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1/2010
magazine
BIM Is Here.
Are You Ready?
CHALLENGES CREATE CAPABILITIES
INFORMATION TAKEOFF
The Latest Innovation
from Solibri
Model Checker Makes
THE DIFFERENCE
CASE STUDY
25
Front Cover Visualization by
Tietoa Finland Oy
1/2010
SOLIBRI
4 BIM is Here. Are You Ready?
BIM is here to stay. Ramboll Group, a leading 3D and BIM company invests in
maintaining state-of-the art modeling competencies and incorporates BIM quality
control in BIM quality assurance.
7 Model Checking Makes Difference
Multiconsult, a leading Norwegian engineering company offers consulting, design
and project management services for their clients. Success in multi disciplinary
projects requires careful design coordination - successful execution is about the
process and management.
10 Owner View: BIM Has Payback
BIM benefits the owner. BIM benefits also engineering and architectural practices.
Recent experience shows that design firm which master BIM are more productive
and efficient, and receive better evaluations for quality.
14 Challenges Create Capabilities
In leading companies business process development is not provoked by external
requirements but is embedded in the corporate DNA. At Larkas & Laine Architects
BIM development has been the result from pursuing perfection in architectural
design.
17 Mining the Model. Solibri Introduces Information Takeoff
(ITO) – The Latest Innovation from Solibri
ITO, the latest innovation from Solibri, allows users to collect practically any information
from the BIM file, organize it, visualize it, and report it – instantly.
20 Solibri Model Checker: The Leading BIM Quality Assurance
and Analysis Tool Enables Superior Spatial Coordination
Information rich open BIM process offers totally new possibilities to effectively manage
the design process. “Spatial Coordination” reflects new thinking of how to exploit
the BIM process, Solibri Model Checker supporting new collaborative practices
targeting higher quality at lower cost.
OpenBIM is Here
– IT’S ALL ABOUT THE INFORMATION!
Heikki Kulusjärvi
CEO Solibri, Inc.
heikki.kulusjarvi@solibri.com
By now, many have seen or heard about the NIST report attributing an estimated
$15.8 billion US dollars annual waste, in the US alone, based in large part on the
lack of interoperability. Today, that is no longer acceptable. We have the tools and
means to master information and, based on an OpenBIM* approach, information
can be unlocked and widely shared using open standards. Furthermore, we have
great tools to assure and verify the quality of the information, visualize it, and report it in various ways. Now is the time to start mastering that information.
We have collected some projects where a number of teams have successfully utilized the OpenBIM approach. Some teams are already quite efficient in
BIM but for others it is still a learning process. Although something looks good
in 3D, it may not be a useful model for other designers or be able to be used for
energy analysis (for example). Furthermore, having information in the BIM file is
great but let’s keep in mind that this information should be useful and valid for
the downstream use. This is where the Quality Assurance becomes critical. In all
of the cases introduced here, the OpenBIM has been a request from the client with the emphasis on high quality. In case your design process is not utilizing the
OpenBIM approach (note that this is different than the ability to use BIM tools)
you may be doing the design in a traditional way either with BIM tools or 2D/drafting tools. Then, you may fulfill the BIM aspects of the project with a dedicated
BIM team, but you will only double the internal cost compared to the teams that
have adopted the OpenBIM approach from the outset.
When you read further you will find out how building owners are already witnessing a polarization of those who can manage OpenBIM project in a competitive way and those who can’t. We have seen cases where the offer with the lowest
price has achieved the highest quality score.
In addition to owners, construction companies are also driving the change
toward OpenBIM. These companies have adopted the collision control process
quite well and are now moving beyond that to the next value adding steps. Some
of the companies are now focused on Quality Control and Zero-flaw/defect strategies. OpenBIM information is considered very interesting even on work sites, as
these models can contain very useful information for managing the project - provided that information is accurate and of consistently high quality.
It is time for the information to work for you and not the other way around!
*"OpenBIM” is used here as a term instead of “BIM” to indicate that open standards are used during the
BIM process.
Published by
Editor-in-chief
©
Solibri, Inc.
Jaakko Jauhiainen
All rights reserved.
Itälahdenkatu 21A
jaakko.jauhiainen@solibri.com
Contents may not be re-
00210 Helsinki, FINLAND
2010 Solibri, Inc.
produced by any means,
Phone: +358 10 5486800
Design
Fax: +358 10 5486806
Jonna Nylander
the prior written permis-
Email: info@solibri.com
jonna@mailpanda.com
sion of Solibri, Inc.
in whole or part, without
Ramboll is a leading engineering design and consultancy
company. Ramboll was founded in 1945 ina Denmark
and today employs some 9 000 experts. Ramboll Group
has significant operations in Northern Europe, UK, the
Middle East and Russia, and projects in more than
100 countries. Ramboll is currently operating in several
countries where openBIM is used extensively, such as
Norway, Denmark and Finland.
4
Rambøll Head Office, Dissing+Weitling architecture
Solibri, Inc.
JAAKKO JAUHIAINEN
BIM is Here:
Are You Ready?
CASE STUDY
R
amboll is one of the biggest
engineering offices in the
Nordic countries. Tekla Structures has been used regularly
since 2005. “Our target is to ensure that
all our structural design work is carried
out with Tekla Structures ” says Ismo Tawast, the Director of the Building Construction Division at Ramboll Finland.
One of the most interesting and recent
BIM projects is the Kuokkala Church, located in Jyväskylä in Central Finland. The
architectural design was awarded in an
invitation competition in 2005 to Lassila
Hirvilammi Architects.
Kuokkala Church was designed by engineers from several design units and locations as a collaborative project. Structural analysis was carried out by using
direct data transfer between Tekla and
StaadPro 3D FEM software. The slatecovered roof and wall structures are supported by trussed frames made of glue
laminated timber. The church hall is one
storey in height. Foundations and two
basement floors are constructed of in-
Thanks to modeling, it was poss i b l e t o d e s i g n
ever ything, even the most comp l i c a t e d s t r u ctures. Staad.Pro FEM analysis re s u l t s a r e
visualized.
T h e c h u r c h h a s a p i l e f o undation and basement, and its first f loor is cast-in-place concrete. Other
s t r u c t u r e s a r e m a d e o f wood. Main frames are glue-laminated timber, and the upper chord has been
s t i f f e n e d u s i n g p l y w o o d . The lower chord was stiffened with steel bracing. The roof and external
w a l l s a r e c o v e r e d w i t h s l ate.
situ cast concrete structures. Wooden
frames are supported in the glazed façade areas by special steel structures.
