• Company: Unispace Lifescience

• Location: UK

• Industry: Construction

• Autodesk Solutions: Autodesk Construction Cloud

Overview

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction industry has been working tirelessly to deliver facilities for the life sciences sector, supporting the development and manufacture of medical products crucial to the world’s health and wellbeing.

Unispace Lifescience, part of Unispace Group, delivers workplace, laboratory and facility design and construction projects for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, advanced therapeutics, medical device and other life sciences companies. With a Centre of Excellence for Engineering Design based in Cork, Ireland, the team brings 18 years of expertise in tailoring design-build solutions on a global scale. Serving the world’s leading biopharma companies, the team has delivered over US$2B in capital projects.

An opening for a new common data environment

Unispace Lifescience was taking bold steps toward digital transformation when it acquired Ireland-based Biopharma Engineering (BPE) in 2022. Already benefitting from BIM 360, the company realised that due to the highly complex and technical engineering they execute it needed a more comprehensive solution to streamline workflows and improve efficiency.

The acquisition provided a perfect opportunity to test the transition to Autodesk Construction Cloud – with the long-term plan of implementing the platform as a common data environment (CDE) across Unispace, transforming its operations on a global scale.

BPE’s existing document control system was custom-built several years prior. The legacy system had become inadequate in fulfilling the evolving requirements and efficiency expectations that arose from the company's growth since its initial implementation. To enhance workflows and boost efficiency in managing the increasingly complex and technical projects that define the company’s daily operations, a new system that incorporates advancements in EMS and project administration was essential.

Maria Fernanda Olmos Lares, Global Digital Integration Principal at Unispace explains, “The document control system, while tailored to the specific needs, had become a double-edged sword. The extensive customisation made updates a daunting task, and the team frequently grappled with frustrating delays when uploading large documents. This reliance on a system with limited IT support led to inefficiencies that hindered productivity, collaboration, and scalability of a rapidly growing business.

This shift required overcoming common transformation challenges, including workforce resistance to change. Employees, already juggling busy schedules, tend to stick with familiar systems, no matter how inefficient they may be. 

Scoping global solutions

Understanding stakeholder buy-in was critical, Maria realised the best way to manage this transformation was with consultative expertise from outside the company.

In Australia, Unispace had already been working with ARKANCE – a global Autodesk Construction Cloud elite partner. Present in 18 countries, ARKANCE is the first Autodesk Global Platinum partner and the world’s largest service provider for Autodesk solutions, combining multi-discipline expertise and deep knowledge of construction solutions, offering extensive industry expertise and implementation capabilities.

ARKANCE had already worked with Unispace in Australia, and its UK team, leveraging insights from Australian colleagues, was well-positioned to support the transformation in neighbouring Ireland. James Philip, Senior AEC Services Manager at ARKANCE in the UK, identified key priorities to ensure the success of the CDE implementation: 

• Ease of use: A user-friendly experience to drive adoption.

• Accessibility: Cloud-based solutions offering on-site and remote access.

• Security: Robust measures to protect data integrity and control access.

• Standardisation and scalability: Workflows adaptable to projects of varying complexity.

• Integration: Seamless interoperability with existing systems and processes.

ARKANCE’s consultative, people-centric approach proved invaluable in addressing these priorities, ensuring Unispace’s digital transformation aligned with its operational needs and workforce capabilities. 

A transformative journey

With ARKANCE’s professional services and Autodesk’s Partner Consulting Team, Unispace Lifescience transitioned to Autodesk Construction Cloud. This collaboration went beyond technology implementation, focusing on creating an organisational framework that encouraged workforce buy-in. 

Through a blend of on-site activities and remote sessions, ARKANCE helped Unispace test, validate, and establish workflows tailored to its goals. The transition met critical objectives, including: 

• Digitalising and streamlining engineering documentation processes. 

• Replacing outdated access databases and manual workflows. 

• Leveraging data-driven analytics to improve project performance and decision-making. 

Improved processes, happier people

While creating a robust CDE was the primary goal, Autodesk Construction Cloud proved to be a catalyst for broader improvements. The platform enhanced collaboration, communication, and coordination, reducing stress and burnout among employees. 

Autodesk Construction Cloud’s transparency and intuitive design eliminated the risk of lost information and improved workflow clarity. Employees reported greater satisfaction and productivity, with fewer errors and less rework. 

The numbers – and people – speak for themselves

A post-training survey found 100% of employees had a positive attitude toward Autodesk Construction Cloud, with 88.9% reporting improved task readiness. And team members have described a range of benefits to their daily work.

A Model for Digital Transformation 

Unispace’s transformation with Autodesk Construction Cloud, supported by its partnership with ARKANCE, highlights the power of digital technology and professional services in driving successful digital transformation. It not only modernised Unispace’s operations but also improved employee satisfaction and project outcomes.