Which of the following is not true with respect to the future of the design/build industry?

5.1 Brief history and overview

What is BIM? Building information modeling (BIM) is one of the more promising developments in the architecture, engineering, and construction fields. It is changing the way contractors and engineers do business, but its application is still relatively new and there is much to learn. One way to learn is from observing how other businesses are using BIM and their trials and tribulations along the way. BIM was introduced over a decade ago mainly to distinguish the information-rich architectural 3D modeling from the traditional 2D drawing. It is being acclaimed by its advocates as a lifesaver for complicated projects because of its ability to correct errors early in the design stage and accurately schedule construction.

Although over recent years, the term “building information modeling” or “BIM” has gained widespread popularity, it has failed to gain a consistent definition. According to Patrick Suermann, PE, a National Building Information Model Standard (NBIMS) testing team leader, “BIM is the virtual representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility from inception onward. As such, it serves as a shared information repository for collaboration throughout a facility's life cycle.” The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) sees it as “a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility…and a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle, defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition.” But generally speaking, BIM technology allows an accurate virtual model of a building to be constructed digitally. Completed computer-generated models contain accurate and well-defined geometry and pertinent data required to facilitate the construction, fabrication, and procurement activities necessary to realize the final building.

BIM consists mainly of 3D modeling concepts in addition to information database technology and interoperable software in a desktop computer environment that architects, engineers, and contractors can use to design a facility and simulate construction. This technology allows members of the project team to generate a virtual model of the structure and all of its systems in 3D and to be able to share that information with each other. Likewise, the drawings, specifications, and construction details are fundamental to the model, which includes attributes such as building geometry, spatial relationships, quantity characteristics of building components, and geographic information. These allow the project team to quickly identify design and construction issues and resolve them in a virtual environment well before the Construction Phase in the real world.

BIM is therefore primarily a process by which you generate and manage building data during a project's life cycle. It typically uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building-modeling software to manage and increase productivity in building design and construction. The process produces the building information model, which encompasses all relevant data relating to building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components. Construction technology for the BIM process is continuing to improve with the passing of time as contractors, architects, engineers, and others continue to find new ways to improve the BIM process. One of the many significant advantages of using modern BIM design tools, as Chuck Eastman, director of Digital Building Laboratory, states, is:

[They now] define objects parametrically. That is, the objects are defined as parameters and relations to other objects, so that if a related object changes, this one will also. Parametric objects automatically re-build themselves according to the rules embedded in them. The rules may be simple, requiring a window to be wholly within a wall, and moving the window with the wall, or complex defining size ranges, and detailing, such as the physical connection between a steel beam and column.

But before one can give a precise definition of BIM, one must resolve the ambiguity over whether it is or is not fundamentally different from CAD or CADD. In the author's opinion, BIM is not CAD, nor is it intended to be. CAD is a replacement for pen and paper, a documentation tool, and CAD files are basic data consisting of elements that are lines, arcs, and circles—and sometimes surfaces and solids—that are purely graphical representations of building components. Moreover, early definitions asserting that BIM is basically a 3D model of a facility are incorrect and do not reflect the truth, nor do they adequately communicate the capabilities and potential of digital, object-based, interoperable building information modeling processes and tools and modern communications techniques.

BIM programs today are design applications in which the documentation flows from and is a derivative of the process, from schematic design to construction to facility management. Furthermore, with BIM technology, an accurate virtual model of a building can be constructed digitally, and when completed, the computer-generated model will contain all the relevant data and accurate geometry needed to support the construction, fabrication, and procurement activities required to execute the project. Ken Stowe, of AEC Division at Autodesk®, reaffirms this and comments:

The construction industry is in the early stages of an historic transformation: from a 2D environment to a model-based environment. The benefits are many and are enjoyed by various members of the project team. Some firms are leading in planning and directing the whole team in BIM participation, implementing best practices, and making a point of measuring those benefits. The savings can be in the millions of dollars. The project durations are being reduced by weeks or months.

It is sometimes difficult to determine who first coined the term “BIM.” Some claim Charles M. Eastman at Georgia Tech coined the term, the theory being based on a view that the term is basically the same as “building product model,” which Eastman has used extensively in his publications since the late 1970s. Others believe it was first coined by architect and Autodesk building industry strategist Phil Bernstein, FAIA, who reportedly used the actual term “building information modeling,” which was later accepted by Bentley Systems and others. (See Figure 5.1.) It is claimed that Graphisoft® produced the original BIM—in the original terminology “virtual building”—software, known as ArchiCAD. But many firms and organizations made contributions to BIM's continuing development.

