How Technology Impacts Construction Efficiency

Written by: Miron

Sara Weber, a virtual construction specialist at Miron Construction Co., Inc., is helping push the boundaries of technology on construction projects in Green Bay. She is currently working on the new Experience Greater Green Bay project located in the Titletown District near Lambeau Field. By using a process called Building Information Modeling (BIM) coordination, she is helping to solve construction issues on site.

In BIM coordination, a specialist like Sara takes the digital 3D models that the Somerville Architects & Engineers design team created for each building component and overlays them to identify potential conflicts. The architectural model contains the walls, ceilings, and roofs; the structural model contains the floors, beams, and joists; and the mechanical model contains ducts, piping, and equipment. When the models are placed on top of each other, the technology shows where ducts are hitting beams, where pipes are hitting joists, and where mechanical rooms may be too small for the equipment they expect to house.

The new Experience Greater Green Bay project has a large, open atrium with a mix of structural steel and wood beams as the main components. In these types of open areas, it can be difficult to properly conceal items such as ducts, conduit, and lights, but when the building is constructed in a digital space first, each component is shown virtually in order to account for these items.

Miron’s coordination technology is not restricted to the open areas of a building.

Where space is limited, the tools are still put to work. For example, the mechanical 3D model will help Miron determine if the ceiling is low enough to conceal the duct. Plumbing models are used to determine where storm drainage pipes can be routed in the building. Lastly, furniture models can be used to determine how much sunlight each room in the building will receive throughout the ever-changing Wisconsin seasons.

As technology matures in the construction industry, more and more creative uses are developed and implemented on Miron’s project sites. We are excited to see how technology can help us innovate now and into the future!