Built on reliable data
Local authorities – or other big companies with a large roster of buildings – need them, so their asset information isn’t all over the place – it’s collated and located as a single entity. This is best practice and there are lots of benefits to understanding what’s detailed in them. Using asset registers is useful for Building Information Models (BIM), facilities management and ongoing asset management.
BIM involves the generation and management of digital depictions of buildings. This includes the physical and functional characteristics, as well as other physical assets and facilities. They are stored as computer files and can be extracted, shared or sent to support decision-making regarding a built asset. As a vital part of the construction process, they are especially useful in asset management projects. They are often used by individuals, businesses and government agencies who plan, design, construct, operate and maintain buildings, and also on physical infrastructures or utilities management – such as water, waste disposal, electric, gas, roads, railways, bridges or ports.
Maintaining high standards
BIM is key to the international standard ISO19650. The concept of BIM has been around in development since the 1970s but only became a recognised term in the early 2000s. BIM development and standards have progressed at different speeds in different countries, so there was no globally-recognised standard for BIM. However, the BIM process standards developed in the United Kingdom from 2007 onwards became the basis of an international standard, ISO 19650, which was launched in January 2019. ISO 19650-1:2018 defines BIM as ‘Use of a shared digital representation of a built asset to facilitate design, construction and operation processes to form a reliable basis for decisions.’
An essential asset
Asset registers are an essential part of building and facilities management. Having current data on building inventories and their condition makes large organisation’s work a lot more efficient. An asset register entry contains all kinds of detail and usually begins with a building survey which would include floor plans, elevations and sections through the building and in some cases a 3D Revit model would show how the building layout works in a digital environment. There will be information on the asset, such as its definition and how the information should be handled, based on a classification. It will include who is responsible for managing the asset and its status, if the asset is actively in use (or ‘live’) or not in use (‘dormant’).
For example, Stockport Council has over 500 Grade 1 listed buildings. This is a huge estate that needs to be maintained and having a record of the number and condition of the assets is essential. The utilities company Severn Trent Water has to keep an up-to-date library of topographical surveys, as it carries out so much work on infrastructure in public areas. The more layers of detail that can be added to stored data, the more accurately any given building can be managed. All this feeds into ISO19650 – with one version of truth and one place to find it all, at a glance. This makes asset registers an essential resource for council staff, that needs keeping up to date for users in other professions, at all stages of a building’s lifecycle.
How can we help with your Asset Register?
We provide 3D models, floor plans, elevations, street scapes and building sections as well as topographical surveys which is a map of where you building is located within a street or town or underground utilities detection to show what services run under your building. Call us on 01928 734473 or email shams@powersuk.com to find out more.
