William Mainor
by Will Mainor
Life science is a robust, innovative, and rapidly evolving industry. As research and technology barely begin to reach the peak of their potential, the industry is set to grow exponentially. The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, a research institution focused largely on biological science, is at the forefront of this movement. As the Broad Institute continues to push the boundaries of technology within the life sciences field, it is critical that its facility serves as an integral tool that provides the functionality that will allow them to continue to excel in the industry.
In May 2014, The Broad Institute opened its 375,000sf headquarters expansion on Ames Street in Cambridge, Mass. Due to evolving research needs, the expansion was commissioned to accommodate a continuous change and increase in projects at the institute. Suffolk Construction was recruited to construct a large, state-of-the-art research space to support scientific collaboration and discovery. The new LEED Gold certified facility features a unique, flexible floor plan to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration among teams dedicated to research on critical diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, metabolic, autoimmune, and psychiatric diseases.
In order to ensure that the expansion could not only accommodate current technology, but also allow for it to be reconfigured or replaced based on research needs, Suffolk Construction enlisted the help of subcontractors to consolidate all assets from the building process. Microdesk supported the implementation of building information modeling (BIM) to ensure that all building intelligence, from original drawings to vendor information, would be taken from the planning phase into day-to-day building operations and maintenance.
Microdesk’s involvement began as the subcontractors began coordinating the design virtually in 3D. By aggregating the trades’ coordinated shop drawings and as-builts into Revit software, Microdesk created an intelligent, fully integrated model of the building that would allow the facilities management team to maintain seamless control of the building’s operations.
The 3D BIM model becomes an essential tool for property maintenance even after construction is completed. This model provides the Broad Institute with a digital resource that enables their team to troubleshoot potential problems, identify all assets, track equipment, and access warrantee data and vendor information that may be of importance over the course of the building’s life cycle. Having a single source of information also allows management staff to perform preventive maintenance and safety checks on an annual or semi-annual basis. Most importantly, BIM enables the Broad team to digitally re-imagine spaces within the facility as new research opportunities arise, allowing the institute to attract and accommodate the most advanced and compelling projects.
Will Mainor is a solutions specialist.
