MKN in full BIM conversion

Cooking technology specialist MKN has converted all its planning drawings into the BIM data format for building planning.

These BIM models consist of 3D drawings and a text file with technical data. This caters for optimal planning and transparent presentation of costs 

All of the relevant building data is digitally processed and linked to all other information in a BIM model. This results in fewer planning errors and, for example, a realistic forecast of maintenance costs.

MKN’s BIM data is available as a package in the download area on the MKN homepage. All 2D and 3D data continues to be available as DWG and DXF files.

BIM is Here. But Where are the Builders?

It has been touted as the next best thing for saving money and operating more efficiently, but home builders have yet to embrace Building Information Modeling, or BIM, even as large commercial, production and multifamily developers continue to find new ways to shave costs and time.

So what’s the disconnect? Members of the NAHB Business Management & Information Technology Committee talked about the problem when they met at the International Builders’ Show last month.

BIM is a way to automate the construction process: Every nail, 2×4 and sheet of drywall, every delivery and inspection, and every change order – which can in turn cause conflicts and disrupt design and ordering decisions – is tracked electronically using construction software.

NAHB has been advocating a standard for BIM so that builders and remodelers can choose from a series of software packages and apps and not be concerned that they won’t work across platforms or other projects.

But even pressing for a standard is almost getting the cart before the horse: Too many subcontractors and small builders know so little about how BIM works that the education may need to come first, committee members said.

“BIM does not require standardization to be valuable. The various vendors can and will do a great job at exchanging the digital information if and when it becomes available. Standardization is a bit of a distraction,” said committee member John Jones.

Wide-scale adoption of BIM faces two major hurdles, he said. “Manufacturers and trade partners. Until we get buy-in from those important groups, the use of BIM will be limited in scope.”

“My HVAC guy is a seven to eight man company,” agreed Illinois builder and committee member Phil Hoffman. “His invoices are hand written, and he just says, ‘This is the way I do it.’ Technology is a difficult thing. I can see where BIM works in commercial, and that this would be a great thing for us, but how do we drag [the trades] into it?”

“The word is intimidating,” said Jones. “And it won’t happen until your plumber wants to route his pipes in 3D.” Or, Jones said, until regulators see the money and time they can save by mandating its use. “If you go to the building department and are required to give them a 3D blueprint, that will be it,” he said. In Europe, BIM adoption has been accelerated by the requirement that any project that is even partially government funded be BIM enabled, he said.

In the meantime, Jones said, BIM could be a clear point of differentiation, especially for small-volume design-built firms, who may be able to supply product faster, and at a lower cost, then competing firms still working in the analog age.

Five trends to watch for in NBS National BIM Survey

To what extent have BIM adoption rates increased as we approach 2016?

The 2014 results showed BIM adoption was accelerating. 54% of respondents said they had used BIM on at least one project in 2014, up 15% on the previous year. In 2010 only 13% of respondents were using BIM and 43% were entirely unaware. Furthermore, a majority of active BIM users told us they had already reached Level 2 BIM on a project.

We'd expect to see even greater adoption this time around as stakeholders embrace new ways of working to meet the requirements of Level 2 BIM.

Are the benefits of BIM starting to be realised?

Last year's results showed a wide appreciation of the perceived and real benefits that BIM can bring with those who had already adopted BIM being much more positive about it than those who are yet to.

A year on, are the benefits of cost efficiencies (appreciated by 61% of those who've used BIM) and increased co-ordination (77% of BIM users) starting to bear fruit as an increasing number of projects and stakeholders become BIM compliant? We'll be looking for clues in the data to find out.

BIM is collaborative – are BIM users collaborating?

Central to BIM is a range of collaborative standards and working practices, there to bring better ways of working between people, disciplines and organisations. Are these being adopted, or is it primarily being practised at the lower levels of the BIM hierarchy?

Last year's study showed that when it came to understanding BIM levels awareness wasn't universal – 73% of participants had some awareness of them, up 22% on 2012. With a looming deadline for use of Level 2 BIM on public projects we're interested to see whether there is now a greater knowledge and understanding of what's expected at Level 2 and Level 3 BIM.

Are smaller practices starting to catch up with larger firms in their use of BIM?

In previous years we've seen a clear divide between the awareness and adoption of BIM between small practices (defined as those with between one and five staff) and larger firms. In all measures, smaller practices were lagging behind their larger counterparts by around two years, with cost still being seen as a major barrier to adoption.

Will the 2016 deadline have done anything to spur BIM adoption for smaller practices or are there still significant challenges to overcome? Have larger practices increased their lead still further or are small practices starting to close the gap?

Is BIM just for architects?

BIM may have its roots in architecture but its principles apply to everything that is built. We'll be watching closely to see how others are taking on the BIM challenge. Is there evidence that manufacturers, specifiers, engineers (or any number of other construction industry professionals) are successfully adapting to the challenges and opportunities presented by working with BIM?

The 2015 National BIM report, distilling findings from the National BIM Survey, will be published on theNBS.com this Spring with an official launch at BIM Show Live 2015, being held in Manchester, on 8 and 9 April.

You can't do BIM without buy-in

Realising the many benefits of BIM across a construction organisation needs the support and contribution of many parties. While progress may be accelerated if there is a policy or directive from the very top, success throughout the business depends ultimately on the project delivery team(s) having the understanding of what BIM can contribute to the project benefits, how it can help meet client objectives and how it is best delivered.

Unless it has their buy-in and engagement, becoming an integral part of what they do, with the resources committed, having the skills and competencies to deliver, the benefits will be few and achievements unremarkable.

