Contemporary Visualizations
“Planning starts from the inside out. I was impressed by everything that needs to be taken into account from the very beginning, right up until the point when you can finally marvel at the building’s exterior,” said Christian O. Erbe at the opening ceremony for Erbe Medizin GmbH’s new center of excellence in Rangendingen. Maximilian Bayer, Business Unit Manager for Logistics at io, is pleased to hear that. And not just because io was responsible for the general planning of the Competence Center: “We want to make the planning process tangible for our customers—as a process in which they are integrated and within which they can review the individual steps using state-of-the-art visualizations. Relying solely on traditional 2D CAD drawings or sketches on a sheet of paper is a thing of the past and must be supplemented with technology.” Instead, the company relies on state-of-the-art construction development software and tools tailored to each planning phase. 3D, virtual reality, and augmented reality are the buzzwords of the moment. Because today’s motto is: Build digitally first, then in reality. This helps reduce errors that would otherwise have to be corrected later on the construction site at increased cost.
Question after question
The development of a logistics or production facility is based on customer requirements, which io analyzes using tools it has developed in-house. These tools rely on algorithms and, in some cases, artificial intelligence. “What is the order structure for the items? What about size, weight, and load carriers? What throughput times need to be achieved? Are there already available spaces with low utilization rates that could be put to other uses?” Questions like these are what Bayer and his colleagues grapple with. They form the basis of the digital design work. A fundamental distinction must be made between two lines of action: functional requirements, which define the objective of the logistics or production facility, and the structural implementation, which establishes the framework for its realization. Both are interdependent and unlock additional potential for the other area.
Provide added value to customers
Once the functional requirements have been identified and the analyses completed, they are developed into design plans and then visualized using tools such as SketchUp or SimLab. At io, the digital tools for construction implementation are based on the Autodesk platform. They go well beyond the logic of the building itself—keyword: BIM. The fundamental principle is to select the right tools for each specific project and not to “use a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” as Bayer explains. Tools that directly interface with systems, promote efficiency, and create transparency offer clients significant added value. At io, for example, cost databases such as DBD BIM, DBD Cost Elements, and StLB Bau are linked via Revit and iTWO, resulting in automated, error-minimized cost reports. “This also makes it easy to track how much material derived from a specific raw material is used in a building,” explains Bayer. This is highly relevant for any sustainability assessments. Especially since surveys in this area are increasingly becoming mandatory—and will therefore, sooner or later, become part of the standard repertoire for future planning.
Digital advancements are further integrating planning processes
Electronic memory:
Modern planning software is also used for documentation, tracking, analysis, and information exchange.
Each discipline or line of work thus uses specialized software for every planning phase—for documentation, tracking, evaluation, task assignment, and mutual communication. As a general planner, Bayer explains, io combines “the best of all worlds.” After all: “We’ve brought together experts in all areas under one roof and work collaboratively to leverage all the benefits.” With integrated general planning, these benefits are clear: transparency, rapid information exchange, a shared knowledge base, standardized approaches, avoidance of iterations, compatibility, minimal clashes, and a focus on the overall project—which simplifies communication, streamlines processes, ensures quality, guarantees efficiency, and results in cost-effectiveness. Digital developments will cause planning processes to converge even further and become more efficient in the future. However, the use of an ever-increasing number of tools with IT interfaces can also lead to obstacles. “The ability to maintain an overview of the entire planning and implementation process, so that all tools can be used effectively, is therefore becoming increasingly important,” Bayer concludes. “This requires clear strategies and the right people—and we have them at io.”
