City Tower is a 30-story skyscraper in Manchester that is served by over 50-year-old electrical infrastructure, requiring refurbishment and replacement. There were no existing building or equipment drawings, which presented difficulties in renovating and installing new assets and establishing new electrical routes within the limited footprint. To overcome these challenges, compounded by requirements to avoid disruptions to building tenants and consider future utility demands, they needed 3D digital technology to model the existing and new infrastructure.

They selected OpenBuildings Designer, along with third-party modeling software, to model the existing electrical infrastructure and design the new installation. Using Bentley’s interoperable application allowed the design and on-site installation teams to identify and address issues prior to planned shutdowns, optimizing planning to retain business continuity within the building. They also provided the client with an electrical metering system, enabling the building management team to access complex data to efficiently monitor and reduce energy usage of the building.