OAKWOOD DEVELOPS NEW INTERACTIVE DIGITAL SERVICE
Oakwood has added a new digital, interactive service to our portfolio, designed to give our clients a true, immersive insight into their project. Going beyond the conventional services and technology, ‘INSITE – Be There Now’ provides a step change in project delivery.
By amalgamating BIM models and project documents in a completely immersive environment, we can empower users to examine their project like never before. INSITE allows all team members, including client, designers and trade contractors to analyse construction methodology and sequences, ensuring problem solving can occur before any issues arise on site, delivering programme certainty.
The technology behind INSITE has huge potential for the construction industry, given major advances in gaming and construction technologies over recent years. It provides the capability to produce a new wave of beneficial applications, applications that have limitless capabilities and will add real value.
We have been developing this bespoke digital offering and introducing it to client projects for several years but decided to create INSITE as a new standalone service brand. It coincides with a client’s recent success at the 2019 ICE Awards in Ireland.
Award winning project
Contractor, John Sisk & Son, entered Oakwood’s work in the Construction Innovation category, based on the digital strategy provided by Oakwood for the work completed at The Curragh Racecourse; the construction of a new four storey grandstand complete with all associated services, infrastructure, ancillary facilities and surrounding environments.
We were able to develop and deliver a fully interactive 4D Virtual Reality construction sequence which enabled Sisk to effectively manage the interfaces between the racecourse and the construction works. The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) has also put forward the 4D VR to their ‘Best Practice Hub’ as an innovative activity.
We believe this to be the first project of its kind. Others have used VR and elements of sequencing, however the solution for The Curragh stands out as every start and finish point were transferred directly from the contract programme, ensuring programme integrity was maintained throughout.
Making a difference
INSITE provides the ability to produce more in-depth H&S and risk management assessments which can make a real difference to site safety. It also provides the opportunity to make design changes in advance of construction due to feedback from the immersive model, therefore reducing costly late changes and disruption. We have also developed the following applications to further enhance our INSITE service:
• Proposed Design Visualisation – first person, immersive viewing, allowing for work package familiarisation, ability to negate late design changes, clash identification and consents management
• Health and Safety review tool
• Asset Information Model (AIM) – an automated workflow from BIM models to gaming software. This allows for accurate virtual AIMs to be created that boost efficiency of operations and maintenance
• Sales and Marketing – interactive and customisable ‘show home’ design tool