To make sure its new Viraskolan School was not exposed to moisture damage during construction, the municipality of Upplands Väsby, Sweden mandated the use of comprehensive weather protection. The L- shape of the building made this technically challenging, but ABAB found an efficient and safe solution by using 3D BIM modelling.
During the construction of the Viraskolan School in Upplands Väsby, Sweden, the client insisted on comprehensive weather protection to eliminate the risk of so-called "sick building syndrome". Their decision was based on several advantages offered by weather protection: Construction quality improves, because a dry construction site and dry materials means less moisture damage and a more consistent result. A working environment that is shielded from wind and rain is also far more pleasant for workers.
Another considerable advantage is that weather protection means construction can start in any weather or season, making schedules more predictable and therefore reliable. Earlier experience has shown that a project with weather protection is more likely to stay on schedule and avoid delays, and the resulting building's quality and long-term sustainability improve as a bonus.
In the case of Viraskolan, where every detail of the construction process was critical, protection from the weather was not only necessary but also an extremely effective way of ensuring the building's quality and moisture safety.
Viraskolan School in Upplands Väsby has an L-shaped design that is divided into several sections, each with its own construction height and width. This complicated structure meant that simply covering the building with one large protective shelter was not possible. Instead, a little creativity and precise scheduling were needed to protect each unique part of the school effectively during the construction process.
At the corner, where the two sides of the L-shaped building meet, there was the question of how to support the weather protection without straining the roof of the adjacent building. This was solved by using a strong cantilever beam. The beam needed to be sturdy enough to carry the heavy load of the weather protection while also being long enough to cover the building's entire width. The beam also supported an efficient, carefully designed solution for handling the runoff from even the heaviest rain and snow, which ensured that the protective shelter continued to do its job even in the worst weather conditions.
To ensure its new Viraskolan School was not exposed to moisture damage during construction, the client insisted on comprehensive weather protection. The L-shape of the building made this challenging, but ABAB found an efficient and safe solution by using 3D BIM modelling.
ABAB used 3D-BIM modelling in the Viraskolan project. This had two major advantages: First, the model served as a basis for comprehensive construction calculations. Second, it allowed consultants and contractors to coordinate productively, which made it easier to design anchorage installations, for example, and to identify and resolve potential collisions with building components. Since problems could now be identified and resolved in advance, risk assessments became more accurate, planning improved, logistics were more efficient, and communication flowed more smoothly across and within teams.
Share article
