LetsBuild, recently formed by the merger of Belgian APROPLAN and Danish GenieBelt, will soon be launching an ambitious BIM product. LetsBuild wants to seamlessly link on-site activities and checks to the project's BIM model. Just as importantly, the company is focusing on ensuring easy adoption by site teams.
Most companies in the construction industry are focusing on implementing BIM (Building Information Modeling) because of the benefits it offers to architects, engineers and clients alike. But how well is BIM being implemented on site where the actual construction activity is being carried out?
Based on feedback from multiple construction companies in different countries, LetsBuild has concluded that there is a big gap between the office-based BIM model and the construction workers that need to enrich the model with data from site. Workers are struggling to use BIM tools in their daily activities and that causes frustration, lack of focus and even errors.
LetsBuild’s solution will put BIM in the hands of construction workers to allow them to seamlessly provide real-time data from site without having to struggle with unfamiliar tools. The app will connect the BIM objects in the model to site activities, checks and forms to allow a transparent digital built environment. In that way, the BIM model will be enriched with field data and the underlying BIM object data will be made available to people in the field.
As the BIM solution will be fully integrated with LetsBuild's APROPLAN app, on-site quality and safety processes will be directly linked to the underlying BIM model. Based on the company's quality protocol, set by the QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety & Environment) manager, BIM object classes can be linked to specific forms and checklists so that on-site checks are standardised across projects for the same class of objects. Linking BIM object classes to the physical construction work allows for seamless and transparent on-site workflows.
As an example, imagine that a fire-proof door needs to be installed. Using classification, the BIM object representing the door will be linked to certain formsin the APROPLAN app. This ensures that the correct door is installed correctly and also documents that it has been signed off on site. The forms triggered will depend on the type of project and object classifications, as different projects comply to different standards at different phases of the construction process.
LetsBuild aims to make BIM easy to use on site and across multiple projects while providing comprehensive data to enhance as-built documentation and learning. For more information, go here.
“The goal of our BIM integration is to easily gather all data in one place, standardise processes at company level, and allow project teams to map BIM objects to their specific projects and streamline their work processes. This enables on-site workers and teams to focus on project execution without having to work with a complicated BIM model” says Thomas Goubau, CRO of APROPLAN.
About the LetsBuild Solution
LetsBuild combines the APROPLAN and GenieBelt solutions to create a platform that is simple to use and helps companies standardise their processes. This in turn allows them to start collecting more data, enabling them to learn and improve on these processes.
Features: Real-time schedule / Progress reporting / Custom workflows / Snagging and Punch lists / Checklists / Forms / Drawings
About APROPLAN
APROPLAN is the leading Belgian construction management app that provides digital solutions for construction, facilities management and construction-related processes. It has been used successfully in construction collaborations of different scales, BIM-integrated ventures, and in projects that demand strict building compliance. APROPLAN helps firms ease into the digital built environment while increasing project efficiency and boosting profits.
About GenieBelt
GenieBelt, founded in 2013, is headquartered in Copenhagen. The company provides real-time communication and collaboration software to construction projects of any size, improving the way people communicate, collaborate and organise themselves. Activity updates are reported directly from site and the project schedule is updated at all times. GenieBelt is used on projects all over the world.
