BIM: More Than Just an Extension of 3D CAD

In the AEC industry, the advent of building information modelling (BIM) concept was viewed by many as an evolution to better 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) techniques. Very few saw it as an interdisciplinary, collaborative tool that would drastically change the design-build project workflow, the management structure of AEC firms, the teaming models, the delivery standards, and the role of key disciplines involved.

As opposed to the vertical communication channels and delivery methods required by the traditional design-build approaches which mainly employ CAD, BIM necessitates an open and integrated horizontal collaboration channel between all the key stakeholders of the project: facility owners, designers/architects, MEP (M&E) engineers, consultants and contractors. To realise the benefits of employing BIM as compared to 3D CAD modelling tools, firms need to significantly invest in knowledge/skills development, personnel training, management restructuring, and software tools. However, more than these tangible investments, AEC companies need a complete change in mind set in case they want to adopt BIM for their projects.

Whilst many professionals, especially those from small and medium-sized firms, see it as an extension of 3D CAD, BIM is anything but 3D CAD. It is a much larger concept which involves extensive pre-construction planning and multidisciplinary coordination to virtually model building facilities using smart parametric objects embedded with rich accurate information. This intelligent model then can be used by all stakeholders to extract respective views and relevant information thereby resulting in timely decision-making and project delivery.

Though BIM and 3D CAD are not mutually exclusive to each other, they have major differences as far as the approach and the output is concerned. In traditional 3D CAD, depending on the scope of project, architects prepare a set of construction drawings, including the plans, sections, and elevations. Since all these views are independent entities, any change in one view has to be manually updated in others. As a result, the process is not only time-consuming but also increases the scope for errors.

On the contrary, a building information model contains the architectural, structural and MEP system models of the proposed facility. It is prepared during the design and planning stage using details from all the key stakeholders including designers, engineers, MEP contractors, and subcontractors. Since a single database-driven model represents details required by all disciplines, any changes made by any of the team members are automatically updated across the model to plans, sections and elevations. Hence, all the project team members are updated on all the changes made by others thereby saving time, reducing cost resulting from duplication of efforts, and increasing the overall quality of construction drawing sets. Thus, making small changes to the architectural plan would result in those changes appearing simultaneously in the section, elevation or schedule.

Furthermore, the building blocks of 3D CAD models are lines, circles, arcs, and other graphical entities, which lack the flexibility of data analysis. These models only serve as geometric objects devoid of detailed parameters which are required by the entire AEC supply chain. In contrast, BIM models comprise building elements and intelligent systems, including columns, beams, and walls, which contain rich data related to parameters. If needed, additional parameters can be added to the pre-existing ones for more detail. And, this rich data can be effectively shared across disciplines for rich collaboration and on-time delivery.

Nevertheless, the success of any project which employs BIM depends mainly on factors which include the richness of information embedded in the 3D models, the degree of openness in the interdisciplinary data-sharing and collaboration standards, and the level of mutual trust among all the professionals involved. If prudently planned and implemented, a BIM model not only represents the essential building elements in detail; valuable information concerning spatial coordination, geographic location, quantity take-offs, material requirements, time schedule, and project cost can be extracted when needed.

In essence, a well-planned BIM model accurately represents the entire project design lifecycle. Though preparing for and implementing BIM strategies requires considerable investment of time, money, and effort, its benefits are multi-faceted and long-term.

As a result, if your firm operates in the AEC industry and is looking for an outsourcing vendor offering a cost-effective, high-quality BIM modelling and CAD drafting services, kindly contact us.

Approaching MEP BIM Projects Using Coordination Specialists

The MEP (M&E) design and contracting industry across the globe faces renewed challenges with the advent of BIM which is increasingly used by AEC firms. Firstly, of all the major stakeholders involved in an AEC project, building systems design and engineering historically formed the last phase of design, however BIM dictates a more synchronised approach by all disciplines, requiring them to work in parallel from the early stages of AEC design. Secondly, the facility owners and investors always demand increased efficiency, waste reduction and on-time/in-budget completion.

