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Background: Successful digitalisation calls for a
new culture and other skills – p. 8
Interview: From investment in pizzas to
digital construction – p. 14
Build 4.0: Construction is facing a
digital revolution – p. 22
Molio Magazine
Theme
Digital transformationin construction
2
”Our hope and vision are that from now on the bar will be set higher for collaboration and innovation, and that together we will use digitalisation and data in both the technical and social context as a significant foundation for digital transformation.”Jørn Vibe Andreasen, Managing Director, Molio
3
Contents
Colophon
Issued by Molio
1st edition 2018
Editorial: Seismonaut and Molio
Text and proofing: Coma Stories
Graphic design and layout: OddFischlein
Printing: Stibo
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8
14
17
18
21
22
30
34
39
Relationships are a common waymarker for construction in the future
#1 Digital trends
Successful digitalisation calls for a new culture and other skills
From investment in pizzas to digital construction
#2 Digital trends
We can’t do everything ourselves
#3 Digital trends
Construction is facing a digital revolution
We save plenty of money by building digitally
Digitalisation takes courage, investment and solid strategic planning
#4 Digital trends
Molio Magazine 2018
4
Relationships are a common waymarker for construction in the future
Welcome to Molio’s magazine about digitalisation in the construction industry
Digitalisation in the construction in-
dustry has a major impact on every-
one in the industry. To examine how
businesses relate to and approach
digital development, Molio has com-
missioned a digital barometer. This
gives a current snapshot of what the
industry itself sees as challenges,
drivers and barriers to achieving full
use of digitalisation.
The future of construction depends on openness, dialogue
and collaboration throughout the value chain, with the
emphasis of the digital agenda shifting from data, software
and tools to organisation, client needs and communication.
Molio Magazine 2018
Photo: Molio
Jørn Vibe Andreasen, Managing Director, Molio
We repeatedly hear from companies
that we need to collaborate to drive
development. And collaboration is one
of the six keywords that characterises
the direction in which Molio wants to
see the construction industry move,
i.e. greater openness, dialogue and
collaboration as well as understand-
ing, acceptance and respect for each
other throughout the value chain.
5
Molio Magazine 2018
What is the Molio - Construction Information Centre?
Molio – Construction Information Centre was established in spring 2016 by the
merger of bips and Byggecentrum. Molio is an independent, non-profit organi-
sation and is independent of private interests. Molio has a wide circle of clients
and networks in the industry which covers the entire value chain in construc-
tion: clients and operators, architects and engineers, consultants, contractors
and suppliers. This constellation gives us the ability to work on creating a con-
nection between products and tools across all parties and processes involved
in construction. Molio’s main purpose is to contribute to increasing the compet-
itiveness of companies within building, civil engineering and operation for the
benefit of both businesses and communities. This is done by providing products
and tools that promote development, digitalisation and efficiency. Molio’s prod-
ucts and services are developed and supplied in correlation with market condi-
tions, while operational profits are used to fund development.
Throughout this development, which
Molio aims to be an active part of, it
is essential for all industry parties to
have a common mindset, which, be-
yond an overall customer focus, also
focuses intently on the surroundings,
i.e. the ever-changing relationships
with collaborators throughout the en-
tire value chain.
The clients and relationships are thus
the waymarkers for considering how
best to contribute to openness, dia-
logue and collaboration as well as un-
derstanding, acceptance and respect
for the whole industry.
Digitalisation is an important tool to
ease collaboration, but digitalisation
must be considered along with all the
other elements if it is to be of value.
The construction industry’s digitali-
sation agenda has traditionally had
an 80 % focus on IT technology in the
form of data, structure, software and
tools and only 20 % focus on the so-
cial part in the form of organisation,
people, management, skills, client
needs, communication and dialogue.
For digitalisation to run smoothly, we
want from now on to contribute to
development in which the focus is 20
% technical and 80 % social. Or put in
another way: our aim is still for data,
structure, tools etc. to be improved
and developed for the benefit of the
industry, but it must be based on in-
teraction with and respect for several
other parties. For only in close cooper-
ation with everyone else – not only all
parties in the value chain, but also new
partners outside our own industry –
can we achieve the required progress.
Here Molio can and will contribute
something special, as we are present
throughout the value chain from when
a building is born until it is demolished
or starts again through renovation.
This enables us to help create dia-
logue and networks across the whole
industry, so that we and others can
bridge the gap and be catalysts for
parties in the construction industry to
want to cross over to the other side
of the stream and seek out possibili-
ties for innovation and development.
Real innovation can only be created by
being open to new collaborations and
dialogue, a development everyone in
the industry is responsible for.
6
What does Molio do?
Molio offers tools and services, can make data
handling in construction more effective – i.e. data
structures, standards, data and knowledge man-
agement throughout the construction value chain.
Molio has strong competencies within digitalisa-
tion, product development, learning, communica-
tion, sales and marketing, development and user
involvement.
Our hope and vision are that from now
on the bar will be set for collaboration
and innovation, and that together we
will use digitalisation and data in both
the technical and social context as a
significant foundation for this trans-
formation. We would like to contribute
with the many good stories about dig-
italisation in the construction industry
as part of helping the industry achieve
the required development. Therefore,
it is our desire with this publication to
inspire you to search out new ways, be
curious and collaborate in new ways
with new parties.
Enjoy your reading.
Jørn Vibe Andreasen,
Managing Director, Molio
The temperature of digital constructionA questionnaire to 801 people across all parts of the construction industry shows that:
97 %find that there is dividend to
be gained by digitalisation
59 % think that increased qual-
ity and fewer errors are
the greatest benefits of
digitalisation
45 %think that the greatest chal-
lenge for digitalisation in
construction is the lack of a
digital culture
Source: Digital Barometer. Download the study from molio.dk/kampagner/digitalt-barometer, Molio (2018)
Molio Magazine 2018
7
Digital TwinsIoT is not just popular in the construc-
tion phase, but also when the building
is completed. With a sufficient volume
and quality of data, buildings can be
made so smart that they almost think
for themselves. Smart Homes that
connects all the wireless units in the
home is a growing field, and one off-
shoot is the so-called Digital Twins.
A Digital Twin is a copy of, for exam-
ple, a house or car that collects the
various information from IoT units.
IBM Research speaks about Cognitive
Digital Twins which unites various IoT
data in a Digital Twin to help showing
the way in a building, give guidance
on loading and provide information on
the temperature etc.
Read more: bit.ly/digitaltwins
IoTInternet of Things (IoT) has gained more and more ground in
construction. The many mobile units make buildings more in-
telligent both during the construction process and after com-
pletion. IoT gives ability to get a real instant snapshot of the
status of the building, which it has previously been difficult to
create. Wireless sensors in various units such as drilling rigs,
services and trucks allow real time data from the process to
be collected. This optimises the construction process which
can be managed by facts instead of suppositions. An example
of an IoT unit is the Solar company’s Panoramic Power sensor.
The unit is clipped around a cable and can monitor and ana-
lyse the energy consumption of individual machines during
the construction process.
Read more here: bit.ly/IoTibyggeriet
#1
Digital trends
Photo: Solar
© Leica Geosystems
Molio Magazine 2018
8
Successful digitalisation calls for a new culture and other skills
The construction industry has traditionally been based on a
physical, rational thought process, which can make it difficult
to see the perspective of digital business opportunities. But to
survive as a company in construction, it is necessary to bring
forth a new culture, in which the rational functions side by side
with experiments, mistakes and inspiration from unexpected
sources. This calls for not only a new thought process, but also
other skills than previously.
There was a time when digitalisation
meant automating processes, do-
ing away with some paperwork and
throwing out some ring binders. But
we are now in the middle of a digital
transformation which no longer only
means streamlining processes, but
also using digitalisation strategically
to both develop existing business and
see new business opportunities.
”This is a notable shift. Not only in
the way companies must work with
the digital agenda, but also in the way
in which they manage and organise
themselves. The shift from digitalisa-
tion to digital transformation means
the organisation needs new visions,
new forms of organisation, transverse
cooperative relationships and new
competencies at largely
all levels in the organisation. In other
words, it calls for changes of a much
more transformative nature than be-
fore, in both culture and competen-
cies,” says Pernille Kræmmergaard.
