“The advantage for interior designers to use BIM (Building Information Modelling) software to win business needs no explanation, but the real value lies in the information it supplies and the co-ordination and collaboration that it facilitates.” So says Jon Case, Director of ARRCC interior designers. Although its architectural counterparts have
While BIM has been around for some time now, increasingly there have been concerns about its application to the industry, with a shortage of training and information provided to help maximise upon the potential benefits which it can offer. This has then been highlighted yet further along with a governmental
In the infrastructure sector, BIM is changing the way that clients, designers and contractors approach projects. However BIM Level 2 is a major challenge for 2016, with many uncertainties still apparent as to how it will be successfully and consistently implemented, so that it delivers the excellence in project delivery
A project is underway to develop new drones that go beyond surveillance and are capable of building structures with the use of 3D printing software. The team of scientists and engineers are looking to develop aerial robots that are able to fly into either remote locations or disaster zones, and
“The advantage for interior designers to use BIM (Building Information Modelling) software to win business needs no explanation, but the real value lies in the information it supplies and the co-ordination and collaboration that it facilitates.” So says Jon Case, Director of ARRCC interior designers. Although its architectural counterparts have been using BIM software for a number of years, the addition of a customised furniture and interior finishes library that ARRCC recently completed in Revit, allows them to now also successfully engage the software to design interior spaces. “The accurate visualisation of design is not just important to impress the client, but for us as interior designers and decorators, it is important that the software can show the design 100% accurately so that every finish, material, feature element and item of furniture is realistically portrayed in a working model. We can intuitively place items and materials using the software, edit the content and see our interiors in a virtual reality environment. If the architects make a change on the original plans, we can immediately adapt our plans to accommodate that as we work from one co-ordinated 3D model,” Case continued. As various elements are added to the design, Revit creates a schedule of all the product specs and sources and materials – a complete inventory relating to real world calculations which has allowed us to expedite the construction phase of our projects. Revit also allows us to co-ordinate seamlessly with engineers lowering the risk of unsightly clashes on site. When asked about why only a limited number of interior designers employ this software in their business processes, Case explained that the software is traditionally very expensive and the technical expertise needed is very specialised. Interior designers will typically use only 30% – 40% of the software package (the rest is only relevant to architects) but with its proximity to architects, SAOTA, ARRCC has been able to extend its BIM knowledge and expertise to bridge the divide between Architecture and Interiors. This has been key in unlocking a higher level of client and project type. The 3Ds that are produced in Revit are living documents that change continuously and are updated as the client or designers make changes to initial designs. Although the client will never see the working 3Ds, the renders that they receive for presentation purposes are created from the same Revit files making it 100% accurate and aligned. “With our most recent work, our clients also benefit from the VR development, taking them inside our buildings to experience their new homes before the soil has even been turned on site. This has allowed us to expedite the design approval process as clients can engage with the model in a real world scale, pointing out various aspects that either they enjoy or would like to revise,” Case said. “In short, BIM software allows us to easily create an interior design model that enables us to visualise the design using real world parameters. We can capture various options within the same model – so options for layout and finishing’s can be included. And then of course the accurate and detailed information that we get from the schedules allows us to take control of costings, timelines, deadlines, etc,” Case concluded. Even when the initial building plans are still in 2D format, 3Ds that preserve the design intent can be created in Revit.
While BIM has been around for some time now, increasingly there have been concerns about its application to the industry, with a shortage of training and information provided to help maximise upon the potential benefits which it can offer. This has then been highlighted yet further along with a governmental statement for centrally procured projects having to display the usage of Level 2 BIM technology – as such, the importance of organisations being able to achieve this, is high. Of course, the announcement is one which has been well received by the industry as a whole, with the usage of BIM now regarded somewhat as a best practice measure that can assist in the minimisation of costs, as well as improve upon the added value of construction projects; this, in effect being made possible through the provision of information on design being far more shareable and manageable, whilst also simultaneously encouraging efficiencies both up and down the supply chain. Yet in support of this, a recent resource has been announced to provide industry professionals with further knowledge on the topic of BIM, providing something of a one-stop-shop resource of all information that the modern construction industry professional may need to know, all in a downloadable format with official guidance documentation. Not only will this new resource provide essential support for organisations in maximising the potential of BIM, but will also provide industry professionals with the knowledge they require to succeed in the industry of today, tomorrow, and onto and into the future; this being most evident in the BIM Task Group’s notion that the next step will be to push towards a Level 3 BIM standard, “Which is where we can start to imagine construction as a service, where you trade upon the outcomes,” added BIM Task Group’s David Philp further.
