CONSTRUCTION & BIM
The development of exchange software such as COBie UK 2012 and BS 1192:4, has helped this further, by allowing transfer and analysis of key information using spreadsheets. This keeps the complexity of systems and training to a minimum and allows people outside of the core team, perhaps without access to a full BIM package, to interact.
Having accurate and up-to-date product information is also invaluable for efficient building maintenance. With easy access to every product’s lifecycle information, facilities managers can schedule repairs and order replacement parts well in advance – minimising the risk of a product breaking, or a delay while the facility manager waits for the new product to arrive.
THE BEST OF BIM
The effects of compulsory level two BIM have already been felt across the
entire construction chain, and facilities managers are no exception. But what has it brought to the table? Chris Meir, Sales
Director at Andrews Water Heaters, explains.
Having taken the steps to require all publicly-funded construction work to use BIM Level 2, the Government has not only led the construction industry into the future but also paved the way for increasing energy savings.
The idea behind the legislation is to help drive out waste in construction by lowering capital costs by 20% to meet Government targets. Major contributing factors to on-site waste include abortive work discrepancies, mistakes and inefficiencies in the information supply chain, which the Government hopes BIM Level 2 will prevent.
For facilities managers, BIM has offered a huge opportunity to improve efficiencies. Having design and asset information, documentation and data stored electronically, means there is more transparency at handover from contractor to facilities manager. This promotes collaborative working and smoothes the transition from design and build to operation and management.
42 | TOMORROW’S FM
BIM on its own is a powerful tool; however, when used alongside another program, it can help to bring sustainable strategy to life. For most facilities managers, the end-goal is to save as much energy and, in turn, money as possible without sacrificing the quality of a building. By using a BIM-based scenario in conjunction with a building energy use analysis tool, facilities managers are able to view the potential savings of green technologies not just over the warranty period but rather the entire life of a building.
THE MANUFACTURER’S ROLE Product manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure BIM
files are readily available in an accessible format. However, market research carried out by Andrews Water Heaters has revealed that the more comprehensive files have started to cause some major issues, as the larger the file, the slower it is to upload and manoeuvre. The water heating system is of course only one part of a building and there are detailed files for every product and piece of equipment, making the overall building model very difficult to work with.
“THE END-GOAL IS TO SAVE AS MUCH ENERGY & MONEY AS POSSIBLE
WITHOUT SACRIFICING THE QUALITY OF A BUILDING.”
This insight has led Andrews Water Heaters to develop files with minimum detail for the first stages of projects – LOD 3 – and more detailed files – LOD 5 – for the latter stages. It is believed that Andrews Water Heaters is the only water heater manufacturer to meet market requirements by producing two variants of the same model. All our Autodesk Revit BIM files have been developed in line with the CIBSE PDT standards and are available online.
With legislation around Level 2 BIM driving change in the public sector, as well as having a ripple effect in the private arena, it has quickly been propelled from a niche construction tool to mainstream technology. With this, comes a great opportunity for facility managers to become early adopters and use BIM to ensure a robust, efficient building strategy and cut costs for the long-term, thereby ensuring a very happy building owner.
www.andrewswaterheaters.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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