Leviatan Group, which brings together companies such as Leviatan Design, Ubitech Construcții, eConfaire Immersive Design, and Copraag Entrepreneur, offers complete services in the construction field using the latest technologies. The projects benefit from a high level of quality, being realized in BIM, applying high-performance technologies and software, with a team of more than 280 top professionals. Leviatan Group’s portfolio includes a wide variety of highly complex design & build projects in defense, medical, educational, and administrative areas. To learn more about the steps in the industry’s digital transformation process, we asked Cătălin Podaru, CEO of Leviatan Group, for his opinion.

– How do you align with new trends in construction/architecture? What is the impact of digitalization and new technologies within the group of companies?

– By implementing BIM in all our work processes, we have increased the quality of all our projects. We currently design exclusively in 3D and thus reduce the occurrence of errors that can arise in the design and execution process, we code each deliverable with a unique code, which allows us to version in our common data environment and use the documentation as the only source of truth for the project, we establish a minimum amount of information for each deliverable and thus ensure that we have the same level of quality for each project, regardless of its size or complexity. The common data environment provided by BIM allows the visualization of all drawings, their versions, and materials, ensuring a consistent and up-to-date database for all projects and materials put into operation. We also use Mixed Reality in an integrative way with our other tools to automate, coordinate, and have more control over the tracking and execution activities across all our projects. We use the same technology to train students in our practice and internship programs or in different sessions we organize in collaboration with Romanian universities. This way, future specialists can test our advanced equipment and better understand its applicability in project execution.

– What are the challenges you have faced this year in day-to-day work?

– The challenges we faced this year included material price increases and supply chain disruptions, which put pressure on project execution and planning.
The shortage of construction specialists has also compounded these difficulties, and the salary adjustments needed to remain competitive have added further pressure on our cost structure. However, we have successfully navigated this challenging landscape through continuous strategic adaptations and careful resource management. As for the construction of public buildings in Romania, this entails specific challenges, given that the time allocated for feasibility studies and design is up to 5 times shorter compared to other countries. Therefore, particular coordination and efficiency is needed to comply with strict safety, accessibility and technology integration regulations. Approval procedures can, in some cases, delay the start of work, while budgets can limit construction options and material quality. Projects must also minimize environmental impact, which adds an extra element of complexity. In this context, efficient planning and technical expertise are essential when it comes to delivering projects to standard, on time and within budget, all within a compressed timeframe, unlike international norms. This acceleration of the process brings a unique set of challenges to the management of public construction projects in Romania.

– How did Leviatan Group become one of the most technologized groups of construction companies in Romania?

– Our intelligent and sustainable solutions are based on an efficient organization and a dynamic and entrepreneurial management, implemented through successive processes of digital fusions, acquisitions of new technologies and strategic plans, aimed to contribute to the quality of our projects. Through the continuous improvement and automation of internal processes, we have managed to build a solid team, interconnected across all specialties, which generates its own standardization and know-how in the market. As such, we approach each construction project with professionalism and responsibility, integrating advanced solutions that contribute to the development of a sustainable, better and safer society.

– How do you aim to further streamline work processes across the group of companies?

– We plan to broaden and deepen our investment in automation, a process that is already extensively implemented in our workflow by eConfaire Immersive Design, the Research & Development division of our group of companies. One of our main goals is to advance automation in the creation of estimates for public projects, which will improve the accuracy and efficiency of cost estimates and reduce the time required to prepare bids. We also aim to optimize the procurement process through automation, which will streamline operations and ensure compliance with relevant standards and regulations. Another important aspect we are targeting is to improve the automated reading and processing of invoice data to increase efficiency in financial management and accounting. Through these automation investments, we aim to increase productivity, reduce operational costs and improve the quality and accelerate project delivery. The initiatives listed above are key to maintaining our competitiveness and responding more effectively to our clients’ needs in an ever-changing public construction landscape. As such, we are committed to using technology to optimize all aspects of our business and ensure long-term sustainable growth.