I have seen and heard of projects where the project team believes BIM is something done “in the corner” by the design manager. Others teams perceive BIM is something the “designers do” and does not impact on business as usual on site. Some believe BIM is all about clash detection. As important as that is, clash detection is only one of 60+ potential uses for BIM on a project.

In my experience the company leadership can set a policy and determine ambition but the bulk of the work and attention needs to be delivered through engaging with a number of levels to a wide spectrum of stakeholders.

Operations and project directors may ask “How do I implement it, how much will it cost? Where are my resources and how disruptive will it be for my teams. Has it been budgeted for? Does my team have time for training?” Team members may enquire how their role may differ in a BIM enabled project. “What training and support is available to me? Who do I call for help?” 

All are valid questions. All need an answer if traction is to be achieved. Until all have been answered to the satisfaction of the team, progress will be slow and without clarity of purpose or support, scepticism and non commitment will remain in place.

While delivering to PAS1192:2 might not be simple and straightforward, in my experience it is not the lack of protocols, guidelines or data management expertise which is the stumbling block to success. It is the transformational skills needed to be adopted by all in the team to see, understand and do things a little differently which is the hardest part of the journey towards BIM integration and levering the potential benefits for all.

A Place for BIM

Smartphone technology is intimately woven through our lives. Once just for calls and texts, these now augmented devices enhance our lives, enabling us to check the weather, the traffic, pre-order our coffees, board a plane and pay the bills.

Applications, or apps as we know them, fulfil our personal needs in a way that 10 years ago we didn’t imagine would be possible. On that logic, then, it’s predictable that once the construction industry understands the true potential of Building Information Modelling (BIM), it will look back and wonder just how it survived without it.

Fundamental change is required to reduce waste and increase productivity and affordability in New Zealand’s construction sector. Research from AECOM’s annual Blue Book suggests the local construction sector is working within an environment of shifting demographics and limited public funding, and that it must adopt new ways of working to address cost escalation and improve the viability of major infrastructure projects. According to this research, success within these shifts is dependent on the leveraging of, in part, the integration of new technologies such as BIM.

Drafting has evolved over the years, from putting pencil to paper to draw lines representing a two dimensional object, to the use of CAD, the computerisation of the same process. The introduction of three-dimensional CAD allowed designers to create objects in three dimensions, which enabled greater visualisation and understanding of complex geometry. BIM goes one step further, allowing designers to place objects that encompass a wealth of data, from geometric information to location information and finishes. The key technological advance is that BIM allows the leveraging and reuse of structured data throughout the lifecycle of an asset.

BIM exploits the potential in computer-based modelling technologies to create, manage and share structured data about an asset throughout its lifecycle, from inception to refurbishment or demolition. It provides a significant step-change in the ability of design and construction teams to structure and exchange information around shared three dimensional models of a project. This can bring numerous benefits, including improved design coordination, reductions and certainty in design costs, and improved communication throughout the design and construction process.

These data-rich three dimensional models developed by the different design and construction disciplines can simulate projects before they are built. Designs can be developed and tested virtually so performance and cost are optimised.

They can be coordinated so potential problems are either designed out or avoided altogether. Ultimately, the benefits are not only in more efficient and effective design and construction processes, but in better and more certain project outcomes – improved assets that are more fit-for-purpose and meet their brief requirements and design intent. BIM is fundamentally a single source of truth - ensuring clarity, certainty and transparency.

Building information models can link or embed key product or asset data including manufacturer’s product manuals, service information and warranties. This centralises facility/asset information and promotes the effective management of information throughout an asset’s lifecycle.

IMAGINiT Launches New FM and BIM Connection Service

Rand Worldwide (OTCBB: RWWI), a global leader in providing technology solutions to organizations with engineering design and information technology requirements, today announced that its IMAGINiT Technologies and Rand Facilities Management divisions are now united under the IMAGINiT Technologies brand. The first service borne from this new collaboration, the FM and BIM Connection Service, enables AEC firms to demonstrate the value of extending the rich data within the building information model (BIM) into the facilities management phase of the building lifecycle. 

“Building lifecycle management is a hot topic today resonating with both construction firms and owners,” said Joe Eichenseer, director of technical resources for the newly created Building Lifecycle Solutions team at IMAGINiT Technologies. “There is a wealth of rich information created when a building is designed, or a renovation is undertaken. Being able to effectively manage the flow of building information from concept to maintenance to tear-down is the next step in the evolution of BIM, and we are ready to support our clients across all parts of the equation.” 

“We constantly evaluate our business to identify ways in which we can better align with the evolving needs of our clients, helping them to address shifts and trends in the industry,” says Tim Johnson, senior vice president, IMAGINiT Technologies. “Today we see the need for building owners and architects to connect and share the powerful building information model data that was leveraged during the design and construction phase of their project. With our AEC and FM experts now aligned under the IMAGINiT division, together they have created an offering that meets this challenge. The new service allows facility owners and managers to harness data from a model created with Autodesk Revit software to effectively connect it with data in a facilities management system allowing them to more efficiently manage details such as space and asset” 

With research from the Construction Owners Association of America showing that 70 percent of respondents intend to be using BIM data for facilities management within the next three years, AEC firms and facilities mangers will increasingly require technology and services to facilitate the flow of data between AEC firms and facilities management staff. IMAGINiT’s Building Lifecycle Solutions team – with experts in BIM and Facilities Management – are poised to help clients achieve real solutions to achieving a ‘one model’ method for a building’s life. 