She is a former IT professor at Aalborg
University and now Director of the
Digitalisation Institute, which helps
companies to develop competencies
within digital transformation.
The massive need for change is not
least because the new digital possi-
bilities are not linear as digital devel-
opment occurs exponentially; i.e. at
great speed and leading to constant
changes that challenge the tradition-
al culture in construction, which has
been used to rational and analogue
thinking.
”We are in the middle of a digital transformation, which depends on using digitalisation strategically,” says Pernille Kræmmergaard, Director of the Digitalisation Institute.
Photo: PR
Molio Magazine 2018
9
”Today the majority of the develop-
ment in construction goes from A to B,
but survival now calls for trying things
out to see if they are the right way to
proceed. There is still a need for the
engineering brains in construction,
and for things to be systematised, but
there is also a need for the company
to have a core that is geared for ex-
ponential development; i.e. a culture
that can contain experiments running
concurrently with the linear process-
es, so that an experimental layer is
brought in where relevant,” explains
Preben Mejer, IT expert and Director
of the Digital Knowledge Centre, Radr.
Create innovative pockets within the companyOne of the people who is at the inter-
face of the challenge between provid-
ing faultless physical products, while
at the same time mastering the blis-
tering rate of digital development and
pressing need for new competencies is
Martin Manthorpe. He is the Director
of Business Development and Strategy
at NCC, who last year launched the
virtual market place Loop Rocks. This
brings sellers and buyers together by
matching offerings and demand with-
in building materials such as soil, sand
and gravel. If you have a pile of surplus
excavated material, you can offer it for
sale on Loop Rocks which works like
Exchange & Mart. That sort of trading
has gone on for a long time, but the
new feature is that it is a digital plat-
form that skips intermediate layers,
including NCC itself. The technology is
used to make circular movements of
materials, so that the stocks of soil,
sand and gravel are moved as few
times as possible.
”The idea came from our internal busi-
ness development unit on the tail of a
major analysis of how our involvement
in sustainability could go hand-in-hand
with our targeted commitment to digi-
tal transformation in the construction
Photo: NCC
”One of our most significant tasks will be to turn the construction industry into an exciting place for young people and the next generation of digital talent. If the clever, digital skills only perceive a career with Amazon and Microsoft, it will be difficult in construction.”Martin Manthorpe, direktør for forretningsudvikling og strategi, NCC
Molio Magazine 2018
10
industry. And it is a good example
of how we focus clearly on provid-
ing physical products of high quali-
ty, while at the same time we create
innovative pockets both inside and
outside the company where new busi-
ness opportunities arise,” explains
Martin Manthorpe.
He believes that one of the recipes
for digital success in the construction
industry depends on creating these
experimental zones and daring to
move the implementation culture out
of the company – both purely phys-
ically, but also by engaging with the
surroundings in your own business
development, in terms of both culture
and competencies.
”Because the industry mindset is so
physically and traditionally analogue,
it is often difficult to see the perspec-
tives of digital business opportunities.
But if you try out ideas with networks
and partners from both the industry
and the rest of the community, and
link them to your operating organisa-
tion with respect for core tasks, then
you are well on the way to not only
bringing digitalisation into existing
business processes, but also to dis-
covering new business opportunities,”
he says.
It does, however, require full scale
experiments, where you experiment
1:1 and set activities in motion, try
out, learn and adjust – and engage in
ongoing dialogue with the market and
discussing the results with clients,
suppliers, politicians etc.
”It’s no use sitting behind a desk and
designing the world in a PowerPoint –
nothing comes of that. On the other
hand, it is entirely essential to cre-
ate new thoughts, ideas and profes-
sionalism in the company and bring
them out into the world, so that they
do not end up gathering dust in the
basement or on the computer,” says
Martin Manthorpe
Billedtekst
Photo: NCC / Loop
NCC’s new app, Loop Rocks, is a virtual market place for circular movements of building materials such as stone and soil.
Molio Magazine 2018
11
Prioritise digital-
isation efforts
Create commitment
to digitalisation in
top management
Create an overview
of the data basis
the background
Understand digitalisa-
tion. Appoint people
who understand the
development
Four steps to digital transformationInternally prioritising development
of digitalisation is one part of the
four-step rocket which Preben Mejer
sees as a workable model for suc-
ceeding with digital transformation in
construction.
Besides prioritising digitalisation ef-
forts, which means not just hiding
digital people away in the broom cup-
board, but pushing them and their ide-
as forward in the company, the four-
stage rocket consists of commitment
by top management, an overview of
the background data, and an under-
standing of what digitalisation actually
means.
Addressing the last issue first, this re-
quires a company culture that is geared
to digital transformation, and having
an organisation, which not only under-
stands digital, but also to a certain
extent was born with digital natives.
You also need people who understand
the development, and who are not
afraid to experiment, as you need to
test out the possibilities and not be
scared off by uncharted territory or
something that is incomplete. This also
involves accepting the need to make
mistakes to succeed.
”Tolerating mistakes is quite crucial
and if you are brave, you can cre-
ate a disruption unit that can rethink
everything,” says Preben Mejer.
At the same time, digitalisation won’t
get off the starting block if there is no
control over the data needed for digi-
talisation to occur. This requires a cul-
ture of respect for data being record-
ed accurately, in the right places and
being available, with a clear knowledge
of which external data is missing to al-
low success.
1 2
34
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
”So you need a culture, which has the
will to experiment on a solid basis,
both in terms of data and the compa-
ny. Of course, you cannot close down
the company because of experiments,
but on the other hand the compa-
ny will die if it does not experiment,”
claims Preben Mejer.
As the fourth and last step, he high-
lights commitment by top manage-
ment as crucial for digital transfor-
mation. This means that all digital
experiments and designs occur with
reference to top management, and
that top management creates a culture
in which managers can both hold moti-
vational speeches and be role models,
but also ensure that other things are
not just prioritised on an ongoing ba-
sis every time something new comes
up. On the contrary, the digital strate-
gy needs to be maintained, which also
requires commitment of money to the
development.
Molio Magazine 2018
12
”Top management must define a clear
mission for the project, but also invest
financially, not least because there
is money to be made from digitalisa-
tion,” says Preben Mejer with refer-
ence to an analysis carried out by MIT
Sloan under Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT) which compared
391 large companies from all over the
world. The analysis showed a notable
difference between companies that
worked intensively to digitalise opera-
tions and customer contact and those
that did not.
”The digitally driven companies were
5-6 % more stable in their bottom
line year on year in comparison with
companies that were not data driv-
en,” he says and stresses that invest-
ment should never be a barrier to
digitalisation.
”That is a very old-fashioned attitude,
because the flip side of investment
is a massive gain in productivity. And
those who do not understand that will
be driven out of the market because
they cannot compete if they just carry
on as before – so that will sort itself
out if you don’t do it yourself,” states
Preben Mejer.
Have adaptable visionsA part of the willingness to invest in
digital development also means hav-
ing a vision for the company that is
far more adaptable than it is tradi-
tional – and using money to ensure
you have the right skills.
”Technologies develop quickly, and
some remarkable changes take place,
so we have to move away from ’as
usual’ towards an inquisitive and ex-
ploratory culture. And for most, that
means not waiting until they face a
burning platform, because by then
it is already too late. Rather, it de-
pends on both respecting and be-
ing solidly grounded in what is, but
also accepting being in beta mode in
other areas. A bit like when we look
at software, where we are used to
the solutions not being finalised when
we start using it. For example, there
are always new updates to MobilePay
and LinkedIn. A beta mode is impor-
tant when entering the market, and
also something I believe we will come
to see a greater acceptance of in
other industries,” foresees Pernille
Kræmmergaard.
This vision requires a new reality that
operates with both long and short-
term perspectives: the long per-
spective consists of looking at your
business and considering how the
industry will look in 5-10 years based
on today’s knowledge. The short
perspective deals with the initiatives
that can produce gains in the near fu-
ture, so that you are not just experi-
menting with the overall aim, but also
moving the market and customers
here and now.
