The Next Step in Construction Technology is Here

Published in Construction Business Owner Magazine
Written by James Benham, President of JBKnowledge, Makers of SmartBidNet
March 1, 2013

Imagine your project managers in their offices with a real-time dashboard of all jobsite progress and a 3-D graphic that updates every five minutes, rendering your structure as it advances floor by floor. They can click to see a live video feed through the eyes of an HVAC subcontractor with augmented reality safety goggles that have overlaid, before their eyes, the rendering of the 3-D model in their section of the jobsite. You can even send a link to your project owners with a note to “check out the view from your soon-to-be 22nd floor office, and meet the guys working on it right now” and the option for everyone to jump on a video conference call.

The capabilities of technology, once merely imaginative concepts in science fiction movies, are quickly developing for daily use in commercial and residential building. Advancements in cloud computing are redefining expectations in building information modeling (BIM) as well as data availability and mobility. The evolution of imaging and file sharing is redefining project collaboration, and advancements in integration are redefining how your processes and departments share project data.

BIM
Our company recently performed a survey about commercial construction technology solutions and found a pleasantly surprising statistic...

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February Webinar - What's New with SmartBidNet Version 12 and Bid Project Management in the Cloud

Have you heard? We gave our system a major makeover. Version 12 of our online construction bidding software has a brand new user interface, English, French, and Spanish language capabilities, and load times are up to 75% faster. The dashboard, subcontractor profiles, bid projects and online plan room are easier than ever before to navigate and customize. You can learn more here: www.smartbidnet.com/version12 and we are offering informational webinars in February for current users and prospective users.

Are you a commercial general contractor not yet using SmartBidNet? Pre-construction manager, project estimator, project manager? Tune in to a free webinar demo of SmartBidNet Version 12 and learn what all the hype is about. Ask our live presenters any questions you have about managing your bid projects, documents, and subcontractors online, from anywhere, with SmartBidNet. 

Click here to register for this free, informational webinar on February 12th

Are you current a SmartBidNet user? Version 12 operates the same way as the Version 11 you’ve recently been using. This user webinar is simply a chance for users to walk through the new user interface and added features to ensure you are taking advantage of the improvements. You will also have a chance to ask questions, provide feedback, and submit requests to our live presenters. 

Click here to register for this user webinar on February 13th

A Unique Christmas Construction Invitation to Bid

We're grateful to Carol Hagen of Carol's Construction Technology Blog (a resource we highly recommend you check regularly!) for sharing some of the great work our clients are doing this holiday season in building communities as well as structures. 

"The Arizona Builders Alliance (ABA) is having their Toy Drive to make a difference in the lives of Phoenix Area displaced children.  Instead of a regular press release, McCarthy used SmartBidNet to get the word out about Sunshine Homes to their subcontractors.  Many other commercial construction companies that belong to the ABA are planning to do the same with their own invitation to bid software..."

Click here to visit Carol's blog and read the full post

JBKnowledge's SmartBidNet Software in Constructech Magazine - "Prequalification Tech for Construction"

Published in Constructech
December 4, 2012

Is a subcontractor qualified for a project? Technology not only helps answer this question, but also stores data associated with subcontractor qualifications for use on a project. These days, more general contractors are using such technology to manage sub qualifications electronically.

One recent example comes from Miller Construction Co., www.millerconstruction.com, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., which is encouraging its subcontractor and supplier base to maintain a complete qualification profile inside the platform from jobsite123, www.jobsite123.com, Plantation, Fla.

According to jobsite123, open access to the platform allows for sharing of qualifications information between all project stakeholders. The data within the jobsite123 platform can also be automatically distributed to other construction software such as SmartBidNet from JB Knowledge Technologies, www.jbknowledge.com, Bryan, Texas.

Click here to read the full article

JBKnowledge's SmartBidNet Software Reveals Latest Technology in Construction Bidding

Sets new construction technology industry standard for user interface, system navigability and customization.

Bryan, TX - November 27, 2012

Released this morning, under the tagline “Construction software never looked this good,” information technology provider JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. has introduced a new version of their cloud based invitation to bid software, SmartBidNet. The revamped user interface was developed to look and feel like a consumer application and has redefined usability in construction technology. The added functionalities and ease of use are being applauded by clients who had the last month to test out the Beta version of the system.  

