Design and Specification

How better BIM wins more projects: Senior Architectural Systems

13 September 2023 | By NBS

See how providing digital objects can help manufacturers be specified more often.

Senior Architectural Systems is a leading manufacturer of door, window and curtain wall systems in both the commercial and residential sectors. Founded in 1991, the brand is now the UK’s largest supplier of aluminum fenestration systems by revenue, reaching £54 million in 2022.

We spoke to Karl Kovac, Specification Support Manager at Senior Architectural Systems, to find out how the manufacturer has achieved this impressive feat. One of the factors Karl attributes to the business’s success is its partnership with NBS, particularly in the field of BIM objects.

NBS has a team of expert BIM authors who can help you create detailed digital objects to the NBS BIM Object Standard and host them on NBS Source, which helps to support more architects and increase the number of times products are specified in projects. To demonstrate how NBS has helped Senior Architectural Systems on its BIM journey and contributed to its success, we asked Karl to share his team’s experience...

Understanding the value of BIM objects

BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a process for creating and managing information on a construction project throughout its whole life cycle.

BIM sees your products replicated in the digital environment, with a detailed digital description that includes information which supports the asset management process.

In 2013, Senior Architectural Systems began exploring the BIM route with a view to being ahead of the curve and ready for the 2016 BIM mandate on public sector projects.

As Karl reflected, exploring BIM earlier than most carried unique challenges:

“There was the initial challenge of understanding what exactly BIM is and how we as a manufacturer fit into the process. Our approach was allocating BIM development to one of our technical service managers, who was able to carry this out as a dedicated role and start us on our BIM journey.”

As an NBS partner for over 15 years, the manufacturer leveraged NBS’ BIM support and services, which meant NBS could help create their initial BIM objects - which has now grown into a library encompassing Senior Architectural Systems’ entire product range, including its patented PURe® systems.

Not only does NBS support manufacturers in understanding and creating BIM objects, but it also authors all objects to the NBS BIM Object Standard, which is a globally recognised mark of quality. The digital objects can then be hosted in NBS Source and specifiers and designers can easily access products and directly add them to their 3D project models in software including, Autodesk Revit, which is one of the most commonly used modelling platforms for specifiers.

Specifiers set BIM expectations

Whilst some forward-thinking manufacturers like Senior Architectural Systems were ahead of the curve when creating BIM objects, brands that want to reach specifiers in 2023 and beyond must make BIM a key part of their marketing strategy or risk missing out.

In a recent survey by the NBS team, 70% of specifiers said they expect manufacturers to provide detailed digital and BIM objects. So, by providing high quality BIM objects, manufacturers can make a more compelling case to architects and other specifiers to consider their products and include them in projects.

The approach has certainly benefitted Senior Architectural Systems, with Karl stating:

“Having all our digital objects available on NBS Source has been of great benefit to us, the platform gives specifiers a one-stop shop for all our BIM models, product data, case studies and specifications. We’ve seen a huge increase in enquiries and the number times our products are specified.”

As a final comment, Karl said of his business’s relationship with NBS:

“Our partnership with NBS over the last 15 years has been great for our business and since the creation of NBS Source, our exposure and reach to specifiers keeps on growing.”

Part of your digital toolkit

Get in touch today to find out how you can make BIM part of your digital toolkit or to discuss the other platforms available to help you reach more specifiers such as NBS Source.

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