Ramboll received first prize for the
Kuokkala Church project at the Tekla 3D
modeling competition in Finland. “ Winning the award indicates that Ramboll's
investment in 3D modeling has resulted
in a leading position amongst Finnish
structural engineering firms. Today Ramboll is able to produce all structural documentation needed for any kind of project,
regardless of the field of application, type
of structure or material ” says Ismo Tawast. The architects, Anssi Lassila and
Teemu Hirvilammi were in turn awarded
the 2010 Pietilä award by the Building
Information Foundation. The award is
granted bi-annually to a young Finnish architect for significant work with renewing
architecture.
“Without BIM, the church would have
been impossible to design, not to mention
build ” says Ismo Tawast, the Director responsible for the building construction
design business unit.
BIM Quality Assurance at Ramboll Finland
In early 2010, Ramboll Finland launched
a study on BIM quality assurance resulting in a Bachelor’s Thesis including
hands-on practical use of Solibri Model
Checker and other BIM tools on Ramboll
projects.
The thesis concluded that because
of the increasing number of AEC firms
undertaking the transition from the
traditional 2D design process towards
BIM, and using BIM software to create
building information models, the quality
of design and modeling varies. During
the transition, when new methods are
emerging, quality assurance is extremely
important.
From the business point of view the
thesis concluded that higher quality delivers economic and environmental benefits, but it also contributes to customer
satisfaction. The consulting firms, who
master BIM today, ensure their future
market share in the future.
One of the main goals of the thesis
was to study quality assurance using
modeling software used by Ramboll, access their usability for quality assurance,
and compare them with Solibri Model
Checker.
It was concluded for example that
Navisworks focuses more on combining models and geometrical information
than BIM information or quality assurance. “When analyzing IFC models, Solibri
Model Checker was found to be in its own
class. Also, Solibri Model Checker was
found to be very valuable even if modeling tools themselves had inbuilt quality
assurance functionality ” says Bachelor
of Engineering, Max Levander, who wrote
the thesis. Max Levander is also the
main user of Solibri at Ramboll Finland.
BIM Quality Assurance Process and 10,000 Stones The largest prefab concrete project ever
for Ramboll Finland is The Myllypuro
Shopping Center project, with almost
10,000 concrete elements, or stones
as the engineers call them, and cast in
situ concrete structures. Most of the elements have been modeled. With 10,000
prefab elements comes almost 10,000
drawings. “Solibri Model Checker has
been used for internal engineering design
quality control in the Myllypuro project,
and has proved to be very valuable ” says
Ismo Tawast. In addition to BIM modeling
Ramboll Finland offers also BIM coordination services.
Ramboll Finland's Building's Division
CASE STUDY
5
has in place quality assurance system
which fulfills ISO9001:2008 requirements, but it has been audited and certificates has been granted by the National RSA:s (Rakli-SKOL-ATL) quality system
council. “Currently the ISO based quality
assurance system is being amended by
creating guidelines for BIM quality assurance and defining the use of Solibri
Model Checker as a part of the openBIM
process ” says Max Levander.
Digital Construction Initiative
Digital Construction is a Danish government initiative stating that public clients
should make a number of demands to
consultants and contractors related to
ICT in construction projects. The policy
has been in effect since January 1st,
2007. The Digital Construction initiative aims at improving the efficiency and
quality of construction in Denmark. The
initiative requires companies to use the
same data and the same drawings in
all phases of a construction process to
avoid misunderstandings, defects and
delays. The client demands consist of
a range of specific individual demands
organized in four areas: call for tender,
bidding and tender via the Internet, 3D
models, project web, and electronic
hand-over of data from the construction
project that is relevant for the operation
phase. Digital Construction demands
aim at ensuring increased and improved
knowledge-sharing between the parties
in the construction sector. Digital Construction intends to improve the efficiency of construction projects by utilizing
ICT tools from the initial idea to the construction phase, and the operation and
maintenance of the completed building.
Solibri Model Checker screen shot from a Ramboll Finland multi-discipline BIM projec t
flexibility also. IFC model based checking with Solibri Model Checker was introduced at Rambøll starting in 2008. Today
it is the standard procedure on almost all
major 3D projects.
The new Rambøll Head Office - a
40,000 m² building will be located in
Orestad South, an area of Copenhagen
currently under development. The client
of the Rambøll Headquarters project is
SEB Rambøll being the main user occupying most of the building. Ramboll has
been responsible for construction design
with Dissing+Weitling architecture being
responsible for the architectural design.
The vision for this new building – with
the focus on openness, knowledge sharing and collaboration – is to be a holistic
and sustainable icon. The vision is reflected in the building’s main architectural feature, the interior street inspired by
Barcelona’s world famous shopping area,
La Rambla, teeming with café guests,
shoppers, artists, local residents and
tourists. Dissing+Weitling has integrat-
ed the Rambla concept in the building’s
central public space with its concentration of extrovert functions such as café,
canteen, fitness center, foyer and auditorium creating a framework and contact
area for users of the building – regulars
as well as visitors.
The working method has been based
on using IFC for information exchange.
Dissing+Weitling have made the architectural model with AutoCAD Architecture, and exchanged model information
with Rambøll, who has used Tekla and
MagiCAD for structural engineering and
MEP design. Clash detection and checking for consistency has been carried out
with Solibri Model Checker.
Modern tools and placing the project team in the same room for improved
communication and collaboration has
resulted in increasing design quality, easy communications, improved
project management, good IFC quality and a highly motivated team. Rambøll Head Office Project in Denmark
Rambøll Denmark has explored the
use of 3D tools such as AutoCAD, Tekla
Structures and MagiCAD in construction
design and projects for years. Rambøll
Denmark has concluded that IFC is the
best tool for the job allowing for an optimal work process. Use of IFC allows for
6
CASE STUDY
Ramboll
Ramboll is a leading engineering, design and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. Today Ramboll employs close to 9,000 experts with a strong presence in
Northern Europe, Russia, India and the Middle East. With almost 200 offices in 20 countries Ramboll emphasises local experience combined with a global knowledge-base.
For more information on Ramboll visit http://www.ramboll.com.
Edited and translated
Original text
THOR HESTNES
JAAKKO JAUHIAINEN
Model Checking
Makes Difference
In order to be able to
coordinate multiple design
disciplines we need a
common denominator.
For us it is the openBIM
standard IFC...
Based on the article by Thor Hestnes published in
Norway in cadmagasinet Nr. 1/2010 published by
NTI Nestor AS.
