CC Mar-Apr 2022

Construction 

Computing 

WWW.CONSTRUCTION-COMPUTING.COM 

MARCH/APRIL 2022 

VOL 18 NO 02 

Smart façade inspection 

The role of drones in maintaining 

building façades 

Sustainable construction 

Tekla's latest software releases deliver 

sustainable solutions 

The small print 

Avoiding the pitfalls of BIM contracts 

A healthy outlook 

for models 

Revizto drives digital 

coordination in hospital projects 

All aboard for digital twins 

Network Rail + Jacobs detail their 

journey to a digital ecosystem 

@CCMagAndAwards

Duke Ellington School of the Arts 

Architect: cox graae + spack architects / LBA Joint Venture 

Photo © Chris Ambridge 

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CONTENTS 

MARCH/APRIL 2022 

CONTENTS 

SMART FAÇADE INSPECTION 14 

Paul McDevitt, MD of TÜV SÜD, a data 

management and analytics company, writes 

about the future role of drones in the 

maintenance of building façades 

ALL ABOARD FOR DIGITAL TWINS 18 

Network Rail + Jacobs describe their journey 

to winning the Rail and Transit category in 

Bentley Systems' Going Digital Awards in 

Infrastructure, held virtually in December 

THE OMNIVERSE AND AFTER 20 

Graphisoft CEO Huw Roberts explained how 

visualisations helps create great architecture in 

a Fireside Chat with Bob Pette, VP of NVIDIA, at 

the recent GTC22 event 

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION 24 

The 2022 releases of Tekla's BIM, building 

engineering and steel fabrication management 

software solutions focus on providing more 

sustainable construction, writes David Chadwick 

NEWS.................................................INDUSTRY NEWS.......................................................................................................6 

• VISIT VECTORWORKS’ VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE • AUTODESK VENTURES INTO THE WILD 

INDUSTRY FOCUS.............................A DIGITAL IMPERATIVE.......................................................................................10 

• HOW CAN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BEST MEET THE CHALLENGES NOW FACING IT? 

CASE STUDY.......................................A HEALTHY OUTLOOK FOR MODELS.................................................................12 

• REVIZTO HELPS DRIVE DIGITAL COORDINATION IN BOUYGUES CONSTRUCTION'S HOSPITAL PROJECTS 

SOFTWARE FOCUS...........................IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH.........................................................,...............16 

• REAL-TIME 3D IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF VECTORWORKS 2022 SERVICE PACK 3 

INDUSTRY COMMENT.......................THE SMALL PRINT...............................................................................................22 

• MAY WINFIELD AT BURO HAPPOLD LOOKS AT THE PITFALLS AND MINEFIELDS IN BIM CONTRACTS 

INDUSTRY COMMENT.......................PROJECT SUCCESS THROUGH MODEL LEADERSHIP....................................26 

• WHY ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY ALONE WON’T GUARANTEE SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS 

CASE STUDY......................................JOBSITE CONNECTIVITY...................................................................................28 

• HOW TRIMBLE'S JOBSITE CONNECTIVITY BUNDLE SIMPLIFIES PRE-CONSTRUCTION TASKS 

CASE STUDY......................................AN INSIDE JOB....................................................................................................30 

• HOW GLIDER'S CDE MANAGED THE HANDING OVER OF ASSET INFORMATION FOR HMP WELLINGBOROUGH 

TRAINING MAP..................................AUTODESK TRAINING........................................................................................32 

• YOUR GUIDE TO AUTODESK TRAINING 

CASE STUDY......................................PLANNING AHEAD.............................................................................................34 

• ESRI UK'S COMPETITION FOR LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITIES HIGHLIGHTS PLANNING PROCESS DIGITISATION 

March/April 2022 3

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Comment 

Sustainability versus survivability 

by David Chadwick 

In a few short weeks the whole world has 

been tipped on its axis. Forget COVID and 

the environmental summit in Glasgow, the 

inconceivable has happened, and we are 

facing the possibility of a starker and more 

dangerous future. Putin’s ill-conceived and 

irresponsible invasion of Ukraine threatens 

not just to hurl Russia back into the dark days 

of its post-First World War existence but is 

changing alliances worldwide, with some 

major countries like India and China seeking 

to benefit from the turmoil, whilst Europe and 

the US are rediscovering, through NATO, the 

benefits of working to a common purpose. 

Plans, forecasts and prognostications are 

suddenly rendered worthless. The whole of 

Europe is faced with a major rethink of their 

energy supply policies. Instead of buying oil 

and gas from Russia, countries are in the 

process of performing a massive u-turn, 

either buying from alternative sources or 

ramping up reliance on greater selfsufficiency, 

rekindling discussions about 

nuclear energy, tidal lagoons and fracking 

alongside more traditional renewal resources. 

UK Government sources indicate a shift to 

renewables, but alternative sources show 

varying figures about the increase in energy 

from them, indicating that nuclear power may 

rise from 4% to 25% with half of our reactors 

due to be retired by 2025! 

With oil and gas prices rising dramatically, 

North Sea reserves may once again be 

affordable and worth extracting. We have 

been promised a complete review on energy 

but the focus, I believe, is going to be on 

supply and demand rather than on net-zero 

carbon. To complicate things further, the 

transport infrastructure is undergoing major 

changes, with the electrification of rail 

networks and the switch to electric vehicles - 

the catalyst this time being not just the 

weaning of Europe off of Russian oil and gas, 

but major cities in the UK creating zerocarbon 

zones and pricing carbon fuel 

vehicles out of city centres. 

So what does this mean for the 

construction industry? The most immediate 

impact is the shift from sustainability to 

survivability. Global warming is now 

irrelevant to the millions of refugees in 

Europe until they can return to rebuild their 

shattered cities. The ramifications will also be 

felt throughout the African continent and in 

countries reliant on the vast wheatlands of 

Ukraine - major global supplier of grain and 

vegetable oil products. 

Quite apart from the need to assist in the 

rebuilding of Ukraine if that becomes a 

possibility, shifting allegiances will make 

global sources of construction materials 

difficult to find, and new delivery routes will 

need to be opened up. Increased 

competition for supply and the subsequent 

higher costs will result in companies having 

to compete in a global market. Add that to 

higher material delivery costs and project 

costs will rise dramatically in turn. 

What’s more, the rising cost of living and 

transportation and the shortage of skilled 

workers will in turn encourage the workforce 

to demand higher wages. 

The biggest problem, though, is 

uncertainty. Who would dare to forecast 

what will happen over the next twelve 

months? In this issue of the magazine we 

have Carol Massey from The Access Group 

discussing the failure rate in construction 

companies over the last couple of years, 

which was a major issue before the current 

conflict. The cause appeared to be a lack of 

flexibility and control over project costs. 

Now, more than ever, projects need to be 

backed by full digital construction 

management solutions which can provide 

managers with real-time information, 

enabling them to make critical decisions. 

The Ukraine army has already benefitted 

from early access to information about the 

Russian army. To survive in the construction 

industry, we perhaps need to learn the 

same lesson. 

4 March/April 2022

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INDUSTRY news 

XMAP CLOUD GIS JOINS UP SERVICE DELIVERY 

South Somerset District 

Council (SSDC) has 

deployed XMAP, the new generation 

Geographic Information 

System (GIS) platform, to 

join-up service delivery, 

engage with communities 

and develop stronger relationships 

with town and 

parish councils. Implemented 

to support the Council's Digital 

Transformation Strategy as 

it works alongside four other 

Somerset Councils to create 

a new, single authority in 

2023, XMAP has transformed 

the way geospatial intelligence 

is stored, accessed 

and shared, both within the 

Council and with other government 

organisations. 

XMAP is a cloud-based data 

and software service from 

Geoxphere and is providing a 

robust platform for future digital 

transformations at SSDC. It 

has also facilitated the sharing 

of real-time updates and service 

delivery information with 

residents and businesses via 

the Council's website. 

"Digital transformation is not 

just about technology, it's 

about how we reimagine the 

way we operate - using digital 

technology - to enable different 

ways of working and 

engaging, and XMAP helps us 

do this," commented Paul 

Angulo, Digital Specialist at 

South Somerset District Council. 

"XMAP ensures we have 

access to the most up to date 

national mapping so we can 

create, maintain and benefit 

from, a single source of data 

across multiple applications." 

https://xmap.geoxphere.com 

AUTODESK VENTURES INTO THE WILD 

Autodesk is set to acquire 

The Wild, a cloud-connected, 

extended reality (XR) platform, 

which includes its namesake 

solutions, The Wild, and 

IrisVR. The Wild enables AEC 

professionals to present, collaborate 

and review projects 

together in immersive and 

interactive experiences, from 

anywhere and at any time. 

Serving more than 700 customers 

worldwide across its 

two platforms, The Wild's XR 

technologies offer affordable, 

on-demand and in-context 

opportunities for deeper team 

collaboration.The Wild's virtual 

platform allows teams to work 

together inside digital project 

models to explore, interact, 

and make changes to the 

model directly in the cloud, 

leading to better decisions and 

project outcomes at a fraction 

of the time and cost for in-person 

collaboration methods. 

www.autodesk.com 

SEEING THE VALUE OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN 

Anew report, ‘Sustainable by 

design’, by engineering consultancy 

Patrick Parsons, based 

on research with 100 senior 

executives of UK construction 

firms, reveals that they are seeing 

significant commercial benefits 

from using sustainable 

design and engineering to build 

developments with lower carbon 

footprint and water use, reduce 

waste and materials used. 

Two thirds (66%) said sustainable 

design is adding value to 

current developments and 83% 

said that projects designed with 

green credentials have given 

them a competitive advantage. 

Furthermore, 68% expect the 

Vectorworks will once again 

open its doors (virtually) to 

the Vectorworks community on 

Wednesday, April 13 from 3 

pm to 10 pm BST. The event 

will allow users in the architecture, 

landscape architecture, 

and entertainment design 

industries to connect face-toface 

with the Vectorworks 

team in a fun, casual setting, 

all from the comfort of their 

own homes or offices. 

The free event will also provide 

the opportunity for designers 

to ask questions and learn 

more about Vectorworks' latest 

features, updates, and design 

topic areas directly from the 

minds behind the software. 

value of developments with 

sustainable design to increase 

by between 10% and 20%, and 

18% expect values to increase 

by between 20% and 50% over 

the next three years, demonstrating 

the premium placed on 

sustainable construction. 

Conor Murphy, Senior Partner, 

Structural Engineering at 

Patrick Parsons said: "Reducing 

the impact of our built 

environment is no longer an 

option but an imperative, and 

sustainable design and engineering 

has a crucial role in 

protecting the environment 

and our communities." 

https://bit.ly/3Jb9rWU 

VISIT VECTORWORKS' VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE 

"We are constantly inspired 

by our users and the platform 

of this unique event is the perfect 

opportunity to interact with 

and gain valuable insight from 

the Vectorworks community," 

said Steve Johnson, chief 

technology officer at Vectorworks. 

"Our team looks forward 

to meeting with customers 

from across all industries 

to discuss a variety of 

topics, provide details on our 

latest features, answer questions 

and give helpful tips." 

Attendees will be able join at 

any time during the event's 

duration. You can register for 

the Open House here: 

https://bit.ly/3KeRgRo 

6 

March/April 2022

Financial & Project Accounting Software 

'Built for Construction by Construction' 

WHO WE HELP 

CONTRACTORS HOUSEBUILDERS SERVICE & 

MAINTENANCE

INDUSTRY news 

TAKING LOCH LOMOND TO NET-ZERO 

Sustainable building services 

firm Viridis has been 

appointed by Loch Lomond 

and The Trossachs National 

Park Authority to support their 

transition to net zero. 

Viridis, which prides itself on 

adopting a pioneering 

approach to sustainability, will 

work alongside National Park 

staff to create and implement a 

route map for transitioning the 

organisation to net-zero and 

follows an initial feasibility 

study, which identified the 

Park’s direct energy usage 

across the entire organisation. 

Loch Lomond and The 

Trossachs National Park 

Authority has set an ambitious 

target, aiming to lead by example 

and demonstrate best 

practice for reaching net-zero, 

with the goal of becoming carbon 

neutral ahead of the 2045 

Scottish target. The Park 

Authority will work with a number 

of partners, including 

Viridis, to achieve this. 

