Complex construction sites, the importance of Bim Unit

Innovation, digitisation and multidisciplinarity, from conception and design, in the studio, to construction. The solution for us is called Bim Unit. A continuous and constant presence on worksites: a resident design team for construction development and direct assistance to the contractor.

This is one of the services that, as DVArea, we offer our clients, to accompany the working part of the project, a decisive step in controlling the quality of the work. A plus that also proves invaluable for the coordination of different suppliers.

In our experience, such as that gained at the Chorus Life site in Bergamo, the more complex a job is, the more decisive the Bim Unit and its contribution are for the success of the operation.

On the construction site coordinated by Costim, the team numbers some twenty people, and it is thanks to the design at Bim that it is possible to control, check, input parameters and align operations. Among other things, we make the task of the installers much easier, with tangible results in terms of dialogue and coordination of the different disciplines.

The added value of the Bim Unit is well-established for us and we can say that we have passed the test phase. In summary, the strengths are:

• the sharing of design and construction choices in progress with the contractor, the client, construction supervision, art management, resulting in the alignment of the construction design;

• verification of the execution of work, without waiting for systematic survey procedures. With direct effects on the reduction of site-designer latency times;

• direct collaboration between the contractor’s technical staff and Bim Unit’s for the creation of an advanced technical site office.

A process that is becoming standardised for DVarea and a tailor-made service for the client. In concrete terms, proactive support is given for construction design; the design of subcontractors and suppliers is co-ordinated, including technical design during execution; field surveys are carried out; processes are monitored with progress checks; an As-Built in progress is returned to the client; and continuous support is given for time and cost management through dedicated models, processes and software. Bim Unit also deals with the design, approval, and management of variants during construction and the final As-Built, as well as the drafting of Bim models for the management and maintenance phase.

Of the critical issues, the main one is that the entire supply chain needs to be aligned in order to have greater fluidity in time management, but this too, in our experience, is being resolved. A weakness that concerns subcontractors in particular: think for example of those dealing with a relatively small contract, who may be approaching the Bim world for the first time, or have never done so in a systematic way, which requires not only a simple software purchase but above all good technical preparation from the professionals.

Obviously, this clashes with the Italian context made up mainly of small and medium-sized companies that have to rely on structures such as design studios or engineering companies. More generally, therefore, the issue of cost and know-how management within companies persists, and at the moment only large companies actually manage to invest in this.

We see Bim and Bim Unit as a contribution to digital transition, but much remains to be done. The results are there for all to see, even in everyday life. Technology now allows us to simplify many things, streamlining processes and also changing the way we used to access certain services. To give one example among many, think of how primary care medicine was handled during the pandemic with prescriptions been sent to mobile phones or the option to use apps to download the green pass. Technology has proven to be effective and stable. Based on this, we can say that simplification and speed are two basic terms of digital transition. There is still an urgent need to educate people: we risk accentuating basic inequalities, which is why true digital education is essential. Including in the specific field of architectural and engineering design. Artificial intelligence and the digital transition will have to be accompanied by a growth in the individual’s ability to use these tools; they cannot be expected to function as a kind of autopilot. We must always remember that the choices and responsibilities still lie with the individual and the professionals in the specific field.

Tag:

#innovation #digitisation #multidisciplinarity #buildingsite #constructivedevelopment #sharing #executivereview #technicaloffice #onsite

Andrea Solazzi:

Co-founder DVArea e Presidente DVMEP.