4D Planning: Unlocking the Future of Digital Construction


In today’s fast-paced construction environment, project managers and teams face a multitude of challenges — delays, miscommunication, and resource bottlenecks can all derail even the most well-planned projects. The 4D Planning | Unlocking the Future of Digital Construction series was designed to address these exact pain points, offering insights into how 4D planning can transform the way you plan, manage, and deliver projects. Throughout the series, experts from across industries shared their experiences with leveraging 4D models to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, and mitigate risks. Whether you're managing complex construction projects or looking to improve operational efficiency, the takeaways from this series can help you unlock new levels of project success. 

Pawel Krecz, Founder & Managing Consultant at Krebo Professional Services, posed some insightful questions to the live attendees during the first session, "Understanding the Fundamentals of 4D Planning." The responses revealed that 94% of attendees believe 4D planning should be used often or always in construction project management.

 

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When asked where they find the most value in 4D planning:

 

Interestingly, 0% of those surveyed believe 4D planning offers no measurable benefits. This raises the question: why isn't 4D planning used on every construction project?

Christopher Brown, Managing Director of Oakwood Engineering and a SYNCHRO user since 2008, shared his insights, addressing a key misconception about 4D planning in the construction industry. He emphasized that while 4D is not a silver bullet that will save millions, it significantly improves the quality of outcomes and is an invaluable tool. Chris noted that 4D planning won't save 25% on a $200 million project or reduce the program by 20 weeks, but it does increase the likelihood of delivering projects on time and under budget. He also highlighted that construction coordination should be treated with the same importance as design coordination.

 

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While a Return on Investment (ROI) can be measured, however it is challenging, it shouldn't be the sole determinant of 4D planning's value. The surveyed attendees highlighted several key values of 4D planning:

Validation of Work Sequences/Simulations 

In high-risk environments, poor planning can lead to safety hazards and operational failures. 4D planning allows teams to digitally rehearse each project step, identifying and mitigating risks beforehand. For example, Marimuthu Karthikeyan, Piping Manager at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – SEA, shared how 4D planning reduced the need for 900-ton cranes in a live gas plant, saving significant resources. "SYNCHRO gave us confidence to remove critical equipment in a live gas plant. The risk of error was high, but with 4D models, we could plan every step meticulously," he said.

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Prasanjeet Biswass, Regional Business Development Head at Arth Design Build, discussed using SYNCHRO 4D on a metro project in Singapore to simulate tunnel construction. One key capability they rely on is baseline/scenario comparison, especially when reviewing the impact of a late start. "The impact of these delays is significant and can have a ripple effect. SYNCHRO is useful for comparing both scenarios," Prasanjeet noted.

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Coordination and Project Logistics 

Uncertainty in project timelines can lead to rework, missed deadlines, and wasted resources. SYNCHRO 4D enables teams to visually simulate project progression and identify potential issues early, keeping projects on track. "The ability to visually simulate our project at every stage has been key to maintaining certainty, minimizing rework, and avoiding delays," said Christos Soupalikas, Digital Construction Coordinator at McLaren. McLaren used SYNCHRO 4D for logistic planning on the ExCel Phase 3 project, which had to be converted into a Formula E racetrack mid-project.

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Jason Neff, VDC Manager at Barton Malow Holdings Inc., highlighted the importance of SYNCHRO’s logistic planning capabilities for obtaining permits for the Hudson Project in Detroit. The project, located next to a public railway, required careful management of site access. "Giving the City of Detroit a timeline of what it would take to build this project was crucial," Jason explained.

Conflict Resolution and Controls 

Chris Brown shared an example of using a hydraulic jack to lift a crane as the core structure rose. Upon reaching the 30th floor, the crane could no longer be adjusted hydraulically. Without 4D planning, this limitation might not have been recognized until it was too late. "This is the clearest example we've had of putting a value to 4D planning. It was a direct outcome of having an accurate model," Chris said. The 4D simulation helped identify issues with the crane scheme, leading to a new design that saved £1.5 million.

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Resource Optimization and Cost Planning 

Pawel noted that resource optimization and cost planning are critical areas where 4D planning can add value.

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“My surprise was that it was too low in my opinion. We should focus more on the resource optimisation and the cost planning. This might indicate that this is still a problematic area on the projects. This is where the money really is” - Pawel Krecz, Founder & Managing Consultant, Krebo Professional Services.

Many teams struggle with inconsistent data and manual processes, leading to errors and delays. Digital threads link model geometry with project schedules, ensuring changes are automatically reflected across the project, optimizing resources and planning costs.

"Maintaining a digital thread is just as important as creating it. The process won’t always be smooth, but every project creates more data every day, and if you aren’t using it, why create it?"  - Dylan Underhill, BIM/VDC Advisor, Trillium Advisory Group.

SYNCHRO 4D reduced an estimated 29,050 hours on a multi-billion dollar LNG project by improving scheduling efficiency.

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Ready to unlock your future of digital construction with 4D Planning? Do you want to be the next industry expert sharing your experience. Start today and take the first step!

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