How C4R and BIM 360 Provide Improvements to AEC Projects Provide Improvements to AEC Projects | Page 7

Different workflows - Different companies will adopt their own approach rather than a
common workflow or approach and therefore an element of the process being dis-jointed
until the final stages can cause further risks and spatial problems.
Pre-C4R Collaboration Options and Problems
So, what are the issues and challenges and problems with pre-C4R collaboration tools for
managing Revit MEP BIM projects? To start with the collaboration tools were effectively
elaborate file sharing and online storage facilities. The tools were used to store files with
email alerts and audit trails for uploads providing parties with information about uploads
and updates. As a real-time model was not typically part of such collaboration tools where
all parties would work on a central model, there would usually be a party, or BIM Consultant,
responsible for creating a federated model.
The federated model itself is usually created by a BIM manager, who will merge compatible
models from various software tools to create a single model and usually a clash report for
issue to the design team members.
The lack of any real-time models and updates to a live working model does mean that
changes were not known to the individual parties until they downloaded the model and view
the impact of other disciplines and other services specialist on their own model. Whilst this
may still be on a weekly basis it does in some cases cause some rework and a degree of risk,
especially in projects that have tighter timescales where a week in lost time could be
important.
Many of the challenges and risks present in the MEP coordination process are addressed by
software interoperability and shared files using these collaboration tools. However, the
unexpected changes that arise from working on remote models, even if uploaded weekly,
does mean that the problems discussed above do still present themselves too often and slow
down the MEP coordination process.
The C4R Solution
Collaboration for Revit (C4R) starts to address some of the challenges that MEP teams face
during the coordination stage of the project. To start with the collaborative and real-time,
live update feature of collaboration which allows all parties to work on a central model is a
big differentiator compared with pre-C4R tools. This means that the main mechanical,
electrical and plumbing services as well as specialist MEP service providers and sprinkler
service providers can preview and update the central model in real time.
This real-time element provides instantaneous feedback and allows team to respond to
changes occurring in the model in real time. C4 are also features version comparison and
roll-back options so that changes from a previous version compared with the current version
can be easily identified. Using C4R’s live central model environment does mean that some
up-front zoning strategy should take place. With a zoning strategy in place teams will know
where they should position services and this does allow some control over the placement of
their services while reducing the knock-on effect of misplaced services in the wrong zone.
C4R is also very beneficial in that it allows all partners to be involved in the modelling
process early on. As all partners can work on the same model it does mean that they are
aware of what is going on in other teams even if they are located at different offices or in