Wyre Council has selected collaboration technology from Manchester-based Sitedesk to support Level 2 BIM during a five-year contract to construct and maintain the Rossall coastal defence scheme.
The £53m Rossall scheme has been awared to main contractor Balfour Beatty, and is part of the £73 m Fylde Peninsular Coastal Programme in north west England.
Funded mainly by the Environment agency, the Rossall scheme covers approximately 2km of coastline and will protect 7500 low lying properties from flooding. The area is subjected to some of the largest waves and strongest currents on the Fylde coast.
Wyre Council sees itself as one of the leaders in the UK public sector push towards BIM adoption by 2016.
Sitedesk’s technology can be deployed in the office or in the field. Using it, Wyre Council’s project team will be able to capture data about the coastal defences during construction and then reuse it to optimise operation and maintenance throughout the defences’ working life.
Sitedesk is a Manchester-based start-up specialising in the development of software tools to support BIM and collaboration in construction projects. Founded in 2012 and backed by £435,000 from a private sector investor, the North West Fund for Digital & Creative, in April 2013.
Sitedesk draws on employees’ experience in the construction industry and collaboration software development. For more information, see this blog posting http://www.extranetevolution.com/2014/10/sitedesk-targeting-mobile-bim-market/
Carl Green, head of engineering services for Wyre Council, said: “Sitedesk is a cost-effective collaboration tool that provides us with an effective link between the office and the field. It provides the functionality and flexibility required to resolve issues in a timely manner and record decisions for future operational benefits.
“We chose Sitedesk because it makes it simple for us to take advantage of the whole life cost benefits of BIM without the exposure to high hardware, software or integration costs.”
Peter Trebilcock, design and BIM programme director for Balfour Beatty Construction Services UK, said: “The use of field devices is playing a significant role in delivering better management of data and increased business efficiency across our business. We are currently deploying them across a portfolio of education and commercial projects.
“They are helping to save time for our site operatives by giving them access to building information tools to help better manage quality, commissioning, and health and safety aspects, and integrate the reporting of our valuable supply chain partners.”
The use of field devices is playing a significant role in delivering better management of data and increased business efficiency across our business. We are currently deploying them across a portfolio of education and commercial projects.– Peter Trebilcock, design and BIM programme director for Balfour Beatty Construction Services UK
