Practice owners can make their dream veterinary building a reality at BSAVA Congress

It’s been quite a year for ACD Projects. The company is still basking in the glory of their involvement in the build of the London Cat Clinic, Overall Winner of the British Veterinary Hospitals Association (BVHA) 2017 Practice Design Awards. The veterinary design and build specialists are no strangers to high profile veterinary buildings and also managed the fit-out of the Fitzpatrick Referrals Oncology and Soft tissue Centre, which was runner up in the New Build category of the awards. Now it’s aiming to show – in startling detail – how anyone’s ‘dream’ veterinary building can be brought to life, with the help of ACD’s expertise and Building Information Modelling. Find them on stand 821 at BSAVA Congress.

Having built hundreds of veterinary clinics and hospitals, it’s no surprise that ACD Projects were on the London Cat Clinic’s radar when it came to tackling the build and cost management of their project. On this build ACD took on multiple consultancy roles, including mechanical and electrical engineering, which was a high proportion of the project, along with veterinary specific know-how and specifications, the quantity surveying undertaking and the financial management. ACD was able to use its detailed knowledge of how practices function to ensure that everything was fit for purpose.

At last year’s Fitzpatrick Referral’s Oncology Hospital build, ACD were invited to act as a consultant, project manage and to design the flow, layout and fit out of the building. This included supplying the highly regarded ACD room data sheets, which provided the client with a detailed review of what they were going get at the end of the day. The company also worked with Noel Fitzpatrick to bring his bespoke dog kennel system to life and reviewed and refined the cattery layouts that later received the ICC Gold Standard Cattery award.

While ACD Projects founder Alex Darvill is delighted to have been involved with these amazing buildings, he remains very passionate about every veterinary build his company is involved in. There was however, one remaining frustration as Alex explains, “I’m happy to provide our veterinary clients with recommendations that bring their ideas to life but there’s always been one area that I couldn’t help them with. Visualising a building by looking at the plans is something that’s second nature for us at ACD Projects. But it’s not something that’s at all easy for those not closely involved in the build and design of practices. So, we’ve gradually improved our Building Information Modelling technology, which takes a 2D architectural drawing and turns it into a 3D image of the building.”

Alex says it’s a great step forward, “Now the practice team can see the build through my eyes, they can understand why I recommend changes to the layout to improve flow through the building and best of all, they can visualise the end result – and that’s great for staff motivation while they wait to move into their new premises, or indeed for anyone who has laboured long and hard to arrive at the point when their dream building is about to become real.”

For those that need to go one step further to visualise their new practice, ACD can also use Virtual Reality headsets, that allow practice owners and their teams to walk around their building before contractors have even broken earth on the foundations.

Some practice models using Building Information Modelling technology are available on ACD’s website (www.acdprojects.co.uk) and at BSAVA Congress delegates will be able to see some of its award winning practice designs and builds in 3D.

Delegates can bring along the ideas they’ve sketched on a note pad or scribbled on a post-it note, or even full architects drawings and find out how they can be brought to life. ACD Projects can not only design the build and create a 3D model but also cost it, help prepare business plans, find the best contractors, project manage the build and source the right materials. All the advice aspiring practice owners need is available at stand 821.