B
IM is a combination of technology, methods and processes. Succeeding on a
complex BIM project with
multiple stakeholders, multiple engineering disciplines and multiple CAD tools requires a common platform for successful
digital collaboration. At Multiconsult this
is accomplished using buildingSMART
standards and a building information
model checker, Solibri Model Checker,
combined with interdisciplinary control
meetings, an approach which has produced great success on the Stavanger
University project – Statsbygg’s first official BIM project.
“A typical project team is a large group
consisting of experts from many profes-
sions who are indispensable for the project , says BIM manager Thor Ørjan Holt
of Multiconsult, a leading engineering
company in Norway. “Not only architects,
structural engineers and MEP engineers
but also also project managers and other
administrative project staff are needed
for implementation. However, not all have
the technical competencies that the technical experts from different disciplines
have ”.
Requires
a Coordination Platform
“Engineers from different design disciplines model using their own BIM tools
which can be from the same software supplier and therefore compatible. Often this
is not the case ” says Holt. On the Stavanger University project UiS, architectural
design is carried out using ArchiCAD,
structural engineers use MicroStation
and MEP is designed with MagiCAD.
“In order to be able to coordinate mulCASE STUDY
7
tiple design disciplines we need a common denominator. For us it is the openBIM standard IFC which we require that
all tools support. When it comes to BIM
tools for the administrative project staff,
we have chosen to use Solibri ” contin-
ues Holt. Solibri is a BIM tool that can be
used even if one is not able to use BIM
authoring tools, and a very useful system
for design coordination, quality assurance and progress control.
What is Solibri?
Solibri Model Checker is a program which
is able to automatically analyze the quality of BIM models and the designs. Solibri
uses so-called rules based analysis, and
is able to analyze both individual models
and combined models, which can include
multiple models by different design disciplines. Solibri includes (for example)
rules for validating the quality of the BIM
models, accessibility analysis and interference detection to name just a few.
Solibri visually presents all design issues
found and gives a clear text description
of the issue, as well as the physical location, making it easy to get to the bottom
of the design issues.
“This analysis and coordination is absolutely invaluable. This is because different models are not usually coordinated.
Some design issues, or errors, will always
remain, and often they are interdisciplinary. In order to ensure the highest quality and cost effectiveness it is necessary
that we can find these errors and correct
them as early as possible in the project. If
errors or deficiencies appeared at the site
the cost could be very high” says Holt.
Frequent Control Meetings
The Engineering Manager is responsible
for the interdisciplinary coordination on
Multiconsult’s UiS project. In order to facilitate cooperation and short communication lines they have chosen to locate
all project staff in the same room, including both the main architect Link Signatur
and Multiconsult’s engineers. The engineering group consists of approximately
20 experts and the engineering manager
has implemented a management system
where those responsible for different de8
CASE STUDY
BIM is a great tool enabling visualization. Photograph and visualization from the sam e l o c a t i o n . T h e
building is a plain IFC import to the landscape BIM model.
sign disciplines attend steering meetings
frequently in order to be able to manage
the whole process. The frequency of the
meetings varies with the progress made.
Preparatory Control
Important
“Especially important in keeping the control meetings effective is that project
management prepares the meetings in
advance with Solibri ” says Holt. Even a
“non specialist” with a good understanding of design disciplines and some experience is able to use Solibri and combined BIM models for identifying design
issues and irregularities, and prioritize
and communicate prioritized problems to
those responsible.
“One of the purposes of this practice is
that we do not primarily use the interdisciplinary control meetings for revealing
problems. Instead we discuss both who
should be responsible for correcting errors, and the timing of the corrections so
that the schedule will be kept. This way
project staff gets to use most of their time
on what they are best at, namely the project ” says Holt.
Effective Coordination Tools
“With the help of Solibri we actually use
the multi-discipline BIM model also as
S o l i b r i M o d e l C h e c k e r i s the tool of choice for BIM coordination in MULTICONSULT projects enabling effective communication and collab o r a t i o n .
a
communications tool ” emphasizes
Holt. Traditional minutes of the technical meetings can be also replaced by
action items generated with Solibri. All
this represents quite a big change in the
job of the engineering manager. By uploading the updated IFC models one by
one to Solibri the project leader is able
to address design issues in a structured
manner and communicate the findings to
the project participants. Thor Ørjan Holt
and his project manager Randi Brekke
usually begin "deep" in the building, with
either the electrical or ventilation model.
Structured Control
“This has to do with visibility ” says Holt.
“The combined models alone are too
complex. By integrating and matching the
models by different design disciplines,
and also controlling each individual
model the project leader is able to make
an overall assessment of the progress
and quality of each model and whether
the designs have been coordinated ” Holt
continues.
Prioritize
“It is important to make decisions and prioritize. All design issues are not equally
important. It does not make any sense to
require corrections if they are not important. It only creates frustration among the
project team. Thus you need to spend a
minute considering what is important and
what is not. From experience we know
that visual control will catch about 60%
of errors, which is twice what we used to
catch using drawings from 2D systems.
But Solibri does not stop here ” continues
Thor Ørjan Holt.
Rule Based Model Analysis
with Solibri
“I can also use Solibri for making more
detailed analysis of the building information model using Solibri’s predefined rule
sets for interference detection and finding collisions in places where they should
not exist. Or you can do the opposite and
have Solibri Model Check that components join properly. And out comes a list
of design issues to be resolved, sorted by
components. This is something only Solibri Model Checker can do ” says Holt.
Effective Communication
and Collaboration
Solibri includes presentation and reporting functionality which is a great tool for
presenting and communicating design
issues in the project. The engineering
manager is able to coordinate design
efforts and corrective measures by pre-
senting design issues and advice in detail to designers in the form of a report.
The report includes viewpoint, location
information and instructions for resolving the issue and assigning responsibility. Thus, design coordination is carried
out very efficiently. The history is of
course also filed, should one would need
to go back in time.
True Results
“We are succeeding on the UiS project much better than any other project
we have done thanks to Solibri and the
BOS-working method we use ”, says Holt.
“When everyone is gathered in the same
room communication is easy and direct so
that we can quickly solve problems. You
sit down for a short moment and find a
solution to the problem ” Holt continues.
“Solibri combined with professional
knowledge provides great value in BIM
context. However, when combined with
multidisciplinary expertise you really get
great benefits from the tool ” emphasizes Thor Ørjan Holt.
MULTICONSULT
MULTICONSULT is one of Norway's leading consulting engineering companies with
more than 20 offices in Norway and abroad. The head office is located in Oslo.
