PRESS RELEASE
Cost no longer an excuse for avoiding BIM
Universities shying away from the benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM) are being advised to take a similar approach to Cambridge University, one of many in the UK using BIM to plan refurbishments in a cost-effective manner.
The advice comes from 3D measurement expert Severn Partnership, which has recently been working with Cambridge University to help the organisation gain greater transparency of its facilities for renovation purposes.
Many London universities have revealed they are hesitant to use BIM because they are cautious of how much money needs to be invested in order to ensure it is a worthwhile exercise. Yet according to Severn Partnership, which cites Cambridge University as an example, BIM is one of the most useful methods of reducing facilities management costs and offers a lower long term cost option for universities. This information is even more pertinent following the recent Government announcement that all UK construction companies tendering for public sector work should achieve level two BIM by 2016.
Cambridge University appointed Severn Partnership to laser scan a large area of campus for use in site wide refurbishment and construction work. Two-dimensional CAD elevations along with accurate 3D models were developed and used within the Universities BIM project. This collaborative BIM approach ensures that reworks are reduced, stakeholders can be engaged in a full project at the early stages, and insurance costs are typically lowered, saving further investment from the university.
Mark King, Project Manager at Severn Partnership explained how a BIM model has made it much easier for the university to plan any building developments. "The great thing about BIM is that you have access to all the relevant information for an entire campus, which universities can refer to at any time in the future when planning additional redevelopment work. This not only saves money when it comes to any future building work but it also allows universities to form closer collaborations with contractors, lower risk premiums, and dramatically reduce the number of variations required on any development work. It also means that universities make more efficient use of space and experience minimum disruption during any development process."
Universities pointing towards the cost of hiring an internal BIM manager to access and manipulate BIM data are also being reassured by Severn Partnership. The company's sister company SEEABLE provides complimentary deliverables to re-purpose BIM into easy, non-technical bespoke apps for facilities, safety and marketing teams. This makes BIM accessible to anyone within an organisation and removes the costly expense of hiring an internal BIM manager.
Mark Combes, Partner of SEEABLE explained:"We have made BIM accessible to everyone through the launch of our sister company, SEEABLE. Once 3D data goes into SEEABLE, we can reuse it for architectural and engineering design. And because it can be viewed in an intuitive app environment, or through games-based learning, there is no need for complex software in order to make it possible to analyse and view 3D data. There is now no reason for not investing in BIM technology and this is why 75% of BIM users do experience a positive return on investment."
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About Severn Partnership
Severn Partnership is a firm of Chartered Land Surveyors with offices in London and Shropshire. The company has a reputation established over 30 years for providing a high quality professional service. The company surveys, measures and monitors to produce high quality plans, sections, elevations - all the way to 3D and Building Information Models (BIM). It works throughout the UK and overseas, utilising the latest robotic survey equipment, 3D laser scanning technology & 3D modelling software, backed up by a wealth of survey expertise and experience. Severn Partnership's mission is to deliver a professional and personal service, regulated at all times by RICS standards and underpinned by strong ethical standards.
About SEEABLE LLP
SEEABLE LLP is a sister company to Severn Partnership Ltd, creating interactive bespoke non technical 3D & BIM visualisation APPs (Web, desktop & mobile) for safety, training, stakeholder engagement & marketing. Apps are designed bespoke for each project to make information, data, design options or risks 'Seeable' - not hidden in 2D plans or piles of paperwork. No complex training, software, help screens or instructions needed to get into your 3D or BIM data - just what you need at your fingertips.
For further information, please contact:-
Mark King, Project Manager at Severn Partnership on 08448808247 or emailmark.king@severnpartnership.co.ukor John Edden, Bridge PR & Media Services on 02476520025 or emailjohn@bridgepr.co.uk
For more information on SEEABLE contact Mark Combes Partner, SEEABLE LLP,08700 342222or emailmark.combes@seeable.co.uk