In the UK there are more than 24,000 schools and 250 colleges and universities serving record numbers of students. With the Government’s Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) addressing the needs of schools most in need of urgent repair – there are currently more than 250 rebuild and refurbishment projects ready to begin.
At a time when the entire construction industry is looking to be leaner, meaner and greener, publicly-funded educational projects must reduce costs, improve quality and deliver better efficiency. But to change the way the industry operates, contractors, architects, subcontractors, materials suppliers and clients must all play a major role throughout the construction process – with early collaboration absolutely crucial.
Construction collaboration and technology developer Asite understands the importance of providing simple, user-friendly and intuitive software to promote this level of collaboration. With a range of solutions that gives project teams everything they need to work together, the company helps to deliver a smooth and efficient construction site from start to finish.
And now Asite will once again change the way the building industry communicates with the launch of Adoddle 17 – the latest upgrade to the company’s award-winning collaborative cloud-based platform. The result of over £20 million of investment, the Adoddle platform allows users to create, store and share knowledge in a secure environment.
“Adoddle 17 is system agnostic – it sits in the centre ensuring that everyone can communicate.”
Research has shown that traditional methods of information management such as filing cabinets will cause businesses to lose one document in 20, before spending an average £70 to retrieve it and £150 to recreate it. And as workers spend almost five times as long looking for information as they do reading it, the cloud-based platform keeps information secure and prevents files from being lost or misplaced – improving efficiency, accuracy and productivity whilst reducing costs for the client.
Utilised at educational projects across the UK, the mature and full-featured content management system has helped to deliver time and cost savings of up to 70% through efficient project management.
Adoddle enables automation of workflows throughout a building’s lifecycle – from concept to completion and management of the asset. Integrating important information into one seamless process in the cloud, it also hosts project information and details in a central, secure repository.
“Adoddle 17 is the only cloud based collaborative BIM service in the world with full merge capabilities.”
Building Information Modelling (BIM) involves the generation of a digital model of a building which also manages its data from the design stage to construction and throughout its working life. Embracing this innovative technology will deliver customer value and maintain a competitive edge in a very competitive industry.
Catering for everything from pre-contract product sourcing and procurement to document collaboration and project management – Adoddle makes life easier and more efficient for all project personnel working with BIM. The system’s cBIM (Collaborative BIM) platform helps the user to connect commercial information with design detail to enhance BIM coordination processes.
As users work in the context of the overall model, Adoddle reduces errors from designing in isolation. By connecting and organising multiple teams, it also delivers secure instant access to information from any location, and helps to maintain a clear audit trail through version control and updates to the model.
Described as a ‘game-changer’ by Asite Chief Operating Officer Nathan Doughty, Adoddle is augmented by Apple iOS and Windows 8 apps with Android versions to be added after the launch. With HTML5-supported technology and better offline capabilities, it also provides improved access to Asite’s full service offering to deliver greater integration.
“Adoddle 17 is the postman that sits in the centre delivering data.”
COO Nathan Doughty explains, “Our customers deserve the simplicity of the web and mobile apps they use at home in the tools they use at work. Adoddle 17 is revolutionary simplicity. Corporate collaboration in the cloud with government grade security – made easy.”
Encouraging users to upload, share, collaborate and action – Adoddle 17 will enable construction professionals to deliver the truly joined-up thinking which can only prove beneficial in the design, construction and on-going performance of educational buildings.
Building schools for the future
Main contractor Balfour Beatty was tasked with delivering a Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project in Sunderland with an approximate construction value of £100m. Started in March 2008 and completed in 2010, the project included both new build and refurbishment works to deliver three academies and three schools.
Due to the scale of the project, a solution was required that enabled the multiple project teams to share data in a timely manner so that information was accessible to build a better design, ensure deadlines were met and that the overall project be completed on time and on budget.
As well as requiring the highest level of security of all documents and data, the system also had to offer full support for implementation and day-to-day utilisation including after-care – to create cost saving opportunities with measurable outcomes.
After analysing Balfour Beatty’s workflow processes and fully understanding their objectives and expectations, Asite designed a project implementation plan for achieving the company’s Development Information Management Strategy. The solution was tasked with improving collaboration between Balfour Beatty’s project teams to enable them to work more efficiently.
Identifying inefficiencies, Asite assigned a consultant to work closely with the project team and customise the solution to fit directly with the way the team worked and best practice. Asite and Balfour Beatty worked closely to manage the cultural change, maximise the use of the solution with minimal training requirement, and provide on-going support from an experienced consultant.
Talking about a revolution
The success of the project revolutionised education in Sunderland by introducing cutting edge technology to classrooms and delivering 21st century buildings. Using Asite, Balfour Beatty teams were able to manage, share and access drawings and documents securely from any location with Internet access.
They were able to collaboratively coordinate design information for each building and store data in one central, fully auditable repository in the cloud. Teams given access were able to view, comment and mark up the latest revisions in real-time, creating a more effective and efficient workflow process. The design team also identified solutions early on in the design process to help focus on creating a better design.
The increased transparency created time and cost savings and provided a longer term view over the entire project. Balfour Beatty also delivered on BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) submittal requirements for evidencing the delivery of fully sustainable solutions via Asite. This was achieved using Asite’s AppBuilder to develop forms to manage all of their BREEAM reports and contract information, with improved business efficiencies helping to increase profit margins as a business overall.
On the strength of BSF Sunderland programme, Balfour Beatty implemented Asite for a number of projects and explored the use of Asite cBIM for managing model files across its design teams. Balfour Beatty achieved time and cost savings, greater communication, environmental benefits from the reduced use of paper, as well as increased control and transparency.
Thanks to Asite, the project delivered improvements in security standards, customer service levels and a reduction in design errors. Tasks and project deadlines were met and completed on time as the Balfour Beatty team was able to remain focused on best design practice within their organisation whilst also achieving BREEAM initiatives.
Collaboration is key
Openly sharing knowledge and expertise in the construction industry requires a shift in mentality and culture. This transparency has recently been adopted by main contractor Willmott Dixon. The contractor chose Asite Project Workflow to facilitate collaboration and minimise risks for West Sussex County Council's "One School Pathfinder" project in Bognor Regis – an initiative that gives local authorities the chance to completely redevelop one secondary or secondary special school in their area.
One of the UK's largest privately owned construction companies, Willmott Dixon is recognised as an influential constructor of education environments whilst also delivering successful projects in a wide range of sectors that includes health, education, custodial, leisure, commercial offices, hotels and retail.
After strong recommendations from a number of construction companies, Willmott Dixon chose to use Asite Project Workflow to assist with the two year project. As a result, the processes and interactions between the project team would be thoroughly recorded thanks to the audit trail capabilities of the collaboration tool, facilitating the transfer of best practice from this project to others.
As well as reinforcing Asite's leading position in the UK construction public sector, the project with Willmott Dixon highlights the influence Asite has within the construction industry as more construction companies look to adopt and embrace the “Mean Lean Green” build philosophy.
Asite's CEO, Tony Ryan, commented "Asite Workspace, our entry-level collaboration tool, has not been the only product to drive our business forward. Asite Project Workflow, our well established advanced collaboration tool, is also growing and being adopted for complex projects both in the UK and around the globe."
The construction industry is certain to play a major role in generating and driving global economic recovery and growth, and so improved performance, communication and efficiency is a prerequisite. With the rise of collaborative tools such as Adoddle, the education sector can bring together all the elements of asset information from concept to completion to identify and generate best value for clients.
For further information on Asite or Adoddle 17, please contact Lisa Murphy at Asite on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.