BIM or Building Information Modeling is revolutionizing the construction, facilities, architecture and space planning industries by enabling digital collaboration among architects, engineers, contractors, designers, facility managers, and project managers. In this article, we will explore the potential of BIM technology, in particular Revit, and the opportunities Revit offers for Project Managers to make informed decisions impacting cost savings, efficiency, and sustainability of changing physical spaces.
COST SAVINGS
BIM offers cost savings by identifying design flaws and construction issues early in the design phase; preventing rework, reducing material waste, and saving on labor costs. During the construction phase, BIM tracks project costs in real-time, providing valuable insights to optimize resources and reduce waste. As the project moves forward, BIM facilitates the identification of potential issues and inefficiencies, helping retailers to track and analyze building performance over time and identify areas for improvement. By using BIM, Space Planning professionals can monitor and analyze resource usage such as water and energy, retailers can identify ways to reduce consumption, leading to cost savings. Stakeholders of the space can accurately monitor systems like HVAC in real-time, identifying issues, and take corrective actions to ensure systems are running in the most cost effective and efficient way.
Revit is an incredibly versatile tool when used to evaluate retail design before implementation and throughout the life of the space. For retailers who take over existing spaces, Revit helps optimize the use of space and visualize the design with realistic renderings, saving the costs of mockups and redesign. By analyzing the existing layout, Revit can suggest opportunities for more economically efficient spaces that would reduce the need for additional construction, optimize store layouts, simulate customer traffic patterns, and identify the best locations for products and displays. Revit provides retailers the information to reduce wasted floor space, optimizing the store virtually, and ultimately increase sales and revenue in doing so. With the ongoing evolution of spaces, Revit also allows teams to accurately assess the feasibility and costs of projects.
EFFICIENCY
Revit is a powerful tool for Project Managers looking to streamline their physical space-changing processes. Revit enables teams to collaborate in real-time, share information, and make confident data driven decisions empowering teams to better manage timelines and expectations. The accurate and up-to-date information Revit provides to all project stakeholders empowers teams to work more efficiently by minimizing errors, reducing mistakes, preventing reworks, and preventing delays. This information provides precise locations of various building systems including plumbing and electrical, identifying when these systems may interfere or clash with others so teams know what changes need to be made before any materials are purchased or construction work begins, ultimately creating efficiencies in all following processes.
Using Revit for retail design allows designers to easily test and evaluate different layouts throughout the lifetime of the space, resulting in more efficient decision-making and potentially higher revenue generated by the space. Giving the design team autonomy to create realistic renderings of spaces, and virtually experiencing different lighting and material options helps to achieve the desired aesthetic and leverage the visual aspect of the spaces. This helps the design team save on-site time creating physical mock-ups and allowing for more efficient and focused teams. Post construction, Revit models offer efficiencies for Space Planning and Maintenance teams by creation of a Digital Twin containing accurate documentation of the real life layout, fixtures, and infrastructure for on-going changes avoiding store visits and reducing the potential for errors. Space Planning teams are able to set-up Revit to provide information they need about their physical stores and create families to help them establish company standards in all of their stores. Maintenance teams find efficiencies with Revit improving operational efficiency and reducing downtime by integrating their relevant data, such as equipment locations, maintenance schedules, and material specifications, into their models.
SUSTAINABILITY
Offering a sustainable approach, Revit aims to minimize the impact of buildings on the environment and enhance the well-being of occupants. Revit has a range of features allowing designers to evaluate and optimize building performance including reducing energy consumption and artificial lighting; increasing thermal comfort and indoor air quality. These evaluations are made possible by leveraging the robust database embedded in Revit’s material library. This library is based on industry standards, including LEED, and it outlines information on environmental impact for each material used in the model, such as carbon footprint and energy efficiency. Designers can use Revit to compare and select materials and products that have a lower environmental impact, thereby reducing the building’s overall carbon footprint. If you are building a new structure, Revit can also identify the optimal building orientation, placement of windows, placement of shading devices, and HVAC system design to achieve project sustainability goals, reduce energy consumption, and lower operational costs in the long run.
Revit also addresses the on-going environmental impact through the life of your space; placing sensors in the space to collect data about the operational environment, keeping the Revit model up-to-date; enabling building managers to optimize energy consumption; improve indoor air quality and reduce maintenance costs. By simulating the performance of the building in a virtual environment Revit indicates potential savings and efficiencies to be realized through sustainable practices. Facilities and Maintenance teams are empowered by the information Revit provides to identify areas where improvements can be made, such as optimizing HVAC systems, adjusting lighting levels, or installing air purifiers. By doing so, they can maintain a healthy indoor environment while reducing the building’s carbon footprint.
The adoption of BIM provides all Space Planning professionals with the opportunities to evolve their processes to optimize cost savings, enhance efficiency, and promote sustainability of their spaces. As organizations continue to look for ways to move faster in a more cost effective and sustainable way, Revit offers the technology to help those responsible to control and report on the space developments with success.
At DedON, we have helped various Clients introduce and leverage Revit into the management of their projects and have helped their teams’ Work Smarter reducing costs and streamlining operations. If you are looking for more information on Revit, contact our team of expert architectural technologists committed to your success.