Photo: PR
Molio Magazine 2018
13
”Tolerating mistakes is quite crucial, and if you are brave, you can create a disruption unit that can rethink everything.” Preben Mejer, IT expert and Director of the Digital Knowledge Centre, Radr
Both parts are adaptable – the long
perspective due to the speed of the
technological development, which
means things will happen in 5-10
years that we cannot conceive of yet.
And the short, as we must be able to
find our way forwards and be in beta
mode.
”This requires a change in mindset
for many people. Not least because
most people are cautious about pro-
ceeding with something that is not
100 % completed? The answer is yes:
for two reasons. Firstly, to get quick
feedback on the product from the
market and secondly to avoid waiting
too long. The time when everything
good came to those who waited, is
over,” says Pernille Kræmmergaard.
This interaction will also greatly in-
fluence the competencies needed to
both develop the existing business and
create new business opportunities.
”The key to success is training the
colleagues you have because there’s
nothing wrong with them. They are
absolutely crucial to be able to retain
the critical focus on the core busi-
ness, but need to learn to work in
new ways and with other professions
– and in addition you need to add the
missing skills, which are often need-
ed to fill the gaps in the experimental
layer,” says Preben Mejer.
A significant part of recruitment cov-
ers looking at the places where e.g.
the crucial IT competencies are to be
found, and thereby to be able to at-
tract talents, which may come from
somewhere entirely separate from
construction.
”One of our most significant tasks
will be to turn the construction indus-
try into an exciting place for young
people and the future generations
of digital talents. If the clever and
digitally skilled only aim for a career
in Amazon and Microsoft, it will be
difficult for the construction indus-
try,” states Martin Manthorpe.
The task and challenge for the indus-
try thus become to show digital tal-
ents that there is exciting work to be
done in a world which of course pro-
duces physical bridges, tunnels and
buildings, but where digitalisation
already makes remarkable changes in
both the physical buildings, things the
building is later fitted with, and what
we ourselves bring into them, and
thereby the way we live.
Molio Magazine 2018
14
From investment in pizzas to digital construction
MOLIO MAGSIN 2018 - START-UP/INVESTOR
The digital startup, the Geniebelt project management tool, has
achieved great success within the construction industry by making
difficult processes easier using digital solutions. Founder Klaus
Nyengaard, who made Just Eat grow from 40 to 1,000 employees,
tells us why he has invested in digital construction with Geniebelt.
When Klaus Nyengaard got the idea
for Geniebelt five years ago, he had
no professional experience within the
construction industry. He spotted a
gap in the market when he was in-
volved in a construction project in a
private context and lacked a manage-
ment tool that could make the con-
struction process more transparent.
“I had been involved in a modernisa-
tion project on a small farm and was
about to build a larger farm.
But I had a poor experience of the
building process from the old project.
It was not clear what was happening
and when,” he says.
Klaus Nyengaard therefore set out
to develop the tool that he felt was
missing: a tool that collects all infor-
mation on one screen and provides
an overview of all steps in the build-
ing process. This aimed to remove
his aversion for the first hour of each
site meeting being used to discuss
the progress of the different parts of
the project.
The industry is readyAccording to Klaus Nyengaard, con-
struction is only now ripe for digital-
isation. On the other hand, the com-
mon perception that the industry is
too conservative and ‘heavy’ to be
digitised is no longer valid, he thinks.
On the contrary, there are masses of
people in construction who welcome
the digital measures.
Photo: Geniebelt
Molio Magazine 2018
According to Klaus Nyengaard from Geniebelt, only now is construction ripe for digitalisation.
15
“Smartphones, cloud technology and
consumerisation have gained ground
everywhere. That wasn’t the case
just five years ago. All tradesmen use
their telephone on site today, the old-
er generation has been brought up
to speed by their grandchildren and
therefore knows how it works. And
people use apps to trade as an entire-
ly natural part of their private life,” he
explains.
How the smartphone has gained
ground in the private sphere was part
of Nyengaard’s analysis of why the
construction industry is now ready to
use digital project management tools
actively. To develop a successful tool
of that kind, it was important for the
tool to be useable by everyone, and
not too complicated.
“Many of the solutions available
prior to Geniebelt were American.
Theoretically, they were really good,
but they were impractical. They
were made by engineers, for engi-
neers, and were difficult to under-
stand by the rest of the people at
the construction site,” says Klaus
Nyengaard.
The greatest challenge is no longer to
get people to use digital tools. It has,
on the other hand, been to create an
understanding of how to build up a
software platform that can be used,
not only across disciplines, compa-
nies and organisations, but also by
people who are spread over a large
geographic area. It has been crucial
to restrict content and discussions,
so that individual users are not over-
loaded with information and only see
what is relevant. You almost get the
impression of solutions for ordering
pizza or communication by mail when
Nyengaard describes the importance
of keeping the tool simple.
“We take care of the ‘slicing and dic-
ing’ so that people are only included
in the relevant discussions and con-
texts,” explains Klaus Nyengaard, who
has seen a great potential in simplify-
ing the difficult processes in construc-
tion with simple, digital solutions.
According to Nyengaard, Geniebelt
”Smartphones, cloud technology and consumerisation have gained ground everywhere. That wasn’t the case just five years ago. All tradesmen use their telephone on site today, the older generation has been brought up to speed by their grandchildren and knows how it works.”Klaus Nyengaard,
Investor and serial entrepreneur
has made it possible to develop a suc-
cessful digital product for construc-
tion because of good timing, a good
team and an unusually long develop-
ment process. With his four partners,
he has developed, coded, and gen-
erated ideas for the digital platform,
which also involved coaching both
Danish and international customers.
Klaus Nyengaard
• Born 1970
• Trained economist from Aarhus
University
• Now invests in startups
2008-2013
Managing Director of Just Eat
2005-2008
VP Digital Media, JP/Politikens Hus
(Danish media)
2002-2005
Managing Director of Infomedia
Molio Magazine 2018
16
Timing, time and teamBut intuitive products are one thing
– it is another thing to prove the real
value of digitalisation. For while many
talk up digital construction as the
solution to building both more effi-
ciently and cheaper, it is a major chal-
lenge to prove the real value of digital
construction management.
No two building projects are identical,
and therefore it is difficult to meas-
ure the effectiveness of one project,
compared with another. Even so, the
Danish Building Research Institute
tried in 2017 to measure the value of
transferring to digital IT tools with-
in construction. In connection with
the construction of the Mærsk tower
and other buildings in Copenhagen,
in which the Geniebelt project
management program was used, real
financial benefits of digital construc-
tion were shown. The study shows
that digital tools can save up to 7 % of
the contract sum during the building
process. By comparison, the normal
main contractor’s productivity rate is
3 % after tax, indicating that digital
project management tools can pro-
vide the client with a better deal.
That the Danish Building Research
Institute has reached these positive
figures helps to show that Nyengaard
is on target with his mission to im-
prove the efficiency in the building
process.
“Previously it could be extremely
stressful to be a construction manag-
er. They did not even have an
According to Klaus Nyengaard, it is no longer a problem getting people to use digital tools in construction. Both young tradesmen and 60-year old construction managers get their smartphones out on site. Instead the greatest challenge has been to build a software platform that is relevant to all stages in construction regardless of geographic location – and that is easy to use.
overview of the problems. But now
they do. And now, at least they know
what they don’t know,” he says.
By attempting to create more trans-
parency, greater ability to document
and a better overview, Nyengaard
thinks that construction with digital
aids such as Geniebelt is going in a
more efficient direction. This maybe
means that in future it will be possible
to cut out the first hour of site meet-
ings, which was Nyengaard’s driver
when he decided to invest digitally in
the construction industry, but also to
make large financial gains from the
digital tools.
Photo: Geniebelt
Molio Magazine 2018
17
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI-powered design and planning are techniques which a few Danish contracting companies have been trying out in
recent years. The American planning tool ALICE (Artificial Intelligence Construction Engineering) uses artificial intelli-
gence to create 4D-models from 3D-models. Rather than manually investigate the advantages and disadvantages of
a few selected ways to organise the construction, a computer can learn what provides the best payoff in relation to
materials, time and dependencies between phases. According to the company itself, ALICE can save building projects
both time and costs of up to 33 %.
