Asta Development today announced the U.S. release of a robust BIM module for their leading construction project scheduling software, Asta Powerproject.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) digitally represents the physical and functional characteristics of a building in three dimensions (3D) so that all contractors and owners are operating from the same information source and can more easily and visually spot potential construction issues earlier.
Asta Powerproject’s new BIM module allows the software’s more than 80,000 worldwide users to easily go “4D” by adding the dimension of time to the 3D model. The new release comes after an extensive beta test period in the UK and Europe with input from hundreds of users.
“BIM has been gradually taking off in the U.S. but, it’s coming in a big way as people begin to realize the benefits of 4D planning,” said Jason Ruddle, Managing Director of Asta Development. “While the U.K. has seen a huge increase in BIM projects due to new government requirements, it is owners and forward-thinking construction firms driving that adoption here in the States.”
The upcoming release of Asta Powerproject BIM is an optional upgrade to Asta Powerproject that will include a sophisticated BIM feature, giving project planners the key benefits of BIM and 4D planning without the heavy expense or learning curve of a separate system.
Construction teams can use Asta Powerproject BIM to read industry-standard IFC databases from their architect partners. The 3D model shows in a window right in their scheduling application. Users can see where the build should be a various stages of the timeline and even adjust the timeline by clicking on an element in the BIM model to bring up its corresponding schedule.
Other key features of Asta Powerproject’s BIM module include:

• Easy deployment as a bolt-on to user’s existing Asta Powerproject software
• Faster schedule building with drag-and-drop functionality between the 3D model view and schedule tasks
• Ability to split IFC elements down to reflect build sequence
• Structured templates with predefined searches to automatically link to the model objects
• Visual comparisons of  ‘planned’ and ‘actual’ schedule plans in 3D window
• Model simulations using dates from timeline

“This release of Asta Powerproject with BIM capability represents a tremendous advance in project scheduling where over 50% of the value of BIM is really derived,” said Ruddle. “No longer is BIM just for architects and mega builders. It’s now accessible for all schedulers and can help make their jobs much more efficient.”
For more information on Asta Powerproject, visit www.astapowerproject.com.
About Asta Powerproject
Asta Powerproject has become the construction industry standard throughout Europe and the rest of the world outside the United States since its initial development in 1988. It was introduced to the U.S. market in 2013. Both small and large companies including general contractors, subcontractors, civil engineering firms, clients and professional advisors prefer Asta Powerproject. More than 80,000 schedulers worldwide rely on the software every day to create and update precise project schedules, collaborate across the enterprise, manage resources and costs, and report progress to owners and clients. For more information, visit www.astapowerproject.com.
Asta Powerproject is a product of Asta Development plc which creates project, portfolio and resource management software. Asta Development supports customers directly from its U.K. offices in Oxfordshire and Shropshire. In the U.S., Asta Development’s network of distributors supply, train and support customers. Asta Development is a part of Eleco plc, a holding company focused on software development and services for architectural, engineering and construction industries. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). More information about Eleco plc can be found at www.eleco.com.