Nick Hutchinson, Managing Director of Glider Technology Limited, discusses how GliderBIM can help deliver Asset Information Models and associated asset data
GliderBIM is an online software platform for managing the production and delivery of Asset Information Models, Asset Data and O&M information throughout the design and construction of a facility. GliderBIM then becomes the digital information platform for the facility’s lifetime.
We wanted to develop a software solution that: enhanced our consultancy service offering, improved Level 2 BIM delivery for the industry, and provided a software platform to enable Level 3 BIM.
The Digital Built Britain report outlines the UK Government’s strategy for progressing from Level 2 to Level 3 BIM. The report poses the following challenges faced by the industry today to move from Level 2 to Level 3 BIM:
- How can we make the exchange of data faster and more efficient?
- How can we simplify the process by including geometry and data in the same data package?
- How can the data exchange be made on the web across the world, in any language?
GliderBIM provides the solution to the above challenges. We talked to many major contractors and BIM consultants throughout the UK and quickly discovered a distinct lack of comprehensive software solutions for managing the production and delivery of Asset Information Models and associated asset data.
The BIM software market is saturated with Common Data Environments (CDEs), Digital O&M platforms, 3D Model viewers, and mobile applications for capturing asset data in the field. Despite the government’s Level 2 BIM mandate, there aren’t many solutions available that provide a comprehensive, end-to-end, transparent information management platform for the production, delivery and upkeep of Asset Information Models and associated COBie asset data for the whole lifecycle of a facility.
In lieu of such software, many project teams have resorted to using a plethora of disparate software applications to manage asset data throughout the design and construction phase, such as document management systems, e-mail, spreadsheets, mobile apps for capturing data on site, plug-ins for authoring software to extract data from models, online cloud drives and so on. Then at handover, too often is the case where the building owner and FM team have little or no use for the Asset Information Model and can’t make use of the asset data in COBie form.
We saw a gap in the market, and GliderBIM was born.
GliderBIM for Lifecycle Asset Information Management
Since its launch in May 2016, GliderBIM has captured the attention of Sir Robert McAlpine, Wates Group, Mace Group, Interserve, Overbury, Structuretone, McLaren Group, ARC:MC, Turner & Townsend, BIM Technologies, PCSG, Costain, Skanska, Deloitte to name a few.
The purpose of GliderBIM is twofold:
- For CAPEX, GliderBIM provides a software solution and management framework to identify, plan, collate, track, verify and deliver comprehensive, accurate Asset Information Models and associated O&M/FM information in a cost-effective and efficient manner to fulfil contract obligations and meet Level 2 BIM standards;
- For OPEX, GliderBIM provides a seamless handover of Asset Information Models and O&M information to building owners and facility managers. It provides a digital information platform to securely store, retrieve, record, and manage the upkeep of Asset Information Models, associated asset data and O&M information for the facility’s lifetime. GliderBIM becomes the single point of truth for asset information and provides a rich API for deep integration with modern CAFM, Asset Management and other third-party software applications.
GliderBIM bridges the gap between design & construction and facility operation.
The Asset Information Management Challenge
There are many challenges facing project teams trying to meet the Level 2 BIM criteria. Not least, how to manage the production of accurate, detailed models containing huge amounts of technical information from many different sources. This information must be collected in a standardised, structured format then verified and approved before each required data exchange. Managing this process can be challenging and costly. GliderBIM is required to:
- Automate some of the tedious, time-consuming, data-entry and verification processes;
- Establish, record and track the asset information requirements for the project;
- Plan and monitor the modelling and data collection tasks from consultants and the supply chain;
- Communicate tasks and issues to the team;
- Share information easily and securely;
- Provide an audit trail of all model and data changes;
- Provide a mechanism for verifying and approving asset information;
- Provide status reports and performance monitoring of information providers;
- Provide fully compliant, correctly formatted building models and asset information at the required stages;
- Provide a fully integrated model, data and document management system.
The effort required to deliver Level 2 BIM is reduced significantly using GliderBIM.
Features of GliderBIM at a glance
OpenBIM by Design
GliderBIM fully supports the OpenBIM initiative. GliderBIM reads and writes IFC model files, and imports/exports asset data compliant with the COBie schema providing total interoperability with third-party software applications. This means exchanging information between software applications can become a fully automated process.
Asset Information Requirements
Plan and record asset information requirements to understand what is to be delivered to the building owner and to track and verify the fulfilment of these requirements through design and construction.
Automated Data Verification
IFC models, Excel, and CSV files are imported to GliderBIM, and the data held within them is automatically verified against the information requirements database. Detailed verification reports illustrate progress and missing/invalid data.
Capture and Enrich Asset Data/O&M Information Online
Missing asset information can be input online by information providers and the supply chain.
Progress Reporting
Dashboard reports track the completion of model tasks and asset information completeness.
3D Model Visualisation
A built-in, custom 3D model viewer provides interactive navigation of 3D model files for both mobile and web.
Export of Models, Data & Documents
Export accurate, compliant, data-enriched models to IFC format. Export fully populated COBie workbooks and associated O&M documentation.
Web Service API
GliderBIM is built upon many independent web services using an API. The same API can be used by authorised, third-party software applications to provide deep integrations and seamless interaction.
Our cloud or yours
GliderBIM is provided as a software as a service in our cloud environment, hosted by Amazon Web Services, where we manage backups and off-site replication. However, for companies with exacting requirements, we can provide it in your own AWS account, or on your in-house systems on either Windows or Linux.
About Glider Technology Limited
Glider Technology Limited was established in 2016 by founding partners Nick Hutchinson and Steve Rukuts. Glider has offices in London and Preston, Lancashire.
Glider provides the following consultancy services for the construction and asset management industries:
- Provision and implementation of the GliderBIM software for Asset Information Management and Level 2 BIM;
- BIM Management & Coordination;
- Information Management services;
- O&M Management & Technical Authoring;
- 3D Modelling services;
- Animations & CG Visualisations;
- Point Cloud Surveys and Model Validation services;
- Software design and development services.
Nick Hutchinson
Managing Director
Glider Technology Limited
info@glidertech.com
Please note: this is a commercial profile
