Optimising facilities management at a large correctional facility with BIM

WT has harnessed the power of Building Information Modelling (BIM) to support the ongoing management and maintenance of a major correctional facility in Australia, which presented an extensive and complex challenge for facilities management. 

WT was brought on board to deliver Asset & Facilities Management advisory including validation and quality assurance of the extensive on-site assets and facilities. We recognised the long-term value of creating an up-to-date digital repository of all the asset information to futureproof facilities management and maintenance for our client. But the task wouldn’t be easy.  

DEVELOPING AN INTEGRATED, INTERACTIVE DIGITAL MODEL 

Several technical challenges had to be overcome to develop an accurate digital reflection of the facility’s assets. Our BIM Advisory team coordinated the process to source as-built Revit models from an old archive and ensure that these older models were handed over effectively. We assessed the validity of the Revit models and their asset information and updated them from the mid-2010’s to 2023. This update was crucial to ensure the models were compatible with the latest software and aligned with the current asset management workflow.  

By updating the models, we ensured that they could be seamlessly integrated with our customised asset data extraction process, allowing for more accurate and efficient data retrieval. This data extraction process was designed to extract the required asset information in the specific format required to allow for effectively interoperability with our existing facilities and asset management software. Doing so removed the need to manually extract a large proportion of the asset data from the existing documentation in the process of validating each asset.  

We developed a bespoke Power BI dashboard to allow our client to visualise, validate and interact with all the assets within each building. Our client now has an up-to-date BIM-driven asset register that enables seamless identification and validation of assets during site visits. The digital asset register is fully integrated and interactive, which will save a significant amount of time spent on-site, as teams will have a 3D visual on a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone with all data instantly available.  

REVOLUTIONISING ASSET MANAGEMENT WITH BIM  

Using BIM software not only streamlines the task of validation and quality assurance but can also provide significant longer-term benefits for our client’s asset management and maintenance of the correctional centre.  

Facilities managers and maintenance crews will be able to easily identify the location, age, and the last condition rating assessment data for each asset across the extensive facility. The asset system that WT has developed can speak one-to-one with the facility management provider’s CMMS system, which contains information in relation to maintenance records and break-fix records, reports on problem assets or common faults and failures, and a streamlined approach to spare parts ordering and inventory management. 

The detailed asset register can also smooth the process of procuring maintenance. With all the relevant data to hand, tendering for new facilities management contracts is likely to be quicker and more accurate. Maintenance costs can be estimated based on known detail rather than based on generic formulas. The register can also make it possible to accurately substantiate ongoing maintenance costs and claims.  

In the longer term, the updated as-built BIM model will create efficiencies when coordinating future renovations among contracted consultant teams.  

MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE 

With the digital asset register now complete, our client can be confident that they have the full picture of the status of every element of the facility, and as a PPP, when it becomes a state-owned asset. This provides strong foundations for proactive, cost-effective facilities management to keep the centre in good condition to serve the community well for many years to come.