Viridis, which has offices in 

Stirling and Nottinghamshire, 

firmly believes that sustainability 

doesn’t have to be an 

expensive word. It will therefore 

propose the introduction of 

multiple energy generating 

solutions such as wind, solar, 

battery, kinetic, hydro, air, and 

ground source heat pumps to 

help the Park Authority reach 

its Mission Zero target. 

https://viridisbsl.co.uk 

BSI KITEMARK ANNIVERSARY FOR ASITE 

Asite has celebrated the oneyear 

anniversary of achieving 

the BSI Kitemark for BIM 

software. The company spent 

many years working closely with 

experts in the field to help develop 

the industry BIM ISO standards 

and has developed its 

platform in alignment with these 

and industry best practices. 

This coveted position allowed 

Asite to bring its expert knowledge 

and play an instrumental 

role in the creation of the 

Kitemark, a process that began 

over 18 months ago, and at the 

same time achieved certification 

for its platform. 

Aysar Abou Kheir, Professional 

Services Manager MEA at Asite, 

said: "Achieving the BSI 

Kitemark for BIM software a 

year ago was a significant milestone 

for Asite and one we are 

delighted to celebrate. Since 

becoming one of the first three 

software companies globally to 

achieve the landmark certification, 

we have continued in our 

mission to boost our customers' 

BIM journeys. We're delighted 

to celebrate this significant milestone 

and continue to lead the 

way in engineering and construction 

technology." 

www.asite.com 

ONE CLICK LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT 

Bentley Systems has 

announced the availability 

of integrated workflows for lifecycle 

assessment (LCA) and 

embodied carbon calculation 

capabilities in the Bentley iTwin 

platform to support the sustainable-development 

goals of 

infrastructure projects. This 

integration is a result of Bentley’s 

collaboration with One 

Click LCA Ltd. (www.oneclicklca.com), 

the world’s leading 

construction sector lifecycle 

assessment and environmental 

product declaration software. 

The software can be used for 

buildings, infrastructure, renovations, 

construction products 

and materials, and portfolios. 

The One Click LCA platform is 

used in over 100 countries by 

manufacturers, consultants, 

3D maps derived from the 

latest aerial photography 

are being used to secure planning 

permission for solar 

farms across the Republic of 

Ireland. Created by Bluesky 

International, the Digital Terrain 

and Surface Models (DTM / 

DSM) are applied by landscape 

consultancy firm Macro 

Works to better understand 

how solar farms could be 

seen from the surrounding 

area and the impact reflected 

light might have on existing 

properties and infrastructure. 

designers, contractors, and 

investors to decarbonise the 

entire construction value chain. 

With this integration, Bentley’s 

infrastructure digital twin 

solutions powered by iTwin, 

and third-party applications 

built on the Bentley iTwin platform 

can unlock infrastructure 

lifecycle assessment workflows. 

The One Click LCA 

integration creates time savings 

and improves accuracy. 

Users can incorporate engineering 

data created by 

diverse design tools into a 

single view using the Bentley 

iTwin platform, generate a unified 

report of materials and 

quantities and share it with 

One Click LCA via cloud synchronisation. 

www.bentley.com 

A BRIGHTER WAY TO PLAN SOLAR FARMS 

Working on behalf of solar 

energy developers across the 

Republic, Macro Works uses 

Bluesky’s models to produce 

several outputs, including Zone 

of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) 

maps and Glint and Glare 

assessment reports. These, 

together with a Landscape Mitigation 

Plan, have already 

helped secure permission for 

over 100 solar farms, including 

Ireland’s largest permitted 

development to the north-west 

of Midleton, County Cork. 

www.bluesky-world.com 

8 


INDUSTRYfocus 

A digital imperative 

Energy price hikes, material shortages and the need for alternative fuel sources are just some of 

the challenges facing the construction industry in the wake of the pandemic. So how can the 

industry best meet them? 

The issues that have affected the 

climb back to prosperity for 

construction companies following 

the pandemic, such as lockdowns, 

material and labour shortages and 

subsequent rising costs, have now 

been exacerbated by the current 

conflict in Ukraine. Less than a month 

ago, various reports were citing 

construction company collapses 

increasing dramatically, with many 

going into administration and projects 

being abandoned or put on hold. 

The surge in the price of energy and 

fuel alone will only hasten the demise 

of well-known companies throughout 

the UK, unless alternative sources of 

fuel are established. Material 

shortages from some countries will 

also increase, and those which can be 

delivered will face soaring costs in 

transportation. Workers will also 

demand higher pay to cope with the 

expected increase in living costs. 

Overall, the rapid rise in the cost of 

construction may well outstrip the 

ability of contractors to keep pace 

unless they learn to keep better control 

of their costs. 

Changing demographics will also 

affect the industry, with higher 

commuting costs encouraging greater 

adoption of part-time commuting or 

WFH, with a reorganisation of office 

spaces in cities. Electrification can go 

both ways, with either car ownership 

declining and an increase in domestic 

urbanisation, or an expansion of 

housing construction in the suburbs 

and wider countryside. 

If you can still afford to drive around 

the country you may see major 

housing developments in every town, 

an indication of higher numbers of 

projects in progress. But, as evidenced 

by the demise of companies like Midas 

in the West Country, many of these 

projects are either being cancelled or 

are having their timescale to 

completion extended. 

DIGITALISATION AND DIGITAL 

TWINS 

Now, more than ever, the industry has to 

rise to the challenge. As Carol Massay, 

Head of Construction at The Access 

Group said prior to the current dramatic 

events, in response to a report from the 

Committee for European Construction 

Equipment (CECE), "The massive 

variety of requirements across different 

projects, limited budgets and the 

remote nature of projects present 

challenges around implementing digital 

technology to scale. However, the huge 

number of stakeholders, from 

estimators to contractors, to designers, 

mean that the speed of digital 

transformation must increase for 

industry to keep pace with demand." 

Carol also referred to a statement 

made by Andrew McNaughton, chair of 

an ICE commissioned review of the 

causes behind high profile infrastructure 

projects suffering from severed delays 

and spiralling costs, who said that "It is 

abundantly clear that continuing as we 

are is not an option." McNaughton 

explained that "It is systems - 

automated, interdependent and reliant 

on technology, rather than structures - 

which provide the services such as 

10 


INDUSTRYfocus 

mobility, sanitation and energy that we 

all rely on. Increasingly, major new or 

expanded infrastructure services, such 

as transport or clean energy, are 

delivered by complex projects bringing 

together physical assets, technology 

and digital information such as BIM or 

digital twins." 

Within the last couple of weeks the 

task just got immeasurably harder, and 

global warming, Net Zero Carbon and 

similar issues have been put on the 

back-burner. The imperative to digitise 

is now crucial. 

THE LOSS OF CONTROL 

Carol said that it is the lack of control of 

complex projects that is causing the 

collapse of so many construction 

companies. With the rising costs of 

materials and resources, dwindling 

income from delayed projects, and bills 

to pay, contractors build up their 

portfolios to attract additional funding 

yet end up defaulting and going into 

administration. Extracting funds from 

one project to shore up another is the 

thin end of a very steep wedge. 

Construction costs are rising. Imported 

materials such as steel, timber, cement, 

aggregates, plastics and roof tiles have 

already seen double-digit rises in cost 

and increased delays in delivery. The 

global supply of construction materials 

will now have to be reconsidered. The 

energy industry is also in turmoil. 

Weaning the economy off Russian oil 

and gas requires a commensurate 

increase in alternative supplies - and a 

greater focus on renewables such as 

wind or solar, or nuclear energy. 

Even fracking is now being 

reconsidered. The rise in petrol and 

diesel prices is also sending delivery 

costs soaring, adding another level of 

cost to a project. 

KEEPING ONE STEP AHEAD 

With reference to the ICE report, 

McNaughton is entirely right, Carol said. 

Complex and multiple projects can only 

be maintained by effective use of digital 

systems. Furthermore, up to date 

project information needs to be 

available to feed business analysis, to 

predict possible outcomes, and to 

disseminate the results and the 

decisions to team members in real-time. 

This is the basis of Access Group's 

Construction Management solution - in 

particular, its cost value reconciliation 

(CVR) process. It is now more essential 

than ever to keep track of monthly 

expenditure and revenue, and to ensure 

that finance directors are kept abreast 

of project cash flows. Carol suggests, 

though, that this is just one part of a 

'golden loop' (the ICE report's 

terminology) which sees data driving 

planning, project delivery and asset 

management, feeding back into future 

planning. 

Effective construction management 

provides steps to ensure the full benefit 

of such an information flow, such as 

dashboards that provide full visibility of 

trends, and up-to-date information on 

projects, with the production of frequent 

reports that highlight concerning trends. 

The two-way flow of information is also 

a critical element, with on-site mobile 

apps capable of submitting key data to 

ERP and finance systems. Incidentally, 

Carol mentioned the growth of 

engineering and management skills that 

can take advantage of such 

technologies. Does that outweigh the 

shortage of skills in other areas? Could 

it bridge the gap between antiquated 

spreadsheets and user-friendly tech led 

systems on site? 

KEEPING A LID ON COSTS 

As vital as it is to keep a track of costs, 

the next major shake-up is going to be 

in the process of tendering for projects. 

Every contract signed in the future will 

have substantial cost increases legally 

factored in, with the expectation that 

they will rise dramatically. 

There will be little point in fine-tuning 

figures to produce the lowest cost 

solution with the lowest projected profit 

margin - the focus must instead shift 

towards making every project financially 

viable. That means staying flexible 

enough to handle future disruptions to 

the industry, whether locally or globally 

initiated. 

It's not all bad news though. With the 

prospect of huge infrastructure projects 

in the pipeline as we gear up for a 

massive shift in energy supply, material 

costs and shortages, and distribution 

and transport realignments, and with 

demands to progress building projects 

more quickly, the construction industry 

is not short of work. Instead, it can meet 

the challenges head-on if companies 

can take advantage of the latest digital 

technology that we have at our 

disposal. 

BUSINESS HEALTH DASHBOARD 

More than 75,000 construction firms 

could be at risk of collapse due to a mix 

of inflation, cash-flow squeezes and 

shortages of materials, according to 

Begbies Traynor earlier this year. How 

do you avoid being one of these 

companies? 

First you must understand how much 

of your debt is at risk. You can do this 

with a Business Health Dashboard from 

The Access Group. They’ve partnered 

with Experian to support the 

performance of its construction 

customers, to help them identify credit 

exposure and the risk of outstanding 

debt within its portfolio. 

Get an accurate picture of outstanding 

debt and associated payment risk in 

one single view, supporting you to make 

more informed decisions as to the 

strength, performance and 

creditworthiness of your new and 

existing customers and suppliers. 

The Business Health Dashbaord from 

The Access Group provides another 

layer of information within the single 

source of truth that underscores a 

company’s construction management 

software. Companies can gain full 

visibility of all processes, identifying 

areas where productivity could improve, 

risks reduced and margins boosted, 

helping the entire construction cycle run 

more efficiently. 

Search for Access Construction to see 

how they can support your business 

with construction software. 

www.theaccessgroup.com/construction 


CASEstudy 

A healthy outlook for models 

Revizto helps drive digital coordination in Bouygues Construction's hospital projects 

Bouygues Construction's entities in 

the UK have been operating in 

the country for over 20 years and 

have progressively grown their 

businesses in the building, infrastructure 

and industry sectors. As part of a global 

and multifaceted organisation, 

Bouygues Construction in the UK has 

direct access to best practice 

knowledge gleaned from an impressive 

back catalogue of major projects. 

Lewis Wenman's job is to ensure that 

digital information management 

systems are correctly set up for 

projects and to align governance to 

meet the client's information 

requirements. He directly oversees the 

introduction of digital tools into projects 

to make sure the information sharing 

between the project teams, including 

the design team, runs smoothly and 

accurately. Lewis also reviews tender 

information and responds to all the pretender 

and post-contract requirements. 

His experience with Revizto started 

when his team had an ongoing 

challenge with process management. 

"We had BIM tools, so we were 

generating models and drawings from 

those. But the problem is that when this 

information is shared, the drawings are 

going in one direction, and the models 

in another. Trying to coordinate the 

issues around both is a challenge. As a 

consequence, we ended up creating 

many different issue trackers and silos 

of issues within the tools; bringing 

those into one place to handle them 

was difficult." 

Managing architectural, structural, 

MEP, and other issues concerning the 

model itself became a major problem 

for Lewis and his company. 

Furthermore, managing the clash 

detection process from one tool to 

another was a considerable challenge. 

Comments on drawings and models 

were separate for Lewis' team, and 

people didn't understand the 

relationship between them. Revizto 

helped them to bring the entirety of 

issue management back into one place 

and keep all of the drawings and 

models together. 