For more information on MULTICONSULT visit http://www.multiconsult.no.
CASE STUDY
9
pictures are courtesy of PWD-CM, Solibri Oy, and Tietoa Finland Oy .
Solibri, Inc.
HEIKKI KULUSJÄRVI
Owner View: BIM Has Payback
The Public Works Department (PWD) -Construction
Management (CM) manages the construction of
Helsinki's public buildings and public spaces on the
basis of orders placed by the City's administrative bodies
and other clients. Their measure for success in their
work is that the client needs to be satisfied with the
cost and quality of new and renovated premises, the
project is delivered within the agreed timetable, and the
environmental impacts of the project in both construction
and use remain within the limits that have been set.
10
CASE STUDY
P
WD-CM has over 100 people
working for them and annual
spending in design and construction services of around
100 million euros annually.
PWD-CM has been quite firmly involved with BIM projects since 2005.
One of their inspirations was getting acquainted with Solibri, Inc. and quality assurance solutions.
The first BIM project was the Senior
Citizens Care Center of Kontula, a 50
million euro hospital project. This was
carried as an OpenBIM project where
all disciplines produced their designs in
IFC format. During 2005 this was all new
to most of the designers and there was
plenty of learning involved. During those
days, BIM authoring tool vendors also
had many challenges. However, BIM files
were made and several quality issues
were discovered and fixed accordingly.
The first significant benefits of using BIM
were delivered.
S e n i o r C i t i z e n s C a r e C e nter of Kontula as a
BIM file
A consecutive project was a Haartman Hospital building, a 40 million euro
hospital project. Similarly, all designs
were made using OpenBIM by all designers. Plans were reviewed in coordination meetings with Solibri Model Checker software. In this project, the idea of
using BIM was introduced quite late and
therefore seen mainly as extra work. Solibri Inc. was acting as the BIM quality coordinator on this project , which gave the
designers an excuse to leave all quality
issues to hired quality consultants. This
resulted in a "let someone else worry
about the BIM files and design quality”
attitude. Part of the BIM files were made
alongside a traditional design, as a separate task and even with different tools.
This “double work” approach clearly was
not the ideal case for a BIM project to
succeed. Eventually all BIM files were
made and during the separate quality assurance checking many problems were
discovered – from the models. A big portion of problems were ultimately resolved
at the planning stage. In short this was a
real learning experience.
BIM files produced were also used
in cost estimation. Contractors had the
possibility to use the models during construction phase, but the commitment to
the utilization of the models was highly
dependent of the individuals involved.
Aulis Toivonen, PWD-CM’s principal
Project Director, has gained expertise
on a few OpenBIM projects. Haartman
Hospital project was his first complete
OpenBIM project. His most recent project Lapinlahti Hospital, which this article
focuses on, has now completed the planning phase. In addition to these projects,
Haartman Hospital as a BIM file
PWD-CM has started to bring the BIM
process forward and in wider use within
their organization.
The current project, Lapinlahden Hospital, was designed by Engel and was
originally completed in 1841. The building is located in a historic and scenic
park area in Helsinki. The hospital's main
building, Venice-building, and three separate buildings are to be restored.
By PWD-CM’s request this project also
was conducted as an OpenBIM project.
Based on the experience collected from
previous projects the target was clearly
flawless design:
• high emphasis for designers to per form quality assurance themselves
• full design coordination and removing
discrepancies during design phase
• viewing project plans for the end
users without technical staff
• support for cost estimating, models to
be used for QTO
• model utilization during construc tion --->
schedule optimization,
support for construction scheduling
• minimizing of change orders
This BIM project was carried out in accordance with Senate-Properties BIM
Requirements www.senaatti.fi ( in English “Senate Properties’ BIM requirements 2007”). Requirements describe
instructions for all design disciplines and
how each designer shall perform quality
Senate Properties BIM Guide rules in Solibri Model Checker
CASE STUDY
11
assurance before delivery. Solibri Model
Checker software includes these same
requirements listed in the form of rules
that can be checked automatically from
the models. Further, all changes in designs made can be tracked.
Inventory Modeling
Projects of this kind require thorough
study of the existing conditions, especially dimensions of the building. In BIM
projects this in practice means making
an Inventory Model. This is done based
on measurements taken on site. There
are several methods for doing this but
the most accurate is based on 3D-laser
scanning. This process produces a huge
number of measured points with accurate coordinate information. This group
of points forms a so-called Point Cloud
model.
Technically, it is not recommended
to use this kind of model, as such. This
Point Cloud information is utilized as a
reference to produce an inventory model
with an Architectural BIM Authoring tool.
Typically, component geometry is at this
phase simplified to make most walls
mathematically straight and upright…unlike reality.
According to Marko Rajala, with Tietoa
Finland Oy, it is recommended that you
do the actual inventory model after the
Architect has been selected for the project. This way the inventory model can be
made using the same tools that the Architect will continue using in their work.
Other designers will receive the inventory model as an IFC file format because they are not intended to modify
the model, rather using it as a reference.
Later, other designers will then get the
actual plan from the architect.
In the Lapinlahti hospital case, the
inventory model was also part of the Request for Proposal material delivered to
designers.
Request for Proposal
Knowledge from past BIM projects was
fully utilized during the RFP process. The
emphasis was on the quality of the design. Planning requested this to be done
12
CASE STUDY
Point Cloud model
Inventor y model
as BIM-based and utilization of other designers BIM files was requested, including the Inventory Model. When tenders
were received the result was confusing:
for example, the best quality score was
received by a chief architect who had
the lowest offer. In fact, a number of
high quality
score offers
were found
amongst
the lowest
Offers compared Quality/Price
offers.
Architect Jouni Kulmala with Lasse
Kosunen Oy explains the reasons as
follows: " the use of our tools has significantly improved as we have adopted the
OpenBIM approach ". The architect's firm
has actively used ArchiCAD software
since 1991. Solibri Model Checker quality assurance solutions have been in use
in the company since 2008.
Aulis Toivonen interprets the results:
"It seems to me that designers who have
integrated BIM in their workflow are able
to do better quality in less time. Appar-
ently, some designer can utilize inventory
models better as they don’t need to remodel this part. Now as the design phase
is completed and we have not seen any
(typical) change orders we need to assume that the work estimates were quite
accurate .“
“Further I think the group of more expensive offers were based on traditional
document based design methods for the
actual planning and then, as BIM modeling was requested, a second team made
the BIM file separately. This obviously
doubles the work and furthermore it’s
highly unlikely that this will actually improve the design quality. “ Toivonen con-
tinues.
