Is BIM the next Construction Standard for 2011?

Is BIM the Next Construction Standard for 2011?

Building information modeling (BIM) is increasingly becoming the design standard for architectural and construction engineering. Adopting BIM technology and tools is likely to be a future priority . Despite its relatively recent development, Building Information Modeling (BIM), which involves digital models for use in construction and design, has crossed the threshold into broad adoption, making it an important consideration in maintaining engineering competitiveness.

In terms of technical capabilities, BIM, relies on design tools to draft three-dimensional models for fabrication, construction and engineering purposes. Unlike CAD, however, BIM creates models parametrically, tracking the relations between multiple objects within a larger design so that if one object changes, all the others are adjusted accordingly. In addition to consistent designs and cost and materials estimates, BIM can also be used to analyze numerous engineering factors, such as lighting, acoustics or energy usage, in order to provide feedback while designing. The reduced material waste and ability to optimize energy consumption through BIM has also made it an emerging option for green building projects.

New technologies often take time to gain widespread acceptance, as many companies are reluctant to make a significant investment in tools or processes. However, as BIM becomes standardized, it will become increasingly necessary to incorporate some elements of this modeling technology in order to retain or grow market share.

DATUM 2010 - Delhi Autodesk Technology User Meet

"Delhi Autodesk Technology User Meet (DATUM)" was the inaugural launch of DATUG "Delhi Autodesk Technology User Group" and its first-ever Meet.
DATUM was in-lines with "Autodesk University AU" held every year in US, where more than 4000 Autodesk Users met this year. DATUM included

- Presentation by industry user
- Discussion by panel of experts
- Webcast from best of Autodesk University 2010

DATUM was spread over 3 days and was a great initiative by Cad Studio and Autodesk India. It was a great place to meet friends, prospective clients and business associates.

Obelisk presented on the merits of Integrated Project Development (IPD) and how BIM enabled IPD. The session was titled Work as a Team - Stay Coordinated.

DATUG is very enthusiastic to make this annual meet a bigger and better event with each passing year.

Standing behind the BIM bars, I ask the BIM non-believers – Are you nuts????

Sometimes when you pause and let the world go by at its speed, you are in a position to objectively think about the world that has just moved ahead together in a herd.

Now, I would not say that attaching myself to BIM (in context to the AEC industry) would imply the same thing but BIM seems to be a process which is changing the face of the AEC industry. BIM plugs the loopholes in the design and construction process and makes it more efficient.

One of my friends Gregory Arkin from Revit3d.com derives comparisons between well known author Seth Godin’s theory of Efficiency is free – Why BIM is better. He states and I quote, “The only way you can make it past the recession is through the BIM door.”

Source: http://bimboom.blogspot.com/2010/10/seths-blog-efficiency-is-free-why-bim.html

I take this further and ask the architects, engineers and contractors who still don’t believe in BIM – ARE YOU NUTS????!!!!! BIM would give you the edge and professionals using these tools will be unbeatable on their bids. Large scale projects & even Federal projects are already demanding BIM a prequalification for architects and consultants.

As Gregory says, as more and more owners get educated on BIM, resistance would be futile.

How to Design and Build Future Sustainable Cities Using BIM

What if it was possible to take a typical city and use technology to evaluate existing and future conditions so that it can be transformed it into a truly sustainable city? Imagine a place in which all corners of the city — from hospitals, universities and businesses, to utility and transportation infrastructure and public spaces – were created, renovated and operated to be socially, environmentally and economically responsible. Is it possible today to plan, create or rebuild and manage that sustainable city of tomorrow?

It is possible, and we’re already witnessing a global push to build or transform communities into models of sustainability. Taking sustainability from a vague concept to reality requires that the correct decisions are being made at the earliest phases of planning and designing at a city-wide or even regional scope.

Read More

Source : www.environmentalleader.com
This article is by Paul McRoberts who at Autodesk is responsible for providing technology in the infrastructure industry through the evolution to model-based workflows across the project lifecycle of the Transportation, Land & Environmental, Water, and Power industry segments.

BIM Believers

I start this blog post with a quote borrowed from Seth Godin’s book the Linchpin—

"Part of the passion is having the persistence and resilience to change both your art and the way you deliver it."

This was mentioned in a BIM survey report that I happened to chance upon. I could not help, but read it again & again, and wonder how effectively it summarizes what all BIM believers try to advocate for the AEC industry.

First, I would like to mention a few concerns and general perceptions associated with BIM Implementation, which a lot of us may have heard or had in the past,

Investment

· Financial Investment in Software

· Time Investment in Training of staff

Resources

· Revit Professionals not readily available

· Can’t afford the downtime to transition

· Revit too complicated to learn & implement within our organization

· Don’t have enough resources to dedicate.

Expect too little or too much

· Construction Documentation is not possible

· It is only a 3-D modeling software

Our Consultants don’t use Revit

· Most of the services consultants use CAD

I use the term BIM believers because I believe on the inevitability of BIM. In the present scenarios this is a,

· Business reality for some

· Approaching vision for believers, &

· Leap of faith for many others.

