Partner ecosystem for digital solutions

By Stefan Kaufmann, Product Manager BIM Strategy & New Technologies at ALLPLAN

How do we overcome the challenges of the digitalization of the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry? The answer lies in improving communication processes through connected workflows, which in turn will optimize the value creation over the entire lifecycle of the building. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a core technology for achieving this, as it enables better collaboration, and therefore more successful projects and higher-performing buildings. ALLPLAN offers a complete ecosystem and partnership platform for AEC projects, from start to finish – here’s how.

If we look at the entire value chain from raw materials to the finished building, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people are involved in construction projects. Everyone is using dozens of different software tools, with each tool creating their own data silo.

OPEN BIM is one of the best defenses against data silos, ensuring data keeps its value and relevance. With the OPEN BIM interfaces and technologies in ALLPLAN, you can connect to different tools that enable you to increase the efficiency of a wide variety of activities and retain that information for future use throughout the building’s entire lifecycle. These practical examples show how integrated BIM workflows can achieve this.

For example, using solutions from CDS, you can efficiently add excavations for piping to earthworks, or integrate MEP designs into the building accurately and optimize energy usage using add-ons from AX3000.

Point clouds are becoming increasingly used for a range of applications, such as initial site terrain surveys, tracking billing throughout the construction process, and creating a digital twin of the asset upon completion. The Scalypso SCAN2BIM solution will take a point cloud from any source and optimize it for use within ALLPLAN, allowing you to easily derive the information you need. Our partnersolution pointfuse uploads models derived from point clouds directly to Bimplus.

Another useful integration is the ability to use pre-defined BIM content, to accelerate the planning process and reduce repetitive activities. A growing number of platforms offer manufacturer-neutral content, such as Difraxis, Cadenas, BIM Easy, and others – all of which deliver content for ALLPLAN.

Architects and structural engineers work closely together on designs, yet their software tools are disconnected. The SCIA Autoconverter is the missing link, enabling an analytical model to be automatically prepared from a building model in ALLPLAN for use in a wide range of analysis tools. Afterwards, the calculation results can be exported back into ALLPLAN for dimensioning and rebar detailing, saving valuable time.

For quality checks, AX3000 offers a solution that connects directly to Bimplus to undertake quality checks in a fully immersive VR environment. Any error detected in a virtual walkthrough can be documented with one click and synchronized back to Bimplus for a transparent and structured management process.

Live synchronization between ALLPLAN and the Lumion rendering software. Copyright: Lumion

Creating photo-realistic visualizations is helpful for explaining design intent and the final look of the building. ALLPLAN can create these directly with the integrated Maxon rendering engine, or simply use the enhanced workflows between Maxon solutions and ALLPLAN.

With OPEN BIM, BIM models become an ever more valuable source of information. This is particularly true when connected to a roombook, where non-modeled assets can be managed and quantified. Using Bimplus together with Prevera, ALLPLAN offers a connected twin between the BIM model and roombook for quick and easy planning.

When product decisions need to be made by non-technical stakeholders, such as clients or cost managers, you can use buildup to streamline the process. Stakeholders can then view over 100,000 building products and product information quickly linked to the model using the powerful Bimplus API.

Thanks to buildup's integration in Bimplus, product information can be linked to the BIM model. Copyright: buildup

Being able to quickly derive precise quantities from the model is one of the many advantages of working with ALLPLAN. The Design2Cost solution for ALLPLAN lets you easily export quantities to Nevaris for further cost planning and analysis. We are also working on an OPEN BIM workflow for cost management solutions that will use an IFC file with the right information for further analysis, with partner solutions from Bechmann, California, Orca, and iTwo, amongst others.

For project management, Bimplus offers a schedule management app to connect building process information to the BIM models in Bimplus. This can be done with an integration with Microsoft Project, which has a bi-directional link so updates can be made in either program and reflected in both locations.

One of the biggest challenges for BIM Managers is the management of the information requirements on a BIM project. Using an integrated workflow with BIMQ, a tool developed by AEC3, it’s easy to define who has to deliver which information on which objecttype, so everyone delivers the right level of information.

It’s not just object attributes that need to be delivered, however. Other information is required and getting the right values can be achieved with a new workflow that connects external specialists to the project as well. For example, this can be done using Bimplus or even Microsoft Excel. Thanks to the synchronization between Bimplus and ALLPLAN, every information is kept updated.

Handing over data from construction to operation is where many projects lose significant amounts of information, and where data silos are created. With the integration of Bimplus and MCS20, a facility management platform from our partner company, Spacewell, you can reduce this data loss to zero so that all the information about the asset is retained for future use throughout the building’s lifecycle.

Bimplus is integrated in Spacewell's CAFM system MCS. Copyright: Spacewell

These are just a brief overview of some of the partner solutions that can help you with your daily work. ALLPLAN is also working on a number of development projects with both established and new partners, to further develop our integrations and provide our customers with a complete AEC ecosystem – watch this space!

Learn more and watch the presentation now.