Blog 2 - BIM with Architects and Engineers

Chapter 5 of the reading talks about the advantages and disadvantages of BIM for architects an engineer. The authors break this topic into three impacts of BIM in design- conceptual design, engineering integration, and construction-level modeling. The conceptual design phase consists of the initial concepts being put into place and creating the basic framework for the completed project and where the architects are the key player. Regarding this aspect, BIM often falls short in the architect’s eyes because of the learning curve associated with it (page 205). The ability for an architect to free hand designs gives them artistic freedom, but also imagine past what is known. Past free hand, architects rely on programs such as SketchUp that are not completely integrated with BIM yet. While this freedom of expression is important, the architects mainly hold issue with the learning curve – projects in the conceptual design phase rely on the leaders, and if the leaders find difficulties in using BIM software, the phase overall can’t utilize it. As for the integration of engineering, BIM like many other programs can take an inflow of more information, such as engineering designs, and integrate them within the designs already utilized by one person. While there are many programs that can integrate, BIM integrates much easier and often better (i.e. not losing information) that what is currently used. In terms of the construction-level modeling, this phase includes detailing, specifications, and cost estimation. These parts are the key strengths of BIM and is why BIM is currently the most successful regarding this. The use of BIM is especially successful in the IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) method and the design-build method as the architects and the engineers work more closely than in the tradition (design-bid-build) method. “Building information models now have distinct objects that can be easily counted, and along with volumes and areas of materials, can be automatically computed, almost instantaneously” (page 229) This technology behind BIM allows more accurate estimations and is one of the reasons it is especially successful with cost estimation. While utilizing BIM is successful in construction-level modeling the best right now, I believe that until the architects and engineers utilize BIM more will then show the best effects BIM has.

References:

(1)   Eastman, Charles M. et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Desginers, Engineers and Contractors. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=b9142b55-46d8-4f4c-9144-9219418803f1@sdc-v-sessmgr06&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1

Responses:

Harvin Bhandal – your discussion of chapter 2 brings up many of the great qualities BIM has and how useful it can be. I think it’ll be very interesting in the future when another program (other than Revit) will be able to be more “powerful” and a lot user friendly – it will help expand the system overall as well as making it more user friendly for others. BIM may be used and successfully used now, but with the improvements in the coming years, it will be interesting to see what changes about the pros and cons list you provided.

Tyler Madden – you bring up great points about BIM from a contractor’s perspective, but I think some of the points you bring up at the end are the most important. BIM is a useful tool for everyone as the author points out, and while it does need a lot of improvements that are necessary before it can reach its full potential, there also needs to be improvements on the contractor side. As you said, many contractors use minimal technology and up to date software and working with contractors to improve this will not only allow them to have an easier time using BIM, but also help improve their efficiency overall.

Jenny Fretta – I haven’t thought about the benefits of BIM from an owner’s perspective before, but you bring up many interesting points. An owner’s two biggest needs are a short schedule and the cheapest option while still being reasonable – as you point out, BIM makes both of these more possible.

BIM Interoperability

This assignment required students to read about BIM from the 2011 edition of the BIM Handbook found in the online library of Drexel University. Each group had a separate topic to explore. I will be reading and discussing about interoperability located in chapter 3 of the book.

In this instance, interoperability means the ability to exchange data between softwares almost seamlessly. This is going to be an important feature to have in softwares as we move forward because it will save time for design if different softwares that specialize in different aspects of building design can account for the other softwares usages.

My interpretation of the definition of interoperability would be something like the “effective communication between different accents within a language.” In this case, the language is BIM and the accents are softwares like Revit or SketchUp or eQuest. They are made by different companies and are used for different purposes but they can be used to simulate the performance of a building model. Sometimes it may be difficult to understand someone who is speaking the same language but in a different accent. Effective communication would be having users being able to move from one BIM software to another without losing any information along the way.

I may not have as much experience with BIM but a fellow student can explain the current state of BIM interoperability better. In Nick Maloney’s post, he explains that “during my co-op experience I have seen that REVIT’s family properties have become robust enough to take not only standard members but also custom trusses or girders and convert them into usable STAAD models, greatly improving efficiency in design” (Maloney 2019). What this tells me is that there is progress to increase interoperability between softwares. In this case, the structural design of a building can be modeled in Revit and STAAD and exchanged.

There are a few things that are promoting interoperability today. The National BIM Standard (BIMS) is establishing some standards for formatting data. Another effort is the Industry Foundation Class (IFC) which is a type of data organization method that “define[s] an extensible set of consistent data representations of building information for exchange between AEC software applications” (Eastman 2011). IFC may be used more frequently since it can exchange simple but adequate components of building data such as the properties of elements from groups. It may not be the complete package but it is useful for quick simulations. Even though the concept of interoperability seems like it is the way of the future, there are some obstacles that hinder interoperability.

In the post written by Christian Tait, there may be conflict between the companies or “it’s not in either company’s interest to make their products interoperable with their competitors” (Tait 2019). I agree that as we move forward, doing something as simple as exchanging data can be a problem if the capability exists but the business practice plays dirty. In the future, I think interoperability will be much more prevalent in softwares if the developers of the respective software were to work together from the start of coding, much like the integrated design of a building and sort out conflicts early on.

