Bim Journal Vol.3 Final Low Res 2

EUROPEAN
PUBLIC SECTOR
DEMAND FOR BIM
Volume Three | 2011 - 2012
improving the construction process
>>
>>
>>
The BIM Manager:
A NEW ROLE IN THE
CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
The Abu Dhabi
Investment Council
Headquarters Dynamic
Facade
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Front cover image: Midfeld Terminal Building, Abu Dhabi Airport, UAE. BIM tender support, modelling and graphics by Oger International, Abu Dhabi Branch
Nadia Wallett
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BIM Journal wishes to thank the following contributors
ISSUE 24
Spatial definition and calculation
- Practicesfor area calculations
- BIM-Based area calculation
- Mixed use community in the UAE
ISSUE 25
Functions of Parametric Modelling
- BIM VS3D
- CONCEPTSOF PARAMETRIC MODELLING
- THEABUDHABI INVESTMENTCOUNCIL HEADQUARTERS
DYNAMIC FACADE
ISSUE 26
Synchronized Specifications
- Model Attributes
- Integrated Specifications
- Gilfillan Callahan Nelson Architects
ISSUE 27
Interoperability Standards
- BuildingSMARTstandard explained
- Understanding industry foundation classes
- Understanding BuildingSMARTstandards
ISSUE 28
Not Just CAD++
- Silo BIM
- Building Information Management
- BIM Collaboration Format
ISSUE 29
BIM Integrated Lifecycle Management
- A New Era Of Project Management
- Integrating The BIM
- Example Of BIM-ILM Integration
ISSUE 30
Green Is Good
- Sustainability
- Integrating BIM and LEED
- Use case of BIM-LEED integration
ISSUE 31
Theme: Information Logistics
- Information deficienciesin the AEC industry
- BIM asa data management tool
- Sorbonne University, UAE
ISSUE 32
BIM & Evacuation Performance
- Building performance for evacuation
- How to measure evacuation performance
- BIM & Evacuation toolsintegration process
ISSUE 33
The BIM Manager
- A new role in the construction industry
- Managing process, people, technology and policy
- BIM implementation in a Cairo city centre project
ISSUE 34
BIM Tool Selection
- Defining expectationsof BIM
- Metricsfor analyzing BIM tools
- BIM tool selection
ISSUE 35
BIM Implementation & Execution Plans
- Wheresmy BIM in a box
- Guide for BIM deployment
- buildingSMARTlevel 2 training BIM process
management
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19
27
35
39
49
55
59
63
69
73 43
CONTENTS
Right, The
Abu Dhabi
Investment
Council
Headquarters
Dynamic
Facade
Far Right,
Case Study
Sorbonne
University, UAE
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01
02
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buildingSMART International home of open BIM
Introduction
BSI Newsletters
BIM or Burst
Meeting the UK BIM challenge
BIM eases seattles complex road tunnel project
Editors Foreword
BIM Journal Volume 3
F
irst and foremost a tremendous acknowledgement must be given to all those who have contributed towards the
success of the BIM Journal. In the course of 2011 we received exceptional contributions for case studies, white-papers
and articles from leading organisations and individuals in the international BIM Community. Many of which had been
produced exclusively for the BIM Journal.
I would like to make a personal acknowledgement of the outstanding work and dedication of Nadia Wallett who has
been managing the BIM Journal website and associated social media, sourcing new material and coordinating with
contributors. The current success of the BIM Journal is due, in no small part, to her tireless efforts, as well as the vision
and commitment of the BIM Journal Founder, Tahir Sharif.
The online publication of BIM Journal (www.bimjournal.com) is now regularly receiving over 20,000 single hits per month
with a circulation of 100000 readers.
This volume, the third to be published, comprises monthly Journal Issues 24 to 35, from January to December 2011,
as well as a selection of articles and opinion pieces from the website. The programme for 2011 issues was structured
in quarterly clusters relating to a central theme. The three issues of the frst quarter relate to Parametric Modelling, the
second quarter to issues of Interoperability, the third quarter explores themes of Performance BIM, and the fnal quarter
introduces valuable discussion on BIM Implementation and Training.
Structured in this way, the BIM Journal Volume 3 publication forms a concise compendium for those interested and
engaged in the practice of building information modeling.
BIMjournal has an open call for contributions of articles and case study projects. If you are interested in contributing to an
upcoming issue, have any comments or require further information, please contact the Editor at editor@bimjournal.com
BIM J ournal Editor
J une 2010to J anuary2012
Mar k Bal dw i n
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Introduction
W
hat a year for BIM! The UK Government issuing a mandate for fully collaborative 3D BIM as a minimum by
2016 and its commitment to reduce cost in the Construction Industry by 20% during the current term of
parliament! In the Middle East, the Jordanian Government also took the pledge and is working towards mandating
BIM! Too many BIM milestones worldwide to mention. Its offcial we are now in the BIM bubble, some are excited,
you can almost hear the it is about time! others apprehensive why bother! more work! Yes unfortunately adopting
BIM means committing to CHANGE! out with the old and in with the new, a change in mindset and work practises.
Last but not least an acknowledgement from the Industry that there is a real need for training & education to ensure
that existing and new entrants in the Industry are equipped with the skills to handle BIM.
Now that the market is more BIM savvy, all be it some markets more than others, the BIM Journal has also evolved
to take into account market progress and endeavoured to fnd a suitable balance in terms of supplying information
that does appeal to Technical and non technical readers. The issues in 2011 focused on the practical aspects of
using BIM from tool selection, creation of execution plans to the more complex data handling & extraction from BIM
models. All topics have been supported by a case study review relevant to the topics discussed.
The BIM Journal has now been in operation for nearly 3 years receiving excellent feedback from the BIM Community.
We are very excited to announce that the BIM Journal will shortly be integrated into www.thebimhub.com. Our
goal is to gather a very large BIM Community in one place. With this in mind we equipped the site with a social
networking module providing users with the opportunity to network and socialise with other BIMMERS all over the
world. Every user will have his/hers own personal dashboard with the ability to personalise news/job alerts and
access a rich resource centre comprising technical information, case studies, online BIM courses and of course last
but not least the latest edition of BIM Journal delivered direct to your inbox!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our contributors and readers for their continued support.
We invite you to view the latest issues of the BIM Journal at www.bimjournal.com and join our Community on
www.thebimhub.com
Founder The BIM Hub
and BIM J ournal,
Founding President,
buildingSMART
MENA & India
Tahi r Shar i f
buildingSMART International
home of open BIM
You have recently launched the Open BIM
initiative. Can you tell us a little bit about what it
is, how it works and, most importantly, how it will
benefit the industry?
CG: Open BIM is a buildingSMART initiative in
collaboration with several leading BIM Software
vendors using the open buildingSMART Data Model.

We have developed a technical certification system
to help AEC software vendors improve, test and certify
their data connections to work seamlessly with other
Open BIM Solutions.
We believe that by promoting and putting processes
in place to facilitate Open BIM we are making sure that
all project participants can use BIM regardless of the
software tools they use. By doing so we are ensuring
that the I (information) in BIM is available throughout
the life cycle of the built facility. This in turn reduces
errors and costs pre and post construction, giving
Owners / Operators a better ROI. The benefit also
extends to Construction companies as they are able
to be more efficient in scheduling and analysing costs
with the abundant more accurate data made available.
We believe this is a WIN WIN situation for all parties.

What is the perspective for buildingSMART in
2012?
CG: Our main focus will be on promoting Open BIM
Internationally via our Chapters to encourage more AEC
companies to participate.
Development of IFC standards is an ongoing process.
We plan to launch the latest IFC 4 version with ISO in
2012. Our experts are working around the clock to
finalise these standards. The launch is being awaited
with great anticipation by the Industry. Like with any
Standard it is expected that IFC 4 will iron out some of
the practical issues that AEC companies face when
sharing Data. We shall also speed up the development
of the process IDM standards and dictionary IFD
standards so the 2016 deadline can be achieved. For
instance we have launched the Process and Product
rooms to support professionals in construction who
are using digital information, prototypes and models.
This will help companies benefit from the integrated
workflows that BIM enables.
The Process room is lead by Jan Karlshoj, Chairman
of the Nordic Chapter of buildingSMART. The Product
room is lead by Roger Grant from the BuildingSMART
Alliance, US Chapter. Both rooms are working towards
stimulating International Collaboration between
organisations. We are very pleased with the progress
so far and look forward to seeing some very positive
outcomes generated by both rooms.When it comes to
open standards for information sharing in construction
and facilities management, buildingSMART is the
only show in town. Our aim is to make the brand
universally recognized alongside Open BIM as the key
to improved performance. To help us we need high
profile competitions like Build London Live and lots of
well publicized case studies.
Christopher
Groome, Business
Manager
building SMART
International
buildingSMART
BuildingSMART has been serving the Construction
Industry for over 20 years. A not for profit
organisation with Chapters all over the world
it has been working with Owners, Developers,
Governments, Consultants, Architects, Engineers,
Project Managers, Contractors and Sub-contractors
to deploy internationally recognised standards for
processes and technologies. These standards
improve interoperability and communication
between all project stakeholders throughout the
entire life cycle of a built Facility.
Ever since its launch back in 2009, BIM Journal
has had and continues to have very strong ties
with buildingSMART. The publication features and
promotes buildingSMART activities. We recently
caught up with Christopher Groome, building
SMART International Business Manager.
How did you react as an organisation when it
was announced that the information handover
BIM would be mandated on all Government
projects in the UK by 2016?
CG: We were delighted. BuildingSMART in countries
all over the world lobby Governments to encourage
mandating BIM. By making BIM outputs mandatory
it gives the Industry the necessary push to make
changes and implement it.
What did buildingSMART learn from
its experience in implementing BIM in
Singapore, Finland and the US and how will
you be assisting the UK Government with the
mandate?
CG: First and foremost we learned that standard
processes (IDMs) and standard product
descriptions (IFD) are just as important as the
Data Model (IFCs) to enable data sharing. We
also learned a lot about how relationships between
government and industry can best be fostered to
make industry transformation a reality. Essentially
it needs more than a demand that industry just use
BIM.
How is buildingSMART involved in helping the
industry transition to BIM?
CG: BuildingSMARTs main function as an
organisation is to create and maintain the standards
(IFC, IDM, IFD). These standards were developed
to support a transparent, open worklow between all
project participants regardless of the software tool
they use. Our experts are actively working with the
Government and Construction parties to support
them and ease their BIM transition. In particular
the IDM and IFD standards are well behind IFC
standards and will have to catch up.
Visit www.thebimhub.com and register to become a member of our community!
BIM Journal is part of the BIM Hub
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4
and government targets to reduce
carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
Eighteen delivery groups
are being set up.
Stakeholder
groups have also
been created to
cover the
interests
of,among others, software vendors,
institutions, supply chain, training
and education, and media liaison.
Mobilisation has begun and the 18
delivery groups will help to develop
the processes. Government
will set objectives and allow the
supply chain to determine how
best to meet them. Government
departments will be trained to
articulate their needs better, while
frms that are not yet BIM-profcient
are preparing for change. This
is the moment for BIM, says
Paul Morrell, the governments
chief construction adviser, who is
leading the change programme.
Visit www.detdigitalebyggeri.dk/english
(Denmark); www.rgdBIM.nl (Netherlands);
www.cabinetoffce.gov.uk (UK)
extended requirement for BIM is expected
to have a big impact the
city of Copenhagen alone
owns 2.2 million sqmof real
estate and around 400
projects a year are expected across the
whole country.
And in the Netherlands, BIM is to become
a mandatory requirement in central
government projects in the offces sector.
As from1 November 2011, procurement
contracts worth more
than 10 million will be
covered.
BIM will allow us to
manage our real estate
better, says Dr Alex
Vermeulen, director
of Rgd, A&A. Once
created, any BIM of
an existing building
will be kept live. The information must
cover the whole life-cycle of the building,
he adds.
The retrospective modelling of the
Sydney Opera House served as a trigger
and persuaded the Dutch government of
the benefts of BIM in effcient FM. Many
in the industry are very supportive, says
Alexander Pastoors of BNA, the Royal
Society of Dutch Architects, but he admits
that smaller frms will fnd it harder to take
the plunge. Meanwhile, both suppliers
and government procurement personnel
are bracing themselves for culture change
and the need as Dr Vermeulen says to
reframe their perspectives to meet the
new requirements.
The UK government has
embarked on a fve-year
programme to introduce BIM
into all public sector projects by 2016. Its
strategy is set in the context of rising asset
management costs (where government
aims to reduce whole-life costs by 20%)
Government adoption is often
seen as key to ensuring a
wider uptake of BIM. Three
near-neighbours in Europe
Denmark, UK and Netherlands
are making progress as IFC
BIM becomes mandatory at
various levels in their public
sector projects.
Most advanced of the three
countries is Denmark. Since
2007, central government
projects (or projects with a
50% state subsidy) have required the use
of the countrys digital standard, which
includes IFC BIM. Implementation was
slow at frst in 200708 the economy
was strong and the government didnt
want to overheat the market but
since then, the situation has changed
dramatically and government agencies
are now active in procuring new buildings.
As the new systembeds in, the use of
project websites has been a particular
success. The positive involvement by
the professional organisations has also
helped the industry to adopt BIM, says
buildingSMART Nordic chairman J an
Karlshj.
State-level adoption was just the
start of things. In J une 2011, the
Danish Parliament voted to extend
the mandatory use of BIM to all local
and regional projects worth over
DKr20 million (2.7 million) buildings
such as schools, libraries and sports
facilities with implementation of the
various requirements beginning
in 2012. Central government
projects have a lower threshold
of DKr5 million (677,000).
Different requirements will be
set up for public sector housing,
further stimulating the use
of BIM. The
NEWSLETTER No 5 August 2011
Open standards for
infrastructure
The wider potential of buildingSMART has swiftly
shot up with early proposals for extending the
IFC standard to infrastructure. A meeting of
buildingSMART members was held in Paris on
8 J uly to share experiences of modelling for
infrastructure and identify next steps.
Leading the meeting were members of the French chapter
whose involvement in the infrastructure pro ject, Communic, has
made themeager to stimulate international efforts.
Some of the big players in the French industry VINCI,
Bouygues and my own company, Egis are accustomed to
working together collaboratively, explains Christophe Castaing.
This created the oppor tunity for us to develop a project and get
funding for it. Our own contributions were matched by government
funding.
Communic was a 2 million multi-partner project that ran between 2007 and 2010.
The wide-ranging initiative had the overall aim of identifying ways in which infrastructure
projects could be managed more effciently over their whole life-cycle. Communic took
real-world projects, including part of the new A19 toll motorway in France, and found that
traditional data structures did not respond to actual needs. But it was possible, as Jean-
Baptiste Valette of VINCI showed during the meeting, to hijack IFC objects and that
might offer a way forward.
Communic recommended that an open data exchange standard and collaborative
platform should be developed. Civil engineering needs defnitions of a data model and
specifc entities, says Pierre Benning of Bouygues, who was also involved in the project.
Other countries are also starting to build knowledge of standards and modelling for
infrastructure. In Korea, IFC is being used in nuclear and power plants. J apan has done
work on product models for bridges and shield tunnels. Germanys ForBAU project
created 3D parametric road and bridge models, while in Norway the Public Roads
Administration is committed to use open format models by 2015 (the format to be
decided). In the US, the National Institute of Standards and Technology believes that
infrastructure delivery must be improved. And an international
project of 200406, IFC Bridge, following an earlier French
project which had used the IFC and OA-EXPRESS formats,
explored a data model for bridges, delivering proof of concept and
an IFC view.
The Paris meeting brought together members with an interest
in developing IFC for infrastructure. There was agreement that a
big open-ended project would deter potential funders and that
chapters should identify four or fve use cases areas of work of
particular interest to them. The bridge part is the most feasible,
says Thomas Liebich, who leads buildingSMARTs Model
Support Group. So much work has already been done.
A steering group was set up, with representatives of
buildingSMART chapters and Frances Club Communic,
the network set up in the wake of the project. Defning the
prospective scope will be among the frst steps to be
taken. Members were asked what the IFC Infra project
should be called and the name openINFRA was
agreed.
Q&A with Pierre Benning
Pierre Benning, Bouygues, was
involved in the Communic project to
explore open-format modelling for
infrastructure and is participating in
openINFRA.
What is the vision behind
openINFRA?
We have a vision of interoperability
and effcient data management. Today
we have expert tools to help us in the
various processes, but tomorrowwe
will need to integrate all the processes
into a central database.
Who stands to beneft most?
It takes fve years to build a highway
that will be in use for 50 years.
So most of the benefts will be felt
during operation and maintenance.
Nonetheless, all the disciplines will
beneft, from client brief onwards.
Will there be any quick wins?
Yes. During construction openINFRA
will help us avoid errors on site. And,
of course, a complete model, with all
its attributes, will help at the design
stage.
What would you say to
someone thinking of getting
involved in openINFRA?
Come on in! This is an ambitious
project. We need the goodwill
of everyone and effciency
improvements are to the beneft of all.
Infuture, bridgessuchasthoseinSouthKorea(above) and
Salford, UK (below left) may beneft from IFC for infrastructure
Source: Jindobridge, SouthKorea: BuckarooJeans, 19October, 2008, undercc-by-sa-2.0
Selection of articles from 2011 - 2012
BSI Newsletters
Selection of articles from 2011 - 2012
BSI Newsletters
This is an article extracted fromIssue 5. The content of this article is identical to the story as it appeared in the original issue. This is an article extracted fromIssue 6. The content of this article is identical to the story as it appeared in the original issue.
NEWSLETTER No 6 November 2011
Public sector demand for BIM
Dr Alex Vermeulen Source:
Jan WillemHouweling, In The Picture
Paul Morrell Source: ICE
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London 2012 Olympic dreams and realities
The Olympic Stadium was completed
in London in March 2011, on time and
under budget and with a little help
from BIM.
The 80,000-seat stadium covers an area of 40 acres, lying towards the
south of the Olympic Park. It is not as striking as the Birds Nest Stadium
in Beijing but it is a building that matches British reserve and is suited to a
recession. Sustainability has been a key concern and with around 10,000
tonnes of steel, it will be the lightest Olympic Stadiumconstructed to date.
The project was designed and constructed by TeamStadium, a
consortiumled by Sir Robert McAlpine, together with architects
Populous and structural and services consultants Buro
Happold. The project would have followed a traditional
path without the inspiration of Sir Robert McAlpine, who
were intent on having a fully integrated teamapproach,
and believed that a central point of information, like a
building information model, would add value.
It was at this point that buildingSMART member
Fulcro was brought in. Fulcro provides solutions
to ease information transfer and get projects built
smoothly on-site bridging the gap between design and construction.
We created a 3D model to validate the service information, explains Ben
Haldin, business development director at Fulcro. It comes down to a team
understanding of what youre trying to achieve.
The next step for Fulcro was to get involved with the design
management function and enable the teamto utilise the 3D Model for
team review and meetings. The aim here was to de-risk parts of the
project before the MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) contracts
were let.
All the architects and engineers for the project were co-located at
the site. Co-location, combined with the BIM, offered a belt-and-braces
approach. Designers had the benefts of having project colleagues right
there, as well as working via the BIM. Weekly workshops, comprising
design reviews, clash prevention and clash detection, were run by Fulcro
and were treated as working opportunities to carry the design forward.
Some of the teammembers were doubtful or wary about the value
of BIM at frst but saw the benefts as the model developed. The model
provided visualisations that helped themto see their work in 3D for the
frst time. There were challenges in the routing of the internal sanitation
systems, as the drainage pipes had to be threaded through pre-cut holes
in the beams and design changes were ongoing. Using the model to
verify these features ensured the design was fully validated.
The BIM brought clarity at the construction phase, reduced risk and
won the support of teammembers. We did something simple that really
added value, says Ben.
But then, any project would
beneft from a little bit of
BIM.
Another version of this article,
with additional information,
appears in BuildingSMART UK
News 27.
Olympic stadia of times past
Athens 1896: The frst modern Olympics were held at
the Panathinaiko stadium, which took the elongated
formof the ancient games and even recycled marble
fromthe ancient stadium
Amsterdam 1928: The stadiumwas built in the
Amsterdamstyle a local variant of European styles
with long horizontal lines
Berlin 1936: The 1936 stadium refected the
authoritarian architecture of the Third Reich; since
renovated, it hosted the World Cup fnal of 2006
Munich 1972: The 1972 stadium showed Germany in
a happier light and pioneered lightweight tensile and
membrane construction
Beijing 2008: The Birds Nest Stadium used an IFC-
based tool, known as 4D-GCPSU 2006, to manage the
construction schedule, resources and site layout
Sources: LondonOlympicStadium London2012; BIM ODA Press; Athens
Pierre de Coubertin, The First Olympiad, London1897; Amsterdam public
domain; Berlin Hoffman, DeutschesBundesarchivBild183-R82532; Munich
Arad Mojtahedi (public domain); Beijing Chen Zao (CCA2 Generic)
(Topleft) LondonOlympicStadium; (above) theBIM
usedinconstruction
New chapter for Canada
A new chapter of buildingSMART has been launched in Canada. Until now, practitioners
in Canada were involved in the work of the North American chapter, the buildingSMART
Alliance, but the Institute for BIM in Canada was eager to create its own Chapter and
took the lead in setting it up.
There are practical and cultural differences between Canada and the US. Canada is
a dual-language country, with a legal system that is closer to that of the UK, Australia
and Singapore than to the US system. And unlike the US, it uses the metric system.
These differences combined with a strong interest in facilitating the adoption of BIM in
Canada are behind the creation of an independent chapter. Co-
operation with other chapters is anticipated, and a close link
will be maintained with the buildingSMART Alliance on North
American matters.
Dave Pelletier of D&G Mechanical is chairman of the
new chapter. Other roles are being taken by Pierre
Boucher, Canadian Construction Association, as
business manager, and J ohn Hale, Department of National
Defence, as technical co-ordinator.
DavePelletier, president of D&GMechanical
andchairmanof thenewCanadachapter. He
wasformerlypresident of theBritishColumbia
ConstructionAssociationandhasservedas
chair of theCanadianConstructionAssociations
standardpracticescommittee
Jordan pledges commitment to BIM
A buildingSMART forumhas been set up in J ordan as part of buildingSMART Middle East. The two
main players in J ordan are the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and the J ordan Engineers
Association (JEA), who have entered into an agreement with the Middle East chapter and will be
running the forum. The ministry will support ambitious initiatives which enhance the construction
sector, said minister Yahya Al Kasbi. Sharing his commitment, Abdulla Obaidat, head of the J EA,
added: This is an important agreement as it will introduce international concepts of modern buildings
and increase the competitiveness of J ordanian engineers across the international and regional
market.
Amman
Jordan
Singapore supports BIM
A buildingSMART Industry Day the BIM-fnitive Way to SMART Con struction was held
on21September as part of the Singapore week of events andmeetings. The aimwas to share
understandingof BIM, andthe daybrought together local delegates, representingarchitects,
engineers, contractors andgovernment, alongwithinternational participants some 280inall.
Back in 2008, a survey revealed that fewer than 10% of frms in Singapore were using BIM;
today the fgure is probably around 2530%. The local chapter is targeting a fgure of 80% uptake
by 2015, and the government is introducing a series of strategies to stimulate BIM use. The
public sector is taking the lead, helping build BIM capability through training and certifcation and
incentivising adopters with subsidies froma government BIM fund. Work is being done on pilots
and to help the industry become BIM-ready. Larger projects will be required to use BIM for their
architectural designs by 2013 and for engineering designs by 2014; smaller projects, both public
and private, will be covered by 2015. The Singapore Building and ConstructionAuthority runs
workshops and roadshows to raise awareness.
International speakers set out progress in BIM use in their home territories, while case studies
covered examples fromthe local region, such as the Singapore Sports Hub and a newblock at
Singapores School of Medicine. Construction company and project owner Woh Hup described a
residential complex at Keppel Bay, Australia, where the use of BIM ensured that the design intent
of the roof crown of the six towers could be realised in practice.
The conference served to educate the audience on the challenges and benefts of using BIM,
concluded ChengTai Fatt, auditor, buildingSMART Singapore. The aimwas to reinforce the point
that BIM is the defnitive way to smart construction.
(Above) Keppel Baycomplex; (below) Singapore
School of MedicineSeeSingaporeIndustryDay
www.buildingsmartsingapore.org/events.htm
NEWSLETTER No 5 August 2011
This is an article extracted fromIssue 6. The content of this article is identical to the story as it appeared in the original issue.
BSI Chapter activity around the world Selection of articles from 2011 - 2012
BSI Newsletters
7
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In the early days of
BIM in Finland, a decade
back, expectations were
unrealistic. Many people
thought you simply had to
press a button to retrieve
the information you needed, adds Tomi. Today,
we have moved fromtheory to practice, with
a better understanding of how to use the main
model and the discipline-specifc models. The
next step is to ensure our processes and the new
technologies are aligned.
Contact Tomi Henttinen, chairman of buildingSMART
Finland, at: tomi.henttinen@gravicon.f
At the leading edge in Finland
Finland has been pioneering the use of data sharing and interoperable
working for over a decade, punching way above its weight for a small
country. From2001, a series of projects was carried out, using a shared
building information model. Among them, Aurora 2 a mixed-use facility
at J oensuu University showed how BIM offered the chance to create a
less expensive, more energy-effcient building.
A milestone was passed in 2007 when Senate Properties, the Finnish
property services agency, required the use of IFC-compliant BIM open
BIM in other words in its projects. In the public sector, nearly all projects
are built using BIM, explains Tomi Henttinen of Gravicon and chairman of
buildingSMART Finland.
Now Finland is approaching another milestone. In March 2012 new
BIM requirements will be published. Existing guidelines, which cover
architecture, mechanical and structural engineering, quality assurance,
quantity take-off and HVAC, among other things, will be upgraded and
made mandatory, while whole new areas of activity are being brought into
the requirements.
We will see BIM-based project management and the required use of
BIM on-site and in FM, says Tomi. The coverage is wide, taking in the
whole building cycle, fromplanning permission to operations.
Finnish software companies are rising to the challenge and developing
the tools the industry needs. Tekla has developed a new site collaboration
tool (Tekla BIMsight), while Solibri released version 7 of its Model Checker
in September 2011. Gravicon has developed a web-based management
tool, Modelspace, which spans the different disciplines.
Case study
Building with BIM in Italy
Porto Nuovo in Milan lies just to the north
of the city centre, close to the Garibaldi
and Centrale railway stations. The area
was severely run down and a regeneration
project, with an emphasis on pedestrian
access and green living, is underway.
Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and
Partners (ACPV), have designed the new
cultural centre for the project: a three-storey
3,000sqmbuilding which includes a library,
offces and retail gallery.
The faceted roof and wall surfaces required
close co-ordination with the structural
engineer, and the Revit platformwas used.
This enabled both teams to develop design
options, documentation, cost estimates and
visualisations more quickly. The architectural
model also helped ACPV collaborate with
the exterior design consultant to develop
a scheme for the buildings glass faade
that can be effciently manufactured and
installed.
Busy agenda in Korea
The Korean chapter is active in stimulating
BIM uptake, offering guidance and showcasing
achievement through annual conferences, technical
seminars and BIM awards. The chapter has helped
develop national BIM guidelines for public sector
use and specifc guidance for individual projects and
companies. For the new HQ of the Korea Power
Exchange, it developed design competition guidelines.
It has also provided consultancy for the Lotte Super
Tower project, a 123-storey tower block in Seoul now
under construction establishing step-by-step BIM
procedures.
Since 2009 the chapter has run a BIM project
registration service to gather better data and
encourage adoption. The annual BIM awards are made
in four categories (vision, design, construction and
green building), with two separate student categories.
Its BIM professional training course nurtures BIM
practitioners, and the chapter was co-organiser, along
with buildingSMART Singapore, of Build Asia Live
2011, a virtual design competition. All in all, a period
of high activity for the chapter. The level
of BIM implementation is going up and
we are contributing to the transformation,
says Inhan Kim, chief vice-chair of
buildingSMART Korea.
Movement for open BIM
Ten software companies have joined forces to promote Open BIM. The collaboration is led by
buildingSMART International, Graphisoft and Tekla, and supported by several leading software
vendors including Nemetschek and Trimble. The buildingSMART strategy, Roadmap 2020,
includes the promotion of Open BIM. As buildingSMARTs open standards become more widely
implemented, it is important that the value of open sharing and exchange of data is promoted
across the global construction industry, says Chris Groome, bSIs business manager.

