Prompt Engineering Academy

BIM : An Effective Way to Reduce Rework and Increase Efficiency

                As the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry faces tremendous pressure to deliver optimal projects within stringent deadlines, improving process efficiency and reducing rework is certainly the need of the hour. The design and construction-related rework is one of the critical factors that adversely affect productivity, profitability and timely completion of projects for both contractors and owners. Besides, it impacts designers, subcontractors, MEP (M&E) engineers, consultants and the entire downstream chain. In comparatively larger and more complex projects, the design-build rework can negatively influence the entire project workflow, delay project delivery, and cost more than what was originally estimated.

            As mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems account for a significant value of the project, the prudent use of building information modelling (BIM) tools to effectively coordinate MEP (M&E) systems helps reduce rework and increase productivity. On the other hand, the lack of well-planned interdisciplinary MEP (M&E) coordination results in duplication of efforts, major interferences and design clashes on site, as well as fabrication changes and errors.

             Since BIM requires comprehensive pre-construction planning and   multidisciplinary coordination, its adoption by the MEP (M&E) team increases technical interoperability among various members during building services coordination. In BIM-led MEP (M&E) coordination, building services designers, consultants, and subcontractors are involved during the design and planning stage. One of the most crucial factors for an effective and accurate coordination exercise is to decide on a specific protocol for creating virtual architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection models of the same facility. Subsequently, the team should agree on mechanisms to merge the models from different trades and create a combined coordinated services MEP model.

              All the above positive effects of MEP (M&E) BIM coordination make the design-build process more efficient by increasing project’s schedule compliance whilst reducing design and construction-related rework.