Read more about AI and ALICE: bit.ly/AIAlice
Photo: Pexels
#2
Digital trends
Molio Magazine 2018
18
For centuries, wholesalers with their
local depots around the country have
been the lifeline for builders when
they are short of a board, machine or
nail. But today, the trend is for con-
struction to be quicker, construction
processes more extensive, and digi-
talisation means that tradesmen no
longer depend on physical shops but
can go directly to the producer – which
puts new demands on wholesalers.
In that context, the former wholesale
company Solar has shifted its strategy.
They now call themselves a sourcing
and service company and have a rec-
ipe for turning a poor outlook into a
positive development: i.e. by doing the
opposite of what they used to.
”It is no longer about maintaining our
monopoly, but liberating the poten-
tial of new types of collaboration,
because that is what the customers
need – and because it is the only way
to ensure our own survival long term,”
says Hugo Dorph, Commercial Director
of Solar.
Collaboration is necessaryEven though Solar has developed
digital solutions since the 1980’s,
it has taken a more extensive stra-
tegic alteration to be able to stand
where the company is today. Three
years ago, the company shifted its
focus from internal processes to be-
ing based on the customer’s needs
and experiences. They no longer have
small, local warehouses round the
country, but instead a central 45,000
m² depot in Vejen and have gone from
being a traditional wholesale compa-
ny that sells products, to providing a
broader palette of services.
In that connection, Hugo Dorph, who
came from the IT industry, was ap-
pointed commercial director and
presented a new direction that re-
quired collaboration, even with its
competitors.
“When I joined Solar three years ago,
I found a company that had gone a
long way with digital trading and had
invested in international
systems. It was a strong foundation,
but what was missing was both see-
ing the customer’s experiences, and
the realisation that we should not do
it alone, but with others. Our IT de-
partment is good at many things, but
not at creating the user-friendly solu-
tions and new technologies that are
needed. We needed collaborators to
achieve that,” he explains.
For Dorph, the essential point in this
necessary transformation for whole-
salers is being willing to see your own
limitations, and to collaborate and
make investments outside the core
business. That is why Solar is collabo-
rating with the companies Minuba and
Geniebelt to be able to offer digital
products to tradesmen, which both
support productivity and save time.
Minuba uses a cloud solution to
manage operations and plan small-
er building projects by creating an
overview of the distribution of tasks,
recording material consumption and
hours on the individual solutions.
Digitalisation and e-commerce threaten the classic wholesaler’s place
in the market, and to stay in business, they therefore need to rethink
their business. Building company Solar has turned the development
to their advantage by entering into new and different types of
collaboration, even with their competitors.
We can’t do everything
Molio Magazine 2018
19
“Instead of having post-its and notes
on their dashboard, the tradesmen
have Minuba. That doesn’t get lost an-
ywhere and is transparent for every-
one involved,” says Hugo Dorph.
Geniebelt is a digital project manage-
ment tool that is used on major build-
ing projects. Solar, with the director of
Just Eat and now also Geniebelt, Klaus
Nyengaard, has invested about two
million euros in the project. This large
investment will make the construction
phase of the building project easi-
er and more transparent by plugging
Geniebelt into the larger digital BIM
(Building Information Modelling) mod-
el to give the construction manager a
quick and clear overview of the differ-
ent steps and challenges in the build-
ing process.
Solar has also collaborated with Tryg
(ed. Insurance company) and togeth-
er invested in HomeBob, an app for
homeowners to support the smart
home approach and functions as a kind
of personal assistant for homeowners.
The app collects important informa-
tion about the home and makes it
easy to share information with, for ex-
ample, tradesmen.
Fremtidens grossisterSolar’s mission is to minimise wasted
time and thereby promote productivi-
ty for their clients. The method makes
clever use of smartphones and cloud
based solutions on site.
“The mobile revolution means that the
tradesman is now carrying a smart-
phone, which can be used to plan
and work with in an entirely different
way than before. This threatens the
classic wholesaler’s way of making
money, but also opens plenty of new
possibilities.
We must embrace this new, digital
information that can be created and,
for example, use it to predict wheth-
er the tradesmen still need what they
ordered a weeks ago. That allows us
to provide some new services and add
great value,” says Hugo Dorph, who
stresses that the new digital services
in construction must be as easy to use
as any other app.
“In their private life, our customers
are used to services like online gro-
cery shopping, which gives expec-
tations of how easy it can be done.
They bring these experiences with
them to work. We need to follow suit
and make our internal systems easier
to use.”
According to Dorph, the modern
wholesaler’s most pressing task today
is to ensure that individual disciplines
use time on applying their key com-
petencies instead of wasting time on
other tasks due to poor planning.
“Digitalisation is about becoming
more productive, to achieve more
in the same hours. For example, it
makes no sense for an electrician
to drive around fetching goods, he
has forgotten – that’s far too expen-
sive,” says Dorph as an example. He
also points out that the future offers
Hugo Dorph was appointed Commercial Director of Solar in
2016 and has played a crucial role on Solar’s journey from a classic wholesale company to a digital sourcing and service
company. He reckons that the recipe for growing strong in
digital development is to make more, new interdisciplinary
collaborations, even with competitors and outside your
own core areas
Photo: Solar
Molio Magazine 2018
20
a record number of building projects,
which must be executed quickly, and
that wholesalers must make this pro-
cess more flexible, efficient and free
from errors. Solar will, for example,
come up with a way to monitor a van
to get an overview of the tradesmen’s
materials and provide stock as soon
as the system registers that it is run-
ning low.
Go against intuitionTo collaborate with the
competitor that you previ-
ously guarded against re-
quires both courage and
a different mindset. But it
also requires you to believe
that the potential is in the
quality of the total service
provided, not just the sale
of your own product.
“This requires going
against your intuition as a
wholesaler, as you sudden-
ly are not just selling your
own goods, but also buy-
ing others’. This is done to
avoid restricting neither
yourself, nor the client,”
explains Hugo Dorph, as an
example of the shift from
thinking not as a wholesale
company, but as a mod-
ern sourcing and service
company.
This business model can seem illogi-
cal to a traditional wholesaler, but to
achieve success in the prevailing dig-
italisation within construction, you
must base it on the customer’s per-
spective, as this will strengthen the
company indirectly.
“You have to create an easy way for
the customer. Later, you can offer
something more complex,” says Hugo
Dorph, who considers
that only now is the market ripe for
total digital transformation, partly
because the introduction of BIM has
helped bring out the value of digital
construction, which otherwise has
previously been impossible for many
to assess.
Despite the potential, there are still
many in construction generally and in
the wholesale sector specifically, who
still do not apply the latest technol-
ogy and new forms of collaboration.
According to Dorph, this is because all
disciplines tend to close themselves
off, which is a barrier to creating
growth – to survive as a wholesaler,
management must take digitalisation
seriously and work with it.
”All of a sudden, it’s not about which link you are in the process, or whether you are large or small. It will be all about how digitally you work, and whether you are willing to collaborate.”Hugo Dorph, Commercial Director, Solar
“It starts in the boardroom, where
the management must have the nec-
essary mindset; i.e. be able to both
see the productivity potential and
strategic elements of working digi-
tally and in new forms of collabora-
tion. Digitalisation must be in the top
three of the company’s strengths.
Otherwise you will face challenges.”
According to Dorph, the
inevitable inroads of dig-
ital construction into the
established construction
industry means that the
power balance will be
shifted from its current
status.
He thinks that digitally
oriented companies will
survive, while the rest
will lag behind.
“All of a sudden, it’s not
about which link you
are in the process, or
whether you are large
or small. It will be all
about how digitally you
work, and how wheth-
er you are willing to
collaborate”.
The greatest problem
will arise if you withdraw
and try to keep both
customers and subcon-
tractors at a distance to optimise
your own processes. In the future,
close collaboration will increase. New
players will join in, introducing modu-
lar buildings and robotic production,
creating some powerful constella-
tions. We must continuously enhance
what we do by understanding what
the client does. Then we must chal-
lenge this and show how they can
save time and money with our help,”
ends Dorph.
Molio Magazine 2018
21
Augmented reality (AR)AR adds an extra dimension to reality.
With AR, you can see the existing sur-
roundings and planned construction mod-
el at the same time. Microsoft HoloLens is
an example of an AR headset that creates
an expanded image of reality by project-
ing holograms onto the real world. You
can walk round wearing the headset on
an empty construction site, and simulta-
neously experience the finished building.