"I’ve been using Version 12 since the Beta was first released. The software looks and feels like a more polished version of its former self with improved performance to boot… I’m thoroughly impressed!” stated Seth Cheever, LEED AP, Preconstruction Manager at Stiles Construction.

The completely renovated user interface includes a drag and drop dashboard with customizable widgets, skin color, and the highest resolution window to fit any display. The web-based bid management system also features multi-lingual capabilities in English, Spanish, and French on both the general contractor user side and their subcontractors’ side of the portal. With dramatically faster load times, time to load on all screens has dropped by as much as 75% in testing and users now have the ability to search all subcontractor and project data in real-time with instant results on their data grids.

“We believe construction professionals should not settle for any less in their business software than what is available in their consumer technology.  With this latest version, we’ve made our user interface as intuitive and customizable as any personal applications our clients use. The user interface is essential to a positive user experience and there is no reason business software should not be applying the same quality of design as consumer software,” stated JBKnowledge President James Benham.

Hundreds of commercial construction companies across the US, Caribbean, Canada, and Middle East currently use SmartBidNet to manage commercial construction prequalification, invitation to bid, subcontractor data, and project document distribution and collaboration. Version 12 will be available to all clients on an opt-in basis, at first, and officially implemented for all users in November 2012.

To learn more about SmartBidNet Version 12 and get an online demo or 30 day free trial visit: http://www.smartbidnet.com/version12

Construction in the Cloud: What Are You So Afraid Of?

Published in AGC TechBrief
By James Benham
President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc. and SmartBidNet

There’s a good chance the entirety of your personal data resides in the cloud (e.g., email, social media accounts, banking accounts, calendar, etc.). You’re able to access the digital information you need every day from your home and mobile devices because the cloud centralizes, organizes, and disseminates that data to the most convenient access point for you. Some of you may read the privacy and security statements before signing up for online banking, for example; others assume that the large population of people already employing the service know what they're doing. Either way, you put a great deal of trust in your consumer technology services and devices every day. In return, your technology gives you a mobility, redundancy and efficiency that was unattainable before the original cloud, the Internet, graced our horizon.

Now consider the technology you use exclusively at work on a daily basis. How much of your information is stored on your computer desktop, in a file cabinet, on the company's internal servers, or on servers hosted remotely via cloud services? I'm willing to bet the amount of work data you access from the cloud is significantly less than the amount of personal data you access from the cloud. The 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report revealed that out of over 450 commercial construction industry respondents, 30.4 percent...

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7 Days...

Until we officially launch SmartBidNet Version 12, a new era in construction bid software. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or LinkedIn for daily updates and peeks at the new look, feel, and voice of SmartBidNet construction bid software.  

2012 Construction Technology Integration Report Reveals Lack of Cloud Adoption and Need for Integration in Construction Industry

Published in Construction Business Owner
September 13, 2012

Compiled from survey responses of over 450 construction professionals, the report shows a surprising number of companies still storing and transferring project data in spreadsheets. 

Bryan, Texas (September 13, 2012) - First presented at the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) IT Forum in Chicago, the results from the 2012 Construction Technology Integration (CTI) Survey have been released in a full report and accompanying infographic by JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., developers of SmartBidNet construction bid software. The 2012 CTI Report compiles and analyzes responses from over 450 industry professionals who answered questions on their companies’ cloud construction software usage, mobile expectations, and application integrations.

“I recently stated in my keynote address at the 2012 AGC IT Forum, and still believe, that many firms in the construction industry are “just this side of pen and paper when it comes to technology.” Too many companies are not integrating data or seeking solutions that integrate data. I hope this report serves as a call to action to both construction software end-users andproviders to raise expectations and standards of data integration to the levels offered in other industries,” stated JBKnowledge President James Benham in the Foreword of the CTI Report.

The report holds a number of enlightening and concerning statistics on construction software and the integration capabilities available and in use. While more firms are considering mobilecapabilities in purchasing decisions, many firms are still afraid of accounting software “in the cloud.” In the end, a high percentage are still settling for the manual transfer of data via spreadsheets instead of adopting automated, integrated software. A glimmer of hope lies in the surprising number of firms adopting Building Information Modeling software, a technology previously viewed as a luxury only for larger scale design and build firms.

