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News Release from: TPS | Subject: 'Object Technology' (OT)
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 29 March 2004
Eliminate Design Faults In Buildings
'Object Technology' (OT): a revolutionary method for designing new buildings has been developed and launched by TPS Consult, one of the UK's leading design and project management consultancies.
A revolutionary method for designing new buildings has been developed and launched by TPS Consult, one of the UK's leading design and project management consultancies, which will result in a quantum leap in the quality of building design Using innovatively linked software applications, TPS Consult can now develop the designs for a complete building from cradle to grave
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 19 Aug 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Called 'Object Technology' (OT), it enables higher quality work, greater speed of delivery and improved cost effectiveness for planning, designing, constructing and operating buildings over the full life cycle.
"OT is something we are taking very seriously," said Steve Jolley, TPS Consult director of object technology.
"It is probably the most important advance in design and construction since we began using computers.
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It is the concept of representing all the information on a building project electronically, in a format that enables it to be shared between software applications used by project teams throughout the building's life.
OT will enable buildings and their components to be designed and constructed without flaws.
Much time and effort is expended in the construction industry translating plans into reality.
Time and effort that goes into something not manifested in the building itself is energy wasted.
For example, time spent coordinating the design documents and drawings isn't improving the designer's real work nor making the building any better - it's just making the drawing set better.
OT allows more of the team's effort to go into the result rather than the process, and helps to meet client performance needs over the entire life cycle." The process of designing and constructing a new building can be long and complex, and subject to innumerable changes, amendments and revisions, all of which impact upon the building.
At the core of an OT solution is a database of all the components and elements within the building called 'objects'.
Each object has an 'intelligence'; for instance, it 'knows' how big it is, how much it weighs, what it is made, what it costs and even where it should be.
The amount of information that can be attached to each object is limitless, and can take in all sorts of parameters such as safety, risk, energy consumption and maintenance requirements.
The collection of objects used to describe a building forms a complete object model.
Describing a building in this way enables design errors and construction clashes to be eliminated.
If the model it is asked to do something that is impossible, such as locating two pipes in same space, or positioning a light switch on the wrong side of a door swing, it will highlight the problem instantly.
The prevention of these niggling design faults has the potential to reduce enormous amounts of wasted time and materials.
Variations are a major cause of wasted time.
With a traditional approach, two-dimensional drawings are typically redrawn at the end of each stage of the planning, design and construction process, culminating with the production of as-built drawings.
Errors and design development on major projects can require hundreds of drawings to be revisited, revised and re-issued.
With object technology the 3D object model is developed continually to reflect the evolving design.
Errors are eliminated on an ongoing basis and the time required for design development is reduced.
Material management is another key feature of OT.
Using data embedded in the model it is possible to produce cost and material schedules quickly and easily, together with forecasts of operational costs, that enable whole life costs to be optimised.
"The benefits do not finish there," continued Steve Jolley.
"There is a common misconception that this type of approach is only about producing high-quality visualisations and 3D images when, in fact, this is only a very small element of the total capability.
Although the 3D model is used to provide a window onto the project database, many of our clients are exploiting the powerful visualisation capabilities in design competitions, planning submissions and securing pre-lets on speculative developments." Steve Jolley continued: "Considering the huge mass of detail involved in a project, to say that OT will eliminate design flaws is a breathtakingly bold assertion to make." OT is also the focus of the construction process.
It will produce schedules of quantities for tendering processes, together with engineering and architectural design details that allow subcontractors to fully appreciate the project and get a feel for what is expected, and minimise the risk of errors in the pricing process.
Unlimited numbers of two-dimensional drawings can be produced from the model, replicating the way that the construction industry works now, and scaffolding and formwork layouts can be generated automatically.
Some clients are even using the dynamic modelling capabilities of OT to plan temporary works and site logistics: for example, checking whether large delivery vehicles can manoeuvre on site.
Once the building is complete, the entire package can be passed on to the building owner or tenant to assist with day-to-day building management issues, such as maintenance and space planning.
It can help to produce detailed operation and maintenance programmes because the relevant data already resides in the object model.
"The cost of operating a building can be many times greater than that of the construction," said Steve Jolley.
"But all too often, facilities management is only considered once the once the building process is under way or completed.
OT will give accurate indications of running costs before the first foundations are dug, and will therefore enable clients to operate their buildings more effectively and cost-efficiently." TPS Consult has worked closely with other professionals in developing this new approach to the modelling of buildings.
Paul Reeder, TPS Consult managing director, adds: "OT has a real financial value to our clients; for example, on a £120 million PFI hospital it is possible to achieve potential savings of £2.5 million over a typical concession period.
"OT is not only a useful and flexible new tool, it will ultimately help to reduce overall costs and enable the construction industry to deliver better-quality buildings on time and to budget.".
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