The City of Helsinki's Urban Environment Building, designed for the City of Helsinki's Urban Environment Division, is the winner of the 2020 Tekla BIM Awards for Finland and the Baltic region and the public's favourite. The project took information model-based design and digitalisation to a whole new level. Data models were used in a versatile and innovative way throughout the project in design, construction, stakeholder collaboration, needs assessments and visualisation, scheduling and management of energy efficiency, emissions and occupational safety.
All urban environmental services in a modern brick block
The Urban Environment House brings together all the services of the City of Helsinki's Urban Environment Division. Construction started in February 2018 and was completed in the summer of 2020. The more than 40 000 m2 complex has seven ground floors and one underground floor. With its striking masonry vaulted arches, its façade follows the look of the industrial brick buildings in the Kalasatama district.
Computer modelling adds new dimensions to the giant project
The project was particularly notable for its extensive model-based collaboration, accuracy of modelling and innovative solutions, occupational safety and environmental awareness. Model-based visualisations were also successfully used for site humidity, cleanliness and dust management, contributing to building health. One of the major success factors of the project was the experimental attitude of all parties involved towards information modelling and digitalisation.
- Our goal was to seek advanced solutions in all our operations and technology choices, while promoting a broader understanding of the benefits of digitalisation and data models in city development," says Päivi Majuri, Programme Manager of the City of Helsinki.The information generated by the data models could also be used to develop user services, such as guidance in the facilities. Data model-based planning and information and virtual models supported this wide-ranging change in working culture and working environment.
Data models were used from the early needs assessment and coordination phase to the final implementation models. The wishes and needs of more than 1500 employees of the built environment of the City of Helsinki for their new working environment were translated into data models in dozens of pop-up events, where virtual models were developed together with end users. This included the use of virtual glasses, cave space and 360 views.
- The employees who will be located in the premises were extensively involved to ensure a good employee experience, says Majuri. "Participation was active, ongoing and interactive from planning to move-in and commissioning, and continues in the broad-based building committee. This approach supports our vision of a trust-based work culture. Virtual models created based on wants and needs provided staff with experience of the space and how it works, even before completion. Staff generally had a positive impression of the spacious premises and an understanding of how close to their workstations the functions that are important to them are located. This same experience could not be adequately conveyed through the floor plans.
Through computer modelling, the project achieved its ambitious life cycle objectives, including BREEAM environmental classification. The design solutions were comprehensively assessed in terms of emissions, energy efficiency and indoor climate quality, using life-cycle modelling and multi-objective optimisation. The life-cycle planning took into account 1500 simulations of the implementation options. Dynamic energy modelling was also carried out on a data model basis.
The project made exceptionally extensive use of status data to visualise the status of design, manufacturing, installation and on-site casting. The challenges of scheduling were overcome with an illustrative 4D digital schedule for the frame phase. Status information on the state of completion of the structural components was communicated to the construction project stakeholders using Trimble Connect and the structural engineer's Tekla Structures native model. The status data provided real-time information about the project and the status of the parties involved, including design and installation. The status data was used and completed by five parties, including the design, fabrication and installation teams, and provided up-to-date information on the progress of the construction process. The project also experimented with transferring element data directly from the Tekla Structures report to the production control system, so that the status data could be automatically updated directly from the product component manufacturer's production control system to Trimble Connect.
A 3D calculation was performed on the low arches of the building façade, which are exposed to outdoor temperature variations, in order to determine the partial loads on the arches due to the temperature fields and the fields. A solid model was created from the Tekla Structures model and exported to COMSol to solve the behaviour of the structure. The 3D model was therefore used in the 3D calculation of the challenging structure to determine its behaviour. A physical manikin was used to visualise the cast-in-place structures.
To support the design, virtual models were produced from the data models, and design solutions were illustrated in cave workshops in addition to traditional coordination meetings. Workshops were held with the client and the builders on the details of the designs, allowing several people to look at the workspaces, their details and constructability at the same time. A particular challenge in the design process was to reconcile the implementation of demanding structural solutions with the visible building services and architectural vision.
Modelling of building services products and components was carried out at an exceptional level of accuracy. As an example, the equipment manufacturer of district heating and cooling plants supplied 3D models of the plants to be delivered to the site for use in the building services engineering design. Before ordering the equipment, it was possible to check the installation routes and sequence of the equipment in the data model. Contractors saved significant time by not having to coordinate installations on site. As a result of the above, the building services models were practically as-built from the designer's point of departure.
Like a ship built on piles
At best, about 40 people were involved in the structural design, including modellers from steel and concrete suppliers," says Heikki Arvio, Team Manager, BIM Business Development at Ramboll. He says the biggest challenge for the structural design was the localised arches that characterise the façade.
- The arches are not only architecturally impressive, but they also support a large overhead load, which is not found anywhere else in Finland, Arvio says.The façade is far from the load-bearing frame, so we had to design a special kind of support structure for the brick lining. The basement of the building is a watertight trough built on piles, but the frame is not anchored against crane lift; the building's own weight displaces the lift caused by water pressure. The building is therefore a kind of ship, able to cope with changes in the water table caused by climate change. As the intermediate floor beam is a Ruukin Easy Beam connection beam, the surface slabs could be omitted.
