Vico Office Suite

A Construction-Oriented 5D BIM Environment

 

 

The construction industry is changing rapidly. The increased demand for efficiency, shorter delivery times, and higher quality is pushing owners and contractors to adopt new business models and technologies which will give them a competitive advantage. The integration of processes and improved communication throughout the design-to-construction life cycle has proved to be an essential part of this change. Integrated Project Delivery and BIM technology are today’s buzz words, and the necessity of a truly integrated social-BIM platform becomes evident.

 

Vico’s next generation 5D BIM solution was created for this need. Vico Office™ is purpose-built for construction, and is designed as a tightly-integrated, BIM-neutral platform to which multiple types of BIM models can be published, synthesized, and augmented with cost and schedule information. To maximize efficiency and meet the distinctive needs of the various construction process trades and phases, Vico Office is structured in a modular way, providing you with a tailored, yet expandable solution and a consistent, easy to use environment.

Using Vico Office, building owners and general contractors can collaborate efficiently, improve predictability, reduce risk, manage cost, and optimize schedules on large, complex building projects.  We believe our integrated construction management software offers project teams the flexibility to specialize their disciplines (modeling, scheduling, estimating) and still collaborate (coordination, budgeting, and project control with all stakeholders).

 

 

This chart illustrates how the Vico Office modules come together for a tightly-integrated 3D-4D-5D BIM workflow:

 

3D BIM for Visualization	Vico Office works out-of-the-box with popular BIM authoring tools such as Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Autodesk Revit, and Tekla Structures. New in Release 4 are publishers for AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP. Vico Office also includes additional importers for Google SketchUp, CAD Duct, 3D DWG, and IFC files.
3D BIM for Clash Detection	Vico Constructability Manager provides an integrated solution for clash detection and coordination resolution so that your team can identify constructability issues in the planning stage before they occur in the field.
3D BIM for Layout	Vico Layout Manager maps critical points in the virtual model to their corresponding physical points on the jobsite, speeding installation and eliminating costly rework.
3D BIM for Quantity Takeoff	Vico Takeoff Manager derives construction-caliber quantities by location from BIM models; these quantities by location power more accurate schedules and estimates.
4D BIM for Scheduling and Production Control	Vico LBS Manager is an organized approach to dividing the project into work locations. Location-based planning and management ensures that trade crews flow smoothly from prerequisite to successor tasks without interference. Locations defined in LBS Manager also yield quantities by location for use in scheduling and procurement.   Vico Schedule Planner creates construction schedules by using BIM model elements and associating them with tasks and the corresponding materials, resources, and labor; all of which are optimized by location.   Vico Production Controller is used in the build phase.  Planning the schedule is only half the battle - the other half is managing on-site production. Near real-time production updates from the site using Vico Production Controller enable forward-looking schedule forecasts so problems are flagged with ample time for remedial action.   Vico 4D Manager is a 4D simulation presentation tool that provides rich 3D visualization of the project timeline to the extended construction team.
5D BIM for Estimating	Vico Cost Planner is a powerful model-based cost estimating solution. Based on the concept of Target Cost Planning, Vico Cost Planner provides an environment for an evolving cost estimate that readily compares one version to another and any version to the original Target Cost Plan.   Vico Cost Explorer is the first model-based budgeting application that allows the extended project team to visually understand which aspects of the project are contributing to changes in cost. Pouring over rows and rows of spreadsheet data is a thing of the past.
Construction Management Reporting	Vico Office Client is the cornerstone of the Vico Office Suite. Here model versions are managed, information is shared across the team, and an inline reporting engine pulls information from all departments to deliver constructability reports, cost- and resource-loaded schedules, proposed design changes, cost estimates, cash flow reports, and other customizable reports.

 

This video helps to explain how the construction project data flows through preconstruction to estimating to scheduling and out to the field for production control.

 

 

Vico Office is designed to breakdown traditional construction department silos with the project information data flow.  By creating a 5D BIM model which incorporates design, estimating data, and scheduling data, we get a means and method model.  This live model is dynamic and responds immediately to changes in the design and out on-site.  Vico Office leverages its integration between the 3D model, the 4D schedule, and the 5D estimate.  From the 3D model geometry, we derive the construction-caliber quantities.  These takeoff items each have a special assembly of material, labor, and equipment.  These costed takeoff items and resources are then organized by location for an optimal schedule. The result is a cost- and resource-loaded schedule.  And because of the tight integration, a design change in the model is immediately evaluated with a new schedule and new estimate.

 

 

Do you have seven minutes?

Video: Vico Office for Dummies

 

Do you have fourteen minutes?

Video: 4D BIM for Dummies

 

Do you have fifteen minutes?

Video: 5D BIM for Dummies

 

Do you have thirty minutes?

Video: BIM-Based Estimating for Dummies

 

Do you have forty-five minutes?

Video: Full-Length Vico Office Demonstration

 

Do you have a couple hours and access to colleagues from scheduling and estimating?

Calculate your GC firm's BIM Score based on clash detection, scheduling, and estimating capabilities, best practices, and enterprise integration. Learn what distinguishes one GC from another by taking the same test for your competition.

 

Do you have an afternoon?

Webinar Series: Going 5D with Vico

Webinar Series: The BIM Master Class

Webinar Series: Using BIM in a Hard Bid

Webinar Series: Model Fidelity and Project Quality

 

Do you have a week?

Video Training: Cost Planner

Video Training: Schedule Planner

Video Training: Production Controller

Video Training: Reporting

 

Do you have four weeks?

Program: Vico Structured Evaluation

 

Do you have a year?

We strongly urge you to consider the Vico Customer Success Plan. It's one year of rigorous training, support, consulting, executive workshops, and resources designed to make get your company from zero to 5D BIM.

 

Do you want an article you can sink your teeth into?

Blog: 5 Pieces of Advice for GCs Considering BIM

Blog: BIM Doesn't Come in a Box

Blog: Top 10 Reasons to Do 5D BIM