At Lorenz Consult, a civil engineering firm, 13 years after the introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM), there is now a standardized BIM approach across all departments. New team members receive training from existing employees. In addition, BIM discussions are held to address current topics and further develop BIM within the company. “BIM is a crucial tool for the digitalization of the construction industry. Digital data and information are increasingly integrated into on-site construction and gradually replacing 2D plans,” emphasizes Managing Director DI Christian Lorenz.
Using Display Glasses on the Construction Site
Looking to the near future, Lorenz believes that construction managers and supervisors will use head-up display glasses on the construction site to access 3D information: “This enables effective monitoring of the planned construction of structures.” To make this possible, BIM’s main task still lies in providing 3D geometry information and determining quantities for tenders and cost estimation. New scanner technologies facilitate the digital billing of provided construction services.
BIM as an Important Planning Tool
For Lorenz Consult, 13 years of planning and building with BIM have been a time of learning and development. “We gained the most experience with the Graz Surgery project. Since we started with an overall model for this major project, the loading times of the model were extremely long,” reports Christian Lorenz. Nowadays, partial models are used, and importantly, “even when using BIM, we stick to proven planning processes.”
From BIM Skeptic to BIM Enthusiast
The need for persuasion during BIM implementation is illustrated by a current project in equipment-intensive cleanroom planning: “Initially, our client was skeptical about the added value of the models. Today, nearing completion of the construction, they are a BIM enthusiast and have the As-Built situation fully represented in the model,” shares General Planner Christian Lorenz. Success strategies since the early project phase include close collaboration with process planners and the integration of building and plant models. This leads to early installation possibilities, adaptation of the building to these needs, and collision avoidance.
About Lorenz Consult
The civil engineering firm was founded in 1972 by DI Werner Lorenz and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In 2000, son DI Christian Lorenz joined the company, now leading it in the second generation. The 50 employees cover all building-specific services in healthcare facilities, cleanrooms for pharmaceuticals, food, and electronics, industrial and steel construction, as well as planning technology such as 5D BIM and digitalization in construction with their expertise. Lorenz Consult is a pioneer in the field of BIM. Projects are realized worldwide, including in the USA, with the Graz-based civil engineering firm being particularly strong in the DACH region. In 2021, Lorenz Consult generated revenue of 6.3 million euros.
