No one could have predicted the speed and reach of COVID-19 in the last few months, or the overall impact to the construction industry. There have been drastic changes in operations and implementation along with disruptions to the industry’s supply chain. Safety on the job site has become more important than ever, especially as contractors focus on preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Financial standing plays a major role in construction projects, and coming out of COVID-19 will be no different. Because of the pandemic’s far-reaching impact, there may be unforeseen delays in project funding due to the dip in Q1 market conditions and Q2 earnings reports. In North Texas, for example, more than $2 billion in bond referendums were pushed from May 2020 to November 2020, and potentially even further. The biggest uncertainty is that the pandemic’s true depth is not understood, but the construction industry is made up of committed and hardworking thought leaders who will push through and work together to resolve these challenges.

As contractors continue to monitor daily changes in the industry and look to a post-COVID-19 world, it is important to take a moment and evaluate what practices have been implemented during these challenging times that could be carried over to a post-pandemic world.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the industry has been challenged to create an even safer jobsite. Adolfson & Peterson, a general contractor based in Richardson, Texas, has implemented project safety and industrial hygiene protocols that far exceed CDC and state recommendations or requirements.

The company provides health screening options through multiple methods for its trade partners, including the use of Procore Construction Management technology for ease of tracking screenings, thus increasing efficiency factors related to jobsite safety. The technology behind contactless and paperless screening questionnaires continues to improve, making information gathering even safer. The company plans to continue exploring new safety enhancements, even in a post-COVID world, that meet expectations for a safe and healthy jobsite, which includes the use of UV lighting solutions.

The implementation of LEAN building concepts to reduce waste of materials and time, will continue to be a major push for the industry. Concepts such as prefabrication, modular construction and streamlined communications will be even more valued as primary productivity initiatives. This will be especially true as the industry continues to navigate the potential of significant impacts in the supply chain and workforce.

Another challenge is the continued material delays, particularly related to supplies sourced from countries that were hit the hardest, such as China and Italy. Trade relations between countries will have a significant impact on the supply chain. Contractors must be thoughtful in how to make their supply chain “COVID-proof” by developing contingency plans and buffers for the most time sensitive materials and equipment.

For example, one of Adolfson & Peterson’s larger projects in North Texas, a fine arts facility and natatorium, includes a Myrtha pool, which is a competition pool also used in the Olympics and only manufactured in Italy. Early during the COVID-19 outbreak, the company could see Italy was going to be significantly impacted, so it moved quickly to secure all the pool components one week before the facility, and the entire country of Italy, shut down.

Lastly, the power of communication has been very evident during this time. Because of fast-changing safety protocols, the need for constant communication with the entire project team is paramount, so the collective teams are clearly communicating expectations to onsite crews.

When COVID-19 hit domestically in March, the company quickly and efficiently enhanced communications efforts. The preconstruction team held weekly coordination calls with trade partners to keep a constant pulse on the industry. These calls were the lifeline to moving forward during the pandemic. Important topics such as receiving a full understanding of market conditions such as supplier pricing changes, labor impacts and what is being done internally to handle the situation were discussed. Moving forward, clear and defined communication channels for the whole team are crucial to enduring a pandemic and implementing as a strong business practice. The company will continually evaluate where and how to enhance its communication processes.

The construction industry has shown strength and resiliency, specifically when it comes to the importance of relationships with trade partners. Adolfson & Peterson worked side-by-side with its partners to reallocate resources, including the valuable work force, from delayed projects to active ones with a goal of keeping everyone employed and able to provide for their families. The industry needs to make sure that as things go back to whatever normal will look like, that it continues to value these relationships and evaluate best practices across the board.