Clean, renewable energy projects — powered by platform.
The Challenge
With PowerFlex’s large suite of offerings and unique projects, they were in need of a technology partner to help their teams collaborate. The nature of their business meant projects tend to vary greatly from one another. That variance alongside increasing materials pricing motivated PowerFlex to commit to finding the best ways to scale their work efficiently. Dupas spoke with us about the need to organize projects and make project processes as replicable as possible to ensure continued growth and profitability. PowerFlex needed a single source of truth for their portfolio of solutions, unique projects, and ambitious goals.
The Solution
Initially driven by a need to make sure the office and field were working seamlessly and in real time with the same sets of drawings, PowerFlex started working with Procore in 2017. They quickly realized how many of Procore’s other tools could help them improve their processes.
They branched out to use the complete Procore Platform, making it easier for collaboration between the folks on the ground running the projects, the teams in the office, and the executive and client stakeholders. Now PowerFlex pulls data from all aspects of the construction process into one place, from drawings to RFIs to budgets and reports.
The Results
“The biggest advantage of being able to use online tools like Procore is team collaboration. I have access to everything from our projects, even if I wasn't on the email. That really allows me to do my job efficiently instead of having to look for information.”
Lucie Dupas
Vice President of Execution
Procore Adds New Layers of Flexibility in a Complex Sector
In a high-tech sector like clean energy, change is an ever-present challenge for companies in the space. “There are always new technologies, new markets, and new labor requirements. At the state level, there are many new programs for zero carbon incentives. That has driven business for us. But programs have requirements, including reporting, quality control, and documentation, that have forced changes. Working with Procore, we’ve been able to implement changes, such as adding approval workflows to purchase orders and automating our scope of work process,” says Dupas.
These changes enable teams to work more efficiently, reduce time spent on administrative tasks, and improve reporting and auditability. And working in Procore has enabled PowerFlex to quickly create new custom templates that makes processes more repeatable.
Data + Financials + Analytics = Visibility
PowerFlex also works with Procore to ensure visibility into budgets and profit margins. “We were using budgets on a project level, and adding analytics has allowed us to see the portfolio level,” shares Dupas. Using a combination of Procore Analytics and Power BI, PowerFlex can run detailed monthly financial forecasts, and project managers have been empowered to review budgets and provide variances right from the platform.
“Procore Analytics provides the team with accurate budgets on a regular basis and allows us to share those numbers with stakeholders for increased transparency throughout the entire process,” says Dupas.
Procore as a Learning Tool
Implementing the Procore Platform allowed PowerFlex to implement best practices in construction management and apply those practices in ways that worked for them. Through their Procore-aided training efforts, PowerFlex was able to train team members internally and get them certified.