Architectural Design
Jouni Kulmala tells about the project:
"The architectural design is quite challenging in the case of renovation of a historical building. “
"In my mind OpenBIM-based planning
extends the opportunities an architect
B I M f i l e v i s u a l i z e d s h o w i ng the plan
has to observe and visualize the design.
On the other hand there is no room for
shortcuts as, for example, spatial coordination like ducts collisions will be revealed early on. It is possible to deal even
with big design challenges during the design phase. There will be plenty of work
to do on the work site without surprises
coming from the design,” he continues.
Historical buildings set challenges
also to the current BIM Authoring tools
and computers. Well balanced quality assurance is recommended to be started
from the beginning of the design process. Having good and flawless material
to share with fellow designers will keep
the cooperation healthy and efficient.
It is paramount that you indicate very
clearly if some parts of the design still
have problems or are unfinished.
MEP Design
“MEP design is very challenging in a renovation project like Lapinlahden hospital where current structures and limited
space dictate the rules ”, says project
manager Aulis Toivonen. MEP modeling
begins exceptionally early during conceptual phase based on inventory models. The reasoning here is that the new
building services technology requires
more space than before and spatial coordination on this side requires even more
than changes in spaces.
Spatial coordination was done based
on the inventory model and it showed po-
tential problems early on and seemed efficient as more work could be done at the
office vs. work site, he continues.
MEP design was more complete than
typically at this phase. This enabled the
project team to get more acquainted with
the required construction sequences.
After this the BIM based design process was carried forward by all designers. Olli Rintamäki the project manager
of Hepacon Oy,: "OpenBIM is a new way
of thinking and planning. This process will
enable us to communicate efficiently with
the client and help their decision making. Furthermore, making quality assurance
with Solibri Model Checker for e.g spatial
coordination along the design phase will
result less problems on site .”
Quality Assurance
Tietoa Finland Oy was assigned to the
project as Quality assurance consultants. “ We have used Solibri Model
Checker for this purpose since 2008 and
furthermore Solibri’s personnel trained
our staff to perform commercial level
Quality Assurance with a dedicated training program..” says Marko Rajala from
Tietoa Finland Oy.
In the case of Lapinlahti Hospital the
Chief Architect is in charge of the design
in whole and Tietoa Finland is subcontracted by them. The practical quality
assurance is a continuous process that
collects BIM files from designers before
each designers meeting and then in the
Quality Assurance process
meeting the progress is introduced with
the models.The status of design is shown
with the models and analysis reports.
This enables a clear and transparent
view of how complete the design is at
this phase. This also serves very well for
decision support if changes are needed
for the design. This very straightforward
procedure improves constructability and
helps to avoid typical change orders and
scheduling problems on the site. This
also helps the future users of the building to see what is planned and influence
early on to have good results. “In short
continuous quality assurance is a practice that really works ” says Marko Rajala.
Summary
Aulis Toivonen states: “OpenBIM enables
high quality and (close to) flawless design
outcome and with these efficient tools
cost savings during both design and construction phase.
The OpenBIM projects that Public
Works Department -Construction Management have done have learned a lot
and during each project has been significantly improved. By doing things right the
first time it is possible to do better quality
with even lower price and effort. CASE STUDY
13
Skanska Finland Head Quarters, Helsinki, Finland
Solibri, Inc.
JAAKKO JAUHIAINEN
Challenges
Create Capabilities
Solibri Model Checker and ArchiCAD Enhance Building
Information Modeling and Quality Assurance at Larkas &
Laine Architects
L
arkas & Laine Architects Ltd is
one of the largest architectural
offices in Finland. Currently,
Larkas & Laine employ more
than 60 people. In addition to being one
of the biggest architectural practices in
Finland, Larkas & Laine is a leading BIM
office. The company has invested heavily in building information modeling on
demanding design projects and places
great emphasis on modeling capabilities and internal quality control. Business process development has not been
driven by external requirements but has
been a result of pursuing perfection in
architectural design. Larkas & Laine Ar14
CASE STUDY
chitects Ltd also owns 45% of AMFI Architects Ltd, which specializes in sports
buildings and ice rinks in Russia.
Demanding Projects Create Capabilities
One of the current design projects Larkas & Laine is working on is the future
headquarters of Skanska Finland. The
project is architecturally demanding because the headquarters will be located
at the beginning on Mannerheimintie
where buildings create an entry point
from the north, or a gate, to Helsinki. The
location is important from the point of
view of the cityscape, as requirements
of the building authorities play an important role.
In addition, Skanska has demanding
requirements for both the design and
BIM quality. Skanska in turn is using the
project for developing their own capabilities. Skanska has a very strong and resolute commitment to contribute to a more
sustainable world. In this project Skanska is targeting LEED platinum level and
fulfilling the EU Green Building requirements. Skanska, one of the leading BIM
companies in Finland, has experimented
with BIM extensively and is applying modeling at an ever increasing scale in business. In Skanska’s experience, modeling
increases the quality of design, making
it easier to reach a 0 design error target.
Skanska has concluded that BIM represents a competitive advantage for their
own business.
“From the architects point of view high
quality requirements for both architecture
and BIM is an advantage ” says Mr. Harri
Salminen who is both an architect and
a partner in the company. “High quality
requirements for architecture and building information models create challenges
but enable us to continuously improve our
Harri Salminen.
BIM in the Architect's Practice
The Larkas & Laine view is that building
information modeling is the only solution
for high quality and error free design.
Compared with traditional 2D and 3D
design, BIM enables better architecture,
quality and creativity. BIM also makes
the management of design information
and document production easier. For architectural design, Larkas & Laine use
ArchiCAD and modeling is the natural and
most efficient way to use that application.
Larkas & Laine decided in 2003 that
all new projects would be modeled. At the
same time, the competencies of the staff
are being systematically developed. For
example, in 2009 the company used over
700 training days for sharpening modeling skills - a strong indication of the commitment to BIM for a company employing
approximately 60 professionals. Larkas
& Laine have developed company specific project and modeling methodologies.
The method is part of the company’s
quality control system and describes the
company procedures and practices that
are to be observed.
BIM projects differ from traditional 2D
and 3D projects significantly. One significant aspect is interoperability, the possibility to share design information in the
form of models, made possible by BIM
and adopting the IFC standard. Interoperability has one direct consequence model quality and quality control are of
the utmost importance.
assurance is then carried out within the
Solibri Model Checker. Model checking is
automated by Solibri Model Checker and
studying the design issues pinpointed in
the architectural model is very efficient.
