First Balfour Inc., the Lopez Group’s construction and engineering arm, has adopted an AI-powered construction management system (CMS) that integrates into a single platform the planning, execution and monitoring of its projects for faster and more efficient management.
In acquiring the CMS software, First Balfour reached a new milestone by becoming the first construction company in the Philippines to harness the capabilities of Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) with AI-powered cost management and advanced analytics dashboards.
“In the past, it took days or even weeks to gather project information. Now, with this platform, everyone can be online in just minutes,” said Rey G. Villar, First Balfour managing director for construction operations. “The launch of the CMS stands as a testament to the company’s commitment to driving excellence, advancing innovation, and shaping the future of construction.”
First Balfour announced its adoption of the CMS on 16 September, following its agreement with CIM Technologies Inc. for First Balfour’s use of the ACC. CIM Technologies, a leading Philippine provider of design automation technology solutions, is authorized to offer the ACC.
First step for operational efficiency
Anthony L. Fernandez, First Balfour vice chairman and chief executive officer, explained that the launch of the CMS, along with First Balfour’s partnership with Autodesk and CIM Technologies, represents the company’s “first major step in adopting cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance project management and operational efficiency.”
According to John F. Peralta, First Balfour’s overall CMS project champion, the CMS “brings all the aspects of our projects together in one place — from tender, planning, and scheduling, to cost tracking, document management, and collaboration.
“It will not only improve coordination, but also significantly boost project productivity across all our projects,” Peralta stressed.
Dennis Lim, Autodesk construction account executive, for his part remarked: “Because of this collective effort, we’ll be seeing meaningful results: improved coordination across disciplines, data-driven cost control, higher quality and safety outcomes, and a future-ready foundation with open integrations.”
The CMS is built on the foundation of First Balfour’s 2024 initiative, called Project UNLAD (Unleashing Next-Level Automation and Digitalization). According to Fernandez, Project UNLAD marked the “beginning of a bigger digital journey.”
A subsidiary of Lopez-led First Philippine Holdings Corporation, First Balfour has been involved in building some of the country’s largest infrastructure projects.
