An earlier and more accurate view of your project through our Lens | JE Dunn Construction

See preconstruction differently

Cutting edge preconstruction visualization through Lens.

The most impactful way we improve the building process is by providing collaborative preconstruction solutions. JE Dunn has partnered with Autodesk and Microsoft to develop Lens – a new way to see and understand the costs of your project. Lens facilitates continuous estimating and shared decision-making throughout the design phase, without changing the architect’s design process.

From napkin sketch to complete construction documents

We can use Lens early in the design process - even as early as the "napkin sketches" phase - to help provide cost history and materials estimating based on our enormous library of past projects combined (with cost modernization factors applied). We can also work with fully integrated building information models (BIM), through complete construction documents, to provide extremely accurate cost visualization.

Accelerated and Informed Decision Making

Lens accelerates decision-making. What was once a fragmented milestone estimating approach, with limited cost insight, is now a collaborative and continuous estimating process. Partnering with the design team from day one allows all team members to understand the cost as it relates to the design during all stages of preconstruction.

Lens Modules Overview

Lens Search

Find similar project data in JE Dunn’s extensive cost history library to use as a budgetary frame of reference. Lens Search provides a selection of relevant JE Dunn past projects showing details, photographs, cost ranges for all building scopes and final construction costs. With inflation and location factors that impact construction costs incorporated, owners and architects are able to choose the buildings that most closely represent their vision. Search provides a starting point and creates a budgetary framework for our team to work within.

Lens Aim

Create a detailed, evolving cost estimate from concept to completion with our proprietary estimating platform. Lens Aim is our comprehensive and proprietary estimating platform that uses over 14,000 engineering calculations to deliver an accurate estimate at the earliest conceptual stage. This highly-detailed estimate creates the target values for key cost drivers, which allows the team to make early and educated decisions. Aim promotes the creation of a final design that captures the owner’s vision and maximizes the budget.

Lens Focus

Build a virtual model and instantly visualize your project with quantification and budgeting directly linked to Building Information Modeling (BIM). Lens Focus is the first-of-its-kind quantification and budgeting tool that links BIM to the construction cost estimate during conceptual design. There is no need for the architect to use specific modeling standards or change the way they work to accomplish this. Because the architect’s BIM is linked to the estimate, the project team can see where in the building the budget is being invested. This enables exploration of design options, and the ability to quickly quantify and update early and accurate estimates.

Lens View

Track project progress and watch your vision come to life in a secure, cloud-based dashboard. Lens View is a secure, cloud-based dashboard presentation of all key information. No additional software is required to fully interact with the 3D model. Two different visualizations provide insight into each cost element in the estimate. The first shows the breakdown of the source of cost: estimate-based, design model-based, or market-based pricing. The second is a web-based interactive rendering of the 3D model that can be easily navigated and investigated to show pricing that corresponds to each model element. Project team members are allowed complete access to the latest design and cost information at any point during the preconstruction process.