CONSTRUCTIVE THINKING
In construction, a single misplaced pipe or duct can derail schedules and drain budgets – and those mistakes often aren’t caught until the damage is done. Building Information Modeling, or BIM for short, flips that script. Heath Robertson understood how valuable the BIM process can be. A 3D model is created for every element of a project, from walls and HVAC ducts to entire electrical systems, and it contains metadata like materials, dimensions, performance specs and costs. Robertson started VDC Specialists to spot and solve problems on a screen, long before crews hit the job site. A fix takes minutes and keeps projects moving to save clients time, money and more than a few headaches.
“We start where the engineer leaves off, so they have a great design and we just figure out how to build it, down to the nuts-and-bolts level of detail,” Robertson, president and founder of VDC Specialists, said. “We’re building this virtual model before concrete is poured, before steel is hung. We can find a lot of issues that are just naturally within all plans. We’re able to elevate those issues before they become much more expensive and difficult in the field.”
From its headquarters at KU Innovation Park, VDC Specialists brings cutting-edge modeling tools and expertise to incredibly complex projects across industries, from hyperscale data centers to sports stadiums to healthcare projects. Robertson describes it like building blocks. Instead of finding a pile of materials deposited at a job site, prefabricated segments are delivered, ready to be installed quickly and efficiently.
WIRED FOR SUCCESS
VDC Specialists focuses on electrical modeling, which includes electrical BIM coordination and prefabrication support. Services include marking up construction drawings, modeling and coordinating conduit racks, and electrical room layouts, all while ensuring code compliance and clearance.
“It’s getting down to the nitty-gritty, going through the code. We have people with electrical backgrounds for that reason,” said Tristan Webb, the Kansas regional director for VDC Specialists. “It’s vital to get those things done before it goes out to the field. Even if it seems real little, there’s little room for error when they get out to the field. They’re seeing these things come up, and we can knock it out before that even happens.”
VDC prides itself on its work and staying on top of innovations in the field. High-profile clients with large budgets tend to use new technology, providing VDC’s staff with a front row seat to the latest and greatest advancements in the industry. And those insights can be applied to projects of any size. “When we work with people who are at smaller companies on smaller projects, we’re able to harvest those lessons learned,” Robertson said. “Here’s the playbook the biggest players in the U.S. are using right now, and we can help with that.”
That kind of client support has led to VDC’s stellar reputation. “In this industry, it’s a small world,” said Maddie Hines, VDC’s executive assistant. “There’s a lot of construction going on, but things travel fast, and the last thing you want is your name tarnished.” In fact, Robertson says he can trace almost every single current client back to the company’s very first project. “We have a great track record of showing up, doing the job, and just being the team that everybody on the project knows they can count on,” he said.
PERKS OF THE PARK
Robertson started VDC in 2008 out of a spare bedroom in his duplex in Lawrence. Webb, VDC’s first full-time employee, jokes that he wasn’t sure he was in the right place on his first day of work. Soon after, VDC set up shop in an office at KU Innovation Park’s main facility. “It was such a big decision for me to rent an office space,” Robertson said. “We had this great team at KU Innovation Park who really walked me through envisioning how this could work and how we could continue to grow.”
The initial 600 square feet filled up quickly, so Robertson decided to expand with a custom-designed office in the Park’s Phase III graduate facility next door. His team has consistently grown approximately 50 percent year over year, and in April 2022, VDC Specialists opened an office in Dallas. “We’ve made sure that we grow in a way that we can also provide the best product,” Hines said.
Robertson says KU Innovation Park’s staff plays a big part in VDC’s growth and success. “I can’t say enough nice things about what the crew at KU Innovation Park has done for us, really being almost like a counselor to me,” he said. “Having an outside party who’s more than happy to help you evaluate things, look at opportunities, and game plan brings so much value. It’s been such a wonderful help and just a great resource for me to be able to lean on whenever I need it.”
