GRAPHISOFT > Case Studies > Green Building with BIM Archicad: A Case Study on Eco-house 3.0

Green Building with BIM Archicad: A Case Study on Eco-house 3.0

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Cement

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control
Manufacturing Process Simulation

About The Customer

The customers of this project are the owners of Eco-house 3.0, who had a dream of building a small, sustainable shelter in the area of Serra Espadà, Spain. One of the owners, a technology lover, was passionate about the idea of building a passive house through a 100% digital process. They wanted a home that was energy-efficient, comfortable, and respectful to the landscape they loved. They also desired a flexible construction that could be transformed over time if necessary. The owners were actively involved in the design and construction process, monitoring the progress of the project in real time despite being 300 kilometers away from the NOEM offices.

The Challenge

The owners of Eco-house 3.0, located in Serra Espadà, Spain, had a vision of creating a sustainable, energy-efficient, and comfortable home using a prefab wood modular system. They wanted to leverage a 100% digital process to ensure a flexible construction that could be transformed over time if necessary. The challenge was to design and build a bio-climatic and technological house that would be respectful to the landscape, fully automated, and energy-efficient. The construction process had to be quick, clean, and precise, with no room for errors. The house was to be built in record time using a 100% digital process, which posed a significant challenge. The design and construction process had to be shared in real time with the client, who was located 300 kilometers away from the offices of NOEM, the design and construction firm.

The Solution

NOEM, a Barcelona-based design and construction firm, used Archicad, a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, to design and build the Eco-house 3.0. The house was built using two prefab wood modules manufactured in NOEM’s warehouse and assembled on site. The design process was entirely digitized, allowing the firm to share the design process in real time with the client. Using Graphisoft’s BIMx, the same 3D model used for the design and manufacturing process was also used to take virtual tours inside the house. This allowed the owners to experience the house virtually before building it and monitor the progress of the project despite being far away. To ensure precision and avoid mistakes, every detail of the house was designed down to the last millimeter using Archicad. The finished BIM model was then tested and verified by the team, approved by the customer, and the parts and materials were ordered.

Operational Impact

The use of Archicad and BIM technology resulted in a highly efficient and precise construction process. The digitization of the design process allowed the firm to share the design process entirely in real time with the client, enhancing customer engagement and satisfaction. The use of BIM technology also allowed for a high level of precision in the design and construction process, ensuring that every detail of the house was designed down to the last millimeter. This resulted in a high-quality, energy-efficient home built in record time. The use of prefab wood modules also contributed to the speed and efficiency of the construction process. The end result was a modern, cozy, and energy-efficient home that met the owners' vision and expectations.

Quantitative Benefit

The house was built in record time of 10 weeks: 4 design weeks, 5 manufacturing weeks in the factory and 1 assembly week on site.
The house has a total floor area of 96 m2, consisting of two prefab wood modules.
The house was built using a 100% digital process, allowing the owners to monitor the progress of the project in real time despite being 300 kilometers away.