Contracting firm Aarsleff use AR if, for
example, they want to see the rein-
forcement before it is fixed. This allows
them to accommodate any defects and
corrections, before construction is im-
pacted, further affecting both cost and
scheduling.
Read more: bit.ly/ARhololensPhoto: © HoloLens
Virtual Reality (VR) How can you tailor-make a building to ensure
that it meets the end users’ needs? Architects
can make great use of VR for this. Using a VR
headset, nurses can experience a hospital be-
fore it is built, and researchers can give their
opinion of what a laboratory should contain,
before an extensive university building is initiat-
ed. With VR, you can create a realistic and easily
comprehensible image of how a building will
look before construction has started, and in-
clude non-construction professional end users
in the otherwise technical planning process.
Read more: bit.ly/VRibyggerietPhoto: Bim Equity
#3
Digital trends
Molio Magazine 2018
22
”I personally think that there is too much focus on details in standards and too little focus on the bigger picture; that is, on creating digital ambitions and visions for whole of construction. Where will the construction industry be in five years – and how many companies will have survived digital disruption?”Marianne Friis, Head of BIM Management, Arkitema Architects
Hothouse / Photo: Quinten Lake
Molio Magazine 2018
23
Within this industry, the fourth indus-
trial revolution is already under way,
and for the construction industry
there are at least 5,000 billion good
reasons to also use new technolo-
gy and digitalisation throughout the
life-cycle of the building.
Industry 4.0 builds on the first three
generations of industrial revolutions;
mechanisation, with the water mill
and steam engines; industrialisation,
which created the assembly line and
the factory, and lastly automation,
that gave us robots, computers, and
electronics.
We are now looking at the fourth in-
dustrial revolution, in which the dig-
ital world is integrated with physi-
cal production. Robots are not only
taking care of heavy industry, but
will take on more everyday tasks,
and digital tools such as 3D print-
ing, IoT and artificial intelligence will
have a marked impact on production
processes.
”The construction industry’s equiva-
lent to Industry 4.0 is called Build 4.0
and covers the use of new technology
and digitalisation in the construction
industry, which there is good reason
to embrace. In Denmark alone, 5,000
billion Danish kroner are tied up in
buildings, the industry is responsible
for 40 % of the community’s resource
usage. In addition, we are seeing a
lot of headlines concerning exceed-
ed budgets and programme over-
runs,” says Mette Glavind, Director
of Building & Services at The Danish
Technological Institute.
She points out several reasons why
Build 4.0 is an entirely necessary rev-
olution for the construction industry:
In the 2016 report “Winning the
Industry 4.0 Race”, prepared by The
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), more
than 80 % of the companies sur-
veyed, predict a reduction in costs
and increase in turnover of almost 75
% as a direct result of implementing
Industry 4.0 solutions. At the same
time, more than 50 % of the compa-
nies in the study expect that Industry
4.0 will create a need for more quali-
fied employees in the companies and
Construction is facing a digital revolution
From now on BIM will be one of the crucial collaboration tools in
the construction industry as the digital shift will not necessarily
come from legal requirements, but rather from unknown future
aspects. This means saying goodbye to old habits and hello to more
collaboration, dialogue and transparency.
lead to 30 % quicker and 25 % more
efficient production systems.
”If the construction and civil engineer-
ing sector manages to turn some of
the possibilities of Build 4.0 into new
business and improve the efficien-
cy of the existing, the figures from
Industry 4.0 are grounds for opti-
mism. The building and civil engineer-
ing sector has the potential, as is also
shown by the government’s “Strategy
for Denmark’s Digital Growth” from
January 2018. Here construction is
mentioned as an example in relation
to 3D printing, robots and digitalisa-
tion,” says Mette Glavind.
From 3D to 7DIn this crucial digital transformation,
BIM, which is an integrated method
for digitalising the construction pro-
cess, is an entirely crucial collabo-
ration tool, which will function as a
bridgehead into the even more digital
world that is waiting ahead.
”It is essential to have a tool, which
makes the various industry parties
capable of talking to each other and
Molio Magazine 2018
24
exchanging data. It is actually the
basic premise for Build 4.0 to be pos-
sible. Without tools to transfer data
and speak to each other about them,
robots and 3D printers are no help at
all,” says Mette Glavind.
Further BIM is a digital building mod-
el, in which various information about
different objects is assembled, with
more and more detail added as con-
struction progresses. For example,
each wall in a building will be assigned
a number, which makes it trackable
throughout the process. Information
on materials and surfaces can be add-
ed so that you know, for example,
that the walls are concrete and will
be clad with timber.Finally, proper-
ties can be added, making it possible
to calculate how much concrete, in-
sulation, and cladding the walls need
to meet e.g. lighting, sound and fire
requirements.
The BIM model consists of various
levels, of which the first, 3D, is a vir-
tual visualisation of the building that
is to be erected, including materials,
surfaces etc. 4D adds time to the 3D
model, to show how long the individ-
ual processes take – and thereby also
how long it takes to construct the en-
tire building. The 5D level adds a finan-
cial layer to the model, showing what
the individual components cost, 6D
adds sustainability, and finally 7D cov-
ers Facilities Management. Especially
on this the last level, which covers
the operation itself, it is crucial not to
cram some pipework which needs to
be readily accessible when the build-
ing is in use into the ceiling void, or
not buying the cheapest machine, if
it needs to have its motor replaced
every year, or it takes four operatives
to maintain.
BIM is also a working method Besides being a specific model, BIM is
also a working method, as the mod-
el is structured and can be used by
everyone throughout the lifetime of
the building from idea to demolition.
This provides essential opportuni-
ties for collaboration, dialogue, and
transparency.
”The model makes all parties in the
process more aware of what the oth-
ers need for the entire project to suc-
ceed, and it creates transparency and
value that everything which has been
tucked away in drawers is now shared
with others. However, it does require
that everyone involved recognises
BIM is also collaboration, and for Arkitema Architects, collaboration is in the driving seat when the architecture is being developed.
Photo: Arkitema Architects
Molio Magazine 2018
25
the value of collaboration, knowledge
sharing and working in new ways,”
says Marianne Friis, chairman of BIM
Aarhus and Head of BIM Management
at Arkitema Architects, a company
that uses BIM from the first sketch to
handover of the building.
She points out at least two reasons
as to why BIM is a bridge to the digital
future, which hasn’t really hit
construction yet: a changing world
and new requirements for the compa-
nies within the industry.
”For the past 10 years, we have
worked with 3D because it has been a
legal requirement, but now digital
development is such a great part of
both the present and especially the
future as change is coming from out-
side, not necessarily only from legal
requirements. In addition, everyone in
the industry is facing a need to deliv-
er more at the same cost, including
various models and quick updating,
which means that you cannot manage
without 3D solutions as a minimum,”
she says.
At Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers
they have used 3D modelling for a long
time, but are also already looking into
the 6D and 7D models of the future.
3D modelling gives BIM a common
basis, which is very valuable because
it qualifies and optimises the work
processes and thereby the finished
construction.
The digital system makes it easier to
coordinate and thereby optimise the
various processes, and enable data
processing, which, for example, en-
sures that ventilation ducts are de-
signed correctly, and not least it uses
both the financial, technical, and hu-
man advantages of building virtually
before the first spade hits the soil.
”2D plans are very forgiving, because
it’s easy to draw something that’s
not possible to build, but when you
see it spatially, it’s suddenly clear
if something is not right. It leads to
fewer errors, better coordination and
the ability to have a unique overview
– also later on during operation,”
says structural engineer Tonni Elkjær,
who is Head of the BIM discipline at
Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers,
previously BIM Manager at DNU, the
New University Hospital in Aarhus,
and a member of the BIM group at
Hvidovre Hospital.
Next level: Sustainability and operation Particularly sustainability and op-
eration, which are the last steps in
the BIM model, form part of the look
into the future that Søren Jensen
Consulting Engineers are already
working on. This is done in the so-
called regenerative buildings, where
individual parts are considered with
regard to, for example, environmen-
tal impact and usability, when the
parts can no longer be used, so that
both operation and sustainability are
covered.
