Case Studies > Largest Singapore University Deploys BIM with ARCHIBUS to Manage Space, Assets, and Maintenance at Expansive Campus

Largest Singapore University Deploys BIM with ARCHIBUS to Manage Space, Assets, and Maintenance at Expansive Campus

Customer Company Size

Large Corporate

Region

Asia

Country

Singapore

Product

ARCHIBUS
Revit

Tech Stack

BIM
3D Scanners
AutoCAD

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Productivity Improvements
Digital Expertise
Customer Satisfaction

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Functional Applications - Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Visualization

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Facility Management
Maintenance

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control
Building Energy Management
Asset Health Management (AHM)

Services

System Integration
Training

About The Customer

Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is yet another example of Singapore’s unrelenting search for excellence in education as well as in commerce. The university placed 1st among the world’s best young universities and ranked 13th globally in the 2015 QS World University Rankings. Needless to say, its 33,000-student enrollment and extensive campus has only grown with its reputation. NTU currently comprises a 200-hectare garden campus and houses that country’s largest on-campus residence infrastructure. NTU’s extensive portfolio of planted grounds, 16 residence halls, and numerous academic buildings meant that the school finally recognized that its leading-edge academics also required the introduction of a leading-edge, BIM-based solution to address NTU’s facilities management challenges.

The Challenge

NTU’s extensive portfolio of planted grounds, 16 residence halls, and numerous academic buildings meant that the school finally recognized that its leading-edge academics also required the introduction of a leading-edge, BIM-based solution to address NTU’s facilities management challenges. Central to that effort was the creation of NTU BIM models integrated with ARCHIBUS facilities management data to produce both 2D and 3D visualizations of its properties for more precise, proactive space, asset, and maintenance management. NTU was the first university in Singapore to adopt BIM technology for facility operation in response to a call by the Building Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore to use BIM for building lifecycle management. In 2013, ARCHIBUS was chosen to help meet the BIM adoption objective because of its Enterprise Information Modelling (EIM) capability. BIM-enabled space planning was then implemented in the first phase of the project to better optimize space as a first step in achieving a range of project goals. Those goals also included the elimination of manual FM processes; more efficient generation of reports and room inventories; and improved leased space chargeback processes.

The Solution

To accomplish these tasks the university had to first import its log forms, Excel spreadsheets, and CAD drawings into its BIM models. The BIM information was then integrated with its ARCHIBUS database information. This resulting system, implemented in approximately 4 months, allowed users to access both 2D and 3D views of university room or floor configurations and entire exterior building representations. All that information, in turn, will ultimately be linked to lease, maintenance, asset and other information required by the university for accounting and reporting purposes. “Everyone loves to play with the BIM models,” says Japri Maming, CEO of ARCHIBUS Solution Center – Singapore. “This was an accelerated implementation that we completed in 4 months with the help of two teams that were needed to clean up and verify data in addition to the integration work and training. For older buildings that didn’t even have CAD drawings, we used 3D scanners to generate drawings and 3D room views using Revit. Since you sometimes can’t scan behind a wall, we also had to develop formulas to account for infrastructure. Materials information that couldn’t be captured in the 3D scans – like flooring, carpeting, manufacturers, etc. – had to be entered into the model manually.” To the extent possible, NTU used ARCHIBUS out-of-the-box but a request for more customized user interfaces for laptop, desktop, and mobile users were also developed.

Operational Impact

The implementation of BIM models integrated with ARCHIBUS facilities management data allowed NTU to produce both 2D and 3D visualizations of its properties, leading to more precise and proactive space, asset, and maintenance management.
The university was able to eliminate manual facilities management processes, leading to more efficient generation of reports and room inventories.
The integration of BIM information with ARCHIBUS database information allowed users to access comprehensive views of university room or floor configurations and entire exterior building representations.
The project included the use of 3D scanners to generate drawings and 3D room views for older buildings that didn’t have CAD drawings, ensuring comprehensive data capture.
Customized user interfaces for laptop, desktop, and mobile users were developed to enhance user satisfaction and accelerate adoption.

Quantitative Benefit