For example, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is one such pioneering firm that made significant contributions to the development and use of BIM. Early on, SOM created a multipurpose, database-driven, modeling system known as AES, or architecture engineering system, and single-handedly pioneered its development. AES is regarded by some as the precursor to today's BIM tools. As noted at http://som.com/content.cfm/brief_history_4:

In the future, SOM envisions BIM as a vehicle for real-time performative design simulation and environmental analysis, enabled through new visual and tactile feedback systems. This will allow architects to focus on building performance that can truly be validated—obtaining and interpreting data as one simultaneously designs—and will encompass new modes of collaboration. SOM envisions the architect/engineer in a pivotal role in this new virtual design and construction collaborative environment: as the conceiver of ideas and the manager of knowledge.

Dana (Deke) Smith, FAIA, executive director of the buildingSMART alliance™ who has been involved with the development of building information modeling since its inception, says: “One of the basic principles and metrics for BIM implementation is the ability to enter data one time and then use it many times throughout the life of the project.” Smith identifies the following 10 principles of BIM:

Coordinate and plan with all parties before you start.

Ensure all parties have a life-cycle view—involve them early and often.

Build the model then build to the model.

Detailed data can be summarized (the reverse is not possible).

Enter data one time, then improve and refine over life.

Build data sustainment into business processes—keep data alive.

Use information assurance and metadata to build trust—know data sources and users.

Contract for data—good contracts make good projects.

Ensure that data are externally accessible yet protected.

Use international standards and cloud storage to ensure long-term accessibility.

Smith believes the following:

We are still all too often slaves to the stovepipes that have been our industry's tradition, where information is collected for a specific instance and then not reused by others. There are currently many reasons for this: perceived intellectual property concerns, perceived liability issues, organizations pushing their own agenda, proprietary approaches, and simply not knowing that someone already entered the information because of poor ability to collaborate.

One group taking this challenge head-on is buildingSMART International. buildingSMART International is a coalition of more than 50 countries worldwide who are focused on implementing an open-standard, BIM approach to interoperability of information for building construction and facility maintenance. The North American chapter of this group is the buildingSMART alliance. While it is our belief that the final goal will be an international, standards-based, information exchange, the primary goal of interoperability remains at the foundation of this effort, using whatever format is universally easiest to use at the time.

Today, we have several organizations with initiatives under way to develop a national BIM standard. In 2007, the first version of this standard (NBIMS Version 1) was passed, but it has failed to take hold in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) community mostly because of its reliance on the IFC (Industry Foundation Class) file format for 3D modeling. After several years, the National Institute of Building Sciences’ buildingSMART alliance developed version 2 of the National BIM Standard–United States, which is a significant improvement on version 1. The United Kingdom has also come out with its own AEC (UK) BIM standards.

Multiple federal agencies have implemented BIM initiatives, from the GSA and the Army Corps of Engineers to the U.S. Coast Guard and Sandia National Laboratories. Finith Jernigan, FAIA, president of Design Atlantic, says, “To prosper in today's fast changing and unpredictable markets, you need new ways of doing business more effectively.” And although BIM is not a technology, it does require appropriate technology to be effectively implemented.

What Is BIM?

So what is BIM? It could simply be defined as rapidly evolving collaboration tools that facilitate integrated design and construction management. The importance of ‘I’ in BIM should never be underestimated, as this becomes a project or support for the company’s enterprise framework and not just a means for ‘building models’. This information means that more work is done earlier in the project to support green issue concepts, as less waste saves both materials and energy.

BIM enables multidimensional models including space constraints, time, costs, materials, design and manufacturing information, finishes, etc., to be created and even allows the support for information-based real-time collaboration. This information can be used to drive other recent technologies including city-sized models, augmented reality equipment used on site, radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track components from manufacture to site, and even the use of 3D printers.

It may be useful to consider the players who would want to have access to the BIM models. Not limiting the list they could include the clients, local authorities, architects, engineers (structural, civil, and MEP), main contractors, steelwork and concrete subcontractors, formwork contractors, and all site personnel. Until recent years BIM was only available as a solution for architects, engineers, and steelwork contractors, leaving everyone else just to work with 2D drawings that may be industry-specific but not totally readable without knowledge of that environment.

