Building a sports stadium is a complex undertaking.  From optimal seating/viewing layouts, to support systems like plumbing and electrical, to a large-span roof; all the while managing the construction efforts in the congested downtown location with a very tight schedule.

P. J. Dick Incorporated/Hunt Construction Group brought their vision for the use of Virtual Construction to the table early.  The subcontractors had participated in a design-assist portion of the document development phase, so the team was able to perform Coordination by Location for the MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) and FP (fire protection) systems and the partial 4D sequencing of the structural steel roof members.

One unique aspect of the project is the orchestration of the temporary shoring and crane placement to erect the roof in the central arena.  The project team will author a detailed "game plan" and optimize the sequencing using Vico's Control - a patent-pending flowline scheduling solution.  This is a critical phase of the construction during which the team cannot afford to fail.  Having the opportunity to properly plan the sequence in every detail for every scenario allows the team to "practice the plays" and prepare well in advance.

This isn't the first project for which P. J. Dick has employed the Vico Virtual Construction Suite.  The General Contractor is a pioneer in the Mid-Atlantic region, adopting 5D BIM and applying the latest building technology and methodology to projects.  The first joint project was The School of Computer Science Complex at Carnegie Mellon University.  During this project the firm realized that they needed to be at the forefront of Virtual Construction to gain competitive advantage with Owners.  They hired a Virtual Construction Coordinator to champion the implementation process and establish their long-term BIM strategy.

True 5D BIM, espoused by Vico, incorporates 3D model coordination and constructability, 4D scheduling and production control, and 5D estimates and cost planning through to earned value analysis (EVA).

As part of a much larger plan to revitalize the Pittsburgh downtown area, the new arena is a bold investment in hockey.  It is a testament to the fan base that the Ownership and City of Pittsburgh developed a new hockey arena.

Stated Matthew Baker, Virtual Construction Coordinator, "P. J. Dick Incorporated/Hunt Construction Group, a joint venture, are pleased to announce our implementation of Vico's Virtual Construction services on the New Pittsburgh Penguins Arena project."

"This is an opportunity for P. J. Dick to shine as a progressive General Contractor in the Mid-Atlantic region," stated Mark Sawyer, CEO and President of Vico Software.  "The Penguins project will not only showcase their construction abilities, but also their dedication to the latest technologies that advance building sciences.  Their efforts will make the whole city of Pittsburgh proud."

This is one of the first projects on which Vico's latest version, the 2009 Virtual Construction Suite, will be employed.