After exploring the different categories and brands of software in use, the report investigates how many applications each professional uses in a day and how those solutions transfer data internally, if at all. The numbers indicate a serious lack in cross-application integration between construction processes due to a lack of integration development between individual software providers. In the conclusion, the report evaluates the cause of slow adoption of integrations among industry software providers and how the Construction Open Software Alliance (COSA) hopes to overcome the obstacles. COSA is committed to developing standards in open APIs, based on of the 2007 AGC XML initiative, to facilitate integration between the industry’s various software providers.

To download a free copy of the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report visit:http://www.smartbidnet.com/ctisurvey.
To view the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report Infographic visit: http://www.smartbidnet.com/infographics

An information technology services and products provider, JBKnowledge specializes in enterprise applications and databases, electronic data interchange, strategy consulting, mobile solutions, and web design and development. Makers of SmartBidNet, construction bid software, thecompany is based in Bryan/College Station, TX, and serves construction clients on an international basis.

Click here to see the original article in Construction Business Owner 

Associated General Contractors of America IT Forum Conference Rocks Chicago

By Jeanie J. Clapp
Published August 28, 2012
AGC TechBrief 

The fourth annual AGC IT Forum Conference kicked off at the Swissotel in Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 16 with more than 225 attendees eager to learn, ready to share and willing to engage.

"Where Technology and Construction Converge" was the theme and focused on hot topics, such asinteroperability in the cloud, mobile computing, enterprise content management (ECM), affordable solutions and IT trends.

James Benham ignited the event on the first day with his exciting keynote presentation on interoperability in the cloud. Benham, founder and president of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., stressed the importance of integration. As he noted, other industries are integrating and the construction industry should be as well. "Why can’t we come up with simple de facto standards that exist?" he asked the audience. While agcXML was the industry’s attempt at establishing standards in 2007, adoption unfortunately did not take place.

Enter the Construction Open Software Alliance (COSA).

According to Benham, COSA is comprised of five small software companies that will work together to create industry standards. Those companies are Cloud Takeoff, eSub, Note Vault, Online Plan Service and SmartBidNet. The captured audience at the AGC IT Forum Conference was the first to hear of this exciting new development.

COSA will work to develop quality, robust out-of-the box integration that endorses agcXML standards. Benham stressed, however, that in order to impact change, users must demand integration, participate in the standard and try cloud integrated software. For more information on COSA, readers should visit www.constructionosa.org.

Click here to read the full article 

James Benham Introduces COSA & Shares Results of the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report in Keynote Address at AGC IT Forum in Chicago

James Benham shares the results of the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report in Keynote address at AGC IT Forum in Chicago, Illinois on August 16. Thirty-five percent of respondents not using any type of construction software solution.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) August 16, 2012

The results from the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Survey were presented today at the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) IT Forum in Chicago by keynote speaker James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., developers of SmartBidNet construction bid software. Compiled from the responses of over 450 industry professionals who took the survey, the results revealed interesting numbers and opinions on cloud software usage, mobile expectations, and application integration throughout the construction industry.

The most staggering statistic revealed that among the hundreds of construction companies, at least 35% of respondents in each product category were not using any type of construction software solution and as a result are using excel or other manual processes.

“Not only do we want to share these results to increase awareness of what construction software are out there and how they’re being used, but we also want to initiate discussion and feedback on how these solutions can be better integrated with the other solutions that end-users depend upon. This survey is a call to action to tech providers to improve their services and give AEC companies the capabilities they require to complete their projects,” stated Benham.

The official report will be released to survey participants on August 31st, and available upon request by visiting http://www.smartbidnet.com/ctisurvey. The results are said to be the driving force behind the Construction Open Software Alliance (COSA), also introduced by Mr. Benham during the keynote. COSA is an organization of technology providers working to create standards in open APIs to facilitate integration between the industry’s software providers.