Source(s):
Eastman, Charles M. 2011. “Chapter 3: Interoperability.” BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. http://ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live. 99-149.

Maloney, Nick. 2019. "B2 - Advantages And Challenges For Interoperability In BIM". Blog. AE-410/510 AY18-19 Student Work. https://ae-410-510-ay18-19.blogspot.com/2019/01/b2-advantages-and-challenges-for.html.

Tait, Christian. 2019. "B2 - BIM Interoperability". Blog. AE-410/510 AY18-19 Student Work. https://ae-410-510-ay18-19.blogspot.com/2019/01/b2-bim-interoperability.html.


Comments on colleagues’ posts:
Hailey Ihlow
I can see why even now, BIM isn’t fully adopted in the industry if there are specific methods for engineering design and code requirements. BIM is good for simulating building performance but is not a substitute for engineering calculations. We should not depend on computers to do the engineering if the engineer is the one who is liable if they don’t check it. It will be interesting to see if AI in the future will be able to have a human intuition as to whether something seems wrong even if the model has no conflicts.

Aaron Goldberg
I was also questioning why we can’t import files from one software to another if they attempt to do the same thing. Even opening an Excel spreadsheet in Google sheets will produce differences. It comes down to the coding and the way data is presented. My topic was interoperability, the ability to exchange BIM data between softwares. The problem is we can’t have identical product functionality in the coding or else there might be some copyright issues. But there are clear benefits to being able to have an in-house method of exchanging data like the way Kayleigh Houde described in her presentation during week 2.

Tyler Madden
I had always assumed that contractors weren’t up to the latest practices considering they have to work with construction workers who may not have had the best education. It would be worth spending time and money teaching and certifying contractors to be able to use BIM such as Revit to see what the final product would look like as they are constructing the building.

BIM Handbook Chapter 6 - BIM for Contractors

 Building Information System (BIM) has been a big part of the modern construction industry. Not only the owner and the architects/engineers benefit from the technology, contractors also enjoy the many benefits brought by from the BIM technology. For a contractor point of view, timely manner and money are two critical elements in their business. BIM technology has potential to help the contractors to deliver the project perfectly with a maximize benefits. Although constructors are not design firms who needs to develop the BIM model from the beginning, there are a ton of contractors that are currently develop beam to support coordination, clash detection, estimating, 4D CAD, procurement, and so forth (Eastman, 2011).

One thing I noticed interesting here is although the design teams whether or not developed the models during the design stages, the contractors are creating their own building models from scratch to support coordination. In my point of view, this is extreme inefficiency as the contactor has to develop models during their construction stage. I believe as the BIM becomes more and more essential for the future construction industry, the use of BIM needs to be more standardized. The work distribution between different parties needs to be clear. In that way the whole construction phases will be more efficient and can save more time as well as money for all parties.

One of the prospects the constructor benefits from using the BIM technology is the construction analysis and planning. Traditional bar charts were used to plan projects but it unable to show the link between different activities in a sequence. Also, most people cannot determine if the schedule is feasible or not. BIM technology provides a better solution to the problem. The first method is by using 4D CAD. 4D CAD is 3D models with also time associations, which means the construction schedule is also linked to the model. Another approach is use analysis tools that incorporate BIM components.

Overall, although the constructors do not develop the design directly, there are also multiple benefits towards the contractors assisting them to save money and time.

1.      Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; 2011. http://ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.

Comments:

Yidi Li: You listed several benefits for contractors to use the BIM in the future work. They are certainly beneficial for the contractors as long-term development. One thing I noticed in your post is the current scheduling system is in needs for improvements, I think the 4D model as one of the approaches will be really beneficial for the contractors in their future development.

Qiaodan Lin: I learned several points from your post about BIM for owners and facility manager. One thing I think is worth mentioning is the cooperation between architectural design to MEP development. The details can be then including in one model rater than in 2D they are in different plans. That will minimize the conflicts and is easier for contractors to work with.

Michal Tse: Your personal experience is really interesting. The conflicts between contractors and architects/engineers are always there. BIM indeed is a great way to cooperate between different parties. Not only between the stakeholders but also between contractors and sub-contractors; and between different sub-contractors.

Blog 2 - Chapter 6 BIM for Contractor

The development of BIM has made a tremendous effort in the construction industry. By utilization the BIM technology, the industry can benefit with a smoother and better planned construction process that saves time and money and reduces the potential errors and conflicts (Eastman, 263). With the various successful examples in the construction industry over the past years, it is not hard to come up with the advantages of BIM. However, the details behind the abovementioned advantages may not be widely familiarized, with one of the perspectives mentioned in the chapter – Contractors.