- The design industries shared and used each other's IFC models as references at regular intervals. The plans were thus communicated using information models, not drawings, and the exchange of information was managed by an information model coordinator. IFC models were also created for special purposes as required, such as arch reinforcement, hidden brackets and basement floor seams. It became very clear that for Tekla Structures users, straightforward solutions may not be available in competing software. Trimble Connect was an integral part of the status and overall process, especially for element production. The design of the site has been praised from all angles: overall, the project team was very successful in their collaboration and work.
The most challenging castings were modelled
The local foundations of the Urban Environment House are contracted by Rakennusliike Sierak Oy.- We still build with drawings, says Vesa Laine, foreman at Sierak. The information model helps to "speak the same language" and find the easiest and most economical implementation options at the initial stage of the project.
- At this site, the most challenging reinforcements were modelled to see how they would fit and how they could be installed. One of the challenges was that the base had brickwork over the planking, against which the rebar was laid. Therefore, no deformation was allowed to occur in the mould at the time of pouring, so as not to damage or crack the brickwork underneath. To find a solution, a separate exercise was carried out and approved by the architect. The practice piece played an important role in ensuring that the casting phase was completed in one go, without the need for costly repairs. Another challenge was the separate casting of the cold and warm rooms and the coordination of the two with the working seam. The reinforcements were examined at detail level in the Tekla Structures native model, both in the design meetings and on site. For the casting contractor, it is best that the information model with sufficient design information comes from the site designer, also in terms of responsibilities," says Laine.
Virtual reality changed everyday life on a construction site
The project paid particular attention to safety at the site. The induction was virtual and interactive, allowing the safety risks of the site to be safely visualised before going on site, and a virtual tour of the site was available through 360° images.
Visualisations were used extensively in the project. The augmented reality features of Dalux Field were used for quality control and mobile reception of facilities, among other things. TR measurements and safety observations were carried out with Insta Audit. Incident reporting, risk assessments, hazardous materials management were done mobile and linked to the data model. Site moisture, cleanliness and dust management was phased, scheduled and visualized in the data model and digitalized through the data model. This ensured the achievement of building health objectives.
- We used data models in a variety of ways from the tender phase on wards," says Markus Ylimäki, BIM development engineer at Skanska's BIM & Digital Services unit.
- The tender phase involved modelling the spatial plans, blocks and installation phases, including the division of labour. During the construction phase, the model was used to monitor the installation and execution of the elements, and during the interior work phases, extensive quantities were taken for procurement. The use of the model considerably clarified the plans and illustrated the installations. Trimble Connect was used to exchange status information with both the designers and the precast plant, as well as on site. For the contractor, the most important thing is the stability of the software: not crashing at a critical point. It is also important that it is easy to use and localised in Finnish, because there are users of many ages and backgrounds on the site. The site was satisfied with the use of the models, and the good experience gained from this project will contribute to future projects," Ylimäki emphasises.
The Information Model Coordinator defined the requirements for information modelling
Tietoa Finland Oy acted as the data coordinator for the project.
- We were involved as a consultant in defining the requirements of information modelling for designers, contractors and product component suppliers at the beginning of the project," says Marko Rajala, CEO.
- We produced virtual model materials and facilitated cave workshops and user demonstrations. Careful definition of the requirements and practices for information modelling together with the client and the developer laid the foundation for successful information modelling. Timeliness was emphasised in the process so that modelling supported the design and construction process. For our part, we ensured that progress was made in line with requirements and provided designers and design management with material to support their work. We also regularly led big room workshops on information modelling. The content requirements for the information models and the information modelling plan were carefully reviewed at the start of the project and updated as the design progressed. The information models were regularly reviewed in anticipation of design, construction and building needs, and schedules were planned in collaboration to fit the overall project.
- There is an acute need in the industry for even closer coordination of planning and scheduling, as well as standardisation of data content and use of data models, Rajala says.- "Working with separate files and file-based data exchange is already starting to be a slowdown in projects. Communication and collaborative working on plans needs to be made real-time in the cloud. The role of the data modelling coordinator is important because data modelling is not yet a matter of course for everyone, even though it is already required by all major players. The growing requirements and wider use of information modelling also increase the need for expertise in this area.
The parties involved in the project
Client: the City of Helsinki
Project management consultant, developer and construction supervisor: Indepro Oy
Project management contractor: Skanska Talonrakennus Oy
Main and architectural design by Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Oy Architects
Structural, HVAC, GEO and fire engineering design by Ramboll Finland Oy
Design of electrical, telecommunications and security systems: Rejlers Finland Oy
Data coordination and consulting: Tietoa Finland Oy
Precast concrete production: Ämmän Betoni Oy
Mechanical engineering design, manufacture and installation of steel and composite structures: Nordec Oy
Precast concrete installation and wet works: Nordec Oy
Manufacture of cavity slabs: Parma Oy
Contractor for the cast-in-place structures: Rakennusliike Sierak Oy
Urban Environment House in brief
Contract value 82,8 M €
Total area 40 900m²
Precast concrete elements 4430 pcs
Ventilation ducts 17 620 m
Heating and cooling pipes 29 769 m
Read about feasible modelling.
See solutions from modelling to on-site planning and coordination.
