Engineering force that serves for a safer life.

İliş continues: "The objective of design teams is to be able to generate object-based, parametric information models and to render these viable throughout the whole structure life. We are using the Autodesk AEC Collection because it addresses BIM needs such as generating 3-dimensional models in the design process, 3-dimensional coordination, visualization, detecting interdisciplinary clashes, quantitative / cost and site analyses, and 2-dimensional presentation boards."

Saniye Öktem, BIM and Technology Coordinator, indicates that all employees working within the design groups are users of the Autodesk AEC Collection and that the total number of users equates to more than 150.

Design Director Ali İliş emphasizes that the Prota Engineering design groups include architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electric engineers, infrastructure and routing engineers and technicians. The tool most used by architects and engineers within the Collection is Revit, but Civil 3D and Infraworks too are used by infrastructure groups.

At Prota, we have a team of BIM experts. They work on topics such as interdisciplinary harmony, detection and removal of clashes in digital environment, cost prediction through design works. Monitorings based on on-site work programmes and site processes such as progress points as well can be planned by this team at project phase.

By BIM's nature, disciplines have to work more intimately in order to increase coordination and cooperation. This situation also requires a change in work methods and culture. From the generation of the procedures of this change to the use of the right softwares for the right objectives, the infrastructure of many processes are assembled by the BIM Team.

İlker Ali İliş, Design Director, expresses the benefits of BIM softwares presented with the Autodesk AAEC Collection on the design process: "We have at our disposal a platform that supports creativity, where new ideas that may emerge during the design process can be easily applied, and that can be seen with all its dimensions in digital media."

"Object-based and parametric work ensures information is transferred to different disciplines and projects. Thus, creating an experience reservoir and a corporate memory that are accessible and available at all times becomes possible. This means a shorter period of design and a rise of efficiency."

"Furthermore, three dimensional designs developed on this infrastructure are easily understood by employers from all sectors, thus reducing decision-making durations. Hence, while efficiency increases in both design and customer-based decision-making processes, errors that may arise on-site and revisions and costs that may ensue are minimized."

BIM experts bring together models generated by different disciplines and detect clashes thanks to the Navisworks software. Gathering yardage and amount information from smart BIM models, they constitute a base for the construction phase. The design group does not only strive to create the design phase in projects, but also endeavours to generate living BIM models by also taking ensuing production and management phases into consideration.

"In the project where many BIM usages destined for construction processes have been applied, a status quo modeling has been carried out as basis for the design processes. To that end, the project's construction contractor Aga Energy gathered point cloud data with both laser scanners and drones. The Collection's coordination with the design BIM models' status quo has been carried out with the help of Recap and Navisworks tools."

Another project that stands out with its use of BIM is the Cerrahpaşa Hospital and Education Buildings project. In the latter, BIM and VR technologies were used. Thus, designs were better explained to the employer and decisions were taken more quickly. Furthermore, BIM 360 cloud solutions were used between teams in this project where design works were carried out by teams in different cities.

The solid waste incineration project whose construction continues in Kemerburgaz, Istanbul, stands out as one of the complex projects bringing many different disciplines together. In the design process of the site that will respond to the household electric need of a population of one million and a half, many different teams took charge, including in processing; model data have been generated in different formats; and the latters have been merged in Naviswork environment so that coordination could be carried out.

Additionally, by using visual programming tools like Dynamo, times spent on design can be optimized. Design Director İlker Ali İliş states: "For instance, in a project where we have wall and tiling thin coatings automatically added to the model, a work that would normally take more than one week for a block was completed in three days."

BIM and Technology Coordinator Saniye Öktem too gives examples of time and workforce savings: "Before using BIM solutions, all works of disciplines would be brought together at the same plan level and be controlled in order to ensure interdisciplinary coordination. These controls carried out at plan level were susceptible to errors. For instance in subway projects, all equipments at plan level would be installed on locations within tunnels. Because of the tunnel form, we would not know that those equipments were not able to fit in those gaps. In designs we carry out with Revit, we have become capable of detecting and solving these types of errors before the coordination phase."

BIM processes do not only contribute greatly to the design phase, but also to the construction phase. Öktem says: "In one of our subway projects, the planned construction duration was decreased from 18 months to 8,5 months with the transfer of design alternatives via three dimensional models to the contractor at early stages."

At this points, İliş adds: "Once again, in the same project, thanks to yardage works carried out through BIM models before acquisition, a saving of 30% on electrical wires, and of 10% on the CER transformer were made. These ratios appear as very significant savings when the size of the projects is taken into account."