Successful projects have a clear brief with a specification that is understood by all key stakeholders and is easily tracked against the delivery. ActivePlan can be used an easily controlled and auditable specification, whether it be the creation of the initial brief (and help test to ensure it is effective and affordable) or assimilation of a developed output specification which can feed into the design process and automatically report against the requirements.
The schedule of accommodation (SoA), area data sheets (ADS) and designs, along with project-specific requirements, are all managed by each specialist but with a coordinated environment that generates fully coordinated outputs.
ActivePlan reads and understands input from different computer programmes Information is centralised so each component part can be related to another
Data that would usually be passed on in ‘passive’, paper document form becomes computer readable and, therefore, ‘Active’ within the ActivePlan database. This eliminates the risk of room numbers, descriptions or sizes in one document not matching another drawing or document.
ActivePlan turns words into Active Information Information becomes a tool enabling greater communication
ActivePlan contains a master library of current design standards and proven, reusable design solutions, making it possible for design teams to create the fully coordinated specs for each space type. ActivePlan’s specification application is multiuser and web-based so design firms work concurrently, with full visibility of all inputs; each seeing the intention of the other disciplines. Since these spaces automatically contain all the library design parameters, the designers only need to modify those aspects that require variation, saving time by avoiding reinvention of the wheel and allowing them to invest their skills on design enhancement.
Active Information enables visibility and creativity Every contributor is aware of the status of every facet of the project
ActivePlan records who made what modification and when and includes a change management facility that allows those making amendments to alert specific colleagues to a proposed change and to manage their response.
Active Information is current information With no time-lags, all contributors are always up-to-speed
Every version is tracked- and has an audit trail- and can be compared against any other version either from a high level or drilling down to more detail, such as changes to m&e or ff&e in a single space. With individual changes tracked and reported, there is a significant reduction in the need for checking. In this way, each modification, each input, becomes part of ActivePlan’s Active Information.
Active Information is accurate information Reliable information enables greater control of the project and minimises risks
Architects and educational planners can consider alternative site layouts and departmental adjacencies abstract from the actual building using a graphical ‘bubble’ that contains the database attributes, such as relative size, department and function. This can be referenced back to cost models to reduce the risk of wasted design effort.
Active Information is flexible information Alternatives can be explored with minimal time-outlay
Room data sheets can be generated automatically from the agreed layouts incorporating all furniture and equipment, plus height, width, depth, walls, ceilings and floors finishes, lighting, temperature, air, fire and safety, acoustics and services. These agreed layout templates can then be dragged and dropped onto the building floor plan, edited to fit specific building constraints and written back to the master database for verification against brief. Fully loaded floor plans are then generated automatically including the fully completed SoA and ADS to form the contractor’s proposals saving time and eliminating errors
Active Information saves time Time saved at the design stage will translate into money saved a project completion
3D modelling helps clients to understand the design itself and the implications of their wishes on that design. But 3D models take time to produce, making each client amendment a time-consuming business and more importantly, lagging behind the current design. ActivePlan can instantaneously generate 3D models directly from its data base. It also generates new 2D drawings and elevations - integrated with the architects’ systems so changes in user meetings can generate a revised file for the lead designer to incorporate within the master design model - schedules of equipment and cost models.
Designers can sit with clients, move or delete items from the 3D model, save them to the database as a version, compare any variation from the previous versions and cost them
Active Information works
ActivePlan - Making information work.......For You