Bridging the Gap Between BIM and Facilities Management 

IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service breaks down the barriers between BIM and facilities management by sharing the BIM data in an integrated workplace management system, ARCHIBUS. Rather than trying to manage building operations using CAD files, now FM teams can easily and efficiently manage space, assets, personnel and all maintenance directly within ARCHIBUS. 

How it Works 

AEC firms can now demonstrate to owners how facility managers can extend the value of BIM throughout the building’s lifecycle. IMAGINiT’s FM and BIM Connection Service allows AEC firms and facility owners to experience the benefits of leveraging BIM data within ARCHIBUS. IMAGINiT provides 1:1 virtual training on how this can be done so that AEC firms can effectively highlight the value they’re providing their customer. IMAGINiT also transfers all the data from the BIM into ARCHIBUS and hosts the software for 90 days so teams simply have to log in to start using the rich data.

Pushing the boundaries of BIM

ProjectOVE brings building information modelling (BIM) technology to life, using virtual design tools to create a fully functioning building that replicates the human body.

The project was the brainchild of Andrew Duncan, who leads Arup’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering team, and Casey Rutland, BIM specialist and Associate Director at Arup Associates. Their team worked around the clock for seven weeks to make ProjectOVE a reality.

What started as an internal research and development project became a tool for the whole industry to learn from – the most exciting development yet in BIM technology.

Virtually human: Creating ProjectOVE

 Have you ever thought that the ducts and pipes of a building are a lot like the veins and nerves of a human body? This innocent observation sparked an idea that has grown into one of the industry’s most talked about innovations: ProjectOVE.

Our team used BIM to design a 170m tall, 35-storey building in the shape of a real human body, replicating its inner workings as accurately as possible.

What developed over the following weeks has changed the process of building engineering forever. 

ProjectOVE: Human body systems 

The team wanted to create a multidisciplinary model comprising architecture, structure and MEP, correlating as closely as possible to the human anatomy. They replicated five major human body systems:

• Respiratory: mechanical ductwork
• Circulatory: mechanical pipework
• Nervous: electrical
• Skeletal: structure
• Intergumentary: architecture

The initial model took just seven weeks to complete and is very much a work in progress. A future ProjectOVE 2.0 would consider:

• Altering the position of the structure to offer more versatility
• Incorporate the digestive system with an energy centre
• Include the thermoregulatory system through public health (including fire sprinklers)
• Add a transport hub and much more

Become part of the story

Do you want to access the ProjectOVE data set and be part of the story?

Contact the team today.

ProjectOVE: Specifications

• 35 storeys
• 170m tall
• 38.64kW of light: 148.54lm from 483 luminaires
• 168 radiators
• Brain data centre: 360m2 

"We wanted to demonstrate that we can create any geometry using BIM and make it work. Particularly for MEP, people have been quite shocked at what data you can put into the tool, what calculations you can automate and how much time you can save."

On time and error free: A new era of high-tech construction

As the concrete and steel of Davidson's New Academic Building (NAB) rise slowly to fill a 15-foot-deep hole behind Martin Science Building, the enormous structure is already nearly complete in cyberspace. A collaboration of its construction partners is employing the latest in Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in a groundbreaking demonstration of the future of the construction industry.

BIM is being used on campus in construction of both the NAB and Davidson's Vance Athletic Center expansion. The $74-million NAB and associated renovation of Martin Science Building will ready 160,000 square feet for occupancy in late summer of 2017. The 50,000-square-foot Vance addition will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2015.

The major partners in the projects are Shepley Bullfinch architects, Vanderweil Engineering, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger as the structural engineer, Rodgers Builders of Charlotte as construction manager, Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement and numerous subcontractors.

HIGH-TECH TOUCH

Traditional building design was reliant on two-dimensional drawings on vellum. Contractors kept their thick binders of design drawings on the job site, and lay one sheet of vellum on top of another to see how one building system affected the other.

BIM replaces the traditional building construction documents with a computerized model of a construction project. Workers on the Davidson sites are accessing the building schematics as an electronic model on their tablet computers. "There will be zero hard copy plans on this job," said Brian King, Integrated Construction Manager for Rodgers Builders.

Instead of construction drawings, subcontractors will wield iPads and a software called Glue 360 to access an electronic, multi-colored model of the building. Using video game-like finger swipes and taps on the screen, builders can move rapidly through an entire project, viewing any aspect at any scale and from any angle. They can zoom from a small view of the whole structure almost instantly to an enlarged view of, for instance, a single door handle.

But more than simply allowing "magic carpet" navigation, BIM contains valuable information about each piece of the project. "The most valuable aspect of BIM is the ‘I,' which is information," explained King. "BIM is essentially just a database of information that grows as you proceed and as the parties involved put more and more information into it. The more information that gets to the builders in the field, the better equipped we are to construct the building efficiently."

For instance, a click on that virtual door handle brings up a palette of its properties. Those might include the manufacturer's name and link to their website, part number, color, associated hardware and designation of the subcontractor responsible for installation. In its fullest implementation, the BIM database can also manage the construction schedule, budget and long-term maintenance costs of the job.

The software also points out trouble spots in cyberspace before they have a chance to arise in the real world.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Problems inevitably arise in the course of construction as different subcontractors make plans for their separate parts of a job. "Construction projects traditionally follow a natural order," said David Holthouser, director of facilities management at Davidson. "Sprinkler heads and sewer lines have to be in specific places, ductwork goes from bigger to smaller and light fixtures have to be spaced evenly down a hallway. You'd figure out who should go to work first and hope that crew would put things in the right spot. But that never happened. It was a huge burden on the building superintendent to coordinate the work of all the tradesmen."

