AN INTRODUCTION TO BIM
BIM, or Building Information Modeling, is an important tool in AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industries. Since its inception, the BIM process has been used by governments, individuals and businesses in the design, construction, maintenance and operation of a variety of facilities, including, but not limited to, utilities, bridges, housing, factories, prisons, and warehouses. BIM software creates a digital representation of the functional and physical attributes of a structure that may then act as a shared knowledge resource about that particular building. Additionally, it allows its users to perform simulations and assessments on an accurate virtual model of the planned building, resulting in a more integrated designing and construction process that reduces cost and project duration and increases the quality of the end result. BIM is also helpful after construction has been completed, as it contains the exact geometry and data necessary to support not only construction activities, but those of fabrication and procurement as well. Ultimately, BIM gives those involved in the construction process a solid basis for decisionmaking throughout the designing, building, and operating of a business and streamlines the entire endeavor, making it an incredibly helpful tool.
DESIGN BENEFITS OF BIM
BIM is a helpful tool during the design process, as it allows for enhanced communication between all those involved and automatically generates updated information throughout the design phase.
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- Sustainable design: In the United States, commercial and residential buildings consume almost 40% of our total energy, 40% of our raw materials, 12% of our fresh water supplies, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of our electricity, and produce 136 million tons of demolition and construct waste. Creating sustainable buildings benefits not only the environment, but the buildings who support such initiatives as well, as green technology can save a lot of money in the future. For those desiring to “go green,” BIM is an invaluable tool as it integrates all available information, then analyzes and evaluates performance, which is essential to sustainable design. Some of the items that BIM evaluates are resource consumption, material usage, and the utilization of recycled or salvaged materials. Before, using CAD tools required human interpretation and intervention—a time-consuming and costly process. Now, using BIM, those functions are performed by automated tools that produce accurate results much faster than a human.
- Presentation: In the past, it was costly and time-consuming to create multiple images of a project throughout the construction process, but this has changed with BIM. Early on in the design phase, images of the proposed structure are available, as the visual model changes automatically as alterations are made This is helpful not only for those in charge of the designing process, as it allows them to have an accurate idea of what their plans will be when realized in the actual world, but for clients as well, as it enables them to see the design as it develops and keep abreast of any changes or problems that may arise.
- Design optimization: BIM is extremely helpful in the design and planning phase of a project as it allows those involved to track the suitability of a variety of design options before making a final decision. Instead of having multiple design plans scattered either within the computer or on paper, all designs can be studied within a single model. Changes to the design are easy to make with BIM’s visualization tools. Even the decision-making process is streamlined, as BIM can run simulations and analyses on all of the proposed options in order to discern which is the most efficient. BIM tools allow for building designers to “think outside the box” and analyze non-traditional ideas without spending a lot of extra time and money.
- Consistency: Multiple parties are often involved in the design process, making the sharing of information especially vital. However, when plans and ideas are spread throughout a variety of firms and individuals, possessing a cohesive, consistent design concept and vision is incredibly frustrating. BIM allows for those individuals to all have access to the same visual model and information, as BIM makes all data related to a
project shareable and easily uploaded. Once changes are made by one party, the rest of the team knows it almost immediately, instead of waiting to be informed. - Resource and budget computation: BIM proves especially helpful in the one area of concern shared by virtually every client—cost. BIM accurately estimates costs of materials as well as the amounts of materials that are needed to complete a project, resulting in a more exact budget and sharply decreasing the chance of costly over or under-ordering.
ADVANTAGES OF BIM FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
The effects of Building Information Modeling are particularly evident in Lean Construction, because this approach focuses on the reduction of creeping wastage caused by exceeding the time limits, material costs, non-interlinked construction processes, etc. Building information modeling can optimize all of this.
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- Reduces rework: The amount of precision, clash detection, and optimization that is allowed by BIM during the designing phase carries its benefits over to the construction process. By having the building plan so carefully laid out, the likelihood of encountering a problem that would require rework is kept to a minimum. Detecting and avoiding potential problem areas in the design process means that those involved in the construction process will not have to make last minute changes in order to fix an unforeseen issue.
