A Seamless Flow: How McCarthy is Modernizing an Active Wastewater Plant with Revizto’s Field-Focused Functionality
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the oldest and most respected national construction firms in the United States. As a leading builder, McCarthy delivers high-quality projects across sectors including healthcare, education, infrastructure, and renewable energy.
Transforming a sprawling 40-acre wastewater treatment facility into a contemporary, high-functioning operation is no small feat, especially when operations must continue without interruption. This ambitious project will replace around 30 structures – including clarifiers, digesters, aeration basins, headworks, and filter buildings – while integrating state-of-the-art monitoring systems to ensure operational efficiency and sustainability for the next century.
Challenges:
A Study in Access, Accuracy and Adaptation
The complete upgrade of this aging wastewater treatment plant required considerable planning and pre-construction analysis that ranged from uncertain utility locations to historical infrastructure that posed potential complications. As well, flexibility would be key as work would necessarily need to shift as needed to support continued operations.
Site Collaboration/Visualization
Needed a quick, clear and easily accessible way to share design requirements and updates in the field to support the entire project team including trade partners.
Communication Disconnects
Given scope and scale, conventional email connections would not be enough to coordinate across the site and the many different project team members.
Field Flexibility
Maintaining ongoing plant operations requires frequent schedule changes and shifting construction priorities.
Tracking Design Changes
Since design evolves during construction, an efficient method for tracking changes is necessary.
We have over 180+ models on this project. In many cases, we’ll have approval for one part of a model when other pieces are not even designed. It’s imperative that we are able to track and share updates with ease and speed.
The Solution:
A Visual and Virtual Revizto Imperative
The multifaceted challenges necessitated an advanced technological approach to visualization, coordination, and communication. Enter Revizto, a tool that Landzettel believes is essential to completing this complex project. Landzettel notes, “Unlike commercial construction, wastewater projects often involve simultaneous focus on different structures. Revizto allows us to model these facilities alongside new designs, helping us plan demo phases and installations.”
Revizto is the quickest way that I've seen in my career to manage issues and clashes. It’s highly valuable to me as a coordinator.
Empowering the Entire Project Team
On this wastewater plant upgrade project, McCarthy continues to empower the entire project team with tailored tools and techniques that help prioritize tasks and deliver results with timely precision.
Revizto has been a game changer on our project. Having only ever worked with other programs before I was hesitant to try something new. When I got inside of the program, I found it was quick, easy and intuitive. Even someone with little to no VDC experience can hop in and visualize the project.
A Systematic Approach to Managing RFIs
The McCarthy team has taken a systematic approach to streamlining communication and managing project documentation.
Stamp Sorting
To track and categorize potential issues, stamps are designated as high (elevated to an official RFI sent to the engineer of record) or low priority (issues that can be resolved through direct discussion).
Systematic Follow-Up
Maintains a clear record of potential design conflicts and ensures systematic follow-up on design questions, streamlining communication and documentation.
Discrepancy Management
In-the-field questions and discrepancies are tracked and prioritized with ease.
We're utilizing our time most efficiently, making changes on the fly, visualizing the model in ways that we would never have considered before.
Proactive Resolution Avoids Costly Rework
During weekly reviews, McCarthy relies heavily on Clash Automation to catch potential conflicts. That now standard practice has saved considerable time and money. A recent example occurred when a design change impacted a concrete pour.
In-The-Field Action Report
Standard practice is to review concrete lift drawings, which show sleeve locations, embeds, voids, and architectural elements by the entire project team, which are then issued for construction. However, a design change thickened a slab above a structure, requiring the lowering of some process pipes. “This change was automatically flagged in the built-in Clash Automation tool of Revizto. I was able to quickly see the interference with other pipes. I quickly checked progress photos and confirmed the walls were not yet poured, allowing us to adjust the sleeves before pouring concrete. Although we had to remove some formwork and shift the sleeves, those actions were far less costly than rerouting the pipes after concrete was poured. The timely detection prevented significant delays and financial impact,” explained Landzettel.
Measuring Value:
A Straightforward Approach to Collaboration
Revizto has transformed how McCarthy manages collaboration across the project team from preconstruction through ongoing construction activities. It’s heavily utilized for reviewing drawings, tracking changes between packages, and ensuring clarity by applying stamps or elevating potential issues to RFIs when necessary.
Real-Time Engagement
Revizto is indispensable for daily collaboration, eliminating excessive email chains and enabling real-time engagement with models.
High Visualization
Tools like parent templates, custom properties, and 3D overlays enhance visualization and streamline processes.
On-The-Fly Adjustments
The ability to make on-the-fly adjustments improves alignment with design intent, while efficient tracking of installations versus pending components aids in maintaining progress.
I'm on Revizto every day, as are our trade partners. I don’t see myself using another platform anytime soon. The level of collaboration I have with team members on a regular basis is incredible.
Conclusion:
Revizto-Enabled Lifecycle Advantages
McCarthy commenced construction work on the wastewater treatment plant upgrade in early 2023, with substantial completion projected for 2029. Largely due to the real-time field-focused coordination made possible with Revizto, the project remains on track and on budget.
The more collaborative, visual-focused efforts are also laying the groundwork for post-construction. McCarthy has already begun coordinating closely with the owner’s facility management team to ensure successful project completion.
