KBD Group Employee Spotlight: XiaoLi Zhang
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Season’s Greetings 2020
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Employee Spotlight: Jessica Freese
“The thing I appreciate most about KBD is our commitment to providing a quality product to our Owners while working ethically and building strong relationships.”
GET TO KNOW OUR TALENTED TEAM MEMBER,
Jessica Freese
She joined Kajima Building & Design Group in 2018 as a Project Manager. In January 2022, she was promoted to Project Executive. We would like to congratulate Jessica on her continued success at KBD Group!
Interview with jessica: Q&A
Question: Why did you choose your profession?
I actually started out of college as an Industrial Engineer working on facility and process design and optimization for eCommerce distribution centers.
During that time, I got more interested and excited in the facility construction aspects of my job and wanted to change my career to get more in-depth on the general construction side instead of the design and Owner side.
Question: What do you like most about working at KBD?
The thing I appreciate most about KBD is our commitment to providing a quality product to our Owners while working ethically and building strong relationships with both the Owners and our Subcontractors.
We always try to do the right thing for everyone and understand the importance of lasting relationships.
Question: What is your proudest moment at KBD?
My proudest moment with KBD was probably how we handled pouring Ductilcrete through the wettest winter in 20 years for a project in Virginia, while minimizing cost and schedule impact to the Owner.
Question: What has been your favorite project and why?
My favorite project was probably the Desoto 55 project we worked on in Mississippi where we actually constructed 3 buildings simultaneously in a logistics park, totaling 1.5M+ SF.
It was an incredibly challenging project from managing bad soil conditions to the complex schedule coordination between the three buildings, but I feel like I learned a lot during that project that will be incredibly valuable going forward in my career.
Question: What do you find the most challenging at KBD?
I think the most challenging task, that I have to work through at KBD, is finding the balance between building a good working relationship with our subcontractors, while also holding them accountable to their contract scopes.
It’s important to write a very thorough subcontract to keep subcontractors accountable to their scopes.
Simultaneously, it’s also important to be able to have difficult conversations onsite with our subs when expectations are not being met, but also continuing to maintain a good working relationship with them.You can’t be afraid of conflict or working through it.
Question: Share a fun fact about yourself.
A fun fact about myself is that, before I let life get in the way, I was working towards getting my single-engine pilot’s license. Before I stopped, I was taking lessons to fly single-engine planes and was about ready to complete my first solo flight. But life happens, I got busy with work, and haven’t picked it back up again. Probably for the best, though, since it’s a pretty risky and expensive hobby!
Question: What advice would you give to new hires or those starting out in the construction industry?
My biggest piece of advice when starting out is to always ask questions when you don’t know something and to never be ashamed of not knowing all the answers.
Especially in construction, most people we work with have extensive knowledge from years of experience which is impossible for someone starting new in the industry to have.
Rather than secretly worrying that other people will find out you don’t know something, latch on to people with experiences you don’t have, and learn everything you can from them.
No one expects you to know the answers, but they do expect you to be open and willing to learn quickly.
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2019 Christmas Card
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To our Friends, Family, and Partners
Season's Greetings
Happy Thanksgiving
KBD Group:
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
We’re grateful for celebrating an early Thanksgiving potluck last Friday. This Thanksgiving, we want to share our appreciation to our clients, partners, and staff. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you!
More photos of the event
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Employee Spotlight: Brandon Neerman
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Brandon Neermann
Brandon Neermann
At KBD Group, we understand that our employees are the backbone of our business. This month we want to recognize and shine the spotlight on Brandon Neermann, our preconstruction manager in Atlanta. Brandon received his bachelor’s degree in Building Construction from Georgia Tech. After he graduated, he worked for one year with Danko before coming to KBD Group in 2011. Brandon’s range of responsibilities include working with clients to providing accurate pricing for all phases of the project, along with coordinating value engineering, construction means and methods, and risk management. Brandon is married to Marianne Neermann and has four children. He has been with KBD Group for eight years and we are very happy to have him on board!
Get to know Brandon: Q&A
Why did you choose your profession?
Honestly, it chose me. When I graduated from Tech, I had a son that was just born and in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) fighting for his life. I didn’t feel like I could take a job that would potentially require me to travel during this time.
What do you like most about KBD Group?
The people. Everyone is polite and genuinely seems to enjoy being around each other.
What is your proudest moment at KBD Group?
Coming up with a new solution using secant piles to use as the outside formwork for a 60’ deep cylindrical pit. This prevented the project team from having to open excavate the pit, saving the project three months.
What do you find the most challenging at KBD Group?
Keeping up with the ever-shortening bid delivery times with a very streamlined department while also trying to leave time for personal improvement.
How has KBD helped you in your career development?