According to Lewis, hospital projects 

are quite distinct. "Getting design signoff 

from the hospital users, end users 

and the design team is a drawn out 

process that needs to be done very 

precisely. Revizto assists us during this 

process. From a design point of view, 

the technicality of the MEP services for 

the hospital really exceeds our 

schemes, especially when taking into 

account the complications of dealing 

with medical gases or putting backup 

systems in place. As a result, the MEP 

coordination went through extreme 

measures, and managing those issues 

was nearly impossible - until we started 

using Revizto." 

Lewis was keen to share some 

peculiar tips from his experience with 

Revizto. "One of the key things that we 

like about Revizto is the ability to plug 

in a sheet when non-model issues are 

generated into the system, so that you 

don't always need to have a model or 

drawing to generate an issue. We have 

a plain sheet that is available for 

general issues which can then be 

assigned to people. When all those 

models go into Revizto, we have a 

model sheet that gives us specific 

information about the models and how 

they are coordinated - a real key 

advantage. 

"Furthermore, making sure that you 

understand what content is being 

shared from a model and that the view 

is set up inside your master project is 

really handy. Being able to expose the 

3D data from a particular discipline is 

key to avoiding multiple geometries 

from different models within the 

Revizto environment." 

12 


CASEstudy 

More importantly, Lewis values the 

ability to invite all project stakeholders 

to collaborate through Revizto. For 

Lewis, it is not only for internal use. His 

team has invited designers who work 

with them on projects as well as their 

subcontractors and clients to review 

the model and make comments. 

WHAT ABOUT ROI? 

When asked about the ROI compared 

to other tools, Lewis elaborated on 

savings achieved with Revizto. "I was 

working on a recent hospital going 

through the C-Sheet approval process 

for the design team, getting the 

comments from clinicians, reviewing 

and verifying them, and then adjusting 

the designs accordingly. Without 

Revizto it would have taken 10 times 

the time it actually took." 

Initially, Lewis and his team used 

Revizto for the technical design during 

the pre-construction phase. However 

they are now using Revizto at all stages 

through post-completion. "Revizto 

greatly sped up our team's 

understanding of the deign, getting a 

grip on the project, and coordinating 

any issues there. We use Revizto to 

manage the design issues for the 

construction phases and help the 

teams visualise the on-site setting," 

Lewis added. 

REVIZTO 5 

The Revizto team put tremendous effort 

into the fifth version of Revizto, 

launching it as a truly integrated 

collaboration platform last year. The 

Revizto 5 Integrated Collaboration 

Platform (ICP) provides universal 

access to project data, both for 2D and 

3D workflows, creating a culture of 

collaboration across all trades from the 

first day of the project's inception. 

"We moved to Revizto 5, and our initial 

thoughts are that it is fantastic," said 

Lewis. "We're now in a much better 

position to manage the models which 

are inside Revizto." As an executive 

with vast experience in using many 

digital platforms and tools on different 

large-scale projects, Lewis shares 

more about his experience with Revizto 

software. "I had models that I would 

struggle to view inside Revit with 

everything completely loaded unless 

you've got a really powerful machine. 

The Revizto environment enables us to 

see these heavily loaded models all in 

one place. Another thing I like about 

Revizto is that you don't need an 

application to run and synchronise your 

model. It actually downloads the data 

to your machine and gives you better 

control. Some of the tools that I've used 

previously only work through a web 

browser, and issues with your internet 

speed and access could actually 

hinder the coordination process. 

"With Revizto you can create offline 

exportable files and share models with 

people without a need for them to 

install software on their machines which 

is truly great. We now have the 

traditional 2D issues, design issues, 

coordinating issues and 3D clashes all 

managed within Revizto. We have a 

very robust model suitability 

assessment in place. It helps assess 

the quality of the models and better 

understand what the model or BIM can 

be used for. 

"Before using Revizto, we used to 

capture the results of our assessments 

in an Excel spreadsheet with a long list 

of tasks that needed to be undertaken 

by the design team. This is all now 

captured within Revizto. We very often 

need to remodel already fixed issues 

and Revizto helps us to review the 

history of issue handling and fixing 

those with ease." 

When asked what comes to mind when 

thinking about Revizto software, Lewis 

answered "Keeping BIM together! We 

put a lot of effort into generating the 

models and then extracting drawings 

from them, but then they tend to go off 

in various directions. They go through 

different processes, and people start 

commenting and reviewing separately; 

the issues are then never coordinated 

jointly. With Revizto we store the building 

information model in one place; all the 

models, drawings, issues and 3D 

clashes are kept coherently together." 

www.revizto.com 


TECHNOLOGYfocus 

Next generation façade inspection 

Paul McDevitt, MD of TÜV SÜD, a data management and analytics 

company, writes about the future role of drones in the maintenance 

of building façades 

Like all building elements, façades will 

age and be subject to soiling and 

structural deterioration, accelerated 

by exposure to man-made pollutants and 

other environmental factors. Damage or 

deterioration to façade elements can result 

in water penetration, falling debris and, in 

extreme cases, façade failure - all of which 

have the potential to cause harm. It is 

therefore vital that any risks are mitigated 

as early as possible in order to keep 

buildings safe for occupants and people 

within its vicinity. 

Authorities across the world are now 

beginning to regulate on the scope and 

intervals for façade inspection. For 

example, in Singapore the new Periodic 

Façade Inspection regime requires that 

buildings over 13 meters 

high and 20 years old 

must be inspected 

at least very 

seven years. 

Under UK law, building owners and 

occupiers have a legal duty to ensure their 

building is safe to mitigate injury or 

damage being caused to people or 

property. Since 1994 all new and 

refurbished buildings are also required to 

have a maintenance manual, which must 

be kept up to date and any necessary 

maintenance work carried out. 

Insurance will also require building owners 

to show that the relevant maintenance 

needs have been met. Failure to maintain 

the building façade properly may result in 

increased insurance premiums, difficulty in 

obtaining insurance renewals, or the 

termination of insurance cover. It is 

therefore vital that those responsible for a 

building's maintenance and upkeep can 

demonstrate to insurers that all reasonable 

steps have been taken by 

implementing appropriate risk 

management procedures. This 

should include periodic 

façade inspection. 

The degree of façade inspection and 

maintenance that is required will depend 

on the materials used and its intended life. 

In the UK, BRE divides the necessary 

frequency of inspection into three 

categories. 

1. Routine - continuous regular 

observations that should be undertaken 

by the user as part of the occupancy of 

the building. 

2. General - visual inspections of main 

elements. 

3. Detailed - a full inspection of the façade 

by a suitably qualified person. 

Periodic façade inspection will help to 

detect potential issues and underlying 

problems with a façade early on, such as 

cracks, corrosion and flaking. It will also 

help to identify the level of defect 

deterioration and minimise the risk of any 

compromised facades exposing 

safety risks. 

14 


TECHNOLOGYfocus 

Façade 

inspection is 

therefore an 

integral part of a 

building survey as 

it helps to verify the integrity of the building 

structure and ensures safety for a building's 

occupants and people within its vicinity. Not 

only is façade inspection vital to support 

building operators and owners of large 

high-rise buildings, it can also be used to 

help construction companies ensure the 

quality of façades and monitor the progress 

of their construction projects. 

However, conventional façade inspection 

usually requires roof access and involves 

the use of gondolas, all of which is time, 

labour and cost intensive. It is also highly 

disruptive for occupants, and dangerous 

for inspectors due to the difficulty of 

accessing high-rise buildings. 

WHY DRONES? 

Many building owners will already have 

access to or will have invested in a façade 

access system for cleaning and other 

maintenance needs, such as checking 

lighting, photovoltaics, louvres and vents. A 

good façade maintenance solution should 

already optimise the access equipment 

against the complexity of the building's 

façade. Such systems include suspended 

platforms, roof trolleys and dedicated 

platforms, and mobile elevated work 

platform. So, the question is, why can't 

these systems also be used to provide 

detailed building surveys? 

For the outside of a building to maintain its 

aesthetic appeal, it must be regularly 

cleaned and maintained. Also, insurance 

warranties for façades usually mandate that 

cleaning and maintenance cycles remain 

unaffected. Economical and effective 

façade maintenance is therefore now a 

prime consideration within the overall 

building design process. So, existing 

façade maintenance systems cannot be 

diverted to dedicate time to more detailed 

survey work that could be easily completed 

by drones. 

Likewise, employers must ensure, so far 

as is reasonably practicable, the health, 

safety and welfare of their 

employees and to ensure that those 

affected by their activities are not exposed 

to risk. Falling from height is likely to 

happen when operatives are getting in to 

and out of the manned platform, usually 

because safe access points are not 

provided. They can also sometimes 

become trapped in the manned platforms 

due to a mechanical or operational failure, 

and it has been known for equipment to 

accidentally tip when it snags on something 

protruding from the building. Using drones 

takes away this additional risk for the 

detailed surveying of façades. 

For buildings that are 30 years or older, it 

is highly unlikely that any digital information 

about a building is available. Also, buildings 

of historical interest will not be able to use 

permanently mounted facade access 

systems for maintenance and cleaning. So, 

drones make sense in terms of reducing 

any complexities and costs when detailed 

surveys of the building are required. 

SMART INSPECTION 

Smart façade inspection using digital twin 

technology can automate and improve 

façade inspection quality, as well as save 

costs and minimise safety risks. This 

innovative approach to façade inspection 

uses automated drones and artificial 

intelligence (AI) to check for deteriorating 

materials and underlying problems with 

building façades. As it is equipped with a 

smart piloting system, the drone ensures 

both operational safety and high-quality 

inspection. High-resolution visual and 

thermal cameras can accurately scan the 

exterior of buildings, with thermal cameras 

being particularly effective for the detection 

of any hidden defects, capturing potential 

facade failure points. 

An advanced AI model will also ensure 

that compliant inspection reports, which 

meet the highest industry standards, are 

delivered. This is achieved by using a 

drone to capture images along the façade 

of the building. AI can then be used to 

assist human inspectors with data analysis. 

Raw data, collected by the drone, is fed 

into the AI platform, so that the algorithms 

can be used to maintain privacy by 

detecting and masking people that have 

inadvertently been photographed by the 

drone. At the same time, they identify 

façade defects, classifying them by type 

(cracks, decolouration, corrosion, sealant 

deterioration etc) and severity, as well as 

giving recommendations for repair. As AI is 

not infallible, it is vital that a human 

inspector reviews the results and uses 

engineering judgement, giving feedback 

that can be used to continually improve the 

AI algorithm. 

This means that façade inspection can be 

conducted in a fraction of the time and 

cost, as compared to the traditional 

methods of inspection. The resulting 3D 

model of the building façade is also helpful 

in better understanding the building's 

structure and will also automatically update 

any detected defects. Inspection reports 

are also able to make use of an intuitive 3D 

model, so that the state of the façade can 

be visualised, and any necessary repairs 

tracked and managed. This is because the 

façade inspection software constructs a 3D 

model of the building façade, which helps 

to better understand the building structure 

and automatically locate the detected 

defects on the building. 

As repairs and follow-ups can be 

seamlessly managed through the drone 

platform, along the lifecycle of a building, 

efficiency is improved, and costs saved. 

ABOUT TÜV SÜD 

TÜV SÜD's Building Advisory Service is a 

data management and analytics business. 

Its advanced digital portal provides 

building owners, managers and occupiers 

with real-time information by integrating an 

asset's, quality, safety and sustainability 

data. This ensures that end-users can 

access the information they need, when 

they need it and in a format they can use 

easily - allowing them to make fully 

informed decisions. 

TÜV SÜD's Real Estate division is part of 

TÜV SÜD, one of the world's leading 

technical service providers, which has more 

than 25,000 employees located across 

over 1,000 locations. 

www.tuvsud.com/en-gb/buildings 


SOFTWAREfocus 

In Unity there is strength 

Real-time 3D immersive 

technology is the highlight of 

Vectorworks 2022 Service 

Pack 3 

The third tranche of releases for 

Vectorworks 2022 Service Pack 3 

have arrived, and they include 

the implementation of the Unity 

Technologies® game engine. The 

inclusion of Unity give users a great 

new 3D navigation tool in the 

Vectorworks Nomad app based on the 

latest gaming technologies, providing 

enhanced augmented reality, 3D web 

viewing and navigation through 3D 

models. 

I find it interesting that design 

presentation and gaming appear to 

have started at either end of the 

spectrum of interactive visualisations 

and have gradually moved closer 

together. Is the Unity game engine the 

tool that completes the merger? 

