INDUSTRY INTELLIGENCE
Despite hopes of a turnaround, the
construction sector remains in the
doldrums. Its contribution to GDP
contracted slightly in 2019, continuing a
slide that has been happening since 2017,
writes Chris de Bruyn, operations director
at Gabsten.
The picture isn’t likely to change soon
and as a result Architecture, Engineering
& Construction (AEC) companies are
‘building-in’ business optimisation to
ensure continuation.
Myopic mindsets have unfortunately
led many to neglect managing their data.
There still remains traditional views in the
industry that data is not a vital component
to operations. Yet AEC is a very data-
dependent sector. Sharing accurate
information and establishing a ‘single
truth’ are crucial for timely delivery and
healthier margins.
Such measures have become even
more important in the current market.
The costs of materials are steadily rising,
so efficiencies have to be found in other
places. Those gaps hide in the data and
how it’s being handled. Mismanagement,
cost overruns, budgeting, poor asset
ROI, opaque procurement, supplies
theft, and miscalculations are all areas
rife with opportunity for improvements.
If a business in the AEC value chain is
exploiting its data thereby fully applying
their data insights, it can enjoy many
terrific gains. But those ignoring their data
are losing out.
They are also putting themselves
at serious risk. Cyber-attacks on AEC
companies are rising, particularly against
construction businesses operating across
various sites, some of which are remote,
with many devices in the field. These are
candy to cyber criminals. Yet some owners
and managers don’t even believe they will
be targeted.
However, online crime has become an
illicit business that is more profitable than
narcotics or weapons. Large dedicated
teams plunder business accounts, and
their means of attack keep evolving.
Business can now be targeted through
Data does heavy lifting
The South African construction industry is still in the doldrums.
their data. Ransomware is a particularly
effective way to do this: just one email can
result in the encryption of all the reachable
company data. The cyber criminals then
demand a ransom to unlock the files.
Emails, customer lists, supply databases,
project artefacts - all gone, bringing
business to a standstill and often causing
delay penalties.
It’s open season on companies that
rely on data but aren’t securing that data.
The same companies are also those not
investigating what efficiencies their data
can generate. That data is everywhere:
part of desktop spreadsheets, in employee
emails, on a laptop sitting in an unlocked
bakkie on-site. A business that doesn’t
know its data can’t explore that data to
isolate opportunities for better returns and
improvements. Yet, the dual challenges
of security and data analytics can also
support each other.
By introducing a data management
culture, a business can make sense of
what it has and how to protect it.
Data becomes increasingly secure and
useful once categorised, including sharing
and coordination across different parties.
Every building project is a value chain of
For the latest industry and association news,
events/exhibitions information, articles, etc.
suppliers and providers - a cyberattack can
target any of those. Yet, sharing the right
data with partners, collaborators, clients
and suppliers will achieve the best results.
Knowing your data is the foundation of
attaining all of the above.
You can’t secure everything, but you
can ensure you’re ready for a disaster. A
well-designed Business Continuity (BC)
and Disaster Recovery (DR) strategy lays
the groundwork for secure and exploitable
data. The plan takes shape by auditing
your data and business environments.
Audit results are used to identify the types
of data and components, such as device
management and storage requirements.
Once a BC plan is in place, and regularly
tested, you are ready even if an attack
happens. Extra security, analytics, and
sharing services can then be added.
Times are tough for construction
companies. But even as they hunker down
and wait for the storm to pass, they can
gain ground by analysing their data. Is it
secure? Is it accessible? Is it delivering
value? And, if the worst happens, can it
be recovered? Answering ‘yes’ to these
questions should be a priority for every
AEC organisation.
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4
MARCH 2020
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