The benefts of open (as opposed to a proprietary) BIM are clear. Project participants can work with the best-of-breed
software solutions in their own feld, co-ordination errors are greatly reduced, and data can be accessed throughout the life-
cycle of the asset.
The companies involved are incorporating the promotion of
Open BIM into their marketing efforts and collaborating with
other organisations. Further companies are welcome to join the
movement, both on the software and design/construction side.
The group has trademarked its Open BIM logo, which can be
used on products and projects as a promise that they meet the
requirements of open collaboration.
Visit: http://www.openbim.com or contact Chris Groome
(cg@buildingsmart.org.uk)
NEWSLETTER No 7 March 2012
We use a BIM process for all of our
projects, says Paolo Emilio Serra of
ACPV. Quality means not making
mistakes. It means fnding and correcting
errors before the design process is
completed and the construction phase
has begun. Thats how we save a
considerable amount of time and
resources. BIM makes it possible.ACPV
won an Autodesk BIM Experience award
for its work on this and other projects.
NEWSLETTER No 8 May 2012
NEWSLETTER No 7 March 2012
NewHQfor theKoreaPower
Exchange: BIMguidelineswere
establishedandopenBIMused
fromthestart Source: Solibri Magazine
This is an article extracted fromIssue 7. The content of this article is identical to the story as it appeared in the original issue.
BSI Chapter activity around the world BSI Chapter activity around the world
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BIM OR BURST
Architecture, Engineering and Construction firms who are
not making the jump to building information modelling
(BIM) now, can expect to see business get a whole lot
tougher in the next three to five years. BIM is swiftly
becoming an integral part of the AEC industry, and will
no doubt make many traditional processes obsolete.
BIM is to CAD, what CAD was to the drafting table. In
five to ten years we are not going to see CAD as a viable
means of operation for the AEC industry. Those with their
head in the sand who refuse to make this shift will be
sidelined.
Already in the GCC we are seeing a concerted push to
BIM. RFPs for major projects are stipulating advanced
BIM processes to be delivered by Consultants, General
Contractors and Subcontractors. The demands are
stringent - not your typical clash detection and BoQ
extraction. Among the requirements we are seeing in the
UAE are the following:
integrated RFI reporting
integration with cost estimation and project
management software
procurement and variation order management
Progress Reporting
work package divisions
3D Control & Planning
Digital Fabrication
Some of these requirements are possibly a little
aspirational. Many AEC firms in the region would struggle
to meet these demands, due to a lack of capabilities
or adequate resources. Nevertheless a number of
companies, primarily General Contractors, have made
a good head start and are gaining significant ground
towards achieving these goals.
Government bodies and associated entities in the Middle
East have also taken some significant steps to promote
building information modelling as an integral part of the
construction process. In the Middle East and North Africa,
Jordan is leading the way. The Kingdom of Jordans
Ministry of Public Works and Housing (MPWH) and the
Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) signed an agreement
with buildingSMART to found the buildingSMART Forum
in Jordan. In Kuwait some government agencies have
declared their support of BIM, and one could expect to
see BIM become a requirement in the near future. In the
UAE government-owned developers, such as Masdar,
TDIC and Mubadala, are increasingly requiring BIM as
part of their prequalification process.
In other parts of the world BIM is already part of standard
practice.
In the United States BIM is required in all projects
managed by the General Services Administration
(GSA), US Army Corps, US Department of Veteran
Affairs and US Coast Guard. Various local municipalities
have developed detailed BIM requirements, and state
governments are also following suit.
In Norway and Finland BIM is required in all government
projects managed by their GSA equivalents (Statsbygg
in Norway and Senate Properties in Finland) managing
a combined total of over 10 million square meters of
property.
In Denmark BIM is required in projects handled by
various government agencies (such as The Palaces and
Properties Agency, The Danish University and Property
Agency and Defence Construction Service), and specific
BIM requirements now forming part of Danish law.
Singapore has made innovative step towards
encouraging BIM adoption in the construction industry
by offering subsidies to organisations that are adopting
BIM processes and technologies, and through the
introduction of their e-Plan checking platform (where
BIMs can be submitted directly to the municipalities as
part of the development approval process. Organisations
adopting BIM are also eligible for government
subsidies). Rather than being seen as an elective tool
to increase productivity, not deploying BIM could prove
to be detrimental. A recent case in the US suggested
that relying on out-dated traditional processes could
indicate a lack of standard of care and best practice.
In this particular case, which was ultimately settled
out of court, the legal team engaged an independent
industry professional to create a virtual model of the
troubled project based on the original 2D construction
documents. The 3D model clearly showed the problems
that eventually arose in the field. The legal team argued
that if the entities responsible for the construction
problems had made a Building Information Model the
issues would have been identified and addressed before
they manifested in the field.
Employers can avoid such disputes and lead the
transition to integrated practices by mandating BIM as
a core component of a RFPs (request for proposals).
Contract documents must consequently be amended to
accommodate the changed project conditions.
Although in the past building industry professionals
have been advised not to share their Models for fear
of being sued, as James Salmon, of Collaborative
Construction Resources (a legal consultant engaged in
the aforementioned dispute) warned; now, it is possible
to be sued if you do not use Building Information
Modeling software in a manner consistent with emerging
industry standards.
This level of culpability may be some way in the future
for the Middle East construction industry, nevertheless
BIM is set to shake up our existing business and
contractual processes. With mounting pressure from
clients, competitors and potentially the legal system,
companies ought to consider seriously whether they
want to go BIM or bust.
Gerard
Couturier,
Oger
International
Abu dhabi
Oger International Abu Dhabi
P. O. Box 61576, Abu Dhabi, UAE - Tel. +971 2 635 9777 - Fax +971 2 681 1309 - Email bim@ogeremirates. ae
Of f i ces : UAE Saudi Ar abi a Lebanon I ndi a - Mor occo Phi l i ppi nes Tuni s i a Fr ance
ISO Certifed 9001 (2008) + ISO 14001 (2004) - US Green Building Council - Emirates Green Building Council
Corporate Member
Company Profle
Oger International is an internationally recognised Architecture
and Engineering company with advanced capabilities in Building
Information Modelling (BIM). Drawing on a heritage of 50 years of
operation, and with specialist divisions of Engineering Services,
Project Management, Sustainability, Intelligent Buildings, Building
Management Systems and Building Information Modelling, Oger
International has been involved in some of the worlds most
prestigious construction projects within both the public and
private sectors.
Building Information Modelling
Oger International has several years of experience in realised BIM
projects around the world. With profciencies in many of the
leading BIM software Oger International is actively pioneering
developments in BIMprocesses and deployment. A key focus is the
integration of BIM with other specialist areas, such as BIM for
sustainability and green building certifcation (LEEDand Estidama).
Oger International brings extensive project experience and a
construction-focused approach to modelling, coordination and
BIMproject management.
BIM Project Management
Strategy and process development
Model management and coordination
Model Production and Deployment
Architecture, Structure and MEP models
Shop drawing and BoQ extraction
Construction Management
Site logistics and construction sequencing
BIM-to-feld deployment and supervision
Auditing & Quality Assurance
Integrity checking and rule-based assessment
Reviewing engineering analysis and design
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software for the built environment
MEETING THE UK BIM CHALLENGE
Transforming Construction Processes with Causeway
The UK Government Construction Strategy was published back in May
2011 and signalled the next phase of the process improvement agenda.
and integrated project teams that will ultimately deliver
such an outcome. BIM is a key element that provides the
information platformupon which such improvements can
be built.
Within Causeway solutions, we are able to use a BIM
model to transformaccess to the data within. This
is further enhanced through integration with related
processes, including cost planning and estimating.
Through open access to BIM models it will be possible
to increasingly share data and transformtraditional
processes

To Conclude
By embracing innovative technology, working
collaboratively and deploying BIM processes to help save
on time, cost and carbon emissions, companies across
the built environment will be able to deliver projects of a
higher quality and within an environment of lower risk.
Author :
Tim Cole
Eur.Ing., C.Eng., BSc.(Hons), M.I.ChemE
Executive Vice President, Strategy, Causeway Technologies
Reducing carbon emissions should no longer be
seen as a cost, but as a saving. In the words of Barry
Gardiner MP at J unes Carbon Reporting seminar,
what gets monitored gets managed.

Actively monitoring emissions is the
frst step towards making signifcant
savings; National Grid, for example,
saved 200,000 at a single plant,
by monitoring and managing their
carbon emissions.

Though it can yield great benefts, monitoring and
managing carbon isnt hard. Causeway Sustainability
iQ, for example, provides a single platformfromwhich
to accurately measure and manage carbon emission
reductions, whilst validating all the information
necessary for the formulation and implementation of
CRC EES policies.

Sooner or later the industry will realise that
embracing the green agenda isnt a cost its a
saving. David Bell, Executive Vice President,
Customer Services, Causeway.
Mandatory BIM
Paul Morrell has also announced that, by 2016,
every government project will require model data to
be provided. This effectively requires the adoption
of Building Information Modelling (BIM) across the
industry. Essentially, this will require the sharing of
information models within increasingly collaborative
project environments. Fromreducing risk by predicting
project performance before the construction process,
to improving the quality of data delivered to a Facilities
Manager, BIM will change the way projects are
designed, built and maintained.
Froma business point of view, leaving aside the
need to comply with Government requirements, it
is the reduction of risk, improved partnering and
inherent cost savings that will make BIM stand out.
As more projects are completed using BIM elements,
it is clear that signifcant advances are available.
However, the objective to deliver a step change
improvement to construction costs and carbon will
not be achieved through BIM alone. It will be the
process improvements, earlier contractor involvement
Causeway Technologies Ltd
Comino House, Furlong Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire SL8 5AQ
t: +44 (0)1628 552000 f: +44 (0)1628 552001 e: info@causeway.com
Causeway Middle East
1202Tower B, Business Central Towers, Dubai Internet City, Dubai UAE
t: +971 (0)443 42119 e: MEmarketing@causeway.com
www.causeway.com
About Causeway
Causeway is the only global
software provider to support
the complete life cycle of
the built environment, from
feasibility, through construction,
to facilities management.
Specifcally designed to reduce
the cost of construction and
maintenance, their products
forman interoperable end
to end solution for improving
the proftability and improve
environmental performance of
the clients.

Find more of our articles at:
www.causeway.com/news
8
www.causeway.com
exchange and optimised transaction processes. This may
sound cutting edge but, in reality, it is nothing new.

Electronic trading has been around for over a decade
and is actually considerably less complicated than the
traditional exchange of paper trading documents. Many
of the Top 100 contractors within the UK construction
industry are already utilising Causeways eTrading hub,
Tradex, and reporting enormous savings. As far back
as November 2010, for example, the SundayTelegraph
reported that Carillion expect to save over 80 million
through the introduction of electronic invoicing!

Electronic trading should be grasped and enjoyed in
the knowledge that it delivers improved integration,
strengthens partnering, cuts costs and improves
sustainability. TimCole, Causeway Executive Vice
President, Strategy.

People can be resistant to change. Thats why we believe
its important to keep things simple; we advise companies
to support their suppliers throughout their move to
e-lnvoicing, but to be bold and stand by their decision.
Following this advice, McNicholas achieved a 90%
e-lnvoicing adoption rate across their vast supply chain
within just twelve months of implementingTradex.

The key to our success was following Causeways advice
to be bold within a supportive framework. Suppliers
need to believe youre serious about the implementation
project. Miles Gibson, Financial Controller of
McNicholas.

Cutting Carbon Emissions If cash is king, hereafter
carbon has to be its queen.So says Paul Morrell, the
Governments Chief ConstructionAdviser, claiming the
construction industry needs to start putting a proper
price on carbon. The problemis that though money is
incentive in itself there doesnt seemto be an equivalent
reward for keeping carbon costs low: There is no reward
for taking due account of lifetime carbon, so not enough is
being doneMorrell claims.

This is not, however, strictly true. Though it may be the
case that the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy
Effciency Scheme (CRC EES) no longer actively rewards
those who keep their emissions low, there are actually
signifcant cost savings to be made by embracing the
carbon agenda. In other words, a company stands to
reward itself by reducing its carbon emissions.
The UK Government Construction Strategy was
published back in May 2011 and signalled the next
phase of the process improvement agenda.

The Strategy underlined the importance to the UK
economy of the 110bn of annual construction spend,
40% of which is in the public sector. However, it
challenged the entire industry to address business
models and practices to deliver a step change in cost,
quality and carbon performance.

There are countless ways to save small amounts of
money throughout the construction process. However,
the challenge is to transformrather than simply speed
up the process. This requires a deep understanding
of the construction domain alongside the ability
to transformthe lifecycle of projects fromconcept
through to construction, operation and maintenance.

Building Information Modelling
(BIM) has been identifed as a key
component to achieve the desired
step change by transforming
the information process right
through the lifecycle of the built
environment.

But this should remain in context with the wide
range of process elements that underpin business
operations. This article looks at some of these ...
including BIM.

Lets start with fnancial accounting. Although
construction-specifc fnancial accounting solutions are
nowrelatively widespread, most are still incapable of
delivering the project-specifc functionality that drives
true proftability. What construction companies require
is dedicated, project-specifc commercial accounting
applications that can integrate within the overall
process. It is important to enable the interrogation
of information across all project-specifc activities,
resources and transactions.

