BIM Support Specialist Laura Kay Smith, Kasian Architecture, Interior Design and Planning, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, knew about Ideate BIMLink and had an idea.
As she explains it, "Not everybody knows how to use Autodesk Revit, but everybody knows how to use Microsoft Excel." With support from the firm, Smith contracted with a consultant to write an Excel segue which would enable Kasian, with the help of Ideate BIMLink, to develop Room Data Sheets.
Each Room Data Sheet would have all the MEP and architectural finishes detailed. Everything that was supposed to be in a Room was in the Room. Only those who really needed Revit and Ideate BIMLink would employ those solutions. Everyone else could use Excel. The time saved by not manually inputting data is almost immeasurable.
According to Smith, "Using Revit Architecture with Ideate BIMLink to emulate the facilities planning of a project allows us to set the functional areas required, and visually establishes the functional and spatial parameters of the project. This provides the designers the basis for the development of the design. The continual link between the Excel Data Sheet with the functional/Room information required, allows a continual check of compliance on the project."
Clients have caught on quickly to the advantages. Smith explains, "The client can look at the Room Data Sheets, too. They can take out elements they don't want in the Rooms."
Kasian has now implemented using Ideate BIMLink for every Integrated Project working with Strategic Facilities Planning. For the whole story: Kasian Sets a New Facilities Planning Standard Using Ideate BIMLink