World Forum The Hague

Old and new technologies are in sharp contrast at the World Forum in The Hague. An interesting challenge for Unica Installation Technologies, who is responsible for the complete renovation of the installations in the congress building.

It is now quiet where there was a lot of commotion two years ago surrounding the visit of President Obama during the Nuclear Security Summit. An old elevator from the 60s takes an installer to the plant room, where he checks his tablet to see whether the installation corresponds to the 3D model. This contrast between old and new technologies is typical of the renovation at the World Forum in The Hague.

BIM on site

A team of Unica modelers is temporarily located in an office next to the World Forum Auditorium. This team is responsible for the renovation of all mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and sprinkler systems inside the building. Sustainability, safety, and security are paramount, says Bart van Schie, project manager. "For example, we replaced all the old air-handling units with more energy-efficient versions and traditional lighting fixtures with LED fixtures to make it more sustainable." Also, the entire building is provided with a new sprinkler system, in order to guarantee safety in the future.

No time for mistakes

The team has encountered many surprises during the renovation because the existing installations are decades old and a lot of information is lacking. This makes the project particularly challenging, says Bart. "You come across a lot of old, unfamiliar items here. For example, we sometimes come across architectural structures or installations that are not on old revision drawings when we open up a ceiling. When this happens, it is a matter of quality engineering and accurate time and people management."

Read more about Unica and this renovation BIM project in our Scratch magazine.