Components and issues found by Solibri
Model Checker can be directly selected
in ArchiCAD for redesign.
Today it is customary that models are
released in IFC format. Larkas & Laine
will export the model in IFC format and
check the IFC file using Solibri Model
Checker in order to guarantee that the
quality meets the appropriate quality
standards.
Quality assurance has been integrated seamlessly in the modeling process.
The target for quality control at Larkas &
Laine is that all models go through the
quality control process whether they are
released outside the office or not. For
example, in the above mentioned Skanska Finland headquarters project, quality
assurance has been continuous: quality
is controlled continuously at intermediate design phases. All design releases
have been scheduled and before releasing the design Larkas & Laine perform a
detailed quality control in order to guarantee high quality.
Technopolis Plc, Helsinki, Finland
skills and stay on the leading edge ” says
Quality Control in BIM Projects
For BIM quality assurance Larkas & Laine
uses Solibri Model Checker. The basic
principle in quality assurance is that all
models leaving the office go through
the model checking process. In case
the design is released as an ArchiCAD
model, the model is transferred directly
to ArchiCAD using the ArchiCAD Link for
the Solibri Model Checker, an ArchiCAD
add-on produced by Solibri. The quality
CASE STUDY
15
“
mated quality control and analysis, and
The advantage computer
based quality assurance
gives us is more efficient
quality control, more productive modeling and design...
All Stakeholders Benefit from BIM and Quality Control “Without BIM the world would be very
much two dimensional ” says architect
Harri Salminen. Without building information models and state-of-the-art design
and quality assurance software the architectural quality of architectural design
could not be guaranteed. Modern tools
make things possible that would have
been extremely difficult when design was
done in 2D or 3D.
“2D and 3D design has also included
many tedious and laborious tasks. The
possibility of human error has also been
ever present. Modern technology also
makes design work more efficient by removing routine, tedious work. By automating routine tasks it is possible to increase
work motivation and interest in the work.
Having modern tools at our disposal also
makes it easier to produce required quality at different design stages. And, quality
control tools also decrease work based
stress ” says Mr. Salminen.
Because Larkas & Laine has acquired
extensive skills in using ArchiCAD for a
number of years the company is able to
produce good quality models by following internal project and quality practices.
Solibri Model Checker in turn makes it
possible to find those design issues
which would be impossible to find otherwise and produce continuously consistent and high quality models. Because of
interoperability, exchange of design information in model format and the ability
to combine models with consistently high
quality is by far more important in BIM
projects than traditional design projects.
16
CASE STUDY
BIM, interoperability and IFC enable
the exchange of design information and
merging of models. It is extremely useful
to be able to compare the architectural
model with say, the structural model.
Designers should exchange models frequently during the design phase.
Easy and Efficient Workflow
Modeling with ArchiCAD and quality control with Solibri Model Checker saves
time and makes the design process
more productive. “Transferring the architectural model to Solibri Model Checker,
using Solibri for fast, reliable and auto-
the direct selection of design issues in
ArchiCAD makes the work flow extremely
efficient and easy ” says Harri Salminen.
“The advantage computer based quality
assurance gives us is more efficient quality control, more productive modeling and
design, and leaving out the possibility for
human error ” Harri Salminen continues.
Leading edge BIM competencies and
high quality also affect customer satisfaction and retention. “Quality is equally
important in every project because all of
our customers are repeat customers. Ensuring high quality internally enables us
to build confidence between our office
and our customers ” architect Harri Salminen says. Long customer relationships
are also important to Larkas & Laine because they lower the number of projects
acquired through bidding.
Larkas & Laine Architects Ltd is a
leading edge BIM company. State-of-theArt modeling and quality control tools
and continuous investment in both project and modeling guidelines and practices, and internal training produce results. Larkas & Laine Architects Ltd Larkas & Laine is one of the leading Finnish architectural practices targeting high
level architecture and high quality built environment.
Larkas & Laine emphasize a customer oriented approach in architectural design
and developing a deep understanding of their customer needs. The target is to create unique and customer specific design alternatives resulting in a design fulfilling
customer needs. Larkas & Laine apply their long experience and creativity which,
combined with their strong customer orientation, results in design solutions that are
both unique and architecturally successful, while exceeding customer expectations.
The company uses building information modeling extensively. Modeling benefits
BIM quality control and enables use of BIM information during the construction process. Larkas & Laine employs a quality control system which is continuously improving. The system also includes a design and modeling methodology description which
enables Larkas & Laine to maintain continuously high quality. BIM, visualization and
CAD based design are core competencies at Larkas & Laine.
The office is a member in the Finnish Green Building Council (FiGBC), currently
being created. FiGBC targets participating in the development of sustainable practices and tools, and presents Finnish actors in the international Green Building Council.
Larkas & Laine is the first Finnish architectural company that has applied for the WWF
Green Office Certificate for their internal practices.
Larkas & Laine was established in 1993 and employs more than 60 people today.
For more information on Larkas & Laine visit http://www.larkaslaine.com.
HEIKKI KULUSJÄRVI Solibri, Inc.
JONATHAN WIDNEY Solibri LLC
JAAKKO JAUHIAINEN Solibri, Inc.
Mining the Model.
Solibri Introduces Information Takeoff (ITO)
– THE LATEST INNOVATION FROM SOLIBRI
For the first time, ITO
makes the information in
BIM available for wide use
and analysis. ITO will allow
“data mining” from the
BIM by making it possible
to instantly capture
practically any information
available and then generate
customized reports.
W
e all have seen how 3D
geometric information is
visualized and Quantity
takeoffs are generated
from BIM files. We asked ourselves “why
should we be limited to just the quantity
of geometric components, when there is
so much more information available? ”
We came up with an answer: Information
takeoff. Whatever information you are interested in, you can collect, filter, visualize, and report – instantly!
Solibri’s main focus is quality assurance and control. To be more precise,
Solibri wants to make sure the required
information is available, can be trusted,
and follows set criteria and guidelines
(e.g. building code or internal BIM guidelines). To achieve this, Solibri Model
Checker uses rules to analyze infor-
mation in, and various aspects of, the
model. Additionally, Solibri has discovered innovative ways to verify that information.
Typically, BIM information is fragmented on the component level into many
thousand elements. “You can’t see the
forest for the trees” - is a saying that applies here. Some things are easier to see
than others. For example, we visualize
geometrical information and by looking at
it we can discover some potential problems. Through this process we have elevated detailed geometrical information
to a more understandable and usable
level, for all. A similar result is achieved
when we generate quantity takeoffs from
the BIM file, as the “total numbers” give
us more understanding about the building or structure.
