It is evaluated that up to 25…35% of the total CO2 emissions of our planet derive from Construction or related activities (the entire AECO industry) - this is a large amount and every little improvement can make a huge impact in the total reduction measured in tons.
But this is just one aspect of the impact that using BIM makes to the environment and community around us - putting the best new ideas into use, hand-in-hand with well-tested practices and through the skillful use of up-to-date work-flows with digital tools will allow us to create a vastly better living-environment for the future and through that increase the values created for both the developers but also the ever-so happier end-users. In my previous post ("Saving the World's Environment with BIM - Part 1: Planning Developments and Designing") I went through the earlier phases of a project - development planning and designing. In Part 2 let's take a look at the execution and operation & maintenance phases!
Plan and Run Your Production and/or Construction Processes Digitally
All Information is Digital - And at Your Fingertips for Fast Decision and Action in Execution
Many great mistakes could have been avoided or their impact lowered if the right information was at the right hands… at the right time. By having a well-functioning data-management system and unlimited accessibility to up-to-date project data decision-makers can function at their best - using less time to make complex decisions can save a project from going off track and avoid possible extra reconstruction costs later on. Give a man "data" and he'll be busy investigating for the evening… but give a man the power to understand and use "data" - he'll be set for whatever challenge he faces in the future.
Higher Efficiency in Production Through Detailed Planning and Just-In-Time (JIT) Supply-Chain Management
This readily available information is put to use to raise work efficiency and improve supply-chains - having all the input ready to create a very detailed execution plan will have huge benefits when organizing your team for the upcoming challenges. Work amount is evaluated precisely and transformed into actual hours, providing efficient arrangement of tasks. But even more importantly the steady supply of necessary materials, equipment and services is guaranteed by Just-in-time supply-chain management (JIT) - through this most of the order-delivery errors can be avoided, or at least foreseen timely. Changes will occur but BIM data based tools will help you cope with the ripple effect of adjustments to the overall plan easier.
Less Material Waste in Production Through 3D Design and Precise Specifications
Each production task has its preparations - drawings must be designed by the engineers, materials ordered by the purchasing team, even before the actual planned production begins. As the material reaches the warehouse and production hall it will most likely be cut to size at some stage and this is where a very precise predefined specification will be vital. Saving some percentages of waste materials will save on the actual material cost but also on the cost of recycling the waste - order less and use more!
Fewer Errors to Fix Later - Quality Assurance With the Help of BIM Tools
Errors are the worst when discovered in a late phase of work - the further the ball has rolled, the more difficult it is to recover. It is crucial that here IT systems will come to the assistance of forgetful humans. By having everything that is being produced already designed in detailed 3D models it can (and should) be used for the basis for conducting quality control of the work. BIM models provide a great insight into the product by not only presenting the geometrical measurements of the parts but also providing an in-depth collection of relevant information - data sheets, URL, codes, settings, etc.
Save Money and Lower Effort in Hand-Over and Maintenance
Digital Hand-Over of Project Information - Client Has Everything They Need Accessible
Builders have always struggled with getting all the necessary documentation in order - there are copious amounts of different documents that need to be collected and assembled into a structured format. This process is arduous if only addressed in the later stages of the project (many times at near completion) but can be made much easier for everyone involved if the task of collecting necessary data is managed already from the start of the project. A BIM project is perfect for keeping the massive amount of different format information (documents, pictures, URLs, etc.) at check - it's not the amount of data that overwhelms projects, it's the amount of unorganized data. By doing a well-structured hand-over of the project to the Client transparency is created and everyone wins - the Client will have a comprehensive basis for facility operations and maintenance, the Supplier will be valued and trusted for future endeavors.
Analysis and Planning of Maintenance needs - Everything Handled at the Right Time
Many more complex or larger scale projects will face the daunting task of keeping up with the required maintenance schedule. There could be thousands (tens of thousands in some cases) of different products involved in complex construction projects which all have their individual demands set by the producers - frequency of maintenance, specific maintenance procedures, required spare parts, etc. Keeping track of all that requires an extensive maintenance schedule to be kept alive - what could be better to have as the basis for this schedule than an intricate 3D information model with all the items and their information nested! By using the BIM model to structure the maintenance schedule, nothing can be forgotten!
Costs of Exploitation of Project - A Calculated and Controlled Process with Potential Improvements
As proper simulation and in-depth analysis are possible during the design phases of BIM projects it is easier to predict the actual exploitation costs of a building in the future. Involving Energy efficiency specialists during the early design phases will pay off looking at the long run of the project - the heating, cooling and maintenance costs of buildings affect the inhabitants for decades to come - the value of having lower running costs will increase as years go by! A lot of the sustainability factors of the project are decided already in the development and early design phases but improvements can be made continuously throughout the life-cycle of the project. A good model for simulations will give great insights into planning technical improvements of the building.
How Can We at build.works Help You?
At build.works we are already convinced that making sustainable choices in today's projects will pay off in the long run and are inevitable to stay competitive - we have created many functionalities to help You improve Your work-flow and make better data-driven decisions!
build.works empowers You with the cloud-based tools to introduce integrated business processes from BIM to supply chain planning and execution. If You are already using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution by vendors such as SAP or Microsoft, build.works connects Your enterprise applications with BIM to enable Engineer-to-Order production scenario on industrial scale.
Keep focus on what You wish to achieve and involve those who have knowledge to help You out - We are here for You at build.works to provide You with expert advice and world-class innovative solutions to help You really make use of BIM!
You are most welcome to contact us through our web-page at https://build.works/ or myself directly through LinkedIn messages or by e-mail!
Joonas Mauer I Customer Engagement Executive @ build.works
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