Nemetschek propels the AEC industry’s digital transformation by offering an umbrella solution across the building lifecycle.
Nemetschek has sponsored this post.
The data-driven world has arrived, and the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry is poised to embrace it thanks to software companies like the Nemetschek Group, which has 13 software brands, including ALLPLAN, Bluebeam, Graphisoft, NEVARIS, Spacewell and Vectorworks. Although once serving an industry slow to adopt new technologies, Nemetschek is now seeing more design and build firms recognizing the need for a digital transformation.
In an effort to make that transition smoother and easier, Nemetschek is offering solutions to create seamless digital twins.
The Benefits of a Digital Twin in Construction
Although the final project lives in the physical world, across many industries digital twins have proven to be a beneficial tool. In essence, a digital twin is the digital representation of an object in the real world. From healthcare to aerospace, these twins combine the real-world data of the object via various technologies, such as 3D laser scanners, sensors, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Not just a 3D model, this twin captures all the properties of the real object in real-time, enabling unparalleled insight into a project and better-informed decision-making.
For the AEC industry, big projects involve massive amounts of data from multiple sources, which inherently creates gaps. Digital twins offer a solution to bridge those gaps and enable everyone involved to stay on the same page. Instead of just blueprints, invested parties can use data from the digital twin to head off problems before they happen and better utilize space while having instant access to vital information. After completion, having this digital twin makes managing the building easier.
Digital twins have proven beneficial in multiple arenas. For AEC companies, cost often ranks as a top concern. Along with cutting costs, digital twins enhance the planning of the project. In a time where labor is increasingly hard to find, having accurate project planning allows for better utilization of workers’ time. That, in turn, reduces the chances of errors and having to perform costly rework.
The construction industry once relied on paper trails, making calls and conducting numerous on-site visits to ensure work was getting done the right way. Even as new technology emerged, not all contractors or AEC companies used the same software. That led to additional hassles when trying to access files or having to invest in software only needed for a single project.
With the invention of OPEN BIM and Building Lifecycle Intelligence (BLI), collaboration has taken on a new meaning. Regardless of which phase a project is in, data is imported, exported and accessed via non-proprietary file formats. Thanks to the cloud, real-time data is accessible 24/7 and from any location. Instead of a key player not getting the most up-to-date changes or dealing with a data dump handover, that person only needs to go to a single “source of truth” to get real-time data.
The Results of a Using a United Digital Twin
While AEC companies have many reasons to embrace digital twins, the proof truly comes from seeing the benefits in action. Numerous projects have been completed using connected Nemetschek solutions, resulting in construction feats that once were impossible.
Glasblokkene Trinn 2
A 50,000 m2 children’s hospital in Bergen, Norway, this massive project required a massive amount of data. In addition to finding a solution for the data, the client—Healthcare Bergen—required an open system to enable the use of different software. It found what it needed with dRofus, a planning and data management solution.
The exclusively digital project relied on a master asset database, which included all models and disciplines. To ensure real-time documentation and data, other software applications used were embedded with dRofus. This allows all the files and models to sync to the design, enabling anyone involved with the project to access any element by simply clicking on it.
This solution allowed for documentation to get delivered prior to actual construction beginning. Having that precise and accurate data made it possible for contractors to work more efficiently while also ensuring that the different disciplines involved in the project saw progress in real-time.
The Köhlbrand Bridge
A nearly 50-year-old structure in Hamburg, Germany, Köhlbrand Bridge provides a vital lifeline for travelers. As an aging, cable-stayed bridge, staving off issues and ensuring it stayed safe became increasingly difficult. Instead of taking a standard reactive approach, the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) sought a predictive solution, which involved real-time monitoring.
Due to its age, no models existed of the bridge. Using different applications, a BIM model was created. This highly detailed model included every component of the bridge, from the cables to the nuts and bolts. Thanks to OPEN BIM from ALLPLAN, exchanging and managing data from different applications and parties became possible. Ensuring quality assurance and quality control happen poses issues when a project uses multiple solutions. Solibri presented a model-checking solution that complied with all standards and requirements.
Over 500 IoT sensors were connected to a digital sensor in the bridge model. The HPA not only has real-time monitoring that automatically detects issues and sends an alert, but the digital twin also allows for the creation of simulations. This data can be used to help minimize disruptions and test different solutions without having to close down the bridge, and has made maintenance more efficient.
Havelland Highway
In Neuruppin, Germany, plans are in place to upgrade a section of Havelland Highway. Knowing the intricacies involved in fixing 5,500 meters of the highway and replacing a bridge, BIM provided an ideal solution to have a precise, efficient plan in place. That plan needed to include creating specialized models and submodels. Bringing those models all together has become a seamless endeavor thanks to an OPEN BIM solution.
With an OPEN BIM solution, models were created along with 4D simulations, provision of delivery objects and a seamless link of vital data, such as plans and documents. Prior to starting this complex construction project, the team had already found solutions to planning errors and implemented changes to ensure the project’s success.
Stuttgart Cancer Center
Stuttgart Hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, treats more than 10,000 cancer patients every year. To help medical professionals fight the cancer battle, a new center was designed to provide one roof for multiple disciplines. Expected to be completed in 2024, the facility will feature nuclear medicine, an oncology day clinic and radiation therapy. To make such a facility come to fruition, the planners looked to OPEN BIM to help with the complex nuances of the facility’s design.
Using a cloud-based solution, designers were able to generate technical models and exchange attributes between technical and architectural models regardless of the BIM platform used. This enabled the architects to coordinate model-based digital databases with key information from specialists to ensure quality assurance throughout the process.
When it comes to the AEC industry, time, money, safety, sustainability and efficiency are must-haves for any project. While many technologies have been available to ensure all of the above happen, these often came with extra hassles. Nemetschek’s move to eliminate those hassles and make accessing digital twins easy regardless of the software is a noble effort that is sure to help in the digital transformation of the AEC industry.
To learn more, visit Nemetschek.
