WHAT:
- Vico Office is the first purpose-built construction management software designed as a tightly-integrated, BIM-neutral platform to which multiple types of Building Information Models can be published, synthesized, and augmented with cost and schedule information. Vico Office is used by many top general contractor and construction management firms around the world
- Latest update, Vico Office R5 streamlines project data workflow throughout the design-build-operate lifecycle, improving communication and collaboration between general contractors, architects and owners to enable accurate and rapid assessment of schedule and cost impact of changes, before and during construction.
- New capabilities include enhanced 2D- and 2D/3D-hybrid takeoff capabilities, sophisticated running modes visualization, cost add-on and markup capabilities, new web services, and expanded IFC import capabilities improve predictability, reduce risk, better manage cost, and optimize schedules on large, complex building projects.
WHY:
- According to a 2014 SmartMarket Report by McGraw Hill titled, “The Business Value of BIM for Construction in Major Global Markets,” contractors expect the percentage of their work that involves BIM will increase by 50% on average over the next two years. Contractors cite BIM’s ability to enhance collaboration among team members as its most important contribution to improving the project delivery process. Better cost control/predictability, and reduced cycle time for workflows and approvals were also acknowledged as important process benefits for BIM.
- For General Contractors, owners, architects, subcontractors and all project stakeholders to truly benefit from BIM, efficient, accurate and intelligent use of data about what is being designed and how it will be constructed must be managed.
- Vico Office delivers an integrated BIM workflow for construction projects. Vico Office extends the basic 3D model with constructability analysis and coordination, quantity takeoff, 4D location-based scheduling and production control, 5D estimating, and layout. Using Vico Office, building owners, architects and general contractors can collaborate efficiently, improve predictability, reduce risk, manage cost, and optimize schedules on large, complex building projects. Augmenting 3D modeling, 4D (scheduling) and 5D (costing) tools with clash detection capability enable management and analysis early in the design process, rather than in the field during construction. Automated quantity takeoff based on 3D models makes estimating more efficient and accurate as projects evolve.
NEW FEATURES & IMPACTS:
- 2D Quantity Takeoff:The jobs and inputs of estimators are changing. The introduction of Takeoff Pad, with on-screen takeoff, now allows users to extract quantities in any way that they desire. Vico’s 2D Quantity Takeoff enables the creation of linear, area and count based quantities inside the Vico Office environment from 2D PDF drawings. Users can also perform takeoff in a 2D/3D hybrid environment.
- Running Modes / Enhanced Visualization: Running modes have been introduced as a way to better interact with the model and as a visual presentation supplement. Companies adopt model-based estimating to facilitate improved communication of cost/budget status to the owner. Prior cost-model integration only highlighted the elements associated with a cost item, which is not always easy to see. Running mode solves this problem by offering multiple viewing modes, facilitating improved communication back to the Owner.
- Add-ons & Markups: Cost additions vary from company to company and flexibility is required. Advanced add-ons and markup have been included to add flexibility for GC/CMs who require multiple markups and additions to the base estimate in order to get to a gross total for submission
- New IFC Properties: Vico R5’s optimized IFC engine provides 6 ways to group models using the industry-standard IFC classification.
- Vico Office Web Services provides access to the Vico Project Server to read from and write to the Vico Project Server to extract data, or to connect to other applications. Allows for integration of third party applications (e.g., ERP, Procurement) with Vico Project Server.
- Location Breakdown Structure (LBS) Usability improvements:Vico Office R5 provides the ability to carve out spaces (e.g.,1st floor, 2nd floor), split floors, colorize zones and utilize ID prefixes for automating and visualizing location-based quantity generation
- Additional publisher support for leading BIM and CAD packages.