Build Magazine September 2015

Build Magazine 17 customer demand? Despite the best efforts of manufacturers to intro- duce their BIM offering in a logical order according to market demand, it is inevitable that there will always be a requirement for materials which have not yet been prepared for use on BIM software. Make sure that your supplier of choice is willing and can be flexible when it comes to requesting BIM files that are not already in existence – especially if you have a tendency to work on more unusual projects. As part of AI’s preparations, we have implemented business processes which allow us to deliver this flexibility to our customers should the need arise. Is their BIM documentation portal accessible and reliable? Whilst the industry is changing its processes to ac- commodate the legislative changes of 2016, many companies worldwide are also tackling the ever increasing need for an effective online presence. Never has this been more important for our sector than now – with an easy-to-navigate and reliable website being the simplest way to access BIM files. When selecting a BIM enabled manufacturer, this is arguable one of the most crucial elements to inves- tigate. Without a user-friendly, mobile ready website which is capable of handling the download of BIM files, accessing these important documents could delay projects and cause unnecessary inconven- ience to busy specifiers Are they leading the way for product transparency? There is an increased demand for product transpar- ency among specifiers and building owners alike, and it is important to ensure that your manufacturer of choice is prepared to invest in the research, administrative processes and resulting product development changes involved in meeting the industries thirst for this level of knowledge. Aggregate Industries for example, has published Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for six of its most popular commercial concrete prod- ucts, to complement its wider BIM offering. These materials are now verified under the Swedish Environdec Scheme and the In- ternational EPD system, which display data gathered from relevant production facilities relating to energy, waste, water and other input and output streams during the manu- facturing of each product. This transparent data is declared as a unit of 1m3 which makes comparing materials during the deci- sion making process quick and easy. By choosing a manufacturer who is conscious about the environmental impact of all its products, you can rest assured that its ongoing product development pro- gramme, includes provisions for ‘greener’ methods of manufacturing, processing and transportation – an important consideration in a construction industry which is moving in favour of materials which boast minimal ‘whole-life’ carbon consumption. The Government has set a target that all publically-funded construction projects will be conceived, designed, built, maintained and eventually demolished using BIM as a central portal for information sharing by 2016 – and meeting this target will be a notable achievement for the construction sector. By working together towards this common goal, specifiers and manufac- turers can ease the transition to BIM best practice – but only if they embrace the step change, implement strategic new business processesandmaintainsolidworkingrelationships. About Aggregate Industries Aggregate Industries quarries, manufac- tures and supplies a wide range of mate- rials to the construction industry. Through continued innovation and investment it has been certified The Responsible Source™ and offers a diverse portfolio of sustainable solutions to complement its traditional product offering. Operating across the UK, Channel Islands and northern Europe, Aggregate Industries is a BES 6001 accredited member of the Holcim Group. For more information on Aggregate Industries’ BIM enabled product portfolio, visit the dedicated section on www.aggregate.com For further press information, please contact: Claire Gething or Sarah Kent Whistle PR. 0121 6297797, [email protected] Inside the Industry