Understanding & Utilizing
Building Information Modeling (BIM)

F R Rick Duran, Managing Principal

The Archinomics Group Inc

AGENDA

BIM: What is it? What is it not?

BIM: Theory or Practice?

BIM: Who is pushing it? Who is not?

BIM: Who is using it? Who is not (yet)?

BIM: Investment? Return on investment?

BIM: Selecting your sesponse strategy

BIM: Conclusions

Ia1. BIM: What is it?
What is it not?

In model form Building Information Modeling (BIM) is :

A geometric description of something built;

But also a description of how that something relates to other things around it;

And additional information on where something is in the manufacturing and supply and operations chain;

And how much it may cost at first, across its lifecycle, in its eventual disposition;

And all resources it may create or consume.

Ia2. BIM: What is it?
What is it not?

BIM is also known as:

Parametric-enabled (PEN)

Virtual Building

Building Lifecycle Management

Building Simulation

3D (design), 4D (+ schedule), 5D (+ cost)

Building Information Management

Smart Buildings

Paperless real estate transactions

Ib. BIM: What is it?
What is it not?

BIM is NOT:

“Just a design tool” - because BIM’s longer term impact (and benefits) will be in how things get procured, built, and used.

“Just a computer program” - because (as current innovators are finding) BIM currently takes several programs to deploy properly.

“Just a physical description” - because most additional information is relational, operational, or supply-chain related.

IIa1a. BIM: Theory or Practice?

THEORY: A VERY WIDE LENS

Broad industry scope

Beyond design to include procure, construct, use

A long (lifecycle) time-frame

Beyond design & build to operate, use, dispose

An inclusive list of stakeholders

Users & participants not just contractual parties

(per FIATECH: Capital Projects Technology Roadmap, 10/04)

IIa1b. BIM: Theory or Practice?

THEORY

Highly automated capital project and facility management environment.

All partners and project functions instantly & securely interconnected & integrated (IFC).

Across all phases of facility lifecycle.

On demand data, information, knowledge.

(per FIATECH: Capital Projects Technology Roadmap, 10/04)

IIa1c. BIM: Theory or Practice?

THEORY: DATA WIN (the economic mechanics)

Data leads to …

Data-mining & analysis, which leads to …

Patterns parameters & correlations, which leads to …

Knowledge & conclusions, which leads to …

Process & material modifications, which leads to …

Time, cost, & quality benefits, which leads to …

Increased social & financial profitability

IIa2a. BIM: Theory or Practice?

THEORY

Scenario-based planning

Automated design

Integrated, automated procurement & supply network

Intelligent & automated construction job site

Intelligent self-maintaining and repairing operational facility

(per FIATECH: Capital Projects Technology Roadmap, 10/04)

IIa2b. BIM: Theory or Practice?

THEORY

Real Time Project and Facility Management, Coordination, and Control

New Materials, Methods, Products, and Equipment

Technology-enabled & Knowledge-enabled Workforce

Lifecycle Data Management & Information Integration

(per FIATECH: Capital Projects Technology Roadmap, 10/04)

IIb1a. BIM: In Practice?

PRACTICE (2006)

Low level of automation in industry

Low level of stakeholder integration

First, not lifecycle, cost emphasis

Disaggregated data, information, knowledge

[compare with slide 7]

IIb1b. BIM: In Practice?

PRACTICE (2006)

AUTOMATION

Construction industry

Manpower-intensive

Second only to Agriculture

Automotive industry - assembly lines

Computer industry- automated “dark” assembly facilities

IIb1c. BIM: In Practice?

PRACTICE (2006)

STAKEHOLDER INTEGRATION

Public access to project-based web sites

Public access to real-time home energy consumption

Development impact on neighboring property values and quality of life

Tax deduction alternatives for investors based on materials and equipment selected

IIb1d. BIM: In Practice?

PRACTICE (2006)

LIFECYCLE COSTING

Choosing higher first-cost items versus lower lifecycle cost item

Accurate lifecycle cost data for decision-making

Political will to absorb higher current costs achieving lower later costs

Factoring disposability into design & installation decisions

IIb1e. BIM: In Practice?

PRACTICE (2006)

DATA

Not always collected - (e.g. wall costs)

If collected, not disaggregated - (e.g., not east wall, west wall, north wall)

If collected, not throughout lifecycle

If available, not in automated or model form - (e.g., the automated wall assembly life-cycle cost optimization selection decision tool)

IIIa. BIM: Who’s pushing it?
Who is not?

Who’s pushing it?

