One of our guiding principles at BHC is to be innovative. We encourage our teams to always search for new ways to improve the process, explore new technology or simply do better on the next project. To be innovative is not only an advantage for our company, but also an added value to our customers.

With several active projects on the table, it was quickly determined there was an opportunity to improve a bit of the functionality of the team. Our Public Works Segment took a closer look at our internal and external construction plan review process and the biggest challenges determined were communication and time.

Even in the age of internet and email, there was still a significant amount of time being lost between email chains, large file transfers, review from multiple partners, making changes to the plans – and then the whole process begins all over.

Communication was not lacking, but rather it was almost too abundant. The traditional process of tracking emails and requests for set plan changes from customers was less efficient and left room for delays and mistakes.

To improve collaboration and quality on plan sets, BHC began to explore Bluebeam Revu, a powerful and collaborative markup and editing solution for the design and construction industry. Bluebeam simplifies the review process by allowing all project partners to collaborate and track changes in the same documents all at once or at their convenience. It’s trusted by more than 1.6 million design and construction professionals worldwide.

In 2016, BHC began using the cloud-based collaboration and digital workflow platform. Bluebeam Revu gave our engineers a better ability to submit accurate project bids, design more precisely and provide our customers with detailed, real-time design review documents. For the stakeholders, this is a critical design component for avoiding costly changes during construction.

Less Paper, More Trees

Real-time edits can be made while our engineers and customers view the plans together online. Using Bluebeam Revu to collaborate eliminates the need to print new plan sets after every modification of the project. Using less paper means we can all be more environmentally responsible.

Added Value

This quick turn capability speeds up the preliminary review process without compromising communication or efficiency.  Bluebeam Revu generates PDF files for viewing which are secure and can be viewed across most any device, even on the project site.

Bluebeam Revu Works

BHC is currently working on the Lee Boulevard project for the City of Leawood, Kansas. The east side of the City’s North Bike Loop meanders through neighborhoods. The City desired to create a more direct route for cyclists to the Leawood Aquatic Center at 106^th Street and Lee Boulevard.

To meet the needs of our customer, the Public Works team utilized the Bluebeam Revu software to expedite the design process of Phase 1. Working with the City’s Public Works Department, our engineers were able to quickly provide design plans for review and make real-time revisions. Phase 1 is nearly complete.

“Using Bluebeam has helped streamline the design review process and improved collaboration.”
Brian Scovill, P.E.
City Engineer, City of Leawood, Kansas

Currently, BHC and the City of Leawood are in the design phase of Phase 2 of the Lee Boulevard project. As we continue to utilize Bluebeam Revu, we are confident that Phase 2 will be just as successful.

Bluebeam Revu has allowed our engineers to not only provide a higher quality of work for our customers, but it has also allowed our departments to be more efficient internally by cross-segment collaborations. Recently, our Utilities Segment was hired for a project in Denver, Colorado. Our Public Works team was able to assist with traffic control design using the Bluebeam Revu PDF editing feature, saving time for our Utilities customer.

We understand new technologies can be hard to embrace. It’s our obligation to continue to educate our customers on all the benefits that Bluebeam Revu offers, especially for fast track projects requiring quick turnarounds. If you are interested in speaking with our Engineers about Bluebeam Revu and how it can improve your next project, no problem. Our Public Works Team is just a call away.