Tucker HiRise Construction Inc. is a leading construction management firm. They specialize in the development and construction of high density, and mixed-used projects, which include development management and high-profile residential and mixed-use construction ventures. They provide management and expertise to some of the largest developers in the Greater Toronto Area, and have surpassed the $1 billion mark in projects under construction in 2015. Tucker HiRise has completed over 15,000 units.
About Mehrdad Tavakkolian, Managing Director AIA OAA. PMP. PgMP. LEED AP. cSBAM: Mehrdad is passionate about connecting digital technology to AEC, the combination of his diverse background in Architecture, Construction management, software engineering and teaching gave him exceptional ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. For the past 15 years, he was contributing to his environment by implementing the technology to the practical world.
CanBIM: When did your company start adopting BIM?
MT: Our company started to adopt BIM in 2006.
CanBIM: Why was this decision made by your company?
MT:
It is part of the company’s philosophy to implement the newest and most cutting edge technology in our projects, so it was only natural.
CanBIM: What BIM platforms do you mainly use at the moment?
MT: We try to be platform independent so as to be flexible. So far we have implemented Autodesk and GRAPHISOFT platforms. Tekla is in the Research & Development stage.
CanBIM: Do you use both simultaneously in one project and does that cause challenges in terms of interoperability?
MT: Yes, multiple software platforms are used at the same time. This situation can be challenging at times, since Autodesk is not IFC friendly and doesn’t like to communicate with other platforms. However, Tucker HiRise works with different consultants and clients with differing preferences and therefore we cannot choose one platform outright over the other.
CanBIM: How do you face the transference challenges and do you work with IFCs?
MH: Depending on the stage of the project, sometimes we end up redrawing, and as for IFC’s, ArchiCAD fully supports IFC transfers, but when models are taken from ArchiCAD to Autodesk through IFC, depending on the complexity of model, some components become inaccessible and cause difficulty for further modification and changes.
CanBIM: Do you implement BIM on all projects?
MT: We try to do so as much as possible. If we are involved from the beginning of a project then we try to implement BIM as much as possible but since we are a construction company, most of the time, we are brought into the project after design is completed, in those cases we only implement BIM partially and where it helps the construction execution process.
CanBIM: Why is it important to implement BIM on a project from the beginning?
MT: The four main things BIM benefits from the beginning is: Risk Management, Stakeholder engagement, Design Coordination, and Design and Construction Change Management.
CanBIM: How many BIM staff do you currently employ?
MT: We have three, full-time staff who currently support over 20 on-going large scale construction projects at a time.
CanBIM: What is the relation between BIM and sustainability from your company’s perspective?
MT: Tucker HiRise is a USGBC member and committed to sustainable practices (Toronto Green Standard or LEED certification). In using BIM, the accurate results created from model based quantity takeoffs, significantly reduces and prevents excessive material loss and creates energy saving opportunities. BIM also facilitates better design review sessions which is very important in choosing the best design possible from a sustainability point of view.
CanBIM: What is your advice for other construction companies that are starting to get on board with BIM?
MT: I would recommend that they ensure their design consultant implements the BIM platform from the beginning.
CanBIM: What are the biggest current challenges in the implementation of BIM, in your opinion?
MT: The interoperability between platforms is one of the biggest challenges. Another challenge is the issue of liability and insurance. The contracting system has to move forward to be able to support BIM in the future.
