University of Dundee

Simplifying the complex with BIM at the University of Dundee.

The work also included the replacement of an existing process steam generation plant room of this 135-year old institution’s School of Life Sciences building.

With extensive experience working in live environments, Dalkia understands the necessity to ensure minimum downtime. This is where BIM can make a real difference and demonstrate to the customer how this can be achieved through careful planning of each phase of the works. Furthermore, the collaborative aspect of the tool is invaluable, having provided the project team access to design, tender, construction and handover stages, as well as integrated asset management for long term life cycle maintenance.

This project challenges the perception of BIM only benefiting larger schemes, especially as it enabled efficiencies through 5D practices and errors in the original design of the installation to be rectified. This would not have been possible through traditional 3D designs.

From the initial survey of the existing installation, our expert team produced the 3D layout of the plant, allowing for the correct steam loads and equipment selections to be established through the design. The Revit tool not only facilitated the construction design to develop the project in 3D from start to finish but also enabled our estimators to cost works via automated quantity take off (QTO) workflow via its model. Fundamentally, the phased approach through BIM, helped segment the design and project works from the strip out and plant relocations to new pipework installations.

BIM really is about collaboration through the integration of vital project information and creating a customer journey that provides transparency of project progress in 3D. Dalkia’s team used product data from specific manufacturers, which set the path for 5D planning via authoring tools and finally accurate construction & handover information. This process was a key driver in delivering high quality and efficient work to primarily meet the customer’s expectations.

Dalkia’s innovative approach to delivering necessary replacement works in our School of Life Sciences building’s plant room through the use of BIM has been very impressive and has provided us with full visibility of the project’s progression.

University of Dundee

Kenny Thomson, Senior Design Engineer, for Dalkia UK, said: “Using the 5D approach through the application of BIM/Revit to design small scale projects such as this one for speed and accuracy of information would not have been possible with traditional 2D or 3D designs, due to the lack of insight into how the works would progress and the temporary infrastructure that was needed.”

Dalkia demonstrated their customer-focused approach to project delivery effortlessly here and through the use of BIM added real value, not just with time and cost, but through enhanced design, resource efficiency, visibility of delivery progress in real time and minimised downtime, to mention but a few.