NEWS: Aconex helps drive Singapore BIM initiative

 Aconex has formed a major partnership with the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS), who will deploy Aconex Connected BIM and other collaboration solutions for selected pilot projects of its member developers. The strategic partnership agreement is part of the REDAS Developer-Centric BIM Initiative to improve collaboration, workflow management and productivity across architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, and contractors in the Singapore real estate value chain.

The 10 member developers engaged in the initiative — Allgreen, Bukit Sembawang, CapitaLand, CDL, CEL, Far East Organization, Frasers Centrepoint, Guocoland, Keppel Land, and Wing Tai — will each nominate a specific live project to pioneer the Connected BIM approach. The objectives are to detect and avoid design clashes early, reduce rework, accelerate construction schedules, and deliver safer, higher-quality and more sustainable built assets.

The agreement between REDAS and Aconex covers the cloud-based Aconex platform, which connects multi-company teams to facilitate project-wide collaboration for managing all documents, drawings, BIM models, communications, and workflows.

“This initiative will be a game-changing effort that will pave the way to transform current practice in the real estate and construction sector,” said Chia Boon Kuah, president of REDAS. “Through the pilot process, REDAS will partner with Aconex to provide the 10 member developers with leading cloud-based construction collaboration technology. Once the pilots have been successful, the live project experience will help REDAS scale up the use of BIM for the entire industry.”

Connected BIM extends the Aconex platform to manage BIM data and processes for what is described as ‘deep collaboration’ between design and construction teams and handover to the owner.

Designers for specific disciplines can create and modify BIM models in their native authoring tools and use software plug-ins to publish them in the Aconex BIM Cloud. On the Aconex platform, all members of the project team – other designers, engineers, consultants, contractors, subcontractors, and owners – can view, distribute, mark up, and contribute to model data at the object level. This coordinated process is designed to support timely clash detection and optimise constructability.

At practical completion, Aconex says a comprehensive and accurate set of interrelated project information – including the model, all of the documentation associated with each of its objects, and an audit trail – can be handed over to the owner for operation.

“The goal of the REDAS BIM Initiative is to create a more collaborative project environment,” added Lee Suan Hiang, CEO of REDAS. “Currently, many real estate value chain partners use BIM to submit electronic drawings to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for approval. However, they may not be fully utilizing the functions and features of the technology or reaping its full benefits. The pilot framework will enable these value chain partners to securely manage and share BIM models with their entire project teams according to pre-defined workflows.”