How often does a technology come along that has the ability to completely transform how we work? Building information modelling (BIM) is that technology, and it represents a remarkable opportunity for rental companies of all sizes.
BIM is short for Building Information Modelling. BS EN ISO 196502 now defines BIM as “the use of a shared digital representation of a built asset to facilitate design, construction and operation processes to form a reliable basis for decisions.” Built assets include buildings, bridges, roads, and process plants.
BIM is the creation of 3D models of physical objects. It began as 3D models of buildings, but now includes plant equipment, machinery and even furniture. It enables all parties in a project to come together before construction starts. In this way, construction professionals and rental companies can plan and manage projects much more efficiently.
BIM represents a huge opportunity for rental companies, because it brings the rental sector into these big projects at a much earlier stage – it can revolutionise your relationships with your clients. How is this possible, you ask? BIM brings rental companies and construction contractors closer together. Before BIM, construction contractors were engaging rental companies long after the design phase. Now, the rental company is a partner during the design phase. This makes it possible to identify and address problems before they occur on the construction site. Fundamentally, it is moving the question from “how much will it cost me to rent this equipment?” to “Can you work closely with me on how we construct and maintain this building?”.
Of course, the life of a building only begins during construction – afterwards, a building still requires cleaning and maintenance. It is now common for a company to be responsible for both the construction and ongoing maintenance of a building. Through BIM, rental companies can ensure that the building is “equipment friendly”, meaning that machines for maintenance can access all the required areas, and that the floors can take the weight of the machines.
For construction contractors, BIM gives them much greater control over a project. It enables them to identify and solve problems in the design phase, rather than on site. This significantly reduces down time on the one hand, while increasing productivity on the other. So, for this reason alone, it is important to offer BIM to your clients in the construction sector; if you do not provide BIM support, they will find a rental company that does!
The biggest potential gain for construction companies is improved productivity. Using 3D models enables all parties to very quickly spot problems; for example, is an access point too narrow for the required machines? Fixing these problems in the design phase avoids significant delays and down time, which improves margins for construction contractors. In this way, BIM can help make your customers more profitable.
By working with architects and civil engineers in a 3D model of the job site, you can use data to identify precisely the correct equipment. This can range from knowledge on total power consumption to ensure the right generators are on site at the right times, to exact information on working heights needed for powered access platforms.
From an operational perspective, BIM enables you to more accurately forecast when and where your equipment will be deployed. This allows you to manage your rental fleet more effectively, and forward plan additional investment or cross-hire of equipment. In this way, longer term planning enables you to right-size your fleet in advance of a major project.
With many nations investing billions in major construction and infrastructure projects, BIM can help you win new business, and therefore, will be a key component in your future success. Make no mistake, this is a seismic change in our industry, and it can seem daunting for smaller and medium-sized rental businesses.
What will customers expect?
Your customers will expect you to provide them with BIM files of all the equipment you will rent to them for a given project. This could be anything from welfare cabins and generators through to powered access platforms and cranes. You will therefore need to create and maintain a library of BIM files for your clients. You can host this yourself and share it on a one-to-one basis, or you can store the BIM files in the Cloud and provide access for your clients via a unique login and password.
Your customers will also expect you to provide expert advice. For example, what powered access machines would be best for maintaining an atrium? Or, where is the best place to locate the welfare units? You should be prepared to answer these questions.
Access to BIM files is the easy part! You do not have to spend money or allocate resources to creating BIM files. Almost all of the major equipment manufacturers already have the BIM files for their machines. All you need to do is request the relevant BIM files for the machines in your fleet.
BIM will require up-front investment, so be prepared to pay for it. While developing your BIM strategy, listen to your customers to understand how they want to use BIM; start thinking also of the architect and civil engineer as your clients; work closely with OEMs to create the best possible BIM files; and explore using BIM in other areas or divisions of your business.
The European Rental Association (ERA) has published ‘A beginner’s guide to Building Information Modelling (BIM)’, to help the equipment rental industry embrace this technology and gain the best possible advantage from it. This guide aims to make BIM accessible and easy. It provides an introduction to the technology and a more in-depth explanation of the main benefits of integrating BIM into a portfolio of services. It further provides case studies from pioneering rental companies, demonstrating different use cases for BIM.