One of the first announcements with 

Service Pack 3, though, is close to my 

heart. Vectorworks Cloud Services 

includes a new storage integration with 

OneDrive, Microsoft's online storage 

facility, supplementing its improved 

Google Drive integration. Direct 

connection has also been between the 

Vectorworks Nomad mobile app and 

the iOS Files app. As a user of both 

OneDrive and Google Drive I much 

prefer the former, for one simple 

reason. Whereas OneDrive is easy to 

set up, administer and use, Google 

Drive's main focus appears to be to 

shore up the proprietary element of its 

software, ensuring users have to 

download and reformat files created in, 

or shared with Google Drive if you want 

to use them with Microsoft or other 

applications. 

The Vectorworks Nomad app does 

exactly what its name implies, enabling 

you to access your Vectorworks 

documents and files wherever you are 

or share them with colleagues via 

Vectorworks Cloud Services, either on 

your iPhone, iPad or Android device. 

You can also upload 360-degree 

panoramas of your designs for 

immersive exploration using VR 

headsets. Improved access to Cloud 

Services is bolstered further by using 

region-specific cloud storage. 

Service Pack 3 comes with some 

further enhancements to Vectorworks 

Spotlight and Vision, such as an 

update to the MVR workflow in 

Spotlight - the file format that you use 

to export scene designs to the lighting 

console to programme an event and 

previsualise. Now you can utilise the 

General Device Type Format (GDTF) 

and My Virtual Rig (MVR) for better 

collaboration and project information 

16 


SOFTWAREfocus 

exchange. 

There are also a couple of workflow 

enhancements for ConnectCAD, and 

more quality fixes to Vectorworks 

Spotlight, plus support for 

PosiStageNet (PSN) in Vision, which 

handles real-time position tracking of 

the physical movement of objects in 

stage automation. 

3D VISUALISATION 

The bulk of the releases in Service 

Pack 3, though, focus on 

improvements to current rendering 

technologies, and the integration of the 

Unity game engine for enhanced 3D 

viewing experiences. We have covered 

Twinmotion before in earlier software 

releases, and the latest version 

simplifies the synchronisation of 3D 

models between Vectorworks and 

Twinmotion using the Datasmith Direct 

Link tool. There is a new Auto Sync 

feature which immediately sends any 

changes made to a Vectorworks 3D 

model in Twinmotion, cutting out the 

need to use the import/export process. 

Datasmith exports also support data 

and light information, making it 

available to the Unreal Engine editor for 

more data-rich and detailed models. 

Redshift render styles are now 

available when processing renderings of 

files in Vectorworks Cloud Services, and 

architects and designers can use the 

latest LiDAR technology available with 

iOS devices for scanning and producing 

point-clouds on mobile devices. 

UNITY 

The most interesting update, though, is 

the implementation of the Unity game 

engine to the Vectorworks Nomad App 

and Web View capabilities. Unity 

introduces real-time 3D technology to 

the industry - described as computer 

graphics technology that generates 

interactive content faster than human 

perception. 

Realtime 3D (RT3D) immerses 

people in a digital reality that feels 

authentic, familiar to people who 

regularly play videogames. They are 

both immersive, in that the digital 

representation of reality approaches 

the authenticity of our analogue 

experience of reality, and interactive 

because we have precise control over 

the vantage point and the experience. 

The principal use of RT3D within the 

construction industry is to create 

digital representations of buildings, 

complete with access to information 

from sensors and metadata, to create 

digital twins and to use mobile 

technology to display the information 

as AR (Augmented Reality) or VR 

(Virtual Reality) models. 

THE ADVANTAGES OF RT3D 

Quite apart from the significant 

enhancements to your immersive 

experience (you can interact with a 

couple of these on the Unity website), 

Unity put forward a number of 

instances where it can be used within 

the construction industry. These are 

familiar to all of us, but the list does 

include some interesting additions 

beyond the use of immersive design 

reviews, gathering stakeholder 

feedback, construction sequencing 

and clash detection, as well as 

facilitating job-site coordination, 

quantity take-offs and BIM 

coordination. 

You can add to these the 

optimisation of architectural designs 

with a high degree of creative 

elements, such as interior design with 

highly critical stakeholder 

involvement. Unity suggests the 

process of optimising large design 

models using RT3D can be cut from 

days to minutes with real-time 

interaction and design modification 

with clients. 

Probably of more importance is the 

use of the technology in VR-based 

safety training, AR-based guidance 

and remote maintenance, where a 

heightened immersion improves 

absorption of the message, which 

becomes subliminally immersed 

instead of thinking about the tech 

required to produce not quite so 

perfect visualisations. 

An example of this is provided by 

Skanska, which has boosted its onsite 

safety by implementing a Unitybased 

VR experience into its standard 

worker-safety training program. 

It's also a valuable tool for sales and 

marketing, creating virtual events, 

photorealistic renderings and 

immersive house sales videos or 

mixed reality estate experiences and, 

a new one for me, sizzle videos for 

promotional video campaigns. 

Vectorworks 2022 Service Pack 3 is 

downloadable for all versions of 

Vectorworks 2022, including 

Vectorworks Architect, Landmark, 

Spotlight, Fundamentals, Braceworks, 

ConnectCAD and Vision. 

www.vectorworks.co.uk 


CASEstudy 

Transpennine Route Upgrade 

Network Rail + Jacobs were the winners of the Rail and Transit category in Bentley Systems' Going 

Digital Awards in Infrastructure, held virtually in December. Their subsequent webinar described their 

journey through to the adoption of a total digital ecosystem, writes David Chadwick 

The Pennines used to be a natural 

barrier between the red rose of 

Lancashire and the white rose of 

Yorkshire. As a Liverpudlian and 

sometime resident of Manchester, 

crossing from one side to the other 

perpetuated the division, with only the 

M62 and the Snake Pass in Derbyshire 

(currently closed to traffic) providing 

viable routes. Commuters are faced with 

a busy motorway or using the current 

cross-Pennine rail services, which needed 

upgrading. Thus, Network Rail, the owner 

of the rail infrastructure, implemented the 

Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) to 

improve rail links between Manchester 

and York, as well as links to Huddersfield 

and Liverpool. 

Network Rail, with Jacobs as its 

Technical Design Authority, put forward 

the processes that they went through for 

Bentley's Going Digital Awards in 

Infrastructure, describing how they 

developed a collaborative environment 

that utilises the latest digital twin 

technologies. The multi-billion pound 

programme is understandably very large, 

involving improvements being made to 25 

stations, 385 bridges, 6 miles of tunnels, 

and 29 level crossings over more than 

100 kilometres of track. 

Steven Yule, Senior Associate Director, 

and Joao Barbeiro, Digital Delivery Lead 

UK Rail Projects, at Jacobs, who both 

worked on the winning submission in the 

Rail and Transit category, described the 

evolution of their system to match the 

challenge, including coordinating the 

introduction of the new technology and 

working processes. 

ORIGINAL DATA SYSTEM 

It was obvious to Yule that the huge 

amount of data associated with the 

programme would need to be stored in 

an accessible format available to anybody 

who needed to use it. Network Rail wasn't 

starting out from scratch, as much of the 

information required was already available 

within their original ecosystem, but the 

ecosystem needed to be centralised to 

provide a single source of truth - 

effectively combining data from five 

different authored sources. 

Rather than moving directly to a new 

ecosystem, Yule described how the 

demands of the programme required they 

develop their current system gradually - 

evolution instead of revolution - while 

evaluating the steps needed to accomplish 

specific tasks, thereby establishing 

whether the results had been successful 

before moving to the next stage. 

There were five main areas of focus, 

though, that governed this approach. The 

first was the need to create a digital 

environment for the information that 

enabled all authorised members, 

consultants and stakeholders to access it 

simply and quickly. Collaboration was 

essential, particularly for team members 

unfamiliar to working within a digital 

environment. Part of the evolution of the 

ecosystem was the need to ascertain the 

value of each of the steps taken before 

progressing to the next. Finally, the 

sustainability of the programme had to be 

established to comply with current 

environmental trends. 

A SINGLE SOURCE OF TRUTH 

Creating a route-wide digital twin to 

handle all of the connected project 

information provided additional benefits 

beyond the storage of structured project 

information. It enables the data to be 

used for analytical purposes - in the future 

it will be used to calculate asset 

performance and deterioration to avoid 

failure - with machine learning calculating 

how replacement of assets could improve 

train punctuality. 

Linked to virtual models for all projects 

across the rail network, the digital twin 

can also be used to spotlight access 

points to any part of the network - which 

sounds simple, but as Yule explained, is 

often quite difficult. Emphasis was placed 

on creating a digital twin that met the 

original objectives for which it was 

conceived, but also to consider how new 

data could be put into this single source of 

18 


CASEstudy 

truth, thereby updating the original data. 

A CONNECTED ECOSYSTEM 

Core elements of the system include 

Bentley's ProjectWise, Jacobs GIS and 

stakeholder management system, plus 

Network Rail's asset information system - 

a robust ecosystem that, until now, met 

the bulk of their requirements. As part of 

the evolution though, and to implement 

systems that would enhance its 

accessibility, Yule looked at the Bentley 

iTwin platform. 

As Yule put it, "We knew we needed a 

hub to allow people better access to the 

data. We used to talk about models 

previously, but only a handful of people 

could actually see them." He added, "We 

knew it was supposed to revolutionise the 

construction industry, but not everybody 

could touch it, feel it, and see it." 

He said that iTwin technology came up 

on the radar and they knew it could make 

data accessible to all users via webbased 

browsers. The answer, surprisingly, 

was one of the few benefits of the COVID- 

19 pandemic. Yule explained that Network 

Rail had to ensure people could work 

from home, yet still maintain levels of 

productivity and quality. 

The implementation was rolled out 

quickly with full support from Bentley, and 

further benefits were quickly discovered. 

Using models accessed via the digital 

twin not only allowed people to share 

project information, it also facilitated 

virtual design reviews. In addition, instead 

of 30 people having to meet up in Leeds 

to talk about a section of the programme, 

the digital twin enabled the team to get 

together in a virtual environment. 

Suggested ideas were recorded, instead 

of being written down on scraps of paper 

in meetings and circulated via copious 

emails. The physical side of meetings - 

travel, safety, costs, and so on, were 

replaced with a collaborative digital 

environment, which could be attended 

remotely. Other data, disciplines and 

tasks that were able to be in the design 

reviews included reality modelling data, 

plus clash detection and resolution. 

WIDENING ACCESS TO THE 

WORKFORCE 

An additional major benefit was the digital 

twin's ability to make the data accessible 

to people who wouldn't normally use it, 

whether through not having the capability, 

or not previously appreciating the benefits 

of this digital twin approach. Using flythroughs 

brought the data to life, enabling 

signal siting and identification of gantry 

positions, plus ancillary information 

typically associated with a large capital rail 

program. As a result of the iTwin platform's 

integration with SafetiBase, an open 

source solution funded by i3P, users can 

visualise hazards in the digital twin, 

assisting with understanding, 

communication, and mitigation of hazards 

- instead of relying on Excel spreadsheets. 

THE ECOSYSTEM IN PRACTICE 

Yule handed the webinar over to Barbeiro, 

who outlined some of the practical 

elements, including access to the 6,000 

separate models held in the data 

warehouse and accessed via the digital 

twin, such as the SafetiBase hazard 

outlined above. Accompanying the 

models is an IDC/IDR log that team 

members use to communicate with each 

other and to participate in virtual design 

reviews. Bentley's iTwin technology also 

enables the integration of virtual reality 

meshes of the surrounding landscape and 

infrastructure, adding real world context to 

digital models of proposed assets. 

Integration with Jacobs' GIS system, 

which is already well established, is 

important from an environmental 

perspective, as well as supporting the 

collection and visualisation of data 

relating to existing assets. For example 

gantries and masts, plus geological 

information extracted from boreholes 

surveys conducted along the route. 

Barbeiro explained that the digital twin 

was used as an access point for the 

digital replicas of all assets along the 

route, minimising errors, mitigating risk, 

and increasing safety for the entire 

programme. The savings have already 

been calculated at over 20,000 hours of 

work using the optimised approach, and 

over 1 million pounds in the first six 

months of implementation. 

DIGITAL TWINS 

Yule finished the webinar by saying, "Don't 

focus on what a digital twin is, but on 

what it can do for you." Expanding on this, 

he said digital twins provide different 

solutions for different people and 

enterprises. What they all enable, though, 

is the ability to utilise the information we 

have for better outcomes. 