Personally, I have worked in a sub-contractor firm during my internship experience. Almost all of my time were spent on the site. From my personal experience, it was not unusual that the consultants and project manager’s design or ideas were refuted by contractors due to the on-site concerns. In the traditional design-bid-build approach, contractors’ ability to contribute their knowledge to the project’s design is strongly limited. Sometimes consultants or designers need to go to the site to communicate with contractors, and if the design does not work onsite, adjustments have to be made but only after this time-consuming process. However, BIM acts as a collaborative tool to facilitate Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), which enhances a “close contractor coordination” when all of the major subcontractors use the same building model for detailing their portions of the work (Eastman, 264). Eastman also mentioned the advantages of close contractor coordination – permits accurate clash detection and correction of clashes in the early stage of the existence (264). With no doubt, the utilization of the BIM technology allows the contractors and subcontractors to get involved in the design phase which poses a significant value with their experienced onsite knowledge. To further prove the argument, Eastman pointed out that “architect or engineer would not traditionally include means and methods information such as equipment or production rates, which are critical for estimating, scheduling and procurement.” (270) While contractors can use the building model to add construction-specific information to support different construction work processes.

What’s more, it is mentioned that BIM allows scheduler to create, review and edit the 4D models more frequently than other ways (Eastman, 283). In a common sense, the usage of 4D models brings various advantages compared to the traditional 2D CAD drawings. 

In the future, more contractors working in a close collaboration with project teams in design phase will encounter fewer barriers to BIM adoption compared to contractors working in a design-bid-build way (Eastman, 302). Although some may say that the contractors will face challenges in the usage of BIM and design which they are not familiar with, personally I would say it’s just a matter of time. In a long term, when contractors can master BIM as the way they do in 2D plane drawings, much more time and money can be saved, and the potential errors and conflicts can be reduced. 

References
Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. 2011. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=2e33ff9c-0e60-47bb-98e7-5d58d37dc7a6@pdc-v-sessmgr02&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_263&rid=0

Weiyi Tang

I share the same opinions with you on the Integrated Project Delivery rather than the traditional design-bid-build approach since the former one can facilitates a close collaboration between different parties in the design phase. I think this benefits the whole team in terms of time and money. 

Jenny Fretta

I agree that utilizing BIM technology in the proper way does lots of benefits to the owners and Facility Managers as you mentioned. One of them which I want to add a point on is the clashes and collisions discovery at the early stage of their existence. This does not only save the time and money, but also ensuring a safer environment for the workers in the site. 

Blas Andres Rodriguez Vieira

The interoperability among different systems in BIM is doing a significant impact on the construction industry, and this is one of the important focuses of the future development of BIM. Nowadays, BIM’s estimation of time and money still has a room to improve in terms of the accuracy. I agree with your point that when it comes to more complex systems, the interoperability in BIM increases productivity and provides precise drawings. 

Blog Post 2: Chapter 4: BIM for Owners and Facility Managers

The title of the 4th Chapter of the BIM Handbook is BIM for Owners and Facility Managers. It starts off with a summary of all the reasons why owners and facility managers should utilize BIM. The sections that follow further explain why owners should care about BIM, how owners can use BIM, and what types of guides and tools are available. The text explains how to implement BIM into a project as well as barriers to its implementation, including risks and commons myths. Finally, guidelines and issues for owners to consider are addressed involving the adoption of BIM.  

The chapter covers all the points I would expect an owner to want to know about when researching whether or not to utilize BIM. After reading, you understand why you should care, what the exact benefits of using it are, how to implement it, and things to look out for. The text provides specific examples of newer project strategies and how essential BIM is in the process (Eastman, 2011, p. 153-154). One of the best benefits of using BIM on a project is modeling the building and all of its systems together in 3D space. This will point out clashes before construction so that they can be avoided. This saves a ton of money and keeps the project on schedule (Eastman, 2011, p. 169). There is a section that explains all of the tools that would improve the project in various ways. For example, the BIM estimating tools allow for faster and even automatic takeoffs so that the estimating process is quicker and more accurate (Eastman, 2011, p. 170).  

The owner benefits from BIM when a project utilizes the technology throughout the life of the project. Projects are more streamlined which means less problems and less change orders. This results in less delays during construction which keeps the project on schedule. At the end of the day, the most important things that an owner wants is for the project to be completed on time and there to be little to no change orders. BIM has been shown to produce these results so owners should definitely adopt BIM and be ready for upcoming technology which will benefit them in the future.

Source:

1. Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; 2011. http://ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live. Accessed January 22, 2019.

Comments on Other Posts

1. Adam Raifsnider

I like that you used your real life experience to relate to the text that you read. There are some companies that are actually having a more difficult time using BIM because not everyone wants to adopt it. We know as young engineers how beneficial is it compared to traditional construction processes, but there are people who have been doing things the same way for a long time and do not like change. One of the only ways to get them to change is to make BIM technology mandatory for all contractors on your projects which has worked well for some companies that I have heard about.

2. Aaron Goldberg

This is an interesting topic that is discussed in Chapter 2. When we are working on projects and can't seem to export models to other programs we want, it's nice to understand why which many of us did not. Hopefully, we will get to a point where all software that we use can interact with each other easily.

3. Nana Lin Rasmussen

Interoperability is an important issue that we have to work with today and I have never known about the history of it. It would be great if every relevant program could work together with ease, but as you mentioned, it becomes increasingly difficult with more and more complex models in each program. Let's hope that Kayleigh and her team can streamline their own process and share it with the rest of the industry someday.

