Excel Engineering Inc.

3D modeling continues to transform the face of the construction industry. However, the common misconception with 3D building models is the inherent belief that all content has been fully coordinated. From a design standpoint, the goal of 3D modeling is to convey design intent, and not necessarily take into account all the coordinatation issues between the building systems’layouts and construction sequences. A construction modeling approach, which covers the complete ecosystem of designing a building’s prototype, and incorporates any building information that may have been excluded during the design modeling phase is a more beneficial approach. Wisconsin-based, Excel Engineering, a national, employee-owned, full-service architectural and engineering firm, precisely understands the difference between design modeling and construction modeling, helping clients achieve the desired building model by using the latter technique. The company is a one-stop-shop, offering fully-integrated 3D modeling solutions for architecture, structural engineering, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, refrigeration, process piping, precast concrete, cold-formed steel framing, civil/site/survey, and interior design.

“We embrace the most powerful and effective BIM modeling software and analysis tools available for all of our services to utilize BIM to its greatest extent. When clients partner with us, they experience the comfort, confidence, and clarity that accompany working with a one-stop full service firm,” says Jesse Hasenfus, BIM/VDC Director at Excel Engineering.

Founded in 1990, Excel Engineering is licensed in all 50 states and six Canadian provinces and employs over 200 associates, consisting of engineers, architects and other design professionals, who collectively provide contractors and clients with fabrication level quality 3D building models, which can be used for virtual design and construction (VDC) coordination purposes. The in-house team of VDC specialists provides modeling and coordination services for various building systems, including electrical, ductwork, piping, steel, cold-formed metal framing, and precast concrete. “We are devoted to identifying and resolving constructability issues in a virtual environment, before beginning construction, to facilitate a faster and better build with fewer mistakes, ultimately turning over better products to owners and stakeholders,” remarks Hasenfus.

In the past three decades, Excel Engineering has forged numerous client partnerships and delivered a record number of projects on time. Hasenfus attributes this success to the company’s experienced staff, customer-centric approach, creativity, and industry experience. He highlights a customer story where the client reached out to Excel Engineering to generate a 3D as-built model of their existing facility in order to plan for a future renovation project. In response, the firm used its scanning equipment and software to gather point cloud data, which was leveraged to generate a 3D building model for the client.

Hasenfus draws attention to the modern-day panelized construction method that revolves around prefabricated and modular construction, where walls, floors, and entire rooms are constructed off-site, in a quality-controlled environment, and then transported to the construction site for final placement. Although fascinating, a tremendous amount of planning, design collaboration, extreme accuracy, and attention to detail must go into creating such designs. Excel Engineering offers cold-formed steel framing design services for curtain wall, load-bearing, prefabricated wall panels, raised platform framing, blast design, and BIM modeling services. For clients with the capability, CNC codes from BIM models can be exported to the roll forming machines that produce cold-formed steel framing members to exact required dimensions.

Excel Engineering has assisted many clients and even earned the CFSEI Design Excellence Award on several occasions for commitment to providing the best design services. “We aspire to collaborate with many more enterprises on exciting and challenging projects and broaden our business horizons,” ends Hasenfus.