Various references have been made to the architects’ BIM model or the structural BIM. However, they really are the same, as the boundaries between their models and their content are lessening all of the time. Architects’ BIM models will include structural member sizes, but the models that they produce do not normally need to include the material grades, reactions, and finishes. Where the model is produced by the steelwork contractor, it will include at least the manufacturing details and all the information necessary to order, fabricate, deliver, and erect the members. The MEP contractor could also define the site fixings on his versions of the model, as the contractor will want to know when the member will be on site, where it will be fixed or poured, and how much the item costs. The client’s view of the same member would be for control and for possible site maintenance. For this reason various models are created in the ‘best-of-breed’ authoring applications and shared with other design-team members as reference models, which are normally in the form of Industry Foundation Class (IFC) files for all structures except the plant and offshore markets, where CIMsteel Integration Standards (cis/2) and dgn format files are the dominant interoperability formats.

It is so much easier to work with a BIM model and to explore the building in 3D with rich information, than looking at hundreds of drawings and having to understand the industry drawing conversions. Now users can simply click on an object and obtain all the information that they require either through the native object, if in the authoring application, or through the reference model or even from a viewer or collaboration tool.

Abstract

The chapter focuses on the role of building information modeling (BIM) in the digital transformation of the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) sector describing methods, tools, and processes for its full integration in the industry. Technological basics of BIM and computational methods for the geometric and semantic modeling of buildings are discussed. Level of development of the building information model and BIM multidimensional applications are investigated. Main BIM software tools are described and the main applications of BIM along the value chain are presented along with the interaction with the other digital disruptive technologies. BIM processes, workflow, skills, and collaborative practices are summarized. Finally, the maturity levels of BIM up to BIM level 3 are discussed focusing on the issues of standardization and interoperability.

Interoperability between BIM-based design and energy simulation tools

BIM software that enables 3D modeling and information management is a significant part of BIM. The commonly used sustainability analysis software involves Autodesk Green Building Studio, Energy 10, HEED, Design Builder, Autodesk Ecotect, eQUEST, Integrated Environmental Solutions, Virtual Environment (IES-VE), and EnergyPlus. However, there is a challenge in the exchange of data between building design tools and sustainability analysis tools. In other words, the sustainability analysis tools lack the compatibility with BIM-based design software.

Interoperability between BIM-based design and energy simulation tools is being researched in recent years. For instance, Jeong et al. (2015) developed an automated framework utilizing BIM application programming interface and Modelica-based BEM which could simulate and visualize energy analysis results back inside the BIM software Revit to obtain a direct feedback. Welle et al. (2011) and Ahn et al. (2014) proposed IFC-based tools for automated thermal simulation with EnergyPlus through input data files containing geometry, thermal space boundaries, and material information from the BIM model, aiming to improve the accuracy and modeling time of the BEM models. Whereas Cemesova et al. (2015) created an IFC-based tool to combine BIM and Passive House Planning Package design tool for energy performance and decision making for PassivHaus certifications.

In a word, the application of BIM in building sustainability analysis may optimize the building performance. Besides, it may improve the efficiency of rating process using the results generated by the BIM tools directly. Meanwhile, studies on the interoperability between BIM-based design and energy simulation tools may assist in further BIM application for optimizing the building performance.

5.5.2 AIA Document E202

Because BIM is a relatively new technology, there were some legal challenges and other issues that necessitated clarification. To help clear up these legal issues with BIM, the AIA recently released document E202, which lays out standard procedures and responsibilities for BIM models, but most importantly, it serves as a standard contract for projects using BIM. This document also establishes certain rules and regulations such as who owns the model, how it is used, and the party responsible for each model element. Because of the unique nature of each project, Document E202 cannot give a blanket declaration of each; rather it lays out a legally binding frame work of rules and then allows for adaption to each unique project (AIA, 2008, p. 1).

AIA Document E202 has been a huge boon to BIM-based contracts. People all across the building industries recognize AIA and have embraced their efforts in simplifying the complex legal environment around BIM. Because BIM is in many respects still new, many of those dealing in construction law simply do not know how to work with BIM. Document E202 created a standard BIM-based contract that addresses many of the legal issues and challenges faced when using BIM.

6.5 Building Information Modeling

British Standards Institute gives an accurate definition of BIM, the definition is: “the process of generating and managing information about a building during its entire life. BIM is a suite of technologies and processes that integrate to form the ‘system’ at the heart of which is a component-based 3D representation of each building element; this supersedes traditional design tools currently in use.”

In other words, BIM is a 3D digital modeling method for modeling, controlling a building project. Each design team member creates and maintains its own BIM model as part of a “central model.” The BIM models should also have the capacity of clash detection in a central model by different contributors.

Government construction strategy [15] has started to promote the adoption of BIM since 2011. Therefore, BIM will dominant the construction industry development in the next several decades, changing the way of the interaction between different disciplines of the construction industry. In this section, the BIM will be discussed in detail.