KBD has empowered me to take new responsibility, create new methodologies, and generally expand my knowledge.
What do you do when you’re not at work? Tell us about any activities or hobbies you enjoy.
I enjoy spending time with my family, playing Legos with my boys, and putting together model airplanes (mainly WWII) era. Feel free to come by my office to check them out! I also like to read.
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Hear What Interns Are Saying About KBD Group
Summer INTERNSHIP
Interns Share KBD Group Experience
KBD GROUP INTERnSHIP PROGRAM
A KBD Group internship builds a bridge for student success. Internships not only benefit a student’s academic journey, but also contribute greatly to the student’s future job search. Read on to find out what our interns are sharing about their KBD Group work experience:
Interview
Noel Vasquez
- How was your experience working with KBDG as an intern?
- Great! It was full of hands on experiences in the field and in the office. I had the opportunity to participate in the preconstruction process of a few projects and had the opportunity to work on the job site
- Is there anything new or interesting that you’ve learned during your internship?
- As it was my second-year internship, I had the opportunity to learn the basics of Revit (BIM software) this year, and master Procore (construction management software). Also, I learned how to negotiate with subcontractors.
- How would you describe working at the New Jersey office?
- I’d describe it as a family environment that’s committed to respect and teamwork.
Interview
Grayson Wages
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How was your experience working with KBDG as an intern?
Working with KBDG has been an awesome experience because I get to learn from this amazing team! It’s important to have a way to make yourself stand out from other college graduates and this internship is a huge help.
Is there anything new or interesting that you’ve learned during your internship?
- One of the most interesting topics I learned while interning this summer is 5D modeling and how KBDG plans to incorporate it in upcoming projects.
How would you describe working at the Atlanta office?
The Atlanta office is a very welcoming environment! Everyone here is very helpful with teaching and assisting anyway they can to help you succeed.
Interview
Juan Badillo
How was your experience working with KBDG as an intern?
My internship with KBDG was phenomenal. Thanks to my experience at KBDG, I was able to secure a job with a subcontractor.
Is there anything new or interesting that you’ve learned during your internship?
I enjoyed learning about takeoffs and bids during the preconstruction phase.
How would you describe working at the Atlanta office?
My colleagues at KBDG were some of the best I’ve ever worked with.
Interview
Trenten Mcpherson
How was your experience working with KBDG as an intern?
My experiences with KBD were great. I received all the help I needed and was not expected to do anything that was not necessary or unobtainable. I would say having an internship has made my resume look more professional as before the only thing that I could document on my resume were part-time jobs, and Kajima is more than that.
Is there anything new or interesting that you’ve learned during your internship?
What I learned at Kajima was that there is always something you can improve on. I thought I knew all there was to know in the office setting. Brandon Neermann acted as a mentor and taught me that it was always important to walk into the bosses’ office with a notebook and writing utensil.
How would you describe working at the Atlanta office?
The words I would use to describe my Atlanta office colleagues would be professional, patient, impressionable, and they understand the importance of family first.
Interview
Yoshinori Nomura
- How was your experience working with KBDG as an intern?
- Working with KBDG has been an immersive experience. Everyone was open to sharing their knowledge about the business.
- Is there anything new or interesting that you’ve learned during your internship?
- Everything done was a new experience, from understanding the facets of pre-construction to the first-hand experience of managing the job site, we learned an extensive amount. Understanding everyone’s decision making was the most interesting part of this internship.
- How would you describe the New Jersey office, your colleagues, and working here?
- The office environment is kind, caring and open. Thank you for receiving us with such open arms.
KBD GROUP INTERSHIP PROGRAM
KBD Group is very fortunate to have this great group of interns participate in our program. If you’re interested in applying for an internship position, submit your resume to kwhitehead@kbd.group or apply under our Careers tab at www.kbd.group.
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4D/5D BIM For Construction
4D/5D BIM Technology in Construction
Within a few decades, BIM has revolutionized and improved the way we design and build projects. This is done by providing integrated data models for everyone involved in the project and by generating views and information according to their needs. BIM revolves around an integrated data model from which several participants such as Architects, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, MEP System Engineers, Builders, Manufacturers and Project Owners can obtain and generate views and information according to their project goals. One of the new trends we adopted, which is currently being utilized for several construction projects, is 4D and 5D BIM technology. The use of 4D/5D BIM has provided proven results by offering real-time data during the phase of construction, improving and driving cost, and providing the ability to make and adapt quickly to any changes.