He added that the evolution of the 

programme was more challenging than 

originally thought, but it is now well 

established within a wider Network Rail 

concept. It has also enabled them to work 

more cooperatively with the rail operator, 

with improvements to maintenance and 

operation, enabling the handover of a 

system that fits Network Rail's needs. 

www.jacobs.com 

www.networkrail.co.uk 


CASEstudy 

The Omniverse and after 

Graphisoft CEO Huw Roberts explains how visualisations helps create great architecture 

There is a lot of emphasis on the 

graphical elements of architectural 

design at the moment, so it was a 

pleasure to catch up with the 'Fireside 

Chat' between Bob Pette, VP of NVIDIA 

and Graphisoft CEO, Huw Roberts at 

NVIDIA's recent GTC22 event. 

Huw put Graphisoft's contribution to the 

design of great buildings in perspective. 

The company has been at the forefront of 

3D modelling for the last 40 years. Based 

originally in Budapest, Hungary, its 

principal design application, Archicad, is 

sold in 29 regional versions in over 100 

countries worldwide. Huw puts it at the 

heart of digital twins and says that its 3D 

intelligent models have been involved in 

fostering team collaboration on building 

design with its OpenBIM technologies. 

Graphisoft is also involved in developing 

hybrid systems as part of its digital twin 

capabilities, using software tools like 

BIMcloud to facilitate collaboration 

between expert and non-expert users 

working with visualisation tools, global 

devices, such as iPads and mobile 

devices - all part of what Huw called the 

"Omniverse". In effect, he said, Graphisoft 

is fully involved in design visualisation - 

the ability to see what you are building 

before you build it! 

He gave a couple of examples, both of 

which we have featured previously in this 

magazine. The first, Merdeka 118, is a 

high-rise construction - actually the 

second tallest building in the world - now 

nearing completion. The case study 

focused on how the architects were able 

to remain within Graphisoft's Archicad to 

complete a complete customised design 

experience, down to the smallest details. 

Huw explained that giving architects the 

ability to focus on the creative aspects of 

their designs was central to the 

philosophy of its customers. 

The other main example Huw gave was 

the Cox Graae + Spack Architects 

design for the Duke Ellington School of 

the Arts in Washington DC, which 

combined the restoration of an iconic 

porticoed building with the installation of 

a state-of-the-art central theatre and 

performance studio. 

Mixing the restoration, the design work 

and the challenges of its associated 

use, and seeing the building in the 

concept of the city, is precisely what 

Huw calls the Omniverse. 

AN OPEN PLATFORM 

Part of the Omniverse, the purpose of the 

open platform is to collect real-time 

information about a project to simulate 

reality. According to Huw it will enable 

people to work on a project together in 

whatever application they choose and to 

keep track of what their colleagues are 

doing. The 3D workflow is an essential 

tool for every industry and accelerates 

the time to make decisions. The current 

pandemic has apparently been beneficial 

here, as people have grown used to 

working from home on project datasets 

around the world. 

Sharing data from multiple sources 

could hold problems with the amount of 

data that needs to be shared, but 

Graphisoft's Archicad enables data 

models to be refreshed, instead of 

uploading a new model when changes 

are made. This enables a single source 

of truth to be maintained for every user 

with a minimum of data transfer. "What 

you have in your head," says Huw, 

’matches what you have on the screen." 

It's also an ideal solution for the AEC 

industry. "The industry is an ideal subject 

for such an approach to design 

20 


CASEstudy 

development," said Huw, "as it can be 

used from initial concept design 

development, competitions and bid 

submissions right through to production 

models and beyond." 

AN OMNIVERSE IN PRACTICE 

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 

Washington is a prime example of the way 

the Omniverse works. Well over 100 people 

worked on the project and they included 

architects, structural, electric, and acoustic 

engineers, all of whom require specialty 

software. Previously, a large number of files 

had to be shared and emailed to each 

other, handling structural and lighting 

changes and sharing BIM data, but mostly 

using IFC formats for convenience. This 

amounted to considerable data bandwidth 

requirements and the need to work in the 

neutral IFC format. 

Using an Omniverse users are able to 

connect with each other in a shared 

environment but, unlike with IFC, without a 

common denominator, and without being 

tied to a specific design tool. 

VISUALISATION FOR AEC 

The visualisation tools used within Archicad 

have always been impressive, but recently 

they have been further enhanced with the 

use of GPU rendering tools, such as 

Redshift. "We really love it, It has completely 

transformed the design environment," said 

Hugh. "Instead of just having one guy in an 

architect's office who specialised in using 

visualisation tools, creating scenes that 

were probably better looking rather than 

being accurate, with Redshift the 

techniques are available in real-time for all." 

He explained that Redshift is able to use 

its GPU accelerated behaviour to create a 

visualisation that looks as it would in real 

life. When you get to this level of accuracy, 

and when renderings of buildings are true 

to themselves, then you are able to make 

higher level decisions on the designs - and 

the use of digital twins becomes more 

effective. To give an example, explained 

Huw, if you change a brick in a wall, not 

only is it reflected in the appearance, but 

the data behind the brick is alive, with 

subsequent changes to that as well. That 

leads to a real-time understanding of what 

the design consists of. Digital twin 

technology connects the data from the real 

world back into the system - what is 

actually there, recorded by the cameras 

and sensors. 

A feedback loop from a design decision 

can confirm that deigns are working as they 

should, simulating reality from visual reality, 

enabling architects to know how it operates 

and impacts the environment. The more 

information we have, the more we can 

optimise a building’s performance, to make 

it more sustainable for example. The 

Omniverse allows real-time information to 

be combined with real life data to improve 

the design process. 

HOW DO WE INCORPORATE AI? 

The potential of artificial intelligence is its 

ability to infer something from large 

amounts of data. It is capable of being 

used on building designs that contain 

millions of bits of data to extract any 

quantifiable patterns within that data. Here 

Huw gave an interesting example, that of 

the relationship between a hospital's 

design and layout of treatment facilities, 

and the occurrence of a particular strain of 

sickness - suggesting, perhaps, some 

very minor degree of transmission of 

harmful pathogens. With the vast amount 

of data available from the use of BIM any 

combination of data can be assessed as 

long as you can create a suitable 

algorithm to extract and analyse it. As Huw 

put it, "Let artificial intelligence do the 

volume calculations, and humans do the 

creative bits." 

THE FUTURE OF COLLABORATION 

Asked by Bob Pette to outline his vision of 

future collaboration on building design, 

Huw said that Graphisoft has been 

involved in creating complex designs for 

many years. This is now evolving into a 

hybrid world - part local, part cloud, part 

sharing - which enables enhanced 

workflows to operate from design hubs or 

at home, with the ability to manage 

change and collaboration within that 

environment. People's working 

environments will also change, working for 

perhaps three days in the office and two 

days at home and collaborating on 

designs in a very flexible environment. 

The industry is evolving rapidly as well. 

Just 10 years ago there were a lot of things 

you simply couldn’t do, such as the 

visualisations we take for granted now. We 

couldn’t analyse building acoustics or 

building performance. We can now do 

multiple things much more quickly and 

make decisions faster. 

"Now," Hugh postulated, "we can look at 

buildings as living entities, and include 

occupants as part of the building: how they 

inhabit it, how it evolves around them, and 

how the building wears out as its 

occupants generate heat, moisture, and 

other forms of wear - sharing the 

occupant’s experiences with the designers 

of buildings. This is important, as we are 

running out of places to build, and we need 

to learn more about people’s relationships 

with their environment in order for us to 

meet their needs." 

www.graphisoft.com 


INDUSTRY comment 

The small print 

May Winfield, Global Director of Commercial, Legal and Digital Risks, Buro Happold, looks at the 

pitfalls and minefields in BIM contracts 

In 2011, the UK Government mandated 

the use of BIM for all centrally-procured 

government projects by 2016. This led 

to the production of a suite of supportive 

best practice standards; the PAS1192 

suite and various guidance, and the 

formation of organisations like the UK BIM 

Alliance. Fast-forward 11 years and BIM is 

increasingly becoming business-as-usual 

across the international 

construction 

industry. Many, if not most, larger projects 

use BIM models and digital processes to 

achieve better cost and time savings, 

reduction in expensive onsite variations 

and improvements in quality. 

We have moved from simply 

implementing BIM software to full 

integration of digital information 

management processes, catalysed 

further by the necessity to 

embrace 

digitalisation as a result of the pandemic. 

The PAS1192 suite has been used as a 

basis to create international standards for 

digital information management, the 

ISO19650 suite of standards. These have 

been implemented worldwide, from the 

UK to Australia. They are accompanied by 

detailed guidance and standard form 

contract schedules to ease understanding 

and implementation, even for those new to 

BIM and information management. 

So, does this mean that everything is 

smooth sailing and we can ride off into the 

golden BIM sunset? Unfortunately not. 

The implementation of any new process or 

tool will inevitably open up the possibilities 

of differing levels of understanding and 

maturity, as well as new obligations and 

risks (and opportunities!). There's a lot of 

abbreviations, technical language and 

jargon - most of which has no 

standardised meaning. 

If you were to ask 20 people worldwide 

what "BIM", "Level 2" and "providing 3D 

models" meant, they would all have 

slightly different interpretations. This is 

particularly problematic when it comes to 

determining whether a party has fulfilled 

their contractual obligations. 

Parties may also not properly discuss 

where ownership and copyright should lie 

for the various BIM models, data and 

deliverables. It may not be appropriate or 

possible for ownership to fully transfer to 

the client where the BIM materials consist 

of a consultant's standard templates and 

coding, or objects being used under 

licence from a manufacturer. 

There are also other wider issues of 

liability. For example, who is responsible if 

models and data are corrupted? What if 

interoperability issues cause undetected 

errors which later lead to delays and 

increased costs? Are parties obliged to 

check the accuracy and validity of the 

models and data they receive from 

others? Without contractual clarity, the 

22 


INDUSTRYcomment 

answers are not straightforward and are 

open to interpretation - particularly given 

the lack of case law on these topics (most 

disputes are occurring in private forums 

like mediation and adjudication). 

This article seeks to highlight some of the 

common causes of disputes and ways to 

avoid or mitigate these risks via 

contractual certainty and clarity. There is 

admittedly a school of thought that such 

contract additions are overly risk-adverse. 

However as anyone who has been in the 

industry a while can attest, it is far more 

expensive to become embroiled in a 

dispute than to avoid it. From my own 

many years working as a construction 

lawyer, it is the gaps in an agreement - 

and those aspects that are vague and 

open to interpretation - that will result in a 

dispute when deliverables are not as 

anticipated or things go wrong and one 

looks for someone to give compensation. 

LANGUAGE AND BINDING 

DOCUMENTS 

Talk of 'BIM scope' or 'BIM processes' can 

be akin to a foreign language. TIDP, MIDP, 

EIR, Common Data Environment, Level of 

Information Need (to name but a few) 

may not always mean the same thing in 

every project. There is also the key 

concept of levels of maturity of BIM first 

introduced by the PAS1192 standards, 

and the very common requirement to 

implement "Level 2" BIM. 

Whilst the PAS1992 standards give some 

(non-exhaustive) technical composition for 

achieving this level of BIM maturity, there 

is no agreed meaning of what Level 2 BIM 

consists of - including what Level 2 

models and data look like. A client 

requiring Level 2 BIM may be expecting 

models and data which contain far greater 

levels of detail and content than the 

designer understood it to mean. Such 

misunderstanding may only come to light 

when the deliverables are issued. The 

designer may then feel obliged to carry 

out the additional services to increase the 

models and data to the level the client 

requires, without additional costs and 

outside its calculated budget. 

One way to avoid such 

misunderstanding would be to include 

definitions for the key terms and technical 

jargon used, as well as confirming where 

to find key technical documents (if 

continuing to be updated) and/or which 

versions are intended to be binding. 

COPYRIGHT 

Those unaccustomed to BIM processes 

may not consider or realise that there are 

several elements subject to copyright and 

intellectual property ownership. The 

copyright for these different elements may 

most appropriately sit with different 

parties. The key elements are arguably the 

designs, the objects within the models, 

the data contained in and produced by 

the models and the models themselves. 

The designs would be dealt with in the 

normal way and this is uncontroversial. 

However, the objects may be owned either 

by the designer or by manufacturers who 

have provided such objects under licence 

from their libraries; the designers in this 

case need to ensure that their contracts do 

not represent that they can and are 

transferring copyright in these to the client 

as that would be an immediate breach of 

contract. A client may become upset when 

they find their use of the models 

unexpectedly restricted later. A designer 

may also want to consider whether they 

want to retain copyright ownership in 

certain coding, templates or data within the 

models that consist of their regularly-used 

content and know-how or trade secrets. 

PROCESS AND DATA 

Fundamentally, BIM is about process and 

data. There are many types of software, 

hardware and processes that can be used 

in creating BIM models. There are 

recognised interoperability issues when 

parties use different authoring software. 

