BIM & Design ServicesOur Design & BIM Consultancy services are provided to enhance the value and deliver a return on your investment. BIM is not just about technology but the entire process surrounding your core applications.

Our Approach to BIM

HDB Associates not only understands BIM Level 2 compliance requirements, but the need to ensure that BIM and traditional deliverables are not developed using parallel workflows but one seamless set of processes.

We see Level 2 as an interim target, the real goal is to use the latest collaboration and modelling tools to deliver high quality solutions efficiently, providing best value to your clients and supply chain partners while maximising your returns.

To achieve this your BIM strategy needs to move from presentations to best practice in your delivery teams. We have the skills and experience to make your aspirations become reality, developing and implementing a Roadmap, with associated processes and tools, to transition your business from its current working methods to compliance with BIM Level 2 and beyond.

Our approach is to embed new working methods with the minimum of disruption, while achieving the maximum returns in efficiency, consistency and quality of your deliverables.
 

BIM Gap Analysis

All companies in the construction industry are required to achieve BIM Level 2 compliance (PAS 1192) by 2016. By undertaking a BIM Gap Analysis, focusing on your design, construction and operational procedures, together with your data management strategy we can create a detailed plan, identifying key areas of development, which sets clear targets and objectives of where you need to be and a roadmap of how you will get there.
 

Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) & BIM Execution Plans (BEP)

The Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) defines information about the built asset that an employer wishes to procure. It ensures that the design and construction of the asset is developed in accordance with the employer’s needs and that they are able to utilise the completed asset effectively and efficiently. There are clear guidelines on what an EIR should contain, but it is vital that they are appropriate to your business and your supply chain. Poorly drafted EIRs can have costly consequences. We can provide advice on creating appropriate EIRs for your organisation and also advice on reviewing BIM Execution Plans (BEP) provided by your supply chain partners. For supply chain partners (designers, contractors) we can provide support in understanding the requirements of an EIR and ensure your BEP not only meets the needs of the EIR, but defines procedures to deliver a high quality project cost effectively. 

Common Data Environment (CDE)

A CDE is a key requirement of BIM Level 2 and there is significant confusion on what the actual compliance requirements are. The vital aspect is not the use of technology but ensuring all parties involved in a project are working collaboratively. We can help advise you on the most appropriate software for your needs and ensure that it is optimised to the way you want to work.
CDE platforms can be very powerful, not only providing a container for the project information, but also managing design, risk and approval workflows. Our experience has found that many organisations use only a small percentage of the functionality they are paying for. We can provide advice and training to maximise the use of these tools. 

BIM Authoring Software & Design Procedures

The development of a BIM model requires the use of specialist authoring software, which is often undertaken in a separate process from the tools and procedures used to produce traditional deliverables. Many design teams work with procedures developed prior to these new BIM tools being available and have not updated their ways of working and are also not truly integrated with other disciplines’ processes. We can help to design and implement solutions, which combine both BIM and traditional workflows into one efficient process.

One key aspect of any design or construction process is the flow of data between different teams working on the project. Significant attention has been focussed on the transfer of data between organisations, but greater savings can be made by optimising the workflows within an organisation. By reviewing your current working practices and focusing on the flow of inter-disciplinary data, we can improve these workflows, thereby reducing the need for the data to be converted into many different formats and ensuring no loss of functionality.

Many software vendors provide tools not solutions. We can configure and customise your software so that it can be used to its full potential within your business, resulting in solutions which produce deliverables as effectively as possible, reducing waste, risk and time and improving quality. 

6D BIM Models

To get the maximum benefit from BIM, the development of data rich models is required. We can help to develop your capability to create and use 4D (programme), 5D (cost) and 6D (assets) models. We have significant experience in creating 4, 5 & 6D models for road & rail schemes.