As a result, progressive MEP engineering firms are increasingly adopting MEP (M&E) BIM practices to, a) work in parallel with other disciplines; and, b) meet complex project demands from project stakeholders.

Implementing BIM can pose a challenge as its adoption requires significant investment in equipment and training as well as changes to overall workflow and internal processes. With this in mind, many MEP engineering firm’s partner with 3D BIM modelling and building services coordination specialists, such firms possess expertise of parametric modelling and BIM development. As well as immediate expertise offered by such coordination support firms, transitioning to a BIM-based MEP workflow from a conventional CAD-based design workflow requires the type of planning and workflow streamlining that many firms are only just implementing and therefore the skills to handle such projects immediately are not in place.

Once the specialist MEP coordination firms are on board, they face the challenge of handling BIM projects and in particular maintaining a version controlled model. When using BIM for pre-construction planning and construction documentation effective communication and the use of modern collaboration platforms, usually hosted in the cloud, help to maintain a version controlled model. 

The BIM managers representing key project teams: architectural, structural, and MEP (M&E) engineering must collaborate and communicate to ensure the integrity of design data as well as adherence to project deliverables. For his/her part, the MEP (M&E) BIM manager will need to gain an insight into the architectural and structural BIM models prepared by the respective teams and use that data for his own inputs. As well as a detailed review of the current BIM standards of the project, knowing the specific components that will be used and then planning the coordination efficiently to include bracketing, lagging, access and maintenance will be taken into account. This insight can then be used to prepare an MEP central file that serves as a reference point to the downstream MEP design team.

The emerging standard of LOD (level of detail) means that the BIM manager representing the MEP (M&P) team must work to the specified LOD for the project, this will influence the detail within the drawings whether it is at the schematic design (SD), detailed design (DD) and then  construction documentation (CD) phase of the project. This ensures the model does not contain elements that are not required or will not be of any use to the trade subcontractors. Another key decision before the MEP design team starts modeling is how much custom content (parametric families) will need to be created within the BIM application in addition to the information that will need to be developed in a CAD package and linked to the BIM application.

If the above aspects are considered before initiating upon a new BIM-enabled MEP (M&E) design project, the MEP (M&E) BIM manager will serve as a primary link between the in-house design team and the architectural / structural BIM managers (who represent their respective teams). As a result, any update on the architectural or structural models will be communicated to the MEP BIM manager who can then update the MEP central file which in turn acts a point of reference for the downstream MEP design team to model upon. This sets the stage for streamlined and coordinated MEP designs using smart parametric models.

 

For more information about our dedicated MEP (M&E) BIM modelling support and coordination service for MEP (M&P) designers, consultants and contractors contact us.

As-Built Construction Assets: Key to Future Planning and Facilities Management

Preparing ‘as-built’ drawings and models is certainly one of the most crucial requirements of any design-build project. These final set of construction assets validates how the contractor built the structure including all the changes and modifications that were made in the process. The finalised drawings and models are passed on from the contractors to the building owners and property managers.

The set of as-built drawings and models, though underestimated and neglected, broadly serve a dual purpose. Firstly, the as-built drawings and models act as a guidebook to the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) firms that are contracted for renovation and refurbishment of an existing structure. So, the time, cost, and resources that would have been utilised during pre-renovation survey are saved. Secondly, they help owners and facilities managers to conveniently undertake maintenance and refurbishment activities besides helping them during emergency situations e.g. for rapid evacuation.

Whereas data-rich as-built 3D building information models have obvious benefits over 2D drawing sets, the decision to choose one over the other mainly involves factors, such as the scale of the project, owner’s preference, and the design-build teaming structure. The owners of relatively small building projects may prefer 2D as-built drawings of an existing building, prepared by a technician after collecting accurate data on site. On the contrary, large-scale design-build and renovation projects may require BIM-driven as-built 3D models.

