3D technology gives firm the desired edge

Engineering firm says hefty price worth the cost to expand its abilities

BY KRIS BEVILL

About four years ago, leaders at Obermiller Nelson Engineering Inc. decided that in order for the firm to set itself apart from other mechanical and electrical specialists in the region, it needed a technology upgrade.

Autodesk Revit, building information modeling software that enables architects and engineers to plot out every single detail of a project in three dimensions rather than two, was being embraced by large engineering firms elsewhere, but had yet to be utilized in this region. ONE determined it was worth the cost and time to install Revit and learn how to use it.

Today, Dave Obermiller, managing partner of ONE, says he believes the firm has met its goal of setting the bar for Revit use in the region. And while it has been a costly endeavor (he estimates the firm has spent more than $300,000 in equipment and software costs and training over four years) being Revit-capable has proven to expand the types of projects the firm is able to work on, a trend which he expects to continue as 3D software continues to gain popularity among architects and building owners.

“Owners are starting to make the choice based on what they feel a 3D model of their building will do for them in the long term,” he says. “I’m not going to say it’s the industry standard yet, but about 40 percent of our work is being done in Revit right now. We are the leaders in the regional market for experience and this has been extremely valuable for our clients. That experience has been huge for us because it takes a long time to get good at a building design software that is so complex.”

According to Obermiller, the 3D software is popular with architects because it requires projects to become a more coordinated effort between the designers and engineers. Additionally, contractors can use Revit models to confirm aspects like ductwork and piping placement, allowing them to pre-manufacture some of those items and thus potentially lowering the project cost for the owner. To date, ONE has used Revit for a number of large projects in the area, including the Williston Area Recreation Center and Sanford Health’s Moorhead, Minn., clinic, both of which are currently under construction. The firm will also be using Revit for its work on the new medical school at the University of North Dakota, a project which Obermiller says the firm wouldn’t be working on if it hadn’t made the decision years ago to invest in the software. “There’s no way that we could have learned Revit while we were working on the project,” he says.

Generally, Obermiller says large organizations and institutions or other entities with multiple buildings are more likely to request Revit for their projects than single-building owners. The software’s building information model offers owners the ability to keep track of every detail of the building, right down to the type of light bulbs used in each fixture, but it requires dedicated staff and training to utilize the model at that level and single building owners typically do not have those resources available to them, Obermiller says. Still, he’s noticing growing interest from building owners large and small, which means more opportunities for ONE to put its expertise to use. “We’re finding that it is putting us in a position to be capable of working on these projects,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be a choice for us.” PB

Kris Bevill Editor, Prairie Business 701-306-8561, kbevill@prairiebizmag.com

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