Stay ahead of the competition by implementing Autodesk Construction Cloud

What is BIM?

BIM or Building Information Modelling or most currently known as the Autodesk Construction Cloud is a process of multiple workflows implemented, enabled by the relevant software, to create and manage your data. By adopting a BIM execution plan early in the project life cycle, you can rely on accurate design, easier prediction of costs and manage your project timeline from the initial design right through to handover and operation phase of your project.

So, let’s look at the ways that BIM can help your company……

Design

Let's see how BIM helps improve collaboration and efficiency through Design. The more information that can be captured from a 3D model, the more accurate the design workflow. With Autodesk’s range of 3D modelling software, some of which you can explore here, it allows for as much detail as is required. The advantage of using this software is the interoperability between them, allowing collaboration and integrations from one software to another. Through the use of using such software’s like for example Revit, companies and Users within these companies can start to capture the more scientific information from the 3D BIM Model which can be built in these software’s. See below an example of a well-built Revit model. By being able to input this scientific information into these 3D Models this means that the information coming out of them is very accurate such as the schedules and budgets which can be generated.

What BIM also does is to allow you to host these models in the cloud whereby multiple users can work on the same model at the same time. They allow this through the modules called Autodesk Collaborate and Autodesk Collaborate Pro. What these modules allow its users to achieve is to improve the coordination and collaboration of the design processes. It gives its Users the ability to manage the entire design collaboration and coordination processes. It includes features such as Model Reviewing and Markups, Issue Management whereby if the PMs see anything that is wrong within the model it can be flagged and assigned to the relevant individual or team, change analysis and Clash detection. This leads us onto the next stage into how BIM can help improve your company…

Cost & Time

Like stated previously by using the Modules such as Autodesk Collaborate, and Autodesk Collaborate Pro Clashes and errors can be captured and resolved before they even get to site which means automatically a reduce in cost and time. These issues can be flagged and assigned to the relevant Individual and Subcontractors and have full traceability on them so that the PM can track to see if the Subcontractors are engaging on the project and resolving the issues assigned to them. What this means is that when you get to site the amount of error that you are going to face is reduced which means that the structures construction is going to be faster so therefore there is less time spent and less money spent on rework which means a greater saving overall. By Using BIM products companies can maximise the efficiency on a construction project not only just in the Design phase but through the entire lifecycle of the project from pre-planning all the way through to the handover. The next reason as to why the use of BIM can help improve your company is by improving the communications internally and externally.

Improved Communications

The Autodesk Modules not only allow for improved collaboration with Design and Modelling, but it allows gives its Users the ability to improve communication both internally and externally. The reason for this is Because BIM/ACC relies on what we call a “Single Source of Truth” which means that all relevant information for a project which includes the 3D models, estimates, schedules, PDFs, Word DOCs, Excel Sheets and Design Notes are all stored and distributed from the one Common Data Environment otherwise known as a CDE. BIM/ACC hosts its projects in the cloud on the company’s own HUB. Within this HUB that specific company can create projects for all current and new projects they have currently. Within these projects the company can add all Users onto the relevant projects by using their email addresses. They can then give these Users Permissions to View and Edit the specific files they need to without giving them access to all the documents in the project. This means that all the data for the project can be stored on this Common Date Environment and all the documents can be edited and reviewed within this cloud platform.

What this means is that it reduces Users within the Project working on Old or Outdated Information, how does it do this?? Well by having a system which automatically version controls documents as soon as they are edited so there is no need for have superseded folders or renaming the files from V1 to V2 etc.

Another benefit of BIM/ACC is that it gives its Users the Ability to Use it On-Site. It allows its Users to download the BIM 360/Build App whereby they can access all the relevant data they need on-site. It allows the contractors on-site to create the checklists on the go and snag any defects that they see on-site and send them back to the relevant teams in the office. This software provides full Collaboration between members on-site and in the office.

Higher Quality

Finally, the last reason why implementing BIM can edge your company ahead of the competition is down to the higher results which you will achieve. Although there are many more reasons why implementing BIM will give you an edge on the competition one of the other main benefits of BIM is that using BIM makes the models and calculations and estimates from these models more accurate and detailed, this in turn means that the quality of the structure will be better also.

Why should your company use BIM/Autodesk Construction Cloud?

To reiterate the points that have been made already the contractors who are using BIM/ACC and understand how it works can potentially offer you more in relation to the project efficiency and the construction quality. In relation to a client’s perspective the key factors are predicting the time and the resources their project will require. The fundamentals of BIM/ACC directly target the clients’ main goals and objectives. BIM/ACC can not only help you win over clients but it also improves the efficiency and collaboration of your own team internally and externally with other contractors.

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