Then there are all those business transactions
we cant live without. Research has shown that
organisations can save up to 2% of their total turnover
simply by replacing paper invoices with electronic data
Corporate Headquarters
Middle East offce
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In Seattle, HNTB used Tekla BIMsight for the
State Route 99 tunnel project by easily combining
models from all disciplines, reviewing those
models with smooth navigation features and
capturing areas of interest with ease.
BACKGROUND
The Seattle Tunnel Partners design-build contractor
team hired HNTB as the designer for the State Route
99 Tunnel project which will replace the Alaskan Way
Viaduct section of State Route 99 along Seattles
waterfront with a 16-meter inside diameter bored
tunnel beneath downtown Seattle. The existing
Alaskan Way Viaduct section is an elevated roadway
that is at risk of failure from earthquakes. As a
member of the Seattle Tunnel Partners, HNTB is
providing the design services for the tunnel and
the two associated operations buildings. Initial
construction activities began in fall 2011.
CUT AND COMBINE MODELS
Tekla BIMsight allowed HNTB to easily combine
models from all disciplines and view models with
smooth navigation features and capture areas of
interest with ease. In BIM collaboration, HNTB utilized
the model in weekly all-discipline coordination
meetings to discuss the two buildings, cut and cover
areas, and the tunnel with the sub-consultants,
architects, and engineers. With all of the discipline
models loaded into Tekla BIMsight, HNTB and project
participants were able to see conflicts and possible
design changes.
In this project, the Tekla BIMsight feature HNTB found
most useful was the ability to quickly cut sections
and turn off pieces of the model to clearly see the
interworking of the design within the model.
BIM EASES SEATTLES
COMPLEX ROAD TUNNEL
PROJECT
BIM OVER DRAWINGS
State Route 99 Tunnel is an extremely complex
project which combines civil engineering, structures,
architectural elements, mechanical & electrical
systems, and traffic management. When the workflow
is model-based, the design team can view the
integrated project elements as a whole and find
design and coordination issues between each
discipline. The traditional method of reviewing the
project using drawings does not allow for this complex
interface and collaboration process.
HNTB IN A GLANCE
The US-based HNTB Corporation is an employee-
owned infrastructure firm serving federal, state,
municipal, and private clients. Professionals
provide award-winning planning, design, program
management and construction management services.
For nearly a century, HNTB has helped create
infrastructure that best meets the unique demands
of its environment. With client relationships spanning
decades, HNTB understands infrastructure life cycles
and has the perspective to solve technical challenges
with clarity and imagination. The company sees and
helps to address far-reaching issues of financing,
legislation, design, construction, community outreach
and ongoing operations. As employee-owners
committed to the highest levels of performance, HNTB
enables clients to achieve their goals and inspiring
visions.
Three great brands, united as one, focused on providing complete,
end-to-end solutions for the building construction industry. Now,
Trimble is revolutionizing the building construction landscape by
providing everything from estimating, design & collaboration,
project management, asset management, 3D laser scanning, and
construction layout solutions, all under one company umbrella.
resources from Meridian, Tekla, and Trimble, enable you to save
money while working faster with greater accuracy and control.
TOGETHER
WE DO IT ALL
FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT WWW.TOGETHERWEDOITALL.COM
CLASH DETECTION
& PROJECT
COLLABORATION
3D MODELING
LASER
SCANNING
CONSTRUCTION
LAYOUT
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Trimble
CX Laser Scanner
Trimble
Field Link
Tekla Structures
Tekla BIMsight
Prolog
Software
Tekla Structures
WWW.BIMTOFIELD.COM
Trimble Building Construction Division 937-245-5587
2011 Trimble Navigation Limited. All rights reserved. BC-015 S
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BC-015_09_11_build_design_construction.pdf 1 11-09-20 1:57 PM
Abdelrahman
Muneer,
PR & Communications
Offcer, Tekla
Middle East
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Spatial
defnition and
calculation
PRACTICES FOR AREA CALCULATIONS
Area calculation is rightly considered by clients
as a critical design output, informing decision-
making from feasibility phase through to facilities
management. Traditional processes are subject
to human error both in spatial definition in the CAD
environmental and in transferring that information
to external spreadsheets. BIM affords a controlled
process for spatial definition (as areas or volumes,
and by preset definitions) and a reliable mechanism
for outputting this data for direct usage in the project
environment.
According to Chuck Eastman, Director, Digital
Building Lab, Georgia Tech, Owners should
demand that space calculations on their projects be
based on smart BIM space objects. Older methods
based on hand drawn polygons are typically
inaccurate and can lead to significant error. In this
computer age, we should not accept practices that
naturally involve errors and approximation.
BIM has brought the computer age to construction.
The previous generation architectural CAD systems
were able to compute the area of a polygon, even
with columns and other interior occlusions. However,
they were not able to represent building space
explicitly as parametric objects. Space objects were
approximated as user-defined polygons with an
associated space name as attribute. The schedule
of net space areas could be calculated from the
named polygons and used in checking layouts in
comparison to the project space program. Like
other aspects of computer drafting, this did the
calculations, but left to the operators all questions of
accuracy and correctness.
This method was the best achievable in drafting
systems, where all so-called building components
were collections of graphic entities interpreted by the
beholder. However, this computer representation of
spaces carried with it all the baggage of traditional
drafting systems:
1. Consistency of the design was the responsibility
of the user; if a wall was moved, the affect on spaces
on both sides of the wall were the responsibility of
the draftsman. Inconsistency between wall layouts
and space were highly likely in large projects with
many spaces, such as hospitals. Consistency
management is hard. A space polygon may be
drawn to the wrong side of a wall or overlap with
other spaces and these are hard to see by visual
inspection.
2. Spatial definitions and standards may not always
be followed when done manually, leading to further
variation. Are columns and freestanding walls
included or not?
3. Space boundaries were usually approximate.
Unless the space polygon was carefully snapped
to the proper vertices defining the corners of the
polygon, the space polygon was only a visual
approximation of the actual net space.
BIM-BASED AREA SCHEDULING
The process for area scheduling in the BIM
environment is controlled and customisable. In the
BIM environment spaces exist as unique entities.
They are defined by dynamic association to building
elements floors, walls, ceilings. This means, on the
one hand, that as these elements are modified in
the model the area calculations are updated, and on
the other hand, that if the spatial definition needs to
be changed (eg Gross floor area is to be calculated
by centre line of a wall, rather than outer face) the
spatial entities can be redefined.
BIM spaces can more accurately represent complex
spaces than traditional methods particularly
irregular and curvilinear volumes. Most significantly
these spaces have direct links to schedules that
update automatically as the design parameter
change. The schedule data can be exported out of
the model environment for broader usage across the
project linking directly into and cost estimation or
facilities management software.
The value of BIM space entities is being continuously
redefined and expanded. In some cases bi-
directional associations have been developed
where, in a concept phase, the designer can
make changes in the schedule that directly impact
the building volume in the model. In other cases
designers develop algorithms reflecting predefined
design requirements (for example the relationship
of circulation space to retail space) and allow these
algorithms to generate preliminary massing objects.
Downstream, space elements can contain huge
amounts of design data - finishes schedules, FF&E
inventories or HVAC design requirements. These
parameters are not merely records of the design
intent but form mechanisms for verifying and driving
the development of the model.
BIM-BASED AREA CALCULATION
Chuck Eastman, Director of the Digital Building Lab at
Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology) USA,
discusses the current state of spatial definition in BIM
software, some developments that have been made
in the application of this in the US, and areas of future
development.
I thank the General Services Administration (GSA) for
demanding that BIM design applications be capable
of automatically deriving and updating space areas
and volumes beginning in 2007. Most current BIM
design applications represent a building space
as an automatically generated and automatically
updated extruded polygon whose plan boundary
is defined by the wall intersections with a floor slab.
The polygon is then extruded to the average ceiling
height or possibly trimmed to a sloping ceiling
surface. If a bounding wall is moved, the space
object is automatically re-generated, guaranteeing its
consistency with the plan layout.
Today, most (not all) BIM design applications provide
this capability, However, GSA still accepts the drawn
polygons from so-called BIM compliant software
(www.gsa.gov/bim). In part, this is because of history.
Before BIM technology became mainstream, GSA
invested in its eSmart facilities management system,
which is based on 2D drawings.
eSmart is used by all GSA regions to manage space,
leases and for planning renovations. eSmart relies
on manually drawn polygons for estimating space
boundaries and leasing areas. Discussions are
ongoing to move the eSmart functionality to a BIM-
based system, but that has not been undertaken yet.
Hand drawn polygons still widely exist in GSA and in
new projects undertaken by most building owners.
This is unnecessary and crude. Leases, maintenance
contracts, insurance and other continuing costs
all relay on those hand drawn polygons, with their
inherent errors. While we regularly affix the calculation
stub in most restaurant bills, check cashing and other financial operations,
why do we still accept manual operations in rental space calculation that
have only limited validation?
Instead of holding onto the past, we should work towards improving the
future, figuring the next steps to make Architecture-Engineering-Construction
and Operations more predictable. More work is needed. Currently, there
are written rules for deriving the gross area for a building. It addresses such
issues as calculating external ramps and stairs, the distinction between
sun screens and structural elements, and so forth. But I am not aware of
an automated and validated implementation of such a perimeter-defining
operation.
The current BIM object model for spaces is not perfect. The definition works
for vertical walls and flat floors, but ignores vertical changes in wall surfaces,
and floors and ceilings made of complex surfaces (such as sloping walls,
stars or ramps). These are also not easily addressed by humans so ignoring
them is thought excusable. We still are missing effective algorithms in our
BIM tools for dealing with the volume of air in a building. How far off are
our energy calculations because of sloppy numbers? How much volume is
filled with furniture and equipment, reducing the actual volume? The volume
calculation is readily available in most geometric modelling libraries but
hasnt been demanded by users.
The larger issue is that with building information modelling, we have moved
past hand-drawn accuracy for design and construction. We have the
potential of using laser scan accuracy for all our work, leading to fewer RFIs,
less air leakage, more accurate leases and operating costs and improved
construction quality. Buildings are occupied by people and uncertainty
will always exist about some aspects of building performance. But there is
no need to be sloppy when objective measures can be generated in our
computer tools. The automatic calculation of spaces is also several orders
of magnitude faster than a human drawing polygons. Lets spend the time
being more productive.
BOMA (Building Ownersand Managers
Association, USA) recognized this
issue by recommending consistency
between space areasbeing inherently
variable (in drafting systems) and
acceptable if within two percent of
each other.
GSA (General ServicesAdministration,
USA) usesthe same acceptance level
of tolerance. whatsthe issue for a
million dollar lease only 20 thousand
a year?
eSMART
1
The electronic Spatial Management and Reporting
Tool (eSMART) providesa national web-based
Computer-Aided FacilitiesManagement (CAFM)
system for managing and maintaining the drawing
and assignment data for GSAsfederally-owned
buildings. eSMARTisthe cornerstone of the PBS
SDM (GSAsPublic BuildingsService Spatial Data
Management) program and an essential tool for PBS
business. Thisweb-based technology permitsGSA
usersto quickly retrieve real-time assignment data
and CAD drawingswith the convenience of point-
and-click capability. eSMARTalso allowsusersto edit
and modify drawingsstored in the database and to
generate standardized reports and foor plans.
Providing increased accuracy, convenience, and
standardization, eSMARThelpsto achieve GSAsgoals
of responsible asset management and to operate
more effciently and effectively.
1. http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/102284 ARTICLE2
ARTICLE1
issue 24
Chuck Eastman,
Director,
Digital Building
Lab, Georgia
Tech
Owners
should demand
that space
calculations on
their projects
be based on
smart BIM space
objects... In
this computer
age, we should
not accept
practices
that naturally
involve
errors and
approximation.
BIM Journal wishes to thank
Chuck Eastman, Director of
the Digital Building Lab at
Georgia Tech, for his invaluable
contribution to this issue.
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Mixed use
community in
the UAE
In a new master planning project in the UAE, Burt
Hill deployed a BIM-based area scheduling process
that not only insured accuracy of information, but
was also able to dynamically inform the design
process. The building information model developed
at concept phase was linked to area schedules
that were automatically updated with each design
iteration. More significantly, however, the model was
controlled with specific rule-based associations,
ensuring that as the design changed the spatial
zones were modified according to predefined design
requirements.
It is a priority of Burt Hill to streamline workflow
processes for planning projects that have
traditionally been disparate and unconnected.
With a focus on preliminary area calculations, The
design team created reusable model prototypes and
developed schedule-based associations to generate
environmental outputs earlier in the decision
process. Using BIM for planning allows one to
create very accurate and rapid models that eliminate
redundant handling and replication of project data.
BIM further enables one to explore rapid design
alternatives and make informed decisions on those
options earlier.
This particular project of a mixed use community in
the UAE allowed Burt Hill to define a coordinated
spatial environment that expanded the traditional
information feedback loop to provide rich
computable data.
In a traditional CAD environment the information
feedback loop would involve developing
a conceptual CAD plan and then manually
performing area calculations to verify that the
spatial design requirements have been met.
Invariably the design would need to be tweaked
to correct the spatial relationships (eg reduce built
up area, or maximize residential area compared
to retail space). This process typically involves
multiple iterations (to-ing and fro-ing between
design and area calculations) continually revising
the design until the optimal spatial relationships
have been achieved.
In the BIM environment this information feedback
loop is completely transformed. There are two
aspects to this.
1. The relationship between model space and
area schedules are dynamically linked, providing
accurate data dynamically updated as the model
progresses.
2. Rule-based relationships can be established
to control the relationship between different
parameters.
DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MODEL
AND SCHEDULE
In the master plan project Burt Hill developed
conceptual models that were configured to
automatically extract preliminary area calculations
according to preset recipes. Burt Hill commenced
this process by using a series of predefined building
mass prototypes. The prototype massing objects
were preconfigured with specific spatial parameters.
These included:
Building Footprint
Building Summary
Parking Demand
Parking Supply
Land Uses
Open Spaces
Plot Summary
The prototype objects were directly linked to area
schedules that would reflect the specific spatial
composition. Any changes to the the massing
objects would be updated automatically in the area
schedules.
In an advanced BIM process one is further able
to establish a bi-directional relationship, where
changes in the schedule would cause modification
of the model itself. This is clearly a more complex
relationship, and certain rules must be established
as to how the mass will adapt
RULE-BASED RELATIONSHIPS
The prototype objects were configured according
to specific recipes; that is, rule-based associations
that determine the relationship of the various
parameters. The relationship of these parameters,
was dependant on the particular function of the
prototype (eg. High Density Residential or Mixed
Use) and also reflected building code and client
requirements. For example parking spaces should
be determined at 1 space per every 100sqm of
lettable office space, or 1 per dwelling unit. Or that
High Density Residential space should be equal
to 23% of total built up area. Alternatively these
parameters could be fixed figures, such as minimum
dwellings required.
The next step of the process was for the planners to configure the mass
prototypes into the locations and push/pull them into the required shapes.
As these modifications were being made to the models the schedules were
constantly being updated, reflecting the actual area calculations based
on the rule-based recipes. This is the great differentiator of BIM versus a
CAD/Spreadsheet methodology. The results were instant, and the data was
centrally located and easily manipulated and verifiable.
A further benefit of generating the BIM model for this type of project was
the ability to render the schemes to our visualization team without waiting
for the masses to be generated. Once again saving time for our delivery
team
CASESTUDY
Some of the recipes for calculation in the schedules
included:
Gross Floor Area (GFA)
Gross Lettable Area (GLA)
Floor Area Ratio (FAR),
Units Required
Parking Requirements
Landscaped area (soft or hard)
Embedding such rule-based associations into the
design software enables one to freely and rapidly
develop design options knowing that the underlying
relationships will be maintained.
issue 24
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BIM VS 3D
To the layperson a building information model
is often seen as little more than a geometric
representation of a building. BIM, however requires
sophisticated task-specific software, highly trained
operators and complex processes to integrate,
manage and collaborate the information. What is the
added benefit of a BIM, what makes it different to a
3D model, and why should organisations invest in
this intricate and multifarious process?
WHY DO I NEED BUILDING INFORMATION
MODEL IF I HAVE A 3D MODEL?
A 3D model is a static geometric representation
of an object. It may be spatially accurate, it may
even have a photo-realistic material representation,
however it has little or no meaningful association to
the object that is supposed to represent.
3D models are typically created in non-industry-
specific software. An object is constructed as an
arrangement of geometries the identity of the
element is irrelevant.
A 3D model is a valuable asset in its own right, and
can be used for:
Photo-realistic visualisations (including fly
through animations)
Limited spatial coordination (visualising the
relationship of the different facility entities)
Limited integration to construction programming
applications for construction sequencing.
Functions of
Parametric Modelling
SO WHY CHANGE?
Spatial coordination of 3D models has limited
value. Areas can be visualised, however volumes
or surface areas cannot be extracted. Elements
have limited identity in a 3D model. A clash may be
detected between two entities, even automatically,
however there is no identity to the elements, nor any
association between them.
This is dramatically different in the BIM environment
where one is not simply interested in detecting
the collision of entities, but more the relationship
between them. Rule-checking assessments can be
undertaken on a BIM to manage a sophisticated
level of associations: that doors have sufficient swing
opening clearance, that stair landings achieve their
minimum required length, or that handrails achieve
their minimum height.
Construction sequencing is a similar example. A
3D model can be linked to a construction schedule,
such that the model can appear to develop as the
programme progresses. However there is limited
logic behind this. The script is simply to link a
scheduled task to an object, and as the programme
progresses the linked model elements become
visible or change colour. The link between the task
and the element is arbitrary. The task could be linked
easily to a steel truss as to a light-bulb, without
affecting the programme.
In the context of BIM the scheduling software will
read the identity and properties of an element.
For example, if a task is linked to a concrete
footing, the duration of that task will correspond to
the volume of concrete represented in the model
and the production rate associated to the task. If
the footing is reduced in size in the model, or the
production rate is increased, the task duration will
be diminished.
WHAT MAKES A BIM TICK?
A building information model is fundamentally
different to a 3D model. At the core of a BIM are
parametric objects - objects that have dynamic
geometric and non-geometric properties and
behaviours. These properties control how an object
is formed and modified (for example increase the
width of a window, and the area of glass widens,
not the window frame) and how they interact with
other objects (insert a window into a wall and an
opening is created, increase the window size and
the opening increases correspondingly, remove the
opening and the wall is made good).
This is discussed in detail in the following article:
Concepts of Parametric Modelling.
issue 25
ARTICLE1 ARTICLE2
CONCEPTS OF PARAMETRIC MODELLING
Parametric modelling is the design concept in which
the absolute values of a model or part of it - like
the height of the structures, the loading at the top
surface, the thickness of a web, the grade of the
concrete or the time of casting - are replaced by
relative parameters, see Figures 1 and 2. These
parameters may be defined in all kinds of models:
either analysis, detailing or structural. After the
parameters are defined, they can be easily adjusted
by the engineer to new values/settings,see Figure 3.
Consequently, the engineer obtains either a relatively
small or maybe even a big change in the structure.
The initial design shape, however, is not changed
fundamentally.
Theoretically it is possible to parameterize any input
data of a model element, be it geometric, analytic
or descriptive. The control of the parameters is fully
open to the user, no programming is needed since
the user interactively indicates the parameters in the
object properties interface.
The use of these parameters within the BIM
environment leads to:
A rapid design (new design models are easily
rebuilt
from similar shapes / parametric parts can be re-
used in other objects or projects)
Access to more complexity (parameters are
calculated out of formulae or derived from other
parameters, e.g. generation of the geometry of
repetitious structures)
Sensitivity studies (by studying the effect of
changing parameters).
Using parametric objects one is able to perform a
rapid design through the adjustment of a predefined
set of input data. More complex elements can be
designed by using parameterised user templates, or
so-called blocks. Using the parametric blocks like
Lego pieces, the engineer can assemble repetitive,
but iterative, structures very rapidly. This approach
is of great value for structures such as tower masts,
portal frames or prefabricated concrete systems
where a simple element is duplicated with multiple
alterations and in various configurations.
see Figure 4 ( Next Page ).
Using mathematical formulae the user is also able to
obtain relatively complex structures in an easy way.
The main user, mostly the lead eng ineer, defines
the formulae once, and entering the proper input
data for the formulae bothers only the engineer
or draftsman. The lead engineer uses parametric
templates for different parts of the structure, the
basic users can assemble the complex structure
based on the parameterised block,
see Figures 5 and 6 ( Next Page ).
Parametric modelling enables the creation of
user-libraries of frequently used construction
components: beams, walls, joists, trusses, braces,
foundations, etc... This creates maximum flexibility
for the design and detailing. The data structure
underlying the parametric model is such that
changes propagate throughout the entire model; the
change engine ensures that related elements reflect
the changes of chosen parameters.
Figure 3: Regenerated model with changed values for the parameters
3
Figure 2: Choice of parameters
2
Figure 1: General drawing
1
BIM Journal wishes to
acknowledge and thank
Ing. Emiel Peltenburg and
Nemetschek Scia (www.scia-
online.com) for the provision of
this article.
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EXAMPLES OF PARAMETRIC DESIGN
To give an example of parametric modelling in
detail, let us consider the design of a single span
post-tensioned bridge from the perspective of
the engineer. The cost-efficiency requires the
minimal (optimal) amount of concrete mass and the
minimal depth of the bridge. However, the number
of parameters influencing those two main design
criteria is quite big: concrete quality, height of the
cross-section, number of tubes in the cross-section
(to reduce weight), diameter of the tubes in the
cross-section, size of the cross-section near the
supports, concrete cover, etc. In Figure 7 you can
review the initial cross-section used in the design.
ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS
Parametric modelling can be used create
customised and adaptive components, such as
connections for steel, concrete, etc... One can
enhance the connection intelligence by adding
behavioural descriptions and rules to the different
parameterized connection parts (e.g. stiffener, bolt)
and by adding operations (in general Boolean, in
practice cutting, drilling, ), see Figure 10.
Figure 8: Optimal economic design based on adapted
parameters part 1
Figure 9: Optimal economic design based on adapted
parameters part 2
Figure 10: Open connections in structural modelling and design
from Scia Engineer
Figure7: Cross-section for a post-tensioned single span bridge from
Scia Engineer
Figure 6: An assembled complex lattice mast (action performed by the
basic user). Example composed of more than 10 different parametric
blocks. Screenshot Scia Engineer.
Figure 5: Example of a parameterized arm of a lattice tower:
the various hooks and angles are parameterized, the complex
geometry is calculated out of hidden formulae.
Figure 4: Typical example of a precast concrete building (from diktaat
Gebouwen in geprefabriceerd beton by Prof.dr.ir. J.C. Walraven & Ing.
J.P. Straman, TU Delft)
We assume that the loading of the bridge is
independent of the cross-section shape and
that the engineer bases the required number of
tendons and possible soft steel reinforcement on
both the allowable stresses in the concrete and the
bending moment capacity. Then the design of the
reinforcement will easily follow the input parameters
set by the user. The user changes the location of
the weight reducing tubes and the diameter of the
tubes. Immediately complex calculations are run in
the background and detailed checks are performed.
The new data become available to the user, enabling
a quick validation of the results. The user proceeds
until he has achieved enough insight in the structural
behaviour and an optimal design is achieved within
the design criteria.
5
4
6
7
CONCLUSION
Parametric modelling is the foundation of BIM.
It recognises and orders model elements as
controlled and adaptive property-driven entities,
rather than static geometric representations.
Understanding the power of parametric
modelling enables the correct operation of a
building information model as a dynamic and
responsive database of information. This opens
up a world of powerful functionality and activity
integration.
Parametric
Design
issue 25
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24
DESIGNING PARAMETRIC ORIGAMI:THE
UNFOLDING OF THE MASHRABIYA
The Mashrabiya is a modular, dynamic, solar shading
system comprising 1049 modules per tower that
individually open and close in response to the
movement of the sun throughout the course of a day.
The opening mechanism, a linear screw-jack actuator
and electiric motor, in the center of each module that
causes the triangular facets of the Mashrabiya to
fold into the center, is automatically controlled by a
Building Management System (BMS) that computes
the state of each module in response to data sent
by light sensors and anemometerssensors for
measuring wind speed. Instead of a binary on-off
condition, each module in the facade varies smoothly
between the open and closed states, allowing the
facade to obtain an optimal balance between outside
conditions and interior requirements throughout the
buildings floor plan.
The Mashrabiya effectively forms a second skin
around the building that reduces solar gain and
enhances energy efficiency. It regulates the
sunlight and glare entering the buildings, improving
comfort conditions inside, and avoiding the dark
glazingcommon in Middle Eastern buildingsthat
greatly reduces interior sunlight regardless of the
light conditions outside. Moreover, given the great
deal of energy that goes into thermal control, the
facade is expected to significantly reduce electricity
consumption and carbon emissions of the building
by around 20%by smartly controlling the solar gain.
The Abu Dhabi
Investment Council
Headquarters
Dynamic Facade
Parametric modelling and BIM processes supported
the design, coordination and construction of the Abu
Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters (ICHQ), still
under construction in the UAE.
This case study focuses on critical challenges faced
in the design, construction and future operation of
the dynamic Mashrabiya faade. It demonstrates
how parametric modelling can be used to tune the
complexities of an optimal, energy-efficient design
so that it also takes into account the constraints and
imitations of fabrication.
This multi-dimensional, non-linear approach, enabled
by parametric modelling, informs and enhances the
design process resulting in more compelling and
energy-efficient links between the built and natural
environment.The Headquarters for the Abu Dhabi
Investment Council (ICHQ) is a 147m high twin-tower
development located in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
One tower will be occupied by Abu Dhabi Investment
Council (ADIC), and the other by Al Hilal Bank. In an
innovative and captivating gesture to moderate the
impact of the severe climate, the architects (AEDAS)
conceived a kinetic facade composed of elements
that fold like origami in response to external changes
in light and wind.
The modulescalled Mashrabiya by the design
team in a nod to Islamic culturemake a responsive
shading system that variably filters the light and heat
entering the building at all times during the day.
The facade even has the intelligence to react to
unusual weather conditions.
If the weather goes beyond the norm, the facade will
respond by deviating from its preset programme to
offset the impact of the unusual conditions outside.
The engineers estimate that this kinetic and
responsive facade, which is controlled automatically
by a system that processes information from sensors
measuring light and wind-speed, will reduce the
buildings electricity consumption and carbon
emissions by 20%.
Figure 1: Abu Dhabi
Investment Council (ADIC)
Headquarters
Figure 2: ADIC towers under construction
QUICK FACTS ICHQ BUILDING
Project Name: Abu Dhabi Investment Council
(ADIC)Headquarters
Type of Project: Commercial Offices
25 storeys + 2 Basement levels, Ground, Podium,
Mezzanine, and CrownLevels
147 m high
Size: 75,000 sqm total built-up area
Owner: AD Investment Council
Design Architect: Aedas
Main Contractor: Al-Futtaim Carillion
Parametric and Building-Information Modeling
(BIM): Gehry Technologies
The design of the Mashrabiya facades physical
structureand behaviorwas shaped by parametric
technologies and processes. During the competition
stage the architects wrote algorithms to describe
the geometry of the Mashrabiya facade within
traditional CAD systems. Immediately after, during the
development stages, the definition of the mechanical
and kinematic details of the modules demanded
a more robust approach. Parametric modeling
environments were key to develop the proof of
concept critical to advance the project. An important
aspect of this stage was to parametrically capture the
movement of the module from the open to the closed
states (See Figure 3). The parametric modeling team
iterated over the modules design with architecture
and engineering teams until reaching an optimal
solution.
At the module level the team of BIM consultants
developed detailed parametric models to account
for the unique motion of the components. At the
facade level, the by-product of the parametric model,
allowed studies to be conducted to test the lighting
performance, energy performance, and the facades
open vs. closed optimization. These studies fed
back to the module, helping designers realize how
even very small changes in the moduleperhaps of
only a few millimetersaffected the overall energy
performance of the facade. Moreover, the BIM
consultants developed computational methods of
surface evaluation that helped designers optimize the
size and shape of the glazing elements to maximize
flatness and rectangularity of glassa crucial budget
factor.
Figure 3: Parametric Mashrabiya Model
CASESTUDY
issue 25
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SCRIPT-BASED PARAMETRIC DESIGN
The shape of the ICHQ towers is deceivingly simple.
Rather than a perfect circumference, the towers floor
plan follows a series of arcs varying subtly from floor
to floor. As a result, the connections between the
casings of the hexagonal honeycomb steel structure
members that support the facade are different at
each point along the perimeter of the building. In
order to avoid clashes between the casingsand
between the casings and each floors ceilingsand
produce accurate descriptions for the fabricators,
the team of BIM consultants developed intelligent
connections that automatically measure the angle at
the joint and check for potential clashes, rotating and
trimming its pieces accordingly (See Figure 5).
By analyzing the ratio of rotated elements throughout
the facade in different scenarios, and the global
amount of rotation, the team of BIM consultants
was able to fine-tune the behavior of the intelligent
connection to simplify both fabrication and assembly
(See Figure 6).
Similarly, the team developed intelligent connections
between the interior facades and the radial partition
walls. The connections measured the angle between
the facade and the partition walls and adjusted
automatically to their particular condition. When these
smart models were placed in its specific location
in the facade, both the structure and the partition
connections were updated and the extraction of
data to support shop-drawings was automated:
accelerating the flow of information to the fabricator
(See Figure 7).
Figure 5: intelligent connection to resolve non-repetitive details
Figure 8: Visual Mockup
and testing the Mashrabiya
operation
Figure 7: Automatically generated unfold fabrication drawings for
column casings
Figure 6: Measuring performance in terms of required rotation.
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the way you manage
construction projects
issue 25
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28
Synchronized
Specifcations
MODEL ATTRIBUTES
Parametric objects are the building blocks of a
building information model. Although historically
the term parametric referred to the definition of
geometry (form) by controlled values, it has now,
more accurately, come to refer to any manner of
content that can be attributed to an object - and
in fact need not relate to a geometric object at all.
One is tempted to think that the more parameters an
object contains the greater its value. This is true to
a point, however there is an equally valid concern
that a data model may become overladen with
superfluous content that does little to benefit the
project and much to hinder it.
PARAMETRIC OBJECTS
The original concept of a parametric object referred
to the ability to define and control the geometry of
an object by modifiable parameter values. The most
basic parameters of an object would be those of
dimension - height, width, depth. In more complex
objects, the parameters would include finer elements
of the object, such as glazing type, frame profile and
mode of operation (eg casement, awning sliding)
as well as associative behaviour (such as the
automatic joining of adjacent perpendicular walls).
In todays BIM lexicon geometric properties are only
one set of attributes among a virtual sea of possible
descriptors. Other parameters may include material
composition, thermal properties, location, product
type, unit cost, schedule number or erection status.
Most BIM authoring software allow for customised
parameters. Typically this is fairly open-ended
allowing for the user to create un-controlled
parameter fields and value entries. Adding custom
parameters can be valuable in defining detailed
descriptors of the element (such as manufacturer
details, hardware, finishes). However they can
equally become overloaded with arbitrary or highly-
specific information that is of little or no value to the
broader project team.
THE BIM DATABASE
The richness of a model is determined by its
inherent data content, however only to the extent
that that information helps identify and describe the
essential characteristics of the element. Beyond
this, additional data may become excessive and
burdensome. The value of a database is not only in
the quantity of the information contained, but rather
in the clarity, quality and organization of the data,
as well as the mechanisms to filter, exclude, retrieve
and utilise that data for ancillary functions.
In short, the level of content to be incorporated into
a model should be relative to the required function
of the BIM and the proposed processes of model
management.
As a rule of thumb, one could say that each model
element should be defined to a level that enables
it to be precisely identified and referenced. The
level of detail would correspond to the phase of
the project. For example at an early design stage
defining a window element by category (window)
type (casement) and over-all dimensions may be
sufficient, however to be issued for tender the
element must contain more detailed information
such as frame material and profile, glazing type and
hardware. At a construction level the detail ought to
be even higher.
Model elements may also be defined differently
for different project disciplines. Multiple users
may need access to the same building element,
however each requiring varying levels of information
and functionality. For example, a window may be
modelled by an architect, priced by a quantity
surveyor and specified by a specification writer.
Each of these contributors would require access to
the same general properties of the object window,
however requirement for additional domain-
specific information and functionality may vary.
ACCESS AND EXCHANGE
Preparing coordinated construction documents
across even a small team requires a significant
amount of effort and tightly managed processes
to ensure quality and completeness. There
are typically many disciplines involved in
the preparation, review and approval of the
construction documentation which could
include: dedicated specifiers, project architects
and engineers, program managers, external
consultants and owner representatives. In addition
there are draftspeople, modellers and other
project team members who may not be directly
involved in the specification review but certainly
have a role in coordinating the information on the
models and drawings.
INTEGRATED SPECIFICATIONS
Integrating the specifications with a building
information model fulfils one of the great promises of
BIM; to be able to use a single point of reference to
facilitate and coordinate complimentary processes.
However it also raises fundamental questions
regarding information management. For example,
how can multiple parties access the same model
element simultaneously, and what is the (useful)
extent of information that can be embedded in a
model?
In reality it is not possible for two parties to modify
the same element simultaneously, however it is
possible for different parties to access distinct
parameters within the one component. One
way of achieving this is by locating certain
parameters outside of the central database. The
ancillary parameters are live-linked to the original
component, but can be worked on independently.
Essentially one is establishing a multiple database
structure; a central database of core project
information ie the building model - and secondary
databases of domain specific information. This is
particularly useful if the secondary data is highly
specialised, as may be the case with specifications,
and the information need not be contained in the
model element itself.
This methodology achieves multiple ends:
1. Increases the over-all data content of the BIM
(without over-burdening the original database)
2. Enables multiple users to have access to different
levels of information and functionality, depending
on their role in the project team.
3. Ensures that all project parties have access to the
same core project data, at the same time.
LINKING THE DATABASES
Linking two databases (for example the BIM and
the specification) must occur at a component level.
Furthermore, the association must be flexible enough
to accommodate changes in either database, while
maintaining and updating the link.
The link between the model elements and the
specifications can be a semi-automated process.
One strategy is to pre-define relationships by binding
individual model elements to related sections from
a specification master document, prior to project
modelling. As the elements are placed in the model
the corresponding sections are drawn from a master
specification database and compiled in the project
specification manual. Throughout the life of the
project, a live link is maintained between model
and specification, so that changes in the model will
be automatically reflected in the specification, and
vice versa. Depending on the rights of the project
member, they would be able to access, review
and even redline the specifications associated to
a particular assembly by clicking on the element
instance in the building information model. Viewing
linked specifications via the selected instance in the
model can be very useful for downstream functions
such as estimating, construction management and
facilities management.
Depending on the rights of the project member,
they would be able to access, review and even
redline the specifications associated to a particular
assembly by clicking on the element instance in
the building information model. Viewing linked
specifications via the selected instance in the model
can be very useful for downstream functions such as
estimating, construction management and facilities
management.
Each of these parties require access to the same
reference elements (ie the building components)
but not necessarily the same depth of information
or functionality. For example, a window element
may be simultaneously accessible to the
architectural modeller, the specification writer
and the energy analyst. The specification writer
may have access to a level of information that
may not, in all cases, be relevant to the other
parties, such as details about protective coatings
or sealant types. Each party should have control
over changing the content within their domain,
confident that the other parties will access these
changes, and without fear that the other parties
could make unauthorised modifications.
How can these domains be managed in the
BIM environment, where multiple parties are
collaborating on a single model?
One way of managing, as will be discussed in
the following article, is through a multi-database
set-up . While the model remains the central
and authoritative source of project data it need
not contain the full extent of project information.
Rather, the model acts as a placeholder that
can link bi-directionally to other synchronised
databases. This ensures consistency between
the databases, and at the same time allows for
flexibility in functionality and accessibility of
information.
ARTICLE1
issue 26
A building information model can be linked to external databases,
such as specifications. One can activate the spec through the model
element (for example by double-clicking a window assembly) which
can be reviewed and even redlined from within the BIM authoring
software.
acknowledge InterSpec for their
extensive contribution to this
article.
ARTICLE2
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HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED? - MODEL MAPPING
Building models are typically described as
assemblies, based on internationally recognised
standards of classification such as UniFormat,
MasterFormat or OmniClasss, among others. Such
classification systems provide a consistent way to
define building model components, regardless of the
complexities of the assemblies or model elements
that they represent.
It is also a very logical way to categorise building
model elements as we tend to think about the
components of the building as assemblies rather
than constituent parts.
Specifications, on the other hand, are structured
according to products, activities or construction
requirements. In North America specifications are
based on MasterFormat, a 50-division, material-
specific organizational format which, according
to the CSI, is an organizational standard for
specifications and is a master list of titles and
numbers classified by work results for organizing
data about construction requirements, products, and
activities.
The mapping tool must understand the logic of both
databases and establish a flexible association. This
can be achieved by creating bindings - logical
associations between the model assemblies and the
corresponding sections of the specification master
document.
The bindings consider the individual components of the assemblies (eg if it is a steel or wood
frame) and references the relevant section for the master specification document.
The context option is a powerful function. It can be used to provide
increased or customized content for specific project requirements,
such as LEED accreditation.
PROJECT CONTEXT
The BIM-integrated specifications process should
construct the specifications according to project-
specific conditions, such as location or building
type. This accommodates the variation in specifying
a particular element depending on whether the
building were a gaol or a school, or whether the
project were located in Abu Dhabi or Zurich. The
process involves defining specific accounts (eg for
school or gaol) and then activating these accounts,
like a filter system, to modify the individual bindings.
LEED certified designs require additional
information to be incorporated into the construction
specifications which can add to the time and cost
to prepare the specifications as well as to increase
the chances that the models and specifications
will be misaligned and out of sync. BIM-integrated
specifications can reduce the additional cost and
complexities associated with LEED projects by
automatically filtering the master specifications
for LEED specific language. MasterSpec, for
instance, includes hundreds of sections with LEED
requirements text and commentaries, including six
Division One LEEDrelated sections. By setting up a
Client Account for LEED projects, this specific LEED
language can be associated through additional
bindings to model elements that in one way or
another require additional LEED information to be
incorporated into the specifications. For instance,
in the Wood Window section, there is additional
specification language required for manufacturers
qualification and for certified wood if the wood
windows are to be LEED certified. The simple
inclusion of these additional options in the LEED
Client Account bindings will insure that the language
UniFormat is an industry standard
classification system, developed in part
by the Construction Specifications Institute
(CSI), used primarily as a way of categorizing
information about building elements which
may contain multiple detailed parts. As
defined by the CSI, UniFormat is a method
of arranging construction information based
on functional elements, or parts of a facility
characterized by their functions, and often
referred to as systems or assemblies. It is a
way to organize information about an entire
assembly with multiple detail components.
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
(LEED) is, according to the U.S. Green Building
Council that developed it, an internationally
recognized green building certification system
that is providing thirdparty verification that a
building or community was designed and
built using strategies aimed at improving
performance across all the metrics that matter
most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2
emissions reduction, improved indoor
environmental quality, and stewardship of
resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
is added to the specification manual as required.
Furthermore, one is able to associate specification
sections to elements that are not modelled. It is often
not practical to model detailed elements, although
the relevant specification sections would still be
required. This can be overcome by manually binding
the additional spec sections to the model assembly
as required. A more controlled way of dealing with this
would be to include the detailed elements within the
model assembly as parameter field, with no geometric
counterpart. The specifications can then be bound to
these parameters.
General specifications sections that have no
component reference can also be bound to a project.
This could be a manual process, or it could be
structured to reference general project information,
such as facility type.
AUTOMATION AND SYNCHRONISATION
Automating the preparation of the project specification manual can be
of significant value to a project team in increasing speed and efficiency,
however the greatest benefit is in ensuring that the models and
specifications are synchronised. Even the slightest oversight or ambiguity
in the construction documents can lead to time consuming and costly
change orders if these things are not discovered before construction
begins.
BIM integrated specifications provide an example of the one of the great
promises of BIM, to be able to use a single source of information to
facilitate and coordinate complimentary processes. It also demonstrates
a practical data management process, where content and functionality
can be managed to respond to distinct requirements of the various project
participants.
issue 26
JOIN OUR BIM
COMMUNITY
The term Building Information Modeling (BIM) generates approximately 2.5 Million internet searches a month! With
BIM gaining more and more hype and media coverage, thousands of websites and blogs are emerging bombarding
users with information!
Whether you are a BIM newbie or an expert it is hard to find the time or the patience to wade through the plethora
of information available online hence www.thebimhub.com. Our goal is to gather a very large BIM Community in
one place" to network, educate, share and provide Information.
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Gilfllan
Callahan Nelson