INFORMATION TAKEOFF
17
Space and volume summar y rep o r t a n d v i s u a l ization produced with ITO in real t i m e , w i t h o u t
any programming. What-You-Se e - I s - W h a t - Yo u Get
ITO
Combining the three ideas of being able
to automatically check models for quality, visualize complex model information
and the rich information content of BIM
files, Solibri has developed an innovative capability called Information Takeoff
(ITO). In brief, ITO allows users to collect
information from the BIM file, organize it,
visualize it, and report it - instantly. This
information can include spatial areas for
area calculations, envelope of the building for energy calculations, volumes,
quantity takeoff and much more.
Solibri has always been focused on
the “I” (information) in BIM. Solibri Model
Checker now brings the capability, and
power, to ‘mine the model’ for extensive
types of information to your desktop.
This will fundamentally change the way
models are used. Once the data is in the
model, the user will be able to capture it
in whatever structure best suits the project requirements. The ability to collect,
filter and instantly access all the information at your fingertips will significantly
increase the value of BIM for many stakeholders.
How to Use ITO?
Solibri has built ITO functionality to be
easy to use at the design office, the
worksite, or wherever you have needs to
rapidly get information out of the building
information model. You can make pre-defined calculations to coordinate design
process or ad-hoc queries to identify material to be sent to the second floor at
18
INFORMATION TAKEOFF
“
Comprehensive project quantity
takeoff - information at your
fingertips
the worksite. Following are some of the
key concepts to get the most out of ITO.
ITO Description
ITO Description is the starting point.
First, you select the discipline(s) you
want to work with, as there may be several models from different disciplines loaded in the Solibri Model Checker. Then you
define what components you want to get
information from and what properties are
of interest. You can also define what rule
sets should be checked to generate accurate results.
Next, you define how this information
should be organized (e.g. by floor, space
or system). It is also possible to enable
information grouping and reflect total
sums. Different colors can be assigned
Creating an information takeoff d e f i n i t i o n i s
the first step in mining informatio n f r o m B I M
models. It is also possible to se l e c t r u l e s e t s
that should be used for model c h e c k i n g . I T O
will warn the user if expected ru l e s e t s h a v e n o t
been loaded or fully checked.
to indicate different wall types (in this
example).
Once you have finished the ITO description, you can takeoff the information of the whole model or make a partial takeoff (selection) using Model Tree,
Classification, Sectioning, Filtering, or
even individually picking the components
that are of interest.
ITO Templates
ITO descriptions can be saved for sharing with other members of the project
team or for further use with other projects. These are saved as ITO templates
which can be effectively used to ensure
consistency when extracting information
from the model. If, for example you have
created an ITO description for creating a
bill of quantities of all doors and windows
in your current project, the same ITO
template can be used on other projects.
Thus, ITO automates data extraction
from models. ITO templates can also be
shared between users.
Wall types are automatically color coded for easy identification and cost analysis.
ITO Reports and Report Templates
All the information that has been collected can be exported to spreadsheets
for further reporting and analysis. These
are called ITO Reports, and can be easily customized by the user. Once it is
determined which information from the
associated ITO description will be used,
it is possible to create formulas, etc. as
necessary to further utilize that BIM information.
ITO Samples Delivered with Solibri Model Checker
A number of sample ITO templates and
reports are delivered with the Solibri
Model Checker. Included are:
• Building Components by Blocks
• Building Element Quantities
• Component Status
• Detailed Building Component
Quantities
• Flow Terminals and Valves
• Pipes and Ducts
• Spaces
Information from building
information models can be
reported using customized standard templates.
Templates can include
additional information such
as cost information.
• Walls by Height
• ITO and Carbon Footprint
Calculations
• Building Project Hollow Core Slab
Structure Cost Estimate
• Space Based Target Price Calculation
There are numerous ways to utilize BIM
information by combining the information
produced by Solibri Model Checker with
information from other sources such as
cost engineering information. With ITO
it is possible for example to very easily
produce a carbon footprint and energy
calculations reflecting the total levels of
the GHG emissions and energy consumption caused by manufacturing the materials of the building. It is also relatively
straightforward to expand the calculation to include the GHG emissions during the construction phase. ●
Visit http://www.solibri.com and download Introduction to Information Takeoff.
INFORMATION TAKEOFF
19
Courtecy of Senate Properties
HEIKKI KULUSJÄRVI Solibri, Inc.
JONATHAN WIDNEY Solibri LLC
JAAKKO JAUHIAINEN Solibri, Inc.
Solibri Model Checker
THE LEADING BIM QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ANALYSIS TOOL
ENABLES SUPERIOR SPATIAL COORDINATION
The modern and open Building Information Modeling
(BIM) process and information rich BIM files offer totally
new possibilities to effectively and efficiently manage the
design process from the early design stages through the
end of construction. As buildings become more complex
and architecture more ambitious, Spatial Coordination
will enhance productivity and dramatically reduce field
changes.
20
SPATIAL COORDINATION
T
he traditional (non-collaborative) design and construction
process brings additional unpredicted costs, is inefficient,
affects the schedules and in many cases
delivers suboptimal solutions. This has
been verified by several studies including Rethinking Construction, The report
of the Construction Task Force to the
Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on
the scope for improving the quality and
efficiency of UK construction, and the
NIST report showing $15.8 billion USD
annual waste in the US alone based on
the lack of interoperability.
At the same time, it is illogical to expect that as we now focus more on energy efficiency and environmental impact,
and as building technology is becoming
increasingly complex and architecture
ever more ambitious, that the design
I n t e r n a l M E P d e s i g n i s s u es
would be less challenging and we would
have fewer design coordination and quality issues.
When design problems are fixed on
site the cost is typically high. Many software tools currently support and promote
"collision detection", which has been introduced as a solution to the above problem. In most cases this is done when all
design is done as a final check before
the construction phase is started. However subcontractors have said that collision detection itself is an inefficient process because it is encouraging people to
make mistakes with the assumption they
will just be caught downstream. The result is normally an exhaustive listing of
identified ‘collisions’ between geometric
objects in the models. This approach is
not ideal as it still requires significant
effort to go through the collision report
multiple times just to determine which
identified collisions are severe, or important enough to discuss in an upcoming
coordination meeting. This practice is
both time consuming and labor intensive.
