How BIM can help in putting out Quantity Surveying in just 20 mins?

Quantity Surveying is really critical. When you have a BIM Model, Quantity Surveying is a byproduct. Mr. Chetan Mogal, Ex-NICMAR student, describes the responsibilities of Quantity Surveyor and how BIM can help in learning Quantity Surveying in just 20 minutes.

Are you interested in learning? Join NIBT courses.

• Use of cad cam software in building construction

Nowadays, it is not an easy job to distinguish between virtual rendering and physical reality, thanks to the contribution of CAD tools in design and construction. With the growing uptake of BuildingInformation Modelling (BIM) by building designers, traditional CAD software is changing to become more aligned with its processes.

One of the big changes is the transformation of programs to incorporate 2D/3D synchronized modeling workflows that also allow data input about a building’s composition, a major change from standardized CAD software which previously worked in the independent plan, section and elevation drafting workflows.

Scott Ball of Atomic3D heads one of the many architectural visualization studios cropping up around Australia and he notes how a more BIM focused Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector has transformed architects into proficient 3D modelers:

“Architects and contractors now collaborate more easily and plugins such as 3D rendering, lighting and texturing programs are increasingly compatible across platforms and readily available to architects,” he says.

“With designers now becoming involved in the world of BIM, architects have become more proficient at working in 3D models and are therefore becoming more involved in the production of a final render of a building.”

But Ball notes that architectural visualization studios aren’t going out of business just yet because most architects don’t have time to be producing 3D models to the level of quality that he can.

Architectural visualization services typically add textures, lighting, furniture, and landscaping to an architect’s 3D model that were produced in programs such as Revit and AutoCAD. They then add the final touches in Photoshop. Balls said this can take anywhere from half a day to a few weeks, depending on the file format and detail sent to him by the architect.

Below are five examples of the project from rendering professionals that showcase the ability of contemporary 3D rendering software in creating reality-like 3D renders. Some of these were made prior to project completion, while others were made following from a photograph.

Narrabeen House by Chrome renders by Guillaume Favre

Software:

• Revit Modelling from photograph
• 3D Studio Max
• V-Ray – Lighting and shading
• CG-Source—Textures

Trojan House by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, renders by Christian Behrendt 

Software:

• Photograph from Emma Cross
• Revit modelling
• Cinema 4D Prime
• V-Ray – Lighting and shading

The Pavillion by Rothe Lowman renders by Atomic 3D

Software:

• Revit file (architect)
• 3D Studio Max – textures
• V-Ray – Lighting and shading

House 2 For A Photographer by OAB Architects (Spain), renders by Kiernan May

Software:

• Photograph by Alejo Bague
• Maya 3D—textures
• V-Ray—Lighting and shading

BIM coordinate for The Landmark 81 Building

In which, 5-star hotel Vinpearl has 450 rooms, with the best luxury president room being 1000m² in the area and have a 360 degrees view around the city. There are about 900 Vinhomes luxury apartments and Officetel Trade luxury apartments. The building is designed by Atkins, who has been the main designer of major projects like Bahrain World Trade Center, King Abdulaziz International Airport at Arup Saudi, Lotus Hotel at Shanghai.  In this project Arup the structural engineers who have designed structures such as the Opera syney Theatre and Centre Pompidou at Paris.

Conceptually, the unique architecture of The Landmark 81 project is a rooftop created by “bamboo tubes”, providing green spaces for relaxation and sightseeing. With environment consideration as a focus, the message from Vingroup –the best investor in Vietnam

The building is eco-friendly

• The green building saves energy

• Using a clean water system process originating from Europe for each apartment.

Landmark 81 has won the 2016 Building of the Year at International Property Awards ' Integrating BIM into a Project'. 

Integrating BIM into the project.

The building was ground-break on December 13, 2014, and is scheduled to be inaugurated in 2018, with attendees:

Investor - Tan Lien Phat Construction Investment Corporation.

Project Manager - Vincom 1 Construction Management LLC

Project manager consultant - Mace Vietnam co. ltd

Body constractor - Cotecons Corp

Cotecons is the body contractor of the project had applied BIM into a project for detailed design in the complex areas. Field of application is all building formwork structure. 

Coteccons had applied BIM into a project for detailed design in the complex areas. Field of application is all building formwork structure. This project has mega complex structure, which integrates concrete rebar and I steel frame, especially in transfer floor from 4th to 6th floor.  BIM application is to model intersection and simulate installation progress for the transfer areas detail between steel columns and reinforced concrete beams at 6th floor. 

This is area combine complex structure; with a typical designed that composite crossly steel column and framing with reinforced concrete structure. Cotecons had used Tekla Structure to design and coordinate all of the disciplines’ structure in this area. That help Cotecons get optimum design solutions, efficient construction progress and publish directly exact shop drawing from Tekla model for the construction site.

This area has high crossed and multi-structured steel density, therefore traditional design methods can’t be an efficient solution in communication between designs team - construction team.Coordination activities at site construction have been visualized by models. All of the relative participants can exchange information for the most exact and effective solution, help to decrease the time of changes and re-work when construction, ensure contract period, labor safety and save cost for the project.

Thank for BIM application, construction team doesn't meet any difficulty to complete this pretty complex field.  

To ensure the solidified structure, steel structural systems for the elevator areas are not designed in Rectangular Prism as usual, which are Y-shaped – the new design. Therefore, with the traditional coordinate, construction team cost so many time to understand, look for solutions, but can’t ensure that they clarify the idea of a designer.

