Integration from BIM to build

Natasha Coutts, Associate and BIM Manager at Aros Architects, discusses BIM and innovation driving efficient, futureproof design.

I’m an Associate & BIM Manager at Aros Architects. My role mainly involves leading projects from planning through the delivery stages. I spend my day working closely with clients, guiding the design team and making sure projects run smoothly while providing guidance and support to anyone who needs it.

How important is it for architects to work with manufacturers to develop solutions?

Architects are becoming increasingly responsible for the regulatory compliance of products. I believe early collaboration with manufacturers is essential to enable designers to ensure that ambitious design concepts can be built without compromising quality or safety. Early dialogue enables designers to push (yet remain within) the boundaries of test data but also avoids proposing things that later prove too expensive or impractical. 

How does scale impact specification and buildability?

Scale is a big factor in shaping the specifications in our projects. I think occasionally our specifications are driven by supply chain availability rather than design preference – we have found in the past that some of our projects are too complex for large-scale prefabricated component production to be economical. Sometimes, the project is just not quite big enough to hit the economies of scale required for modular construction. We have to be flexible and our specifications often have to change to suit; not only depending on the scale of the project but also its size and complexity.

Where do you see product innovation having the biggest impact?

I think labour shortages, along with tight construction programmes, will push demand for more factory-made solutions and increase the demand for automated construction. We have previously looked at robotic bricklaying to overcome complex masonry installations where we have repetition and the need for consistency has been a priority. 

I’m also passionate about the circular economy and the reuse of materials. Though on the one hand, regulation means that many materials generally cannot be reused to meet test data, there are plenty of applications where materials can be disassembled and reused. We are seeing this more and more with structural steel and interior finishes, but I’m looking forward to seeing it grow to other areas of construction as well via the use of material passports and digital tagging. While we must stay compliant with legislation and regulation, it is also important to reduce waste where we can and lower lifecycle costs. 

As BIM lead for our practice, I’m particularly interested in the rise of digital integration of products – products are no longer just physical; they come with digital twins and real-time performance data. I have increasingly started to think that manufacturers who do not provide BIM-ready products will ultimately fall behind. It is critical to us as a practice to provide seamless design-to-construction workflows, better for the contactor to have better quality control, as well as beneficial to the client in having easier long-term asset management. It is also vital to have an accurate digital record of the design, construction, the materials used, and maintenance decisions taken to maintain the Golden Thread.

How do you manage quality control, from manufacturing to onsite?

I think that’s an interesting question. There is a link between economies of scale and the complexity of modular construction being financially viable as a business in the UK. We have found on previous projects that modular construction at ‘medium’ scale was simply not financially viable for many manufacturers. I have since learnt that not only can the cost of labour and the initial set-up cost be prohibitive on this scale, but also limitations in transport infrastructure can affect the delivery and viability of modular construction. Instead, we find ourselves encouraging manufacturers to provide more, smaller scale modular techniques instead, which not only help us manage quality control but also address skills shortages on sites.

What impact are recent changes to Building Regulations having on how you design projects?

For more complex or high-rise projects, I think early collaboration with fire engineers and façade specialists from as early as concept stage is essential in order to satisfy Building Safety Gateways, fire safety reviews and ensure material compliance. 

I think the introduction of the BSA has shifted our design methodology to an increased focus on ensuring that material selection, façade systems, staircases, escape routes, sprinklers and compartmentation have been considered at the very early stages. We have also recently noticed that some local authorities are putting an increased emphasis on both the accessibility and quality of the built environment and the services they provide.