The management of any building project requires coordination of the timing and efforts of a team of engineers and architects, each of whom will have his hands full with details of the project that cannot be overlooked. Architectural and engineering construction companies have historically kept their modeling and drafting in-house in order to maintain tightly-scripted schedules. New, more robust CAD software from Autodesk and other developers has made it possible for architects and engineers to outsource the building information modeling (“BIM”) component of projects without sacrificing schedules or adding delays into building processes. In particular, that software has enabled builders to outsource mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (“MEP”) design and drafting services to specialists who can streamline project delivery and reduce waste and the risk of design flaws for an entire project team.
Unlike in-house draftsman that traditionally prepare 2-dimensional drawings at the beginning of a project, BIM specialists develop multi-dimensional depictions that change and grow with the project, from conception through completion and operation. Outsourcing the BIM function will benefit a building project in at least eight ways:
Modeling
A specialist BIM drafting company can provide 3D, 4D, and 5D and higher drafting services to give an internal AEC – MEP team the best modeling picture of project components. 4-dimensional modeling gives engineers a dynamic picture of the MEP construction sequence as a project progresses, accounting for the time that each project phase will consume before completion. 5-dimensional modeling analyzes resources that are needed in each phase of the project and help managers understand and control project costs. In-house draftsmen may be a valuable resource, but they are typically removed from project time and cost considerations. AEC firms can now incorporate those considerations with BIM services, and can keep more of their personnel at a construction site. The outsourced BIM services give them the clear and useful information they need to keep a project on schedule and within budget.
Documentation
An outsourced drafting team will also provide all documents needed for regular reviews, building permits, financing, and investor and owner presentations. AEC companies that keep the drafting function in-house will typically tie up substantial resources to satisfy documentation demands. Outsourcing this function to a specialist BIM company that can prepare documents with minimal turnaround will save substantial overhead and other resources. The advanced CAD software that BIM companies use will allow them to make changes and to respond to documentation needs with significantly lower turnaround times than AEC firms may have experienced with in-house drafting.
Integration
A building project manager can more readily integrate the efforts of architects, designers, engineers and subcontractors when the project’s BIM component is centralized into a single function. Service providers will always know where to look for modeling information, regardless of the time of day when that information may be needed. The BIM subcontractor can track and organize contacts with each service provider to manage and report on workflow and overall progress of the project. Centralizing the BIM subcontractor services will also assure that any one subcontractor’s changes are approved by all affected project teams, and are communicated in real time to other service providers whose work will be impacted by those changes.
Coordination
Good project coordination can eliminate scheduling conflicts, idle time, and delays. Robust BIM software will show not only the MEP layout in a project, but also the time that will be required for each part of a MEP installation and the workflow around that installation. This removes a substantial layer of stress from project managers who otherwise need to coordinate the efforts of teams of service providers and material men.
Construction
Modern building projects squeeze mechanical systems into tighter areas and complex pathways. Even the best contractors will have trouble visualizing construction and installation of MEP systems in those projects. A skilled BIM contractor can provide field and drawings, and visualizations of construction activity to allow contractors to see how and where their systems will be installed before they begin any construction activity. This further reduces delays, and maintains a workflow schedule that keeps all contractors on task.
Management
Project supervisors appreciate any tool that can help them manage a building project. Outsourcing the BIM component of a project to a specialist design and engineering firm will simplify a manager’s control over project logistics, costs, and material flow. Managers can refer to drawing and mock-ups that evolve in real-time with the progress of a project, and can then make project decisions as a function of that information. This generates both cost and time savings that will go directly to the project’s bottom line.
Operation and Maintenance
Building projects do not end when the construction has been completed. All MEP systems need regular operation and maintenance services in order to continue to function properly. A BIM specialist company will maintain all records of a building project for reference by owners and operators during the life if the project. When repairs need to be made to MEP systems or other parts of the building, those records will provide a quick and easy roadmap for contractors to access the parts of any system that requires repairs with a minimal effect on other systems. Similarly, building owners and operators will be able to install new MEP systems and upgrades to existing systems more easily with ready access to those records.
Implementation
With inadequate or improper planning, project implementation can be a haphazard affair. BIM services will provide both a foundation and a catalyst for implementation. Detailed multi-dimensional models that are developed by a BIM specialist will give all project participants a clear picture of where they are headed and assurances that the project is viable and achievable within the project manager’s schedule. Those models remove lingering doubts and reservations that any service providers may have about a project and give those providers incentive to begin moving forward.
BIM service providers, like The Engineering Design Company, work with project planners and building project managers at every phase of a project, including conceptualization, analysis of requests for proposals, bids, designs, and construction. Historically, building architecture, engineering, and construction have been separate industries with interests that frequently were in conflict as construction projects were planned and implemented. BIM service providers have paved a path that allows these three industries to unite and provide efficient, effective, and coordinated services.
In the United States, The National BIM Standard has set a goal to define industry-best practices for MEP design, as well as for all other aspects of BIM services in construction projects. This industry organization aims to develop and maintain open standards that all BIM service providers can use as a basis for their services. MEP systems will continue to become more complicated with new systems and technologies that are eco-friendly and energy-efficient. Subcontractors that fail to amend their business models to reflect these new systems will undoubtedly be left behind as the construction business changes to accommodate these new technologies.
In this new environment, a skilled BIM service provider can meld the efforts of planners and subcontractors to optimize MEP planning, design and drafting. Those subcontractors who have modernized their operations to work with BIM tools will have an advantage in all new projects, much as project planners that have committed to outsourcing the BIM aspect of building projects will realize greater efficiency and profitability with those projects.