Finland is a true trailblazer in building information modeling (BIM). Model-based practices that considerably reduce design errors and enhance facilities management are highly appreciated and applied in international projects. Leading forces in Finland: Building Information Foundation RTS, Senate Properties, Skanska and Pöyry, established a unanimous front in demanding BIM to the industry at the buildingSMART meeting hosted by Tekla.
BIM has progressed beyond the pilot phase; it is a reality, particularly in Finland, and increasingly in other parts of the world. Tekla hosted the international buildingSMART Implementer Support Group (ISG) meeting in Espoo from March 10 to 12, 2009. The meeting focused on the framework for the continuous development of IFC-based communication between software solutions for structural engineering as well as presented successful BIM projects carried through in Finland. At a press conference arranged in connection with the meeting, Finnish BIM blazers Senate Properties, Skanska, Pöyry and Building Information Foundation RTS strongly urged the establishment of model-based design and maintenance in the construction industry in both local and international projects.
Advanced technology has become a reality
“We want to participate in promoting good construction practices and understanding of BIM by using state-of-the-art technology,” said Christer Finne, R&D Director at Building Information Foundation RTS and representative of buildingSMART Finland (second from the left in upper photo). “Our task is to function as a neutral project support party whenever companies should need one.”
“Tekla's software products are used in all of the most advanced building projects, and this is something that should be emphasized more, especially internationally,” Finne continued. “When I visited an industry seminar in Toronto some years ago, academics there could hardly believe that such advanced systems and practices were already in use in real-life projects. For instance, the production and erection of precast units is already supervised very cost-efficiently through BIM, even down to an accuracy of minutes. BIM makes it possible to effectively avoid the hassle that has traditionally pertained to communicating the plans and logistics of structural elements.”
Answer to the requirements of sustainable development
“Modeling was established as a policy in Senate Properties' architectural design in 2007, and in 2009 BIM will be a mandatory requirement in structural and building systems design,” stated Jukka Riikonen (middle in upper photo), Director of Investment Services. “Combined models that support facilities management will be added to our requirements in spring 2010.”
“At Senate Properties BIM is used to gain benefits in sustainable development,” Riikonen said. “Utilizing the BIM during the building's warranty period and maintenance is a future challenge. The models can be used for simulating various situations of use and retrieving methods optimized in terms of energy efficiency, for instance. The short-term objective is to obtain sufficiently accurate quantities that the developer can commit to from the model. This would enable shifting the quantity risk from the contractor to the developer, which should have a beneficial effect on contract prices. In Finland, there are dozens of BIM projects that will complete within approximately one year. What’s more, in the Helsinki Music Center project, for instance, BIM is used for simulating lighting and temperatures to optimize energy use."
Better means of project communication
Pöyry's response to the challenges of increasingly international building projects is to cover a more extensive share of the project by offering construction, project management and design services. Here, information management through a shared BIM is a key element. “An integrated process is vital to international operations,” said Petri Toivari (right in upper photo), BIM Manager at Pöyry Architects.
“Two-thirds of our architectural projects are located outside Finland. Finland is a pioneer in engineering technology, whereas in Anglo-Saxon cultures, for instance, the architect has a stronger role,” Toivari mentioned. “Customers expect financial benefits from the use of a BIM. Its quality is a very important factor, as is internal clarity of what information it needs to include for each party. To us, the most important benefit is improved project communication and compatibility of designs.”
Quality and efficiency to construction
Skanska has been developing a BIM process for residential production in the Nordic region. In design, centrally used startup templates and object libraries guide designers toward using proven and risk-free structural solutions. “We model all design and building systems; this is a group-level decision,” said Tiina Koppinen (left in upper photo), Project Manager at Skanska.
“BIM is not only technology: 80% of its implementation is about adopting new ways of working. This year, we will implement energy and carbon analyses, and see how construction safety can be improved through modeling. A model created using Tekla software makes it possible to visualize and check critical connections in terms of safety, for example,” Koppinen said.
Both Skanska and Pöyry aim to use long-term design partners who are already competent in BIM to reduce the number of pilot projects. “Some architects are capable of modeling, some are not,” Toivari stated. “If the architect does not do modeling, this slows down the design process as a whole.”
“In the current economic situation, companies' technological competence is a significant competitive factor,” noted Risto Räty (second from the right in upper photo), Executive Vice President at Tekla. “Those who are capable of using the most advanced tools will have the best chances of employment when costs are cut to a minimum and projects are tightly competed for.”
Jukka Riikonen of Senate Properties agreed: “During a recession, costs are cut and projects really competed for, so development and self-learning attract interest. Now is a good time to adopt new policies as owners are ready to pay for high-quality modeling.”