The Spanish construction company FCC has completed in Dublin the first project in the world to combine BIM and “Blockchain”, two buildings on the campus of the Grangegorman University. To achieve this, a platform has been created that pairs both solutions with the aim of improving the company’s productivity and guaranteeing excellence in processes and results through the automation of on-site quality control and management methods.

The use of the BIM methodology is mandatory to be awarded a public works contract in Spain. Its implementation is advancing at a fast pace and it is required for many different types of projects. So far this year, 161 tenders have been published for a total of 148 million euros that include this requirement, according to the CBIM Observatory of the Ministry of Transport. As we can see, BIM is becoming, day by day, a crucial methodology for the development of projects in the construction sector and therefore we should not overlook it.

It is true that both BIM and “Blockchain”, a distributed and secure database thanks to the encryption of its components, can be used separately and that there is already a lot of automation in the sector. However, by combining the qualities provided by “Blockchain” and BIM, the project gains in traceability and automation, ensuring quality, agility in the purchasing, monitoring and control processes, among many other things.

With a budget of 220 million, this first work to be carried out with both innovative methodologies has received the “Breeam” sustainable construction certification. Let us all follow FCC’s example and take advantage of BIM and “Blockchain”.

In Acero Estudio we have a team of professionals with proven and multidisciplinary experience in BIM methodology, contact us now.

Companies in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry are using drones to quickly and accurately collect survey data.

The architecture, engineering and construction industry has historically been slow to adapt to technology. In fact, according to a McKinsey Global Institute report, the construction industry is one of the least digitalized. This is underscored by another report, this one from JBKnowledge, which reveals that nearly 60% of construction companies are not investing in new technologies.

An increasing number of disciplines is expanding its use of drones

Much of the AEC industry is using technologies and processes that no longer adequately serve their needs, either for projects or for partnerships. However, one area where the construction industry is expanding its use of emerging technology is the use of drones. Estimates from PricewaterhouseCoopers put the sources of drone work for infrastructure at a market value of $45.2 billion. Today, an increasing number of disciplines within construction projects – such as designers, surveyors, environmental consultants, builders and inspectors – are using drones for aerial photography, volumetric analysis and topographic mapping, among many other things.

Benefits of using drones:

1) Helps to increase workflow and efficiency

The ability of drones to collect real-time data on the job site has dramatically increased workflow and efficiency in design and construction. Drones are being used more frequently in construction to conduct on-site surveys, as in the case of our company, Acero Estudio, monitoring the progress of the GECAMA wind farm construction site in Cuenca with the help of this technology.

The drones capture the data that the surveyors need but cannot normally see, since they have an unobstructed, high-altitude view of the construction site.

2) Helps to make the construction site safer

This also helps to make the construction site safer, as drones can survey difficult or dangerous terrain, keeping human surveyors out of harm’s way and helping construction workers avoid dangerous areas. For all these reasons, drones are replacing traditional methods of surveying terrain and greatly reducing the time and manual labor required.

3) Time and cost reduction

It is ironic that the AEC sector is one of the slowest to adopt new technologies, yet one of those that could benefit the most from them. However, this sector has more readily adopted the use of drones, which can save large design and construction projects a lot of time and money.

According to a report in the scientific journal Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems, the use of drones for taking measurements and levels of a terrain, allows a reduction of working time of 50% with respect to drones. traditional surveying methods. In addition, it represents a reduction in lifting costs of 75%.

Acero Estudio has just incorporated a fleet of DRONES

Acero Estudio, with headquarters in Valencia and based in Perú, incorporates a fleet of DRONES capable of developing most of our services faster and with more efficiency, following our commitment with the integration of new technologies in our servicies.

Today, more than ever, we know firsthand the impact that unexpected challenges can have on our jobs and how many project management teams have been forced to quickly devise new, secure methods of communication and collaboration in order to keep their projects on track.

Mercadona, Spain’s leading food retailer, is not only a major retailer, but also designs, executes and maintains logistics blocks, stores and offices. With more than 1,600 stores, 16 logistics blocks, 3 beehives and several office centers in Spain and Portugal, Mercadona is one of the Spanish companies with the highest construction volume.

To be able to act against this market pull, it is necessary to build adequate spaces where digital transformation becomes essential. Thus, Mercadona has organized itself to build efficiently and, in particular, has implemented innovative BIM processes. The goal is simple: to build better, faster and in a respectful and sustainable way thanks to the BIM methodology.

Mercadona relies on the Onfly solution, which makes it possible to implement the established procedure. Onfly is a simple and effective tool for managing, centralizing and harmonizing BIM data to speed up design and increase team productivity, provided by the BIM&CO digital community. This shared BIM library helps construction companies to manage and share their BIM content in a private and secure cloud-based way, taking into account classifications and business data specific to their structures.

If you want to imitate Mercadona’s model and improve your construction process considerably, don’t hesitate to apply this innovative methodology! To learn more about BIM, take a look at our website or contact us. If, on the other hand, you are interested in the Onfly solution for your company, have a look at the BIM&CO web site.