VENDORS

Autodesk - Revit Building, Autodesk Building Systems

Graphisoft - ArchiCAD, Virtual Builders

Bentley - Architecture, Structural, HVAC

INNOVATORS

Design, engineering, construction professions

OWNERS

GSA, Coast Guard, Smithsonian

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

GA Tech, U TX, Carnegie Mellon, MIT, CA Berkeley

Standards [International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI > IFC)]

IIIb. BIM: Who’s pushing it?
Who is not?

Who is not?

LATE ADOPTORS

Design & engineering professionals

Generally smaller firms avoiding investment

Contractors

Generally smaller labor-intensive firms

NON-ADAPTORS

Politically-based owner organizations

Noneconomic-based selection processes

IVa1. BIM: Who is using it?
Who is not (yet)?

DESIGN

Hiller Architecture - Revit Building

RTKL - Revit Building

NBBJ - Bentley Architecture

Orcutt/Winslow - ArchiCAD

Oppenheim Architecture + Design - ArchiCAD

Ghafari (architects) - most major vendors

Morphosis Architects - TriForma

IVa2. BIM: Who is using it?
Who is not (yet)?

ENGINEERING

Total Mechanical - Autodesk Building Systems

ARUP - Bentley Structural

FaberMaunsell- Bentley HVAC & Structural

Ghafari (engineers) - most major vendors

IVa3. BIM: Who is using it?
Who is not (yet)?

CONTRACTORS

Webcor Builders - Virtual Construction

Mortensen - in-house “4D” solutions for interference resolution

IVa4. BIM: Who is using it?
Who is not (yet)?

OWNERS

GSA - “… has indicated that, beginning in July, the delivery of IFC-based BIM will be required for the preliminary design phase of all new fiscal year 2006 projects.”

GSA's BIM Pilot Program - E-lab,	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Coast Guard

Smithsonian Institution

IVb. BIM: Who is using it?
Who is not (yet)?

DESIGNERS - minimal [1] mostly [2]

ENGINEERS - mostly [2] some [3]

CONSTRUCTORS - minimal [3] & [4]

OWNERS - mostly [3] & [6]

REAL ESTATE - mostly [8]

INVESTORS - not yet in decision play

[compare with slide 9 & 10]

Va1. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

PROCESSES

Documentation

Rationalization

Optimization

TECHNOLOGY

Hardware

Software

TRAINING

Trainers

Trainees

Productivity

Va2. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

TECHNOLOGY

Hardware

Costs

Number of stations

On-going upgrade costs

Network upgrade costs

Software

Costs

Number of stations

On-going upgrade costs

Network upgrade costs

TRAINING

Trainers

Costs

Trainees

Costs

Productivity loss during

Length of training period

Productivity gain after

Va3. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

PROCESS INVESTMENTS:

Describe your processes (in detail for replication)

Quantify your process data (benchmarks, metrics)

Analyze process relationships (correlations, relationships, enhancers, inhibitors)

Vb1. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

BY PHASE:

DESIGN

ENGINEERING

PROCUREMENT

CONSTRUCTION

COMMISSIONING

OPERATING

DISPOSITION

Vb2. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

DESIGN PHASE

Enhanced documentation

Market differentiation

Integration of design & estimating

ArchiCAD Global ROI survey, early 2005:

82% Positive influence client satisfaction

12% BIM contribution to enterprise profitability

Vb3. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

ENGINEERING PHASE

Improved Interference Analysis

Better detailing of non-conventional structures [e.g., Frank Gehry projects, Soldiers’ Field Chicago (ENR cited)]

ArchiCAD Global ROI survey, early 2005:

67% Able to handle more/larger projects with same team size

38.9% Average productivity gain

Vb4. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

PROCUREMENT PHASE

Improved bid documentation	(some 3D bidding)

Creation of cost calculations

Risk reduction

Increased contractor competitiveness

Vb5. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Improved constructability analysis

Reduced change crders

Optimized completion schedules

Lower construction costs

Reduction in subcontractor costs

ArchiCAD Global ROI survey:

77% Fewer construction phase problems

Vb6. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

COMMISSIONING & START-UP PHASE

Improved documentation

Improved management of claims

Improved handover to operating staff

Vb7. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

OPERATING PHASE

Faster acquisition of operating documentation

Faster to market

Lower lifecycle costs

Vb8. BIM: Investment?
Return on Investment?

