BIM is a useful tool in present day consulting and construction firms because it has streamlined the process of building construction plans by multi-fold, and enables engineers to collaborate across disciplines to make the design process more efficient. After the engineer builds the plan, they are handed off to contractors who bring the plans to life. In the traditional sense, the process follows a design-bid-build format in which contractors are not included during the design phase, where their knowledge could add significant value.
BIM has enabled engineers to advance from manual drawing of each layer while risking losing information and limiting close coordination, to creating an extensive and informative digital model that is reliable, safe, and easy to exchange hands. For the same reason, extending the control and creation rights to contractors has several benefits, which include supporting offsite prefabrication, catching building errors in plan layouts, and picking options that would decrease costs without giving up on quality. On my first co-op at an MEP firm, the electrical team I worked with was always in close coordination with the mechanical and plumbing departments. After each progress set was complete the mechanical equipment, panel sizing, and conduit paths would be reviewed by contractors who would pass their comments on to us. Observing the steps in the process showed me that very often than not the comments we would receive from them would help us advance at a faster pace than if we had just exchanged information in-house.
Extending BIM model usage privileges to contractors can help engineers bridge the gap to true integration between design and construction. Another evident benefit is that by using BIM tools like Revit, architects and engineers are able to create a live real-time model that can provide information to contractors early on for estimation, coordination, fabrication, and product procurement. This can make the process of performing manual calculations, which can be labor and time consuming while being error prone, easier, more reliable, and less tedious.
BIM tools have enabled architects, engineers, contractors, and subcontractors to work more efficiently by creating a virtual model that can be updated and utilized to visualize the space, form, and function of equipment. As engineers, the work we do directly affects societies and living spaces, and tools like Revit are invaluable in helping us make safe and sound decisions for the well-being of society while also being cost effective thus reducing our carbon footprint in the design process.
Source:
Dane,
You touched on an important conflict that I think a lot of companies face. 4D/3D models are time consuming to create but they are the most effective in the long run. On my first co-op most projects had a Revit model which several departments worked on to add every minute detail and took time out to fix errors and sync work. Although this meant projects took time to complete, the virtual model could be looked at by anyone and understood within minutes. It is important to think of it as investment that gives better returns on larger initial costs.
BIM has enabled engineers to advance from manual drawing of each layer while risking losing information and limiting close coordination, to creating an extensive and informative digital model that is reliable, safe, and easy to exchange hands. For the same reason, extending the control and creation rights to contractors has several benefits, which include supporting offsite prefabrication, catching building errors in plan layouts, and picking options that would decrease costs without giving up on quality. On my first co-op at an MEP firm, the electrical team I worked with was always in close coordination with the mechanical and plumbing departments. After each progress set was complete the mechanical equipment, panel sizing, and conduit paths would be reviewed by contractors who would pass their comments on to us. Observing the steps in the process showed me that very often than not the comments we would receive from them would help us advance at a faster pace than if we had just exchanged information in-house.
Extending BIM model usage privileges to contractors can help engineers bridge the gap to true integration between design and construction. Another evident benefit is that by using BIM tools like Revit, architects and engineers are able to create a live real-time model that can provide information to contractors early on for estimation, coordination, fabrication, and product procurement. This can make the process of performing manual calculations, which can be labor and time consuming while being error prone, easier, more reliable, and less tedious.
BIM tools have enabled architects, engineers, contractors, and subcontractors to work more efficiently by creating a virtual model that can be updated and utilized to visualize the space, form, and function of equipment. As engineers, the work we do directly affects societies and living spaces, and tools like Revit are invaluable in helping us make safe and sound decisions for the well-being of society while also being cost effective thus reducing our carbon footprint in the design process.
Source:
Eastman, Chuck, et al. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Facility Managers, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/drexel-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5447327. Retrieved: Jan 18, 2020.
Comments:
Manon's Post: (Link to Post)
Manon,
I think you did great job detailing the different types of BIM platforms available to users today. The versatility and capabilities of these tools have really made a significant contribution to the work we do as engineers and consultants in that it is now much easier to collaborate within different departments, analyze the virtual building space before construction, and make changes to the plans on short notice. Although the industry is still getting used to utilizing BIM, I believe that learning how to use these tools effectively will put us at an advantage when it comes to efficiency and sustainability.
Mika's Post: (Link to Post)
Mika,
Your post really helped me understand the types of data transfer used by BIM tools. Although BIM has really changed the industry and virtual modelling by a lot, I think it is important for us to realize it has its own limitations, which we need to find ways to work around or improve until there are better options to utilize. Interoperability really is crucial in how we handle and exchange data, which is the most crucial step to effective collaboration between disciplines. Therefore, I suppose reliance on these smart systems must be done attentively.
Comments:
Manon's Post: (Link to Post)
Manon,
I think you did great job detailing the different types of BIM platforms available to users today. The versatility and capabilities of these tools have really made a significant contribution to the work we do as engineers and consultants in that it is now much easier to collaborate within different departments, analyze the virtual building space before construction, and make changes to the plans on short notice. Although the industry is still getting used to utilizing BIM, I believe that learning how to use these tools effectively will put us at an advantage when it comes to efficiency and sustainability.
Mika's Post: (Link to Post)
Mika,
Your post really helped me understand the types of data transfer used by BIM tools. Although BIM has really changed the industry and virtual modelling by a lot, I think it is important for us to realize it has its own limitations, which we need to find ways to work around or improve until there are better options to utilize. Interoperability really is crucial in how we handle and exchange data, which is the most crucial step to effective collaboration between disciplines. Therefore, I suppose reliance on these smart systems must be done attentively.
Dane's Post: (Link to Post)
Dane,
You touched on an important conflict that I think a lot of companies face. 4D/3D models are time consuming to create but they are the most effective in the long run. On my first co-op most projects had a Revit model which several departments worked on to add every minute detail and took time out to fix errors and sync work. Although this meant projects took time to complete, the virtual model could be looked at by anyone and understood within minutes. It is important to think of it as investment that gives better returns on larger initial costs.
2 comments:
Varsha,
BIM has definitely affected the AEC field drastically. Including contractors, like you said, would increase the efficiency and result in less RFIs in my opinion. They would have the ability to enter the model and observe any detail/cross sections, therefore, would not need to send an RFI. However, this would only be beneficial if the designers using the BIM software were properly trained and the materials and drawings were properly drafted.
Varsha, you clearly mention how important BIM software is for the construction of not losing the manual drawing and to have collaborative communication between all the people involved during the construction process. BIM has definitely changed the process of visualizing the drawings. It's definitely an efficient software.
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