They are also likely to use different file 

naming conventions and checking criteria. 

To avoid delays and misunderstandings 

when parties exchange models and data, it 

is important for parties to agree the 

technical processes to follow in some detail 

including, for example, the clash detection 

margins, naming of files, and timing of 

exchanges of data during the project. 

Without writing this down clearly within 

binding documentation, parties may - or 

indeed are arguably likely to - revert to 

their own ways of working or change the 

processes over time leading to a lot of 

confusion. 

ROLES AND SCOPE 

The introduction of BIM has led to a slew of 

new roles, such as BIM Coordinator, BIM 

Information Manager, BIM Lead and BIM 

Champion. Whilst there is some 

acceptance of the general tasks 

undertaken by some of the more common 

roles, such as BIM Information Manager 

and BIM Coordinator, there is no precise 

scope for any of these roles. If appointed 

in a "BIM"-specific role, it is therefore 

helpful to include a list of duties. This could 

include, for example, carrying out regular 

clash detection of parties' models or 

ensuring models and data are uploaded 

and shared at the scheduled times. 

It may also be advisable to mention the 

intention to take on such roles to one's 

insurance broker, in the abundance of 

caution to ensure one's professional 

indemnity insurance fully covers such 

roles. Better safe than sorry! 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

It is undeniable that BIM provides a 

significant number of benefits, both in 

terms of time, costs and quality but also 

from perspectives of collaboration, and 

health and safety. However, without 

contractual clarity, these benefits could be 

undone by unintended liability, 

misunderstandings and disagreements. It 

is therefore advisable to rely on the 

researched, standardised documentation 

that is available in preparing one's own 

documentation - don't try and reinvent the 

wheel unnecessarily. 

To this end, readers are advised to head 

to the UK BIM Framework website, which 

contains a range of guidance of different 

categories of users, as well as standard 

form BIM and information management 

contract documents for easy insertion into 

contracts at both design and 

construction, and maintenance stages of 

a project. The UK BIM Framework is 

particularly topical now as it has been 

expressly mandated for use in the UK 

Government's recent Construction 

Playbook and within its Information 

Management Mandate. 

www.ukbimframework.org 


SOFTWAREfocus 

Sustainable construction 

The 2022 releases of Tekla's BIM, building engineering and steel fabrication management software 

solutions focus on providing more sustainable construction, writes David Chadwick 

Tekla has released its 2022 range of 

BIM, engineering and steel 

fabrication design tools: Tekla 

Structures 2022, Tekla Structural 

Designer 2022, Tekla Tedds 2022 and 

Tekla PowerFab 2022, with a focus on 

improving the construction process and 

greatly improving its quality and 

efficiency. Just as importantly, as a 

design application provider in an 

industry that focuses on the production 

and usage of energy intensive steel 

components, the range also addresses 

sustainability issues. 

RATIONAL DESIGN SOLUTIONS 

One of the new features in Tekla 

Structures and Tekla Structural Designer 

is focused on encouraging more rational 

and sustainable design solutions. Based 

on Trimble's workflow streamlining 

technologies, Tekla's Rational Design 

Solutions offer a dynamic embodiedcarbon 

calculation function for design 

and detailing processes. The Embodied 

Carbon Calculator is a visual and 

dynamic calculation tool which allows 

users to quickly and accurately assess 

the environmental impact of all of their 

design decisions directly within Tekla 

software. 

Design engineers can use the 

calculator to compare different design 

options and their associated carbon 

loads. Environmental professionals on 

project teams can also use the specially 

designed OneClick LCA carbon dioxide 

emission calculator, integrated into the 

Tekla system, to produce environmental 

product declarations (EPDs). Combining 

ordered Tekla software data with One 

Click LCA data and the extensive EPD 

database allows you to calculate the 

embodied carbon emissions for any of 

the materials used in production, down 

to each nut, bolt and rebar throughout 

the structure's entire life cycle. 

TEKLA STRUCTURES 2022 

The 2022 version of Tekla Structures 

improves the entire workflow - from 

design to production - with built-in 

functions for creating more intelligent 

fabrication drawings. The simpler, more 

straightforward way of creating singlepart, 

assembly and cast unit fabrication 

drawings reduces the time spent 

creating and editing drawings, and 

results in faster, more effective and more 

accurate documentation. 

Automating the process of combining 

elements is a simple way of enhancing 

the efficiency of the design and 

construction process. The assembly 

feature therefore figures highly in Tekla 

Structures latest release, being used 

primarily in Manufacturing and Assembly 

Technology (DfMA) processes to provide 

tools for automated element 

manufacturing. 

Concrete parts, for instance, can use 

new tools within Tekla Structures 2022 to 

create reinforcing assemblies, and rebar 

can be built offsite as cage assemblies 

with DfMA providing suitable 

construction workflows. Design 

engineers merely need to specify details, 

numbers, reports and documents for 

offsite fabrication and export of rebar 

cages, couplers and embeds. 

Further tools within Tekla Structures 

24 


SOFTWAREfocus 

relate specifically to rebar assembly 

design, enabling engineers to specify 

rebar spacing, using simple rebar 

spacing controls - the seamless spacing 

workflow can be maintained for all 

reinforcement control, and implemented 

on all rebar groups within a project - a 

popular request from many Tekla 

Structures users. 

Tekla Structures is used to create 

custom steel components, with 

Grasshopper's visual scripting 

capabilities providing an ideal tool. 

Although it's a straightforward process, 

Tekla Structures now has a Grasshopper 

integration which enables such 

components to be treated as if they were 

original Tekla components, with the same 

look and feel, but when interrogated, can 

trigger the Grasshopper definition in the 

background. 

TEKLA STRUCTURAL DESIGNER 2022 

The Embodied Carbon Calculator, which 

was actually introduced in Tekla 

Structural Designer 2021, has been 

enhanced, offering improved viewing, 

reporting and sharing of carbon 

emissions. Using Tekla Structural 

Designer, design engineers can 

calculate the embodied carbon in 

different versions of the model structure 

at the design stage, evaluating and 

optimising materials for designing 

structures with low carbon emissions. 

The information gained is easily exported 

by the software to compile reports, 

charts and other data 

Tekla's Open API provides a powerful 

facility for transferring or sharing design 

data from other Tekla applications with 

Tekla Structural Designer 2022, 

automating manual processes and 

incorporating the software into 

engineering office workflows. It avoids 

the transmission of errors and 

subsequent rework usually associated 

with manual processes. 

TEKLA TEDDS 2022 

The ability to share designs and 

documentation is also available in Tekla 

Tedds 2022 which uses Trimble Connect 

for improved collaboration using the 

industry standard PDF format. Tekla 

Tedds 2022 comes with new calculations 

and updates for faster and more reliable 

design of structural elements and, 

specifically, a new range of easy-toinspect 

quality assured calculations. 

TEKLA POWERFAB 2022 

Tekla PowerFab is a steel fabrication 

management software suite which solves 

common engineering problems. It 

provides an improved management of 

layout and materials for joining and 

splitting fabricated component elements. 

Easy to implement, it provides a simple 

route for new customers who can 

seamlessly migrate from their older 

production management information 

systems (MIS) on Tekla PowerFab, 

maintaining access to data from past 

projects. The upgrade is an automatic 

process and allows users to dive in and 

use the new system immediately, 

supported by further enhancements for 

monitoring and controlling the process, 

including the use of the new delivery 

calendar in the Tekla PowerFab Go web 

application. 

Creating backups of data from 

previous systems allows you to 

jumpstart the migration process in Tekla 

PowerFab. The new version includes 

something which I first came across 

many years ago - intelligent nesting and 

material management, for splitting 

materials to optimise material usage and 

purchasing. Besides calculating the 

most efficient nesting arrangements 

Tekla PowerFab 2022 enables the 

creation of inventory items from 

materials used in the nesting process. 

TEKLA EPM GO 

The Shipping Calendar that comes with 

Tekla EPM Go, mentioned above, 

provides a bird's-eye view of a 

fabricator's or design engineer's shipping 

department, allowing you to visualise 

and manage every load across every 

job. You can use the Shipping Calendar 

to plan resources and schedule and 

track the progress of each load, giving 

you complete control of your shipping 

schedule. 

Michael Evans, Senior Commercial 

Director of the Trimble Group, the owners 

of Tekla, said: "Tekla software continues 

to change the way we work in the 

construction industry. Our solutions 

organise information about construction 

and facilitate access to such information 

for all project participants, which allows 

us to optimise the cost of materials and 

the use of human resources. 

"Thanks to continuous improvements 

and the high intellectual capabilities of the 

software, as well as the implementation of 

solutions for the sustainable development 

of the construction industry, we occupy a 

leading position in the supply of BIM 

technology platforms in the modern 

market." 

www.tekla.com 


INDUSTRY focus 

Project success through model leadership 

In a world full of complex construction projects, advancing technology alone won't guarantee success 

argues Andrew McNaughton, Infrastructure Sector Lead at Aczel, and Mark Coates, International 

Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at Bentley Systems 

The world of complex construction 

projects is becoming dominated 

by a growing volume 

of diverse technologies that promise 

vastly improved outcomes. However, 

advancing technology alone won't 

guarantee success. 

Today, project stakeholders must 

question the personal characteristics 

that are valued in the leaders of today 

and critically examine whether the 

model leadership skills that have been 

prioritised over decades are still fit for 

the future. 

Historically, many large capital 

projects deliver poor performance, 

leading to overruns in both time and 

cost. Studies have shown that the 

outcomes of over 70% of major 

Mark Coates 

infrastructure projects have 

disappointed their owners. 

These problems continue despite 

extensive industry research into the 

reasons behind them. These studies 

have identified several causes, 

including issues relating to a process 

or system failing, or problems relating 

to technical knowledge and 

implementation. 

Given continuing performance-related 

issues in construction, we must 

challenge whether leadership skills, an 

essential piece of the puzzle for the 

success of any major project, have 

received less scrutiny than their merits. 

An investigation into the characteristics 

of successful leaders is long overdue 

for project delivery across multiple 

sectors. 

Leadership is often cited as a 

critical component of project 

delivery, as the quality and the 

calibre of leaders have the 

potential to make a dramatic 

impact on the outcome. 

Much has been written 

about leadership in a 

project delivery 

environment, and how 

strength and resilience 

are needed alongside 

subject matter expertise. 

Less focus has been 

given to the soft skills 

necessary to deliver in a 

project environment that 

is multi-disciplined, 

culturally diverse, and 

within a 

dispersed 

project community and a complex 

stakeholder environment. 

When considering the scope of a 

future megaproject, we need to 

question the capability of leaders to 

master the breadth of knowledge 

necessary for bringing all elements 

together in an increasingly complex 

system environment. 

This environment calls for leaders to 

have a confident self-awareness that 

acknowledges the limits of their 

experience. In such situations, the 

ability to offer leadership that brings 

together a group of individuals with the 

relevant experience along with the 

knowledge that they are valued as part 

of a team is essential. 

In a recent NCE article, leadership, 

collaboration, and teamwork were cited 

as common characteristics of the 

winners of the British construction 

industry awards, where successful 

projects were defined as having strong 

leadership and high-performing teams. 

In examining the perception of what 

strong leadership means in a complex 

world, we must ask whether the 

traditional sense of need for a warrior, 

or a heroic leader is sustainable now 

and in the future. 

It can be argued that scale is a 

consideration, and that the application 

of project management approaches 

based around processes and focused 

on deliverables is appropriate for 

projects of modest scale. However, this 

argument becomes fundamentally 

flawed when considering the increased 

complexity of projects resulting from 

their technologically advanced and 

dependent nature. 

The leadership model should 

recognise the diversity of skills and 

experience needed to embrace all 

considerations of the project system at 

26 


INDUSTRYfocus 

the right stage to create a plan for 

successful delivery. Equally, it should 

recognise the depth and breadth of 

soft skills needed at different stages of 

project development and delivery. 

The leader in a complex project 

environment must have ownership of the 

outcome, set a clear vision and direction 

for all parties involved, and be passionate 

about its delivery. Meanwhile, the ability 

to communicate at all levels within the 

team and with a multitude of 

stakeholders - aligned with skills to 

mentor, coach, negotiate, and influence 

to support high performance and 

collaboration - are key characteristics. 

Project leaders of the future will need 

a balance between hard project 

management-related skills and soft 

skills that enable the nurturing and 

development of teamwork and 

followership towards the common 

outcome. 

Here in the United Kingdom, there is a 

recognition that the art of project 

delivery leadership is changing, 

especially through the UK government, 

with sponsorship coming from 

organisations such as the 

Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA). 