The new BIM norm in construction begins with the architects and engineers creating the basic plan (referred to as a "model") virtually using proprietary software such as Autodesk Revit or Navisworks. Those models are passed on to members of the design team, including structural engineers, mechanical-electrical-plumbing engineers, and civil engineers, who populate the model with more detailed information about the job.

The leaders of subcontracting groups, such as sprinkler, telecom, conduit, mechanical and HVAC, then access the model as they begin work on the building. The new system requires that subcontractors learn the Glue 360 software. King from Rodgers Builders has held a training session for them, and is offering continuing education and oversight as they become familiar with the new electronic tool. King noted that it is becoming mandatory for subcontractors to learn and know the software as a requirement of bidding and building projects.

TEST CASE

The county's code enforcement office also plays an important part in construction projects by assuring that they meet standards for safety of the future occupants. Recognizing the advent of a new era of high-tech construction, the Mecklenburg County code office is using the Davidson projects as pilot cases for a more efficient way of reviewing, permitting and inspecting construction projects. Code officials have been given the same access to the building models as everyone else, so that they can review and permit construction before it begins, and identify some potential trouble spots prior to installation. The goal is maximizing efficiency in design and construction, and passing all inspections the first time with few, if any, changes.

The code office has established an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) team assigned to the Davidson jobs. Those team members will follow the job through to completion and conduct both plan review and inspections virtually, along with state-required on-site inspections. This team and service approach will allow for far deeper code enforcement involvement than on non BIM-IPD projects, speeding up the permitting/inspection process.

Holthouser explained, "In the old days the architect would finish drawings and send them to the code people. They would review all aspects of the plan to make sure it met code. In places where it didn't, the reviewer would take out a red pen and write ‘revise and resubmit' right there on the plan. It was an iterative, back-and-forth process until the reviewer was satisfied. Those revisions could go painfully back and forth forever."

The new capability is expected to save a considerable amount of time formerly spent physically inspecting job sites. Because of the work done in the virtual environment, inspectors will arrive on site already intimately knowledgeable about the project as a whole. "You spend more time building it virtually so you do things once, get them right, and they pass inspections the first time," said Jim Bartl, county Code Enforcement director.

Bartl said BIM reflects an advancement in construction productivity similar to that enjoyed in manufacturing. He recalled, "In college I worked inside an old grimy, conventional 1960s-style manufacturing plant. That same manufacturing facility now employs robots in a space so clean you can eat off the floor, with lasers checking constantly to make sure everything is perfect."

He continued, "I've worked on construction sites for many years, and finally see that same type of modernity in construction as in manufacturing. Architects and contractors and owners now have a tool to build things virtually before they do it for real. They can integrate all the players, with everyone working inside the model on how to deliver the product as early and error-free as possible."

The 20 key BIM terms you need to know

With the sheer volume of new technical terms and keywords being used in connection with BIM, the average construction industry worker could beforgiven for being confused by the jargon. With that in mind, the following is a list of the 20 need-to-know BIM terms, and their definitions

1. 4D, 5D, 6D

First there was 2D CAD, then 3D CAD – now there are extra dimensions to refer to the linking of the BIM model with time-, cost- and schedule-relatedinformation (although the precise order hasn’t to date been agreed across the whole industry).

2. Asset Information Model (AIM), Building Information Model (BIM), Project Information Model (PIM)

Not only is there the ‘Building’ information model, but the ‘Asset’ information model – which is the name given to the same model post-construction, i.e.supplemented with the data needed to assist in the running of the completed asset. Note that ‘asset’ can also refer to civil engineering and infrastructurework (see also Uniclass, below).

Conversely, the ‘Project’ information model is the name given during the design and construction stage, i.e. what’s commonly known as the project amongthe design team.

3. BIM execution plan (BEP)

PAS 1192-2 (see below) proposes that a BIM Execution Plan is created for managing the delivery of the project. This in turn is split into a ‘pre-contract’BEP, in response to the Employer’s Information Requirements (in other words, comparable to ‘contractor’s proposals’ in a Design & Build contract) and a‘post-contract’ BEP which sets out the contracted delivery details.

4. CIC BIM protocol 

A supplementary legalagreementwhich is designed to be used by construction clients and contractor clients. It is incorporated into professional servicesappointments andconstructioncontracts – an amendment to standard terms, creating additional rights and obligations for the employer and the contractedparty to facilitate collaborative working, while safeguarding intellectual property ownership and liability differentiation between those involved.

5. Clash rendition

Referred to in PAS 1192-2, rendition of the native-format model file is be used specifically for spatial coordination processes. Used to achieve clashavoidance or for clash detection (between, for example structure and services) between Building Information Models prepared by different disciplines. Thekey benefit is in reducing errors, and hence costs, pre-construction commencement.

6. Common Data Environment (CDE)

This is a central information repository that can be accessed by all stakeholders in a project. Whilst all the data within the CDE can be accessed freely,ownership is still retained by the originator. Cloud storage is a popular method of providing a CDE, although it could also be a project extranet. The scopeand requirements for a CDE are defined in PAS 1192-2 (see below).

7. Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie)

COBie is a data schema which is delivered in a spreadsheet data format, and contains a ‘subset’ of the information in the building model (all exceptgraphical data, and hence a subset of IFC; see below), for FM handover. It was originally devised by the US Army Engineering Corps. Over the course of a project, data can be added to it from a range of sources (besides CAD programs), relating to brief, design, construction, operation, refurbishment or demolition, as the case may be. The Government’s Level 2-mandated requirement is for COBie-compliant information exchange (see above). BS 1192-4documents best practice for the implementation of COBie.

