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Across the construction industry there has long been a focus on circular construction, which has paved the road for reuse of materials in the industry. According to Nicholas Petitmaire from 3dbyggeri danmark is it just as important that the construction industry manages to reuse the information used in the construction projects, as these with small modifications can be used on new projects. This will save time for both the architect and engineer – an money for the client.

A circular approach to construction data

According to Nicholas Petitmaire, who is a project manager at 3dbyggeri danmark, the construction industry should exploit the potential of making the information attached to BIM-objects reusable. There’s both time and money to save by reusing information, but this requires an even bigger focus on spreading knowledge on BIM and data structures.

”Before we as an industry can use the potential, there is in reusing data and information from one project in another, there are some challenges in terms of BIM competences and data structures, that we need to address”.

One of the challenges with reusing the information attached to the projects is, according to Nicholas, that the competences demanded to transfer data from one project to another often is related to a single centrally placed employee. This makes the reuse of data both time consuming and expensive and this can be seen as an expression of that knowledge about reuse of data have to be democratised.

“We have to get away from the monopoly of competences, when it comes to reuse of information, attached to BIM models etc. If are to be able to release the potential in the reuse of information, then it is far from ideal that only a handful of experts in a company have these competences.”

– Nicholas Petitmaire, Project manager at 3dbyggeri Danmark

According to Nicholas Petitmaire, there is a concrete economic incentive in making the embedded information in the 3D-models available and structures for all participants on the project, which opens for the opportunities in making libraries for building elements, specifications and other types of project documentation, that can be reused.

“It might be, that on the first project the savings in structuring data and create libraries are limited, but the pay of is on the following projects. You don’t save money by reinventing the wheel every time.”

If you want to reuse data, you have to know where it is…

In the circular approach to information in the construction industry the BIM models can’t stand on its own, according to Nicholas Petitmaire. This is due to the BIM-models, projects and companies lack a system to gather and structure data.

“There is a general need in every project to get an overview of how the project’s data and information is connected cross BIM-models, specifications and tender lists. The central point here is to be able to gather all updated information in one place, if the data is to be reusable.”

The task of structuring information in a construction project has the potential of bringing benefits to both engineer, contactor and building owner, in form of fewer misunderstandings and a better overview of the project. But seen in regards to a circular approach to information, an updated information and data structure is, according to Nicholas, a minimum, if one is to benefit from the potential of reusing data and information on future projects, and thereby incorporating a circular approach to knowledge.