B2 - BIM for Architects and Engineers

Chapter 5 is dedicated to describing the ways BIM is beneficial to modern design.

A major takeaway from using BIM software as opposed to AutoCAD on projects is the collaboration aspect. Originally, clients would work with architects, engineers and contractors to produce multiple sets of drawings. In one project the sheet list would include the following sections: G- (general notes and details), ARCH- (architectural sheets), C- (civil engineering plans), E- (electrical plans), S- (structural engineering plans), and so on. Each of the disciplines would be in contact with one another to produce a final plan set that included everything and this would happen for 30% submission, 70% submission, and so on.

The disadvantage to working in separate teams in separate drawings like this is coordination and communication would have to run perfect to meet deadlines and avoid tension and stress. If one team did not relay its information to another, it could take weeks to get that information and then display it in another discipline. If the civil plans relied on the architectural plans but the architectural plans were not completed or had additional information added, this could set back the civil group. The BIM software allows perfect collaboration between teams. From my understanding, and what I’ve seen at coop and work, the teams have one basic model to work from. All disciplines can see each other’s information and everyone is held accountable. With BIM there is no need to wait a week to hear back from the structural group about the size of their columns, anyone a part of the team can go in and read the drawing information.

Another benefit to using BIM is its more intuitive than earlier software. BIM programs like Revit are programmed with rules and codes that fit the specifications and locations. BIM can “anticipate and consider the full range of expertise of the design team” [1]. In Revit it is possible to set the working parameters of the project from the beginning. The team can use the base model to derive certain designs based on these parameters.

Personally, I believe moving to BIM software is the next step for engineering and architecture firms. Our office is starting to have Revit training and lessons on how to properly utilize the software. As long as everyone uses the program correctly, it seems like a more cohesive way to work and make sure the entire team is on the same page. 

Sources:
[1] Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011.

Comments:

Jenny Fretta
This chapter seems to tie in well with Chapter 5. A big note in Chapter 5 is that BIM allows for great collaboration between disciplines to avoid hiccups later on down the road. It's interesting to piece them together to note that avoiding these issues is also time saving and cost beneficial to the client and owners. It seems that both the owners and engineers can benefit from using BIM software.

Julie Handsted Andersen
This chapter is interesting for design. Too often do architects and engineers clash because of unused space or odd shapes that are not structurally beneficial. It's interesting that the BIM software can still use any modern or unique shapes in building design while optimizing the space available. It's also amazing that it can pull from past designs to automatically factor in what does and doesn't work in a space.

Nana Lin Rasmussen
This section seems to tie in well with Chapter 5 as well. The ability of IFC to create different plans in different disciplines benefits everyone when working on a major project. The ease of exchange and compatibility will be the driving force for moving all firms to BIM.

B2 - BIM for Owners and Facility Managers

BIM, building informational Modeling, has been an indispensable process and tool for a project. It helps each department to be involved in every phase from design and construction. As a role of “building handbook”, BIM is a “living repository” that stores building data from multiple departments that involved in facility management. As to owners, BIM gives them a chance to be involved in the beginning of a project, which creates a lot of benefits. In Chapter 4, the BIM Handbook talks about the benefits that BIM will bring to owners and facility managers.
Owners can increase building value much more steadily than traditional facility management. According to Figure 4-1 in BIM Handbook, there is no loss for value of facility documentation due to handover, recreation of information with collaborative BIM-based delivery process in the design and construction phase. The owner is able to have a position in the planning phase that he can have a voice and control of types of equipment or right information and documents. This collaborative process reduces errors and field changes in future facility cycle and produce a more efficient delivery process.
On the other hand, BIM, as a living repository of rich building data, creates a benign delivery system that gives access to all involved departments with real-time and shared asset profiles. Therefore, the objects that are designed for the building is able to be analyzed with relational objects. Facility Manager is able to understand how these objects react to others in the building model, which avoids future field changes and extending the construction schedule. As to the owner, shorten project schedule is always a great benefit. Also, owners can reduce the charges for any field changes happened in the operation phase. BIM 3D models are able to show the location of all the assets in a building, such as HVAC equipment or wires behind the wall. It is more convenient and cheaper to make changes for the involved departments by seeing the 3D model instead of the 2D drawings.
One of another benefit for owners and facility managers will be to have a more accurate cost estimate. Since the owner gets a seat in planning table, he or she gets the chance to provide the feedback at the early phase of a project and therefore will get a more accurate cost estimate.

Source Cited:
Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=bc728db5-ac2a-463a-be02-b1d1edcfc78a@pdc-v-sessmgr02&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_71&rid=0


Comments:
Jenny Fretta:
I totally agree that the conflict and collisions can be a problem between subcontractors in the field. In this respect, BIM helps the facility manager and owners to create a streamline working delivery process which will benefits the project.

Alec Silverstone:
You mentioned that BIM acts as the bridge that unites key contributors such as the designers, the architects, the engineers and contractors. It is also giving a position to the owners. It is true that BIM gives the facility management system a chance to collaborate in the design phase to eliminate the loss.