8. Data drop 

A key information delivery stage, referred to in the BIM Industry Working Group’s Strategy Paper for the Government Construction Client Group, and alsothe CIC BIM Protocol. PAS1192-2 refers instead to ‘data delivery’ and ‘information exchange’. These match common project stages, as set out in the RIBA Plan of Work 2013, but they are to be made electronically. Level 2 compliance requires these to be to the COBie standard (see below).

9. Data Exchange Specification 

A specification for electronic file formats that are used for the exchange of digital data between different BIM software applications, thereby facilitatinginteroperability. Examples include IFC and COBie (see above). PAS 1192-2 outlines information exchange activities. 

10. Federated model

This is, in essence, a combined Building Information Model that has been compiled by amalgamating several different models into one (or importing onemodel into another; i.e. ‘collaborative’ working). For example, an architect can import a structural engineer’s model data into their spatial model. This is thebasis of the UK government’s Level 2 BIM mandate, whereas Level 3 will result in all stakeholders working on one shared model (‘integrated’).

11. Government Soft Landings (GSL) 

A UK government-initiated handover protocol to champion better outcomes for built assets during the design and construction stages. Its objective is toreduce costs (capital and running) and improve performance of asset delivery and operation, and can be assisted through the use of a BuildingInformation Model. Two notable features are that:

• BIM is intended to be used increasingly as a data management tool to streamline the briefing process
• Post Occupancy Evaluation is carried out, to measure and optimise performance of the asset, and learn lessons for the future.

12. Industry Foundation Class (IFC)

IFC is an object-based format, to enable exchange of information between different software. Developed by ‘buildingSMART’, a global alliancespecialising in open standards for BIM, IFC is an official standard, BS ISO 16739, and contains geometric as well as other data.

13. Information Delivery Manual (IDM)

To make BIM effective, information needs to be:

• made available when it is needed and
• to a satisfactory quality.

This can be achieved by using an Information Delivery Manual, that identifies the various construction processes, and the information required at eachstage. ISO 29481-1 specifies a methodology for the format of the IDM.

IDM also forms one part of the BuildingSMART interoperability model; the other two parts being the Data Dictionary (mapping alternative terms for common elements) and IFC (see above). Note that this is beyond the scope of Level 2 requirements.

14. Information Manager 

The CIC BIM Protocol (see above) refers to and provides for the appointment of an ‘Information Manager’ by the employer. This is, in essence, a projectmanager, who is responsible for managing the delivery of the asset using BIM procedures and methods. This is expected to form part of a wider set of duties under an existing appointment and is likely to be performed either by the Design Lead or the Project Lead.

15. Level 0 BIM, Level 1 BIM, Level 2 BIM, Level 3 BIM

The move to ‘full’ collaborative working via distinct and recognisable milestones, in the form of ‘levels’. These have been defined within a range from 0 to 3,and, whilst there is some debate about the exact meaning of each level, the broad concept is:

• Level 0 – no collaboration. 2D CAD drafting only. Output and distribution is via paper or electronic prints, or a mixture of both.
• Level 1 – a mixture of 3D CAD for concept work, and 2D for drafting of statutory approval documentation and Production Information. CADstandards are managed to BS 1192:2007, and electronic sharing of data is carried out from a common data environment (CDE), often managed bythe contractor. There is no collaboration between different disciplines – each publishes and maintains its own data.
• Level 2 – collaborative working – all parties use their own 3D CAD models. Design information is shared through a common file format, whichenables any organisation to be able to combine that data with their own in order to carry out interrogative checks on it. Hence any CAD softwarethat each party used must be capable of exporting to a common file format. This is the method of working that has been set as a minimum target bythe UK government for all public-sector work, by 2016.
• Level 3 – integrated working between all disciplines by using a single, shared project model which is held in a common data environment (seeabove). All parties can access and modify that same model, removing the final layer of risk for conflicting information. This is known as ‘Open BIM’(see below), and the UK government’s target date for public-sector working is 2018, although the precise requirements have yet to be determined.

Note that the definition of BIM maturity Level 2 was originally developed as part of the UK Government strategy in 2011. It is also defined in PAS 1192-2,with reference to best practice and the adoption tools and standards. It is also worth noting, though, PAS 1192-2 acknowledges that, given the earlystages of adoption of managed methods of working in BIM at the time the PAS was drafted, it can be expected that Level 2 practices will continue toevolve, and that the scope of information sharing and exchange will vary from project to project. Therefore, PAS 1192-2 anticipates that the definition of Level 2 BIM will continue to evolve around the core principles of the shared use of individually authored models in a CDE.

16. Level of detail (LoD), Level of information (LoI)

‘Level of definition’ is defined in PAS 1192-2 as the “collective term used for and including ‘level if model detail’ and the ‘level of information detail’”. ‘Levelof model detail’ is the description of graphical content on models at each of the stages defined, for example, in the CIC scope of services. The ‘level of model information’ is the description of non graphical content in models at each of these stages. BS 8541 defines level of detail for BIM objects as:

• Schematic
• Concept
• Defined

BS 8541-3 is the code of practice for the shape and measurement of BIM objects.

Level of information defines how much detail is required at each of these stages – i.e. whether spatial, performance, standard, workmanship, certificationetc.Click here for details on the BIM Toolkit currently under development.

17. Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Life-cycle assessment (LCA, also known as life-cycle analysis) is a cradle-to-grave environmental impact assessment for built assets, in terms of materialsand energy. The energy and materials used, along with waste and pollutants produced as a consequence of a product or activity, are quantified over thewhole life cycle; the result representing the environmental load of that asset. ISO 14040 defines LCA methodology.

