Sven Toelen, VP Marketing & Communication

What is the innovative product/solution that you want to highlight on BIM World?

We will showcase the integration of BIM data into facility management software (IWMS). This integration offers clear benefits for facilities managers but also for technicians, who can access BIM models in the field, visualize them in 3D (much faster than in any native IFC-based viewer) and see relevant assets as highlights on a semi-transparent building model – with all relevant information to execute work orders attached. By embedding BIM into FM software, asset registers for facility management no longer need to be built manually; all spatial and asset data can be imported from BIM, and floors, rooms, and maintenance objects are created automatically. This is not limited to a one-time operation; the software can import revised models, process the differences, and update the information accordingly. Users can update the properties of a BIM element and write the changes back to the BIM model. 

For you, what are the main evolutions to come in your sector of activity/market?

Spacewell’s core activity is to provide software and technology to optimize commercial buildings in their operational phase. This includes optimizing energy consumption and space usage. Both are really important, not just for cost savings, but also with a view to battling climate change. However, the single biggest opportunity lies in optimizing the workplace to increase employee wellbeing and productivity. It’s about providing the right services at the right time and making the environment more responsive to the needs of the users. This user-centricity is becoming a huge driver for change in the commercial building space.

What is your long-term vision of BIM in your activity?

What people don’t always realize is that the majority of the costs of a building occur during the operational and maintenance phase. Up to 80% of total lifecycle costs are in O&M. Yet many building projects are currently still driven by short-term construction savings, rather than long-term operational savings. Forward-looking investors are beginning to take a different perspective. They are aware of how design choice may impact long-term maintenance and therefore design for total lifecycle cost and sustainability. BIM is the foundation for that. 

It enables to add intelligence from the beginning of the design phase through to the end of the building’s useful life. The key for this to work optimally lies in the integration of BIM (the building as a database of information) and the Internet of Things (connected sensors in buildings that continuously update this information). This results in a “digital twin” of your building that keeps up with evolving use and makes sure that the building continues to deliver a great user experience over the years.