- Scheduling and budget: Falling behind schedule and going over-budget is incredibly easy to do, but BIM helps decrease the occurrence of both. The increased communication between design and construction, as well as more precise and accurate plans minimizes any guesswork or miscommunication that might have occurred without the use of BIM. Construction work can also be simulated with design tools to create a schedule and the work is easily tracked through the program.
- Use of efficient materials: The sophisticated modeling capacity of BIM allows builders to use prefabricated materials and pre-assembled components that have been shown to greatly increase productivity and have significant quality advantages. In fact, 81% of BIM-using contractors in the United States say that this aspect is the single greatest benefit of switching to a BIM-based construction model.
- Response time: One of the BIM’s greatest advantages over other building methods is that it promotes collaboration between all branches of the building process, including construction. BIM users are able to react quickly to changes made by other individuals involved in another aspect of the project because they have immediate access to them. Changes in design, for example, can be acted upon by the construction team soon after those alterations have been submitted.
PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS
DBB (Design-Bid-Build) and IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) are two different methods of project delivery, but it is the latter that meshes best with BIM.
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Design-bid-build is the traditional approach to project implementation. This develops linearly over all stages, without any overlap, and is usually more statically defined than other project implementation methods. The owner hires an architect who develops the project and who is responsible for planning and construction. As soon as all plans have been completed, the tendering and awarding takes place. This method is the most common because DDB users assume that this method helps to achieve the cheapest price, because with DBB several companies can participate in the tendering process with the same opportunities. The administration of a DBB process also appears to be easier. Nevertheless, under certain circumstances DBB may have disadvantages:
- Work diligence: the DBB approach determines the lowest price, but this does not mean that the work is carried out correctly and efficiently. The cheapest provider can misunderstand or incorrectly interpret the tasks, criteria or goals of the customer, so that the work result appears suboptimal and does not meet the customer’s requirements. The effect would be rework and duplication of work that costs additional time and money.
- Cost evaluation: Costs are not calculated in case of DBB before the offers are received. This means that under certain circumstances rescheduling must take place if the offers exceed the budget or that the project falls behind. In addition, some architects do not always have up-to-date or accurate information about material prices to deliver correct budget data and to make precise cost estimates.
- Owner’s control: Owners have little to no control over the selection of contractors or over the selection of personnel for the general contractor.
- Adversarial relations: Since the staff for the planning and construction area is mostly external and the architect drafts his project sketches just before the tender, the project team is made up of two groups, whose cooperation under certain circumstances may be not really fluent in the organizational sense. This results in partly shared responsibilities and – in general – in a discrepancy in business relationships. The lack of communication has multiple effects: change requests occur more frequently, improvements – which cost additional time and money – have to be made more often, and the owner literally becomes the arbiter of conflict resolution between the two parties.
- Lower cost savings: The cost savings are not commonly shared.
Read more about iPD
IPD is a modern method of project execution which is becoming – at least abroad – more and more popular, also through the spread of BIM, Building Information Modeling. As with Building Information Modeling, the focus of the IPD method is on the integration of all project aspects – people, business structures, processes and systems. This is done in an interlinked manner in order to optimize results, reduce waste, increase added value and increase efficiency across all project stages, from planning through production and construction to completion. Compared to the DBB method, IPD has numerous advantages:
- Cost reduction: IPD provides a structure for determining lower costs in all project stages, not just during the tender.
- Transparency: In the course of the IPD process, information and ideas flow back and forth between all those involved. In addition, the same information is available to all project participants, which speeds up coordination processes. Thanks to the use of BIM, Building Information Modeling, this transparency is supported, especially thanks to the digital, centrally accessible BIM models and data.
- Greater participation: By networking all processes, the IPD approach requires that all those involved in the project work together actively, because improvements and planning changes turn out to be minimized, especially through mutual collaboration and direct feedback. This working method also corresponds to the possibilities of BIM, Building Information Modeling.
- Shortened project times: The central control of all project aspects – as in BIM, Building Information Modeling – means faster completion of the building. The workflow is accelerated in terms of eliminating production downtime and lost time.