An example is a new Ice Fjord Centre
in Ilulissat, Greenland. Here architect
Dorte Mandrup has defined using four
curves. On the structural plans these
are shown as bows and glazed panels
in the finished building – here shared
data has been of crucial significance.
”We used to think that we could enter
all values into the same calculation,
which then spat out all values for e.g.
energy, sustainability and structure in
one go, but we simply haven’t got that
far yet,” states Tonni Elkjær. So in-
stead of assembling everything in one
model, the engineering firm makes
use of multiple smaller models that
work together based on shared data.
Arkitema Architects used BIM throughout the process when they designed
VIA Campus C Aarhus and could thereby follow the whole process from
drawings to reality.
Mette Glavind,
Director of Building & Services at The Danish Technological Institute.
Photo: Arkitema Architects Photo: PR
Molio Magazine 2018
26
”2D plans are very forgiving because it’s easy to draw something that’s not possible to build, but when you see it spatially, it’s suddenly clear if something is not right. It leads to fewer errors, better coordination and the ability to have a quite unique overview – also later on during operation.” Tonni Elkjær, Head of the BIM Discipline, Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers
Molio Magazine 2018
The new Ice Fjord Centre in Ilulissat, Greenland, is designed by Dorte Mandrup Architects. It will function as a research station and tourist attraction and is expected to be completed in 2020. Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers used a so-called multi-disciplinary design tools to find a solution that meets the challenges of the building in terms of form, structure and sustainability.
Visualisation: MIR
Molio Magazine 2018
28
This means the architect only needs
to look at what is relevant to them,
but data interchange also means that
the energy engineer can be ‘live’ and
develop on the solution such that the
architects, in real-time, can follow any
changes in the curves needed for the
glazed panels to comply with the max-
imum thermal energy requirement for
the building.
”In this way, we free ourselves from
weekly design meetings, after which
you have to go back and correct the
design before you can make further
progress, thereby reaching the tar-
get and best solution for everyone,
much quicker,” says Tonni Elkjær. He
points out that new technology can
also make a great difference directly
on site. Here you can use an iPad and
Augmented Reality to project things
that have not yet been built as a layer
on the reality you see, so that when
you look at a bare wall through the
screen, you might see a sink.
”Soon, a customer or building owner
will be able to stand inside the build-
ing itself, adjust different parameters,
see the change 20 seconds later, and
thereby immediately have a new real-
ity that can be agreed. It will be that
big,” he explains, but adds that the re-
ally big gains will only be made when
the mentality has changed – both in
terms of digital working, but also of
the will to collaborate:
”There is a lot of ’we usually do’ in
the industry, so it takes a large gen-
erational change for everyone to go
digital, but it is also a drag that the
potential can only be realised if there
is collaboration all round. We could go
really far with partnering solutions in-
stead of regarding each other as com-
petitors,” he thinks.
It is also a prerequisite for harvesting
digital gains that everyone should be
on the same level.
”If architects, engineers and clients
are not at the same digital level, the
processes fall apart. That means
everyone must take a part in how to
work smartest on digital development
for the benefit of the whole industry,”
says Tonni Elkjær.
How will the construction industry be disrupted?The courage to adapt to the larger
agenda is often missing in our every-
day discussion of digitalisation in con-
struction. BIM may well be a bridge-
head to the future, but it cannot be
seen as an isolated thing, as BIM is
a digital measure that must be con-
sidered along with sustainability, the
circular economy and other industries’
knowledge and expertise. So thinks
Marianne Friis, who is looking for a
greater focus on how the industry
can best take on the digital future for
construction. How will that even look?
And how will it disrupt construction in
5-10 years?
”I personally think that there is too
much focus on details in standards
and too little focus on the bigger pic-
ture; that is, on creating digital ambi-
tions and visions for the entire con-
struction. Where will the construction
industry be in five years – and how
many companies will have survived
digital disruption?” she asks.
Maybe it will be completely differ-
ent industries that will develop both
smarter and cheaper solutions for the
construction industry. However, it is
crucial for the industry not to close
off from the outside world, but in-
stead open itself up to guard its pro-
fessionalism and ensure that it sur-
vives in the digital future, so that
everything will not just be all about
being cheapest and quickest.
”Digital change is there regardless, so
it is necessary to see it all in a slight-
ly bigger perspective, and not spend
all your time talking about classifica-
tion codes. It’s rather like the good
old Kodak story, where they were so
busy improving the developing fluids
that they managed not to spot that
someone had developed the digi-
tal camera,” says Marianne Friis. She
is backed up by Mette Glavind, who
would like to give the industry a push
to get on with all the digital possibil-
ities – also even if there is always an
excuse not to:
”When it’s going well for the indus-
try, there is no time for a makeover,
and when times are bad, they say they
can’t afford it.”
But then it’s not certain that we’ll sim-
ply get there in a while.
What is BIM?
• BIM is an abbreviation of
Building Information Modelling
• BIM is an integrated method for
digitalising the building process.
Throughout the life-cycle of
the building, from idea to dem-
olition, digital building models
are the axis for all activities in-
volving the building design and
collaboration between different
parties. BIM is thus both a mod-
el and a working method.
• BIM means closer collabora-
tion between parties and can
be branched off to each par-
ty involved in the project. This
deep branching means that
full implementation of BIM can
be laborious, and at the same
time, that a single party who is
not aware of BIM will be unable
to participate in the integrated
design process.
Source: DTU
Molio Magazine 2018
BIM MODEL
Drawings of the
building
Uses the model in
connection with Facility
Management – operation
of the building
3D visualisation of the
building – possibly with
materials, surfaces etc.
Adds time and process
onto the 3D model and
its elements
Adds cost to the model,
to show what individual
components and
structures cost
Tests the performance of
the building – including
sustainability properties
The construction brief
requirements and
assumptions
7D
6D
5D
4D
3D
2D
1D
29
Molio Magazine 2018
30
At first, Head of the Client Department
at DTU, Claus Møller Rasmussen,
thought it was difficult to register how
clients benefit by going digital. On the
other hand, it involved many costs:
”The clients carried all the costs,
which was a bit uphill. But now we can
see that we can also benefit from it,”
states Claus Møller Rasmussen, who
is very satisfied with the development
within digital construction that has
occurred in recent years. His experi-
ence is that the digital development,
which the consultancy sector clients
have sought since the 2000’s, has re-
ally gotten under way lately.
“We are much further along than just
three years ago. People used to say
’we can’t do that’, but today it is clear
that more are flying the flag for dig-
italisation, as more people can see
the value this adds to the projects.
Digitalisation of construction is the
most innovative thing that has hap-
pened within the construction indus-
try in a very long time.”
But why is digitalisation getting a fol-
lowing wind just now?
A short answer is that the whole val-
ue chain has only now become ripe
for this transformation. A more com-
prehensive answer is that, as far as
DTU is concerned, it is due to relevant
legislative changes and better dia-
logue with the various parties earlier
on in the process. In recent years, DTU
has built one complex laboratory and
lecture hall, after another. In the com-
ing years the prestigious university
needs to be future-proofed, and that
requires input from both researchers,
students and builders. For the many
voices and needs to be heard, digital
construction models and 3D visualis-
ations of the building are tools that
are well received at DTU.
New legislation has promoted digital projectsAccording to both Claus Møller
Rasmussen and DTU Project Manager
Francois Svend Court-Payen, it
is crucial for a successful digital
We can save plenty of money by building digitally
The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has its own client
department, which spends 800 million Danish kroner a year
on construction. When the projects are finished on time and
budget, the success is often due to good digital design and
communication models. The Head of the Client Department
and DTU Project Manager tells us about the benefits and
challenges of the transition to digital construction.
construction project that there is
a dialogue across the various disci-
plines, including consultants, con-
tractors and users, and that the var-
ious competencies are involved in
the building process early on. They
highlight the great advantage that at
tender stage a company can visualise
the whole building process including
planning, construction and operation.
Thus the client will have a clear basis
of decision and an understanding of
all parts of the building process when
the contract is signed.
