AEC Excellence Awards 2018
Facebook’s new Clonee Data Center includes two 25,000 square meter data halls. To keep the project on track, general contractor Mace Technology Ireland relied the BIM Collaborate and the integrated BIM (Building Information Modeling) tools in the Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection.
Image courtesy of Mace Technology Ireland
“We orchestrated the whole project in Autodesk Build with schedules linked to models,” says Paddy Ryan, program BIM lead for Mace. “During construction, we validated activities as they happened. It’s important to not just have a solid plan, but also to validate progress against it. Delays, defects, and surprises are less likely when you align what’s happening in the field—as it happens—to what’s in the plan.”
Mace used Autodesk Build to spearhead preconstruction coordination for the third phase of the project. This allowed for cloud-based clash detection using design models, which let the entire project team review and address issues and adopt lessons learned from the previous phases.
Image courtesy of Mace Technology Ireland
For many on the design and construction teams, cloud-based coordination was a new experience. Autodesk Build gave the team access to the design models, as well as easy-to-use construction-management tools. Mace provided proactive training and online how-to videos and gave regular awards for the most active Autodesk Build contributors. By using Autodesk Build, the project team overcame the timing and clash issues that can hamper projects without proactive preconstruction planning for later project phases. The team documented more than 336 lessons learned from the process and incorporated them into phase three, and decided to implement preconstruction collaboration for future projects.
Mace automated the process of aggregating the design team’s Revit BIM models, reducing the time spent each week on model management from 440 minutes to just 10. Because Navisworks project-review software integrates simply with Autodesk Build in the cloud, design, construction, and client-side teams could collaborate in real time on up-to-date, automatically federated models and automated clash reports using slave machines from any location. This tight connection across teams helped Mace manage supply-chain performance and track progress in real time. The result was reduced RFIs, rework, and time spent in meetings.
The team managed the quality and inspection process using Autodesk Build in the field, building sites that stored live, automated data to track daily progress. The construction team facilitated virtual reality (VR) walk-throughs of the model before drawings were created, reducing unapproved cycles.
Image courtesy of Mace Technology Ireland
Facebook wanted accurate as-builts to help facilitate ongoing operations and maintenance of the data center. Mace turned to laser-scanning technology to create precision as-builts. Each area of the data center received multiple scans to capture an accurate model of supports, walls, building systems, and more. The team used the scans to update the Revit models, giving it the ability to resolve conflicts on-site and use Autodesk Build for ongoing management of the data center after construction.
Using cloud-based construction management on the project, Mace reports that managers saved more than 13 hours each week—helping them be 35% more productive overall. Typical site users saved 12 hours each week on document control. Organizations that participated in the quality assurance and control processes saved more than 14 hours each week. Mace determined that employees on the construction site that were actively contributing information to BIM 360 were 21% more productive overall.
