ACO Technologies is the first surface water management manufacturer to launch a BIM offering targeting civils and infrastructure projects. Recognising a growing desire within the sector to gain the same advantages BIM offers construction projects, the BIM offering will cover products manufactured by both ACO Technologies’ brands – ACO Water Management and ACO Building Drainage.
BIM has become synonymous with dynamic and informative 3D images of buildings, however, the benefits it represents in terms of process, collaborative working and operational efficiency are just as pertinent to infrastructure and civils projects.
When applied to SuDS in particular, BIM provides the opportunity to explore the space and produce better design decisions – with the ability to enter into a joint planning process, where multiple iterations can be virtually ‘tested’ before ground is broken and every change of plan becomes costly. It also allows the creation of realistic renders and images that can capture the imagination of client, designer and the public.
BIM files are now available for ACO’s entire Water Management: Civils + Infrastructure range, including the Qmax high capacity slot drainage, the StormBrixx geocellular stormwater management system, the KerbDrain combined kerb and drainage system and the MultiDrain channel drainage system; all of which offer project engineers unique advantages in terms of design, hydraulic performance and cost of ownership.
For ACO Building Drainage, the BIM offering is initially available on its Deckline 125 galvanised steel and Modular 125 stainless steel drainage systems and will be rolled out across its entire product portfolio – including FreeDeck, gully and pipe products – by the end of 2014.
ACO’s BIM objects will be available in REVIT, CIVIL 3D (Water Management only) and IFC formats incorporating non-graphic information, in neutral COBie format, that provides the necessary performance, installation and maintenance detail required for intelligent application from concept, through to completion and into years of use. All of ACO Technologies BIM objects are available to download from the company’s website – www.aco.co.uk/BIM.
Gary Morton, Head of Sector Development from ACO said: “The infrastructure sector is slowly beginning to see for itself the benefits of adopting BIM, with some early examples or projects utilising the concept coming to fruition. However, it can only be truly embraced with the backing of manufacturers, who are willing to invest in the creation of files that will enable project modeling and information management. ACO is therefore leading the way, as the first surface water management supplier to launch a BIM offering specifically for infrastructure and civils.”