As a good example of how great the
benefit of visualising the project for
the client can be before construc-
tion starts, Claus Møller Rasmussen
highlights a large, digital construction
project at DTU, which started four
years ago,
“The contractor who won the shell
contract for our largest building could
show exactly with his model when
the different elements would be fit-
ted, and they were fitted on that day
Molio Magazine 2018
31
and on time. We had never tried that
before - that it was done so accurate-
ly,” he tells with a smile.
Early dialogue between contractor and
client, before the contract is signed,
has a great significance for the quality
of the subsequent construction pro-
cess, according to the DTU construc-
tion management. But this dialogue
has not been possible before the law
was amended in January 2017.
Previously, the client on public build-
ing projects was not aware of the
names of companies bidding, and the
same extent of questions could not
be asked in the initial competitions.
The legislative changes concerning
dialogue-based procurement from
2017 are applauded by Claus Møller
Rasmussen and Francois Court-Payen,
who now have a much closer dia-
logue with the contractors early in the
process.
“These were large projects, typical-
ly costing hundreds of millions of
Danish kroner, which we had to de-
cide on without being able to ask
any questions,” says Francois Svend
Court-Payen.
Digital models compel collaborationBefore digitalisation took off, planning
for construction involved the architect
first drafting a sketch and then waiting
for the engineer to prepare calcula-
tions and risk assessments. Nowadays,
digital models make it possible for the
different parties and the contractor
to work on the same model simultane-
ously, which saves a lot of time.
“The various parties’ inputs are now
added to the model simultaneously,
and this means that you arrive much
more quickly at the right design. The
digital platform gives a greater collab-
orative perspective in form of a dia-
logue-based working practice. They
have to sit down together and agree
on the same model,” says Claus Møller
Rasmussen.
Claus Møller Rasmussen touches on
a central point that is highlighted by
many, as one of the great challenges
of developing a 3D construction mod-
el. That is, the need for shared stand-
ards and a uniform language across
the construction professionals. Even
though development is going in the
right direction, this is also demanded
by Court-Payen.
Head of the Client Department Claus Møller
Rasmussen (right) and Project Manager Francois Svend Court-Payen (left)
work together day-to-day on planning and construction
of DTU’s buildings. They follow the construction
process closely and involve consultants, contractors
and researchers early the process. This gives a
good basis for succeeding with digital construction
processes, they think.
Photo: © DTU
Molio Magazine 2018
32
The construction industry
demands standards
Many top managers are demanding
standards across the construction
industry.
Standards cover not only materi-
als, specifications, classification and
data, but also that there should be
certain standards for processes,
management, cost, and risk assess-
ment. For digital development to
make good progress, there is a need
for dynamic collaboration across the
disciplines, and a common, standard-
ised language between them must
pave the way.
Digital culture is a prerequi-
site for digital transformation
According to 45 % of the questioned
parties in the construction industry,
the greatest challenge of digitali-
sation of construction is the lack of
a digital culture in the industry. In
recent years, a generational change
has got under way, with older gen-
erations contributing with solid
work experience on site and the
younger generation with knowledge
of digital aids. Right now, this can
lead to friction and discussions, but
the potential for improving collabo-
ration and digitalising construction
is so great that development will
quickly head in the right direction.
Financial gains from
digitalisation?
Despite that there are both large fi-
nancial gains and new collaboration
possibilities to gain from digitalisa-
tion of construction, an increased
turnover and new business areas are
the least interesting dividends men-
tioned when you ask the construction
industry. Only 9 % of the questioned
parties consider the most important
dividend of digitalisation is an in-
creased turnover. Amongst top man-
agers, this inches up to only 16 %.
“There is a need for a standard spec-
ification for extracting the quantities
and passing on information within
the 3D model. The whole trick with a
3D model is that quantities can very
quickly be used to see what is need-
ed compared with what was originally
planned. And you can see how many
doors and services there are. We do
not yet find that all disciplines speak
the same language and about the
same standards, but we do impose
requirements for them to do so,” says
Court-Payen.
Cultural change at management levelOne of the challenges of implement-
ing digital construction is that not all
construction managers are familiar
with the many new digital construc-
tion management programs.
“If the construction managers say
‘Yes, we do it!’, the rest will follow.
But many are over 50 years old, and
never had any training in 3D mod-
ulation. And when you are busy, as
you always are in construction, then
digital is deprioritised,” says Claus
Møller Rasmussen. He does, how-
ever, think that a cultural change is
now happening at management level,
where digitalisation is being hailed by
more and more.
Digital times in site cabinsAnd not just there – even tradesmen
are undergoing digital development,
say the DTU managers. While 20 years
ago, they all carried a yardstick and
10 years ago an electric screwdriver,
today many tradesmen use their iPad
as their main tool, so the site is no
longer cluttered with drawings.
“Previously we had metres of shelves
filled with drawings, and even if draw-
ings are still printed, it’s probably just
5 % of what it was 10 years ago,” says
Møller Rasmussen.
The site cabins also have screens,
and when the tradesmen meet in the
morning, it’s about the digital models
when they are working on construc-
tion projects for DTU.
An extra benefit of digital construc-
tion is the focus on safety. With dig-
ital construction models, you can
make an animation, which shows the
risks that are associated with con-
struction of the building before it
starts.
“You can actually make a cartoon
strip of how to construct the build-
ing. What dangerous lifts could there
be? When do risks occur? What is the
smartest thing to do? The contractor
has learned this and knows how to
show due diligence when it comes to
safety,” says Francois Svend Court-
Payen. He stresses that he regards it
as a gift to be an active part of digital
construction.
“Things are moving quickly these
days, and it’s fun to be along for the
ride.”
Source: Digital Barometer. Download the study from molio.dk/kampagner/digitalt-barometer
Molio Magazine 2018
33
”The contractor who won the shell contract for our largest construction could show exactly, with his model, when the different elements would be fitted, and they were fitted on that day and on time. We had never tried that before - that it was done so accurately.” Claus Møller Rasmussen, Head of the Contractor Department, DTU
© DTU, Photo: Adam Mørk
DTU’s Life Science building 202 was erected in 2017. The building complex covers 42,000 m² and is the largest building erected since DTU was built in the 1970’s. The complex will form a framework for engineering science research, teaching, innovation and consultancy.
Molio Magazine 2018
34
Digitalisation takes courage, investment and solid strategic planning
For Àstridur Elin Àsgeirsdottir, the greatest investment in digital building
processes is the courage needed to break with well-known habits.
At the same time, successful digitalisation requires investment and
solid strategic planning, in which the human factor plays a critical role
regarding competencies, collaboration and technology.
On the first floor of contracting firm
Per Aarsleff A/S at Industriholmen in
Avedøre, is a small department un-
dergoing rapid growth. On the door
of the department is taped an A4
sheet, with “VDC” written on it in
blue ballpoint pen.
More and more of the company’s pro-
ject managers have started seeking
out the department, so it has been
necessary to put up a sign. VDC or
Virtual Design and Construction
– which amongst other things refers
to the use of digital models to opti-
mise completion of all phases of civil
engineering work or a building before
construction starts. In this way, the
design can be optimised and errors
eliminated both during the design
phase and construction itself.
Tools and machines can also be
placed on the visual construction
model to assess whether, for exam-
ple, there is space for a large crane
on a smaller site.
Four months ago, Àstridur Elin
Àsgeirsdottir, who helped introduce
VDC into Per Aarsleff A/S, was ap-
pointed VDC Manager by the entre-
preneurial firm, who have taken on
25 staffers within the area and have
three vacancies on offer.
”Most VDC coordinators are out on
site,” says Àsgeirsdottir, who points
out the importance of being out
there. It is on site and in consultation
with all parties involved in the con-
struction that we achieve a good work
process, if we want to revolutionise
the building process with digital 3D
models, she thinks.
This is due to the fact that, even if
engineers, architects and structur-
al engineers have used digital models
as part of the planning process for a
long time, they are harder to imple-
ment during the construction phase
itself and when working with trades-
men and site managers, who typically
say that 2D drawings, on paper, are
needed.
Good to change routinesWhile 2D drawings are often the rele-
vant working material for tradesmen
on site, they also carry a risk of er-
rors and wasted time, which involve
high costs.
Molio Magazine 2018
35
Visualisation of the completed Masned Sound Bridge.Visualisation of how the bridge piers for the Masned Sound Bridge will be barged in and lifted into the water.
