University of Melbourne

In response to the changing landscape and demands for services, the University set out a 10-year investment plan, consisting of a major capital works pipeline of $2b and maintenance works of $1b.

Part of this investment was the new Arts West building, which was completed in 2016. The Shared Services Team – the department within the University responsible for the property and resource operations – was asked to seek out the return on investment in key assets within the overall investment plan.

The University appointed BIM Academy to review how BIM was used in the Arts West building and present findings that could influence information management and future builds.

The review looked at the University’s current asset maintenance and space management software and processes, with a requirement of providing analysis on where the wins and losses existed within the contexts of design and construction, as well as the critical initial planning and handover stages.

The Arts West final review report illustrated how project outcomes can be maximised by improving management processes and having greater clarity of the Shared Services Team’s organisational information requirements. It also highlighted that a holistic approach to the management of BIM processes and deliverables can be adapted for smaller scale projects as well as methods for capturing existing assets.

This project has triggered a larger investment into how BIM can support all of the University’s processes and set a course for digital transformation.