Project Description - Michael Sciarra

In the pitch for our original topic, Andy and I wanted to pursue something related to BIM, given that we are both intrigued by modeling programs, and are seeking positions involving Revit and Autocad to be used on a daily basis. We decided to write a research paper on the effects of BIM on the Contracting world but then later came to the conclusion that the paper would be more beneficial to our own careers if we centered it around the Engineer/Contractor relationship and how BIM can either strengthen or weaken said relationship. 

We hope to cover, as presented in our outline, the History and Modern Presence of BIM in Contracting and Engineering, the benefits and detriments of implementing BIM, the applicable tools for each party, and the possible future implications of this new technology. 

Our paper will cover this topic’s relation to the course theme of Intelligent Buildings. The progression in technological design evolution toward 3d Modeling and Smarter Planning and Analysis technology will make for more efficient construction and therefore more Intelligent Buildings. With the help of BIM we can simulate more efficient sun, wind, rain, etc. analysis. This makes our buildings more adaptive to their environment which is commonly believed to be one of the core values of Intelligent Buildings in this class. 

We expect to encounter a few challenges on our way to completing our research paper. One of those challenges is providing a respectable list of applicable programs to the Engineering/Contractor relationship that does not become too abundant or too scarce. We need to find a middle ground that demonstrates BIM’s many facet’s while also not turning our research paper into a massive archive. Another challenge could be finding credible sources that provide a new light to our topic as opposed to the already witnessed repetition of expected knowledge. 

Liam: 

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/b4-liam-ossenfort-future-of-artificial.html

It appears your paper will be very in-depth in its analysis of AI and what it holds for our future. I think it may be also interesting to inform the reader of the history of AI and how it has captivated human imagination in the past. You could maybe also describe how you, personally, define AI. 

Brian: 

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/b4-project-description_3.html

I like that your topic is even applicable to our current lives as we’ve had to use BIM to model our buildings in AE-391. This paper will definitely be helpful in creating a more sustainable structure, of which the class pushes us to consider. I like that you consider how BIM will help many more people than just the engineer as this would make its implementation in modern firms more intriguing.  

Stephen: 

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/02/b4-stephen-pettit-project-revit-families.html 

I like your idea for the final project. This would be something I would like to do for my final as it gets my hands dirty in some Revit Modeling while also serving the purpose of improving my experience and familiarizing myself with Revit’s interface. I think while it does make sense for you design something you are familiar with, I think it could benefit you to consider trying something new in each of the new families you create.

Reece - BIM for Contractors

The section 'Off-Site Fabrication and Modular Construction' talks about the importance of planning accordingly for an accurate design in terms of manufacturing materials off-site. The use of off-sire manufacturing is becoming increasingly popular. This is due to the fact that BIM is capable of making information available faster, cheaper and a lot more accurate and reliable at the level of detail that is desired. This tool reduces the time of construction, the cost of labor, and most of the risks that come with manufacturing the materials on site. With the increase of off site popularity, we can start to see an increase in the variety of materials that are being fabricated in in these factories which are then delivered to to the site for installation.

BIM allows contractors to get much more involved and increase their value in the project by coordinating the subcontractors' activities and designs. This is done by enabling contractors to detail 3D geometry, finish requirements, and even edit scheduling. Contractors having access to exchange accurate information to other fabricators via BIM saves time by verifying the model.

A process known as Modular construction is a very comprehensive implementation of off site manufacturing. It deals with construction smaller volumetric units of an assembly, and delivering them separately to the site. Once at the site, they are then assembled together to form the larger part of the building.

This section I found particularly interesting because currently I am in a class called 'Techniques of Projects Control'. Within this class, I have been learning about the importance of scheduling and how making a clean and efficient schedule can ultimately determine the success or failure of a project. Some tasks the class requires are making a schedule by hand. After reading this article, I learned that it is now eligible to be done using tools like BIM for a quicker schedule with a lot less risk.

Works cited:

Eastman, Chuck, et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Architects, Engineers, Contractors, and Fabricators. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, Newark, 2018.

Comment to Michael:

Michael,

Interesting post! I agree when you state that communication can ultimately decide the success or failure of a project. With better communication between the owners and the designers will benefit the progression of the project. Also, in terms of the barriers you mentioned, I did not think that society was not caught up with the technology. If you ask for a 3D model and a bidder does not have one, they simply won't supply you with a bid which would indicate a higher cost.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/bim-for-owners-and-facility-managers.html

Comment to Pritesh:

Pritesh,

From your post I can conclude that you retained from your article the importance of communication across the BIM platform. You stated that the lack of communication may result in a delay in your project, which I agree with 100%. Also you mentioned about your co-op, which is interesting and cool that you get to relate to your previous work environment to what we are learning in class!

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/blog-2.html

Comment to Cory:

Cory,

You made some great points in your blog post. I learned from my Architectural Engineering Design II class that with a lack of communication with the owner, the builder and/or designer can interpret their description completely wrong. With the aid of BIM however, the communication can be more seamless to eliminate the risk of a failure in a project.

https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/bim-handbook-chapter-5.html

B2 - BIM Collaboration with Contractors

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:

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.

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.