BIM is an
incredible tool for everyone involved in construction projects, but the features
have a unique impact on the jobs of owners and facility managers. The use of
building information modeling software and programs is to ultimately produce a building
with higher quality in a multitude of ways. BIM is beneficial for owners
because it allows for more control early on in projects, collaboration between
trades, and increase the sustainability of the structure. This leads to a
reduction in time, as there is less of a need to focus on unforeseen issues
that arise due to lack of communication between trades, thus shortening the
project schedule and leading to a reduction in cost. In addition to helping
make the owner’s life easier by ironing out issues in early phases of the
project through proper coordination and drawings, BIM also aids in facility
management. Most notably, it allows for ongoing updates to be made on the
building, as well as make maintenance and life cycle costs easy to manage.
My only experience
with BIM was some slight exposure to Revit for structural engineering at my
previous Co-Op, so I found it really interesting to learn more about the other
ways BIM is used to design efficient and sustainable buildings. Approximately
40% of energy use in the United States is due to heating, cooling, and lighting
systems in buildings. In order to manage these costs and make buildings as green
as they can be, programs like Legion Studio are used to properly estimate
energy usage of buildings and influence the overall design of the structure. In
conjunction with the ability to monitor energy consumption, BIM allows for coordination
of design in order to positively impact the users of the space. One fact that
really caught my eye while reading is that 92% of operation cost is spent on
the users of the building. It’s ultimately important for the owner to invest in
equipment that saves energy while the building is in use, as well as for money
to be used in order to ensure the space is a productive environment. This can
be achieved in many ways, such as ensuring good air quality with proper HVAC
equipment and maximizing architectural design that uses natural lighting to increase
productivity. Through the use of BIM, owners and the facility management team
can ensure that the design process goes smoothly and that the overall operation
of the building is a success throughout the building’s life.
Work Cited:
Chuck Eastman et al., BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building
Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors
(3rd Edition Wiley, 2018)
Comments:
Ina:
I found it really interesting to learn about how the
different files and data are converted between programs and the necessary steps
of filtration that need to be taken in order to be efficient and precise. The issue
with translation is something that really caught my eye. I read about the impact
of BIM on owners and facility management, which discussed many things, but
focused heavily on the importance of collaboration early on, throughout, and
even after a project’s life. With the technology that we have available to aid
in design comes the ability for so many different people from around the world
to work on a single project, so it’s definitely important to not allow the
incredible possibilities for design advancements to be hindered by something
like a language barrier. I’m happy to hear that IFC solved this by allowing
property name translations with their buildingSMART Data Dictionary, and I hope
it expands beyond this and allows for further collaboration in the future.
Spencer:
Knowing the type of technology and BIM software we use for
design and construction now makes looking back at the past methodology so
intriguing. I can only imagine what the future design process will utilize that
will make our current means feel as crazy as designing a building entirely by
hand does now. The fact that the modeling software in 1980 cost what is now in
the ballpark of $80,000 is so insane to think about, especially because of how
common design programs are in our industry. The software that we have is so
incredible and allows for so much to be done, and I can’t wait to see what advancements
will be made in the future as technology and demands for design change.
Andrew:
I agree with the points you brought up, specifically the
focus on how each feature and positive of using BIM in design will allow for
better manipulation and estimation of timing and cost, two very important
aspects of any construction project. There are so many different ways BIM can
be used throughout the design process
that can impact cost and scheduling, such as properly designing and working
through energy problems, as well as allowing for proper documentation for
servicing the building throughout its life. These technological advancements
allow for every trade involved on a project to be on the same page and take
care of any concerns and issues before it’s too far into the project when change
orders and RFIs can alter time and cost significantly.
6 comments:
Amanda,
After using BIM at work I can to say it is an incredibly helpful tool in many aspects. Although I do not have much experience with the energy efficiency programs within BIM, I can see how they would be helpful when predicting future costs of a building. I have primarily worked with the HVAC systems within a building, so knowing that 40% of the energy use in the U.S. comes heating, cooling, and electric it encourages me to pay more attention to the design and its efficiency.
Amanda,
From my previous classes and co-ops, I have learned that BIM is a very powerful tool in predicting the performance of a building. This can be very useful for owners to have an idea about what the maintenance costs will look like. The energy efficiency features also allows the engineers to show the owners different design possibilities that would affect the energy and cost consumption of the building. As you mentioned, most of the energy consumption in buildings stems from the HVAC system. Since I have studied and worked on HVAC systems in the past few years, I understand how important it is to choose the right system that will keep costs low as possible. BIM is a great tool for creating various models to test different HVAC systems and finding one that fits the demands of the stakeholders.
Amanda,
I liked your insights on the role of Facilities Management using BIM to track their projects and manage costs of building maintenance. BIM seems like such a good tool for owner and Facilities Managers to use in the maintenance of their buildings, especially as the life expectancy of buildings extend as well. I think what would be most beneficial for owners and FMs is if there was an easy way to make models for buildings that already exist, with all the details and specifications of new buildings, so that larger companies with many buildings could manage all of the buildings on the same platform.
Amanda,
I like the point that you made about how BIM is beneficial when applied early on the construction phase of a project. I think this is key in order to maximize the performance of a building as you are able to see how the different systems of the building's interact. This is of the owner's best interest because early input on the building's performance can result in higher efficiency and a reduction in long term cost.
Amanda,
I agree wholeheartedly with your idea that the biggest benefit of BIM is that it loans itself to a more efficient building construction process. Computers are immeasurably more efficient at design than different teams of engineers who all have their own jobs, thusly, it would be wise to employ software to aid in such design. I also found the statistics you included in your second paragraph to be exceptionally interesting.
Amanda,
I didn't realize that 92% of operation cost is spend on the users of a building. It makes a lot of sense to use BIM to make a building more efficient. BIM is probably helpful in showing how a larger upfront cost lowers operational costs and produces a greener/more sustainable building. Integrated design is definitely the way to go, and BIM will help make it the industry standard.
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