Skanska’s experiences of BIM Data in project Villa Brogården

Villa Brogården in Alingsås is a project by Skanska, carried out in close collaboration by several of their business units that came together to raise the bar for sustainability in Skanska’s construction projects.

Joakim Larsson’s works as Digital Leader Design at Skanska – and his role is to boost and promote the digital development within the organisation. He coordinates designers and oversees their project deliveries, while also providing any support they may need during the design phase. Now, Joakim shares his ambitions for the project, as well as for Skanska’s digital development – including their contributions to the development of Interaxo BIM Data (formerly known as Bimeye).

How Skanska utilised Interaxo BIM Data

With the help of Interaxo BIM Data, Skanska was able to enter metadata and thus create an IFC model that contains all the information that the operation and maintenance needs. Changes implemented during construction are introduced into the IFC model on an ongoing basis. By providing an exact and updated copy – a so-called ‘digital twin’ – the manager gets access to the right data at the same time as Skanska.

With the support of the software, Skanska has developed a solution that is simple, quality-assured and cost-effective. “When we came in contact with Tribia and Bimeye, we did not know who was the buyer of Villa Brogården. This meant that a management system was not chosen and thus our idea was to create a solution that would suit as many people as possible,” Joakim says.

“In most property systems, it is possible to enter IFC models or Excel files. Interaxo BIM Data can produce both of these formats, which is why we chose that system. First and foremost, we wanted a general solution, and that’s what we got.”
– Joakim Larsson, Digital Leader Design at Skanska

Skanska has an internal need for metadata on the models and also on what they deliver for data to the customer. “It’s not just the physical building that is Skanska’s product; it’s also the digital real estate solution, where Interaxo BIM Data comes in handy – where we can enter all project data from the design and production phases,” Joakim explains. The trend is that public customers require more metadata for their management system. In some cases, very many parameters are required.

“In such projects, Interaxo BIM Data is a good tool because the designers don’t end up with all the responsibility. The contractor can help create the data,” he continues. “A lot depends on the construction companies’ willingness to deliver a digital twin. Interaxo BIM Data is an added cost, but the increased product value is undeniable. We simply deliver a better product now – and ultimately provide our customers with greater value.”

Increased efficiency and lower costs

With the help of BIM Data, Skanska has collected the requested information for the operation and maintenance process. The working method has proven to be very successful and the estimated time for the work effort is significantly lower, compared with the budgeted time. It is estimated that the project would take about 200 hours. This included training BIM Data, collecting data and entering all metadata. It turned out that it went much faster. In future projects with the same working methodology, Skanska estimates that it will take about 30 hours.

“This has been a big advantage for our purchasing department. Now, we can add and share model information exactly how we need to. We can divide objects across apartments, corridors, etc. – and sync the information with our finance software. That way, we get to see the cost for each specific room without it requiring more work. That will be a huge time saver,” Joakim excitedly shares..

The issue with Skanska’s previous models was that they rarely showed exactly what they wanted to see. With Interaxo BIM Data, Skanska can enter parameter and divide these in a way that automatically generates a 4D plan via their own software. The objects in the model are automatically linked to their schedule, and then a video is created to show how the building will be constructed. “The video is great for several reasons – especially visualising the construction phase. It’s also useful in technical matters that apply to subcontractors and clients, as well,” Joakim states.

Skanska’s future plans for their construction projects

“From now on, we’d like to opt for Interaxo BIM Data as our digital project tool. The software supports our development of complex construction projects, and we found it to be flexible and easy to use. That is what we needed,” Joakim concludes.

Would you like to know more about how Interaxo BIM Data can support your construction project?