New York City Department of Buildings approves 3D BIM site safety plans

The New York City Department of Buildings recently unveiled a safety initiative that encourages contractors working on large projects to submit 3D/BIM site safety plans. The initiative makes the City’s Building Department one of the first to accept and review safety plans in this manner.

Turner Construction Company is the first company to have their three-dimensional, Building Information Model-based plans approved by the New York City Department of Buildings.

The plans – which show the locations of site fencing, perimeter protection, cranes, hoists and other equipment and materials – were created by Turner using detailed Building Information Modeling tools and submitted to the Department of Buildings electronically in both 3D and 2D formats. Digital submission follow-up required fewer office visits and expedited the approval process as the 3D images enhanced communication between field inspectors, office supervisors and Turner. Most importantly, the virtual models and walkthroughs helped identify potential safety risks earlier in the review process, before the start of construction. The approved 2D documents and 3D models were then stored in a secure online site from which Building Inspectors could access them in the field on mobile computing devices.

The first projects that benefited from this process were the Energy Building at NYU Langone Medical Center, which will satisfy the energy demands of the University’s growing medical campus, and a new building for NYU’s College of Nursing that will also provide expanded facilities for the College of Dentistry, and create space for a new multi-school bioengineering program. +

GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market

Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.

Adaptive Reuse | Mar 21, 2024

Massachusetts launches program to spur office-to-residential conversions statewide

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently launched a program to help cities across the state identify underused office buildings that are best suited for residential conversions.

Image by RAEng_Publications from Pixabay

Legislation | Mar 21, 2024

Bill would mandate solar panels on public buildings in New York City

A recently introduced bill in the New York City Council would mandate solar panel installations on the roofs of all city-owned buildings. The legislation would require 100 MW of solar photovoltaic systems be installed on public buildings by the end of 2025.

Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024

BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.