Image courtesy of Sweco Belgium
Over 80% of construction companies still have room to improve their data capabilities, according to new market research from Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Autodesk.
The report found construction managers and executives spend an average of 11.5 hours per week researching and analysing data. And those in building information modelling (BIM) and preconstruction roles spend even more time looking for data, averaging 12.3 and 13.4 hours per week, respectively.
Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) companies generate an enormous amount of data every second, including design models, issue reports and change orders. Meanwhile, project timelines are growing increasingly compressed.
Efficiency within each phase of a construction project has become imperative.
Without a structured approach to information management, AEC companies can lose valuable time – as well as vast amounts of rich data and the insights it could have provided.
Recognising this shift, leading engineering and architecture consultancy Sweco embraced a digital-first approach, establishing Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) as its common data environment (CDE) to streamline data management and enhance project efficiency.
Over the years, Sweco has become a major international player. Its 22.000 architects, engineers and other experts support projects across Europe and the world. Sweco’s guiding principle is ‘sustainability by design’. And its strategy is to harness the power of digitisation as it builds for a sustainable future.
For the team at Sweco Belgium, following BIM processes for data management and establishing a common data environment (CDE) on projects have been pivotal in improving their information management practices. (CDE) on projects have been pivotal in improving their information management practices.
As the project manager for some of Sweco’s most complex multidisciplinary programmes of work, Fréderic Dierinck knows the value of effective information management.
“You'll notice big data is becoming increasingly significant in recent years, and rightly so,” he explains. “Projects are becoming more crunched for time, yet there's a push for more detailed development at each stage. Information management has, therefore, become a critical element of the project process, both in design and execution.”
Under the pressures of modern construction, the old ways of working just don’t work. Fréderic explains that a linear approach to projects is a thing of the past.
“Now, everybody works in parallel, on multiple models. And that’s why, as a company, you need to work within a common data environment. You can't just wait for someone to finalise something, and then brief you about what’s next. You need to have information accessible on a continuous basis, so you can immediately either fine-tune or redirect the other party, or redirect your own design, based on real-time developments.”
Fréderic’s most recent project, a new factory build for one of the world’s biggest car manufacturers, was certain to generate volumes of information. So he was proactive about managing the complexities of its data, setting up a CDE for transparent and seamless communication.
“We've implemented ACC as a common data environment, guaranteeing everyone has access to the latest information, supporting clarity and informed decision-making,” says Fréderic. “As an organisation and service provider, we're looking to not just focus on model management but also to include data handling in our scope. It’s therefore crucial to have a strong BIM manager on this kind of project. In this case, our BIM process manager Emilia Zybek-Tsatsiashvili did the important work of implementing our standards in a consistent way across the entire array of information, and ensuring connectivity across all team members.”
With ACC, the Sweco team was able to cut time turning around drafts and visuals, reducing rework and errors while keeping their client closely involved with up-to-date 3D models.
Since adopting ACC, Fréderic has noticed a new feature in his team’s communication. “Whether collaborating online or in meetings, we’ve started to use a lot more link references. This has saved us a lot of time. If I tell you where to find something, and five months later there’s a new version of it, you can use that original link and find all the new documents.”
Team members don’t end up unwittingly viewing an old version of a document, or spend time looking for a newer link. However, old documents are still accessible, allowing for transparent version control.
Fréderic explains that in an iterative design process, it can be dangerous to change tack without being able to refer back to the reasoning behind your change. Access to version history can save time and provide clarity, he says.
“Down the road from a change, you may realise you have other factors to consider, and you’ll want to consider going back to your initial position. In ACC, you can easily refer to an earlier version of a model to check what was different and why. You don’t have to search around for a file from a few months ago.”
Anthony Kennes, BIM Manager for Sweco, appreciates how having live linked models across disciplines also saves time and effort. He shares an example from the project where the team realised it needed to slightly shift the foundations of an existing structure to accommodate the build of a new one.
“In the past, we would have had standalone models for each discipline, and it would take a considerable amount of time and effort to understand how changes would affect all the elements – and what’s collateral for one discipline is a massive impact for another. But now, because all our models are linked, we can see the impact much more quickly.”
As Fréderic sees it, the construction of a factory building is, essentially, building a shoebox. The shoe – that is, the production line that will be installed later – is the most essential part of the project. And for Fréderic, sharing a CDE with the production line designers was a massive step forward.
Frederic’s team made a model-within-a-model that represented the void where the production line would be installed. “Everywhere something would touch the void – be that structural beams, air handling units, ducting, an electrical room, or what have you – is linked and available even for non-Revit users, so all project members can see the impact much more quickly.”
The installers didn’t need access to all of Sweco’s information to proceed with their own design phase, but they could benefit from a warning when an element was going to touch the void. Likewise, Sweco could benefit from learning if any element in the installers’ plans was going to exceed the limits of the void.
“In the past, this kind of communication would have been super difficult to develop,” says Fréderic. “But now we have a single source of information to share with a third party, which is tangible and readable, so everyone involved can have all of these objects resolved before construction. We find ways to optimise interface management on a need-to-know-basis – decluttering the design process whilst keeping the momentum.”
ACC has already improved Sweco’s internal collaboration and efficiency – and for Fréderic, the improvement to client relationships has been transformative too.
“We found two big benefits to adopting Autodesk Construction Cloud. The first is that having one central system for data collection ensures everyone has access to the most current information. Second, the system's capacity to clearly show progress and status is invaluable – it simplifies complexity for the client,” says Fréderic.
Sweco’s strategic approach to managing project information keeps the end user in mind. For example, the team can access complex and intricate processes within Autodesk Construction Cloud. But team members who are client-facing can access information about certain elements or items on a ‘need-to-show’ basis.
“We can isolate specific elements within our models and represent them visually still without information loss,” explains Anthony.
The result? A significant improvement in client confidence. Fréderic explains: “When we introduced Autodesk Construction Cloud to our clients, many of whom were unfamiliar with such tools, there was a marked improvement in their perception of our work. It boosted their confidence, as the theoretical and generic discussions in meetings became concrete and could be assessed visually."
Adopting virtual reality (VR) technology along with 3D modelling has improved the way Sweco interacts with clients. Sweco’s automotive client benefited from an immersive experience on its project by the linking 3D models in the CDE to a virtual reality headset, allowing stakeholders to walk through the site virtually.
Frederic says: “The shift from traditional 2D to 3D modelling may give an impression of a loss in detail to some. Using modern solutions like Autodesk’s tools ensures, however, that the construction quality and control are not only maintained but enhanced.”
Using technology to visualise the end goals of the project provided valuable insights into its scope and construction design management. Virtually walking within a model of a building – especially a manufacturing plant, with its massive spans – immediately gives clients a deeper understanding of the project, its scale and its objectives.
Looking to the future, Sweco continues to lead the charge when it comes to adopting digital tools and exploring how digitalisation can improve project outcomes. “Action is critical in construction, and must happen faster than ever before. It's not only having all the useful information, but playing with the available information in an insightful way, that allows qualitative decision making – thus reducing errors,” reflects Frederic.
Ensuring the quality of your decisions directly depends on the quality of your data. Incomplete or inaccurate information makes you more likely to face errors, delays, and poor outcomes. Providing your teams with the appropriate data at the right time is crucial.
As the Sweco team knows, this requires conscious effort, a strong commitment to data quality and an efficient information management system. “We’re on our way to defining what information management looks like at Sweco and constantly evolving to conform to industry standards and best practices. It’s an interesting road,” concludes Anthony.
