Winvic Construction Ltd, contractor for industrial, build-to-rent, student accommodation and commercial projects has launched its Centre for Innovative Construction (CIC)
It comprises a virtual reality BIM CAVE with a 125” screen for 3D model viewing, an interactive meeting room allowing real-time design changes on 86” smart screens as well as a training space that will enable 360-degree education across the business and the supply chain.
The 2,000 sq ft CIC facilitates interactive experiences within design models – from clash detection and dimensional design checks to spatial awareness assessment and data asset information retrieval – whereby Winvic staff, consultants and suppliers can interact and make live design changes. Variations can be affected remotely or via the interactive design meeting room and be instantly viewed in three dimensions; the 3D headset and controller allows the BIM CAVE user to travel around a site or building.
Additionally, key points of information, such as sections of the scheme’s design manual, maintenance guidance or 360-degree photos can be added to the model and retrieved with a simple click or via a QR code and QR codes within finished buildings can link to pertinent manual information or other online content. The whole CIC experience has many advantages past the design and construction phases, into end-users’ operations.
Tim Reeve, technical director at Winvic, said: “While we have offered industry standard BIM Level 2 to clients for many years, in the last two to three we have experienced a significant uptake in the request for BIM on the projects we are involved in. As our main focus is meeting clients’ needs – from a practical delivery point of view and also commercially – it was a natural progression for Winvic to become an early adopter of the technology found in our new facility.
“There was also a clear opportunity to augment our staff and supply chain training, from general health and safety to specifics on projects; in being even more ambitious in our attention to developing future construction skills, Winvic’s Centre for Innovative Construction is a multi-purpose tool that will transform many people’s expertise, our business and clients’ experience of developing a project.”
Winvic is currently constructing Unit 1 at Bardon Phase 2 for Mountpark, a 546,435 sq ft industrial facility that will be complete in March 2020, and has used BIM Level 2.
Wal Groves, Mountpark’s Construction director, commented: “Mountpark is committed to improving the way we hand our buildings over to customers, so we approached Winvic to help us evolve a practical way of allowing occupiers to navigate operating and maintenance manuals. By combining 3D drawing technology, QR coding, photographs and video guides, which are all interlinked, we have transformed the traditional manual format, enabling occupiers to proactively manage their buildings.
Through the Research Leaders programme in partnership with the University of West England, Winvic is providing BIM data – or ‘construction access’ – which will be instrumental in the creation of an intelligent voice search headset.
Running the Conversational BIM project is Professor Lukumon Oyedele who is not only developing technology to allow people to make voice requests to a BIM model – from an office or on site – but also over time the software will recognise individual users’ voices and be able to anticipate requests.
Professor Lukumon Oyedele, said: “Here we are bringing it into a construction environment, where workers are using their hands and need a quick and effective way to gather information. We hope that this technology will augment workers’ capabilities, to make construction more efficient. It is about improving worker’s productivity, ensuring a faster delivery process and getting it right the first time by avoiding defects.”