uses a BIM-
integrated
process to
accelerate the
spec writing
process on
projects like
this 72,000
square foot
ftness & aquatic
complex.
Gilfllan Callahan
Nelson Architects
GILFILLAN CALLAHAN NELSON ARCHITECTS,
a Chicago-based full-service architectural firm,
deployed a BIM integrated specification system
that enabled the update of building specs in real
time as design decisions were made. The main
benefits of the systems were the semi-automated
production of specification documents driven by
the content of the building information model, and
the direct synchronization and verification tools that
ensured that modifications in either the model or the
specification were synchronised.
THE CHALLENGE
In the past, Gilfillan Callahan Nelson Architects
found that specification documents were not
consistently produced at the high quality levels the
firm demanded and its clients deserved. The firms
standard front-end requirements were not always
correctly written into spec documents and the
required product sections were frequently omitted.
This lack of coordination resulted in extensive
addenda hindering the entire project.
THE SOLUTION
Gilfillan Callahan Nelson sought out a software
solution that read the models assembly parameters
to determine the relevant product and material
specifications required.
The process was analogous to a document
management system that facilitates filtering complex
master specification documents to the specific
requirements of the project and in doing so, ensured
that the model, drawings and specification were
all synchronised. The filtering was based on a tag
and mapping process integrated into the master
specification documents. Gilfillan Callahan Nelson
noted that the coordination and automation afforded
by this process greatly reduced their manual editing
requirements of each section.
The ability to query the model as youre making
design decisions is worth the price of admission,
says Pat Callahan, Senior Partner, Gilfillan Callahan
Nelson
MODEL AND SPEC DETAIL
A unique benefit of the integrated process was that
the detail of the specification could be gradually
progressed corresponding to the development
of the model. In cases where it was desirable to
have coordinated specifications from the earliest
stages of the project, one could create preliminary
specifications from the initial assembly components,
and then increase detail as the model was refined.
Parameters such as operation type, fire rating and
insulation properties may not have been specified
initially, however as the modelled progressed these
details could be extracted from the model and
mapped to the corresponding section from the
master specification database.
SYNCHRONISATION
Gilfillan Callahan Nelson found one of the great
benefits of using integrated specifications was
the speed and convenience of the automated
preparation of the project specification manual. The
most significant benefit, however, was the assurance
that the models and specifications would remained
synchronised.
This was monitored through a series of reporting
mechanisms, such as the Assembly Report, which
provided a summary of all the model elements and
resulting specification sections. Any elements in the
model that were identified as having no specification
link could be assigned to the relevant spec section
through the binding manager. Similarly, if any section
of the specification project were found not to be
associated to the model, it would also be identified
as such and could be reassigned or deleted.
These features have greatly increased our ability to
produce specifications faster and more accurately,
not to mention delivering true integration of plans
and specs, said Senior Principal Pat Callahan.
RESULTS
Gilfillan Callahan Nelson achieved significant time
savings, cost reductions and improved productivity
and quality with the adoption of BIM-integrated
specifications.
The first time Callahan used it was on a 40,000
square foot municipal building. It was an
Architectural BIM Model, so integrating non-linked
spec sections was crucial, Callahan said. With
the help of our support staff we managed to import
specification sections from multiple consultants,
query the model, insert additional sections, then
review, edit and publish the specification manual
over a long weekend! That would normally have
taken 1-2 weeks
Already in use by Project Architects and Project
Managers in all of the firms offices, the integrated
solution promises even higher productivity in the
future. Gilfillan Callahan Nelson is also coordinating
and managing their cost estimating software to
make design changes in real time, knowing their
specifications are coordinated.
THE NEXT STEP - SYNCHRONISED KEYNOTES
AND ANNOTATIONS.
Another feature to be explored is the generation of
annotations and keynotes by directly referencing
the specifications. This function further ensures
that outputted drawings are synchronised with
the specification through a semi-automated and
synchronised plug-in application that runs inside the
architectural authoring software. With the component
binding already established, one is able to double-
click an element within the model to activate the
spec section, and place synchronised keynotes and
annotations (as illustrated below).
This round trip information, starting with information on the model which
is used to generate the specification language, which is then provided
back to the models for keynoting and annotations, helps ensure that the
entire construction documentation package is accurate and complete.
The software also verifies that all the keynotes in the model (including
those on reused details or newly created annotations) have a
corresponding reference to the specification documents if required.
CASESTUDY
Figure 1: The Binding Manager is used to manage the associations from the model object
Assembly Codes to the specification tags.
Figure 2: Illustration of how the model elements can be linked to required specification
information.
Figure 3: Managing and validating the Project Keynotes directly in the BIM Models.
issue 26
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Interoperability
Standards
BIM is a business process that promotes
collaboration between disciplines (this is something
that was discussed in BIM Journal Issue 5).
Collaboration is ensured by using a common
language, however, interoperability issues in the
AEC industry cannot be easily resolved without
a set of rules and principles for classification of
information requirements into data exchange
specifications. These issues are magnified by the
complexity of the building information models, the
wide range of specializations and vocabularies
in the AEC industry, the increasing amount of
computer software applications, and the varying
management practices employed.
This paper looks at buildingSMART openBIM
standards that seek to bring coherence and
consistency to the often fragmented BIM process.
It explores the challenges with data exchange
rules and formats, and the future of IFC based
interoperability.
BuildingSMART STANDARDS EXPLAINED
buildingSMART develops, maintains and supports a
family of corresponding standards, namely:

The Data Model Standard Industry Foundation
Classes (IFC),
The Data Dictionary Standard - International
Framework for Dictionaries (IFD)
The Process Definition Standard - Information
Delivery Manual [IDM]
IFC - THE BUILDINGSMART DATA MODEL
buildingSMART is all about the sharing of
information between project team members
and across the software applications that
they commonly use for design, construction,
procurement, maintenance and operations. Data
interoperability is a key enabler to achieving the
goal of a buildingSMART process. buildingSMART
has developed a common data schema Industry
Foundation Classes (IFC) that makes it possible to
hold and exchange relevant data between different
software applications.
The IFC data schema comprises information
covering the many disciplines that contribute to a
building throughout its lifecycle: from conception,
through design, construction and operation to
refurbishment or demolition. IFC is the primary
buildingSMART data model standard, and is
registered by ISO as ISO/PAS 16739 and is in
the process of becoming an official International
Standard ISO/IS 16739.
DATA DICTIONARY - INTERNATIONAL
FRAMEWORK FOR DICTIONARIES (IFD)
As industry professionals design and construct
buildings, they need to work interoperably with
each other. But how does a software application
talk to a product database? How can a designer be
sure that the engineers understand the attributes
attached to his design? How can design standards
from overseas be incorporated?
The buildingSMART Data Dictionary is the
mechanism that enables this to happen. It creates
a catalogue of what objects are called (the
vocabulary) and brings together disparate sets
of data into a common view of the construction
project or asset, whether information from a product
manufacturer, typical room requirements, cost
data or environmental data. It can also cope with
different languages.
The Data Dictionary is based on a concept
developed by the standards organisation
ISO, notably in ISO 12006-3: 2007 (Building
construction: Organization of information about
construction works, Part 3: Framework for object-
oriented information).
Thanks to the Dictionary, an open BIM model can
be linked to data from many sources, improving
interoperability and paving the way for analysis and
design checks at an early stage of the project.
PROCESS - INFORMATION DELIVERY
MANUAL (IDM)
The buildingSMART standard for processes (also
known as the Information Delivery Manual or IDM)
specifies when certain types of information are
required during the construction of a project or the
operation of a built asset. It also provides detailed
specification of the information that a particular user
(architect, building services engineer etc) needs
to provide at a point in time and groups together
information that is needed in associated activities:
cost estimating, volume of materials and job
scheduling are natural partners.
ARTICLE1
Thus the buildingSMART standard for processes
offers a common understanding for all the parties:
when to exchange information and exactly what
is needed. The linked Model View Definition or
MVD turns the prerequisites and outcomes of
the processes for information exchange into a
formal statement. Software developers can take
the standard and specific Model View Definitions
that derive from it and incorporate them into their
applications.
UNDERSTANDING INDUSTRY FOUNDATION
CLASSES
Open is the key to the real value of buildingSMART
standards. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) can
be used to exchange and share BIM data between
applications developed by different software
vendors without the software having to support
numerous native formats. As an open format, IFC
does not belong to a single software vendor; it is
neutral and independent of a particular vendors
plans for software development.
Every implementation of an IFC exchange should
follow what is known as an exchange requirement.
This requirement specifies the information that
needs to be present in an exchange or sharing of
data at a certain stage in a project. It is important
to be specific about the information needed. The
exchange requirement prevents woolliness and
uncertainty.
How can designers and other software users be
sure that the software in use is compliant with
the open IFC standard and truly interoperable?
buildingSMART run a certification schemes that
test software products to check that they meet
the IFC standard and clarifies the scope of their
interoperability. The scheme was revamped in 2010
to make it more stringent and indicates precisely
what parts of the product work interoperably.
IFC development is faced with various challenges;
such as, providing a data structure that is able to
fulfill the information requirements of specialized
disciplines, as well as supporting the implementation
of a data structure that exceeds the scope of typical
domain specific design applications. Interoperability
ARTICLE2
is further challenged by the need for standards that
are flexible enough to translate between different
cultural backgrounds and languages.
OVERVIEW OF THE IFC DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS
In general, in order to share information, the
following three specifications should be in place.
1.An exchange format, defining HOW to share the
information. The IFC is such a specification.
2.A Reference Library, to define WHAT information
we are sharing. The International Framework of
Dictionaries (IFD) serves such a purpose.
3.Information Requirements, defining WHICH
Information to share WHEN. The Information
Delivery Model (IDM)/Model View Definitions
(MVD) approach forms that specification.
The specifications supporting the IFC development
have to be defined according to the needs of the
involved users. The development of the IFC address
four main areas
- Business requirement specification
- IFC extension modeling
- Use case implementation
- End user guidance
The IFC development process, in the above order,
starts with the requirements and ends with users
guidelines.
THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL STANDARDS
The IFC data model is comprehensive , supporting a
wide range of data to be transferred. The IFC allows
for various data to be exchanged in various ways,
without losing any information. But downstream
users usually require specific information that is
usually a subset of the Information stored in the IFC.
These users would prefer to receive specifically the
data they need, rather than the entire data model.
The IFC, however, does not capture the methods in
which data is created and shared by users. The lack
of specific data exchange requirements for different
users, also makes it difficult to implement solutions
to this problem.
issue 27
Winn Gomez,
buildingSMART
MENA & India
Winn Gomez for his contribution
to this issue.
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ARTICLE3
UNDERSTANDING BUILDINGSMART
STANDARDS
The Information Delivery Manual (IDM)
An Information Delivery Manual (IDM) responds
to the problems identified in the previous article
by proposing a methodology that captures
business processes in projects, and developing
specifications of detailed user information
exchange requirements. The IDM defines, in the
language and perspective of the professional
participant, what information must be contained
in the contracted exchange. The Process maps
generated as a result of identifying the IDM,
defines selected activities throughout the project
delivery process and the information exchanged
between them. The IDM is usually developed by
domain experts, independent of the data exchange
standard.
The IDM consists of three parts
1.The Process Maps
The Process map describes the flow of activities
for a particular business process. It enables
understanding of the configuration of activities that
are required, the users involved, the information
required, consumed and produced.

2.The Exchange Requirements
All details of the requirements are described
according to business concepts that have to
be mapped to IFC or other data structures. This
information structures requirements, defining
further details about the concepts, highlighting
the difference between required ,mandatory and
optional information requirements.