DISPOSITION PHASE

Lower disposition costs

Known hazardous material risks

VIa. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

OPTIONS:

Ignore BIM

Defer & Monitor BIM Progress

Early Adopt

Late Adopt

VIb. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

IGNORE BIM: ATTITUDE

“It’ll never become industry-changing in the near term.”

“I’m old enough to finish my career under the existing system.”

“This is something for the next generation.”

VIb. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

IGNORE BIM: STRATEGY

Emphasize human judgment and experience

Limit technology investments

Bank the profits

Retire soon

VIc. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

DEFER & MONITOR BIM PROGRESS: ATTITUDE

“Practically this is five to ten years away.”

“We aren't broken and don’t need fixing.”

“Steady as we go.”

VIc. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

DEFER & MONITOR BIM PROGRESS: STRATEGY

Continue to invest in legacy systems

Continue to invest in proven technologies

Send an occasional conference representative

Revisit in six to twelve months

VId. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

EARLY ADOPT: ATTITUDE

“Technology is a market differentiator.”

“We can lead the learning curve.”

“Our clients are in high-tech industries and expect us to be also.”

“The time is short between lab-feasible and marketplace-feasible so let’s go now.”

“We have always been pioneers.”

VId. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

EARLY ADOPT: STRATEGY

Buy early versions and co-develop

Adapt and customize across multiple platforms

Market technology as your differentiator

Build alliances up and down the lifecycle chain

VIe. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

LATE ADOPT: ATTITUDE

“Pioneers are those face-down along the trail.”

“Each successive release is an improvement.”

“Technology acquisition is cheaper than technology development.”

“We’ll stick to our core competencies.”

VIe. BIM: Selecting
Your Response Strategy

LATE ADOPT: STRATEGY

Market a balanced & reasoned approach to technology

Invest in internal BIM-relative process rationalization ready for later automation

Stick to COTS (commercial off the shelf) technologies

Accept the concept of BIM if not the investment in BIM

VIIa1. BIM: Conclusions

BIM describes a manual-to-automated continuum along which the broader industry is moving.

Each enterprise -- including yours -- is somewhere along this continuum.

Many things you already do are what others already describe as BIM components.

It is possible to market ahead of full innovation.

There are obvious and easy additional BIM components to be achieved in the short term.

This wave of innovation will eventually wash all.

VIIa2. BIM: Conclusions

BIM describes a manual-to-automated continuum along which the broader industry is moving.

Review the nine critical spheres of the integrated solution set for total capital project life-cycle automation. (slides 9 & 10)

Some sub-industries and practice areas are more “automated” than others, but all are moving toward increased automation.

VIIa3. BIM: Conclusions

Each enterprise -- including yours -- is somewhere along this continuum.

Your enterprise has databases, project documentation, project files, accounting records, experienced staff -- all of which contain or possess data, information, and knowledge that can be captured.

If captured in an automated manner you have the basis of a BIM system.

If analyzed in a methodical fashion you have further elements of a BIM system.

If past experience is deployed on future assignments you have further elements of a BIM system.

VIIa4. BIM: Conclusions

Many things you already do are what others already describe as BIM components.

Looking deeper into some serious BIM-oriented enterprises reveals a collection of automated and manual systems.

Not every enterprise acknowledges their BIM technologies as innovative.

VIIa5. BIM: Conclusions

It is possible to market ahead of full innovation.

Many enterprises are talking “automation” in their marketplace but walking “manually” in most of their project processes.

One or two “prototypes” or limited project deployments is sufficient to make a marketing claim to BIM citizenship.

Then monitor client & marketplace reaction.

VIIa6. BIM: Conclusions

There are obvious and easy additional BIM components to be achieved in the short term.

Every enterprise has aspects that yield quick and positive returns from BIM investment.

A limited -- a work station -- deployment will sensitize the enterprise to most of the issues.

Measured in speed-to-market and change- management terms, the paybacks are huge.

VIIa7. BIM: Conclusions

This wave of innovation will eventually wash all.

Whether strategically you choose early involvement or later involvement, eventually BIM will be the operative environment.

“Eventually” in your competitive niche may mean 0 to 3 years, or 7 to 10 years.

Large “pulling” forces -- GSA, Fortune 100 -- may bring “eventually” closer to “now”.

VIIb. BIM: Strategic Next Actions

Seek additional understanding

Assign an internal BIM “tiger”

Query your internal decision-makers

Discuss seriously at the C-level

Serious enterprise management treatment

Invest either in something BIM or process

Refine internal processes everywhere

Market ahead of full innovation

Understanding & Utilizing Building Information Management (BIM)

F R Rick Duran

2006-04-04T09:16:03