Julie Hansted Andersen:
I really like the examples you gave and the future you described for BIM parametric modelling. It is an indispensable tool in order to design an avant-garde building. As to owners, it is a great tool to estimate the energy efficiency and even accurate cost estimate. On the other hand, it is a tool that connect the architects, MEP engineers and other department in order to get the accurate measurements and a preliminary design and performance.

Blog 2: Chapter 2

I read chapter 2 of the BIM handbook which discusses BIM Tools and Parametric Modeling.  This chapter dives into the history of BIM, different BIM softwares and their utilizations including converting 2-D drawings to 3-D, and the various means used to identify similar components of a BIM software to compare different softwares.  Giving names to all of these components like tools, platforms, and environments, and the parts of history that went towards developing BIM softwares really helped me understand what goes into the software from an engineering perspective, and the players that contribute funds to the development and research of this type of software. 

My personal experience with AutoCAD has allowed me to begin learning AutoLISP, the coding language behind AutoCAD, which was mentioned in this chapter of the textbook.  This knowledge and experience was being put to use while reading through this chapter as I could identify specific exercises that I completed at work with the specific terms that the BIM handbook used.  In addition to this, section  2.3.6 raises some commonly asked questions, including one specifically that I, and many of my colleagues have asked in recent years: “Why Can’t Different Parametric Modelers Exchange Their Models?”.  In other words, or as I would actually ask the questions: “Why can I not export my model from one software to another?”.  Finally, I am able to understand, as explained in this section, that BIM softwares are able to define object behavior at the foundation of an object’s definition, and different softwares identify this behavior differently.  This behavior includes how 3-D objects interact with each other when, for example, a wall sits on-top of a concrete slab.  Although on the surface every software might represent this interaction the same way, the behind-the-scenes behavior of that interaction happens differently in different softwares.  This is why when converting models or files between softwares that are compatible, everyone is always wary of “glitches” or issues in the software during the conversion.  The model may get messed up, but only because the background behaviors of the objects differs for each BIM software.

This was just one of the topics that really resonated with my understanding of the softwares, and I am glad to finally have a better understanding of this phenomenon.  The background information that this chapter explains has provided me with a much better understanding of these softwares, and the interactions between them.

Works Cited:

[1] Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.

Response 1: Richard Kimball

Richard, I think that your conclusion at the end of your post to find a compromise between the systems or methods being chosen between is the best means to an end of creating the work product.  In the beginning of chapter 2, Eastman explains that when deciding between the two different modeling methods for defining objects, it was clear that they should be combined to create what is known as BIM modeling today.  Linking these ideas together, grabbing the best parts of each method is the best way for us to move forward in BIM modeling, and in the AEC industry.

Response 2: Kunlun Ren

Kunlun Ren, that was a great summary of the chapter that really highlighted each of the main points from the main sections.  Although many engineers and architects that use BIM stop learning about it once they know how to use the software itself, I believe that it is very important to understand how BIM came to exist, and also the parts and pieces that are running behind the scenes.  Understanding the difference between tools, platforms, and environments can give a drafter a much better understanding of what it is they are doing, and also how to optimize and improve their methods.

Response 3: Harvin Bhandal

Harvin, I like how you discuss the definition of an object’s behavior and how it interacts with other objects in a BIM software.  Like you said, each object in a BIM software interacts with other adjacent objects, and follows the pre-set rules of that particular software, although each software has its own set of rules to follow.  This is important to note as everyone who has used more than one software has noticed that everything works differently to get to the same work product.  Understanding why these differences in softwares exist, and realizing why and how some softwares are better than others for specific tasks can help to improve efficiency and help the engineer or architect understand the topic better.

B2- Benefits for Contractors using BIM

Chapter 6 of the BIM Handbook was focused on the influence of BIM for contractors. Eastman first pointed out that the major advantages of using BIM technology in construction are saving time and money. These can be realized through the application of accurate building model and close contractor coordination by using BIM.

       From the chart “Construction Firms by Type Number and Percentage”. Eastman analyzed that a large number of contractors hire subcontractors for specialty services such as mechanical. electrical, and plumbing. The BIM can largely benefit on avoiding design errors and construction problems by the early integration of contractor and all subcontractors, especially in design-build firm when it responsible for both design and construction. Based on the close contractor coordination, subcontractors could integrate their own portions of work into one building model which provides a more direct way for clash detection. Instead of visually overlay 2D CAD layers to identify the potential conflicts in the construction, BIM-based clash detection could automatically check the conflicts based on the building model. It also “combined with semantic and rule-based clash analysis for identifying qualified and structured clashes” from Eastman’s expound. Home builders also take advantages from using BIM in design-build. If buyer change order, BIM can have a rapidly replay on quantity and cost change.

       In 2D or 3D CAD systems, contractors need to manually perform quantity takeoffs to provide the estimate cost and schedule, which waste a long period of time and could easily cost error. By using BIM, architects could provide design model in earlier stage, which contractors can use for estimating, construction planning, and so forth based on the detailed building information provided by architects. Contractors are also able to offer suggestions to contribute on the design when they could get involved in the design process. BIM software can easily use these information to track variance between budget and actual cost, and the project status.