3.Functional parts and Business Rules
The functional part is a unit of information used
by the solution providers to support an exchange
requirement. It is usually a schema in its own right,
but also a subset of the full standard on which it is
based.
The IDM development process targets both BIM
users and solution providers. For users, the IDM
define the requirements for the information to be
provided and is simple to understand, usually
describing the building construction processes.
For BIM solution providers (software develoeprs),
IDMs identify and describe in detail, the functional
breakdown of the process and the requirements of
the IFC with respect to this process.
THE MODEL VIEW DEFINITION (MVD)
A Model View Definition (MVD) maps the exchange
requirements defined above to the IFC, to
understand how the exchange of the required data
and related constraints can be accomplished using
the IFC. An MVD tells the software implementer
which IFC elements to use, as well as how the
implementation should function and what results
are expected. MVDs define a logical and coherent
subset of the IFC fulfilling a specific use or
application type.
The aim of the supporting IDM and MVD processes
are to specify exactly which information is to
exchanged in each exchange scenario and how to
relate it to the IFC model. For Example, an architect
designing a building needs to be sure that they
receive information from the structural engineer
about which walls are load bearing and which are
not. At the same time, the structural engineer needs
to know the function of each space to calculate the
right design loads.
INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
DICTIONARIES (IFD)
Professionals need to work interoperably with each
other, while they design and construct buildings.
How can a designer be sure that the engineers
understand the attributes attached to his design?
How can design standards from overseas be
incorporated?
The IFD creates a catalogue or dictionary of objects
and brings together the data into a common view,
associating the correct information from a product
manufacturer, requirements etc, while also coping
with different languages. Put simply, its a standard
for terminology libraries. The IFD also opens up
opportunities for advanced analysis very early in
the design. It also allows for the creation of an IFC-
BIM for operational and maintenance purposed,
while linking existing knowledge systems, product
specific data and the IFC BIM.
How the Standards work together.
Before the users begin to perform data exchanges,
the vendors of the preferred software have to
implement IFC interoperability; that is the vendors
have to enable their software to read and write
the IFC format. For repeatability and reliability,
this interoperability should support contracted
exchanges ie. information exchanges that serve
a particular transfer. IDM defines the users
contracted exchanges and the MVD defines the
implementations in software.
Once implemented in software, any software
should be fully capable of exchanging the required
information for the specific process to process
scenario. The certification (by buildingSMART)
of the software ensures that the software meets
the requirements as specified in the MVD. The
software is then tested by users to ensure that the
users business requirements are fully met by the
implemented software capability.
Visit http://buildingsmart-tech.org for more
information.
issue 27
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This is common practice for activities such as cost
estimation or construction scheduling, where Cost
and labour data, in the first instance, and task
scheduling, in the second, must be linked to the
building model, but remain in the domain of the
respective specialist. However it is still in a testing
phase for most other domains.
The question then becomes how is this information
managed? Who authors the information and how
exactly is it tagged to the model? How is the data
ordered, searched for and verified? And how can
one create user-specific access rights, so that the
various project members have specific levels of
access to the data?. This significant area of data
management is possibly the most intensive domain
of building information modelling, and comprises
the third strata of the BIM pyramid (as indicated
below).
BIM Journal Issue 29 BIM Integrated Lifecycle
Management explores in greater detail how various
activities, grouped under the term project lifecycle
management can be consistently linked to the BIM.
Activities included within this theme are, among
others:
Scheduling and Costing
Scope definition and bidding
Construction sequencing
Clash detection and RFI reporting
Submittal and shop-drawing approval
However there are other areas that are not yet so
well defined, these include:
Model collaboration
Data searching
File sharing
BUILDING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Information management is at the core of project-
and construction-management processes . Building
Information Modelling does not replace the need
for effective data management; on the contrary,
it magnifies it. BIM processes are at their most
effective when they extend beyond the realms of
design and coordination to information logistics.
For those undertaking the first foray into virtual
design and construction the primary concern is
often for model creation and management. Certainly
for the architect and engineer, the preoccupation
is often with the mode of production and quality of
the model: how does one ensure that the model
accurately reflects the design requirements? what
level of detail should be modelled? and how does
one account for elements that are not modelled?
However, this is really just the tip of the iceburg (or
pyramid, as is illustrated below). When models are
exchanged between multiple parties the process
becomes manifoldly more complicated. How can
one streamline the process between model design
and analysis? How does one compare multiple
revisions of models? Should revisions relate to the
entire model, or only to object elements? How can
one effectively track and trace coordination issues
and their resolution?
It becomes increasingly evident that the model
geometry is one small aspect of building
information modelling. As depicted in the BIM
Pyramid diagram below, the data behind the
model becomes a much greater concern. A
single geometric object (created by one authoring
party) may be referenced to various databases of
information from multiple disciplines; specifications,
cost estimation, construction management,
operation and maintenance.
The model presents an inviting opportunity to
be the repository of an almost endless amount
of project related data. Single elements can be
embedded with detailed design properties, material
specifications, operation and maintenance manuals,
cost data, construction, sequence data As was
discussed in Issue 26, Integrated Specifications,
the preferred workflow is not always to contain this
information within a single model, but rather to have
multiple linked databases.
Not Just
CAD++
ARTICLE1
issue 28
When BIM software began emerging in the
mainstream market some seven years ago, it was
regarded by many as CAD++. That is an enhanced
and more efficient way of doing exactly what was
being done before. The misconception was that
nothing really had changed.
Steel fabricators were among the earlier adopters
of BIM software; many firms having made the
transition to 3D modelling for fabrication some
years earlier. Architectural firms were notably using
3D modelling software for visualisation and design
review, so it made sense for them to invest a little
extra effort to obtain drawings and schedules from
the same model. However the real value of BIM
was, for the most part, not yet appreciated.
SILO BIM
The next phase of BIM development was the BIM
in Silos phenomenon. BIM in Silos, sometimes
termed littlebim , refers to the practice of BIM
within a single discipline, exclusive of multi-model
/ multi-discipline collaboration. Truth be told, this is
where much of BIM practices are currently at.
The benefits of this process are nonetheless
substantial; both for the authoring party and
other project members. Silo BIM
harnessing the benefits of a
central model for the
rapid production
of accurate
and
synchronised
drawings,
schedules and
other data, however
only within a single
discipline. There is no model
exchange, and therefore no
true BIM collaboration. Although
documentation is produced in a
live BIM environment, all drawings and
documentation are published to other
project parties in a flat format (DXF, DWG, XLS,
PDF etc).
Furthermore all comments received have to be
reinterpreted by the authoring party and updated in
the BIM. As in traditional 2D processes, this creates
duplication of work and allows for greater human
error.
Without inter-disciplinary model exchange the true
value of collaborative BIM is lost.
COLLABORATIVE BIM
Through the open exchange of models and model
data, every project participant can be assured
that they have the most current and complete
information. More valuable than this, however, is
that the integration of models allows for a previously
unimaginable array of collaborative activities;
integrated inter-disciplinary design review, multi-
model coordination and clash detection, and
realtime integration with other specialist disciplines
for cost estimation, construction management etc
The various disciplines are dependently linked,
and changes to any discipline are reflected in the
respective models of all other parties. For example
if the architect repositions a wall, the structural
engineer will be alerted to the discrepancy in his
model and will be promoted to adjust the structural
elements accordingly. This process can be further
automated in the case, for example, of the
quantity surveyor,
who
extracts
quantities
from the
model and
links to his
cost estimation
spreadsheet. If the
model is changed the
quantities also change, and
this is automatically reflected in
the cost estimation software, without
the need for intervention by the quantity
surveyor.
This realm of BIM data content is the subject of
the following article.
ARTICLE2
Figure 1: the BIM Pyramid. Source: Steve Jones, Product Manager -
Tekla BIMsight
Figure 1: the BIM Pyramid. Source: Steve Jones, Product Manager -
Tekla BIMsight
Jan Karlshj
M.Sc. IDA, CTO,
Partner
buildingSMART
Nordic, Chairman
International
IDM coordinator
Basically
BCF [The BIM
Collaboration
Format]
introduces
a workfow
communication
capability
connected to
IFC models.
The idea is to
separate the
communication
from the actual
model.
41
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Steve Jones, Product Manager for Tekla BIMsight,
notes although there have been tremendous
advances in the development of BIM software,
open, multi-party collaboration is still cumbersome
and inefficient. Jones references the astounding
developments of social media and cloud-based
collaboration tools, accompanied by an equally
astounding competence and adoption by the
general population. Why cant BIM technologies,
which have been underdeveloped for much longer,
progress at a similar rate.
Why arent models, documents and other data
published into the cloud as easily as we publish a
Youtube video? We should be able to search project
databases as quickly and as efficiently as we make
a Google or Wikipedia search. We ought to be able
to communicate with other project members, form
meetings and or create shared files as easily as we
do in Facebook or Dropbox.

These networks have pushed developments in
technologies, but most significantly they have
pushed us in the way we use technology. They have
forced a cultural shift.
The construction industry has not transitioned at
such a pace, nevertheless there are pockets of
innovation both in technology developments, and
in the way they are used within the industry. The
following article will explore one such development.
Tekla Corporation and Solibri, Inc. introduced to
the buildingSMART organization an idea of using
open standards to enable workflow communication
between different BIM (Building Information
Modelling) software tools. These firms have
developed an XML schema, called BCF, to encode
messages that inform a software package of issues
found in the BIM model by another software tool.
The implication is that only those issues, and not
the entire BIM, need to be communicated between
software and that this simple capability will enable
a degree of collaboration. This XML schema and
capability have already been built into several
software package including, Tekla Structures, Tekla
BIMsight, Solibri Model Checker, DDS MEP and
Architecture, CQ-Tools for Revit and other software.
In most real-life projects the user of
a tool for one discipline will import
IFC models from other disciplines.
If there is an issue related to one of
the imported models, the efficient
process will be to raise that issue
so they can be resolved in the BIM
authoring application from where this
model originated. The responsibility
for maintaining and updating this
model will in many/most cases be
assigned to the author of the model.
Instead of adding information directly
into an IFC model as a property
set or whatever and send the whole
thing back (which could be an
alternative), the issues are described
using BCF with direct links to objects
in the model(s) with the issue(s).
The BCF format is extremely simple
and easy to implement. The basic
content is that you create an issue,
add comment and refer that to the
object(s) in question (using IFC
mechanisms for Global Unique
IDs (GUIDs)). The format also
supports comments and status as
this issue may be referred to and
answers/suggestions added by
receiving ap-plications. In addition
to text, comments and the list of
objects, each issue can also have
camera and viewport attached and
even a snapshot of how the model
CASESTUDY
BIM
Collaboration
Format
looked in the ap-plication where the issue was last
addressed.
The close connection to the IFC model positions it
as a capability extension of the existing IFC format
with focus on workflow and processes (close
relation also to IDM).
The BCF format is independent of which IFC
schema version being used. The full specification
can be found in the GTDS workspace
(http://gtds.iabi.eu/), and further information can
be found at http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/
specifications/bcf-releases/bcf-intro.
Figure 3: Imported IFC model in DDS-CAD Viewer
Figure 4: Viewing the BIM Collaboration Format comment in
DDS-CAD viewer
Figure 2: A possible future of BIM collaboration. Source: Steve Jones,
Product Manager Tekla BIMsight
issue 28
Jan Karlshoj for his contribution
to this issue.
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BIM Integrated
Lifecycle
Management
A NEW ERA OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
As projects are becoming more complex, and
project management more onerous, there has been
an increased demand for more sophisticated and
holistic project management solutions. Infrastructure
Lifecycle Management (ILM) has emerged as one
of these solutions. Such tools are not without their
own challenges, and their success is reliant on
disciplined collation and organisation of multiple
levels of information. A building information model
(BIM) serves as a mechanism to gather and order
multidisciplinary data during the course of project
life. Integrating the rich, and well structured, data
content of a BIM with the powerful processes of
ILM promises to go some way in addressing these
challenges.
Over the years, the discipline of construction
project management has evolved from AEC-
centric applications to broader use across the
capital projects industry. This evolution led to the
introduction of Infrastructure Lifecycle Management
(ILM) software solutions. ILM is an expanded
successor to Project Management because it is
designed for those companies that manage the
plan, build and operate lifecycle for both new and
existing buildings and facilities.
CONNECTING ILM AND BIM ALONG THE
PLAN, BUILD AND OPERATE LIFECYCLE
Diving deeper into the plan-build-operate
project lifecycle, one can see many synergistic
opportunities for ILM technology and BIM models to
come
together. For example, during the plan phase the
building owner determines the financial feasibility
of a project and hires architects and engineers to
design the project. During the build phase, a general
contractor is selected to construct the facility, while
the owner and design teams provide oversight. And
finally, during the operate phase, the owner takes
over the newly completed facility and manages this
new asset through preventative, predictive, and
corrective maintenance.
Currently, BIM is most prevalent in the plan phase
as architects and engineers can digitally design
BIM models that create huge efficiencies in the
iterative design process. But once rich BIM models
have been designed, downstream value is created
for both the contractor and owner through cost
reductions, and by providing a more accurate model
of the final finished building.
Similarly, an organization goes through various
business processes during the same three phases.
Companies must make go/no-go decisions on
a pipeline of projects, and they must iteratively
develop a budget and funding strategy sufficient
to execute on each project. The business process
continues during the build phase where managing
costs, schedules, scopes, and quality become
paramount. Once construction is complete, the
business process of managing all the assets within
a building, and the maintenance of those assets, is
key to maintaining a high-performing facility.
With BIM providing a complete lifecycle perspective
of design data for a building, and ILM providing a
complete lifecycle of operational business data for
a building, the two used in conjunction together
create many integration touch points that lead to
even greater business value. The following article
addresses the key processes and benefits of BIM-
ILM integration.
Frank Sarno,
Director of
construction
applications,
Ryan Companies
Increasingly
sophisticated
technologies
are improving
our
Infrastructure
Lifecycle
Management
processes, and
enabling us to
leverage BIM
in a much more
powerful way.
MERIDIAN SYSTEMS CASE STUDY
Plan
Manage project pipelines,
site development and
entitlements
Operate
Direct asset management, work orders
and maintenance management
Build
Track budgets, contacts,
changes, schedules,
scopes and quality
Figure 1: Three phases of Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM)
Figure 2: There are several opportunities to synchronize ILM with BIM
methodology across the plan, build, operate lifecycle
Infrastructure
Lifecycle
Management(ILM)
Operational Business
Processes and Data
Building
Information
Modeling(BIM)
Digital Design Model
. Project Pipelines
. Budget Development
. Scope Development
. Budget Approvals
. Funding Approvals
. Conceptual Design
. Iteractive Designs
. Architectural BIM
. Structural BIM
. MEP BIM
. Construction Sequencing
. 4D Modeling
. Clash Detection
. Fabrication BIM
. Spatial BIMInstallation
. As Built Model
. As Built Equipment
. Complete Virtual Bldg
. Contracts & Charges
. Scheduling
. Bidding and Buyout
. Design Distribution
. RFIs & Submitals
. Asset Management
. Equipment Assets
. Location Assets
. Maintenance Mgmt
. Work Orders
Plan Build Operate
ARTICLE2
INTEGRATING THE BIM
Building Information Models are key components
that are present throughout the entire project
lifecycle. For any program or project, Building
Information Modelling (BIM) provides a complete
lifecycle perspective of design and spatial data,
while Infrastructure Lifecycle Management (ILM)
provides a complete lifecycle of operational
business data. Integrating BIM and ILM across
multiple touch points creates business value by
reducing costs and schedules in the planning,
building, and operating of capital projects and
facilities.
And todays integrated team environment requires
a solution that can overcome the challenges
imposed by software interoperability. Converting
files, waiting for downloads and spending countless
hours with technical support. Added complications
brought by geographically dispersed teams,
different software applications and increased
network security creates a further impediment to the
one commodity needed, which is access to timely
and accurate information. As risks for profits rise, the
need becomes ever greater to do more with less.
By integrating BIM with construction project
management and ILM solutions, project
stakeholders can gain new efficiencies across the
entire project lifecycle.
INTEGRATION TOUCH POINTS BETWEEN BIM
AND ILM
There are at least seven key integration points
between BIM and ILM applications. The diagram
below illustrates different types of BIM models that
are appropriate to integrate with different operational
business processes. These seven integrations
naturally occur during all three phases of the plan,
build and operate lifecycle.
The value of integrating to each touch point will
vary depending on a companys specific role. For
example, an owner or program manager may be
primarily interested in the touch points involving
budget development, 4D schedule integration, and
asset management integration. A general contractor
may be interested in procurement integration, 2D
drawing integration, fabrication integration and
Request for Information (RFI) integration.
As the market continues to adopt both BIM and ILM
methodologies, the value propositions will begin to
shake out as more companies experiment with each
touch point opportunity.
BIM-ILM FUNCTIONALITY AND BENEFITS
Such integration enables the model review team to
automatically task action items such as RFIs and
submittals to the project management team for
response. The transparency between BIM objects
and the project management system makes it the
only base technology where model analysis such
as clash detection, estimates, submittals and RFIs
can all occur within the same live model. Finally, this
coordination process provides project managers
Combine models using open
standards such as IFC to
import models directly from
the BIM authoring application.
Task items for clarifcation
during coordination review
and synchronize action items.
Assign responsibility to action items such as
RFIs and Submittals and route through PPM
System for response.
and executives one-click access to BIM without specialised software or
training.
Certain solutions operate via a Web-based BIM platform that links
intelligent 3D object data to project and program management systems.
Data from the BIM program is pushed to the collaborative platform, which
takes the data attribute information to link objects in the model with line
items in the project management software.
The functionality of such web-based BIM management platforms include:
> Platform for live BIM streaming and object data
exchange (geometry + attributes)
> Integration between BIM authoring tools and PPM
(Project and Portfolio Management) systems
> Workflow support from design through construction
and operations.
> Easy accessibility for all stakeholders
> Centralised project, model and user management
ARTICLE1
issue 29
Figure 3: Integration Touch Points between BIM and ILM
Figure 4: BIM ILM Integration screenshots
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ARTICLE3
EXAMPLE OF BIM-ILM INTEGRATION
With BIM providing a complete lifecycle perspective
of design data for a building, and ILM providing a
complete lifecycle of operational business data for
a building, the two used in conjunction create many
integration touch points that lead to even greater
business value. This article presents a series of
examples of the value of BIM-ILM integration in the
Design, Build and Operation phases of a project.
1. DESIGN PHASE EXAMPLES
Design to Budget Development Integration
Building information models typically progress
iteratively from a design phase (comprised of cores
discipline models produced by the Architects and
engineers) to construction phase (comprised of
numerous trade models developed by the various
subcontractors). As the model progresses, the
individual model elements develop in detail and
complexity, forming rich, intelligent virtual design
models.
Even at an early design phase project managers
and owner representatives can access the data to
develop preliminary cost estimates. Typically the
project budget does not get created at one time, but
is developed via multiple budget scope documents.
This process allows for certain aspects of the project
to be known and thus management can provide
partial approvals over a budget or a set of funding.
A key integration scenario would be to take a
cost-loaded BIM and export the data to populate a
scope document. The scope document can then be
routed through a workflow process to the owner or
project manager who then approves it and creates a
baseline budget for that part of the project.
In the example above, the BIM cost model was
defined enough to export multiple scopes of work
on different dates, while the rest of the mechanical,
electrical, and plumbing were still being designed.
Once these scopes are imported into the budget
and cost management application within an ILM
software solution, the individual scope documents
can be approved, creating an original approved
budget.
BILL OF MATERIALS INTEGRATED WITH
BUYOUT ITEMS
BIM models not only manage parametric objects in a
The table below illustrates an example over a timeline.
given geometry, but they can save properties around
specifications for materials. The systems also have
the ability to calculate the quantities of material at
various levels of assembly-type hierarchies.
This detailed level of modelling provides the ability
to produce a bill of materials for various building
systems within the model.
The integration of this data is a natural fit to buyout
items within a project management system. These
buyout items can quickly start the procurement and
bidding process of: 1) bundling multiple buyout
items into a bid package, 2) determining which
companies should be invited to provide quotes, and
3) ultimately analysing quotes from multiple bidders.
This level of integration streamlines the design to
procurement process and facilitates a higher degree
of accuracy in the bidding process.
2. BUILD PHASE EXAMPLES
4D Schedule Integration
4D schedule integration involves linking tasks on a
critical path method schedule to various objects
within the model. The challenge is to break up the
schedule into a set of tasks that can realistically
demonstrate an animation over how materials get
installed, and directly drive the schedule document.
The base design model can be appended with
temporary works such as cranes, man lifts,
scaffolding, traffic routing and other equipment and
logistics required to construct the building. The
time-based view provides a much higher level of
construction logistics planning.
Fabrication BIM with Submittals
Submittals are an operational business process
where subcontractors and fabricators must submit
shop drawings and material specifications for
approval. The submittal process, typically involving
multiple project stakeholders, is critical in order
to gain designer approvals prior to fabricating
materials off site, as well as ensuring that materials
are delivered in a timely manner for construction.
Many fabricators are already creating their shop
drawings using BIM methodology. Structural
steel and mechanical trades are designing their
production models to interact with designer models.
Bringing together the business submittal process
with these fabricator BIM models creates another
valuable integration point.
Figure 5: Progressive cost modelling
6/10/2008
7/25/2008
8/2/2008
8/12/2008
BIM Export 1
BIM Export 2
BIM Export 3
BIM Export 4
Approved Original Budget
Approved Original Budget
Pending Approval
Pending Approval
4.335.000
10.201.000
6.088.000
5.125.000
14.536.000
11.213.000
A10 - Foundations
B10 - Superstructure
B20 - Exterior Enclosure
C10 - Interior Construction
Current Approved Budget
Current Pending Budget
Date Description Scope Amount Budget Column
Software for Construction Project
Control and Visibility
Building owners, construction, energy and engineering firms, and public agencies use Meridian
software to effectively manage capital building and facility renovation programs.
St. Clare Health Center,
Fenton, Missouri, USA
Knowledge Economic
City, Saudi Arabia
New Doha Port, Qatar
AEC | Commercial | Public
To learn more, visit www.meridiansystems.com.
+1 (800) 850 2660 USA
+971 50 451 79 43 UAE
+966 535 29 37 66 Saudi Arabia
Copyright 2012 Meridian Systems. All rights reserved.
Select projects using
Meridian software solutions:
issue 29
47
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BIM Integration with Requests for Information
One of the key benefits of a virtual building
model is to eliminate problems downstream in the
construction phase. While this means more effort
up front to create accurate, multi-discipline models,
problems discovered virtually are much cheaper to
resolve than problems discovered once materials
are fabricated and partially installed.
The design team can interact with the general
contractor, key subcontractors and fabricators to
consolidate all of their models, invariably creating
more virtual conflicts earlier in the building
process. With more parallel virtual designs
occurring, the RFI business process can also move
upstream to document these virtual conflicts, and
provide documented answers on how these virtual
conflicts will get resolved. Providing the ability to
have visual links from a business process of an RFI
directly to the virtual conflict allows the entire team
to understand the issues sooner and with greater
clarity.
3. OPERATE PHASE EXAMPLES
Spatial and Equipment Models Integrated with
Asset Management
As a BIM model progressively becomes more
detailed, it can evolve into an as-built virtual
model for the owner to operate a new building.
For example, the BIM can store specifications
data about each and every fixture, wall type, and
piece of equipment within the building. These
detailed specifications can be added to the model
throughout the process by the designer, the general
contractor, subcontractor, or fabricator.
From a business process perspective, an owner
must have an asset management system to
catalogue all these assets in a hierarchy.
Figure 6: 4D Schedule Integration
This hierarchy can include location assets like the
first floor or the roof, to specific equipment assets
like VAV boxes or HVAC units. This hierarchy also
must include an entire portfolio of buildings where
owners need to identify what assets are installed
in multiple buildings. The owner must also have a
maintenance management business process that
is integrated with the asset management piece
to properly maintain the building and all of the
components within the building.
Integrating the building and equipment
specifications within a BIM model can occur at
the completion of the new building, and then
pre-populate an owners asset hierarchy and
maintenance plans. Contractors and designers can
differentiate themselves to owners by providing a
more fully developed turnover package through
this integrated BIM and ILM approach. The facility
operations team can also benefit from integrating a
BIM model and an ILM solution, as they can interact
using both systems. The facility manager could
select a piece of equipment visually in the BIM
model, locate where that piece of equipment fits
within the asset hierarchy, then view the maintenance
plan against the item. Conversely, a user could
view the asset hierarchy in the asset management
system, and then view in 3D where that piece
of equipment is located within the building. This
interaction makes facility maintenance much more
proactive, reducing ongoing maintenance costs.
Figure 7: Integration for asset management
issue 29
We are ready to implement all our Building Information Modeling (BIM)
know-how in your project to help you realize cost savings, support
on-time project delivery, and ensure a high quality of building through
a reduction of defects in execution. Our concept has proven itself in
several hundred projects during the past seven years. Take a look at
all that ViCon can offer you.
Please get in touch with us:
Tel: +974 4457-6878
vicon@hochtief.de
www.hochtief-vicon.com
HOCHTIEF ViCon
ONE STEP AHEAD.
BUILD DIGITALLY FIRST.
QATAR W.L.L.
49
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50
ARTICLE1 ARTICLE2
Green is Good
Sustainability, as an area of discussion and practice,
is noticeably shifting from the periphery to the
centre of the construction industry. Whether driven
by legislative requirements, pragmatism to reduce
waste and costs, or a genuine desire to minimise
ones ecological footprint, sustainability is now a
primary concern of the built environment. However
as buildings become increasingly more complex,
construction processes more fragmented, and green
building rating schemes more stringent, going
green is getting harder to achieve.
The cross-over between sustainability and
BIM is significant; both seek to reduce waste,
optimise building performance, and promote lean
construction and integrate practices. Consequently,
there is tremendous advantage in the integration
of green and BIM processes, however, as both
domains are broad (covering design to operation)
complex (engaging virtually every discipline in the
construction process) and continually developing,
this is no easy undertaking.
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is a broad term that covers a range
of applications. In the context of building design
and construction, the applications can be roughly
grouped into the following categories:
Sustainable siting
Energy performance
Water efficiency
Indoor environmental quality
Material and resource management
Lean construction and site utilisation
There are numerous green rating systems in
operation around the world; most of them structured
according to the categories listed above. Among
the more recognized green building rating schemes
are: LEED (North America and many parts of the
Middle East), BREEAM (UK, Netherlands, Spain &
Germany) and Green Star (Australia, New Zealand
& South Africa). The majority of these are voluntarily
applied, however there is an increasing trend to
make minimum green rating a requirement for
development approval. For the purposes of this
article, we will refer to the LEED rating systems
developed by the United States Green Building
Council (USGBC).
Alexander
Kolpakov
(Mech. Eng.
LEED AP, PMP)
BIM Project
Manager,
Oger
International
Abu Dhabi
Managing
sustainability
in the BIM
environment
requires one to
strictly defne
BIM project
requirements
from the
outset, and
have the
necessary
mechanisms to
ensure these
are fulflled.
In most cases
the party
inputting
design data
upstream, would
not be the
same as the
party analyzing
this data
downstream.
Consequently
it demands a
coordinated
collaborative
approach.
LEED, like most green building rating schemes,
defines a matrix of credits that a building must attain
to achieve progressive levels of certification. In
LEED for Green Building Design and Construction,
2009 Edition, there are a possible 120 credits
achievable, grouped into the following seven
categories:
1. Sustainable Sites (maximum 26 points)
2. Water Efficiency (maximum 10 points)
3. Energy and Atmosphere (maximum 35 points)
4. Materials and Resources (maximum 14 points)
5. Indoor Environmental Quality (maximum 15 points)
6. Innovation in Design (maximum 6 points)
7. Regional Priority (maximum 4 points)
Each category has both requisite and elective
credits. The higher the number of credits achieved
the higher the rating. There are four levels of building
certification that requires achieving the following
total amount of points through the certification
process;
- Certified 40-49 points,
- Silver 50-59 points,
- Gold 60-69 points,
- Platinum 80 points and above.
The following articles will present some preliminary
strategies for integrating green / BIM processes,
as well as examining specific touch-points between
the LEED rating system and building information
modeling.
INTEGRATING BIM AND LEED
This article presents one possible approach to
developing a LEED-BIM integration.
The LEED-BIM process is complex in that it is
interfaces with multiple, simultaneous activities
across various disciplines. It may not be feasible to
integrate all LEED activities in the BIM environment.
One should, therefore, make a preliminary
assessment of what activities are to be targeted
prior to project commencement. This may include
identifying the LEED activities that hold the highest
credit weighting, and assessing how easily these
can be achieved in a BIM, versus a non-BIM,
workflow.
DEFINING THE SCOPE OF LEED
The scope of LEED is can be defined in a Checklist,
such as the one illustrated below. Each Credit Item
of the checklist has an associated activity. Many
of these activities are similar, and we can form
groupings of like-activities, which we call here
Activity Groups.
Each LEED activity group must have at least one
BIM function associated to it. These functions
define what is necessary to achieve the desired
LEED output within the scope of BIM. For example,
the LEED Credit Item for the provision of bicycle
storage and change rooms is classed in the
Transport Provision activity group. The BIM functions
to achieve this would be spatial programming
(allocating the space) and specification (identifying
the requirements).
The activity groups are diverse and varied, and
each must be individually evaluated in terms of
value and achievability. It is also necessary to make
an assessment of the activity in terms of effort
required to achieve the end result as a BIM function
compared to a conventional process. This evaluation
process can be summarized in the following way:
Value Rating
- aggregate credit points against perceived
achievability (complexity, available resources and
capability)
BIM Weighting
- Degree of effort required as a BIM process,
compared to effort required as
a non-BIM process (given existing resources,
experience and capability).
It is important here to be realistic about the
capabilities and limitations of BIM. Some LEED credit
items are outside the scope of BIM (for example the
participation of a LEED Accredited Professional).
Other items require very limited BIM involvement,
or are more effectively served by other means.
This worksheet consequently seeks to determine
only those items that are deemed valuable within
the BIM process. Whether they are valuable and/
or achievable to the project as a whole should be
assessed independently.
Another important consideration is that most
activities involve multiple disciplines. The role of
the LEED-BIM consultant is typically in verifying
information in the building information model. The
authoring of the information (typically the bulk of the
work), is undertaken by the various departments.
Therefore, to make an accurate assessment the level
of BIM involvement most be assessed across all
phases of the project and in all relevant disciplines.
This can be represented in a spreadsheet, such as
the LEED Activity Analysis illustrated below.
issue 30
26 Sustainable Sites
Possible Points LEEDCredit Item LEEDActivity Grouping BIMFunction
Construction Activity Pollution Prevention Required Construction Planning
Site Selection
Site Development
Site Selection
Transport Provisions
Site Development
Site Development
Site Utilisation Planning
Site Analysis
Programming
Site Analysis
Programming, Design
Programming, Design
Programming, Design
Programming
Design
Design
Credit 1 Site Selection
Credit 2 Development Density and Community Connectivity
Credit 3 BrownfieldRedevelopment
Credit 4.1 Alternative Transportation - Public Transportation Access
Credit 4.2AlternativeTransportation- BicycleStorageandChargingRooms
Credit 4.2 Alternative Transportation - Low-Emitting and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
Credit 4.4 Alternative Transportation - ParkingCapacity
Credit 5.1 Site Development - Protect or Restore Habitat
Credit 5.2 Site Development - Maximize Open Space
required
1
5
1
6
1
3
2
1
1
Figure 1: Example of Individual Credit Items (from LEED Checklist) assigned to LEED activity groups. Refer to Appendix for complete worksheets.
Rating from
prev. worksheet
High / Med /
Low
1 =Full BIM
0 =No-BIM
YES / NO /
MAYBE
R
esources
C
om
petency
E
xperience
R
esources
C
om
petency
E
xperience
D E E L n o i t c e l e S e t i S
Arch
Client
D E E L t n e m p o l e v e D e t i S
Arch
Civil
Construction
Client
D E E L s n o i s i v o r P t r o p s n a r T
Arch
Specification
Client
D E E L t n e m e g a n a M r e t a W
Arch
Specification
Construction
Client
LEED ACTIVITY ANALYSIS
LEEDActivity Notes
BIM
Capability
Rating
Value to
Resp Party
Value to
Project
Proceed
withUse
Scale 1-3
(1 =Low)
Responsible
Party
Additional Resources /
Competencies Requiredto
Implement
Non-BIM
Capability
Rating
Scale 1-3
(1 =Low)
BIM
Weigting
D E E L e c n a m r o f r e P y g r e n E
Arch
MEP
Specification
Procurement
Construction
Client
D E E L y t i l a u Q r o o d n I
Arch
MEP
Specification
Procurement
Construction
Client
D E E L y t i l a u Q r o o d t u O
Arch
Construction
Client
D E E L n o i t c e l e S l a i r e t a M
Arch
Specification
Procurement
Construction
Client
D E E L g n i n n a l P n o i t c u r t s n o C
Construction
Client
D E E L s e c r u o s e R n o i t c u r t s n o C
Arch
Procurement
Construction
Client
Alexander Kolpakov for his
invaluable contribution to this
issue.
51
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52
THE ROLE OF THE LEED-BIM CONSULTANT
As mentioned above, the role of LEED-BIM
consultant should be restricted to the verification of
information, rather than authoring content. Design
authoring will remain the responsibility of the primary
disciplines. It is, however, the role of the LEED
department to do the following:
1. Provide necessary information to the relevant
departments at the outset of the project to ensure
the inclusion of appropriate BIM content.
2. Verify (at progressive stages) that this information
has been successfully incorporated into the BIM
so that the desired outcome is achieved.
DEFINE THE STRATEGY
Once the proposed LEED credits have been
identified, the project team should develop an
execution plan. This states the targeted LEED-BIM
activities, the process and parties involved, and the
information exchn\ages necessary at each phase of
the project; namely as the model is progressed from
one party (or one activity) to another.
A good illustration of this, and a practical primary
reference point, is the project process map.
The example below is a high-level process map
for a theoretical LEED-BIM project. LEED-BIM
Activity process maps provide a detailed plan for
implementation of each LEED activity. The final
execution plan would include the LEED Overview
Map (Level 1, illustrated below) of all LEED-BIM
activities, a Detailed Map of each activity (Level
2), and a description of elements on each map, as
appropriate.
L
E
V
E
L