XPande. Application for growth in international markets

“This action is co-financed by the European Union through the FEDER Operational Program of the Valencian Community 2014-2020”.

This year 2021-2022, in Acero Estudio, we have had the opportunity to participate in the Xpande Digital program of the Chamber of Commerce of Valencia.

Through this program, the European Union has granted us financial support through the European Regional Development Fund, allowing us to carry out the internationalization of our company in the UK market.

With some objectives to achieve, related to our presence on the Internet, such as strengthening our global online activity, achieving brand recognition, attracting new customers, building customer loyalty and increasing the number of sales (or market share), we have finally achieved great results. Among them, the possibility of entering a new market such as the United Kingdom and increasing the visibility of our business in this country, thus achieving the consolidation of our website abroad.

We thank the Chamber of Commerce of Spain and Valencia, the IVACE and the European Union for the opportunity to participate in this program.

The Acero Estudio team in Peru carried out the geodesy, drone flight and restitution of the area planned for the Pedestrian Accessibility to and from “Las Estaciones del Metropolitano, Lima”.

Given the current situation of global pandemic due to COVID-19, these tasks were all carried out under preventive measures and medical examinations.

To better understand the work developed by our team in the project area, they began with the placement of Geodetic Points (one at each station) linked to the IGN coordinate system. The measurement of the same by means of differential GPS of double frequency. Then, we proceeded to the location of the support points necessary for the subsequent restitution of the drone flight. These support points were marked with X-shaped stencils and paint, and were measured with GPS in RTK mode.

The drone flight of the 33 stations was performed at a suitable height taking into account the height of the buildings and the existing elements. A DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone with a 20 Mpx camera was used for this purpose. Once the photogrammetric images were obtained, they were processed and the point cloud and orthophoto of each station were made. With the orthophoto and the point cloud, the DTM was processed and then the restitution of the environment of each station.

We would like to thank our client CPS for the trust placed in our team and for the coordination and management of the work carried out.

The monitoring and inspection of construction sites with drones is being implemented as a valuable tool to document through drone flights the evolution in the execution of works.

Companies involved in the control and supervision of construction sites are increasingly opting for aerial supervision with drones during the construction process, mainly to perform four types of work:

1) Control of execution progress.

2) Verification of geometry.

3) Obtaining corporate and/or advertising videos.

4) Detailed images of singular elements.

Our aerial monitoring, inspection and supervision services of works with drones, both outdoors and indoors, allow a complete tracking of the work. The main advantages of this technology include the following:

– It contributes to know the pace of execution.

– It increases and improves the quality and quantity of graphic documentation in different phases of construction.

– Minimizes costs, by acquiring more information in less time.

– Improves safety by reducing accessibility difficulties and avoiding risks for the team that carries out the inspection.

In Acero Estudio we have a team of drones and experienced pilots, trained to develop any type of project, which allows us to guarantee the optimal result of the contracted works, as well as to offer all the experience accumulated in the sector in each of the works in which we participate. Through data acquisition, we carry out an accurate study of the area and its needs, according to the current UAS regulations in Spain applied by the State Aviation Safety Agency (Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea, AESA).

We have already carried out several projects in this field, including the supervision of the wind farm GECAMA (Generación Eólica de Castilla-La Mancha) in Cuenca, specifically in the municipalities of Atalaya del Cañete, Cañada Juncosa, Honrubia and Tébar, where the application of this technology is bringing many benefits for the different collaborators.

Hiring a drone service is an excellent investment for companies in any industry. This technology is used throughout the entire project execution, from feasibility and bidding to handover and maintenance, so do not miss the opportunity to apply it whenever you can in any type of work.

We would like to thank GECAMA, TYPSA and Enlight for the trust placed in our team to carry out this activity.

Technical File for the Expansion of the Neutralization Plant, Minera Volcan, Cerro De Pasco

The Acero Estudio team in Peru carried out the geodesy, drone flight and laser scanning of the area planned for the expansion of the Neutralization Plant of Minera Volcan in Cerro de Pasco.

These works were carried out under all preventive measures and medical examinations due to the existing COVID-19 pandemic.

Once all the requirements requested by Volcan were met, the Acero Estudio team in Peru traveled from Lima to the work area.

The work in the project area began with the placement of geodetic points linked to the mining company’s coordinate system and their measurement by means of differential GPS with double frequency.

Next, the necessary support points were located for the subsequent restitution of the drone flight. These support points were marked with lime and measured with GPS in RTK mode.

The drone flight of about 12 Ha was performed at low altitude (60 m) to obtain a better definition of the surface and the existing elements such as buildings, pipes, etc. A DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone with a 20 Mpx camera was used for this purpose.

After the drone flight, the laser scanning of the specific areas where the expansion of the neutralization plant was going to be carried out was performed.