18. Open BIM 

An open-source approach to collaborative design, realisation and operation of buildings, based on open standards and workflows. Open BIM is aninitiative of several leading software vendors using the buildingSMART Data Model, which incorporates data to ISO 16739 (via the IFC file format), termsto ISO 12006-3 (using the International Framework for Dictionaries, which maps different technical terms that have the same meaning) and process toISO 29481-1 (the Information Delivery Manual; see above).

19. PAS 1192

The PAS 1192 framework sets out the requirements for the level of model detail (the graphical content), model information (non-graphical content, suchas specification data), model definition (its meaning) and model information exchanges:

• PAS 1192-2 deals with the construction (CAPEX) phase, and specifies the requirements for Level 2 maturity; sets out the framework, roles &responsibilities for collaborative BIM working; builds on the existing standard of BS 1192, and expands the scope of the Common Data Environment(see above).
• PAS 1192-3 deals with the operational (OPEX) phase, focussing on use & maintenance of the Asset Information Model (see above), for FacilitiesManagement.
• BS 1192-4 documents best practice for the implementation of COBie.
• PAS 1192-5 is currently under development, and will cover security of data.

20. Uniclass

Classification system used in the UK and owned by CPIC, which groups objects into numerical headers to allow things to be arranged or groupedaccording to a type or class applied throughout the asset life and may be used as part of the categorisation used in BIM models. Uniclass 1997 tables arereferenced by PAS1192 part 2. The classification categories are:

• Complexes or collections of buildings – such as a university campus or an airport
• Entities, which comprise individual buildings 
• Activities taking part within different parts of those buildings
• Spaces, or rooms
• Elements such as walls, floors and ceilings
• Systems, for example door and window systems, or wall lining systems
• Products such as sheet materials, or fixings.

Uniclass is more sophisticated than the Common Arrangement of Works Sections (CAWS), in that:

• it encompasses the entire life cycle of a built asset
• it can cater for assets of any scale, so can be used for planning as well as design and construction
• it can accommodate infrastructure and civil engineering projects, in addition to buildings.

Note that a revised version of Uniclass is currently in development as part of the BIM Toolkit project (see above), to improve table alignment for mapping.

BIM compliance may be closer thank you think

With less than a year to go until the Government’s 2016 Building Information Modelling (BIM) deadline, Level two compliance may not be as complex or expensive as many people think, according to landscape design software developer Keysoft Solutions.

The Government has mandated that BIM Level two must be used on all centrally-funded construction projects by 2016, which includes landscaping. This means that to work on these projects, landscape design professionals need to be able to collaborate with central government departments and ensure their technology and processes are BIM compliant.

Even though the deadline is fast approaching, there is still a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding around BIM.  However, Keysoft Solutions argues that many landscape designers are already working at BIM Level one and that a few changes in working practices could get them to Level two compliance without significant expenditure.

Level two BIM requires a minimum of 2D CAD with, where appropriate, managed 3D data that can be held in separate BIM applications with the data attached.  Information can be exchanged with supporting documentation for collaborative working.  The Government has identified the Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) as the leading method of data exchange. This is good news as it is a simple format that can be edited using a spreadsheet.

Mike Shilton, product director at Keysoft Solutions, explains: “Anyone already using our landscape design software is working to at least BIM Level one but our software enables them to prepare Level two data, so it is just a matter of ensuring they have the right collaboration and information sharing processes in place.

“There is a misconception that BIM is very costly but in reality it is only as expensive as you want to make it.  Like any other business process that is introduced, your BIM implementation plan needs to be developed and refined over time. Only then can you make decisions regarding investment in software and training, as this will depend on your business need.

“The level of BIM required will be different for each project and it is up to businesses and local authorities alike to assess this need and develop their own BIM implementation strategies accordingly. They need to focus on the requirements of the project and see if it can be delivered via their existing systems and software or whether investment is needed.”

Keysoft Solutions has put together the following top five tips for landscape professionals who are just getting started with BIM, as well as for those making the step from Level one to two compliance:

1 – Don’t do BIM for BIM’s sake – the level of BIM needed will be different for every project, depending on what is required by clients and design partners. Talk to both and assess whether you need to change to engage with them now and in the future.

2 – For each project there should be a BIM execution plan.  This should be agreed at the outset and defines what BIM means for the project.  This will define the standards being adopted, outputs required, when these should be supplied and in what format, plus any supporting documentation.  It may stipulate the software to be used but in most cases this can be accommodated by imports and exports from existing software.

3 – Starting with the project BIM execution plan, work back and see if you can deliver the requirements through your existing software and processes or whether change or investment is required.

4 – If change is required, this has less to do with BIM and becomes an important business decision, i.e. is the project or client so important that you are willing to change your current practices and software?  The level of investment is then up to you to decide, based on possible returns and future opportunities.

5 – BIM is not something you can switch on like a light bulb.  Like any other business decision, we recommend you develop your own BIM implementation plan. This is your company’s blueprint for introducing BIM over a period of time and should align to your three to five year business plan.  With each project, try to look for new BIM wins, i.e. a new process, system, procedure, software purchase, training, etc, that can be introduced to move you along your BIM timeline.

Mike Shilton continues: “As we approach the 2016 BIM deadline, our advice is to always start with the outputs in mind. Talk to your customers and clients and define your three to five year business plan, based on the projects you wish to be involved with or the clients you want to work with and review your processes accordingly. Prepare and manage a staged approach to achieve the end result (your BIM implementation plan), but remain flexible and review it annually.”