1

P
R
O
C
E
S
S

O
V
E
R
V
I
E
W

M
A
P

L
e
v
e
l 1
: L
E
E
D
&
S
u
s
ta
in
a
b
ility
P
r
o
c
e
s
s
O
v
e
r
v
ie
w
M
a
p
R E F E R E N C E I N F O .B I M F U N C T I O NI N F O R M A T I O N E X C H A N G E
P
h
a
s
e
LE
E
D
P
lanning
P
rogram
m
ing
D
e
te
rm
in
e
L
E
E
D

O
b
je
c
tiv
e
s
A
ll D
isciplines
D
esign D
evelopm
entE
xisting
C
onditions
M
odeling &

D
esign
A
uthoring
D
e
v
e
lo
p
B
IM
A
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isciplines
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onstruction D
ocum
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D
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o
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s
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c
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D
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ynthesis
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onstruction
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acro
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oordination
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a
te
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onstruction
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erform
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onstruction
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rocurem
ent
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rtify
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a
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ontractor
O
perations
R
ecord M
odel
C
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p
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R
e
c
o
rd

M
o
d
e
l
P
roject LE
E
D
C
hecklist
A
rchitectural M
odel
M
E
P
M
odel
S
tructural M
odel
C
ivil M
odel
C
o
o
rd
in
a
te
d
B
IM
P
relim
inary
LE
E
D
A
ssessm
ent
A
rchitectural M
odel
M
E
P
M
odel
S
tructural M
odel
C
ivil M
odel
C
o
n
s
tru
c
tio
n

D
o
c
u
m
e
n
ts
P
rogressive
LE
E
D
A
ssessm
ent
A
rchitectural M
odel
M
E
P
M
odel
S
tructural M
odel
C
ivil M
odel
Is
s
u
e
d
to
S
ite
`
F
inal
LE
E
D
A
ssessm
ent
R
ecord M
odel
`
P
relim
inary
LE
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riteria
LE
E
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esign D
evelopm
ent
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ngineering
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nalysis
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rm
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n
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rg
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A
n
a
ly
s
is
LE
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esign D
evelopm
ent
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pecification
W
riting
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k
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tio
n
LE
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esign D
evelopm
ent
S
ite A
nalysis,
P
rogram
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&
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esign
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uthoring
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s
s
e
s
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ig
n

C
rite
ria
D
eveloped
LE
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riteria
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onstruction D
ocum
ents
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ngineering
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nalysis
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rfo
rm
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n
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rg
y

A
n
a
ly
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onstruction D
ocum
ents
S
pecification
W
riting
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h
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c
k
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tio
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onstruction D
ocum
ents
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uthoring
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ig
n

C
rite
ria
F
inalised
LE
E
D
C
riteria
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ubcontractor
F
abrication M
odels
LE
E
D
C
onstruction
E
ngineering
A
nalysis
B
u
ild
in
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S
y
s
te
m

A
n
a
ly
s
is
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ontractor
C
onstruction
S
ite U
tilization
&
C
onstruction
P
lanning
C
o
n
s
tru
c
tio
n
C
o
n
tro
l
&
P
la
n
n
in
g
LE
E
D
C
onstruction
C
onstruction
P
lanning
A
s
s
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C
o
n
s
tru
c
tio
n

P
la
n
n
in
g
LE
E
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onstruction
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onstruction
M
ethod
A
s
s
e
s
s
C
o
n
s
tru
c
tio
n

R
e
s
o
u
rc
e
s
issue 30
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ARTICLE3
USE CASE OF BIM LEED INTEGRATION
This article explores the application of BIM
processes for six of the seven possible LEED
categories.
1. SUSTAINABLE SITES
The involvement of BIM for the Sustainable Site
credits can only be loosely defined. Essentially
BIM can be deployed to support the design
and demonstration of sustainable outcomes
such as development configuration and density,
protection and restoration of the natural habitat,
and connectivity to alternative transport and other
amenities.
2.WATER EFFICIENCY
Example: Water use reduction (2-4 points)
Employ strategies that in aggregate use 20-40% less
water than the water use baseline calculated for the
building.
Calculations for this credit are based on water
consumption by building occupants and type of
water fixtures. Water usage can be reduced by
using water efficient sanitary fixtures (water closets,
urinals, kitchen sinks, showers, lavatory faucets
and pre-rinse spray valves); and through the use of
non-potable water (e.g. captured condensate water,
rainwater or treated wastewater).
This can be achieved by comparing baseline
plumbing systems with design plumbing systems.
Which will require assessment of Plumbing design
models that would contain all required data; such as
plumbing fixtures flow rates, water tanks capacity
and overall systems water consumption rate.
Incorporating this data in the BIM enables quick
assessment by simulating different scenarios (e.g.
changing plumbing fixtures type will show resulted
overall systems water consumption rate).
2.WATER EFFICIENCY
Example: Whole Building Energy Simulation.
(3-21 points)
This prerequisite and credit requires calculating
all buildings energy costs and comparing it with
design building energy costs to demonstrate
improvement in building performance rating. The
LEED Reference Guide demands the creation of
baseline and proposed design energy models
using an approved energy simulation program. The
baseline model has to be created in accordance
to minimum requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA
Standard 90.1-2007. The proposed building model
would be designed to optimize the building energy
costs.
The following factors can be considered in
proposed design model to optimize building energy
performance;
- Building geometry, geographic location and
orientation,
- Envelope properties (glazing, thermal conductivity
of insulation, walls, roof, floors etc.),
- Building usage including functional use,
occupancy,
- Energy usage (such us harvesting and utilising
daylight, solar heating power, wind energy etc.)
- Equipment, lighting, and HVAC systems.
For the purpose of this credit a BIM Energy
model must be developed where all of the
above mentioned parameters (HVAC systems,
wall materials, equipment, etc.) are included in
both baseline and proposed models. Energy
modelling software can run calculations to simulate
building energy performance. This ought to include
how all building systems interact and affect each
other. For example, if designer wants to increase
fenestration area for one of the facades, it will bring
more daylight in the rooms and therefore can reduce
electrical lighting load. However, as more heat
will be transferred through the glazing the HVAC
systems are affected and air conditioning load may
increase. All kind of scenarios can be simulated and
assessed using the model.
4. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
These credits require the calculation of cost or
weight of reused, salvaged, refurbished, recycled,
or regional (locally produced)... materials compared
with total value of materials on the project.
The BIM can be used to manage procurement of
materials. Having costs and weight assigned to
materials in BIM, and distinguishing materials type/
content (reused, recycled, or regional...), allows
us to extract these costs for the calculation; for
example:
Material Reuse. (1-2 points)
Recycled Content. (1-2 points)
Regional Materials. (1-2 points)
Rapidly Renewable Materials. (1point)
Certified Wood. (1 point)
5. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
This category uses a combination of BIM function
included energy modelling and material verification
Example: Increased Ventilation.
For Naturally Ventilated Spaces, Option 2 requires
to use analytic model to predict that room-by-room
airflows will effectively naturally ventilate at least
90 % of occupied spaces.
Example: Daylight and Views - Daylight. (1-3 points)
Demonstrates through computer simulation that
specific regularly occupied spaces achieve certain
daylight illuminance levels.
BIM software allows performing daylight analysis,
that show luminance levels across the rooms
depending on such factors as building orientation,
fenestration type, etc.,
Example: Low-Emitting Materials (1-6 points)
Similarly to the material and resourcing, the BIM
can be used to manage and verify procurement of
materials. Having material specifications tagged to
the model elements allows for verification of critical
data such as:
Adhesives and Sealants
Paints and Coatings
Flooring systems
Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products
Furniture and Furnishings
Ceiling and Wall Systems
To earn credit for Low-Emitting Materials all the
above mentioned materials shall comply with certain
requirements for content of harmful substances.
This can be tracked by integrating specifications or
design requirements with the BIM elements.
6. INNOVATION IN DESIGN
BIM can support innovation in design through the
development and analysis of climate-responsive
building elements, such as parametric shading
devices (see BIM Journal Issue 25).
issue 30
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CONCEPT DESIGN DOCUMENTATION CONSTRUCTION
Availability of
information
Ability to
make changes
INFORMATION DEFICIENCIES IN THE AEC
INDUSTRY
The prevalence of inaccurate and deficient
information has become an increasing problem for
the AEC industry. The most important requirement
for making good decisions is information, and poor
quality data limits the effectiveness of the decision-
making process and significantly impacts project
delivery.
A good metaphor of a construction projects is to view
it as a decision machine and the fuel of this machine
is information. In a good project, information is made
available in a timely fashion and decisions are made
on time. When information is not available at the time
required decision can be delayed, impacting the
overall progress of the project.
The AEC industry is often criticised for constructing
prototypes in scale 1:1 every time. The industry
is disadvantaged in that almost every project
undertaken is a one-off. Certainly there is transfer of
knowledge from one project to the next, but within the
project environment there is very little opportunity for
product testing.
Good decision-making is based on the provision of
information. In the traditional design and construction
process the availability of information increases as
the ability to make changes decreases ie. as the
project nears completion. Consequently owners are
forced to make premature decisions and live with the
consequences, or make last-minutes changes and bear
the cost.
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS EARLY
Owners need improved information logistics to
obtain project information as early as possible from
which to base sound decisions. Building Information
Modelling affords such a mechanism through the
ability to construct digitally on a PC before going to
site. With virtual design and construction (VDC) one
can test options and uncover problems and flaws that
most likely would not have been discovered before
the actual construction takes place on site. In this way,
VDC enables a digital construction site.
multiBIM Senior Advisor and former co-CEO of
buildingSMART International Lars Chr Christensen says
BIM is about organising the information in projects
in a new and improved way. Yes, we can almost talk
about establishing good information logistics in the
project. According to Christensen information logistics
ensures that the right information is delivered in the
correct format, on time and to the right people to
enable good decision-making. If we are successful
with the information logistics we almost automatically
get a more efficient project execution, where we put
decisions behind us and move on.
Digital building models can show you a visual digital
prototype of your building at a very early stage.
Combined with a database of information regarding
the building itself and the components used to build
it, one can, for example, calculate construction cost,
operations cost, life-cycle-cost, energy usage and
carbon-footprint. BIM can also contribute towards
improved problem/task understanding (division of
trade packages, deliverables, roles, responsibilities
and processes) increased cross-disciplinary respect,
increased product understanding and increased
enthusiasm in the project team.
In traditional projects, without BIM, energy simulation is
typically done six to nine months into the project. Even
if these calculations can highlight that some technical
choices and solutions are not optimal or adequately
energy efficient, often the project development has
come so far that there is only time left to do minor
adjustments to the solutions.
With BIM one can perform such analysis at an early
design stage and also have a running control through
the project stages with energy usage. In this way of
working we get early feedback on solution quality and
can spend time on energy optimization of the building.
Theme:
Information
Logistics
issue 31
ARTICLE1
Lars Chr
Christensen
Senior Advisor,
multiBIM
The important
thing for the
owner is to make
sound decisions
as early as
possible
utilising the
decision support
and improved
information
logistics that
BIM can enable.
BIM AS A DATA MANAGEMENT TOOL
BIM has the potential to radically improve project
quality by establishing good information logistics.
BIM is about organising the information in projects in a
new and improved way. Information logistics ensures
that the right information is delivered in the correct
format, on time and to the right people to enable
good decision-making. If we are successful with the
information logistics we almost certainly get a more
efficient project execution, where we put decisions
behind us and move on.
ACHIEVE BETTER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE
BUILDINGS
In a Norwegian government white paper on
innovation (Stortingsmelding 7 2008/2009), the
Norwegian Industry Ministry argued that the whole
construction process can become a much more
integrated process between all the different parties
if they manage to share all their key information by
utilising the openBIM buildingSMART standards.
OpenBIM enables a much smoother information
flow in projects and makes possible more analysis -
especially environmental and lifecycle cost analysis
- earlier in the life cycle of a project. OpenBIM also
contributes towards reducing miss-communication
and conflicts in construction projects, and towards
earlier discovery of design errors - thereby avoiding
costly construction errors. The benefit is more time
on design at an earlier stage of the project, and
the result is cheaper, more sustainable and better
buildings.
So far large institutional and government-owned
organisations have been in the lead of utilising BIM
and openBIM in their projects. The General Services
Administration (GSA), that manages $500 billion in
U.S. Federal property, and Statsbygg, the Norwegian
analogues organisation, have been instrumental in
challenging the industry and increasing the use of
BIM and openBIM. The Norwegian Statsbygg has
as a stated objective that from 2010 all their projects
should utilise openBIM.
multiBIM Senior Advisor and former co-CEO of
buildingSMART International Lars Chr Christensen
has gained experience with BIM deployment in
Norwegian and other international projects, and
predicts that in the coming 12 to 18 months
we will see a radical increase in BIM and openBIM
usage. If the Financial Crisis version 2.0 should
develop, cost control and efficiency improvement will
become even more important, and would motivate to
increased BIM usage
DID YOU
KNOW...?
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
BIM is an abbreviation for both Building Information
Model (the model of a product) and Building
Information Modelling (the process of creating the
model). BIM uses digital building models in project
development - in reality a 3D model connected to a
database of information about the building and the
components constituting it.
Some people also have defined BIM as Beyond
Information Modelling to focus on the fact that BIM
is all about conscious and controlled information
management.
SECURE INFORMATION QUALITY
Closed-Discipline-BIM is when BIM is used as a
modelling tool to contribute to solving a defined
design task within one discipline or one area.
Open-Team-BIM is used for open and standardised
exchange of information across disciplines and
between team members in a project in order to
secure information quality and save time by re-using
information.
BUILDINGSMART
buildingSMART (both as an organisation and as
a process) is concerned with how processes are
organised and how closed-discipline-BIM and
open-team-BIM is utilised in order to achieve better,
cheaper and faster project execution. This supports
delivering more sustainable projects that creates
value both for the owner and the users.
TOOLS FOR IMPROVED INFORMATION
LOGISTICS
BIM combined with buildingSMART provides a
platform for improved communication and improved
decision support. The effect is better and more cost
efficient buildings, less errors and more value for the
money.
ARTICLE2
Lars Chr Christensen for his
contribution to this issue.
Sorbonne
University, UAE
SORBONNE FIELD COORDINATION PROCESS AT A GLANCE
Cast-in-place concrete
workperformed
(out-of-tolerance)
Laserscanrecorded
as-builtconditions
Steel framesupdated
peron-site conditions
Cladding updated per
on-site conditions
Curtain-wall updated
peron-site conditions
Field data imported
into BIMplatform
Steel framessystem
delivered and installed
Cladding system
delivered and
installed)
Curtain-wall delivered
and installed
Coordinated
t-up in the eld
BIM IS A MANY SPLENDID THING
HMR is considered a pioneer in the Middle East
in applying the BIM approach to tenders, pre-
construction, construction, and as-built validation. The
joint venture currently uses dedicated, knowledgeable,
and well-trained BIM teams to function as the design-
construction hub in a project. Since adopting building
information modelling, it has been used in a number
of important projects, such as the St. Regis Resort
and the Trump tower, as well as in multiple tenders.
BIM is being applied to a magnitude of work phases at
HMR, including quantity surveying and 5D estimating,
4D schedule simulation, model design coordination,
reinforced concrete drawing production, equipment and
construction planning, linking to surveying equipment,
logistics and supply chain management, progress
monitoring and reporting, as well as to as-built
validation of structural elements.
CASESTUDY
to accommodate them into the steel and GRC
fabrication process. By doing this the team avoided
further conflicts and potential delays on site and sped
up the installation process.
DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PRODUCTIVITY
Productivity, efficiency and accuracy dramatically
increased since BIM was introduced in a later stage
of the project; says Brinkman. The amount of rework
in the design, fabrication and erection of steel frames
and faade elements was massively decreased due
to the as-built design validation of the main structural
elements: columns, beams and so on; which had
already been constructed.
By implementing BIM, I would say to have saved
almost 50% of the time (H)ad we not used building
information modelling, each steel frame would have
been installed, its variance to concrete measured, and
then it would have been sent back to the fabrication
yard to be modified before returning on site to be
finally re-installed.
University Paris-Sorbonne and the government of
Abu Dhabi signed an international agreement in
2006 to bring French-speaking higher education
to the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.
Joint Venture Main Contractor Al Habtoor
Murray and Roberts (HMR) deployed BIM on
site to remediate critical coordination issues.
The second, and final, phase of the project was
completed in August 2010 - ahead of schedule.
HMR have been working with BIM since 2008,
and the Sorbonne project greatly benefited from
this expertise. Says Ron Brinkman, Technical
Manager at Murray and Roberts Contractors;
In the Sorbonne project we implemented BIM
to coordinate with the subcontractors between
the construction of the main structure and the
process of steel and faade (GRC) fabrication and
installation. In addition, we used BIM technology
to validate the as-built status of the structure.
MATCHING STEEL & CONCRETE ON SITE
When the first structural elements were delivered
on the site of the new university campus, it was
noticed that the precast concrete elements did not
line up with the steel components. BIM software
was taken into use by Al Habtoor Murray and
Roberts Joint Venture (HMR) to enable as-built
validation of the structures.
AS-BUILT VALIDATION
Using laser-scanning surveying devices to get the
as-built coordinates, digital as-built information
was superimposed on the structural model. This
was then validated against the theoretical exact
locations of the components as per the design.
Coordination between the main contractor,
and the steel and faade subcontractors was a
challenge that was overcome with the help of
BIM. Changes to the as-built models from the
design were communicated to the subcontractors
issue 31
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BIM & Evacuation
Performance
ARTICLE1
issue 32
BUILDING PERFORMANCE FOR EVACUATION
Current BIM implementations in the AEC industry
seek methods to extend the utility of BIM models
to support design decisions through quantified
measures of performance. One of the many
aspects of buildings performances is evacuation.
Evacuation is becoming a major metric for design-
safety evaluation and obtaining building approval
by authorities. In this series of articles, building
evacuation assessment methods are reviewed,
and a process for integrating them with BIM design
processes is proposed.
PERFORMANCE
The increasing complexity of architectural design
renders Performance-based codes essential over
classical Prescription-based. Performance-based
building codes support higher quality design
because they deal with the behavior of design under
the specified testing conditions as opposed to the
description of its geometric attributes, or material
compositions, as in Prescription-based code.
A performance-based view of design relies on
the analysis and evaluation of design features in
relation to a set of requirements, rather than a set
of regulations. Analysis is the process of examining
the properties of a design proposal to develop an
understanding of it; and evaluation is the process
of verifying the analysis results against a spectrum
of requirements. In this context, performance
can be defined as the level of fulfillment a design
proposal provides for a defined set of requirements;
and Performance Indicators (PIs) are rating
mechanisms, which express the performance level
of a certain design
3
.
Performance-based analysis and evaluation of
buildings is not new. Evaluation of performance in
buildings helps develop more adequate, higher
quality design solutions, and validate prescription
based- building code.
EVACUATION
Evacuation is the process of escaping an enclosed
space at times of emergency due to various
(separate or combined) causes such as terrorist
attacks, earthquakes, floods, explosions, chemical
hazards, fire breakouts, among others . In the AEC
industry, analysis and evaluation of evacuation
deal with the validation of design proposals
against building code requirements to ensure
sufficient occupant evacuation times and safety
characteristics of design proposals.

