Construction Modeling

Constructibility refers to ensuring in advance that a building or structure can be built efficiently, both in terms of time and money. Building Information Modeling, when developed and accurate enough, lets the industry achieve efficiency with information-rich, as-built models and find possible problems before starting to work, using or wasting real materials. As-built models minimize costly surprises, RFI’s (requests for information) and opening way for more profitable projects.

If the question is “What is BIM?“, constructability should be a part of the answer. With Tekla, constructability is the foundation of developing BIM software. We produce our software to meet the needs of the industry, putting the “I” like information to BIM – the more information a model includes, the more beneficial it is to all project parties.

Constructibility is a practical, everyday issue for builders. Because construction is a process, we want our software to support the whole workflow including the inevitable changes. As buildings comprise of several materials, software should be able to handle the same. The off-site building is another trend that makes accurate information crucial. It is gaining ground as the industry heads towards savings and a higher level of automation. Ever larger units, such as steel-roof assemblies and factory-built bathrooms, arrive prefabricated to the construction site to be installed just on time. Naturally, every such item needs to fit exactly and stay on the schedule while vast amounts of changing information must reach those who work on the project. This process definitely calls for accurate, as-built, up-to-date information that is easily found – sounds just like constructible models.

Constructible, as-built models allow the industry to make informed decisions early in the process. Modern construction modeling platforms are made for creating, combining and distributing highly developed, accurate and information-rich structural models using any material. The data is accurate and ample as it accumulates as what is entered in the beginning of the process stays with until the end. The builders can manage changes and avoid errors, find clashes and produce better quality but less waste. Bigger, better, cheaper, faster – now.

Current trends in construction promote constructability. Because the trend is towards increasingly complicated architecture, designers and builders have to find ever more innovative solutions, and then realize these. The need to build successfully and safely is the reason why accurate information is necessary already in the design phase. Cost pressure is ever-present. Using constructible models, the building can become cheaper, better and faster. Processes can be planned and scheduled and possible mishaps in the design phase detected before starting construction. This leads to less ad-hoc problem solving on-site.

The off-site building is another trend that makes accurate information crucial. It is gaining ground as the industry heads towards savings and a higher level of automation. Ever larger units, such as steel-roof assemblies and factory-built bathrooms, arrive prefabricated to the construction site to be installed just on time. Naturally, every such item needs to fit exactly and stay on the schedule while vast amounts of changing information must reach those who work on the project. This process definitely calls for accurate, as-built, up-to-date information that is easily found – sounds just like constructible models.