       Eastman explained that “it is becoming more common for constrictors to fabricate components offsite to reduce labor costs and risks associated with onsite installation”. BIM can provide detailed component directly to fabricators, in contrast, it cost much longer time for contractor and fabricator to exchange information with 2D design, and the non-accurate information could highly rise the possibility of design error.

Reference:

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. 2011. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=2e33ff9c-0e60-47bb-98e7-5d58d37dc7a6@pdc-v-sessmgr02&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_263&rid=0

Comments:

Nick Maloney:

It is great to see that REVIT can provide standard members and customized models to improve the design efficiency. However, we can not deny that it is still restrictions when transforming models and drawings between platforms. Standardization is a necessary step to go through this process, and it will help to simplify the automates exchanges, and increase the exchange speed.

Weiyi Tang:

I totally agree with you that BIM technology can be used to reduce the information gaps and communication conflicts between architecture and contractor. Furthermore, it well-cooperate with design-build, and allows contractor to get involved in the design stage and make suggestions, which highly increases the work efficiency and reduces design errors.

Richard Kimball:

Your post about competitions between platforms is very interesting to me. It is great to know some historical stories about how technology get improved through competition and integration. This is just like the products on shelf, if you want a better sales volume, your product needs to be evolved with the advantages of others. People say that “Children choose from two, but adult get both”.

B2- Chapter 3- The Interoperability of BIM

By reading the third chapter of the BIM handbook, I learned about the interoperability in BIM.

At first, all applications of the computer were run independently and could not be coordinated. When designing a building model, it is difficult to uniform information processing in many aspects. So The Interoperability of BIM was coming. In the design process, coordination is the key content in the construction industry.(Based on page 66) Whether it is the construction unit, the owner and the design unit, they are doing coordination and coordination. In the design, due to the communication between the professional designers, there is a collision problem between various professions. For example, when the pipes in the professional such as HVAC are arranged, since the construction drawings are drawn on the respective construction drawings, in the actual construction process, the structurally designed beams and the like may be located here when the pipeline is arranged. This hinders the arrangement of the pipeline, and the coordinated solution of such collision problems can only be solved after the problem occurs. BIM's coordination services can help deal with this problem, which means that the BIM building information model can coordinate the collision problems of various professions in the early stage of building construction, generate coordination data, and provide them.

Right now, there are four main implementations of BIM interoperability:

1. Direct, proprietary links between specific BIM tools

2. Proprietary file exchange formats, primarily dealing with geometry

3. Public product data model exchange formats

4. XML - based exchange formats

In addition to these four main ways, an alternative way to exchange data is through XML. XML is an extension to HTML, the language used to send information over the Web.(From page 68) XML Schemas in AEC Areas includes OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium), gbXML (Green Building XML) ,IFCXML and BLIS-XML. All interoperability methods must deal with version issues. When updating an application with new features, if the switch mechanism is not maintained and the standard version is poorly managed, the switchover may fail.

In the realization of the interactivity of BIM technology, IFC plays a key role, which is shared by the International Collaborative Alliance (IAI) for different professions in the construction industry and different software in the same profession to share the same data source to achieve data sharing and Data model standard for interactive standard building objects. The IFC standard is an open international standard for the expression and exchange of building product data, supporting data exchange and sharing throughout the life of a building. Support data exchange between application systems in the horizontal direction, and solve the data management of the whole life cycle of buildings in the vertical direction.(From page 81) Among them, IFC is an abbreviation of Industry Foundation Classes. The IFC standard is developed and maintained by the International Organization for International Interoperability (IAI). The organization has now been renamed buildingSMART International (bSI).

In the exchange and viewing of project information in BIM, there are two widely available formats, 3D PDF (Portable Document Format) developed by Adobe ® and DWF (Design Web Format) developed by Autodesk ®, which have many advantages.(From page 86)  On the one hand, all BIM design tools now support IFC fairly well, allowing basic exchanges to be made with adequate completeness and accuracy. Only a few exchanges allow editing; most only static viewing. There is a small movement for using IFC for analysis interfaces, but these too are just

becoming available. Various XML schemas are being used for different business exchanges. On the other side, formats such as DWF and PDF hold the potential to become richer and support exchange as well as viewing. (Both have XML capabilities.)

So, the introduction of BIM in the building information model to establish a collaborative model of engineering projects, in the coordination of engineering project management, can achieve specific results. BIM is a trend in the future. It is expected that relevant departments can construct a perfect operational coordination model to improve the dilemma of unsynchronized and inconsistent management information of today's construction projects.

Sources: Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors, 2011. http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=bc728db5-ac2a-463a-be02-b1d1edcfc78a@pdc-v-sessmgr02&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_71&rid=0

Comment:

 Sean Reifer,

You succinctly explained the contents of Chapter 3. In the future of the AEC industry, program interoperability is important and plays a key role in every process in the construction industry. BIM has developed a number of corresponding technologies for this interactive system to support its applications. Although it is still in the development stage, it has a good prospect.

Kunlun Ren,

According to your blog, I know that the author introduced the history of 3D models, which makes me very interested. In addition, I understand that in the Revit software model, all drawings, 2D and 3D views and schedules are used to present information in the same virtual building model. I think this is a more intuitive display of the building model than the software used in the previous CAD, which is more convenient for the user.