Assuming that the project in question has not had a BIM model for the design process which is then updated during the as-built stage of the project, there are two typical ways of preparing as-built BIM models. Firstly, using the as-built drawings and other construction drawing sets as the starting point, 3D BIM models can be prepared using applications such as Autodesk Revit. The second method involves the Scan to BIM technique where   point cloud data of the structures. This point cloud data is then converted into an intelligent BIM model using tools such as Cloudworx and Scan to BIM applications such as Revit.

The as-built drawings and BIM models serve as a comprehensive reference tool for owners and property managers. They benefit from these as-built drawings and models in the following ways:-

·     The finalised as-built construction assets make future project planning, including renovations, extensions, and redevelopments, convenient and cost effective for the owners.

·     Since the as-built drawings and BIM models contain complete details related to dimensions, fabrication, erection, elevations, sizing, materials, location, and mechanical/electrical/plumbing utilities, the owners can use this data and conveniently manage facilities within budget.

·     The owners can use these as-built assets to resolve disputes regarding insurance claims. In case of a massive loss due to extreme disasters, the insurance company will require extensive documentation, including the as-built drawings and models to support your claims.

As the as-built drawings and models are prepared by combining the drawings/models of all the building services, the owners and property managers can schedule maintenance operations of the building’s MEP (M&E) systems in a timely manner.

Issues Affecting The Adoption of 3D BIM Modelling

Issues including cost and time overruns, material wastage, and process inefficiency have marred the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry worldwide. Whilst the reasons behind this may differ from project to project, lack of interdisciplinary coordination amongst the designers, the building services engineers, and the contractors is the most common of all. Considering these unfavourable project outcomes, there is a significant push from the governments, mainly in developed nations, to accelerate or mandate the adoption of 3D BIM modelling in varying levels for government-funded projects.

Whilst parametric modeling tools such as BIM technology is being increasingly used for government projects private construction projects are also seeing the benefits with many employing  forward-looking AEC firms that have already transitioned to using information-embedded Revit 3D models for design as well as construction stages. Although moving from traditional CAD-based design processes to modern BIM-enabled workflows is essential to eliminate design/coordination clashes and maximise project efficiency, there are some key inhibitions and apprehensions to what is a paradigm shift for the industry.

Firstly, many AEC firms have long been using the traditional 2D as well as non-BIM 3D CAD workflow for pre-construction 3D planning and are highly resistant to change their current conventional processes. More often than not, such firms are completely apprehensive of embracing new technology or are slow adopters of new technology and decide to change only if requested by clients or if they are part of a framework agreement requiring adoption of such technology.

 Another factor that pushes potential BIM implementers back is the steep learning curve of its tools and their real-life applications specific to disciplines, such as architecture, MEP engineering, and structural engineering. One common concern is training CAD technicians, who are familiar with drafting tools such as AutoCAD, and BIM and clash detection applications, such as Autodesk Revit and Navisworks.

The biggest impeding factor to BIM implementation is the perception amongst certain groups that current projects during the BIM transition period, will suffer. As BIM adoption is much more than just software training, it requires an overall change in the way a building project is conceptualised, designed, constructed, and maintained. Whilst the traditional design methods required CAD managers with a team of CAD technicians, the modern BIM-based projects require BIM managers who liaise with discipline-specific representatives to map out the level of details (LOD) or BIM Phases required by the client, worksharing protocols/processes, and assess the adherence to interoperability and information-exchange standards.

Furthermore, there is a widespread opinion amongst the AEC fraternity that whilst adopting a full-fledged 3D BIM modelling for the entire lifecycle of a building drives cost, time, and energy performance efficiencies, tremendous effort goes into preparing custom detailed content to client’s specifications. This group believes that whilst the generic libraries can be used for design and clash detection, accurately detailed models are needed to optimally use BIM for aspects, such as cost estimation, time scheduling, and quantity take-offs.

