A Pilot for Standardizing Design and Contractor Training to Improve the Adoption of the Integrated Framework for Cost Estimating Workflows

10 pages•Published: July 23, 2025

Brent Pilgrim and Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez

Abstract

The construction industry rapidly evolves yearly, with new technology, tools, and workflows introduced by software vendors, professional organizations, individual companies, and industry members. This ever-changing work environment challenges existing industry participants to be effectively upskilled and new workforce members to be technically competent upon entry into the industry. While modern technology and tools can increase efficiency, improve safety, and enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration, adoption rates of model-based workflows by preconstruction teams continue to lag compared to other uses, such as coordination and clash detection. Integrated Estimating, a more recently developed workflow for cross-disciplinary model-based practices, shows promise to increase efficiency in the preconstruction process and improve collaboration. This paper describes how a pilot project implementation of this Integrated Estimating workflow helped the design and contractor teams to adopt a new approach to BIM-based collaboration. This pilot process utilized team training sessions focused on discipline-specific and “just-in-time” support. The results indicated the successful adoption of the workflow, promoting comprehension of the technical aspects and confirming the use of the workflow for collaboration purposes by new industry users. The preliminary results also show that the Integrated Estimating framework can be scalable and replicated across multiple independent project teams through training and application.

Keyphrases: collaboration, model based estimating, preconstruction, workforce development

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference, vol 6, pages 715-724.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/2WQl
	https://doi.org/10.29007/l525

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2025:Pilot_Standardizing_Design_Contractor,
  author    = {Brent Pilgrim and Rodolfo Valdes-Vasquez},
  title     = {A Pilot for Standardizing Design and Contractor Training to Improve the Adoption of the Integrated Framework for Cost Estimating Workflows},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 61st Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony J. Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {6},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/2WQl},
  doi       = {10.29007/l525},
  pages     = {715-724},
  year      = {2025}}

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