Weiyi Tang,

Your blog looks very interesting. BIM design methods are shifting from simple warehouses to new complex buildings. This provides great convenience to the designer, the builder and the owner. For the introduction of IPD, I think that you describe it very well, so I quickly understand this new concept. It increases efficiency, reduces costs, and is easy to design.

Blog 2 - Chapter 2 - Kunlun Ren

Chapter 2 starts with the history of the evolution of the parametric modeling from 2D to 3D. The author introduces a brief history of two initial forms of early 3D models which are the boundary representation approach (B-rep) and the alternative approach, the constructive solid geometry (CSG), and how the two forms finally were combined together. Then this chapter delves into explaining the characteristics of or the “technologies” applied in the parametric modeling system. There are three degrees of parametric modeling. At the simplest level is parametric solid modeling which is defined as “complex shapes or assemblies defined by a few parameters”. The second degree is parametric assemblies which represent that the assembly models can updates to the shapes when parameters are changed. The most important technology for parametric modeling is full parametric modeling which “allows the parameters defining one shape to be linked through rules to the parameters of another shape”.

The author also introduces some applications of building information modeling as tools of parametric modeling systems in both building design and construction. Many companies and associations are making efforts to develop more objects behavior rules and layouts to expand the families of BIM objects. The user-defined parametric object is also mentioned in this chapter as an expanding set in BIM design applications. It allows the BIM tools to be applied in the real world when there are more limitations. Some other advantages and developing directions of parametric modeling and BIM tools are discussed such as the relational structures, drawing generation, object management, etc..

The last part of this chapter introduces BIM as organizations which include tools, platforms, and environments. BIM tools can be considered as the smallest unit in BIM organizations. It allows users to complete one specific task such as drawings production, energy analysis, error detection, etc.. BIM platform can be treated as a stage on where tools can be organized together to achieve the data generation and analysis. BIM environment has the largest scale in the BIM organization. It combines multiple platforms and tools and is usually used as a communication tool between the people who use different platforms and tools. Several products of BIM tools, platforms and environments are also introduced in this chapter. And Revit, as the leader of the BIM market, is emphasized.

Citation:

Eastman, Teicholz, et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011.

Comments:

To Sean,
Your point of the importance of interoperability on the BIM is very interesting and I totally agree that the interoperability will play a critic role in BIM's future. From your blog, I know that it achieves the possibility of communication between different BIM tools. And it can save lots of time to unify the models' information and decrease the risk of human errors. Just like what you said in the last part, I believe with more groups efforts on building the model resources, BIM will help people save more time.

To Weiyi,
I can't agree more with you that the IPD is a very efficient way for cooperation between architects and engineers. From your blog, I learned that the evolution of cooperation process from the very traditional way, Design-Bid-Build, to Design-Build Delivery, and finally to the Integrated Project Delivery. People are making the building activities more and more efficient from both actual and potential aspects.

To Jenny,
Your point about the necessity of using BIM for the owners and facility managers is very interesting. I agree that BIM should be applied a wholelife of a building to achieve the maximum cost and time-saving. With the help of BIM, the owners and facility managers can rapidly react to feild situations or make smarter choices without facing problems in the field. And BIM also helps the owners forecast their profits and decrease the finacial risk.

Blog 2: BIM and Interoperability

In the future of the AEC industry, program interoperability is a crucial property that has a large impact in the speed and ease of coordination and thus, construction. Interoperability is “... the ability to exchange data between applications…and for multiple applications to contribute to the work at hand.” With all of the different teams and disciplines working together to construct a building, numerous programs get used for different building tasks beyond the modeling of the structure in BIM. Interoperability is significant in order to exchange data between multiple programs, regardless of the developer.

Interoperability is also useful in automating the data exchange process. Without the interoperability, individuals have to manually copy data generated in one program, and transfer it to another. Manually transferring information leads to error and inconsistency and discourages iteration because of the time-consuming process of manually reproducing data in a new program. Furthermore, if iteration is discouraged, the design quality declines. Overall, the lack of interoperability results in a waste of time. For example without interoperability, if a lighting designer exchanged their model with the architect, with the placements of each of the fixtures and their properties, the architect would then have to manually input each of those fixtures.

The problem with interoperability in practice is the different exchange formats used by different developers. As part of their business model, BIM software developer companies limit interoperability with external programs to incentivize customers to use only the AEC software created by a specific developer. Different data modeling software model elements with different properties. Two applications can use different information and storage methods to describe the same object, leading to difficulties in transferring data between software. In an effort to standardize software and combat exchange format differences, under the ISO-STEP international standards effort and the National BIM Standard, “... data models were developed to support product and object model exchanges within different industries...” (pg. 100). The standardization aims to make specific data required for exchanges.

Developers typically offer packaged solutions to interoperability for their programs, while other software is not fully supported. For this third-party software not supported by the main vendors, 3D object exchange formats like IFC are used. The complications and complexities of data exchange for BIM software lie in the more complex nature of the data created with BIM. Instead of just a geometric shape, BIM data also contains attributes and properties for each of the elements. One exchange method being pushed is the Industry Foundation Class (IFC), a data organization type “...developed to define an extensible set of consistent data representations of building information for exchange between AEC software applications” (pg 114).