Nick Smallwood, the CEO of IPA, said 

in a recent interview with Civil Service 

World: "A lot of people talk about the 

need for us to innovate. But 

sometimes, I think we should just look 

at what we have and implement that at 

a faster pace and scale. This would get 

us nearly all the way to the journey that 

we've committed to." 

This sentiment is captured in the IPA's 

Transforming Infrastructure 

Performance (TIP) programme that 

accompanies the National 

Infrastructure plan, and further 

highlights that people need the tools 

and capability to deliver. If the desired 

characteristics in terms of both hard 

and soft skills can accommodate the 

capability needed, then there are key 

questions to be addressed. 

As an industry, do we place enough 

value in developing these skills? Are 

there enough development paths for 

individuals to gain both formal training 

and experience to prepare for 

leadership roles on complex projects? 

Are we open-minded enough to accept 

a diversity of learning and experience 

in project leaders? Is it too early to start 

learning leadership skills at the 

undergraduate level? 

The pace of change in society will 

never be this slow again, and with 

change comes increasing complexity in 

a world of a system of systems. To 

deliver projects in this environment, we 

need leaders that go beyond the 

warrior model to develop a 

breadth of soft skills and 

behaviours 

commensurate with the 

demands placed 

upon them. 

There is no single 

route for the 

development of the 

appropriate soft skills. 

Individuals can gain 

them from learning 

and experiences 

throughout their 

careers. However, as an 

industry, we must be 

deliberate in broadly 

articulating the 

characteristics necessary 

for future leaders and 

create a pipeline of 

talent to meet the 

challenges to 

come. To 

create the 

pipeline, we 

must embrace 

the fact that talented individuals can 

come from a range of professional 

backgrounds and not simply from 

traditional sources. 

As projects become more 

collaborative, we must expect 

professional bodies and places of 

learning to be more connected and 

engaged in nurturing the full breadth 

of attributes of leadership from an 

early stage. 

There are many factors that contribute 

to the project delivery performance. 

However, having high-calibre leaders 

capable of navigating an increasingly 

complex environment is a prerequisite 

for delivering successful outcomes. 

www.bentley.com 

Andrew 

McNaughton 


SOFTWARE focus 

Jobsite connectivity 

Trimble's Jobsite Connectivity Bundle simplifies pre-construction tasks by linking 3D model data with 

machinery and office management 

Construction Management is 

currently in vogue, linking the 

various software solutions used 

in construction projects to an up-todate 

3D model of the project, 

leveraging the information that can be 

used throughout its entire lifecycle. The 

interoperability of each of the solutions 

facilitates accurate and reliable transfer 

of files to provide a single source of 

truth for constructible data, accessible 

to everyone involved in the project - 

both in the office and on-site. 

A quick scan through back issues of this 

magazine will provide numerous 

examples of construction management 

from companies involved in standard 

construction and civil infrastructure 

projects, but the benefits are now being 

realised more widely and in parts of the 

industry that involve fascinating 

innovations, unfamiliar to most of us. 

Trimble Civil Construction are involved in 

the pre-construction, or earth shifting, 

ends of large scale 

construction and 

infrastructure projects, transforming 

terrain to accommodate building project's 

roads, railways and anything else that 

requires substantial amounts of earth 

moving before it can go ahead. 

It's a simple process. The site's GIS data 

needs to be integrated with the project's 

3D model data to calculate the amount 

of cut and fill that would be required 

before construction can start, by sending 

instructions to the automated excavators, 

graders and bulldozers on the site that 

will use autonomous settings to handle 

the excavation and preparation of the 

site. The process is 

enhanced further, 

though, by 

incorporating 

feedback to 

the model 

that updates 

its as-built 

status, 

facilitating a full range of reporting and 

management tools. 

To leverage the benefits of such a 

process, Trimble has introduced the 

Jobsite Connectivity Bundle, which allows 

project managers and supervisors to get 

more from machine control and site 

positioning systems in addition to the 

usual benefits of eliminating tiresome 

rework. Now, they can hand off data 

seamlessly across a project and be 

assured that everyone is working the 

same plan. 

TRIMBLE JOBSITE CONNECTIVITY 

BUNDLE 

It's another example of the industry going 

digital. The Trimble® Jobsite Connectivity 

Bundle is a software bundle that links 3D 

models and data across Trimble civil 

construction hardware and software 

solutions. According to Elwyn McLachlan, 

VP for Trimble Civil Software, "The 

future of 

28 


SOFTWARE focus 

construction is digital, and the Trimble 

Jobsite Connectivity Bundle is a 

significant step forward in terms of 

making sharing and collaborating on 3D 

designs and project data faster, easier, 

more reliable and more efficient," He 

explained further that the disconnect 

between the design and the field is one 

of their biggest pain points, and that this 

solution solves that problem by providing 

real-time data directly to the workforce 

and their machinery on-site." 

The Trimble Jobsite Connectivity Bundle 

connects a number of software solutions 

in an integrated solution, simplifying both 

their purchase and implementation. 

Design data from the office solutions 

uploaded to Trimble Connect can now 

be shared with machines and surveyors 

in the field who are using the Trimble 

Earthworks Grade Control Platform, 

Trimble Siteworks Positioning Systems 

and Trimble Access survey software. 

Remote jobsite monitoring provides a 

line of sight into their real-time progress. 

The bundle is centered around Trimble 

Connect® Collaboration Software, a 

cloud-based collaboration platform 

where project stakeholders can share, 

review, coordinate and comment on 

construction models, schedules and 

other project information. This is 

supported by Trimble Business Center, 

takeoff and modeling software that can 

be used to calculate earthwork and 

material quantities for bids, site takeoffs 

and quantity estimating, or for road and 

corridor takeoffs, to build constructible 

3D models for construction surveying 

and data preparation for machine 

control. It can also be used to create drill 

and pile plans. 

Another cloud based solution, Trimble 

WorksManager software, is included in 

the bundle. It remotely sends 

construction-ready models to machines 

and construction surveyors in the field, 

enabling operators to be sure they are 

always working on the latest designs. 

WorksManager is supported by Trimble 

WorksOS software, a bidirectional SaaS 

solution that integrates design data from 

the office with machine control as-built 

data, informing the central 3D model with 

its progress on its appointed tasks to 

provide productivity updates. 

The Jobsite Connectivity Bundle 

provides further interoperability with 

other solutions integrated with Trimble 

Connect, such as Trimble's SketchUp, 

Quadri BIM software and third-party 

solutions using the Trimble Connect 

Software Developer Kit to integrate thirdparty 

applications with Trimble civil 

construction software. Users can also 

leverage Trimble Connect or develop 

third-party applications to enable the 

streamlined import of LandXML files to 

easily integrate design files into 

construction workflows. 

IMPROVED WORKFLOWS 


simplifies the planning and scheduling of 

pre-construction tasks, enabling the onsite 

workforce, unfamiliar with CAD, to 

download and run complex and errorfree 

designs, even for multiple field 

systems working on the same site. It can 

also access machines remotely, or 

provide training, troubleshooting or 

support on the fly. 

REMOTE JOBSITE MANAGEMENT 

It's an impressive sight to watch 

multimillion pounds' worth of heavy 

equipment working autonomously 

together on a large site, capable of 

excavating and levelling the ground to 

within a few centimeters of accuracy. 

Trimble takes the process even further 

though with Remote Jobsite 

Management, which allows project 

supervisors to set up and manage a 

number of individual Jobsite projects 

from the office, eliminating the need to 

make time-wasting visits to multiple 

sites. It also enables them to focus on 

project data management, and to ensure 

that machinery is provided with accurate, 

up-to-date as-built information. They can 

then share progress with other systems - 

facilitating payments to be made to 

reflect the amount of work completed, for 

example, or for quality reports to be 

produced and analysed and asset 

management reports to be compiled. 

The interoperability of the Trimble 

Jobsite Connectivity Bundle makes it 

easy for users to synchronise projects 

and data with Trimble Connect to share 

and collaborate on construction files and 

all other compatible solutions. 


is available now globally through the 

worldwide SITECH® distribution channel. 

heavyindustry.trimble.com/connectivity 


CASEstudy 

An inside job 

Glider's CDE was instrumental in managing the complex job of handing over asset information for HMP 

Wellingborough, the biggest prison project in England 

Out of sight, out of mind. We 

tend to ignore the various 

correctional facilities spread 

around the country as they don't have 

the emotional appeal of hospitals and 

schools, but they form a significant 

part of the real estate owned and run 

by the Government. As such they are a 

major target for the cost savings and 

efficiencies that BIM was originally 

aimed at. 

They are also surprisingly well 

geared up for the benefits that should 

accrue from the use of BIM to build 

multiple establishments that have to 

conform to the regulations that specify 

the size and furnishing of individual 

prisoner accommodation, and their 

surrounding facilities. Whether the 

savings earned on one project are 

successfully transferred to the next 

one may be a moot point, but, as 

Glider have emphasised recently, the 

data accrued during a project's 

construction is not necessarily the full 

set of data that needs to be handed 

over for its occupation and 

maintenance. 

Glider recently worked on a project 

alongside the Ministry of Justice, to 

implement their flagship Common 

Data Environment (CDE), gliderbim®, 

for HMP Wellingborough. The 

implementation involved one of the 

biggest datasets that the company 

has worked on to date. 

Due to the extent of data involved, 

and being a mandated ISO 19650-4 

deliverable, COBie (Construction 

Operations Building Information 

Exchange) was a briefed requirement, 

minimising risk and ensuring the 

efficient construction of the new 

prison. 

SUPPORTING THE BUILDING OF 

NEW PRISONS 

The Ministry of Justice, the principal 

delivery partners, turned to Glider for 

support with the building of the new 

prison at Wellingborough, replacing 

facilities that were closed down 

in 2012. The prison is part of the 

government's 'Prison Estate 

Transformation Programme'. 

HMP Wellingborough, also known as 

HMP Five Wells, is made up of several 

buildings following a standard 

structure, but with its own complex sets 

of requirements. The facility is now the 

biggest prison in England, with a 

unique design enabling more direct 

contact between staff and prisoners. 

Glider consultants provided handover 

documentation management and 

COBie information management 

services utilising the gliderbim® 

information management platform. 

KEEPING LARGE QUANTITIES OF 

DATA ACCURATE AND CLEAN 

When information requirements are 

specified and handover delivered 

correctly, facilities management (FM) 

can complete their job in an easier, 

more efficient way. For this HMP 

project, extensive asset information 

requirement documents covered 

everything from nomenclature to 

measurements - with vast amounts of 

data needing to be accurate and clean. 

One challenge on this project was 

ensuring that all data handed over by 

trade suppliers and subcontractors was 

accurate and correct. Lining all of this 

data up with the COBie requirements 

and O&M was imperative to ensure 

there were no inconsistencies 

threatening to make the project fallible. 

30 


CASEstudy 

FUTURE-PROOFING THE 

PROJECTS 

In order to make sure that the project 

was future-proof, Glider knew to 

provide more data than was needed. 

While that data may not be needed 

immediately, collating all of it during the 

build means that there will be no need 

to retrospectively find data as 

technology improves and upgrades. 

Typically, data for construction 

projects is contained in drawings, bills 

of quantities and specifications that are 

often completed retrospectively. This 

process relies on all parties involved 

with the project to update the 

documentation, which can often leave 

room for error and miscommunication. 

During the construction process, 

especially for large projects such as 

those at HMP Wellingborough, it is vital 

that everything possible is done to 

minimise this risk. 

This is where COBie as a recognised 

industry data exchange standard 

comes in. On this HMP project, data 

requirements were specified and 

distributed to project parties for 

completion. Data from each trade 

contractor was submitted at agreed 

and regular intervals for verification and 

acceptance. In this process, the 

submitted data was passed through the 

gliderbim® information delivery plan 

(IDP) rules engines to ensure each 

contact and component, down to data 

attribute level-detail (e.g. warranty data 

or maintenance regime) was populated 

correctly. 

Trade contractors and suppliers could 

instantly see any anomalies with their 

submission and correct missing or 

incorrect data via the gliderbim® 

auditable RFI log process. Once 

verified and accepted, these parcels of 

trade and supplier data were federated 

into a modelled dataset, representative 

of the as-built asset. This was vital 

when engaging the operational teams 

before and during handover, as they 

will want to make use of or integrate 

this data with their facilities 

management and building operating 

systems. 

