How Power Design Uses OpenSpace
to Enhance Productivity andFuture-Proof Operations
The multi-trade, design-build contractor uses tech to transform how it builds

Goal: Implement Robust, Standardized
Documentation to Improve Collaboration

Melvin Gonzalez, Director of Field Technology, and Daves

St. Petersburg, Florida-based Power Design works.

across multiple trades, including electrical, mechanical,plumbing, and systems technologies, at sites across theVargas-Ballestero, IT Field Manager, spearheaded theintegration of OpenSpace’s reality capture solution.

Strategy: Deploy OpenSpace to Fully
Document Jobsites Weekly

United States. Rooted in principles of collaboration andinnovation, the company wanted to invest in technology

Power Design began testing OpenSpace in 2018. “We reallythat could standardize documentation and offer all teams

were aiming to create consistency around documentation

greater transparency and access to jobsite conditions.

across the country,” Gonzalez said. The company wanted
not only to capture the condition of jobsites but also toWith projects in over 23 states and thousands of workers

keep office staff looped into key conversations. This newnationwide, Power Design needed a solution that was easytransparency, they hoped, would streamline workflows andto use, would reduce project base costs, and facilitate

increase productivity.

communication without adding to field teams’ daily tasks.
When OpenSpace was initially deployed at three locations,
there was a bit of a learning curve for field and IT staff.

We consider OpenSpace a timemachine. We always have all thehistorical information we need,which is super important for
many reasons.”
Daves Vargas-Ballestero, IT Field Manager,
U.S. Engineering“OpenSpace proved its value, and it started to make ourlives easier,” Vargas-Ballestero said.
With buy-in from executive teams and enthusiasm fromfield crews driving its expansion, Power Design soon rolled
out OpenSpace across the company. It developed standard
operating procedures to standardize documentation,
including how and when to walk a project site with

OpenSpace and a 360° camera, and extensive training
programs for OpenSpace’s many applications.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” Gonzalez said, “and50%

SOME PROJECT MANAGERS HAVEREDUCED TRAVEL TO DISTANTSITES BY 50%.

15K

AS MUCH AS $15,000 SAVED ON
INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.

in this case, it is invaluable for knowing where we stand on
every project.”

Results: Cost and Time Savings, Which Are
Transferred to the Customer
Today, documenting sites with OpenSpace is one ofCollaboration and Productivity: With all in-office andthree mandatory processes for every Power Design

on-site team members looped in regarding the latest siteproject. From site planning to final review, field teams

conditions, the company is seeing that meetings are moretake weekly walks on every project to track progress, flagefficient, project issues are more rapidly identified andissues, and create a single source of truth that has proven

remedied, and misunderstandings between cross-functional

indispensable.

teams are minimized. “Communication is everything ona job,” Vargas-Ballestero said, “and communication has“We’re improving every day by trying new things and new

improved with OpenSpace.” More effective collaboration

features with OpenSpace,” Vargas-Ballestero reported.

has led to better and faster decision-making, which

Gonzalez agreed: “Everyone in the field totally relies onhelpsPowerDesign

meet—orbeat—deadlines.

OpenSpace. It always has our backs.”
Issue Resolution: Historical imagery can help swiftly
resolve

Power Design is seeing benefits in the following areas:

disputes.

Automatic

timestamping

allowsthe right photos to be easily and quickly located.
Cost Savings: When there is always proof of how, when,
and where something was done, teams can quickly

Future-proofing the Business: “Everything we invested

resolve issues and avoid costly rework and overcharges

in OpenSpace paid off during COVID-19,” Gonzalez said.

fromaWhile construction was deemed “essential” and on-sitetime machine,” Vargas-Ballestero said. “We always

work largely continued amid lockdowns, management

have all the historical information we need, which isteams working from home remained productive because

super important for many reasons.” On some projects,

they retained visibility on every site. “Because ofPower Design is seeing as much as $15,000 in savings.

OpenSpace, we were able to continue advancing despite

subcontractors.

“Weconsider

OpenSpacethe difficulties,” Gonzalez said. He and Vargas-BallesteroTime Savings: OpenSpace enables virtual tours for Power

found that amid rising economic uncertainty, the solution

Design’s off-site teams, which removes the redundancy

helps them move forward efficiently and confidently.

of multiple employees visiting on a regular basis. If one

Continued collaboration with teams at OpenSpace also

person has walked the site, teams across the country

enables them to stay on the cutting edge of construction

can tour it virtually. One West Coast project manager

technology and optimize their operations.

reduced cross-country travel for site visits by 50 percent.