In the infrastructure sector, BIM is changing the way that clients, designers and contractors approach projects. However BIM Level 2 is a major challenge for 2016, with many uncertainties still apparent as to how it will be successfully and consistently implemented, so that it delivers the excellence in project delivery that we all aspire to. We have seen excellent 3D modelling in the last few years in highways and associated structures, for example at Ramboll we have taken laser scans of complex structures such as the Hammersmith Flyover and integrated design of strengthening elements into the geometrical model, before passing this model onto the contractor to use during construction. Clash detection and resolution has taken place and significant effort has gone into translating 3D model data into 2D drawings and specifications. Yet BIM Level 2 is about far more than this – it is not just a geometrical model. We need to see information managed well throughout the project lifecycle and there remain a number of challenges to expand the use of BIM Level 2 through the infrastructure sector in the UK: Improving consistency of Employer’s Information Requirements Addressing issues specific to the infrastructure sector – many of the requirements of the 8 pillars of BIM required for BIM Level 2 are not developed fully for infrastructure projects. COBie is still not developed for many asset types, such as underground drainage systems. Integration with asset management systems. In many cases the sector’s contractual arrangements will not help with implementing the ‘Government Soft Landings’ process, improving handover of a new asset to its future maintainers. At the moment, BIM is seen as added cost, and another item which complicates contractual arrangements. It needs to be seen by all parties as a process which adds value. Integration of BIM processes with the essential assurance processes required for infrastructure projects, such as Highway Structure Technical Approval Expanding the levels and confidence with BIM from a small group of ‘BIM professionals and experts’ to the wider engineering community. Yet despite these challenges, as an industry we need to push for progress. We have the potential to improve clarity of deliverables through the construction process. By integrating the use of smart sensors in infrastructure assets with a fully compliant BIM level 2 process, there are excellent opportunities to improve future maintenance of structures, and to improve satisfaction levels for both clients and end users. We need to work BIM processes in parallel with parametric design, and the use of modular construction techniques. Above all we need to continue the culture of change in the industry, using BIM to improve collaboration, and increase the involvement of asset maintainers and users in the design process. We are striving for this at Ramboll by training more of our staff in the use of BIM and by the end of this year we will see all our technical staff trained in the full understanding of BIM’s processes, requirements and benefits. The particular challenges around BIM for infrastructure need to be acknowledged, but then clients, contractors, consultants and engineering institutions will need to work closely together to identify excellent solutions that add value to our projects. By John Armitage, Technical Director, Ramboll
A project is underway to develop new drones that go beyond surveillance and are capable of building structures with the use of 3D printing software. The team of scientists and engineers are looking to develop aerial robots that are able to fly into either remote locations or disaster zones, and construct shelters and buildings using additive building manufacturing (ABM). Researchers from the University of Bath, Imperial College and University College London have come together for what will be a four-year colloborative project culminating in the creation of pioneering new drones for worldwide use. Despite ABM fundamentally transforming the industry and giving way to an age of 3D-printed development, the systems are ill-suited to construction in remote areas. Existing tools have historically been too large and too difficult to service, ruling them out of development in remote areas. Looking to address that challenge, the research project aims to develop an innovative ABM system capable of manufacturing shelters and bridges remotely. It will primarily comprise a swarm of drones that can conduct aerial surveys as well as assess and manufacture structures. With the use of autonomous robots, the team are hoping to significantly shrink ABM and, by doing more in the air, improve its mobility and appropriateness for complex builds. The drones would then act self-sufficiently, working together to assemble a build on site. Of course, the use of drones in the construction industry is already pronounced and the technologies have been used successfully for surveillance during the design stages of development. Despite re-purposing drone technology for actual construction, engineers will continue to make use of the robots’ surveying capabilities; the swarm will use complex Building Information Management (BIM) systems to scan and model the building and surrounding area. Imperial College London’s Dr Mirko Kovac from the Department of Aeronautics is leading the multimillion pound project. Billed as one the sector’s most exciting projects to date, it has already received in excess of £3.4m of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and various other industrial partners.
