In an edition of "Obras em Movimento," hosted by CON.TECH and CLIMB, João Almeida, founding partner of EXXATA , brought up a topic that sparked debate: data-driven engineering governance to combat waste in the construction industry . The webinar, hosted by Bernardo Etges of CON.TECH , explored the causes of Brazil's low productivity and presented solutions with the potential to transform the sector.

The Absence of Governance in the Execution of Works

João began his presentation by highlighting that, while departments like procurement and HR have governance with predetermined purchasing limits and salaries, construction execution often lacks a governance system . Field teams, such as engineers or contract managers, often decide to alter earthmoving routes or reposition cranes, the consequences of which are only discovered months later. "This shouldn't be the case," Almeida stated. "There should be a decision-making body or committee for these circumstances."

The lecture emphasized that construction problems—such as scope shifts, incomplete projects, and design changes—are a reality and won't disappear any time soon. The solution, therefore, isn't to wait for them to disappear, but rather to establish a governance system to deal with these "normal situations" in projects.

The Impact on Productivity and Costs

João Almeida presented data revealing that the average productivity of Brazilian construction workers is only 20 per hour , a figure calculated based on information from CEBIC and IBGE. However, EXXATA's experience reveals a different reality.

On projects where Engineering Governance was implemented , identifying design issues and clearing areas, and mobilizing teams to work only on completed areas, average productivity rose to 37.93 hours per hour . This represents almost double the national average! On the other hand, projects without governance, which "do what can be done" and use constructability to "work around obstacles," recorded a productivity of 21.33 hours, close to the Brazilian average.

The implementation of governance raises Brazilian productivity from the level of Greece to that of Denmark , challenging the idea that the problem lies with the workers. "It seems the problem lies with the people who define the work strategy," Almeida noted.

Furthermore, contracts without governance result in claims of up to 38.29% , while those with governance reduce claims tenfold, to just 4.14% . This demonstrates that working with process engineering in approved areas and with a defined project not only doubles productivity but also reduces additional costs.

Lean Construction and Process Engineering

The Lean philosophy (Lean Construction) was highlighted as a tool to provide execution guidelines, provide an overview to workers, and connect what can be done based on the project and available area. CON.TECH, for example, aims to transform the construction sector by focusing on education and heavily based on the themes that permeate Lean Construction, directly connecting governance with this philosophy.

João Almeida criticized the focus on product engineering to the detriment of process engineering . He argued that process engineering, often detailed in equipment manuals and agencies like the National Department of Transportation (DNIT), is neglected. Lean Construction and tools like the Line of Balance (LBS) emerge as solutions to engage everyone, from managers to workers, in process planning, eliminating the reliance on "one-off decision-making in the field."

The Social Function of Engineering and the Future of Construction

The discussion also addressed the social function of engineering , which, since its inception, has been aimed at the well-being of the civilian population. Almeida emphasized that improved productivity could reduce housing costs, making access to homeownership more affordable and combating the housing deficit.

The CON.TECH and EXXATA webinar was a call for engineers to take greater responsibility, focus on data-driven decisions , and adopt engineering governance and the Lean Construction philosophy to direct work efficiently. The problem isn't the worker, but the lack of a management strategy that values ​​everyone's time and effort, transforming the Brazilian construction industry.