By Adam Lega, KAI Design & Build
It is a fact that BIM is revolutionizing the Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) industry and making history. The industry is now beginning to construct buildings the old fashioned way, but with the backing of better technology. Unfortunately, for the past sixty or so years, the industry had the notion that historical precedent was not necessarily the best method — well, that notion is being undone by the BIM movement, and the Integrated Project Delivery trend.
Knowing that technology can be used to model everything in a project helps to alleviate the potential for confusion in a typical set of construction documents. Questions such as whether the Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing (MEP) engineers ran an interference check on the pipe and duct system to make sure that the hot water is not getting cooled off by the air-conditioning vent, or whether the structural system is going through the ceiling or stopping at it, can all be answered quickly and easily using BIM technology.
There are several advantages to a Building Information Model. But sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. It is not always necessary to model every last nut and bolt in the project. In fact, it is never necessary to model the nuts and bolts, the showerheads or the Aeron chairs. Why go to all that trouble for something that a generic symbol and a note can take care of in a set of documents? It is faster, more expedient and less costly (in hours and money) to provide only the information that is needed in the database, not what is wanted.
Think of BIM (as a model) in this manner – there are the following: an architectural model, an MEP model, a structural model and a construction model. There is a cost estimate, a fire protection model, a lifecycle management model and a set of specifications. Eight different databases in all that have to be kept track of and managed. The more detail that goes into each database, the bigger the database becomes. Keep in mind that this is not a doom and gloom scenario. Cities the size of London and buildings the size of the new Freedom Tower are being built and managed in BIM software platforms. This means that housing, spec office buildings, restaurants, and entertainment complexes do not pose a problem for BIM. The reason these projects succeed is because they are being managed well. Building Information Management is not just about the software, however. People play an extremely important role in this new paradigm.
First, who is going to manage and build these building information databases? What we have found to be true is that the people who know how to put a building together are the best people to implement BIM. At first it sounds almost simplistic, but follow the logic. The AEC industry is pushing BIM software; software can be challenging to learn and understand. Therefore, the people using the software need to be the people who can understand the software, right? Not necessarily. Anyone with the appropriate training can learn the software. The important aspect to remember is that in BIM (the virtual design and construction process), we are building the project virtually before it is built in reality. The key word is “building.” In order to build a project accurately, the person(s) designing and managing the project needs to know how to put a building together. Carry this concept through the management of the project team and you will always have a formula for success.
Now what about this project team? Different databases throughout the life-cycle of the project were discussed previously. How does that impact the design team? Well, the disciplines in the project get involved earlier on from the start of the project. With BIM (the management process), it is extremely important to get everyone involved in the design of the project from the kickoff. More information going into a project earlier on in the timeline means that the right people will be managing the appropriate databases and workflow. Ultimately, the potential for adversarial relationships between the contractors and the architects is eliminated. Architects are listening to the engineers’ advice and visa versa.
Everyone collaborates in order to work for the good of the project, including the owner. That is the definition of Integrated Project Delivery, with BIM technology as its centerpiece.