A look at the project, the challenges, the lessons learnt and the implications on future projects. By Bob Garrett, Excitech.

The design and construction of a new airport terminal presents a unique challenge unlike any other building. In the case of Heathrow Terminal 5 it had to fulfil numerous functions including retail facilities, rail terminal, multi-storey car park, river diversions, production line (handling baggage) and office suite as well as the obvious passenger handling facilities. Furthermore, its construction, design and mere existence attracted other additional complexities from a high profile public planning enquiry to the need for security unlike any other public building, project or area.

With such complexity and unique challenges one might have expected most organisations, when planning such a development, to consider only traditional, tried and tested approaches. BAA, however, considered that there might be much to gain in adopting new methodologies in design and construction as well as in project and contract management; and perhaps most unusually it, as client and owner, chose to manage the project from design to construction and to carry the associated risks.

In this article we look at the overall design project from its inception through to completion; how it met its goals, the lessons learnt and the implications already affecting other projects.

A brief history

Astonishingly the T5 project goes back around twenty years to the late 1980s with a first design milestone in 1989 when the then Richard Rogers Partnership won the design competition. In 1993 planning applications were submitted and from 1995 to 1999 a public enquiry examined the need and every aspect of the design before producing a report. This resulted in government approval in 2001, though subsequent challenges and more local approval processes lasted until 2003.

Earlier projects demonstrated to BAA the importance of a more collaborative design process and this was reinforced in 1995 when the investigation into a tunnel collapse at Heathrow Central was hampered by the lack of a central design data source. In 1996 Excitech commenced a project to investigate how geographical information and building design data could be brought more closely together. Through various iterations of AutoCAD-based technologies, Excitech, together with BAA, BA, TPS, Mott McDonald, Laing OÝRourke and Arup, assembled systems that demonstrated not just that it was possible but the benefits it would bring and some of the issues which would need to be managed. In 1997 these techniques were applied to over four gigabytes of data from BAA and other companies involved in construction at Heathrow. This vast quantity of data was manipulated and merged from the various formats, co-ordinates systems and units to form a single model environment (SME) conforming to BS1192 part 5. This SME was not a single file, but it ensured any item was only represented once and was related to the whole through that single model environment.

Following this Proof Of Concept, Excitech was appointed as CAD consultant to the project and, together with the other suppliers to BAA, commenced setting out CAD standards including the processes and procedures that would ensure their implementation and success through the design process and beyond.

In 2002 construction work began on a ýprogramme¯ entitled T5; but this was further broken down into some 18 major projects, each of which were still of significant size. That same year the main design tool was migrated to AutoCAD Architecture (at the time called Autodesk Architectural Desktop), which made the management of 3D data and objects more efficient. This was alongside other software including MX, CAD-Duct, 3D+, Xsteel and other applications including NavisWorks.

In 2003 further work went into a design specification as to how design data ± in the form of objects ± could be used within BAA maintenance systems for subsequent management of the assets within the building (and the rest of the infrastructure). This resulted in enhancements to the design object data and the establishment of links and processes for databases external to the design data. The same year erection of the innovative roof commenced even while the detailed internal design was still evolving. 2008 finally saw the opening of Terminal 5, with some initial operational problems in managing the logistics of baggage handling, but on time and on budget.

Design project goals

The overriding objective behind the design and construction of T5 was to ensure it was delivered on-time and on-budget; but people count too, so safety and ýteam-working¯ were also paramount. However, the project looked beyond just design and construction. As both ýdeveloper¯ and ýclient¯, BAA recognised the importance of ensuring that the ýT5 Asset¯ should be efficient (economical, ecological and effective) throughout its life.

To deliver these goals BAA set out various initiatives including, but not limited to, the following. BAA established a different way of working with its suppliers and subcontractors for T5 with a Framework Agreement aimed at facilitating more collaborative working between all the companies involved. It did not want time (and money) wasted on disagreements between its suppliers or BAA itself, and to do this it accepted much of the risk upon itself.

As part of accepting that risk, and indeed to reduce the risk, BAA sought to manage the design and construction much more closely and to introduce the latest techniques in design data management as well as off-site manufacturing for construction.

From a design perspective a number of aspirations were set with the intention of supporting BAAÝs goals. Core to these aspirations was the ýSingle Model Environment¯ (SME), which was subsequently adapted to the ýCommon Data Environment¯ (CDE) to recognise an even broader purpose. The SME/CDE brought many benefits.
´ It made core project information available to all who needed it so increasing understanding and team working
´ It maximised use and reuse of design and project data; so reducing redrawing and the risk of errors
´ It provided a design environment for all design disciplines; so data was consistent
´ It maximised use and reuse of design and project data; so reducing redrawing and the risk of errors
´ It formed a single source of information so increasing quality and consistency Working in conjunction with the SME was the concept of object-based design where designers do not place basic lines, arcs and circles but real-world objects like beams, doors, floors etc. This, in turn, carried additional benefits to the designers, to the project, to the contractors and to BAA.
´ It made CAD work more interesting and increased productivity in the design stage
´ It provided an object modelling capability for all design disciplines; so data was consistent
´ It stored not just graphical information for drawings but property sets and intelligence for each object

BAA have an initiative in place named AMA (Acquire and Maintain Assets), which has the goal of ensuring that all assets are acquired and maintained in the most efficient manner. This initiative influences all projects to ensure the right procedures and systems are in place for the entire lifecycle of these assets. A smooth information flow from concept through to completion and into maintenance was thus key for T5 and part of this related to the transfer of design data to their maintenance system Maximo through AIM.