“eSUB is pleased to participate in an effort to standardize construction software systems integration and facilitate a seamless workflow that provides the most options for our end-users. Contractors want to have choices when it comes to their software providers, and the opportunity to integrate those choices. Ultimately, that’s what drives us all to be better. With COSA, we’re laying the foundation to make that happen and it’s exciting,” stated Benny Baltrotsky of eSUB Construction Software, COSA member.

Over 200 construction information technology professionals gathered in Chicago to hear Mr. Benham’s keynote and discuss current trends and accompanying issues in the industry in order to stay on the forefront of the technological developments. In addition to Mr. Benham’s keynote presentation, the AGC IT Forum Conference featured sessions on enterprise content management, tablet computing, mobile applications, and many other current issues in construction information technology.

To learn more about the 2012 AGC IT Forum Conference and keynote presentation visit: http://www.smartbidnet.com/agcit 
To request your copy of the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report visit: http://www.smartbidnet.com/ctisurvey

Click here to view the original press release on Yahoo! News​

Seven Must-Have Mobile Apps for the Traveling Construction Professional

The Construction Today Blog
Published on July 27, 2012
By James Benham, President of JBKnowledge

Many construction managers now travel extensively in order to secure projects, visit job sites, and meet with project stakeholders. Areas of work are expanding and technology has made it easier for companies in different regions, states, and countries to work on the same projects remotely, but there still remain project participants who must travel to be onsite, and whose role can’t settle with attending via Skype. For those who sometimes feel that they spend more time finding clothes in their suitcase than their closet, here are some of my favorite mobile apps for traveling.

Google Earth  - The whole world at your fingertips – or maybe just the location of the hotel or construction site you’re trying to find. Google Earth lets you explore anywhere on earth by location, business, geography, photos, integrated Wikipedia articles and more.

Click here to read the full article

James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies Inc., Presents the Exclusive 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report | The Boston Globe

From The Boston Globe via PRWeb
July 30, 2012 

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) has chosen James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., developers of SmartBidNet construction bid software, to deliver the keynote presentation at the 2012 AGC IT Forum. Mr. Benham, an entrepreneur and avid construction technologist, will present exclusive findings from the 2012 Construction Technology Integration Report, compiled from responses of over 400 industry professionals. He will also discuss the latest free and paid solutions for streamlining construction projects in the office, on mobile devices, and at the jobsite.

The 2012 IT Forum will take place in Chicago, August 16-17. Over 200 construction information technology professionals will gather to learn and discuss current trends, issues in the industry and how to stay on the forefront of the technological developments yet to come.

Click here to read the full article

Tech Innovations Simplify and Coordinate the Bid Process

Published in Construction Executive
July 2012
By James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., Maker of SmartBidNet 

Twenty years ago, the preconstruction process involved stacks of paper, trails of phone calls and nothing more high tech than a filing cabinet. Thanks to the cloud, everything from prequalification to proposal review has become paperless, automated and centralized—cutting administrative costs and boosting project efficiency from subcontractors, estimators and construction managers.  

Which technologies are transforming the bid process for today’s general contractors, and what’s in the works to enhance their future operations? Let’s take a look.  

Click here to read the full article 

Building the 2012 London Olympic Village

Published in Construction Today
July 23, 2012
By James Benham, President of JB Knowledge Technologies, Inc., Maker of SmartBidNet 

With the 2012 Summer Olympics in London beginning later this week, regular Construction Today blog contributor James Benham and his team at SmartBidNet recently created a infographic spotlighting all the hard work that has gone into building the Games’ most notable venues.

Click here to see the full article

JBKnowledge's SmartBidNet Software Releases Preconstruction Android App

from the SmartBidNet Blog

College Station, TX (PRWEB) July 16, 2012

SmartBidNet construction bid software introduces the Android version of its mobile application for commercial general contractors. Released from beta testing on July 11, 2012 in the Google Play marketplace, the app provides all functionalities of SmartBidNet’s iOS app for the Google Android operating platform.

“These days, we all value a solution by its mobility and accessibility. I, for one, am not interested in an application unless I can access it seamlessly from my smartphone. We have to assume our clients feel the same way and are very excited to offer this feature to iOS mobile and now Android mobile users. We’re hoping to get lots of feedback from our users to further improve both applications,” stated SmartBidNet President James Benham.

Click here to read the full article