Building Information Model

Building information modeling (BIM) is the future of building design and construction. BIM is a 3-D, object-oriented, CAD approach for architects and engineers. While the number of architects and building designers using BIM is modest the number will continue to increase. One of the most valuable functions of BIM is its ability to improve the coordination between multiple design disciplines, thus reducing errors. BIM has the potential to respond to an owner's need for predictable costs, quality, and on-time delivery. (See Figure 13.4.)

The American Institute of Architects have called BIM a “model-based technology linked with a database of project information.” It can store complete information about a building in a digital format including things like the quantities and properties of building components. It covers geospatial information and relationships regarding a building, and facilitates the digital exchange and interoperability of the data.

BIM uses the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for exchanging information about a building project among different CAD packages. XML, an Internet language, which allows raw data to be reliably shared over the Web, will also be used in BIM implementations. BIM has the potential to be the vehicle or depository for use by the design team, the contractors, and owner, with each party having the capability to add their own data and information to the model. The National BIM Standard (NBIMS) is being developed and major vendors have endorsed and supported the effort.

BIM has major benefits. One is the capability for BIM tools to detect “collisions,” that is, design features that are incompatible and in conflict. For instance, assume that a water pipe designed by the mechanical engineer would be installed in a way that it goes through a steel beam designed by the structural engineer. BIM allows the design and construction teams to identify such collisions electronically rather than discover the collision at the construction site. The result is time savings and reduced construction change orders and related costs.

Probably more important is BIM's capability to provide the location, quantities, and properties of building components in product objects. Included in this information can be all details of components, such as manufacturer, model, warranty, preventive maintenance, and so on. This information is valuable in the operation and maintenance of the building.

BIM is becoming more widely accepted for use in facility management. Starting in 2007, the U.S. General Services Administration (USGSA), under its National 3D-4D-BIM Program, requires spatial program information from BIMs for major projects receiving design funding. Four-dimensional (4D) models, which combine a 3D model with time, support the understanding of project phasing.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is modifying its contract documents to easily allow BIM, which is considered intellectual property, to make transfers from the architect to the facility manager, thus providing the facility manager with better data to manage a building.

The buildingSMART alliance, part of the U.S. National Institute of Building Sciences, provides useful tools to developers and users of BIM software and promotes the use of BIM. There are many important organizations that are a part of the buildingSMART alliance including the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The use of BIM may soon replace the Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM) process for facility managers. Typically the facility manager scans paper floor plans or imports electronic CAD files for use within the CAFM application. The electronic floor plans are then used to create “polylines” to define an area and identify room numbers to name that area.

For a typical commercial building, this process can take weeks. Instead, BIM files can be moved from the BIM creation software to facility management BIM software. The user can import the BIM file into software, which would include the room boundaries, room areas, room numbers, and space descriptions from the BIM. It would then perform the same functions as the typical CAFM software would but without all the lost time from the creation of “polylines.”

In the not too distant future design and construction projects will require an information manager. This person or team will set the requirements for data management for the owner's project team, the design team, and construction contractors; manage the “supply chain” of data from design to construction to operations; and manage the integration of the data from the building and building systems into the owner's facility management and business systems. The drivers are economics, technology, increased functionality, and the overall value proposition.

4.4.1.7 Nonproprietary or Open BIM Standards

BIM is frequently linked with Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) and aecXML—data structures for signifying data. For the easy sharing of BIM information among various software applications (some private data structures are created developed by sellers of CAD integrating BIM with their software), buildingSMART (the earlier International Alliance for Interoperability) has created an unbiased, nonprivate, or open IFCs. Poor software exchange has been considered as a barrier to an effective industry in general and particularly to adopting BIM. A report by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, in August 2004, conventionally projected an annual loss of $15.8 billion by the US investment agency industry because of absence of exchange resulting from “the extremely uneven characteristics of the industry, the industry's prolonged printed business exercises, absence of regulation, and unpredictable technology approval among participants.” The American Institute of Steel Construction has accepted CIS/2 standard, a nonprivate standard with its base in the UK, which can be considered as a primary instance of a nationally accepted BIM standard.

6.2.1 Abbreviations

2.6 Sharing the information

As BIM is an easily sharable digitized platform, results from add-in tools can be easily exported to GIS and provincial-level disease spread assessments can be prepared. By exporting options available with applications, BIM models can be transformed into other file formats, suitable for third-party applications [36]. BIM data can be extracted and shared using add-in tools or exported to database file formats such as Open Database Connectivity or linked as it is to other compatible software platforms. As shown in Fig. 17.4, Revit-based BIM files can be read by third-party applications or exported to different file formats or interlinked by a shared database.