”This entails that large amounts of
data are lost, and a lot of re-working
is needed. We would prefer the 3D
models, supplemented by 2D draw-
ings, to be the valid working docu-
mentation during both planning and
construction,” states Àstridur Elin
Àsgeirsdottir. She thinks that there
is a need to be willing to try out new
things and change ones routines, so
that it becomes clear early in the plan-
ning process that it is the 3D model
that counts. Also during construction.
But this decision takes courage.
Besides requiring precision and prop-
er information material to be able to
make a correct 3D model, the process-
es also must change, and not least
people’s faith in the technology:
”We have the technology, but getting
people to use it can be demanding.
For example, an older member of staff
who is used to 2D drawings may have
difficulty adjusting to and approv-
ing 3D models,” explains Àstridur Elin
Àsgeirsdottir.
Good communication is vital Another great barrier to implement-
ing digital building projects is that the
quality of the internet connection on
many construction sites is not good.
This prevents cloud-based solutions
from working as they should, and it
can take up to several months to get a
proper internet connection set up.
In addition, good collaboration be-
tween all disciplines in the industry is
needed to benefit from digital solu-
tions and ultimately achieve the aim
of efficient building processes and the
best designs. And here presence on
site is again one of the key factors.
“You have to gain respect on site by
being present, listening to people and
not just be seen as software special-
ists,” she states.
Only through good communication
with all the parties in the project, are
you able to build a foundation for
everyone contributing information to
the same standard, speaking to each
other in the language in the 3D mod-
el, and all relying on the same building
model.
“We depend on getting information
from all disciplines, but as things are
today, we don’t know the quality of
the models. There are several stand-
ards, but there are differences in lev-
els of detail, so we risk not having a
shared understanding for e.g. clas-
sifications. If we get better basic in-
formation from all disciplines in con-
struction, we will have a better basis
for making decisions. You can’t ben-
efit from digital possibilities if you
don’t have enough information, and
this is the challenge throughout the
construction industry,” Àsgeirsdottir
thinks.
Drive and risk acceptanceThe lack of information does not, how-
ever, stop Àstridur Elin Àsgeirsdottir’s
digital work. And exactly the willing-
ness to drive, and throw yourself into
digital solutions, even though they in-
volve risk, is crucial for being able
Photo: Aarsleff Photo: Aarsleff
Molio Magazine 2018
36
BIO4 Amagerværket, photo of the site with the 3D model inserted in correct proportions into the picture.
Disagreement over the gains of greater collaboration
Amongst top management, 14 % see
internal collaboration and 48 % exter-
nal collaboration as the greatest ben-
efit of digitalisation.
Amongst middle managers and dis-
cipline managers, 33 % see internal
collaboration and 51 % external col-
laboration as the greatest benefit of
digitalisation.
Amongst staff, 39 % see internal col-
laboration and 49 % external collabo-
ration as the greatest benefit
of digitalisation.
14 %
48 %
33 %
51 %
39 %
49 %
Photo: Aarsleff
Internal collaboration
External collaboration
Molio Magazine 2018
Kilde: Digitalt Barometer. Hent undersøgelsen på molio.dk/kampagner/digitalt-barometer
37
BIO4 Amagerværket, photo of the site with the 3D model inserted in correct proportions, showing only the reinforcement.
to create a successful business using
digital construction. You must dare to
try something new, but also dare to
make mistakes and stop a develop-
ment project if it is going in a wrong
direction, she thinks.
“I have often heard people say:
‘Àstridur, we have never tried this be-
fore’. But then, these are new times.
It does take steely nerves,” she says
and stresses that digital solutions are
necessary in more and more building
projects, and in many invitations to
submit tenders digitalisation is a re-
quirement for even being considered
for winning the project.
Aarsleff now uses digital solutions
in designs corresponding to 50 % of
their turnover and are particularly
good when it comes to larger pro-
jects. One of these is Aarsleff’s con-
struction of Hofor’s biomass plant
on Amager, estimated to cost in all
approx. 4.5 billion Danish kroner.
The construction needed to be done
quickly, and as it was at the same
time estimated to take 160,000
manhours, so 24-hour working
days would be needed. On this ba-
sis, Àstridur Elin Àsgeirsdottir con-
sidered it necessary to use the 3D
model to ensure the quality of the
construction process, including that
the right materials would be ordered
on time, even if it turned out to
take the first 2-3 months setting up
a sufficiently good internet connec-
tion to be able to operate the cloud
technology.
Photo: Aarsleff
Molio Magazine 2018
38
Àstridur Elin Àsgeirsdottir had discus-
sions with the site managers, who did
not all have faith in the technology
and would prefer to do things as usu-
al, and the discussion ended with a
compromise. Instead of imposing the
digital model on the tradesmen who
had to carry out the work, 2D draw-
ings were used on site, while the 3D
model functioned as production mod-
el for other parts of the process. She
made the compromise in the certain-
ty that good communication, dialogue
and respect are more important than
becoming digitalised all at once. And
it produced results: because of good
collaboration, construction was com-
pleted two months before time, and
there was a good atmosphere across
the disciplines on site.
“The solution gave a much better
workflow, and the project ended up
really well, so the site managers were
very satisfied,” says Àstridur Elin
Àsgeirsdottir.
BIO4 Amagerværket – here shown with the reinforcement from the Tekla model added to the picture. ”When we model the reinforcement 1:1 and order the reinforcement in accordance with this model, we ensure that it also fits on site. In this example, we had embedment parts that weigh over 0.5 tonnes and have to fit into the heavily reinforced plinth. By having a precise model, we and the foremen can quality assure the steelfixing, and they can plan safe fixing of reinforcement and cast in items,” explains Àstridur Elin Àsgeirsdottir.
Photo: Aarsleff
Molio Magazine 2018
39
RobotsRobots are widespread in several parts of construction.
By contributing with new techniques they can perform
tasks that are strenuous for people, and save a lot of
time and money. The Danish company Odico has devel-
oped new robotic techniques, and by using hot wire
cutting, they can make casting moulds from industri-
al foam, which can rapidly cast concrete units, in even
softer shapes than previously – which gives new archi-
tectural possibilities. Robotic hot wire cutting is a faster
technique than the previous robotic technology, which
involves milling industrial foam. It is 126 times faster than
existing methods. Kirk Kapital’s new head office in Vejle,
designed by Olafur Eliasson, is the first global example of
a building using robotic hot wire cutting.
Read more here: bit.ly/robotteribyggeriet
Photo: Fjorden Hjem-Kirk Kapital © Studio Olafur Eliasson
3D printing3D printing has been on everyone’s lips in re-
cent years, even within construction, where
building shells can now be 3D printed on the
site itself. The first shell was printed in one
piece in 2017 by the Russian company Apis Cor.
It took place in Russia, took only 24 hours,
and the building itself cost 71,000 Danish
kroner. 3D printing can use building materials
better by improving their re-use and produce
buildings at record speeds. Europe’s first 3D
printed house is in Nordhavn, Copenhagen. It
was erected in December 2017.
Read more here: bit.ly/3Dbyggeri
Photo: © Apis Cor
Autonomous bulldozers, cranes and excavatorsThese can be the future on most construction sites.
Instead of a driver, these powerful machines are con-
trolled by sensors and software. The driverless machines
can free up working hours and at the same time ensure
precision in the work, controlled directly by the 3D mod-
el of the building. Construction sites are projected to be
the area where driverless vehicles will first become wide-
spread, ahead of driverless cars ,because they are in such
controlled working areas.
Read more here: bit.ly/AutonomousBulldozers
Photo: Built Robotics
#4
Digital trends
Molio Magazine 2018
Lyskær 1
2730 Herlev
Phone 70 12 06 00
W molio.dk
Molio, in conjunction with
analysts Seismonaut, has
prepared a comprehensive
analysis of digitalisation in
construction.
The study is a Digital
Barometer, which gives a
current image of what the
industry itself sees as the
greatest challenges, drivers
and barriers in relation to
getting the full benefits.
The results of the Digital
Barometer study form the
background for preparation
of this magazine, with several
interesting case studies and
interviews with decision
makers in the industry.
Download the study from
molio.dk/kampagner/
digitalt-barometer