But, as the industry moves forward, one way or the other we realize that BIM is the future and is here to stay.

Believers like us feel we may see a delay in its acceptance and usage but it would only be a matter of time, where it deployment would be a more strategic option than adopting it just because “everyone is using it”.

BIM in 48 hours

Finally posting our entry at the Build London Live 2009 competition. View the Entry at the link provided below.

VIEW ENTRY



Team OBELISK designed a layout to augment the strong radial organization of the site. “The genesis of form has its origin in the axial influences from the radial forms. The forms have been conceptualized along the two radial axes of the plot with a tertiary axis establishing a formal connection between the two. Patterns of circulation and segregation are derived along these axes along different elevations.”

Virtual Design & Construction - May 1, 2010, IIT Delhi

A workshop on "Improving Project Performance Using Virtual Design and Construction" was conducted at IIT - Delhi, India.




The main objective of this workshop was to provide the needed impetus for adoption of VDC in the Indian public sector projects. To bring together key stakeholders involved on major public sector projects by engaging them in a dialogue pertaining to their roles, responsibilities and benefits with respect to VDC with ultimate goal of improving project performance.

Debasish, Maneck and Mohit on behalf of Obelisk presented a 1 hour session at the workshop titled
VDC and BIM Case Study - BIM for Documentation and Clash Detection

The workshop was supported by Autodesk and the seminar received an overwhelming response from all attendees.

Outsourcing BIM - The Process & Mr. SPOC

Obelisk features in AUGI AEC EDGE

Debasish Karmakar had compiled an article on Navisworks clash detective tool along with Abhishek Tyagi.

The article has been published in the current issue of the AUGI AEC EDGE, the link for the article is below. Debasish’s article is on Page 13,14,15.

NAVISWORKS CLASH DETECTIVE – Reduce Risk and “Save Lives” on a project

Good work Debasish and Abhishek.

Navisworks Tutorial - Clash Detection

This a Navisworks tutorial for using the Clash Detective tool

Part I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0PcEt-o08

Part II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdeCcOzuWcI

Part III

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqyBeaUQNKg

Navisworks Tutorial - Clash Detection

Part 3 of the Clash Detection Tutorial,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqyBeaUQNKg

Navisworks Tutorial - Clash Detection

This a Navisworks tutorial for using the Clash Detective tool developed by the BIM team @ OBELISK

Part I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ0PcEt-o08

Part II

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdeCcOzuWcI

Part III

Coming Soon.

Power of BIM

This video showcases an example of how drawings can be converted to an Intelligent 3-d (BIM) model and Obelisk's capabilties as a BIM support firm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqX8_JYRa_M

Paper to CAD ..................... CAD to BIM

Remember the days when all the drawings and drafting was done on paper and to make one simple change required the whole drawings to be redrafted or scratching of old sheets & redrafting over them. What a waste of time and effort.

Then CAD came along and took over as an effective drafting tool. To change a wall just required typing 2-3 commands and, WOW!!! It was done. However, the transition was not that easy. There was a lot of resistance from the architecture community and it took a lot of time to be widely accepted.

I remember in architecture school some of us who were proficient on CAD were not allowed it to use for submissions by our professors and we ended up taking plots on CAD and then extended lines with our drafting pens to make it seem as hand drafted.

In the present day scenario we can't think of life without CAD. CAD helped us improve our efficiencies but it still was a tool and not what you can call an intelligent platform.

PRESENT DAY: ENTER BIM (Building Information Modeling)

Again to define it simply BIM is an emerging technological and strategic approach for the AEC industry. It has positioned itself as an approach to address many of AEC’s numerous inefficiencies.

But, do we see the same resistance as we saw for CAD.......................... maybe more.

What a lot of us have not realized is that shifting from paper to CAD in principal was much simpler. You were doing the same thing on the computer which you initially did on paper. It was more of a platform and technology shift. Putting it very simply, CAD just facilitated your drafting.

BIM on the other hand is just not about drafting or documentation. BIM IS NOT A DIRECT REPLACEMENT TO CAD.

To move to BIM is just not about a CAD upgrade but more like a strategic and business decision by the firm’s principals. A firm needs to understand how BIM will impact it at all levels. The primary aim of the platform however is to create, share, contemplate and apply knowledge and to take the concept of 3-d modeling to an infinite number of dimensions.

In my subsequent posts I would be discussing effective pointers on understanding & implementing BIM within organizations, let me know your views and suggestions.

BIM CAPABILITY & BIM MATURITY

An interesting read on BIM Capability v/s BIM Maturity. This article describes that even though after achieving BIM capability organizations are still not ready to take on projects.

Paste the link below in your browser

http://changeagents.blogs.com/thinkspace/2009/06/bim-episode-11-the-difference-between-bim-capability-and-bim-maturity.html

(Source: The source of this information is the changeagents.blogs.com posted on June 03, 2009)

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