CASE crafts solutions using Solibri Model Checker
CASE is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) consultancy that helps the building industry identify, implement and manage the technologies and business practices that enable more effective coordination, communication and collaboration. CASE focuses on applying an appropriate technology strategy in order to address the goals of the project and in their most recent efforts to improving project delivery have been deploying Solibri Model Checker (SMC). The following text contains two examples where CASE has been exploring the limits of SMC.
Validating design requirements and model/data compliance
WeWork designs, builds, and operates co-working communities for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The success of the co-working spaces means the business has been growing rapidly and will continue to do so thereby substantially expanding their inventory. The internal design team needed to design and deliver this space while being confident that it would meet their high quality and performance standards. Their existing methods of delivery left much room for uncertainty and failed to supply the data needed for efficient real estate asset management during their operations phase. CASE helped WeWork design a new delivery process based on robust building information model authoring and model checking. By using Roles built into SMC, the design team now uses classifications, rulesets, and information takeoffs on every project, which provides them with much needed design insight and compliance confirmation. All model content and data generated during design now drives checks for spatial coordination, accuracy and compliance towards WeWork standards and, in some cases, even local code requirements. The automation of compliance checking has allowed WeWork’s team to monitor key performance metrics throughout the project. They are now able to verify design requirements like acceptable storefront sizes, corridor widths, and tenant experience requirements on demand. Model checks also directly deliver critical data on program validation, cost, energy code, occupancy requirements, and quantity surveys. Prior to CASE’s involvement and without the assistance of Solibri, these tasks would be time-consuming and as a result would not be addressed – leaving room for uncertainty. Model checks are now done multiple times per week instead of just at major milestones. This gives WeWork’s team a much higher level of confidence in the data derived from the models, which in turn provides access to critical project performance metrics much earlier in the process.
Issues found using Solibri Model Checker are linked to an issue tracking portal using CASE’s BCF Manager.
Tracking issues via the BIM Collaboration format (BCF)
A common problem in most software used for multi-party coordination is the lack of support for issue management and issue tracking. Issues are often only generated from three-dimensional geometry collisions. When the model is updated, the geometry typically receives a new Global Unique ID (GUID) and the software can lose track of the issues – often creating a new issue for the new GUID and incorrectly marking the old issue as “resolved”. In order to overcome these issues, CASE has employed Solibri Model Checker to help streamline their issue management and tracking process. As BIM Manager on a project, CASE deployed alternative web-based technologies for project issue tracking and collaboration. Their project model information exchange portal provides the project team online access to the individual issues and related details, in addition to including access to higher level metrics on issue statuses, resolution times, and bottlenecks. The exchange portal also allows the team to share comments on specific issues and assign the responsibility of resolving issues to team members.
Rulesets are used to validate room requirements. ITOs are used to generate reports for confirming goals in efficiency and cost.
SMC allows CASE to catch issues pertaining to more than simple geometric clashes and when geometric updates occur, the issues are never lost. The issues are then exported out of SMC as a BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) file. Capitalizing on these functionalities, CASE utilized its Software Development team to build a BCF Manager that consumes a BCF – directly linking the model to the issue tracking system built into the exchange portal. CASE customized a popular software bug tracking platform, Atlassian’s JIRA, to instead help the team track issues within a building information model. Team members now have the ability to download specific issues from the exchange portal as a BCF and open it inside their native authoring software.
CASE’s unique value proposition is an ability to work across disciplines and technologies in order to identify core problems and develop comprehensive strategies. They work with project teams to determine the appropriate technology strategy and scope for each deliverable, with the intent to minimize redundancy and rework while maximizing return. They do not sell technology – they craft solutions. Often the solutions they craft leverage Solibri Model Checker both for its robust model validation methods and for its ability to integrate with a variety of workflows. CASE continues to look for ways they can help their clients maximize the potential of Solibri Model Checker and expects it will continue to be a growing tool in their offering to clients.
