There are a number of reasons why the construction industry has been slow to adapt to the digital world, but things are changing as competition heats up and the use of BIM is being mandated on public works projects in the UK and by real estate owners such as the GSA.
Why is this the case? Because when the project developer – the U.S. government, is going to be the long term owner of the project they know that having accurate as-built information is going to lead to more efficient operation and maintenance of the facility.
The availability of an accurate 3D design BIM is enabling the general contractor and trades to improve coordination, scheduling and the use offsite prefabrication. So long as the contractor is committed to “building the model” as designed then components can be assembled as it is done in the automotive and airline industries, among many others.
It’s all part of what FARO is calling Traceable Construction. Traceable Construction is the ecosystem of FARO solutions that align continuously with reality data to produce an Informed Construction Lifecycle. It’s a bold vision and one that FARO is delivering on.
An Informed Construction Lifecycle requires tight geometric control, transparency and up-to-date traceability of the design and the progress of construction. No matter how much planning is done, some field changes are going to occur. If documented properly, such that a third party not familiar with the project could understand the sequence of events, the reasons for the change and the revisions to the BIM then traceability has been achieved.
That’s the big picture. Stay tuned for more of the details and click here for more information.
