Case Sweco: Communicating sustainability aspects using value-driven visualizations in Solibri
Tune in to our monthly webinar series Customer Insights to hear how our customers use Solibri to find solutions to problems or challenges, improve quality, and increase efficiency. Learn best practices and get ideas from other users.
Webinar content:
- Case Sweco & Solibri Demo. David Jirout, Solution Architect within BIM & Digitalization, Sustainability Coordinator for Sweco Position.
- Q&A: Going through audience questions.
Case Sweco: Communicating sustainability aspects using value-driven visualizations in Solibri
David Jirout, Sustainability Coordinator for SWECO’s IT Consultants, has his background is in system development, BIM coordination and GIS. Merging his IT skills with knowledge gained in Sustainable Development program at Uppsala University, David’s job is about showing how IT and digitalization can be used to deliver measurable and tangible climate and general sustainability value in AEC projects.Further Questions and Answers
You put the data to the model by excel, but why doesn't the draftsman put it in the model?
David Jirout: It is possible to implement environmental data in the original model and export it to IFC. This process is more demanding on BIM manual and the workload. Mapping in Solibri using Excel data is presumably cheaper, however having the environmental data in the original model enables value-driven visualizations directly in the design tool, which is even better for mitigation the environmental impact as the designer will gain first hand insights.
What are the challenges with setting up something like this to track transportation/demolition carbon costs?
David Jirout: The availability of EPD-data regarding materials and products for life-cycle stages C1-C4.
Do you have a user case for landscape architecture?
David Jirout: None yet. Sweco Architects put together a list of most common materials and products with respective carbon numbers, which means that we have base for implementing BIM Vision in landscape architecture.
Pre-classified spaces with CoClass - is that a good foundation for the color visualization? Have tried to import a CoClass model.
David Jirout: You can visualise anything, even text based values. Ask yourself what insight you try to achieve and for what types of users.
Is BIM Vision developing a solution to visualize energy consumption data of electric equipment like you do with environmental data? Or could it be possible?
David Jirout: Any Excel-based data can be visualized in Solibri using BIM Vision and value-driven visualizations.
The most important part is to filter and classify the components before we start, isn't it?
David Jirout: 1) You filter what BIM objects shall be included in calculation, 2) you import Excel data in a classification, 3) you do mapping of objects to material or product classes.
David repeatedly mentioned the importance of having consistent data across the project. You mentioned you achieve that using your BIM Instructions. Do you use any other mechanisms such as validating data? How often do you do that?
David Jirout: Once mapping of Excel based data is done, it does not matter how the design changes over time. Components can be added, adjusted and removed. As long as the metadata used by the design team remains consistent, you'll be able to do calculations on demand with the latest IFCs as a base for the calculations.
Do you have an example of BIM manual?
David Jirout: I have developed BIM manuals with a focus on sustainability. We sell these BIM manuals to our customers with advice how to organize the project organization (roles, responsibilities, workflows and so on). But there are no free examples that can be provided.
Do we have to make a perfect Excel or is there any template to work with?
David Jirout: No perfect Excel is demanded. Solibri's import function is quite versatile, however you must have one unbroken set of cells (rows and columns) - a data table.
Solibri: We have some ITO Report Templates that you can find here.
