3/22/2019 Accelerating Innovation in the EPC Industry - Bechtel

Safer. Better. Faster. Leaner.

Innovation and the EPC industry: opportunity is

everywhere
Advances in technology, equipment automation, data integration, and virtual
reality create incredible opportunities in the engineering, procurement, and
construction industry. They equip us to work safer, better, faster, and leaner.
Adding this progress to the tried-and-true processes, honed over centuries, that
have delivered the modern marvels of the world is crucial to attracting the next
generation of engineers – including system and software engineers – to an
industry where they can make the impossible a reality.

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SInce 1898, Bechtel has been a pioneer of innovation in the industry. In addition to
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completing thousands of one-of-a-kind projects, we led advances that changed the
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industry forever, such as requiring hardhats be worn at large construction projects; an
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3/22/2019 Accelerating Innovation in the EPC Industry - Bechtel

industry practice that started with Bechtel at the Hoover Dam.

Bechtel’s unique expertise in engineering, procurement and construction in conjunction

with a global reach help us anticipate, create, pilot, and quickly implement new ways of
doing things. Our huge global supply chain exposes us to the best and most innovative
partners.

Our approach
We believe the key to innovation is to learn safe, learn fast, and learn forward. We follow a
six-step internal process to test assumptions, integrate solutions in the business, and
ensure a steady stream of diverse ideas.  Our goal is rapidly to deliver mature innovation
to our projects for the benefit of our customers.

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INVESTING IN IDEAS
The Future Fund was created as an incubator for ideas within Bechtel,
specifically tasked with seeking out new, disruptive ideas from our colleagues,
suppliers, and customers – partners inside and outside our industry. The Future
Fund then finances the ideas that can dramatically improve engineering and
construction processes, quality, and safety. The fund allows ideas to mature
from concept to prototype in a sandbox before deploying as project pilots,
effectively de-risking exploration and innovation for our projects and
customers.  Our end goal: deliver the best for our customers and create a new
way of doing business.  We call this Project 2020 (/about-us/innovation/project-
2020/).

Ideas through implementation

Our colleagues around the world have submitted more than 2,600 ideas, with
over 500 ideas in the prototype stage. Of these ideas, 35 ideas have been
implemented on 42 projects, for a total of 125 deployments. These ideas range
from wearable devices for employees to improve efficiency, using drones
(http://www.expouav.com/news/latest/bechtel-approaches-evaluation-drone-
technology/) to increase accuracy and safety, creating automated mooring
systems, delivering high-risk training via virtual reality
(http://www.constructiondive.com/news/bechtel-rolls-out-virtual-reality-safety-
training/426674/), drill head collision detection, 4-D technology and virtual
reality to improve cargo logistics
(https://issuu.com/breakbulk/docs/issue_5_issuu/27), virtual project delivery,
autonomous equipment, and inflatable scaffolding inspired by children's bounce
houses.

Currently more than $53 million has been committed to prototyping and testing
these new ideas.

Learn more about our approach at Forbes: Less Dust, More Data. Construction
sites have gone high-tech
(http://www.forbes.com/sites/lauriewinkless/2016/05/13/less-dust-more-data-
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■ We have met with more than 50 companies, including the most promising start-
ups in the burgeoning construction tech scene to talk through ideas and
challenges and review their technologies

■ We are co-sponsoring the NASA Centennial 3D Printing

(http://bradley.edu/challenge/) challenge with Bradley University,
Caterpillar, AutoDesk and Brick & Mortar VC

■ We are partnering with NHEO Institute

(https://www.bechtel.com/newsroom/releases/2018/03/bechtel-
partners-with-nheo-institute-to-advance-in/) to advance innovative
safety practices and engagement of craft professionals on construction
sites through their Building a Safer Future Campaign 

■ We were recognized for our enterprise-wide approach to innovation

(https://www.bechtel.com/newsroom/releases/2018/02/bechtel-
recognized-for-innovation-leadership/) by the Business Intelligence
Group as a winner of their 2018 BIG Innovation Awards

■ We collaborate with Station Houston

(https://www.bechtel.com/newsroom/releases/2018/02/partner-station-
houston-support-innovation/) to connect local startups with industry
experts. The partnership focuses on enhancing opportunities for local
entrepreneurs through mentoring and engagement in solving EPC
industry challenges

Investing in the future 

Bechtel has long believed that the future of our industry comes from the next
generation of engineers. One way of investing in our industry’s future is
by partnering with organizations (/about-us/life-at-
bechtel/stewardship/signature-programs/) such as FIRST®, DiscoverE and Junior
Achievement.  We have also sponsored the creation of Dream Big
(http://www.dreambigfilm.com/), an IMAX film geared to children encouraging
them to make a difference through STEM. 

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Bechtel Corporation. All rights reserved.

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