BUILDING DESIGN & EVACUATION
PERFORMANCE
A buildings evacuation performance is influenced
by four categories of parameters: buildings physical
characteristics; occupant behavioral characteristics;
occupant physiological characteristics; and the
surrounding environment fire characteristics
5
.
Performance-based designs are those that closely
match and fulfill the requirements defined by the
stakeholders . In a performance-based design
approach, buildings are described as combinations
of two systems: Aspect systems and Sub systems.
Sub-systems are the physical elements in the
design, aspect systems are the behaviors, functions
or tasks that are expected from or associated with
Sub-systems. For example, signage in a building
is a Sub-system, where way finding is an aspect
system.
ARTICLE2
HOW TO MEASURE EVACUATION
PERFORMANCE
This article introduces the three methods of
measuring evacuation performance - hand
calculations, simulation models, and rule-based
checking -and briefly explains the current methods
to measure evacuation performance using BIM
models.
Hand calculations typically follow preset equations
defined by a regulatory authority. In the United
States, for examples, such equations are provided
by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) .
Hand calculations are limiting, longer to execute and
error prone when analyzing complex designs with
significant congestion situations.
Simulation Models on the other hand, can handle
more scenarios varying in complexity due to their
structure, which also makes them easier to
implement .
Rules can answer different types of questions which
simulation models may not be able to solve directly.
Such answers include: True or False, or measures of
minimum distances between certain locations, etc.
Rules can be used to address both Performance-
based building codes, and classical Prescriptive
based building codes. Thus, they can be situated
between hand calculations, and Simulation models. Figure 1: Image of Simulex simulation
4
More weight is given to simulation-models and rule-
based checking in this article.
It is argued that simulation models are best suited
for measuring evacuation performance because
they can handle multiple design situations varying in
scale and complexity.
SIMULATION MODELS
Simulations are imitations of real world operations
and processes or systems over a period of time.
A simulation-ist tries to capture and study the
behaviors of elements within a defined set of
variables using mathematical and symbolic
models .[2]
A model is a representation of an event and/or
things that are real (a case study) or contrived (a
use-case). It can also be a representation of an
actual system elements and relationships. Models
express certain aspects of reality at multiple levels of
abstraction .
A model is divided into three components:
1) Context whose effects are neglected;
2) Context whose effects are considered;
3) Things to be studied by the model .
Evacuation Models are composed of four sub-
models:

1) Purpose Model including: optimization, simulation
and risk management;
2) Enclosure representation model including: fine
network using nodes of various sizes and the
neighborhood ties connecting them; coarse
network using the actual structure. A node in a
coarse network representation can be a whole
room;
3) Population model to represent the effect of
emergency on occupants. This can also be
represented in two shades: fine and coarse
allowing for embedding of personal or generic
global attributes respectively; and
4) Behavior model to represent how occupants
might respond to or interact with each other, the
building structure, and the environment during
an emergency .
The availability of more than 40 evacuation models
proves the complexity of analyzing and predicting
emergencies and human behavioral patterns,
and further stresses the importance of integrating
evacuation simulation tools with the design
processes in the AEC industry .
Many evacuation simulation tools, only work with
2D planswhich can be drawn or imported in
DXF or DWG file formats. Once 2D plans are
available in a simulation tool, the user is required
to insert elements representing doors, staircases,
and exits. Some tools provide the ability to define
occupant numbers along with their type, age,
and psychological characteristics. Unfortunately,
currently available evacuation simulation tools do not
make full use of the object-oriented representation of
building elements provided by BIM.
In the context of evacuation analysis, performance
is the measure of how well sub-systems fulfill the
requirements defined by aspect systems. Sub-
systems in an Evacuation System are comprised of
the physical components found in a building or the
site, such as: stairs, alarms, sprinklers, exit lights,
evacuation rooms, fire walls, smoke detectors,
corridors, materials, etc. It also includes the
occupants themselves [1].
Performance measures of evacuation systems
describe the expected nature of the evacuation
process. These measures are broken into six
different categories including:
1) number of un-trapped individuals;
2) number of safe-evacuees;
3) evacuation time;
4) number of occupants evacuated within a certain
time period;
5) the remaining distance for an occupant to
evacuate
from a certain location to evacuation exit;
6) and average redundancy number of safe paths .
In summary, the performance of an evacuation
system is a measure of how well sub-systems
fulfill the requirements defined by aspect systems,
in respect to the given conditions (building
characteristics, emergency specifics) and in
response to the expected nature of evacuation.
There exist various tools for analyzing and evaluating
the performance of evacuation systems. These can
be grouped into three method categories - hand
calculations, simulation models, and rule-based
checking - introduced in the following article.
acknowledge and thank Maher
El Khaldi for the provision of
this article.
Maher El Khaldi,
M.S.Arch
(Digital Design
& Fabrication),
S.M.Arch.S.
(Design and
Computations),
B.Arch Project
Consultant at
Gehry
Technologies.
61
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DESIGNSYNTHESIS
PROCESS
GENERAL DATAFROM
BIMMODEL
FLOOR PLANS
PREPARE ANDCLEAN
DWG PLANS
CLEANEDFLOOR
PLANS
SIMULATION
SETUP
FEEDDATATO
EVACUATION
SIMULATIONTOOL
RULE CHECK
SETUP
FEEDIFC FILE &
RULES TORULE-CHECKINGTOOL
RULE-CHECKING RULES
RUNRULE-CHECKS
EXPORT NUMERICAL
OR BOOLEAN
ANALYSIS RESULTS
NORMALIZED
CALCULATIONS TO
GENERATE PIs
NOTACCEPTED
ACCEPTED
EVALUATE
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS
PHASE COMPLETED
IFC FILE
BIMATTRIBUTES
INSPREADSHEET
RUN
ANUMBER OF
SIMULATIONS USING
PARAMETERS RANGES
EXPORT NUMERICAL
ANALYSIS RESULTS
Evacuation is an important metric for measuring design safety. It is best appreciated when
an unexpected disaster takes place. Evacuation is typically measured through analysis then
evaluation via hand calculations, simulation models, or rule checking. Not all of the current
building evacuation analysis tools offer direct integration within BIM authoring tools. However,
it is possible to use the sharable representations among BIM authoring tools and evacuation
simulation and rule checking tools. A process diagram was proposed to facilitate such integration
of evacuation performance analysis and evaluation with BIM-based synthesis process.
SUMMARY
ARTICLE3
BIM & EVACUATION TOOLS INTEGRATION
PROCESS
The integration of evacuation analysis in a BIM-
based design process is highly dependent on the
representations that are shareable between the
different tools. These representations include 2D
plans (in DXF) for evacuation simulation tools, BIM
Models (in IFC) for rule-checking, and evacuation
and simulation attributes for controlling simulation
experiments and informing rule-checking activities.
While IFC files can carry the evacuation related
attributes implicitly, we suggest that these attributes
get also exported to spreadsheets so that they can
be manipulated and used as input data for setting
up simulation experiments and running rules.
The process starts by extracting the above
mentioned representations from a BIM model.
2D plans can be generated as 2D views and
exported in DXF file format. IFC files can be
exported from the authoring BIM tool with implicitly
embedded evacuation-related attributes, which can
be also explicitly exported to spreadsheets.
It is important to understand how the evacuation
simulation tool, which is used in the process, work in
order to preemptively embed the needed information
in the BIM model.
Also, since the process deal with rule-checking,
we suggest that rules and BIM spatial attributes
be developed in parallel to ensure compatibility
of BIM data with the rule-checking tool. This can
be done by devising standards for space naming
conventions, model arrangement, embedded data,
etc. The attributes are not limited to occupant
information, space type and operational hours,
or materials properties. They can also extend to
include parameters pertaining to the simulation
RULE CHECKING
While simulation models offer extensive features to
mimic human behavior during evacuation times,
they do not necessarily fully address Building
code requirements. Especially, when designers
must provide answers such as: True or False,
or Yes or No, etc. To provide such answers,
Building Rule-checking is needed. The complexity
of architectural design and requirements of building
code generated a huge momentum for the creative
automation solutions of rule-checking.
Rule-checking deals with the assessment of
design proposals based on the configuration its
elements, their relations or attributes. Research and
development of rule-checking tools for buildings
started two decades ago. However, effective tools
have just started to surface.
Eastman and his research team at Georgia Tech
suggests a 4-step process for implementing
automated rule checking [3]. These include:
experiment set up. These parameters can serve as
value ranges for running an array of experiments in
order to generate a large sample of results.
The extracted 2D DXF plans, which are generated
from the BIM model, are then imported into
the evacuation simulation tool of choice, or re-
drawn using the simulation tool drawing creation
functionality of available. Data about the building
evacuation and simulation parameters can be fed to
the simulation tool manually or through automation
routines by using a scripting language (if available)
or by programming custom applications. Then
simulations are triggered a number of times using
reasonable simulation parameter ranges in order
to create a large sample of results. The results then
evaluated through normalized calculations.
Similarly, the IFC model gets imported into the
Rule-Checking tool, where it gets inspected as
per the rules interpreted from the building code
requirements. Results from the rule-check tools are
then exported, and evaluated through normalized
calculations if necessary.
Finally, the simulation and rule checking results
are normalized and evaluated to help develop
performance indicators, PIs.
PIs help give a global aggregated view of the
evacuation performance of the design. The PIs
values can then be issued for decision makers to
identify the need for further design adjustments, or
the completion of the design phase. The process
diagram is included in figure 3.
1) rule interpretation and logical structuring of rules
for their application;
2) building model preparation, where the
necessary information required for checking is
prepared;
3) the rule execution phase, which carries out the
checking, and;
4) the reporting of the checking results.
Rule-checking tools use IFC (Industry
Foundation Class) as a standard non-proprietary
file format to import CAD models.
Rulechecking tools offer true-integration with
BIM models. They operate on building elements
(objects) and provide built-in rules. Other tools offer
functionality to program custom building rules. Not
only can Rule-checking tools check for evacuation
issues, but also virtually any form of inquiry such as
correct naming conventions for building elements,
locations, sizes, etc.
Figure 2 : Image of Solibri rule-checking software
Figure 3 : Process diagram for integrating evacuation
performance analysis and evaluation with BIM-based
design process.
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The BIM Manager
A NEW ROLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
The BIM Manager now, more than ever, plays a
fundamental role in driving the entire project delivery
and ensuring completion on time and in budget.
His core responsibilities comprise coordinating
the modeling works, reporting the BIM status and
maintaining the model integrity. The transition some
years ago from CAD Manager to BIM Manager was
essential to the advancement of BIM processes
within the construction industry. Today, however, a
more all encompassing BIM Manager is called for.
MANAGING PROCESS, PEOPLE TE,CHNOLOGY
AND POLICY
As the virtual representation of the real facility, the
digital 3D model has a wide range of requirements
which cannot be fulfilled by a standard construction
team. Processes are constantly changing, new ones
must be introduced, alternative technologies are
required and contracts need to be adapted.
It is logical evolution that the responsibility of the
BIM Manager has grown alongside the ongoing
development and acceptance of BIM in the
construction industry. Currently the BIM Manager is
steadily growing in to a multipurpose figure, taking
care of several different management fields.
How have his responsibilities changed? And
which challenges is he facing with each new BIM
implementation on a project, regardless of the size
and type?
While BIM is becoming an industry standard, BIM
know-how and proven references for companies
are now being seen as a pre-requisite for tenders.
As projects grow in scale and complexity, industry
professionals and group bodies are accepting that
digital models and BIM processes are becoming
the most effective way of reducing costs and risk
while increasing quality. This forces the construction
sector to develop its own knowledge to be
competitive.
Adopting BIM means a new way of working. Along
with this, the challenges of managing people,
processes, policy and technology arise. Making
the task more complex, those individuals and
companies adopting BIM methods must still be
able to coordinate and work with those who are not
readily utilising it. They must be versatile, adaptive
and quick on their feet.
Not only does the model itself need its own Manager
to ensure its integrity and proper use, such a
significant change in the industry standards calls
for a changed/evolved role which can act as a focal
point for all BIM related activities on a project The
BIM Manager.
Though the current role of BIM Manager already
exists in the construction dialogue, it is loosely
ARTICLE1
ARTICLE2
issue 33
Facility
Manager
Con-
structor
Cost
Estimator
other
Specialist
Designer
CM/PM
Developer
BIM Manager
Owner
BIM
PROJECT LIFECYCLE
coordi nati on
applied to those with CAD management experience,
who are working with BIM related tools and software.
Todays BIM Manager is often taking care of the
model only but there is much more to BIM than the
model itself.
If as an industry we are to take advantage of all
the benefits that can be garnered from utilizing 3D
models, we need to ask the following questions:
Who is defining the right BIM processes?
Who is taking care of the BIM related personnel?
Who is responsible for choosing the right IT
environment?
Who is checking the contract conditions to fit in the
BIM approach?
Who is leading the training and education required
for personnel?
The evolution of virtual design and construction
throughout the past decade is such that the existing
model centric BIM Managers role description is now
obsolete. To bring on all the desired changes, we
must redefine the position.
Figure 1: The BIM Manager as a key role in the project lifecycle
PROCESS
The first mandatory component of BIM-supported construction is defining the right processes.
As the basis for all model based activities, the right processes can be the difference between the
success and failure of a BIM Implementation. BIM processes should be defined and monitored
by the BIM Manager considering the project life-cycle, for example:
Design creation and coordination
Quantity take-off
Cost estimation
Scheduling and progress monitoring
Change management
Operation and maintenance
Asset management
PEOPLE
The team is the success. No achievement would be possible without the right people on board.
Knowing that BIM is still a new frontier in the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction)
industry, the challenge of finding and nurturing the right team of people is ongoing. The BIM
Managers role is also responsible for:
Imparting knowledge and experience
Defining the required team roles and responsibilities
Facilitating efficient and effective collaboration and communication
Instilling trust and commitment within the team
Fostering a supportive team culture
TECHNOLOGY
The conventional IT environment in construction projects today often requires enhancements
to support the proper usage and utilisation of 3D models. An appropriate and cost effective
set up of hardware and software has to be defined by the BIM Manager. Additionally, the data
exchange and storage processes have to be defined and managed. The BIM Manager must be
in charge of the following:
Certifying appropriate hardware and software
Defining data formats and structure
Controlling and regulating data versioning
Defining user specific workspaces
Ensuring clear internet connections, with minimum connection downtime, and sufficient
speed
POLICY
Complete and successful BIM Implementation requires having BIM in contracts. The BIM
Manager should take care to create clear and thorough technical specifications to be the basis
for the model development and exchange. Project conditions must at a minimum clarify the
following:
The project guidelines and contracts in relation to BIM
Building standards
The ownership of deliverables and associated intellectual properties
Risks and insurance implications that could be encountered
For a successful BIM Implementation, the BIM Manager must be capable of integrating and
managing all those components.
acknowledge and thank
HOCHTIEF ViCon for the
provision of this issue.
Robert Grys,
BIM
Implementation
Manager at
HOCHTIEF ViCon
Mimi Westhorpe,
Virtual Design
and Construction
Engineer at
HOCHTIEF ViCon
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Cost estimation
Quantity take-off
Change management
Operation & maintenance
Design creation and coordination
Scheduling and Progress Monitoring
Collaboration and communication
Knowledge and experience
Roles and responsibilities
Trust and commitment
Culture
Data security and user management
Certified hardware and software
Data formats and structure
Data versioning
Internet
Building standards
Risks and insurance
Ownership of deliverables
Project guidelines and contracts
BIM
B
IM
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Project
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PM/CM
Designer Consultant Contractor
BIM Manager
This explains that the modern role of the BIM Manager not only means taking care of the digital 3D model, but
ensuring that all BIM related tasks are overseen in parallel; the new role is, in fact, many roles. An important
aspect of this is the understanding that the BIM Manager supports the project life-cycle approach and is not
only focussing on a particular project phase like the design. Now the role also includes supporting HR, IT and
legal departments in their work. He is the BIM Manager, 2.0.
In light of the new requirements of the role of BIM Manager, his positioning within the project organisation is
critical. The organizational chart in Figure 3 shows the BIM Manager in a central role, directly between the
client and the Project Management. The positioning enables him to ensure a life cycle BIM approach, get all
stakeholders involved, encourage a top down strategy, and measure the project performance independently of
the client or developer.
Figure 2 shows four components that surround a successful BIM implementation: process, people, technology
and policy. Encircling them is the Management (in this case, the BIM Manager), who leads them to work in
unison. It is in these four key components, that we can identify the roles evolved requirements.
With this role progression, how does yesterdays BIM Manager, become todays new and improved BIM
Manager 2.0? Training and education become the key considerations. Along with prerequisite skills such as on-
site experience, CAD Software skills and the usual gamut of competencies, it is important to find someone who
is proactive and willing to learn. Training on the job, and continued professional development (CPD) courses are
vital. Certification by BIM competent education centres and probationary periods for junior BIM Managers will
enable thorough understanding of the complexity of the role.
As the AEC industry strives to develop and refine its standard roles and processes to continue to be
competitive, so too does the BIM Manager need to grow. With the myriad challenges facing BIM implementation
in construction today, the difference between success and failure will surely be a versatile BIM Manager.
Figure 2: The Five Components of HOCHTIEF ViCons BIM methodology
Figure 3: Organisational Chart with BIM Manager
PROCESS PEOPLE
For a complex 38 storey hotel building located in the Cairo city centre, the client requested the use of sophisticated
BIM methodology. The scope of desired applications for this project comprised design coordination, quantity
estimation, construction progress monitoring, 4D simulation, and overall project visualisation. In order to realise a
successful implementation of this comprehensive BIM scope and to accompany and manage all transitions from
standard working practices to BIM centric methods with a minimum of friction, a dedicated BIM Manager was
engaged for an integrated approach to all BIM related processes, people, technology, and policy amendments.
A centralised method of information exchange
demands commitment from day one, which
needs to be followed at all times. Stakeholders
need to know exactly what data in which
format they should submit to whom, and when
to update. The same way they deserve to
know what kind of information at what times to
expect from their counterparts. Hence, while
producing and processing project information,
BIM always needs to be on peoples minds.
The coordination of all these requirements was
led by the BIM Manager from the beginning.
Initial BIM introduction meetings served as
platforms to address clearly and frankly
individual expectations and obligations to
stakeholders in order to manage the transition
process on the project. Concerns and opinions
from affected individuals were welcomed in
these discussions. As a result, all stakeholders
became aware of their benefits from a new
collaborative approach realized with BIM
and were willing to commit themselves to
a transparent and cooperative working
approach. The discussions were documented
by the BIM Manager in a set of project specific
Process Manuals, clearly reflecting individual
roles and responsibilities in light of the
commonly agreed procedures.
The scope of BIM for this project demanded
the development of a stakeholder training
concept, ranging from general BIM technology
introductions to detailed and individually
tailored user training on implemented BIM
systems and processes for all involved
employees.
Expectations from BIM can vary very much
among project participants. Especially in large
groups there are invariably some skeptics not
willing to trust the data derived from a digital
model which is in many cases created and
maintained by others. Some reservations may
stem from bad experience from other projects
that did not have an integrated approach to
BIM.
The project offered training for all stakeholders
following a systematic scheme. Approximately
40 individuals completed 100 training modules
in 10 weeks of lessons held across 6 months.
All training was led by the BIM Manager and
carried out in a dedicated meeting room
using interactive boards. Student participation
was the key to a better understanding of the
processes and systems associated with BIM,
along with gaining confidence and trust in the
BIM Manager and their role.
CASESTUDY
BIM Implemenation in a Cairo
city centre project
issue 33
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TECHNOLOGY
Implementing BIM to such an extent meant
coordinating a wide range of new technology
and systems as well as adapting several
processes to establish a transparent and
centralized working environment. People in the
construction business, however, are largely
not used to working in BIM environments and
hence a smooth transition from decentralised
to centralised communication and information
exchange needs to be accompanied and
managed.
Typically during early project phases, individual
workloads on large scale construction projects
tend to be at their maximum. With BIM usually
implemented at the project commencement
rather than later, spare time to aquaint with
new software, technology or processes is
usually rare. In consequence learning curves
need to be quick, and ideally any derived BIM
information should be easy to understand and
ready to be processed out of the box.
For this project, it was decided to implement
BIM step by step according to requirements
arising during the projects developing
phases. The setup of collaboration and design
coordination tools marked the initial setup
of BIM onsite. An onsite meeting room was
nominated, and equipped with interactive
whiteboards for effective meeting support.
Computer hardware suitable for using
model and data viewer software, as well as
screensharing and other global communication
facilities were selected and installed by
the BIM Manager. Tools and software user
interfaces were kept simple, and contained
information that was current and reliable.
Additionally, the BIM Manager upgraded the IT
network and associated equipment in order to
ensure continuous availability of information.
POLICY
Working with centralised information, which
is comprehensive and ideally available at any
time contains risks e.g. data origin and access.
Who owns the Building Information Model?
Who is responsible for data correctness?
Who is allowed to access what kind of
information in a complex project?
Who is ensuring data safety and integrity at
all times?
Maintaining a dedicated BIM Manager on
site allowed BIM to have a central focal point
where questions like these, among others,
could be directed. In this project all roles,
obligations and responsibilities were clarified
from the beginning with the support of the
BIM Manager, and compiled in a set of central
documents. These documents comprised an
initial implementation plan for BIM, contractual
specifications for sub contractors and detailed
BIM modeling guidelines, clarifying all relevant
processes, data exchange formats, data
update cycles, responsibilities, etc.
The participants of the Cairo project had
very different levels of competence in BIM
related processes, tools and technologies.
This resulted in a high demand for the BIM
Manager.
His continued presense on site and tailored
education modules proved indispensible to
the voluntary acceptance of BIM methods, and
finally to a very successful implementation of
Building Information Modeling.
issue 33
JOIN OUR BIM
COMMUNITY
The term Building Information Modeling (BIM) generates
approximately 2.5 Million internet searches a month! With BIM
gaining more and more hype and media coverage, thousands of
websites and blogs are emerging bombarding users with information!
Whether you are a BIM newbie or an expert it is hard to find the time or the patience to wade through
the plethora of information available online hence www.thebimhub.com. Our goal is to gather a very
large BIM Community in one place" to network, educate, share and provide Information.
NETWORK
RESEARCH
SHARE
TRAIN
PROMOTE
WWW.THEBIMHUB.COM
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DEFINING EXPECTATIONS OF BIM
BIM is not new. Professor Charles Eastman, of
the Georgia Institute of Technology, pushed for
representing buildings as Product Information
Models through Building Description Systems
in his papers and books since the late 1970s. Dr.
Robert Aish coined the term Building Modeling
back in 1980. The term was transformed quickly into
Building Information Modeling as we know it today.
BIM tools started to surface in the late 1980s and
are continuously growing in all directions, offering
varying levels of sophistication and functionality.
Even though the concept has existed under one
name or another for over 30 years, the technologies
of building information modeling are still developing.
Personal computers have become more powerful,
project conditions more complex, and user
requirements more demanding. Most significantly,
the area of potential application is so vast, software
developers are forced to tread the thin line between
specialization and generalization. The result has
been the development of a plethora of BIM tools with
varying functions and varying levels of maturity. Thus
selecting a BIM tool, or a suite of BIM tools, is not
an easy decision. This choice impacts production
pipelines and the type of projects a BIM service
provider can handle.
In this issue of the BIM Journal we discuss BIM tools
in three short articles:
1-Defining Expectations of BIM
2-Metrics for Analyzing BIM Tools
3-BIM Tool Selection
BIM is often defined as Building Information
Models or Building Information Modeling, and
sometimes Building Information Management. BIM
is perhaps best understood as various permutations
of the acronym: B. I. M. That is, Building Models,
Building Management, Information Models,
Information Management
,Buildings Information, Information Building,
Modeling Buildings, Managing Buildings,
Modeling Information, and finally Managing
Information.
The broad range of applications and even
broader range of interpretations is indicative of
the complexity of choosing a BIM tool. Let alone
the challenge of integrating different aspects of
BIM while collaborating with other AEC companies
on design, engineering, or construction projects.
A divide-and-conquer approach is a very good
strategy to tackle the selection problem. The main
drivers to this strategy are scopes and expectations.
Scope definition is often driven by project
requirements, contractual deliverables, or by the
services that a BIM provider aims to provide. This
can vary from BIM-model, authoring, to BIM-
data management, documentation, analysis and
simulation, construction coordination, project
delivery process design, optimization, facility
management, sequencing, resource planning, and
even building demolition.
ARTICLE1
issue 34
BIM Tool Selection
A major result of scope definition is the ability
to identify the data types needed to interface
between the different subcontractor packages. Data
exchange methods, processes, and standards will
be identified; leading to the development of a clear
understanding of BIM, and what is expected from
BIM. Expectations are highly dependent on the BIM
service providers experience as well as the clients
experience.
An important and more comprehensive strategy
for indentifying scopes (other than the divide and
conquer approach) is developing an execution plan.
This will be discussed further in a future BIM Journal
Issue (Issue 35).
METRICS FOR ANALYZING BIM TOOLS
After defining scopes and expectations, the BIM
user can identify metrics for analysing how well
a BIM tool may satisfy the scope expectations.
Analysis metrics can be developed from different
points of view. For example: general purpose,
project-specific, scope-specific, or even software-
vendor specific. Suggested below are some general
purpose analysis metrics:
1) Pre-defined Objects: The availability of standard
AEC objects at varying levels of detail and behavior
is highly useful for production work.
2) Custom Objects: The ability to construct user-
defined objects and assemblies with high levels of
intelligence through embedding parameters, rules,
relationships and constraints.
3) Intelligent update: Intelligence in updating
parametric relationships in models. Some BIM
tools save all drawings in the same file as the
3D-information Model. Thus changing any object
will trigger changes in all drawings sheets. This can
hinder the development of BIM models, especially
for complex projects. It is important to understand
how the different BIM tools update all of the model
components to ensure that the fashion in which they
work is suitable for the required application.
4) Performance: Technology will never be able to
catch up with the demands and expectations of its
users, especially when it comes to performance.
Thus, it is important to have realistic expectations of
BIM tools to be able to judge their ability to deliver
the required level of performance. Tool performance
can be discussed in many terms such as: memory
handling, model update times, integrity of BIM data
throughout the model life cycle, among others.
5) File management: One of the main goals
behind embracing BIM is extracting data from a
central source. Each tool has its unique structure
for supporting file control and management. This
is important to consider in relation to multi-user
functionality especially multi location scenarios
and how to regulate access rights.
ARTICLE2
6) Knowledge Management: Depending on the
scope, users might need to embed, and often
protect, certain parameters, information, formulas,
and attributes in their BIM files. Thus, it might
be essential that the selected BIM tool supports
methods controlling access rights or knowledge
management.
7) Interoperability: BIM modeling tools ought to
support neutral file formats, such as IFC (Industry
Foundation Classes) to facilitate data exchange
with other BIM modeling and BIM data management
tools. A sub-criterion would be the quality of
exported data, how parametric is it, how well is it
attributed, and how well it imports other file formats.
8) Extendibility: For advanced tasks, users might
need to delve into the Application Programming
Interface (API), or the scripting language to build
automation routines. Most of the currently available
BIM tools offer such functionality, but at different
levels. They also support different programming
languages.
9) Availability of Technical Support and Community:
Since the AEC industry is still in the transition
process to BIM, it becomes very important to select
BIM tools that come with a family of users and an
abundance of local technical support and resources.
10) Cost: BIM tools are considerably more expensive
when compared to regular CAD tools. Thorough
feasibility studies of which BIM tool is more
advantageous are highly useful.
11) Develop-ability: Availability of third-party
extensions and continuous development. It is
important that BIM tools offer extensions to support
additional functionalities that can facilitate data
exchange with other team members. In addition,
it is important the BIM tools receive continuous
updates and corrections in order to keep up with the
changing nature and growing demands of the AEC
industry.
12) Portability: The availability of a free CAD viewer
for the tools native file format is highly desirable.
This can enable sharing project information with
different parties who do not have access to a full
software license.
13) Learning curve: BIM tools offer different ways to
structure and construct objects, produce drawings,
embed information, etc. All this comes with a
learning curve, which must be considered when
evaluating BIM tools.
14) Support for Manufacturing: Depending on
the AEC sector, some BIM models are required
to support manufacturing such as metal sheet
bending, nesting, score lines, etc.
15) Support for Collaboration: In addition to
supporting the IFC open standards, it is valuable
that BIM tools support the BIM collaboration format
(BCF). The BCF file format allows for exchanging
captions and views between BIM tools; facilitating
documentation of design changes, construction
issues, requests for information, variation orders,
etc.
16) Up-to-Date Data Exchange Support: The
development of the IFC file format is constant.
Thus, it is important to support the latest IFC
updates in order to harness the value of the open
standards devised by BuildingSMART. For example,
the upcoming release of IFC 2X4 is posed to
support GIS data. Thus, it will open new doors for
standardized file exchange with GIS software.
17) Remaining Up-To-Date: AEC needs change
as architects, engineers, and contractors continue
to interact with each other through BIM. Thus, it is
important that the selected BIM tool supports new
processes. For example, support for construction
modeling, light design, MEP engineering design &
coordination, among others.
18) Data integrity: BIM models are required to
be robust to survive not only the design and
construction stages, but also facility management
and building maintenance. Thus, it is important that
the selected BIM suite of tools maintains the integrity
of BIM objects. Different aspects can be reviewed for
this metric such as: backups and archiving methods,
ownership and access rights control, robustness
of BIM modeling operations and methods and its
impact on the geometry and the embedded data,
among others.
acknowledge and thank Maher
El Khaldi for the provision of
this article.
Maher El Khaldi,
M.S.Arch
(Digital Design
& Fabrication),
S.M.Arch.S.
(Design and
Computations),
B.Arch Project
Consultant at
Gehry
Technologies.
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ARTICLE3
BIM TOOL SELECTION
After analyzing BIM tools by a number of scope-
informed analysis metrics, it is important to
translate the findings into understandable, logical,
evaluations; by which selection can be made.
TOOL GRADING
Selection can be thought of as a small optimum-
selection problem. This is suitable when evaluating
combinations of BIM tools. In a highly simplistic
approach (which is probably more suitable to our
purposes), the BIM reviewer will associate analysis
results in certain combinations to create evaluation
parameters. Then, evaluation parameters will be
assigned different levels of importance. This will
help identify the evaluation parameters acting as
constraints, those acting as free/variables, and
those acting as targets (measures). After that, BIM
reviewers ought to explore different combinations of
parameter creation methods (associating analysis
criteria for example), then different hierarchy
schemes, then generate different parameter values
using the defined formulas. Following this the BIM
reviewer can examine different combinations of
evaluation parameter values based on all BIM
tools. This will help the reviewer understand how
certain collection of tools may satisfy the scope
requirements in comparison to others.
Another method for tool selection is developing
a rating system for how well a BIM tool satisfies
the analysis criteria, then defining a hierarchy of
importance for each criteria by giving it weight.
Finally, picking the tool (or combination of tools),
which score the highest in the overall rating system.
TRIAL AND TESTING
Alternatively, another good selection method is
seeking BIM tool training, prior to purchasing, from
the software vendor or accredited service providers.
This will help the BIM reviewer evaluate how suitable
the tool is for their staff, office workflows, and client
requirements. Suggested below are a number of
topics to focus on when seeking BIM training.
1-Software Approach to BIM:
Since software vendors offer different methods and
processes to implement BIM, it becomes essential
to understand how they approach BIM related
concepts such as: Integrated Project Delivery,
Collaboration, Product Lifecycle Management,
Project Management, LEAN-Construction, and
Open-BIM.
2-Collaboration and Data Exchange:
In an open market, where AEC companies utilise
different tools, it is highly effective to review how a
specific tool integrates with other BIM tools as well
as other non-BIM tools. Such situations often occur
when performing engineering design and calculation
tasks. Of course, data is not limited to geometry. It
includes attributes, schedules, specifications, room
data sheets, quantity take offs, sequencing, etc.
3-BIM authoring of standard AEC objects and
customized parametric objects:
Training must give equal weight to explaining
procedures for creating standard AEC objects,
as well as creating reusable and customized
parametric BIM objects. This is especially important
not only to special equipment providers and material
suppliers, but also to custom solution providers
who focus on building custom libraries of reusable
objects as a main income generator.
4-Maintain the integrity of the BIM model and data.
For BIM data to remain reusable throughout the
lifecycle of a project, users are required to learn how
to maintain its integrity. This is highly dependent
on user skills and software capabilities. Thus, it is
important to understand the limitations and solutions
one might face while modeling, updating, or editing
a BIM model.
Training will give BIM reviewers deep insights
into how the tool may satisfy the defined scopes,
and thus will be evaluated for its fulfillment of the
requirements.
ASK A FRIEND
Another method for selection can be simply made
by seeking advice from trusted and experienced
users who can be reached via CAD/BIM forums and
professional networks, or reading software reviews,
examining BIM case studies, and taking a leap of
faith in making a decision.
None of the above methods are exclusive of one
another; nor are they defined by hard science. They
are only suggested as ideas to help identify BIM
tools that exist out in the market.
issue 34
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ARTICLE1
issue 35
BIM Implementation
& Execution Plans
WHERES MY BIM IN A BOX
Perhaps you are intrigued by the proposition of
BIM and want to take it for a test drive, or you may
already be convinced of the benefits and are eager
to roll it out. So how do you get started? Where is the
BIM in a box, and where are the instructions?
To the disappointment of many new-comers there
is no one size fits all solution. The applications of
BIM are too broad, the needs of the users are too
diverse, and software development is in a fairly
continuous state of development and transformation.
Building Information Modelling is - at least in its
current state - a bespoke solution.
This throws much of the onus back on the user to
investigate the possible applications of BIM, the
available technologies and appropriate workflow
strategies. Benefits and limitations must be
accurately appraised in respect to ones business
model. This is can be an arduous process, but it
need not be tackled all in one go. Specific steps can
be taken to make rapid inroads into the world of BIM.
The first question to ask is what can BIM do?, and
secondly, what can it do for me?. Once familiar with
the possibilities and the potential application in ones
own business, one can begin to set some goals and
lay-out a roadmap.
The next question is how do I implement this in my
organisation? Specifically, what are my current
resources and capabilities and what do I need?
Thirdly we can ask what are the processes and
infrastructure that can support me in achieving my
goals? In posing this question we must recognise
that processes will change as much as technology.
It is not simply a question of software selection.
An organisation adopting BIM must be prepared
to experience a disruption (and of course an
improvement) to existing processes.
GUIDE FOR BIM DEPLOYMENT
This article introduces some basic strategies to
support organisations in implementing building
information modelling. It suggests developing a
familiarity of standard BIM functions and processes
from which to define ones goals and implementation
strategy. The article also provides practical
guidance on developing a BIM Execution Plan,
setting standards and protocols, and launching a
pilot project.
BIM FUNCTIONS AND PROCESSES
BIM has a broad range of application; right cross
the design, construction and operation process. It
is often impractical for any single BIM user to have
expertise in all areas, nevertheless, it is important
to be aware of the areas of application and thus
be able to select which BIM functions are most
applicable to ones own business
The Pennsylvania State University Building
Information Modeling Execution Planning Guide
defines twenty-five distinct BIM functions. Branching
into the specialist areas of BIM one could argue that
there are many more. buildingSMART International
currently has over one hundred BIM activities
defined as individual Information Delivery Manuals
(refer to following section for definition of IDMs).
Regardless of how they are defined, BIM Functions
can be roughly grouped into five categories:
ARTICLE2
DESIGN
Category Example BIM Functions
Existing conditions modelling, spatial programming, model authoring, design coordination
Structural analysis, energy analysis, lighting analysis, model auditing, code checking
Site utilisation, construction sequencing (4D) cost estimation (5D), digital fabrication, BIM-to-field
Asset & space management, maintenance scheduling, facility expansion
Collaborative platforms, change management, issue reporting & tracking, managing metadata, linking
databases, interoperability and file exchange
ANALYSIS
CONSTRUCTION
OPERATION
DATA
MANAGEMENT
It is somewhat of a step into the unknown, however
there do exist an extensive source of project
references, international standards and best
practices and numerous guides and references
documents to support the transition.
The following two articles provide a snapshot of the
process of BIM implementation, as well as offering a
selection of references and practical tips.
Having a healthy understanding of these functions
enables one to make an informed decision about
which functions one may want to deploy. It also
gives an appreciation of the activities undertaken by
other parties, in which one may need to be indirectly
involved (eg. in the exchange of model data).
The process of transitioning a building information
model from one function to the next, and indeed the
progression of the model through various levels of
development, must be pre-conceived and well-
structured.
For example, if one intents to perform accurate
cost estimations, specific data needs to be
imbedded into the model objects at an early stage
of development. buildingSMART International has
defined Information Delivery Manuals (IDMs) to
provide a framework for describing such model
progressions. Each activity is described in a
unique IDM in the form of Process Maps, Exchange
Requirements and Functional Parts. There are
currently over one hundred IDMs being developed
by buildinSMART members worldwide. (Further
information regarding IDMs can be found at
buildingSMART International IDM website.)
DEFINE GOALS AND IMPLEMENTATION
STRATEGY
Once the desired BIM Functions and associated
processes have been identified an organisation can
define its goals and lay-out a roadmap for achieving
these. Although the end-goal may be ambitious, it
is important to establish achievable milestones. It
may be advisable to initially pursue the low-hanging
fruit of BIM; functions such as 3D coordination and
drawing extraction that yield the greatest return for
the minimum effort. More complex functions and
processes can be tackled as competency and
confidence increases.
Transitioning to BIM is greatly benefitted by
developing a healthy BIM culture within an by,
for example, recognising BIM Champions and
forming steering committees. Organisation
may also choose to engage external BIM
advisors or develop strategic partnerships with
specialist consultants.
FOSTER A BIM CULTURE
Project processes can be mapped out in
a BIM Execution plan. An execution plan
establishes the project objectives, roles
and responsibilities of the various parties,
and required process maps and information
exchanges. An excellent reference for
developing a BIM Execution Plan is the
Pennsylvania State Universitys Building
Information Modeling Execution Planning
Guide.
The Execution Plan should be accompanied
by a comprehensive set of standards
and protocols that regulate everything
from modelling practices to file-naming
conventions. This takes some of the burden
off individual stakeholders in defining
their own standards, and most importantly
ensures consistency across a project. A
useful reference for BIM standards is the Los
Angeles Community College District (LACCD)
Building Information Modeling Standards.
Software selection is a critical process in BIM
implementation , and ought to be undertaken
in consideration of specific user requirements.
A useful guide for software evaluation and
selection can be found in BIM Journal Issue
34: Metrics for Analyzing BIM Tools
DEVELOP A BIM EXECUTION PLAN
DEFINE STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS
EVALUATEAVAILABLESOFTWARESOLUTIONS
It is advisable to start the transition to BIM with
a pilot project that is neither excessively large
nor complex. Alternatively one may choose
to undertake a parallel exercise, where a
BIM team operates in parallel to the standard
project team (using traditional methods). This
relieves the BIM team from the pressure of
meeting construction deadlines, while still
supporting the construction team with benefits
of 3D visualisation, coordination, construction
simulation, quantity take-off and other basic
functions.
It is advisable to start the transition to BIM with
a pilot project that is neither excessively large
nor complex. Alternatively one may choose
to undertake a parallel exercise, where a
BIM team operates in parallel to the standard
project team (using traditional methods). This
relieves the BIM team from the pressure of
meeting construction deadlines, while still
supporting the construction team with benefits
of 3D visualisation, coordination, construction
simulation, quantity take-off and other basic
functions.
LAUNCHAPILOTORPARALLELBIMPROJECT
REFERENCE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
AND BEST PRACTICES
NBIMS - National BIM Standards v2 (USA)
Senate Properties BIM requirements (Finland)
Statsbbyg BIM Manual 1.2 (Norway)
NATSPEC National BIM Guide (Australia)
Mark Baldwin,
BIM Journal
Editor
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buildingSMART
Level 2 Training
BIM Process
Management
buildingSMART Middle East has developed an
openBIM training programme that addresses key
concepts and issues surrounding BIM operation.
The Level 2 training certificate, titled BIM Process
Management, is a two-day course that overviews
BIM functions and processes, and examines how an
organisation can develop a customised strategy for
BIM deployment.
DAY-ONE
Day one of the course defines the various BIM
functions that may be deployed within a project
environment. It also provides a strategy for
organisations to determine their current BIM
capability and future aspirations. The course
provides a framework in which participants can
identify realistic goals specific to their area of
operations, and introduces a BIM Planning Template
through which participants can develop a roadmap
to achieve these goals.
BIM FUNCTIONS
Building information modelling is a vast and varied
field, covering a broad scope of activities. These
activities, or BIM Functions, can be roughly
grouped into five categories outlined in the previous
article:
DESIGN
ANALYSIS
CONSTRUCTION
OPERATION
DATA MANAGEMENT
The Level 2 course provides an overview of the
various BIM functions, as summarised in the five
sections below. For technical training of specific BIM
functions buildingSMART ME offers the Level 3 and
Level 4 trainings which are comprised of individual
modules of each BIM function.
DESIGN
applications relate to the pre-planning and planning
phase of a project. This section includes initial
data collection (laser surveying, existing conditions
modelling and site analysis), spatial programming
and design authoring. It encompasses includes
design review and coordination.
CASESTUDY
ANALYSIS
refers to secondary applications, often undertaken
by a party who may not have authored the model
themselves. Analysis activities include structural
analysis, energy analysis, green building
certification, lighting analysis, mechanical system
analysis, as well as other specialty disciplines.
This category also includes model auditing, that is
validating model integrity (how well is it built?) and
verifying the model against design parameters and
building code requirements.
CONSTRUCTION
functions refer to the deployment of BIM for
construction management. This includes
construction planning, (site utilisation, construction
system design and 3D control and planning) as
well as applications for construction sequencing
(4D) and quantity take-off and estimation (5D). This
section also examines shop drawing production
and integration with Computer Aided Manufacturing
(CAM). A significant part of this section addresses
BIM to Field activities such as establishing
construction set-out points and recording as-built
data and construction status.
OPERATION
refer to BIM functions that support facility
management. This includes record modelling (using
laser scanning devices to capture as-built data),
model maintenance and integrating the model with
Facilities Management software for asset or spatial
management, equipment tracking and maintenance
scheduling. The sections also examines how
a model can be reactivated for future facility
expansion.
DATA MANAGEMENT
examine best practices for BIM data structure
and exchange, and how multi-model data may be
regulated. This section includes an introduction
to collaborative platforms and electronic project
delivery systems, as well as key sessions on model
collaboration, change management and issue
reporting & tracking. This section also includes
functions relating to interoperability and exchange
formats (such as IFC), managing metadata and
linking multiple databases (models and text files).
BIM EXECUTION PLAN
The afternoon of day-one introduces strategies
on how organisations can plan for and implement
building information modelling. Topics covered
include assessing current BIM capabilities,
establishing desired goals and developing a
BIM Execution Plan. The BIM Execution plan is a
project specific document that identifies required
BIM functions, establishes project standards
and protocols and develops specific workflows.
These workflows include both process maps
and information exchanges that regulate model
progression between various functions and across
multiple disciplines and/or organisations.
The last session of day-one examines strategies
for selecting appropriate software and necessary
IT infrastructure. This includes an appreciation of
functional requirements (eg. authoring, analysis or
viewing/coordination tools) interoperability issues
(within organisation and within potential project
teams) and collaborative platforms and data
exchange
DAY-TWO
Day two of the Level 2 course examines central
issues relating to BIM implementation both in an
organisations internal structure, and in its external
operations - legally and contractually. Topics
covered in the morning session include developing
a training programme, managing changes to
internal processes (productivity, pit-falls and
lessons learned) and changes to business process
(resources and roles, extended capabilities,
contractual considerations).
The afternoon session will provide practical
information on how to safely and efficiently support
the transition to BIM. This involves setting achievable
goals with realistic and incentivised milestones, and
providing appropriate support structure in terms of
BIM champions within an organisation, developing
steering committees, fostering strategic partnerships
(consultants or advisory services) and initiating at an
appropriate scale, with parallel or pilot projects
The final session of the Level 2 course addresses
reviewing and certification processes. This can be
an internal process by establishing mechanism for
project auditing and progress tracking, identifying
lessons learned and future best practices, and
developing internal process and procedure
manuals. However it is can also be an external
process by engaging a third-party auditor (peer
review) and by adhering to a recognised standards
such as ISO/PAS 16739-2005 (IFC - Industry
Foundations Classes), ISO 29481-1:2010 (IDM
Information Delivery Manuals), ISO 12006-3:2007
(IFD International Framework Dictionary) and
achieving buildingSMART project certification.
issue 35
JOIN OUR BIM
COMMUNITY
The term Building Information Modeling (BIM) generates
approximately 2.5 Million internet searches a month! With BIM
gaining more and more hype and media coverage, thousands of
websites and blogs are emerging bombarding users with information!
Whether you are a BIM newbie or an expert it is hard to find the time or the patience to wade through
the plethora of information available online hence www.thebimhub.com. Our goal is to gather a very
large BIM Community in one place" to network, educate, share and provide Information.
NETWORK
RESEARCH
SHARE
TRAIN
PROMOTE
WWW.THEBIMHUB.COM
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We are ready to implement all our Building Information Modeling (BIM)
know-how in your project to help you realize cost savings, support
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Please get in touch with us:
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vicon@hochtief.de
www.hochtief-vicon.com
HOCHTIEF ViCon
ONE STEP AHEAD.
BUILD DIGITALLY FIRST.
QATAR W.L.L.

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