As one of the largest airside projects in Heathrow’s history, the new Terminal 2 building has officially been handed over to the client after 3 years of on-going works. The final phase will now see the building undergo tests and further installations until it is ready for operation on 4th June 2014.
Not only is this handover monumental in the transformation of Heathrow, but it also marks the successful implementation of BIM for Balfour Beatty – no mean feat for a project of this size and complexity. The use of the data rich model resulted in savings of £10 million, improved coordination with over 30 active stakeholders through 13 interfacing projects and enabled a peak workforce of 1600 to complete work ahead of schedule.
In an earlier statement Peter Trebilcock, BIM Director at Balfour Beatty, said: “BIM provides us with major opportunities to improve UK infrastructure through better design integration, shorter programmes, safety improvements and supply chain engagement. We are determined to give our customers the very best levels of service and to us that means making sure that we use the very latest in BIM technology and practices”.
Despite the multiple benefits of BIM – as outlined above in Heathrow’s latest project – users are still facing barriers and encountering challenges when it comes to investing and implementing this model. In this month’s issue, FCamp;A asked a number of experts and specialists what their views were on the barriers of BIM. Turn to page 22 to find out more.
Also in this issue, we bring you a selection of striking projects featuring the very latest building materials and technologies. Despite being completed over 10 years ago, the vision for the Imperial War Museum North has finally been realised. Having spent more than a decade in darkness, the museum is back in the spotlight thanks to the installation of a series of projectors. Sill Lighting explains to FC&A what this final component brings to the iconic build. Elsewhere, we profile a stunning office development, which demonstrates creativity to combat solar and heat gain. In order to prevent excessive overheating and also control thermal performance, a bespoke and contemporary facade solution was devised. See page 6 for more details.
If you wish to comment on any of the articles featured in this month’s edition, please do not hesitate to get in touch at the usual address. You can also interact with us via Twitter in our Summer of Sustainability. As part of our campaign, we’ll inform you of all the latest issues in the way of ecoconscious construction and retweet your news and views. Simply add #SummerofSustainability to your posts.