Jeff Tutman, Vice President and Business Unit Leader, is highly experienced in working on complex manufacturing projects. With over 27 years of construction and engineering experience, he has seen the construction industry evolve using BIM. “For the last decade, we’ve modeled all projects with Revit software,” said Jeff. “This software allows our team to efficiently produce design documents that are better coordinated (clash free) and provides clients the opportunity to view their facility in 3-D. In early 2018, we made the company decision to implement 4D/5D on selected projects and identified a team to discover the means and methods for implementation. The team consisted of representatives from multiple departments to establish standards for how to execute our 4D/5D projects. Since then, we have been able to determine best practices and most effective workflows to ensure high level execution.”
The Differences of 3D, 4D, and 5D BIM Technology
To explain BIM technique in simple terms, we will use the terms what, when, and how. To clarify, 3D is what you build, 4D is when you build, and 5D is how you build. These three solutions combined will not only give our clients a complete digital view of the project, but will also provide a real time view of the schedule and cost for the projects entire lifecycle. Employing 3D, 4D, and 5D BIM coordination will greatly improve the efficiency of the construction project schedule, will communicate visually the construction work scope to all members, and will provide the ability to dynamically adjust and adapt quickly to changes during the project.
3D BIM (What You Build)
The 3D BIM involves creating graphic and non-graphic information of the facility providing a digital view of what building will occur. The visualization capabilities enable participants to not only see the building in three dimensions before ground is ever broken, but also to improve greatly the quality of work from start to finish. This allows better planning, enhances coordination between KBD Group and Subcontractors, helps prevent schedule delays, and reduces man-hours on the field. As the project life cycle progresses, the 3D information becomes richer in details until the point at which the project data is delivered to the client at the completion of the project.
4D BIM (When You Build)
4D BIM adds a layer of project information to schedule the data model and digital view of when the project will be completed. This added component builds in project details as construction progresses. The schedule data included in the model will display accurate information and visualization, showing the progression and development of the project sequentially. This is done by linking the schedule data to the 3D model.
This makes the process easy to understand by showing visually how construction will develop, sequentially, over time at each stage. 4D BIM not only offers great coordination between all who are involved, but also greatly improves the ability to manage and maintain the project master construction schedule even if any issues arise during the construction phase of the project. This provides all who are involved in the project a clear expectation of the project construction outcome.
5D BIM (How You Build)
5D BIM adds the details of costs and expenses to the already existing 3D and 4D models, providing insight of how you will build. This information offers an extra layer of detail to the components from the 3D model and assigns accurate cost information to each of those components. 5D BIM includes the cost of purchasing, construction component installation, and renewal/replacing parts. The costing approach linked to the model provides the ability to easily and visually see the costs in 3D form. This data can be displayed in real time as the model is developed and queried at any time during a project, and the information that feeds cost reports is regularly updated. This ‘real-life’ cost plan helps teams design to budget and allows a faster, more accurate reporting of costs at the early stages of a project.
The benefits of 4D/5D BIM Technology:
● Improving and driving costs on each building system based on the specific design, materials, site conditions, phasing, and other parameters according to the owner’s timeline.
● Having the entire project team develop a better understanding of the proposed design, assumptions, and cost drivers, offering the project team a concise and accurate description of scope, cost, and duration–all of which will directly impact design and schedule decisions.
● Providing data in real time as the project is developed or changed to allow the project team to adjust if conditions change and to explore alternative concepts to improve project success.
● Sharing information and visually communicating all changes made to all project team members.
OUR Clients Reaction to 4D/5D BIM
“The reaction from our clients has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Jeff. “The visualization of their project regarding schedule and cost provides their team members, including personnel who aren’t doing construction every day, accurate and reliable information about their project. The mutual understanding of the project and the project performance allows the Owner to make more informed decisions about various items regarding the project.”
“I would encourage all owners to use these tools. It delivers an invaluable channel to review and collaborate on the project. The owner can have a unique record of the sequence and cost flow of the project which allows them to make a more informed decisions. The visualization of information ensures that our clients have a complete understanding of their project’s pathway to success.”
KBD Group 4D/5D BIM Technology
KBD Group has been utilizing 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology since 2010, having supported over 100 projects. As technology continues to move at a rapid pace, KBD Group will continue to adapt new services that improve quality, team collaboration, cost savings, and safety. KBD Group’s design team is passionate, motivated, and dedicated to achieving continuous improvement. You can expect KBD Group to start implementing 6D and 7D technology in the near future. Please contact us if you would like to learn how these services can help build your next facility.
KBD GROUP BIM EXPERIENCE
BIM technology has been helping Kajima Building & Design Group (KBD Group) in creating quality projects and solutions for our clients. BIM models allow the design and construction teams to utilize 3D modeling, detailed images, coordinated drawings, virtual reality, and Clash Detection...
KBD GROUP TEAM TRAINED IN OSHA 10
KBD GROUP TEAM TRAINED IN OSHA 10