BIM & GIS Modules

Furthermore, CostOS’ powerful parametric engine, if combined with BIM, enables the quick and accurate pricing of ‘less than fully-detailed’ BIM models.  Moreover, it allows design optimisation and quick identification of most appropriate materials and construction methods. Intelligent, parameter-driven assemblies can be built and applied to BIM elements.

Regarding BIM, CostOS is truly ‘BIM enabled’. 

BIM technology has been at the heart of CostOS from the very start and is hence, seamlessly integrated and standard functionality. No links, no imports etc – it’s part of the furniture.

This enables the measurement of quantities, directly from a BIM and in a very simple but visual way. Just navigate through the model, auto-select elements, associate them with database items (or create new ones), click go and produce a fully described, measured and priced Bill, directly from the model – from BIM to BILL to BID in a few easy steps.

This is because CostOS already stores the relationship between model classes and cost database items and as since open industry standard IFC files are utilized, CostOS BIM technology can be used, regardless of the BIM designing tool used to create the model.

With CostOS BIM technology, it really is a case of ‘what you see is what you estimate’. As model elements are selected and measured, CostOS  ensures that no item is missed.

GIS Map Take-off

CostOS has take-off capabilities to suit every occasion.

This extends to measuring quantities directly from your chosen GIS mapping tools, which are embedded within Costs.

This could include areas of roadways, land areas, perimeters or even the distance from an Oil platform to shore.

In addition, elevations are taken into account or even the depth of the sea. This capability can prove invaluable when trying assess early possible quantities, especially in remote or sensitive locations.

Likewise distances from supplier depots or manufacturing facilities can easily be calculated and combined with location and transportation factor functionality within Costs.

Early phase, conceptual definition of projects (highways, pipelines, off-shore development, utility services etc) can be simply done over GIS/Maps and the parametric engine will produce the estimate in an automated way.

Take-off using Functions

In additional to the other flexible methods for taking off quantities, as already described elsewhere, Costs also has a unique function take-off capability.

Likewise distances from supplier depots or manufacturing facilities can easily be calculated and combined with location and transportation factor functionality within Costs.

Early phase, conceptual definition of projects (highways, pipelines, off-shore development, utility services etc) can be simply done over GIS/Maps and the parametric engine will produce the estimate in an automated way.

In additional to the other flexible methods for taking off quantities, as already described elsewhere, Costs also has a unique function take-off capability.

Functions can calculate additional information from simple measurements. This can be from 2D geometrical shapes, 3D geometrical shapes or indeed structural members.

For example, by measuring the length of a steel section, mathematical equations can calculate the weight and the surface area. Or say the volume of a sphere together with its surface area.

In addition, the basic measurements egg, the length of the beam, can be abstracted using any of the other measurement methods available within Costs egg, directly from a Building Information Model (BIM) or a 2D PDF.