A View from the Inside

Posted on May 18, 2011

Hospital construction is among the most complex and challenging type of construction today. Fortunately, one of the best tools that exists to coordinate the complex needs of many users is right at our fingertips.  The Eden Medical Center hospital replacement project team uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology to keep the project not just ahead of schedule, but also ahead of the industry. With BIM, all of the trades (for example, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, heating and ventilation) work on the 3D modeling system in a collaborative effort to “virtually build” the project and work out any issues early, before work begins on the construction site.

In addition, the team uses laser scanners to gather the precise data of construction site terrain and construction in progress. This type of laser scanning is the method that provides highly accurate location information to create equally accurate 3D models.

The team can then take the actual construction and overlay our BIM image of the same area to identify precise areas of construction. For example, the plumbing contractor can take the image and easily identify plumbing as it actually exists within the building.

This simplified explanation can hardly convey the breadth and depth of the modeling technology being used throughout the project. In the coming weeks, we’ll spend more time interviewing the construction team and sharing how this industry-changing program has benefited the aproject at Eden.