The requirement for BIM adoption also requires a level of interaction along the design and contracting teams that is not usual and has certainly been accelerated with the use of BIM practices.  Clearly defining BIM scope and requirements between the parties involved is already becoming a challenge, especially for the MEP sector where designers and trade contractors have traditionally handled conceptual design and detailed design individually.  The overlap in conceptual design and detailed design is becoming the type of challenge that MEP trades and MEP designers are getting used to resolving as part of BIM adoption.

Collectively these issues pose a challenge and sometimes cause the apprehension involved for BIM project take up, something that we observe will change with continued demand for intelligent building design.

Key Traits of an Effective Architectural BIM Support Partnership

In the building design and construction industry, construction documentation forms an important phase between design development and on-site construction administration. In scenarios where architectural practices decide to transition to object-oriented BIM modelling or there is a need to turn around more projects than can be executed by the internal team, firms decide to look for experienced architectural BIM modelling support partners. Whilst such collaboration models provide cost-effective and high-quality access to CAD and BIM expertise, issues can crop up if your support partner does not have appropriate processes and quality standards in place.

As a result, to make the BIM outsourcing engagement work successfully for your architectural practice, there is a need to ensure that the following are in place:

A Dedicated Point of Contact

A dedicated point of contact in the form of a project manager serves as an integral link between your firm and the outsourcing partner. He/she liaises with the architectural firm’s representative (in most cases the project’s chief architect or the design head) to gather and analyse in detail the project’s requirements, construction specifications, and CAD/BIM standards followed.

Well Defined Project Flow

After a comprehensive needs analysis by the project manager, a clear process should be in place to break down the client’s 3D architectural modelling and construction documentation requirements into a tangible project scope. The scope then dictates the roles/responsibilities and the turnaround schedules of each of the senior team members, including team leader, senior BIM technicians, senior CAD technicians, BIM coordinators, and draftsmen.

Production Planning Roadmap

Depending on the resources at hand, the project manager along with team leader should map out a timeline for documentation delivery. Traditional CAD-based processes necessitate clear guidelines pertaining to drawing scales, dimensions, symbols, targets, annotations, and abbreviations. Modern BIM-enabled workflows also require establishment of protocols and standards for master model worksharing, data exchange, library creation, and model coordination.

Multi-Tier Quality Checks 

Rigorous quality check protocols are an integral part of delivering accurate standards-compliant architectural BIM modelling and construction documentation support to architectural practises. The first tier entails draftsmen involved to cross-review their peer’s work followed by an inspection by the team leader on local models. The final tier of quality check phase requires the project manager to undergo a detailed review of the master model. Once the central master model gets a go-ahead from the project manager, it is used to extract construction documents. Finally, the construction documents are reviewed to check whether they fulfil the construction specifications set by the client.

Ability to Coordinate Online with Clients

The success of your outsourcing partnership will also depend on the associate firm’s ability to hold regular update and doubt-solving virtual sessions. Focussed meetings ensure both you as well as those on the outsourcing team are on the same page as far as the project progress is concerned.

To know about how our architectural BIM modelling and proven BIM/CAD outsourcing model, contact us.

Crucial Developments in 3D Building Services Design and Coordination Field

Building services projects have benefited from many developments that have occurred in the last decade. Whether in the areas of MEP (M&E) systems design, 3D building services coordination, or interdisciplinary collaboration, the major advances seen in this field have emanated both from within the industry as well as from other sources, such as government regulations and economic developments.

•  Intelligent BIM Software for Planning and Design of Projects

One of the biggest changes in the modern building services industry is the use of intelligent building information modelling (BIM) software tools that allow for the creation of accurate and detailed representations of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems using computable data. The fact that there are BIM tools more intelligent than ever and also which work across disciplines, such as architecture, structural engineering, and building services engineering, increases interdisciplinary coordination and reduces construction waste and rework.

