BLACK & VEATCH
DIGITAL TWINS MEAN CLIENTS CAN DESIGN TWICE , BUT BUILD ONCE
Data centre virtual models mean contractors can work together with perfect precision , says Black & Veatch ’ s Angie Nygren , Drew Derrick and Greg Zalewski Black & Veatch ’ s integrated design , engineering , and construction approach increases project performance while ensuring cost and schedule certainty for critical infrastructure . As clients ’ single point of contract responsibility , Black & Veatch works in a collaborative team to maximise return on investment and deliver projects of the highest value possible . The company ’ s design-build teams identify and implement creative solutions through a contractor-led , construction-driven model .
“ With the 3D fly-throughs we can offer , the client knows what they ' re getting , knows that operationally it ' s going to function for them ,” says Black & Veatch Architect Angie Nygren . “ So , in a sense , we ' re really designing twice .”
CFD modelling is used to build interior and exterior twins , which allows Black & Veatch to work with clients to fine-tune master plans . “ We had a project where the client was using direct evaporative units on the exterior of the building , sucking in large volumes of air ,” says Black & Veatch Mechanical Engineering Manager Drew Derrick . “ Diesel generators for the project were sitting relatively close . We found that when the generators were on , the exhaust fumes came back into the building .
“ We ran the model and had to extend the stacks , moving the generators a little farther away , so we could make those modifications before it became a problem in the field ,” says Derrick . “ After you ' ve built it , it ’ s much more expensive for the client to make that kind of change .”
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