Build Smarter, Not Harder: The Five Benefits of Project Controls for Companies in Construction

As a construction professional, you know that managing projects can be challenging. Whether you’re building a new structure, renovating an existing one, or conducting maintenance work, there are many factors to consider, including cost, schedule, and quality. That’s where project controls come in – they are a set of management tools and processes that can help you keep your projects on track and achieve your goals. 

Improved Project Planning

One of the key benefits of project controls is that they can help you plan your projects better. By defining project scope, identifying potential risks, and creating a realistic schedule, you can avoid surprises along the way, stay on track with your timeline, and ensure that you deliver the quality you want. This is especially important in the construction industry, where projects can be complex and involve many different stakeholders.

Better Communication

Another important benefit of project controls in construction is that they can help you communicate better with your team and clients. Communication is essential to the success of any construction project, and project controls can help you establish clear lines of communication, set expectations, and keep everyone on the same page. This can help to avoid misunderstandings and delays, and ultimately lead to better project outcomes.

Cost Savings

Cost control is also a key benefit of project controls in construction. With tight budgets and thin margins, it’s essential to make every dollar count. Project controls can help you identify potential cost savings opportunities, such as optimizing the use of resources, reducing waste, and avoiding unnecessary expenditures. This can help you complete projects within budget and maximize your return on investment.

Risk Management

Risk management is another important benefit of project controls in construction. Construction projects involve many risks, such as changes in design, weather conditions, and unexpected events. Project controls can help you manage these risks by identifying potential risks, assessing their impact, and implementing mitigation strategies. This can help to minimize the likelihood and impact of risks, ensuring that projects are completed successfully.

Increased Efficiency

Finally, project controls can help you be more efficient in construction. By streamlining your project management processes, you can reduce the time and effort required to complete projects, enabling you to take on more projects and increase your profitability. This is especially important in the competitive construction industry, where efficiency is key to staying ahead of the competition.

In conclusion, project controls are an essential tool for construction professionals looking to succeed in project management. By helping you plan better, communicate better, save money, manage risks, and be more efficient, project controls can help you achieve your goals and take your business and construction projects to the next level. So if you’re a construction professional, consider implementing project controls today!

Our Project Controls professionals are available for a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how project controls can benefit your business or projects, or to review and improve your existing processes. Don’t hesitate to book your call today.

About MicAyla Inc.

MicAyla Inc. offers customized project controls services for construction companies and projects in various sectors. With over 150 years of combined experience, we use the latest in technology and best practices to provide highquality solutions that prioritize safety, sustainability, and accuracy.

“Partners in Economic and Ecosocial Empowerment”

Contact

MicAyla Inc.

2200 Post Oak Blvd,
Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77056

MicAyla Inc. © 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Stay in touch

[mc4wp_form id="461" element_id="style-11"]

Subscribe for the updates!

[mc4wp_form id="461" element_id="style-11"]

Caroline Alabi

With over 27 years of experience, including 15 years as a Project Controls Professional, Caroline has a proven track record of developing and implementing cost controls in capital programs and projects, with a focus on the oil and gas industry. Her expertise is particularly extensive in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and the downstream sector. She is the creator of the Estimate to Complete/Estimate at Completion workbook, which enables the accurate forecasting of project performance upon completion. Caroline has been recognized for her exceptional performance, receiving both the Core Innovative Award and Outstanding Employee Performance award. Additionally, she provides valuable mentorship to the Cost Control team.

 Career Highlights:

  • Project Cost Controller at BASF, responsibilities included overseeing the cost control process for several major capital projects during both the detailed engineering and construction phases. She was responsible for preparing and maintaining accurate project cost forecasts and providing detailed variance explanations for root cause analysis. This involves preparing Work Breakdown Structures, Cashflow reports, and creating project cost reports.
  • Lead Cost Engineer at BP-Husky, responsible for overseeing project cost forecasts, Work Breakdown Structures, benchmarking, Cashflow reports, Management of Change tracking, finance, procurement and supply chain management interface, and project reporting for projects totaling over half a billion dollars. The projects she managed include the Crude Processing Metallurgical Upgrade, which safely enables increased capacity of Hi-TAN crude, feed optimization for the Desalters, and the installation of a new FCC Naphtha Post Treater at the BP-Husky Refining LLC (BPH) Toledo Refinery to meet US EPA Tier 3 gasoline regulations.
  • Lead Cost Engineer at BP GOM Thunderhorse Offshore Water Injection (Worley Parsons): A BP brown field project on water injection efficiencies on the Thunder horse platform. Where she was responsible for EPC cost reporting and forecasting, management of project change control, WIP /VOWD, internal financial reporting to Worley Parsons.
  • Project Controls Lead at BP Thunder Horse & BP Atlantis (FMC Technologies Inc) :FMC managed BP projects in the GOM for subsea production system; Scope included subsea trees, manifolds, pressure cap, and completions services to BP.

Tom O'brien

Thomas has over 34 years of experience in project management, project service, and controls across a range of sectors, including oil and gas, infrastructure, buildings, power, petrochemical, and commercial construction industries. He possesses hands-on expertise in all phases of EPC work, from FEED through execution and closeout, and has extensive experience in contract administration, scope development, and execution. His work includes both onshore and offshore projects, as well as upstream and downstream operations. His technical proficiency is complemented by field construction experience.

SME in Planning and Scheduling, Project Controls, Risk Analysis and Claim Mitigation. Experience writing and auditing Project Execution Plans (PEPs) and Procedures. Expert use of industry software including Primavera P6 and MS Project. PMI Cost Management REP.

Career Highlights:

Project Services/Controls /Manager on the following Oil & Gas major projects:

  • Jazan ASU Project – Largest (6) Train Air Separation Units in the world. Jazan, KSA
  • BP Plant Wide Modernization Project included (4) new units (Crude, Coker, Hydrotreater, SRU) ($10.2B). Whiting, IN
  • Pipeline Crude Oil “C” Sunoco Oil (4) Simultaneous New LSG Units ($2.1B). USA
  • (3) Simultaneous New Ultra-Low Diesel units ($900M). USA
  • Regen Head Replacement & New COB Boiler, Marcus Hook PA
  • Offshore Platform and Undersea pipelines replacement, Bahama Oil Co

Schedule Risk, Cost Risk, and Claims Management assignments include:

  • Defend claims for various clients in the Middle East.
  • Defended Claims and Deposed as Expert witness on FPL Co-gen, Marcus Hook PA ($750M).
  • Authored claim for a contractor for $3.6M, settled for $3.1M,
  • Successfully Defended $20M delay claim on behalf of the owner on New Gas Oil Hydro Treater Unit ($1.2B). (Negotiated $20M claim to $6.2M),
  • Successfully Defended schedule delay claim on behalf of the owner on Mining & Metal: Phase 2 & 3 New Tunnel and Aluminium Smelter ($14 B) Terms Confidential.