There is a growing trend within the construction industry to facilitate better communication across project teams throughout the building design process. Design is becoming a more collaborative process and anything that makes it easier to communicate with clients and encourages clients to experience their building during the design process using dynamic 3D models, is extremely powerful.

The ability to interrogate an intelligent 3D model can add real value to clients, encouraging faster decision making, real time planning, early visualisation of their building’s design, construction and performance, clash detection and potential design efficiencies.

Even more important, in tight economic conditions, clients are looking for a better Return on Investment and to maximise cost efficiencies, therefore the information they use to make their decisions must be more accurate, intelligent and robust.

Digital modelling for design, construction and project operations

Building Information Modelling (BIM) facilitates this collaborative way of working by using a model created from consistent and reliable design information.

Users of BIM can reap significant cost benefits that enhance productivity, improve their ability to integrate project teams and give them the edge on their competition. BIM creates efficiencies - one of its greatest assets being its ability to enhance coordination using it’s clash detection functions, therefore reducing conflicts within the project team and costly changes and delays during construction. This value increases with experience of BIM, offering an opportunity to gain greater returns.

Working across the supply chain, the application of BIM brings teams closer together enabling faster decision making, better documentation and the ability to evaluate sustainable building design alternatives using analysis to predict performance during the building’s operational life.

BIM models are intelligent models that use parametric objects that automatically identify changes in one part of a design and reflect this throughout the whole model, schedules and drawings therefore saving time and offering more robust and accurate design solutions.

Applying BIM to projects – gaining value collectively

The application of BIM can reap benefits throughout the life cycle of a project from the initial brief, concept, design development stages through to technical design, construction and use. Virtual design and construction with BIM creates the opportunity to identify problems earlier in the building process and for BIM teams to re-think traditional roles and find better and faster ways to communicate ideas, reduce errors and improve productivity.

This early and improved visualisation of a project allows more effective project integration between all stakeholders and can assist in the maximisation of cost efficiencies, improved productivity, risk avoidance and performance evaluation therefore improving the quality of our built environment.

This method of working ensures that information relating to design and construction activities flow seamlessly between all stakeholders involved in the project through the simple exchange of models and data, so that team members can ensure that information is complete and accurate. This can deliver a range of benefits including simplified product selection, elimination of the need to switch between 2D and 3D modelling, more effective and robust design solutions, automatic clash avoidance and more effective team working across the project’s supply chain.

These benefits contribute to more effective project integration and the elimination of activities which have cost implications but add no value to the client. In this sense the application of BIM represents a significant contribution to lean project performance in practice, improved productivity and a more sustainable built environment.

Early engagement throughout the supply chain

BIM offers the opportunity to build and maintain early relationships with specialist suppliers and manufacturers so project conditions can be established to facilitate the increased use of off-site construction solutions.

BIM can improve the design and build process by allowing specific elements in the model to be considered giving contractors the scope to inject subcontractor expertise at the right time. BIM empowers consultants to improve the poor reputation of waste in the construction industry by managing information more effectively.

The Power of BIM

At SKM we believe that BIM technology is extremely powerful. By engaging BIM on our projects we have been on a journey to understand what it really means to us and to our clients.

Through our ongoing research work with an industry partner architect we have continued to refine the process of producing a BIM model which has integrated building services, structural engineering design and architectural layouts. This helped us develop a robust design circle that enables our designers to work in a 3D environment and collaboratively consider the impacts that elements of the structure has on the building services that, as a result, advises the architect on layouts, which then informs SKM, as the engineer, how to respond. Throughout this design process, the client, contractor and supply chain partners were part of the ‘refining’ process and had the opportunity to inject their specific expertise at the right time.

The next current phase of BIM development involves the use of 4D and 5D elements of BIM, where the construction phase of a project is planned in real time (4D) and through accurate scheduling of materials are robustly costed (5D).

The Contractor’s construction programming skills can be ‘attached’ to a BIM model which provides a visual display of construction tasks and helps to consider build sequences and material deliveries. The ability to review material quantities and schedules as the model evolves through the design stages helps keep project costs transparent and within budget, therefore reducing the need for (costly) Value Engineering exercises.

BIM opening doors in the Built Environment

Overall, the improved visualisation that BIM allows gives all project stakeholders a voice that ensures a fully considered, robust and sustainable design that the whole project team can be proud of.

BIM is quickly gaining momentum and this is expected to continue in coming years. There is a positive outlook towards BIM technology within the industry with ever increasing numbers of users helping to unlock its full potential, and it is fast becoming the technology of choice for cutting-edge companies involved in social infrastructure projects.

BIM provides the stimulus to work collaboratively across a wide stakeholder base to meet engineering, environmental, social and economic goals. The strategic significance of BIM as an enabler of engineering excellence is intensifying as more people explore the possibilities available in its use.

As an emerging technology BIM is generating a real buzz within the built environment industry.

© Sinclair Knight Merz
Requests to re-publish achieve articles should be made via information@globalskm.com
For copyright and disclaimer notices, see Terms of Use.