A companion for every step of the journey
Although still in its infancy in terms of widespread acceptance and adoption in the construction industry, BIM has proved its ability to significantly increase the likelihood of project success.
The core feature of BIM is that each discipline in the team contributes to building a 3D digital model of the project and keeping it maintained with accurate data, such as design and cost information. It puts collaboration centre stage, with everyone on the team working together to ensure that all data is fully coordinated in the model, throughout the project lifecycle.
The most tangible component of BIM is a 3D digital model of any buildings or other aspects of the built environment falling within the scope of a project. This is much more than a drawing or diagram: it’s a fully-functional model that incorporates vast amounts of data about the building and its properties. All parties can visualise the building with more sophistication than has ever been possible.
How BIM delivers tangible benefits
Clarkson Alliance has fully embraced BIM because of what we have seen it deliver. There are many powerful benefits of BIM and we have the expertise and experience to help you realise them all.
The future is BIM
The government is certainly behind BIM, promoting it through ‘Construction 2025: Industrial Strategy for Construction’ that sets a target for a 20% reduction in overall project costs through BIM.
Ensuring that plans are accurate before work begins
The BIM models we manage give improved accuracy of each part of the project, so the whole team has confidence in the information. Viewing projects in 3D makes it much easier for everyone to understand how all the sections of the project fit together.
It’s like having self-orienteering GPS rather than a paper road map. When work begins onsite, there is less chance of delays, coordination issues or other problems resulting from poor information being available. The whole process is more efficient.
Verify the effect of actions before they happen
Guesswork is removed from projects because the team can assess potential activity before decisions are made. Simulations of adjustments mean the team can calculate any additional time and cost involved in making changes. The client can then decide if the change is worth implementing.
Better cost management
BIM is a powerful tool used by our specialist cost managers. The rich, intelligent data in the model enables full clarity on how any changes or delays will impact the budget. Also, the availability of the data leads to better decisions from everyone involved in the project. The result is less chance of errors, rework or expensive post-contract changes to specification.
A live database of information for owners after construction
At the end of the project, the BIM model can be handed over to those responsible for managing and maintaining the building. It becomes a valuable tool for the ongoing management and maintenance of the building, as well as for managing future developments.
Unlocking the maximum benefits of BIM
Ensuring certainty of outcome is one of the most important aspects of our work that BIM helps us to achieve for our clients. This is because BIM translates construction information so it can be more easily understood by the team and stakeholders, and gives greater clarity and control compared to working in 2D. The whole team is encouraged to share expertise to build an intelligent federated model incorporating data from each discipline.
Improved efficiency is another significant benefit of BIM. Projects that have BIM at their core tend to spend less time on administration and more time on value adding activities. Put simply, things work more smoothly when BIM is involved.