The next generation, information rich,
open Building Information Modeling
(BIM) process offers totally new possibilities to effectively and efficiently man-
age the design process early on. “Spatial Coordination” reflects new thinking
of how to utilize cumulative information
throughout the BIM process. The general
idea is that problems are identified early
and proper quality measures are implemented from the beginning. In the ideal
situation, when design of all disciplines
is done there are few, if any collisions to
be found.
Spatial Coordination: Collision Detection is Only
The Starting Point
Instead of waiting for complete BIM
models to be handed over for pre‐construction planning and checking, quality
assurance tasks need to be conducted
as relevant information becomes available. Model checking can be conducted
throughout the project, but ideally it
should be done before a design is handed over to other engineering disciplines.
Continuous quality control, when properly established, will find potential problems before passing false or misleading
information forward.
Solibri has adopted a more comprehensive approach, which we call Spatial
Coordination, where collision detection
is just one of the components, but that
is performed only after other measures
for Quality Assurance are applied. We are
focused on how to identify real quality
issues based upon compliance with existing rules, requirements and/or codes;
then how to effectively manage those
findings, well in advance of any meetings
and design handover deadlines. Catching issues early will help us avoid redesign and make the design process more
productive.
Spatial coordination requires analyzing the design disciplines that affect
space usage in buildings. This includes:
• Architectural design (Spaces, walls,
slabs, columns, beams, doors,
windows, etc.)
• Structural design (load bearing walls,
slabs, columns, beams etc.)
• MEP design (ducts pipes, cable carri ers etc.)
The methodology that Solibri Model
Checker uses is one of rules and rulesets. Many software applications use
rules, but they are internal algorithms,
most often hard coded, and unable to
be customized or even edited by the end
user. Solibri Model Checker provides a
SPATIAL COORDINATION
21
myriad of rule templates, where the only
missing information is the customers’
parameters to be applied. It is also possible, with some assistance, to create
entirely new rules, essentially allowing a
customer to have their own ‘custom flavor’ of Solibri Model Checker supporting
their business needs, or the needs of
their clients. Once new rules are created, they are combined with other related
rules into a ruleset.
Solibri Model Checker also performs
the analysis fast and reliably, dramatically lowering the cost of quality assurance.
Severity classification is done automatically for all design issues located.
This area does not contain any space. Consequently space calculations and BIM inf o r m a t i o n m i g h t
be incorrect leading in unreliable space program verification, incorrect quantities, or e v e n e x c e e d i n g
the allowed area once the building is completed.
“Space Validation” Ruleset
The starting point is to check that the
architectural design has spaces defined
according to surrounding walls. If not, either spaces or walls need to be adjusted.
"Structural versus Architectural Models" Ruleset
Architectural and structural design
should be checked to verify that load
bearing walls, columns, beams, slabs,
etc. are equally located in the two disciplines. Similarly it should be checked
that openings like doors are similar in
size and location.
"Intersections Between Domains" Ruleset
The next step is to check the structural
design and MEP design and find "interferences" with structural elements.
Solibri reports these by categorizing according to the severity and by structural
component even if it has several interferences. This makes it easier to coordinate
the real issues. Internal MEP system
interferences are also coordinated. In
most collision detection systems you are
expected to know what systems interfere
and you select only those for your test.
As the list of problems is exhaustive “unwanted” results are filtered away.
22
SPATIAL COORDINATION
Architectural and structural models with horizontal and vertical differences in location s a n d d i m e nsions.
S a m e c o l l i s i o n w i t h a n A rchitectural wall is LOW but with a Structural wall it is CRITICAL
Change Management
- Model Version Comparison
During the design and construction process it is extremely important to track
what has been changed in the design.
The "model comparison" rulesets are
built specifically for this. You import the
previous version of the design and then
the later version and run the comparison
rules. The results will visualize by color
coded categories (and objects) what has
been added, removed or modified in the
model.
With Solibri Model Checker you know
exactly what has been changed, and by
whom. There is no need to guess. Change
management at its best. Changes in
properties, such as space or volumes,
are tracked, as well as the geometry. It
is then possible to generate a summary
report on quantities changed serving the
owner, contractor and future users in
cost engineering, investment decisions,
etc.
Communication, Collaboration and Reporting
Historically, there was an extraordinary
amount of time required before each
coordination meeting, just to review the
magnitude of identified collisions. Communication is one of the key benefits of
the BIM process. The use of model visualization has resulted in a much more efficient and collegial environment. Whether the goal is to identify interferences,
share the results of model comparison
or just to bring attention to a particular
area of the model, it is infinitely easier to
accomplish this and reach consensus in
a model-based environment.
Samples of CRITICAL, MODERATE and LOW severity issues. Note: Interference with s m a l l p i p e s i s
considered low priority since this is easier to fix on site. Rule-based reasoning helps s i g n i f i c a n t l y,
focusing on the most relevant issues first and when required, even low severity issue s c a n b e
addressed.
Door type and size is changed between two versions of design. Attached table show s c h a n g e s i n
quantities.
Once the model checking results have
been generated, they can be quickly
viewed and saved as viewpoints in a presentation folder unique to this particular checking exercise. This serves two
purposes, firstly, it makes it possible to
share the views as a presentation, and
secondly, it allows the reviewer to add information to the viewpoints, such as the
checking decision (accepted, rejected,
undefined, or don’t change). With Solibri
Model Checker it is possible to edit the
viewpoints and effectively manage the
issues by indicating their status (open,
assigned, resolved, closed) and assigning the parties responsible for resolving
them.
The findings are communicated to
designers and/or other team members
by generating presentations and coor-
dination reports. The team can proceed
through the presentation with decisions
made during that process. This has been
an activity that previously was very fragmented. Now, it is possible to check,
review the results, view the issues, assign the responsible party and track the
progress through resolution, in one consistent environment.
The powerful connection between issues and reporting helps expedite actual
problem solving. This capability could
literally save hours in the areas of preprocessing, meeting preparation and
issue tracking and resolution, at the
same time raising the quality of the BIM
file and the design. ●
Visit http://www.solibri.com and download Spatial Coordination White Paper.
SPATIAL COORDINATION
23
Solibri, Inc.
Itälahdenkatu 21A
00210 Helsinki, FINLAND
Email: sales@solibri.com
Phone: +358 10 5486 800
Fax: +358 10 5486806
http://www.solibri.com
24
CASE STUDY
NTI CADcenter A/S
NTI Nestor AS
Email: nti@nti.dk
Phone: +45 70 10 14 00
www.nti.dk
Email: post@ntinestor.no
Phone: +47 48 20 33 00
www.ntinestor.no