When architectural and engineering firms adopt BIM design and modeling implementation as a strategic sector of business growth, they are rightly deciding to fill a shortage in an industry sector that is accelerating around the world. Both the architect-in-charge and project stakeholders will have a long list of expectations in which they expect BIM to fulfill:
- The digital representation of all building information at different phases of the project – including conceptual design, detailed 3D design and 2D layouts, engineering analysis, and modeling; structural erection sequencing; interference-free interior constructions and installations; building performance data, and life-cycle facility monitoring and management capabilities (a realistic expectation)
- Lean building design approach which takes full advantage of available 3D-modeling and visualization technologies; data collection for analysis and performance simulations; productivity and accuracy gains of 3D-centric documentation; multi-discipline design validation and cross-checking (attained when 3D-BIM is correctly implemented)
- Project owner’s return on investment which is the motivating force behind any BIM project. As a business value, owners are expecting continued interest in sustainable, energy-conscious structures and will demand higher leasing fees; a reduction in operations and maintenance costs over the lifecycle of the structure; and monetary returns from lower energy costs (attainable with integration of lifecycle BIM for facility management protocols)
- Construction industry budgetary realizations include a reduction in engineering documentation errors, resulting in less field rework; better scheduling of construction phases and adherence to timelines; enhanced project communication and collaboration with architects, engineers, vendors, and raw material suppliers (another realistic expectation)
BIM Consulting to the Success of 3D-BIM Projects
A BIM consultant plays a crucial role in the successful outcomes for each of these project interests – from implementing BIM-project strategies and applying industry best practices, to support and troubleshooting of the BIM-design process, to design and construction phase planning/goal-setting, to assessing owner costs of BIM and ROI, and finally, to the repair and redirection of subpar BIM applications.
A 2016 International BIM Report which looked at the adoption and use of BIM design processes globally, presented key questions the BIM design communities of diverse countries.
“What emerges is a complex picture, with different stages of BIM development in different countries. We also start to see the effects of governmental policy, such as the BIM mandate in the UK”.
Other interesting items noted within the survey include:
Typically over 90% use BIM for advanced 3D visualizations, over 75% for clash detection, and over 50% of the countries questioned stated energy consumption and building performance analysis were the main incentives for BIM projects
Top barriers to adoption remain lack of expertise, overall time considerations, and initial costs of BIM technology.
In Japan, a higher value was placed on the improved visualization technology; while the UK cited the success of major BIM projects as an indication of future trends
The industry is maturing, where BIM adoption is no longer led by innovators, but by the mainstream participants in land development, architecture, and construction.
The survey indicates an industry-wide unevenness in BIM implementation strategies, inefficient design processes causing AEC cost overruns, lack of collaboration with third-party or outsourced engineering services to offset BIM technology costs, and limited return-on-investment for owners through partial or ineffective BIM implementations.
A BIM consultant will improve the depth of involvement of BIM projects – for all disciplines and all project participants. Immediate gains in expertise are achieved when partnering with a consultant that is experienced in BIM proficiency and industry practices; evaluating processes, providing skilled BIM manpower, planning actionable items through each BIM cycle, and providing qualitative and quantitative analysis of the entire BIM project.
Choosing A BIM Consulting Partner
Since 2016, the UK government has mandated BIM usage for all of its real estate projects, and this move has increased the demand for BIM projects and for the supporting services needed for successful implementation. The knowledge gap between architectural and engineering firms that have sufficient BIM expertise and the expectations for large-scale, and sometimes complex BIM projects, remains a hindrance. BIM consultancy fills that knowledge gap.
When choosing a BIM consulting service, consider the following factors in determining the best partner for your needs:
The right technology solutions – it wouldn’t take long to find those that agree that AutoCAD and Revit are the industry leaders for 3D-BIM projects, but other platforms such as ArchiCAD and Vectorworks Architect are also strong performers. Therefore, choosing a BIM partner that does not act as a product reseller for a specific brand is important.
Another factor to consider is the firm’s ability to recognize when multiple technologies can come together to benefit the project and the firm. For instance, a laser-measured building survey translated directly to BIM can have huge savings of time and cost for pre-existing built environments.
Provides BIM training – for companies that are entering the BIM market for the long-haul, a consulting partner can offer staff training for future projects, in addition to working on the present project. Ask the consulting firm if they offer workshops that extend past a few days. BIM technology is involved and best taught in modular. Project-based training courses.
IMAGINiT Technologies is an Autodesk Certified Training Partner that supplies a large array of training materials that are either classroom based, LIVE online, web-based, e-learning, or with a customized client training agenda. This is just one option to bringing BIM industry and product knowledge into your firm.
Can deliver broad results – BIM can be used only for the coordination of 2D drawings, and it would still be beneficial to engineering and construction efforts. Yet, a BIM consultant should move your firm beyond the foundations of BIM into a deeper development of using structural information for greater project consistency and insight.
The end result of a BIM project is, of course, a high-performing structure, but it should also have beneficial benefits for the AEC and the owner’s business concerns. A reduction in the project duration and construction costs, fewer documentation errors which means less rework, and fewer legal claims or litigation when compared to non-BIM projects.
Skilled in software interoperability – proprietary software with data formats that are not easily shared with other platforms is detrimental to a collaborative project – for instance, working with steel fabricators to obtain BIM shop drawings. There can be a number of third-party involvements with a large scale BIM project.
Your consulting firm should have the foresight to avoid ‘information silos’, areas of information that cannot be shared with other CAD or data platforms. Common exchange files such as .dxf or .ifc, will eliminate the lack of file exchange among different vendors and support common communications. BIM software industry leaders are recognizing interoperability as a challenge to across-the-board BIM projects, and are responding with new solutions for different products or different systems to interface.
Selecting a BIM consultant may seem challenging, but with a bit of background research into the company’s project portfolio, you can determine the extent of their expertise in BIM projects completed. Outsourcing portions of your BIM project is another option, as engineering services can provide the additional skilled manpower, have access to premium software packages, and have a wealth of experience to provide insight, as well as hindsight, for your next project. Yet, savings in training, hardware, and software won’t make up for your corporate brand in a failed or overrun BIM project.