Keysoft Solutions software offers proprietary Level two BIM maturity because it provides:

2D CAD standards that can be shared, using AutoCAD, managed 3D where required and supporting documentation, including schedules, that can be exported for incorporation into COBie data sheets.

Mike Shilton adds: “We will continue to develop software that will meet the demands of our customers in the future and enable them to work towards achieving BIM Level three maturity as these requirements emerge.”

CO$T benefit of BIM

People have been looking around from day one since the launch of BIM, for the benefit of such new industry favor. Like the ancestor, 3D CAD, BIM has gone through a long journey of evolution as the development of civil engineering. Therefore, till now, what could BIM bring us, let’s take a look at the summary from by Ahmed Zghari MRICS. 

As we pass the second anniversary since the launch of the government Construction Strategy in May 2011 which announced radical change, many are now embracing those changes through BIM at the core.

While individuals, firms and all the professional bodies are all busy updating to accommodate BIM, one of the biggest targeted benefits and reasons for radical change remains largely untested.

The big headline from the Construction Strategy was targeted savings of 15% to 20% by the end of this parliament in 2015.

These significant targets have since been confirmed several times, with clarifications that the savings are expected to come from construction budgets and not from post-occupancy costs.

Are these savings achievable? When asked this question some point to examples of similar savings obtained under Avanti.

This precursor to BIM encouraged the use of technology wrapped within a defined process to ensure greater collaboration between project teams in order to improve the quality and effective use of project information.

The use of technology and defined collaborative processes is also at the heart of BIM.

As the single largest client accounting for 40%-50% of construction spend, the public sector has been seeking greater savings and efficiency since at least the 1994 Latham Report and the 1998 Egan Report.

The long answer of where these savings are expected to come from is that they will be achieved from a variety of initiatives, with BIM as one of the main facilitators.

Each section of the public sector will have its own money saving initiatives and when combined they are all expected to achieve the 15%-20% target on annual budgets.

Some of these measures will include:

• Forward announcement of future public projects enticing keener rates from those looking for greater certainty on future income
• Greater certainty over funding of projects to enable departments to engage with supply chains more collaboratively on innovation and efficiency savings across defined project programmes
• Greater use of value engineering and lean procurement initiatives
• Soft landings which seek to reduce the hidden costs of adapting completed spaces to suit specific end user needs
• Increased use of standardisation to generate efficiency and procurement savings
• Contractors, suppliers and consultants working harder to beat benchmark targets.

The short answer is that the majority of savings are expected to be achieved by tighter information flow with project designs agreeing with each other by the time essential tasks are commenced.

The cost savings are not necessarily on the upfront budget, but the whole project costs including the variety of extra issues that cause cost overruns.

By following the procedures within the newly published PAS1192-2: 2013 and new aligned documents such as the RIBA Plan of Work 2013, the top money saving opportunities should come from:

1. A single BIM model to collect project team and contractors detailing so that all the strands of information agree with each other with clashes identified upfront. This will reduce rework, conflicts, waste and delays
2. 3D Visualisations and space use simulations which help clients to explore spatial requirements, potentially reducing client variations and scope creep
3. BIM implementation and execution plans that ensure documentation is coordinated, timely and in an accessible form with agreement on information deliverables to ensure projects progress as planned
4. Component manufacturing and building tolerances integrated into the collaborative design development process
5. Project programming simulations to identify the most efficient construction sequences and locations of key elements such as cranes, access and waste management
6. Closer collaboration with contractors leading to reductions in tender risk premiums, lower insurance costs, fewer overall variations and fewer opportunities for claims.

The new BIM protocols, standards and tools will make it difficult for significant numbers of mistakes to filter through to site and many will be identified while they are still cheap to fix.

BIM is not going to solve every problem that has a cost impact, but experience has shown that improving information quality and increasing unity through collaboration can make projects more predictable.

The targeted savings are being closely monitored and benchmarked by the government. Once these savings are achieved, and it seems that we may get very close, the future of BIM is not a constant round of cost savings. But what we should expect are reduced risks, fewer disruptions, greater opportunity for innovation and increased budget certainty.

The big win is that project data can be used more effectively during the construction process and over the life of a building where even greater post-occupancy costs and carbon savings are expected.

BIM World Atlas

Building Information Modeling all around the world.

Despite the uncertainty of some BIM ghettos, I am sure there are good experts and inspiring promoters of BIM in the ‘four corners of the World’.

The richest and most developed countries are leading the innovation race but big countries as China and India are moving forward at a very interesting speed.

United States, North Europe and Australia are certainly the big pioneers of the technology. Lean-minded cultures early understood the big benefits of the painful investment to change the mindset of the industry. It has been a while since they started to see the profits on their own markets and selling some valuable knowledge worldwide.

China and India always follow good trends and, here they are with masses and great capacity to model, build and sell all around at competitive prices. Heavy players for the market.

In Europe the crisis is absorbing all the time to think ahead of time. UK is still discussing the benefits, the implementation process and all under big pressure of the government. The undesired 2016 is almost there! European Union is starting to clean the meeting room. Some new developments will come in the coming…years (?).

Africa is leaded by Egypt with great 3D BIM skills and South Africa, still running after the idea but focused on the conquest. In South America, the late boom in Brazil helped the kick-off, still not enough for the scale of the country. And then, under high temperatures, here we are in the Middle-East, where the world clashes.

All the markets, companies and experts already know the biggest airports around. But are they here to stay? Hopefully yes. The biggest clients are excited with BIM and we are excited with the opportunity. No other place in the world has the same construction density as the Middle-East.

