett Library Project

A 10% Industry Incentive

EDiS has continued to build on its BIM workflow, most recently with the addition of iPads equipped with the Revizto App for field staff, which enabled the EDiS construction team to use BIM on the job - even without an internet connection.

For the entire EDiS team, the transition to BIM has been one of continuous evolution. Donahue added, “Every day, our focus is on how we increase the knowledge of team members so everyone has their arms around the BIM initiative. Revizto is helping that. We’re at 48% adoption across the firm, and with every job, that percentage increases. One of the key components of that adoption is training and support from Revizto.”

To-date, EDiS has worked on around 20 jobs using Revizto. According to Donahue, that equates to about $600 million worth of work.