Sustainability

3D BIM laser scanning as a green building and cost reduction tool – the case of Sweden

We understand 3D laser scanning as the ability to produce information from millions of points in 360 degrees from a laser beam. This allows us to obtain a greater amount of data and a three-dimensional model with great precision and thus measure any complex construction. Its integration with the BIM allows us to improve quality inspection and acceptance levels of a project.

 

A tool, increasingly used in construction projects for its optimal results as in the case of the fashionable neighborhood of Stockholm, Södermalm. Considered the creative center of the city, one of the greenest buildings in the country is being developed there by the real estate company Vasakronan, which is scheduled for completion in 2022.

 

In this construction project, which covers 23,000 square meters distributed over seven floors, investment is made in automatic 3D scanning technology to follow the progress and detect deviations from the construction in real time. In addition, the application of innovative technological solutions that will be able to guarantee the efficiency of water, the rational use of materials and resources and the quality of the indoor air will result in the new office building obtaining the platinum level in the LEED certification.

 

The cutting-edge technology, provided by the construction consulting company in charge of managing the project, Byggstyrning, allowed for monitoring the field work in real time, thus reducing the possibility of making costly mistakes and therefore wasting material.

 

Imerso was the software chosen to capture the status of the work and compare it with the construction drawings. Thus, the data obtained from the 3D scanning allows to visualize the real project and the BIM plans and to capture any discrepancy that may be a problem and that has not been evidenced before.  This technology allows a faster examination of the work and avoids subjective evaluations as opposed to manual inspections.

 

Johannes Ris, CTO of Byggstryrning, stated in BIM Today that they needed to prefabricate the superstructure at the same time as demolishing and preparing the site for assembly and that they were concerned about problems that would occur when the prefabricated elements arrived due to the complexity of the building structure.

 

To avoid such problems, RIS contacted the software company and began scanning the site almost every week. Thanks to the software the team was able to identify problem areas and fix them before the prefabricated elements were ready. The team was able to adjust the precast elements off-site before they were sent to the construction site and correct the misplaced elements. In this way, the team was able to place the elements without problems and meet the time schedule. 

Communication and collaboration on real time

 

Another great advantage of 3D scanning is that the copy of the project is accessible online and therefore all people involved can navigate the job site together remotely and therefore detect more problems. The more eyes are on the works, the more errors can be found and the faster. Corrections can also be made on the spot or updated in the BIM models to ensure proper documentation. The team can also take measurements, screenshots and prepare future work packages.

 

The Byggstyrning team adopted the full 3D control method in spite of little or no previous experience with scanning, and only advice and a few trials and errors were sufficient. 

 

Mads Lohne, BIM leader on Imerso stated at BIM Today: “Johannes and his team at Byggstyrning are truly role models for modern project management. They are proving that transparency and digital interaction are key factors for a better production flow. We are proud to support Byggstyrning in this project and how they are taking advantage of the ease of use and fast results of our software to improve the way buildings are built.

Image source: Imerso – here


Source: BIM Today