100 % Placement at Prompt Academy

On completion of 3 months training all these students have been placed successfully at Middle East.  Prompt Academy wish them all success in their future endeavors.  

Seismic performance analysis and BIM

Leo Salcé, Int Assoc AIA, LEED AP, and Joshua Gionfriddo, E.I.T.

The science and implementation of earthquake engineering is constantly evolving. As building fortification demands have increased due to recent seismic incidents in areas such as San Francisco, Mexico, and Chile, engineers are being warned to design more earthquakeresistant buildings using today’s performance-based design methods. Alternative technologies such as building information modeling (BIM), analysis methods, and software are providing engineers with the necessary tools to construct buildings that have a lower risk of earthquake-induced loss.

Seismic analysis methods Seismic analysis is the calculation of the response of a building structure to earthquakes. It is part of the process of structural design in regions where earthquakes are prevalent. Structural engineers can perform seismic analysis so that structures are built to resist seismic events, thereby protecting the structures and their occupants.

Fortifying buildings to resist earthquake forces has been regulated in the U.S. since the 1933 passage of California’s Field and Riley Acts. Early codes prescribed accounting for a percentage of a building’s mass as lateral shear forces acting on the base of the structure. In modern times, elastic design analysis, as described in the International Building Code (IBC), utilizes force levels obtained from the Design Response Spectrum (DRS). This design method has been used successfully for lower-risk buildings. A more exacting modern approach for high-risk construction is based on a static nonlinear, also known as dynamic analysis, of the building. This could include pushover analysis to provide a more accurate representation of the building’s likely performance during a seismic event.

BIM and seismic analysis In its current state, BIM software does not have the capability to account for so many different methods of fortification analysis without finessing a model through many pieces of software or custom API programming, which can be a cumbersome task. Design models used for construction documents must be passed from a BIM model to an analysis model. Even when this is done through a single company’s software suite, disconnects occur between BIM and analysis models while round tripping results. When attempting to use third-party analysis software, this disconnect can be even greater. Despite this, BIM models are still beneficial for building fortification in a number of ways:

Seismic retrofitting — BIM is especially useful for infrastructure when working with reality capture technology, whether via point cloud information (laser scanning capture) or photogrammetry (photo to 3D model). It is impressive to see how through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and an HD camera such as the GoPro we can render extremely accurate as-built 3D models of an existing building or structure. With the ability to create highly detailed 3D structural models of roads, bridges, tunnels, and any urban infrastructure element, seismic events and their impacts can be simulated.

BIM and code — BIM ensures that all seismic requirements are incorporated, eliminating the need for design modifications as the work in the field evolves. 3D views are especially critical when complying with seismic specifications, such as a regulation calling for a 2-inch space between pipes or ducts to prevent damage in the event of an earthquake. Basically, any hanger or brace can be modeled, penetrations and sleeves can be identified, and code validation can be established based on the BIM tool used. More tools are offering access to their APIs to further automate tasks or develop custom plugins that will streamline the code compliance checking.

Design coordination — A BIM approach can also improve systems design, supporting early discovery of potential problems in how these systems interact during the design-build stages. Visualization also often greatly speeds up the design coordination process.

Alternative techniques As of late, lateral systems such as Eccentric Braced Frames and Special Concentric Braced Frames are being replaced with higher performing systems, such as Buckling Resistant Braced Frames (BRBFs), which can deliver more predictable and resilient performance during seismic events. Universities such as Stanford now require designs that go beyond building codes and recommend structural designers use BRBFs for all capital improvement projects.

An alternative to building strong enough structures to resist all foreseeable earthquake forces is to attempt to reduce lateral forces imparted on the structure. Wave dampening techniques reduce a building’s sway to protect the structure during seismic events. These systems can include roller bearings or base isolators that impart friction and provide resistance to sway and change the frequency of the vibration.

More complex designs, such as Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD), consist of a large weight suspended high in the building to reduce the amplitude of the vibration waves in lateral loading conditions. These protect from both seismic and wind loadings and are found in some of the world’s tallest buildings. All of these modern structural systems require intense analysis methods to guarantee safety of built structures.

Software methodologies A number of software solutions in the market today allow engineers to leverage a 3D model for seismic analysis and simulation. Some applications allow analysis of the structure through a continuum and discrete stages of loading, including seismic events with some of the following methods:
• Applied Element Method tracks structural collapse behavior through the different stages of loading, including reinforcement yielding, crack initiation and propagation in tension-weak materials, etc. With this approach, engineers can analyze not only buildings but all structures, including bridges, stadiums, cranes, and pipelines. • Equivalent Lateral Force method is an alternative simplified approach for determining distribution of seismic-based shear force on the height of regular, multistory buildings.

Conclusion With new versions of software and better integration of analytical applications, BIM will eventually provide engineers with all the tools necessary to construct building-specific data that is needed to define what kind of damage can result from an earthquake. Today’s limitations in the way building seismic analysis is performed will continue to improve with the rapid evolution of current BIM software, and we can expect to see additional support for integration of advanced analytical applications such as RISA, RAM, and ETABS in the near future.

As the construction industry continues to adopt BIM, the cost-savings benefit is undeniable. However, for designers, namely structural designers, to fully release the benefits of BIM, collaboration between modeling and analysis software must be enhanced. Additionally, new sets of tools for the evaluation of complex buildings under both static and dynamic loading will need to be developed to protect from the next seismic event. The ability to analyze discrete members, entire buildings, and individual connections within a single analysis package will increase the productivity of engineers. Finally, as the industry progresses into the next decade, having the ability to perform all of this analysis from within a single BIM model will become the new norm and will enable true performance-based earthquake engineering.