USING GLIDERBIM® TO 

FURTHER ENSURE ACCURACY 

AND DATA TRANSPARENCY 

Glider carried out an IFC enrichment 

piece, whereby all data gathered from 

contractors through the gliderbim® 

RFI tool was exported through its 

unique export tool to create fully datacomplete 

IFC models. 

As the client required IFC models rich 

with data, Glider wanted to provide 

more than just COBie spreadsheets. 

The client will now receive the IFC 

models with data included, covering 

every base and ensuring a soft landing 

for operational teams. 

Processing this much data would not 

have been possible without the unique 

data management capabilities of 

gliderbim® and Glider's skilled 

information managers and 

consultants. 

Prison projects are enormous 

undertakings that require a lot of 

know-how, skill and attention to detail 

to deliver - but the outcome is that the 

Ministry of Justice can be completely 

confident in the quality and 

completeness of data and handover 

information for HMP Wellingborough. 

ABOUT GLIDER 

Glider was established in April 2016 as 

a digital solutions provider and BIM 

consultancy for the built environment. 

The company was formed as a 

response to a growing industry need 

for trusted, structured data to support 

the digitisation of the industry and 

provide better value for its clients. 

Glider's mission is to revolutionise how 

asset information is managed 

throughout design, construction and 

operation of a built asset. 

Gliderbim®, the company's 

groundbreaking, data-driven, 

Common Data Environment for full 

lifecycle information management, 

provides asset owners with the tools 

needed to manage the production, 

approval and delivery of all asset 

information. 

www.glidertech.com 


YOUR GUIDE TO 

5 

7 

1 

2 

3 

21 

22 

23 

24 20 25 26 

27 

29 

SCOTLAND 

FIFE 1 

GlenCo Development 

Solutions 

Contact: Jack Meldrum 

Tel: 01592 223330 

Fax: 01592 223301 

jackm@glenco.org 

www.glenco.org 

ACMK 

ABERDEENSHIRE* 2 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 

info@symetri.co.uk 

www.symetri.co.uk 

ABCDEGHIJKLMNOPQSTX 

ABERDEEN 3 

30 28 

19 

15 11/16 

6 

13 

17 

9/10 

18 

12/14 

*Location guide 

not 100% accurate 

TMS CADcentre 

Contact: Craig Hamilton 

Tel: 01224 223321 

info@thom-micro.com 

www.tmscadcentre.com 

ACELHO 

IRELAND 

DUBLIN 5 

Paradigm Technology Ltd 

Contact: Des McGrane 

Tel: +353-1-2960155 

Fax: +353-1-2960080 

dmcgrane@paradigm.ie 

www.paradign.it 

ACMGKL 

SOUTHWEST 

NEWBURY 6 

RWTC Ltd 

Contact: Richard Willis 

Tel: 01488 689005 

Fax: 01635 32718 

richard@rwtc.co.uk 

www.rwtc.co.uk 

A M 

N.I 

BELFAST 7 

Pentagon Solutions Ltd 

Contact: Tony Dalton - Training 

Services Manager 

Tel: +44 (0) 2890 455 355 

Fax: +44 (0) 2890 456 355 

tony@pentagonsolutions.com 

www.pentagonsolutions.com 

ACDEGKL 

TRAINING COURSES OFFERED KEY: 

AUTOCAD AND LT: 

AUTOCAD P&ID TRAINING: 

AEC/BUILDING SOLUTIONS: 

3D MODELLING $ ANIMATION 

AUTOCAD ARCHITECTURE: 

FM DESKTOP: 

GIS/MAPPING: 

REVIT: 

VAULT FUNDAMENTALS 

AUTODESK VAULT FOR INVENTOR USERS 

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I 

J 

VISUALISATION: 

AUTIDESK CIVIL: 

INVENTOR SERIES/MECHANICAL: 

NAVISWORKS TRAINING: 

PRODUCT UPDATE COURSES: 

INVENTOR PUBLISHER: 

GOOGLE SKETCHUP: 

CHARACTER ANIMATION: 

AUTODESK SIMULATION: 

FACTORY DESIGN SUITE: 

AUTOCAD ELECTRICAL: 

K 

L 

M 

N 

O 

P 

Q 

R 

S 

T 

X 

For further information about authorised CAD training or to advertise on these pages please contact: 

Josh Boulton on 01689 616 000 or email: josh.boulton@btc.co.uk

SOUTH/EAST 

HERTFORDSHIRE 9 

Computer Aided 

Business Systems Ltd 

Contact: Gillian Haynes 

Tel: 01707 258 338 

Fax: 01707 258 339 

training@cabs-cad.com 

A C D E K H 

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 10 

Causeway 

Technologies Ltd 

Contact: Sue Farnfield 

Tel: +44 (0)1628 552134 

Sue.Farnfield@causeway.com 

www.causeway.com 

A C D E K 

BERKSHIRE 11 

Cadpoint 

Contact: Clare Keston 

Tel: 01344 751300 

Fax: 01344 779700 

sales@cadpoint.co.uk 

www.cadpoint.co.uk 

A C D E K 

ENFIELD* 12 

TRAINING 

BERKSHIRE 16 

Mass Systems Ltd 

Contact: Luke Bolt 

Tel: 01344 304 000 

Fax: 01344 304 010 

info@mass-plc.com 

www.mass-plc.com 

A E F 

HAMPSHIRE 17 

Universal CAD Ltd 

Contact: Nick Lambden 

Tel: [44] 01256 352700 

Fax: [44] 01256 352927 

sales@universalcad.co.uk 

www.universalcad.co.uk 

A C M E K H 

MILTON KEYNES 18 

Graitec - Milton Keynes 

Contact: David Huke 

Tel: 01908 410026 

david.huke@graitec.co.uk 

www.graitec.co.uk 


CAMBRIDGE 19 

THE NORTH 

MANCHESTER* 20 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




NEWCASTLE* 21 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




YORKSHIRE 22 

Graitec Bradford 

Contact: Isobel Gillon 

Tel: 01274 532919 

training@graitec.co.uk 



NORTH EAST 23 

Graitec - Durham 


Tel: 0191 374 2020 




LANCASHIRE 24 

QUADRA SOLUTIONS 

Contact: Simon Dobson 

Tel: 01254 301 888 

Fax: 01254 301 323 

training@quadrasol.co.uk 

www.quadrasol.co.uk 

A C M K 

YORKSHIRE* 25 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




SOUTH YORKSHIRE 26 

THE JUICE GROUP LTD 

Contact: Sarah Thorpe 

Tel: 0800 018 1501 

Fax: 0114 275 5888 

training@thejuice.co.uk 

www.thejuicetraining.com 

A C D E K R 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




SOUTHHAMPTON 13 

Riverside House, Brunel Road 

Southampton, Hants. SO40 3WX 


Tel: 02380 868 947 




CONTRAL LONDON* 14 

Symetri Ltd. 

Tel: 0345 370 1500 




OXFORDSHIRE 15 

MIDLANDS 

NOTTINGHAM 27 

MicroCAD - Nottingham 


Tel: 0115 969 1114 




NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 28 

AIT Spatial Ltd 

Contact: Philip Madeley 

Tel: 01933 303034 

Fax: 01933 303001 

training@aitspatial.co.uk 

www.aitspatial.co.uk 

A C D E F G K L 

BIRMINGHAM 29 

CHESHIRE 30 

Excelat CAD Ltd 

Contact: Vaughn Markey 

Tel: 0161 926 3609 

Fax: 0870 051 1537 

Vaughn.markey@ExcelatCAD.com 

www.ExcelatCAD.com 

B N 

Man and Machine 

Contact: Robert Kenny 

Tel: 01844 263700 

Fax: 01844 216761 

training@manandmachine.co.uk 

www.manandmachine.co.uk 

A D I J M N O P Q X 

Armada Autodesk 

Training Centre 

Contact: Steven Smith 

Tel: 01527 834783 

Fax: 01527 834785 

training@armadaonline.co.uk 

www.armadaonline.co.uk 

A D E M K H

CASEstudy 

Planning ahead 

Esri UK recently ran a competition for local planning authorities to find innovative projects which best 

demonstrate the digitisation of the planning process 

Esri UK have announced the winners 

of a competition to find local 

planning authorities with innovative 

ideas on how best to use geospatial 

technology to help modernise the planning 

process. Attracting almost 50 entries, the 

three winning councils were Nottingham 

City, Dacorum Borough Council and South 

Ayrshire, who will work with Esri UK to 

make their pilot projects a reality, receiving 

free consultancy and access to GIS 

software from the company. 

The competition revealed several 

common planning challenges faced by 

local authorities, being addressed by the 

pilots, including the improvement of 

community engagement, how to maximise 

the use of 3D visualisations and how to 

manage developer contributions more 

efficiently. Esri UK is also creating a 

Customer Advisory Board to help grow 

best practice use of GIS within planning. 

"As the government looks to reform the 

planning system with an increased use of 

digital technologies, we wanted to find 

innovative solutions to planning challenges 

and collaborate with authorities to bring 

them to life," explained Stephen Croney, 

Head of Sector for Land, Property and 

Planning, Esri UK. "By combining each 

council's domain expertise with our team of 

geospatial experts, the pilot projects will 

explore new and efficient approaches to 

problems all designed to help make the 

planning process easier for everyone." 

Nottingham City Council's project will 

examine how geospatial technology can 

help increase the use of 3D visualisations 

within planning, both internally and with the 

public. Dacorum Borough Council's pilot 

will be using GIS systems to better manage 

the use and communication of developer 

contributions secured through Planning 

Obligations, while South Ayrshire Council's 

objective is to create an innovative 

community consultation platform, with 

interactive methods of engagement to 

improve community involvement in Local 

Development Plans. 

Croney added "Spatial data provides the 

common language to join different data 

together so that we can better determine its 

future, which means more sustainable 

communities are created and helps with 

the Levelling Up agenda too. It became 

clear that finding new ways of applying GIS 

in planning opened the minds of councils 

entering the competition as to what 

problems could be solved." 

Geospatial technology and data have an 

important role to play in digital planning 

reform, as outlined in the Planning for the 

Future white paper, published by the Ministry 

of Housing, Communities and Local 

Government in 2020. The use of mapping 

and associated analytical tools was also 

one of the recommendations in the report 'A 

Digital Future for Planning: Spatial Planning 

Reimagined', released in February 2022 by 

the Independent Digital Task Force for 

Planning. Selected from almost 50 entries, 

the winning applications are: 

DACORUM BOROUGH COUNCIL 

Dacorum Borough Council wants to 

translate existing text and spreadsheets by 

using digital mapping to better manage 

and communicate infrastructure and 

developer contributions, secured through 

Planning Obligations. 

"The objective is to use digital mapping to 

help with not only the decision making 

around the planning of new infrastructure 

and make the whole process more 

transparent but also to support community 

engagement," commented Councillor Alan 

Anderson, Portfolio Holder, Planning and 

Infrastructure at Dacorum Borough Council. 

"Our current system outputs are text and 

spreadsheet based - we believe that by 

providing this information in a spatial way it 

will provide a powerful asset which can be 

used by Council officers and others for 

planning, decision making and monitoring 

and also by the public to enhance 

understanding and engagement in 

infrastructure funding and planning." 

NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL 

Nottingham City Council's proposition will 

explore how geospatial technology can 

help increase the use of 3D visualisations 

within the planning environment, internally 

and with the public. 

"If 3D assessments are conducted in a GIS 

environment, planning teams will be able to 

conduct an assessment of various 

constraints on a site, at the same time as a 

visual assessment of the impact of the site. 

This will enable better and quicker business 

decisions and greatly contribute to 

modernising the planning processes as per 

the Government White Paper," explained 

Mick Dunn, GIS Service Manager, 

Nottingham City Council. "GIS will bring other 

capabilities to the process too, from in-depth 

flooding analysis to view analysis to share 

with interested parties. We feel this could be 

pushed even further, perhaps being able to 

provide VR consultation on sites." 

SOUTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 

South Ayrshire Council's project will 

examine how an innovative community 

consultation platform with interactive 

methods of engagement can help further 

improve community involvement in Local 

Development Plans - the Proposed South 

Ayrshire LDP2 in the first instance. 

"The objective is to create a space to keep 

our community engaged and informed to 

strengthen our relationship with our 

stakeholders and reach better planning 

outcomes," said Gordon Wilson, Planning 

Technician at South Ayrshire Council. 

"Effective public engagement can lead to 

better plans and better decisions, and it can 

help to avoid delays in the planning process 

too. Our vision is to build on the work already 

done by South Ayrshire in creating its LDP2, 

developing new apps and information to 

create a Local Plan community engagement 

and consultation Hub online." 

www.esriuk.com 


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CC Mar-Apr 2022

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