COVID-19 has triggered an unprecedented demand for technology solutions to help organisations navigate the current unprecedented environment. Information and data is relied upon as the foundation for organisational decision making underpinned by technological innovation. Improved definition and specification of information requirements and methodologies around data collection will enable the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector to move beyond traditional fragmented and siloed working practices by integrating consistently framed digital process throughout all phases of an assets lifecycle.
As industry attempts to grapple with both local and global challenges currently facing a number of sectors, asset stakeholders including governments are frequently turning to international standards to help guide development of their information requirements and the information models developed by their supply chains to meet the operational needs of their assets.
Development and management of data collection
The introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM) provides a process driven approach to the planning, development and management of data collection to enhance the content, delivery and quality of design documentation. Architects, engineers and contractors have been leveraging this technology and others to improve design solutions, client engagement and risk reduction.
The post COVID-19 economic environment will require the re-establishment of severed supply chains and adaptations to existing asset operating models. This provides significant opportunity to redefine information management principles aligned with rapidly evolving technologies and support the growth of a digitally skilled work force. Within this unprecedented environment, BIM has the potential to support and even accelerate economic recovery and support the suppression of virological infection rates.
Integration of BIM into asset operation
BIM today, supported by international standards, provides significant opportunity for organisations and asset users to leverage vast amounts of structured, verified and validated data. This is captured from both greenfield and brownfield operations during capital delivery as well as the operations and maintenance phases which improves the reliability of data for reuse as well as optimising asset operational performance and organisational decision making. Industry has made significant progress in addressing these challenges and is now recognising the value of international unification.
Efficient operational decision making is reliant on data from a trusted source of truth securely developed and managed during asset creation and onsite maintenance activities. The application of an information management strategy aligned with international standards not only yields collaborative benefits for the supply chain, but also assures the quality of data for reuse by organisations and its business functions. Further, it will also provide surety that human resources, organisational systems and processes will remain relevant, unified, and aligned with international advancements in BIM.
Gain insight from asset data
Organisations and asset owners throughout the AEC industry are at varying levels of maturity with many harnessing BIM to increase value of their data as an additional asset. Value realisation is the key driver of successful BIM adoption. As an organisation, identifying firstly your challenges and objectives enables you to identify technological solutions and begin to quantify value.
Aligning BIM uses with business objectives enables targeted deployment maximising investment value and reducing waste. Developing a project information management strategy within an internationally aligned framework not only enables identified risks and challenges to be mitigated through a staged approach but also provides a structured line of sight across the entire asset lifecycle. This enables data captured to meet the needs of the organisation and the wider industry bridging the gap between delivery, operations and maintenance.
BIM facilitates better collaboration improving efficiency of supply chains. High value interoperable information models enable significant improvement to the planning, delivery and maintenance of assets improving operational performance. Trusted data sources can be leveraged from information models to improve and adapt maintenance planning and operational management of assets throughout the post COVID-19 operating environment supported by an emerging digitally skilled workforce.
Responding to client’s needs for better quality and structured data, GHD brings value to clients by strategically integrating BIM activities within all stages across an assets lifecycle. This approach enables asset optimisation, improved operational readiness, better project delivery outcomes and forms the fundamental requirements for Intelligent Asset Management and Digital Twin.
Meet Elton
Elton Evans is an accredited BIM Project Information Manager and Chartered Architectural Technologist at GHD Digital. He is an experienced design professional with a demonstrated history of working in the industry. More recently, Elton has been providing authoring input into the National BIM guidance document currently under development in Australia.
