PROJECT DETAILS
Department of Education NSW
Location
Sydney NSW
About This Project
Government | Digital Engineering Strategy Lead
Description: Developed a comprehensive digital engineering transformation plan for the Digital Engineering / BIM delivery for all major capital works school projects, improving collaboration across teams and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
The standardisation of design and Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) was established as a central strategic element for School Infrastructure NSW (SINSW), capitalising on a significant opportunity to revolutionise project delivery. This initiative was driven by the increased procurement of capital works across New South Wales, which prompted SINSW to standardise and increase the implementation of Digital Engineering and Building Information Modelling (BIM) on projects.
As the Digital Engineering Strategy Lead, this opportunity was successfully realised with the mandate of BIM across all projects through the adoption of a standardised grid and baseline model, directly enabled by the DfMA approach. This strategic move also positioned SINSW as a leader in the digital engineering strategy for Modern Methods of Construction, where standardisation and modularity were key.
A core component that was established was the Digital Baseline Design, ensuring all project components, neighbourhoods, general arrangement plans, and masterplans were generated within an interoperable BIM platform and Common Data Environment (CDE) as well as a focus on establishing the OpenBIM IFC format for delivery. The output consists of 3D parametric models created with metadata (specifications), all collected into a single environment/platform.
A key vision that was realised was the establishment of a digital library of DfMA components, initially released as the "MMC Digital Kit of Parts" and later released as the "Pattern Book" digital content. This digital library is shared openly with the market and partners, as a part of the Education Facilities Standards and Guidelines (EFSG) website/resource, to improve standardisation and efficiency of delivery, supporting the broader aim of increased efficiency.
This standardisation was critical for addressing existing challenges within SINSW’s digital principles, which had required further development and guidance. This initiative explicitly mandated the critical review and revision of SINSW's BIM suite of documents – including BIM Project Information Requirements (PIRs), BIM Execution Plan, and BIM Practice Note – to reflect the latest delivery workflows and approaches with a strong consideration for the new standardised design and DfMA approach.
Ultimately, this framework established a robust and consistent approach for SINSW's projects, enabling them to be better delivered. This included the exploration and implementation of advancements like automated design utilising masterplan guidelines, standard designs, and the kit of parts, which further enhanced efficiency and scalability. All these processes are now well established within SINSW's project delivery.