BIM: THE BEST CHOICE
In summary, Building Information Modeling, alongside the IPD method, is the best choice for everyone involved in the development and planning of a building. Compared to the traditional approach, the advantages are more striking:
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BIM VS TRADITIONAL APPROACH
WHO ACHIEVES ADVANTAGES WITH BIM, BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING?
Alle am Planungs- und Bauverfahren Beteiligten können von Building Information Modeling profitieren, ebenso wie Investoren und Immobilieneigentümer, einschließlich der öffentlichen Hand. Auch Facility Manager und Property Manager erzielen mit BIM Vorteile.
Owners / Investors
In 2014, 69% of property owners in the US confirmed that BIM, Building Information Modeling, had a positive impact on their projects; in the UK, 80% of owners benefited from their BIM application. (McGraw Hill Construction, “The Business Value of BIM for Owners," page 33). This number is expected to increase as more and more BIM users experience the benefits of Building Information Modeling. For property owners, what counts most are cost savings and shortened project times, which are achieved using BIM, Building Information Modeling.
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- More efficient end results: BIM, Building Information Modeling, enables users to analyze and optimize a variety of factors that affect the building after completion. For example, engineers can determine the CO2 emissions of a building and with the help of BIM, Building Information Modeling, to evaluate the benefits of using green technologies and estimate the expected resource requirements. BIM even helps to work out a maintenance plan that optimizes the use of resources.
- Accurate financial information: the BIM application can have a significant impact on the financial consequences of building development. Building Information Modeling leads to more precise cost planning, which enables better budgeting and greater cost security in management.
- Communication: Building Information Modeling (BIM) makes full use of technological advances in communication, especially if a company uses a cloud system to develop and store a building information model. The virtual building data model collects and stores all data and information about the project centrally. This enables information to be shared and disseminated, which in turn creates a homogeneous level of information for all parties involved.
- Coordination: Thanks to the integration capability of Building Information Modeling (BIM), everyone involved in the planning, construction and / or operating process is networked with one another. Using Building Information Modeling (BIM), engineers, architects and contractors can work together in a much more time-efficient, direct and resource-saving manner and avoid planning and construction conflicts before construction begins. Building Information Modeling (BIM) also ensures that all project participants share the same project vision and that it is easy for everyone to provide their technical input when and where it is needed most effectively.
- Compliance with standards: Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables the property owner to ensure that work processes comply with standards and agreements. The saving potential on this point is enormous. Building Information Modeling (BIM) helps to avoid costs that can arise from hastily aligning standards and eliminating formal errors.
Facility Manager
For facility managers, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is both a working method and a database that makes their job easier, more punctual and more efficient.
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- Maintenance: Building Information Modeling (BIM) streamlines maintenance systems by automating them, if they are not already automated. In the latter case, Building Information Modeling (BIM) supplements the existing maintenance programs with a higher degree of data completeness. This is often referred to as the “Electronic Owner’s Manual", which replaces classic ring binders.
- Area management: the exact building model, which is created via Building Information Modeling (BIM), enables property managers to optimize their layout plan and make better use of areas. With the help of visual BIM building models, it is much easier to calculate and analyze room layouts and space utilization, and to provide precise information about these areas within seconds, e.g. their energy balance.
- Sustainability: For those who strategically pursue “Go green”, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a helpful tool that updates and stores information about sustainable technologies, including the improvement in sustainability over the years, e.g. after modernizations. In the case of a certificate renewal, Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be used to determine which areas of the property require further work and where changes should be made.
- Progress in software: Additional software products or add-ons for Building Information Modeling have recently emerged in order to use BIM even more profoundly or to automate even more standard processes using the Building Information Model, and thus to use Building Information Modeling (BIM) even better , e.g. to network the building management with the rest of the systems. This means that efficiency and information management can be significantly increased using Building Information Modeling (BIM).
- General efficiency: through the central creation and management of all building data and information within a virtual model, Building Information Modeling (BIM) saves having to search for data in various resources and print them out, etc. In addition, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is, both as a process and as visual data management, much more reliable than the old methods of business management.
