2. RICS BUILDING
SURVEYING JOURNAL
M AY/J U N E 2 0 1 5 1 3
rapid pace of technological
advances, it is worth keeping
an eye on what else surveyors
could use to add value or to
speed up data collection.
What would you say if you
knew there was a technique
that could survey an entire
1km-long street scene in a
matter of minutes and have
a point cloud ready to model
the next day? Well, with the
help of missile guidance
technology, GPS, high
precision scanners and a van,
we can map at driving speed
and potentially get a relative
accuracy or +/-5mm for a
surveyors, inevitably data rot
would set in over time.
The difference with
BIM is that we have a
3D dataset capable of
being visualised, used and
understood by a much wider
non-technical audience.
Take marketing, for example;
conventionally, a project may
be 3D modelled by architects
or engineers, but visualisation
ends with high resolution
renders and possibly a 3D
flythrough animation.
The opportunity is to
repurpose the BIM as an
interactive app that allows
potential users of a new
facility to train virtually. From
enabling interested parties
to walk around a model or
to directors at board level
using augmented reality to
showcase a tender.
One of the stated benefits
of BIM is that it continues
past construction for the
usable life of the facility.
From the building surveyor’s
perspective, there is the
opportunity to add more to
the ‘I’ in BIM. As the intention
is to avoid data rot and use
section through the street or
+/-20mm with control if we
measured from one side of a
town to the other. This is the
kind of speed and accuracy
modern mobile mapping
systems can bring, such as
the Pegasus2.
If you know what is
possible, you can start to
assess whether it is of value
on your project, or bring
innovation to the table and
look good compared to your
competitors. Increasingly,
the 3D geometry of BIM
is being used for rights of
light calculations. So there
is potential to look at the
existing workflows and
consider if mobile mapping
could bring benefits.
Adding value?
If BIM is already being used
by a growing number of
clients, what is the next
risk/opportunity on the
horizon? Well, with a 2D plan
deliverable as the end game,
there is little potential to add
value, if the data use stopped
with architects, engineers or
Nick Blenkarn is Director at The Severn Partnership Ltd
nick.blenkarn@sevenpartnership.com
the BIM actively through the
life cycle of a building, then
key information such as
the presence of asbestos,
HVAC legionnaires’ risks
or even georeference past
accidents could be included.
This then becomes a resource
for safety briefings, Regulation
38 fire details under the
Building Regulations, as well
as a collaborative centre point
for managing the facility.
As surveyors, we could offer
all these services to clients to
allow them to leverage their
investment in BIM for more
than just design.
BIM is here to stay and
3D deliverables will start to
become the norm. In 2004,
Severn Partnership purchased
its first Laser scanner and the
response fro m clients was
often: “If it costs more, we will
stick with our 2D workflow”. In
2015, it features as a standard
specification request from
most clients.
Compared to five years
ago, I can now view the BIM
of an entire school, complete
with structural beams and
sprinkler systems from my
iPad. I can even choose to
host the BIM securely online
and work on it in real time with
a team spread around the
country, tracking edits with a
digital paper trail.
The BIM agenda has been
gathering pace and once the
private sector clients realise
the government is pushing
the BIM agenda to save 20%
on construction projects
by working faster, smarter
and collaborating instead of
cultivating a contract and
claim culture, then it will really
start to fly. b
kBIM repurposed as interactive virtual reality app
3D laser
scanning
survey on
the RICS
roof
Chartered
surveyors have
the ability to
step into the
BIM arena
and bring
their skills
to the fore
Related competencies include Building information
modelling, Conservation and restoration, Maintenance
management, Data management, Inspection
