In The News!
Bridging the gap between Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Facility Management (FM)
The service life of buildings and infrastructure is typically in the range of decades. These built assets are made of many different components with different service lives. Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs in buildings represent a significant part of a total building life cycle cost. O&M costs are often overlooked at the design phase by owners and project stakeholders although they could amount to a substantial percentage of the total building life cycle costs.
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The emergence of BIM open standards and data structure specifications enable the transfer of digital data and information related to FM phase in a structured manner. The FM Software platform could be any system used by facility managers that has building data such as CMMS, CAFM, BAS and Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) etc.
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Accurate as-built information for existing building facilities is often difficult or impossible to obtain. This obstacle represents a challenge to facility management. To overcome these challenges, we apply Drone Mapping and laser scanning technology in combination with point cloud conversion software in the creation of accurate 3D as-built building models.
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Present day laser scanning methodology demonstrates an advanced workflow that results in a cost-effective alternative to historic field measurement techniques and produce a 3D model of as-built conditions including all assets. Manual field measurement is labour intensive, expensive, inherently inaccurate and potentially dangerous.
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The ability to use the intelligence of the model to identify components, track locations, adjust layouts, generate lists and quantity take-offs and identify clashes will expedite tedious tasks. For example, the 3D model would create an accurate asset register and the data available on the FM software platform could be linked to assets identified in the 3D model.
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Mobile technology will provide a means of retrieving, collecting, updating, and sharing information to support these activities, where and when they are occurring. FM BIM servers, portals, and BIM-capable Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) applications will provide lightweight client apps and deliver field access to a host of valuable information - work order data, repair and maintenance costs, videos, and parts data are just some of the items retrievable from the FM software platform. Wireless mobile devices will be a key component of this infrastructure.