241 scans were made using the FARO 3D S120 scanner with which all the essential information was collected, measurements, volumes of high quality images and dynamic range (HDR) and millions of 3D points obtained in seconds, with a full capture range of 360 degrees, where the resolution, quality of the points and the light shot were adjusted to adequately adapt to the capture of the scene from multiple points of view, different lighting conditions, facilities and distances to the facades.

In the office, the scans were recorded and the 3D modeling of the main facilities of the project was carried out.

We would like to thank our client SUEZ for the trust placed in our team and for the coordination and management of the work developed.

The photogrammetric flight with drone is, nowadays, one of the most used techniques in inspections and monitoring of works and in Acero Estudio we offer this type of service.

With this technique we convert two-dimensional data into three-dimensional information, since it allows us to calculate the dimensions and positions of objects in space from measurements taken on aerial photographs.

The drones are equipped with GPS technology and follow programmed flight paths, performing very precise and stable flights, ideal to achieve optimal results and great advantages. The use of drones has increased the possibilities of image exploitation, allowing the automatic generation of height models, ortho-images and stereo-images as well as the creation and visualization of three-dimensional models.

In addition, with the use of this technology, a faster and more personalized service is achieved for each project. Drone photogrammetry has made it possible to speed up processes, reduce costs, diminish operational risks and provide high quality images.

For the restitution of 3D images with drones to be accurate we need, in addition to a great knowledge of the surface, a correct flight planning, since this is where we find the main difficulty of the mission. The drone flight must be stable and constant in order to obtain elements of the front, rear and side images, that is, the captured photographs must have a high amount of overlap between images, approximately 80% in each photograph.

As we can see, drones have become our great ally in this sector. It is of vital importance that the flight is performed by professional experts such as the ones in Acero Estudio, to get the best results! Contact us to solve any doubt or to collaborate with us and take a look at https://aceroestudio.com/drones/ to learn more.

According to the BIM Commission of the Government of Spain, digitalization has become a key factor in the awarding of construction contracts in the five continents. Large Spanish construction companies are taking advantage of this phenomenon thanks to the use of methodologies and processes such as BIM, blockchain and big data, among others.

The international presence of Spanish construction companies has been strongly established in recent years and the element that is being crucial in their development is the digital transformation, which has not only given them opportunities, but has allowed them to improve their cost efficiency, customer experience, and differentiation from their competitors.

Among the different digitalization tools, we would like to highlight the BIM methodology, whose objective is to centralize all the project information in a 3D digital information model involving all the agents. In turn, this model also covers the execution of the project, thus enabling its management and reducing operating costs by between 15% and 25%.

Thanks to digitalization, Spanish construction companies are adapting to a rapidly evolving market, characterized by clients with different expectations, new technological capabilities and a new generation of professionals.

The update of certain infrastructures through the use of BIM methodology is a clear example of the versatility offered to civil engineering by the commitment to BIM-based digitalization of the construction sector.

The European Commission report “European Construction Sector Observatory”, states that the use of BIM means significant savings both in the construction phase and in the operations phase, so engineers are also one of the important agents in the value chain of the construction sector that can benefit the most from the management of civil engineering programs based on BIM.

There is another recent study, the “ICE BIM Survey”, on civil engineering and its relationship with BIM methodology that is worth referencing. The ICE (Institute of Civil Engineers UK) analysis has provided a series of interesting conclusions such as that 73% of BIM experts place incomplete data as the most important source of errors detected in the design phase; and 55%, to the changes that are carried out in the project design. It also advocates that 82% of civil engineers say that it has been a good decision to implement BIM methodology in their office, that 41% of respondents were satisfied with the speed of delivery and 37% with the reduction of cost overruns.

As we can see, the digitalization of the construction sector is gaining strength and the use of BIM methodology brings many advantages. Now, more than ever, it is time to apply BIM in your projects and, at Acero Estudio, we are ready to collaborate and share with you all our experience and professionalism in the field.

Yesterday took place the online event BIM4Industry, where BIM methodology and its application in the industry was the protagonist.

Our colleague David Torromé from Acero Estudio and Ignacio Sabater from GDES (Grupo Dominguis Energy Services), talked about the processes carried out by Acero Estudio in all the work done with laser scanning in nuclear power plants and the creation of their respective BIM models.

On the part of GDES, Ignacio talked about how they have used the models, later converted into digital twins to reform the facilities with thermal fire protection specifically. In addition, valuing the advantages of BIM methodology in terms of risk reduction, time and costs, such as the quality and accuracy increasing of the work in general.

Furthermore, we were able to listen other very experienced specialists in BIM methodology and learn even more. Topics such as BIM in the pharmaceutical industry, BIM for manufacturing and BIM in Offsite were discussed, allowing us to considerably expand our knowledge in the area.

The event was a great success, we had a large audience very interested in learning about this important methodology in the AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation) sector.

If you have any questions or if you were not able to participate in the event and you are interested in industrial BIM, do not hesitate to contact us!

You can also take a look at our website, where you will find a lot of information about BIM and you can see different projects developed in Acero Estudio with this methodology.