The Landmark 81 will become the highest skyscraper in Vietnam upon 2018 and be a symbol of the country's spirit, history, and culture. This is the expectation of not only investor and relative participants but also Vietnamese around the world. We hope the project will be a success story and meet contract schedule. Absolutely, with a complex project, benefit of BIM will be a great story

Internet of Things for the Built Environment

Internet Use Benefits Construction

Nowadays, new technologies that should make our lives more comfortable appear every day. Will our doors and windows talk to us? Will we be able to control every air diffuser? The Internet of Things is finally here and it can dramatically improve many areas of our lives, such as thermal comfort, air quality, energy management, and visual quality, to name a few.
Integrated A/E/I practices have a promising advantage to improve indoor quality of our health and productivity, as well as influence energy savings. And scientists continue to experiment with systems like light and plug systems, as well as with devices that can contribute to the quality of buildings.

What Is Internet of Things?

Internet of Things and Cloud services are connected. These technologies allow people, information, and objects to be constantly connected. And our smartphones and other devices are the tools that connect us to these systems. With their help, scientists are going to develop new smart solutions – those that are designed for our comfort.
The Internet of Things can quickly send and receive lots of data. It is a network that connects different objects and systems and allows them to interact with each other in a way that you want them, when you want and how.

The Future

Internet of Things offers promising opportunities in the built environment sector. For example, homes that implement smart applications can decrease energy consumption, improve security systems, monitor different places, and provide complete control over every device.
Other benefits Internet of Things has to offer to include reducing pollution, monitoring available assets and avoiding congestion. And many countries are quickly implementing this technology. In the UK, for example, people who use Internet of Things can get faster delivery services at a cheaper price.

Why not recycled concrete?

Recycle & Reuse

Recycling has become significant in many industries. It is easy to recycle almost everything, from paper to old windows. Everything except concrete - the most widely used material - that has been left behind.

The Idea Behind Recycled Concrete

To reduce harm made by concrete, scientists focus on things like finding new uses for concrete and reducing its production. In the US, recycled concrete can be used in roads but not in buildings or other structures. However, scientists search for ways to make recycled concrete robust and durable and use it in buildings.

Research shows that there is more supply of the material than demand. What scientists are trying to do is to increase demand and find ways to use recycled concrete in engineering and other industries.

The Future

Researchers test different types of recycled concrete to analyze its structure and other properties such as durability, weigh-bearing abilities, and so on. They are also trying to find ways to build structures with recycled concrete utilizing its properties. Scientists use recycled concrete with other materials to find the best solution for architectures, engineers, and constructors. Nowadays, it is forbidden to use recycled concrete in buildings, but if scientists find ways to ensure its durability and stability, the way we use concrete might change.

According to statistics, recycled concrete has the potential to reduce the environmental impact by 50%, which will include reduced transportation costs and decreased water usage. Scientists also say that recycled concrete can be stronger than natural concrete and it is just a matter of time when recycled concrete will be used in buildings.

Of course, you cannot see the immediate positive impact of recycled concrete. However, if you think about built infrastructure 50 years later, this will have a huge impact on the environment.

Why There Is A Shortage Of Skilled Labour In Construction Industry?

Dive Brief

The sector of construction is one of the leading drivers of a country’s economy. However, shortage of skilled labor is a big challenge for this field that greatly relies on the workforce. Specialists and employers in the construction recruitment agencies are experiencing immediate inadequate qualified skilled labors in the modern job market.  Although the industry remains a significant area of employment, the social and economy growth, and the skill gap pose a major threat in derailing the market in its recovery.

The construction skilled labor shortage has created a big existing gap in labor forces immensely affecting the overall economy of a country. There is the limited growth of business endangering the abilities of knowledgeable trades people being able to pass down their skills to the future generation of workers.

 A survey was done recently by the home service website and marketplace, HomeAdvisor, 93% of the respondents believe that in a span of a year, the shortage of labor would prevent their business from expanding. Besides that, 70% of respondents believe that it would be very hard for them to find new employees.

 Most employers are beloved that lack of exposures to a highly skilled field of labor, prevents the younger generation from diving into business trades. There is the current negative perception of trades as a career gap and a visibly small training option especially for those who want to pursue a construction craftsmanship career.

Dive Insight

Currently, there is an imbalance in the construction industry. Though the construction sector seems to be on solid ground, its foundation is slowly eroding, and most employers fear that there aren't many bricklayers, project managers and plumbers coming in to replace and repair them. Thus, this can mainly be attributed to the diminishing uptake of the personnel who are professional, an aging staff and a great boom in the investment than which the industry can adequately handle.

While undoubtedly the output is increasing, inadequate and unqualified personnel is impeding any growth. As the private and public spending on the construction increases, the resources, on the other hand, become outstretched. The holes in the skilled labor market become heightened. In the absence of a solution, it might be necessary to re-address and invest in the skills opposed to the production. The shrinking workforces’ worries a lot of employers, thus failure to bring new entrants could prove more detrimental to the long-term value and prospects in the construction industry. 

The shortage of labor reveals an imbalance of generational workforce since the current workforce in the market is aging and there is a lot of struggle in attracting the millennials into the ranks. The booming baby generation is gradually reaching the finish line of its career path, and the employers are inexplicably concerned with the young workers who aren’t coming through so as to replace them.

A tremendous opportunity will result if more resources of education such as apprenticeships and mentorships created for the younger generation. They will gain exposure and benefits that come along with successful craftsmanship and as an independent business owner.

 The issue of skilled labor would not last more and hope there will be no further imbalance in the construction industry in coming future.