For instance, the BIM models created using Autodesk Revit Architecture and Revit MEP can be used by building service designers for developing concept designs, schematics, and tender drawings. The same parametric model can be worked upon and used by contractors to create detailed installation and 3D MEP (M&E) coordinated drawings, including services-specific as well as multi-service coordinated plans, sections, and elevations. Furthermore, fabricators and installers can use the BIM model in conjunction with FAB MEP, a fabrication tool, to manufacture pre-assembled modules for installation on-site.

Not only does BIM allow creation of a coordinated 3D model, it also allows for information to be added to the model that can be used for project-critical purposes, including schedule creation, cost estimation, energy analysis and facilities management.

• Greater Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Due to the growing adoption of BIM tools industry-wide complemented by the availability of sophisticated hardware systems and online collaboration channels, there is a far greater degree of interdisciplinary coordination between different stakeholders involved in AEC projects. As a result, architects, structural engineers, MEP consultants, MEP engineers, main contractors (general contractors), cost estimators, and fabricators can seamlessly collaborate during the design and planning stages and avoid costly rework during the construction stages.

For instance, large-scale construction projects generally have a complicated project structure comprising diverse project teams based in different geographical areas. During the pre-construction stage, sharing and interlinking the BIM model prepared by architects, structural engineers, MEP specialists and contractors enables respective designs to stay coordinated. Due to cloud-based collaboration tools, team members can hold review sessions online without having to be physically present together.

•   Higher Degree of Pre-Fabrication and Just-In-Time Delivery for Installation

With the widespread use of parametric modelling techniques in MEP design and planning, a major trend is to use BIM models for pre-fabrication purposes with a view to enhance the logistical cycle on the construction site. When used in conjunction with CNC fabrication applications, such as FAB-MEP, the BIM design data can be used to create fabrication drawings that can be recognised by CNC machines. Such a BIM-led prefabrication can streamline the installation process on site and avoid costly miscalculations.

Taking into account the complexities of the MEP (M&E) systems industry, BIM-driven prefabrication and modularisation has led to multifaceted benefits: reduced rework, in-time project completion, cost savings and increased efficiency.

• Government Intervention 

Another critical development from outside the industry is the government policies in different parts of the world either promoting or mandating the use of BIM in varying levels for government-funded or private projects. In the US, the General Services Administration (GSA), through its Public Buildings Service (PBS) Office of Chief Architect (OCA), established the National 3D-4D-BIM Program in 2003. GSA mandated the use of spatial program BIMs as the minimum requirements for submission to OCA for Final Concept approvals of all major projects receiving design funding in 2007 and beyond.

In Europe, the UK Government has made Level 2 BIM compulsory for all publicly-funded projects from 2016 onwards with a view to trim the cost of public-funded projects and to reduce carbon emission to meet its EU commitments. Government agencies from the Scandinavian nations have played an important role. Senate Properties, Finland’s state property services agency, required the use of BIM for its projects since 2007. Neighbouring Norway and Denmark have also made sufficient headway towards adopting BIM practises in their public-funded projects. Statsbygg, the Norwegian government agency that manages public properties, including heritage sites, campuses, office buildings and other buildings, employed BIM in all its projects by 2010.

In Asia, Singapore was in the forefront of driving the adoption of BIM. After implementing the world’s first BIM electronic submission (e-submission) system for building approvals, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) mapped the BIM Roadmap with the aim to adopt BIM for 80% of construction projects by 2015. In Hong Kong, the Housing Authority (HA) not only developed a set of modelling standards and guidelines for BIM implementation but also stated its intent to apply BIM to all its new projects by 2014-15. South Korea’s Public Procurement Service, which reviews designs of construction projects and provides construction management services for public institutions, has made BIM mandatory for all projects worth more than S$50 million and for all public sector projects by 2016.