Developers and contractors
Developers and their contractors recognize the advantages of Building Information Modeling (BIM) mostly in the relevant areas for project management during the planning and execution phase. Building Information Modeling (BIM) does save time and money here.
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- Building logic and collision control: Thanks to the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM), building owners and their contractors receive a more accurate and authentic picture of the building, its systems and their interaction even before construction begins. Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be used to create a construction plan, including the entire TGA, in order to identify possible collisions or other planning errors before building (and correcting).
- Work preparation: Before a contractor starts his work, he must get his contract. The customer can use Building Information Modeling to provide his contractor with a clear graphic representation of the building elements and the pre-planned construction processes using BIM. Building Information Modeling (BIM) thus promotes a uniform understanding of an object in accordance with the customer’s goals, which also secures the work process, including its budget and time frame. Using Building Information Modeling (BIM), building owners can compare the planned with the real construction process in real time and thus identify or eliminate waste or delays and their causes at an early stage.
- Cost planning: Building Information Modeling (BIM) improves cost security. Building information modeling (BIM) simplifies cost calculations. This more precise cost planning can be useful not only to the contractor but also to the owner or builder. Budgets are calculated in a more accurate way via BIM and the likelihood of budget overruns is reduced. In addition, developers can analyze the cost plans and identify the project areas that can be potential “money pits". Planning via Building Information Modeling (BIM) thus avoids exceeding the project budget.
- Scheduling and productivity: Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables developers to plan different construction phases and dates precisely, thus minimizing the project duration. The construction progress simulation of the Building Information Model – the virtual building data model – enables the monitoring and comparison of the target and actual construction process.
- Changes: For cases when changes are made, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a valuable tool. The customer can not only show the contractor the areas where the changes are necessary, but also the reasons for them. This transparency of Building Information Modeling (BIM) prevents misunderstandings and increases the plausibility of change requests. Building Information Modeling also ensures that the changes can be made immediately and on the spot via the Building Information Model, instead of drawing completely new construction plans.
- Materials: Building Information Modeling reduces the risk of redundant or insufficient supplies. BIM enables the exact calculation of the amount of material required for the construction of the property. Material ordering, delivery and storage is optimized in terms of time and finances, as all material lists and other details such as manufacturer, weight, delivery date etc. are stored centrally in the Building Information Model.
Public customers / state institutions
With Building Information Modeling (BIM), public customers achieve advantages in terms of cost and resource savings and the ability to better visualize and present the respective project using Building Information Modeling (BIM).
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- Resource savings: Building Information Modeling enables the resource efficiency of a building to be increased. Analyzes for electrical, water and heating consumption are carried out automatically in BIM in order to determine the resource consumption and the CO2 balance of a building and then to optimize them. BIM (Building Information Modeling) enables the planning and construction of particularly energy-saving buildings that are also cost-safe.
- Optimized use: using Building Information Modeling (BIM), simulations can be created that show before construction begins how the building will function later, including its systems and areas. As a result, engineers and architects can design buildings that are more efficient and reliable, and whose facilities and areas can be used optimally.
- Cost savings: Building Information Modeling (BIM) reduces costs in a number of ways, including better resource use, greater efficiency, and more accurate cost planning. The BIM method streamlines and supports construction operations and subsequent building maintenance, since Building Information Modeling as a central information and simulation tool saves time and money.
- Data management: Building Information Modeling (BIM) controls, manages and archives all information about the building centrally. In the past, relevant data and information had to be gathered from many different resources, which cost time and sometimes meant the loss of essential information about the building. Using Building Information Modeling (BIM), everyone involved in the project can get regulated and quick access to this data, which is always perfectly prepared. This significantly improves communication between everyone involved in the project.
- External access: Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables agents of public customers to visualize and analyze the implemented project cost-effectively and quickly for test purposes. Visual representations of building information models, i.e. the ones of virtual building models, enable, e.g., experts or testing institutes to analyze or demonstrate the project in terms of idea, use and cost structure.