Case Study: Case Study: NordWest Plan
We solved the problem with docu tools. Information is transparent, available at any time, and clearly located. This saves us countless queries and coordination rounds.
Stefan Stein
Managing Director of NordWest Plan and publicly appointed and sworn expert for air conditioning and ventilation technology
Digitally Planned: How NordWest Plan Is Streamlining Daily Construction Site Operations with docu tools
“We’ve solved the problem with docu tools. Information is transparent, always available, and clearly organized. This saves us countless follow-up questions and rounds of coordination.”
– Stefan Stein, Managing Director of NordWest Plan and a publicly appointed and sworn expert in HVAC technology.
Executive Summary: A Digital Framework for Complex Projects
Nordwest Plan is one of the largest engineering firms in northern Germany specializing in heating, ventilation, plumbing, and energy. The company was founded in 2005 and has been a registered corporation since 2007. It was formed through the merger of three engineering firms that were collaborating on a major joint project. Today, 35 employees and external specialists work on construction projects of various scales, ranging from clinics and schools to industrial facilities. As early as 2019, the company decided to digitize all processes and implement docu tools. The user-friendly interface, clear structure, and robust database significantly simplified defect management, task allocation, and project communication. Today, internal teams and external partners benefit from more efficient workflows, transparent information, and significant time savings.
Greater efficiency and transparency on the construction site
In 2019, NordWest Plan systematically digitized its entire workflow. Since then, docu tools has formed the backbone of daily project work and manages key processes ranging from documentation and defect management to inspections and task assignment. Thanks to this digital approach, NordWest Plan has been able to increase efficiency, streamline processes, and significantly improve collaboration on construction sites.
“The speed—even when dealing with large amounts of data—is impressive. We’re saving about 30 to 40 percent of the time compared to before,” emphasizes Nils Harms, project manager at NordWest Plan.
“In the past, something would be noted on a plan, and after two months, no one could remember exactly where the location was or what was meant,” recalls Stefan Stein, Managing Director of NordWest Plan. With docu tools, such ambiguities are a thing of the past. Photos are pinned directly to digital plans, automatically assigned to reports, and archived. This saves time, avoids follow-up questions, and makes processes traceable. Where there used to be a sea of paper and email chaos, there is now a structured digital process.
“We’ve solved the problem with docu tools. Information is transparent, always available, and clearly organized. This saves us countless follow-up questions and rounds of coordination,” says Stefan Stein.
iPad instead of paper
Even before the pandemic, NordWest Plan had charted a clear path toward digitalization. Paper was phased out, processes were standardized, and video conferences became part of everyday work. It all began when Stefan Stein started using an iPad and stylus to create digital sketches and notes on the construction site. “Back then, we were the odd ones out with our iPads on the construction site. Today, it’s the norm,” says Stefan Stein.
After testing several solutions, the unanimous decision was made to go with docu tools. The software impressed with its ease of use, speed, and clear structure.
“All employees are now equipped with iPads; tasks and issues are documented and communicated directly on-site, and reports are generated automatically,” explains Nils Harms.
Efficient inspections and legally compliant reports at the touch of a button
The software plays a key role in inspections and expert reports. Stefan Stein also uses docu tools in his capacity as a publicly appointed and sworn expert in HVAC technology. “Especially when inspecting third-party systems, I can get my bearings at a glance. I can see exactly where everything is located, and I have the photos and all the data right at my fingertips,” explains Stein. Together with the docu tools team, special templates and tables were developed for inspection processes, which further speed up the work and ensure legal compliance. The data is stored tamper-proof on servers, and inspections are documented in an audit-proof manner.
A clear path toward the future
NordWest Plan now operates entirely paperless. “I have all my projects on my iPad at all times,” says Stefan Stein. “No folders, no scraps of paper. I can work from anywhere, which makes us fast and professional.” The transition to digital processes has not only increased efficiency but also strengthened the company’s position as a modern, forward-thinking partner. Processes are clearer, decisions are made faster, and collaboration with all stakeholders is smoother. “Anyone who doesn’t use docu tools is no longer working in a modern way,” concludes Nils Harms.
About NordWest Plan
NordWest Plan is an independent engineering firm specializing in the design and management of building services systems for public buildings, industrial facilities, and private residences. Headquartered in Bremen, the company employs approximately 35 people and collaborates with a network of experienced external partners. Its services range from traditional design and energy efficiency analyses to expert reports. NordWest Plan operates entirely digitally and has successfully relied on docu tools for years.
The most frequently used features of docu tools
- task control
- report generation
- plan call
- PIN Entry
- documentation maintenance
Facts, figures, and data about the project:
| Industry: | Building services engineering design and construction site coordination for public, commercial, and private clients |
| Project duration: | In continuous use since 2019 |
| Corporate headquarters | Bremen & Rastede, Germany |
| Locations | Northern Germany, between Hamburg and Hanover |
| Number of employees: | 35 employees plus external specialists, depending on the scope of the project |
| Number of projects: | 189 |
| Number of defects and tasks (pins): | 20511 |
| Number of plans: | 4458 |
| Use of the software: | Construction documentation, defect management, acceptance processes, project communication, reporting |
| Features used: | Record pins, documentation, view plans, task management, report generation |
| Trades involved: | Depending on the size and complexity of the project, several external partners from various trades |
| Project scope: | Construction projects in hospitals, schools, nursing homes, daycare centers, office buildings, and industrial facilities |
| Digitalization: | Complete transition to paperless project management and digital construction documentation since 2019 |
| Industry: | Engineering, Building Services Engineering |
| Company locations: | Bremen & Rastede, Germany |
| Company size: | 35 employees |
| Digitized since: | 2019 |
| Using docu tools since: | 2019 |
| Areas of application: | Construction documentation, defect management, acceptance, reporting |
| Estimated time saved: | About 30 to 40 percent |