Consolidating siloed processes into a single source of truth

The Challenge

Adera Development Corporation was stuck in the past. Relying on manual processes like pen and paper, spreadsheets and faxing, they needed a better way to manage their portfolio. When they tried various cloud-based programs, nothing fixed their problems. Not giving up, the Adera team sought out the right software.

The Solution

After considering several solutions, Adera finally landed on Procore and consolidated all their siloed processes into a single source of truth. Equipped with a system that works for the team at last, Adera has enjoyed the benefits of working out of an accessible, cloud-based platform every day.

The Results

• Achieved predictable and reliable results through standardized processes across all jobsites
• Enhanced workforce efficiency, allowing the team to maximize productivity during the ongoing labour shortage
• Streamlined operations by digitizing workflows, reducing human error and double entry while saving time and increasing security

Digital Transformation on the Horizon

Adera Development Corporation, the leading multi-disciplinary real estate organization in British Columbia, has been championing “Live West Coast,” for over 50 years. Building across the greater Vancouver area, Adera’s scope ranges from commercial to multi-family, townhouses, multi-story condos and more. With a project portfolio of over 10,000 homes in the past 45+ years, Adera has the expertise and passion to keep building into the future. Adera is also dedicated to sustainable building practices and uses their proprietary SmartWood®, an innovative form of Cross Laminated Mass Timber (CLT). Unlike traditional timber, SmartWood® has a cleaner carbon footprint, better fire safety ratings and prefabrication means more efficient processes.

To support their legacy of excellence, Adera wanted—and needed—to undergo a digital transformation. While they had a great team, they were stuck in paper, spreadsheets and faxes. While manual processes made it difficult for the organization to stay up to date, it also invited security risks and created more unnecessary work. Adera tried several cloud-based systems, but none of them panned out for the needs of the business. After struggling to find a solution that met their organizational challenges, Adera found Procore.

Dave Shumyla, a project manager as well as manager of customer service and quality at Adera, credits Procore for helping make the whole organization more efficient. “Before using Procore, we did things the old-school way,” recalls Shumyla. “It was a lot of paper, it was a lot of faxing. We used Excel to track things. We tried to use Dropbox. We tried to use other cloud-based programs, but nothing really solved the problems that we had. It was archaic. Some of the biggest changes in getting away from pen and paper have been time-saving. Information travels a lot faster. So our site team, our project managers, management, everybody gets to see what's happening a lot quicker. When we go to look at our costs, the old POs, the paper POs, those can get lost and so you can lose money, unfortunately. Whereas this way, everything’s instant and it's easy to track.”

Now, all Adera jobsites enjoy a sense of cohesion because they’re all running on Procore. This standardization has been a game-changer for the team. “We use Procore to make sure that all the sites are running the same way,” Shumyla reports. “We have how-tos, we have best practices to make sure that each site's superintendent, the PM, everybody knows that we need to. Whether it's POs or how we do our observations or safety, everything runs the same, no matter which site you go to.”

A New Era of Innovation

No longer having to rely on manual processes to manage their portfolio, the Canadian owner-developer is able to focus their efforts on paving their own unique way of building. “At Adera, we try to be innovative. We try to do things that will push the boundary, but it's something that we can replicate and keep doing. And it's not just a quick flash in the pan—we want it to be sustainable. We want to be able to do this for the future,” says Shumyla.

Shumyla and the rest of the team have been reaping the benefits of software that finally supplies the platform they need. Gone are the days of paper and pencil—now Adera is able to confidently build, equipped with the right solution for an owner-developer like them.

“Procore has made it a lot more efficient,” says Shumyla. “We use things like the punch list, we use the POs, we use the financial package. We use all of it to make it quicker and easier for our guys onsite to build. Of the processes we've gone digital with, the big one is POs—that's been the biggest time saver. Our drawings are all digital now, which is also amazing. Our SIs, any changes, go right into the drawings, so we're always using the best drawings, which is awesome.”

The Adera team appreciates the impact that Procore has had on the organization and the way information is now available at their fingertips. This means that key data can readily be shared, securely, with pertinent stakeholders. Shumyla is happy to have a system that makes day-to-day operations better.

“As a project manager, Procore lets me see everything that's happening right away, which I love,” says Shumyla. “I don't have to wait for the mailbag to come in. I can see the POs, I can see observations, I can see any safety concerns—I see it right away. I see our RFIs and punch lists. I love to know what's going on right now.”

Navigating Unique Challenges with Procore

Unlike previous cloud-based solutions that Adera tried out, Procore is suited to meet the needs of the business. Built by construction for construction, Procore allows Adera to exceed expectations. “Procore is more than just for general contractors,” says Shumyla. “It's for anybody who needs to be collaborating, who needs to bring things together, who wants a team to see everything that's happening and to have real transparency. The only thing that's consistent with construction will always be, you just have to get it built. You have the project, you have to get it done. How are you going to do it? That's the biggest thing. Because the tools change, the materials are changing, the platform we use is changing, but we still have to build our buildings.”

Procore has also helped Adera navigate through the ongoing labor shortage. Workers are attracted to come work at Adera because of their commitment to sustainability as well as technology. “The labor shortage is a big issue worldwide and the only way to solve it is using technology,” says Shumyla. “Without technology, we're stuck. We can use it to be more efficient since we need to be able to build with who we have. We can't expect more people. So to do that, we need to use programs like Procore. Because it's the only way to build and to get it done when we need to, in the quality that we need to, and still make a profit for the management team.”