BIM at the SIEMENS Campus in Erlangen

With the SIEMENS Campus project in Erlangen, M&P is setting the agenda for smart use of BIM methodology in the operating phase!

A premiere at a large-scale SIEMENS site: for the first time, the building information modelling (BIM) method is shaping all phases of the real estate life cycle there. From the start, the buildings were planned in virtual 3D models, which were used in the construction phase for a wide variety of applications and transferred to the operating phase. Today, BIM provides all the necessary data to manage the buildings more efficiently in the long term.

But building information modelling is not only characterised by a more efficient planning, construction and operating phase. The users of the campus also benefit from what the method offers: on the basis of the BIM data, the SIEMENS Campus App made a virtual tour of the first buildings possible even before the complex was completed. Further applications designed to make everyday work easier for users will follow.

The BIM models and their data provide an important foundation that can be put to good use in the operation of the new campus and for other smart applications. M&P supports the new FM service provider at the Erlangen campus, APLEONA, in transferring BIM data and models from the construction phase to operation: for this purpose, the data models from APLEONA have been harmonised or mapped with those of SIEMENS Real Estate and the BIM models, and the data relevant to operations has been identified. The transfer and updating of the data was carried out via the Dynamo tool from Autodesk Revit (SIEMENS RE prefers a closed BIM approach). The data was ‘tagged’ once to ensure updates between all systems.

BIM is beneficial in facility management

But why afford yourself the ‘luxury’ of BIM in operation? Is it not possible to handle the commissioning, start-up and further operation by the new service provider the same way as always? It is. But the benefits make up for the increased outlay even before the first maintenance is required:

• The start-up on-site is significantly simplified, as all the data is already available (in full!) in the system of the service provider APLEONA before even setting foot in the building.
• Orientation is easy, as anyone can search technical objects and have them displayed via smartphone using the hosted model and a viewer. Not an insignificant point in a new building!
• Based on the data, it is possible to determine the fastest route to test (hundreds of) fire dampers without much effort. And the operation is only just getting started!

Due to updating and automated exchange between the systems (BIM – CAFM SIEMENS – ERP/CAFM APLEONA), there are no more discrepancies or room for discussion.

This leads to a high level of transparency and supports the partnership between SIEMENS Real Estate and APLEONA!