LINEAR: Tell us about the history of your company and the current range of services.
K. Kosubek : Our company began as a construction company and grew to 25 employees between 1990 and 2006. Since 2006, we have established ourselves as a construction support office for MEP Kosubek as a sole proprietorship in Velten near Berlin.
LINEAR: Which of the projects you have realized make you particularly proud and what services has your company provided?
K. Kosubek: Each of our projects presents unique challenges. We are particularly proud of projects such as the Fellbach daycare center. Here, we had to implement challenging legal requirements that are often difficult to harmonize with the available architectural framework conditions. As before, most projects do not provide the necessary space for the technical building services, so creative solutions often have to be found. Nevertheless, we have managed to develop innovative and efficient solutions.
LINEAR: How do you see the topic of "digitalization" in the industry and what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities?
K. Kosubek: Digitalization brings with it immense opportunities, particularly through modern working methods in the 3D model. This model is essential for precisely capturing the dimensions of construction projects. However, there are challenges, especially in the sanitary sector, where theory and practice often diverge. The success of 3D designs depends heavily on the software used and the CAD libraries provided. The LINEAR CAD Browser is an ideal source here. It also takes a lot of persuasion to convince clients and architects of the advantages of modern technical solutions.
LINEAR: What significant changes have you seen in the industry in recent years?
K. Kosubek: Many more companies should realize the possibilities of modern MEP design. We have been using LINEAR's 3D design solutions since the end of 2008. The building manager in combination with the 3D design of all trades and the model-based calculations are the best way to realize high-quality MEP design. Unfortunately, not everyone has this aspiration and so there are often major differences in quality in the collaboration.
LINEAR: What practical effects do the new requirements in the course of integrated design with BIM have on your work processes?
K. Kosubek : BIM brings both advantages and challenges. Over the last ten years, I have realized that implementation is often difficult, as many projects do not progress beyond the design phase and different software solutions make data exchange difficult. Nevertheless, BIM and 3D design offer many advantages if implemented consistently. BIM used correctly would certainly create great added value for everyone involved.
LINEAR: What role do sustainability and climate protection play in your projects?
K. Kosubek: Sustainability and climate protection are important topics in our projects. Conscious consumption of resources and the longevity of the systems are decisive factors for us.
LINEAR: If you had one wish that would simplify the future design of buildings. What would it be?
K. Kosubek: I would like to see the theoretical requirements of BIM better implemented in practice. Many clients still insist on 2D plans, which leads to additional work and loss of information. Better collaboration between the parties involved and more efficient IFC data exchange would also be desirable.
LINEAR: You rely on LINEAR solutions for the MEP design. What prompted you to invest in the software at the time?
K. Kosubek : We first came into contact with LINEAR software in 2000 via the industrial solution from Viega. At the beginning of 2008, we expanded this solution to include ventilation, initially in 2D, and gradually extended it. The quality of the plans we had received up to that point was often poor, which is why we decided to implement them ourselves. LINEAR was the only software that could fulfil our high demands.
LINEAR: You have now completed numerous projects with LINEAR solutions. What is your experience of using the software so far?
K. Kosubek: Our experience with the LINEAR software has been consistently positive. We were able to incorporate our execution experience into the design and, as an individual company, we were able to map the performance of a complex MEP office. I am very satisfied with the results so far and am pleased that the further development of the software is progressing at a rapid pace, because we still have wishes that we would like to see realized in the future.
LINEAR: Thank you very much for the interview.
