UK firm’s Virtual Project Office allows real time sharing of data and integration and delivery of BIM applications over Citrix
Pete Watson, CEO of Atlas Cloud, a UK firm of 3D virtualisation specialists, believes that for the construction sector to successfully transition to BIM it needs to embrace a culture shift in the way it works. This can be achieved by centralising people, processes and technology, supported by remote access cloud technologies.
“Traditionally, BIM data resides on users’ workstations, making it difficult to secure and share with other collaborators in real time,” he says. “Accessing BIM in the field to make a simple edit or analyse a change in real time is therefore impossible.
“This presents a challenge in a sector where 90% of the building and construction workforce is project-based and out on site. BIM files shared across design centres are not efficient, nor do they support real-time collaboration. Not only does this erode efficiency and push up costs, but it can also increase the risk of litigation challenges to a project.
“Remote access cloud technologies are about enabling project teams to beat these challenges. We’re bringing the tools together in a virtual way and then integrating the data so that everybody is working in a standard way and has all the information they need at their fingertips.”
Atlas Cloud’s Virtual Project Office allows the real time sharing of data and integration and delivery of complex applications – including Revit, ArchiCAD, MicroStation and Rhino – over Citrix.
Logging into the cloud from any mobile or desktop device means workers can access and use BIM software while they are on the move. Data and applications are stored in a client dedicated, ISO 27001:2013 certified Common Data Environment (CDE), giving ‘government-level’ security to clients.
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