Time for Timber and BIM to Come Together

Although it often seems that BIM has been a topic of conversation for ever, the reality is that many timber frame manufacturers haven’t had to worry much about BIM thus far. Jason Ruddle, Chief Operating Officer for Elecosoft, outlines why that might be about to change. 

The BIM initiative has seen its impact ripple first through architects and designers then to public sector contractors. Unless suppliers were part of a rigorous BIM supply chain, most were unaffected – but this may soon change. We expect BIM to become a real opportunity for many more timber frame specialists this year – with some tangible business benefits ready to grasp. 

The Government has made it clear it is committed to stimulate UK housebuilding, publishing its landmark Housing White Paper in February. Offsite manufacturing is one of the structural enablers of delivery and so the timber frame sector may see a raft of growth opportunities. The use of offsite construction has been made an expectation – and local authorities will inevitably follow suit, as they plan for the raft of new garden towns, villages and affordable housing developments that will benefit from the vast injection of public funds.

Timber will inevitably be part of the solution to our modern housing crisis, bringing not just environmental benefits but also speed gains – a need enshrined in both the Accelerated Construction Scheme and overall housing policy. With Brexit concerns about labour shortage and material costs, contractors are recognising that offsite construction and timber frame can help them to reduce dependency on scarce skills, drive down the cost of quality and create greater certainty. 

Going forward, more housebuilders will come under the BIM mandate, as Level 2 BIM standards are universally applied to new public sector contracts. Principal contractors will need sub-contractors and suppliers who can seamlessly and immediately support BIM. Timber frame specialists could rapidly gain by ensuring that they are BIM-ready. This may be far simpler than it seems: those using software solutions like our Framing application – in wide use across the UK timber frame sector – can already generate information about production and quantity outputs in a format which can be easily integrated into a federated IFC BIM model. Mactaggart & Mickel Timber Systems has recognised the need already, saying: “BIM is still largely an unknown in the timber frame industry. We are actively working on a BIM model for domestic housing, in collaboration with another housebuilder, funded by the CITB and with Elecosoft’s support. However, we are already ready in some respects: as a timber system business, we are now BIM compliant and fully certified. We have the capability to output our timber designs into IFC models today.”

Manufacturing alone could gain significant benefits from offering the marketplace ready-to-use BIM objects, in the form of information packages about standard timber frame wall panels and flooring cassettes, via BIM libraries. If they can generate those information objects as a seamless adjunct to their specification and manufacturing process, this could give immediate sales benefits for standard products, as well as making it far easier for contractors to select them as BIM-ready suppliers.

As the rise in interest in timber as a mainstream building material grows it is also wonderful to see innovation accelerating, as people push the boundaries of what can be achieved. Assumptions are being overturned every day. Although the UK doesn’t yet boast the world’s tallest timber building, work has begun on Scotland’s tallest timber apartment building at 10 storeys, and plans were developed last year for London’s first timber skyscraper. At 300m it could become second only to the Shard in height and become a landmark for timber development, if it goes ahead. 

In the marketplace for cutting-edge construction, timber and BIM could be a great combination. If nothing else, the principles of collaborative BIM might encourage timber frame specialists to be consulted earlier, and become more involved in the collaborative design and development process. This would be a welcome change for people such as our customer Nick Worboys of Pinewood Structures, who told us: “In my opinion, with BIM you need to get all the stakeholders in place before you start design. Yet we still get invited in after the buildings have been drawn, assuming different building techniques other than timber frame.”

Exciting opportunities lie ahead for the industry. Those who invest in technology and embrace the benefits of BIM will be best placed to take advantage of the Government’s drive to deliver increased numbers of affordable and sustainable homes at speed. 

For more information visit: www.elecosoft.com

Source: Structural Timber Magazine - Issue 11

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