'Autodesk Docs fits perfectly into BIM'
Peggy Bovens is regarded in the Belgian construction world as an ardent advocate of BIM, design and construction based on Building Information Management. However, she does not want to be seen as a BIM pioneer. 'No,' she says from her home office in Antwerp. 'I'm not a designer, I don't model. Moreover, even in Belgium there are more and more architects and designers who are picking up speed with BIM, as are construction companies and their suppliers. Fortunately, because digital construction is undoubtedly the key to realizing the major building projects of the coming years. What I do feel very strongly about, and you might call this pioneering, is setting up a standard chart of accounts. A methodology for properly mapping and better communicating financial flows. We really need that as a basis for BIM.'
Having a financial flow
Since 2008, Peggy Bovens has been working under the name BouwData on a methodology that provides insight into the financial flow of construction projects. 'In Belgium, we don't have standard standards for this, no chart of accounts, as in the Netherlands. This very regularly leads to discussions, delays, conflicts and even lawsuits about financial issues. BouwData is in fact a methodology in Excel, an administration system in which all parties involved consistently provide their information about costs. For example, during the design and construction process, there is control over the costs and the administration. BIM may bring the desired acceleration to construction and also significantly reduce failure costs, but a client or financier also wants to know what the financial consequences are.'
We recently started using Autodesk Takeoff, part of the BIM software Construction Cloud. A tool that makes it easy for cost experts, calculators and planners to collect and share information.
Peggy Bovens
Owner - BouwData
Autodesk Docs
No matter how logical the approach of the Belgian entrepreneur may sound, it does not really want to go smoothly with the introduction of a standard chart of accounts with fixed standards. 'The construction world is conservative and roughly consists of three parties: the builders, the designers and the contractors. They are interdependent, communication and information exchange are far from optimal. There is a lot of resistance to the sharing of data and information. It is only with the rise of BIM that I see a turnaround. After all, sharing information in BIM is easier, for example via Autodesk Docs.'
Designing and building in BIM
BIM is not the easy solution in construction? 'On the contrary, it requires commitment from all parties. First of all, it's a mindset. Designing and building in BIM is only possible if every party is willing to put data in the cloud and share all information. Of course, in a careful way. Only then will errors come to light in time and can they be prevented before the implementation phase.
Sharing information explicitly includes financial data. Clients and their controllers want to control costs and identify overruns in time. In this way, technical discussions do not degenerate into financial discussions. Systematic digital construction also requires systematic financial planning. Especially for large projects involving many millions of euros.'
Structure in calculation
Peggy Bovens graduated as an engineer-architect in Ghent, and worked in her first job for a concrete manufacturer. There, she quickly advocated for a better reporting system. 'The concrete makers did everything by feel. So much water and sand with such and such cement. Fine, but what if those specialists retire? At that time, there was no computer and structuring was still in its infancy at my next employer, a contractor. On that basis, I also had to make calculations for quotations.
Without complete information from the designer's side. After all, there was only information available on paper/digital media, hardly any verbal explanation to really start a conversation about what the essence of the design was. Crazy, really. That changed at ibens, one of the larger contractors in Belgium with a Dutch owner. It was through him that I got to know the Dutch system.'
Integration into BIM
In 2008, Peggy Bovens decided to set up a chart of accounts as an independent entrepreneur and, with the support of the IWT (now VLAIO), make it available to the construction industry. More than 2000 professionals now follow the regular blog with the progress and the methodology is also increasingly applied in large and small construction projects. The next step would be the integration of BouwData into existing BIM models. We are not there yet, but since 2020 the Autodesk Docs tool has been included in the system.
On the advice of Maurice Laumen, senior account manager at Cadac. 'I met Maurice for the first time a few years ago at a meeting of the WTCB, the Belgian knowledge institute for the construction industry. At the time, he was busy expanding his network in Belgium. I am very charmed by the Dutch way of structuring data and Maurice is an excellent sparring partner to further develop BouwData.'
Autodesk Docs
'Cadac has built up a great deal of knowledge with BIM software and we absolutely agree on the future of digital construction. Autodesk Docs is ideally suited to get started with the right mindset and the storage of BIM models, spreadsheets with financial data and other documents. It is an indispensable tool for the active client who wants to keep control of his project. This has already been demonstrated in several large projects, such as the new construction of the hospital in Mechelen. The client hired me as an assistant builder and was very satisfied. There are now several construction projects and plans with the BouwData working methodology. So we're starting to make progress.'
Sparring and knowledge sharing
This also applies to Cadac's growth on the Belgian market, says Marcel Laumen. 'We have been involved with BBRI as a consultant since a few years ago when we brought some thirty leading Belgian builders, architects and engineering firms to Heerlen for a conference on BIM. In the follow-up, I bumped into Peggy once. We regularly spar about the developments of BIM and exchange knowledge. Very important to me. The culture in Flanders is not the same as in the Netherlands, even though we speak the same language. Among other things, by
Peggy, I gain insight into what the Belgian construction world needs. She also puts me in touch with companies and governments so that we can further expand our Belgian network. By understanding the Belgian market, we can advise and support companies even better in implementing their innovations. This goes even beyond the BIM process. Together with the companies, we are increasingly looking at the overall picture and aligning processes with each other.'
Autodesk Takeoff aligns well with Docs and BouwData
This also applies the other way around, says Peggy Bovens. 'For me, Maurice is building the bridge to the Netherlands and to the further refinement of BouwData. For example, we recently started using Autodesk Takeoff, part of the BIM software Construction Cloud. A tool that makes it easy for cost experts, calculators and planners to collect and share information. And an instrument that can extract from both PDF files and 3D models from different angles. Exactly in line with Docs and BouwData.
We are now investigating how to incorporate circularity into the working methodology. Also a hot item in the construction industry, but financially surrounded by many questions. In this way, I am getting closer and closer to my goal: a solid chart of accounts that supports the financial and administrative side of BIM, allows clients to be at the helm of their own project and relieves designers and executors so that they can focus on their core business: designing and executing. A boost for digital design and construction.'