Eastman believes that “The BIM platform developers will continue to offer packaged solutions, while reliance on IFC will grow to provide workflows not well supported by the software vendors” (pg. 148). It should be noted that this handbook is already about 8 years old and, with each version, more and more data is interoperable via exchange methods like IFC and building model repositories, making complete interoperability more of a reality. In the future, companies committed to interoperability will make the complicated task of building projects more time and cost efficient.

Sources:

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.

Comments:

Nick,

Good point about some of the information in the Handbook being outdated; it is definitely important to recognize what has been developed in the time between this handbook was published and now. It is honestly quite amazing how much progress has been made into specific facets of BIM like interoperability in what is a rather short amount of time. From my personal experience from co-ops, it does seem that the state of interoperability has been improved in REVIT with the implementation of REVIT add-ins to help with the exchange of data. BIM repositories are an interesting alternative to the program to program exchanges. Your point on how the objects in the repository will be updated and the unknown effect the update of one object could have on another is a valid concern. I think in the future, after the objects in the repositories have been properly developed, quality tested, and troubleshot, BIM repositories will be an extremely effective method of interoperability.

Christian,

It seems that the most immediate and significant benefits of interoperability is the automation of the data exchange process between multiple programs. The amount of time and money that could be saved without having to do a manual transfer of data between two programs would greatly impact the workforce and organization of a design team since some roles could potentially be removed. I also appreciate your addressment of the proprietary and business practice issues that definitely do not help the goal of a standard for interoperability. I think the bias that developers display in their own products are slowing down the transition into full interoperability.

Tyler,

Your point that a majority of contractors do not participate in the design process and thus have little use for BIM is very interesting, and is something I have not considered. Contractors could utilize BIM to improve the design with all of the coordination, estimating and scheduling features possible with BIM software. However, with the learning curve, the program may not be used to its maximum potential, and a lot of its beneficial tools may be wasted. This would make the use of BIM for smaller contractors a potential waste of time.

B2_Chapter 5_Scope of design services

  For Chapter 5, the author introduced the BIM (Building Information Modeling) for the architects and engineers.  Many experts of architectural, engineering and construction are currently using BIM tools for modeling. This design approach is evolving from simple warehouses to new complex buildings.  The BIM provides a virtual building model for the design teams (such as architects, surveyors, civil engineers, structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers) to be delivered to the contractor/owner, who can add their professional information, update, and track at each stage. Change and maintain this standard, single model. The result is a desire to reduce the information gaps and communication conflicts that occur when the project provides and receives information between participants.

  Design-bid-build is a traditional project delivery process. In this process, architects and engineers will do the design work individually, so they will not cooperate with the constructor and fabricators. When there is litigation, since collaboration is not the architects’ responsibility, they may withhold the information for their design. Therefore, it is not efficient both for money and time. For the improvement, there is the design-build process. In order to involve in the larger projects and to deal with the capitalization, the large firms will cooperate with small firms. For design-build delivery, the efficiency raised, but I like the new option—Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). For IPD, the architects, engineers, constructors, fabricators, and the owners will come together to form a single cooperation unit. During the collaboration, the architect and the engineer can receive potential payment and benefits for their contribution for the design performance, such as the project can be finished before the deadline, the building sustainability, the energy use saving, and environmentally friendly improvements. The reason why I like IPD the most is that it can dramatically increase the efficiency of time. Because of the potentially lucrative rule, the architects and the engineers will push the effort to design a better building. On the other hand, the technic improvement for saving the environment and energy will happen during this process. Moreover, the collaboration will reduce the conflicts between the constructors/owners and the designers. Different from the traditional methods, architecture and engineering take important roles in IPD, so it also benefits the design services.



Work Cited:

Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, 

Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, http://ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.

Comments:

Harvin Bhandal:
I agree that using BIM tools will save your time and your money, for example, when you finished a 2-D drawing on Revit, you can also get a 3-D model for your floor, and you can also use Revit to analysis the sunlight effects on your design. You mentioned in your article that you never used Revit before.  Don't need to worry, the processes for using it is not complicated, and you might also find fun from it because when you can put your thought from the brain on an actual 3-D model is very cool.

Alec Silverstone:
I agree with you. Because of designed-bid-build and designed-build, which are the two traditional procurement processes, the relationship between architects, engineers, and constructors is not close cooperation. Therefore, for many cases, the constructors will join into the project at the very late, so the conflicts are hard to avoid at that time.  This case will waste time and money.

Christian Tait:
I agree with you because when I use Sketchup and Revit, or other Autodesk related products, I suffered a lot because of their incompatibility. Formit is undoubtedly a great product, but for now, it is not as widely used as Sketchup. As well, for some function tools, such as the content library, Formit is not as developed as Sketchup, because the database of Formit is not as plentiful as that of Sketchup. Therefore, the different BIM products from different companies cannot perfectly match each other, which is a problem for BIM.