The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 became law in the spring of 2012. The aim of the act was to “strengthen the social enterprise business sector and make the concept of 'social value' more relevant and important in the placement and provision of public services”. It applies to all public services contracts (or framework agreements), and to those public services contracts which include the purchase or hire of goods or the carrying out of works. There is general government support for public bodies considering social value in the award of all contracts, whether they fall within the requirements of the Act or not. How does BIM relate to the Social Value Act, and specifically the smaller practice? By augmenting existing manual processes with digital technology, BIM allows you to fully understand a building model. This includes all the information associated with how buildings are constructed, and how they will be maintained during their lifetime, and their impact on the environment and the people who use them. Two aspects that are key to understanding the relationship between BIM and Social Value in construction also highlight the role of the smaller practice.

Energy efficiency: BIM processes and data help eliminate areas of energy waste during the building design phase. Energy efficiency measures, such as smart controls, are designed before construction to reduce building heat losses and increase energy efficiency. Ideal for reducing lifetime energy consumption for a new building. The flexibility of the smaller practice means they will usually react to new innovations in energy efficiency and sustainable building techniques more quickly than a larger organisation.

The Historic Environment: Heritage buildings are often far from known quantities being inherited assets. The requirements of both the Social Value Act and the Government’s stipulation of BIM usage in all public works make no distinction between new build and conservation projects. We will be looking at BIM in conservation projects in more detail soon, but for now the local knowledge and understanding of the smaller practice can make a big difference to creating a model of a building that can often not be amenable to standard construction components or techniques. This makes the 3D modelling and virtual reality visualisation very helpful in assessing the environmental, constructability and usability of a proposed scheme.

The small practice is ideally placed to capitalise on these aspects of the construction process as well as fulfilling another aspect of the Social Value Act: that of supporting the local community by retaining the income generated by a construction project within the local area. The smaller practice will often be based in the community it works in and consequently will be well placed to understand local conditions. What they will sometimes need is support, to compete on a level playing field with a larger organisation.

As we mentioned at the start of this piece, this is an Act designed to require public authorities to have regard to economic, social and environmental well-being in connection with public services contracts. It is for those proposing the design and implementation of a construction project to demonstrate how this is being achieved. Utilising Driving Vision’s solid IT infrastructure facilitates collaboration. Our 3D modelling allows for a real-world conceptualisation of the project. From detailed floor plans to the overall energy performance of the building. The whole design can be viewed in Virtual Reality before the construction stage starts enabling all stakeholders to understand the scope of the project and how it reflects Social Value Act requirements. Get in touch for a demonstration of our capabilities.

Implementing BIM can be daunting, but Driving Vision is here to help you at the pace you are comfortable with. Get started by getting in touch now