The Dimensions of BIM August 30 '10
“So, do you do BIM?”
How many times have you been asked that question during presentations to Owners?
BIM stands for Building Information Modeling. We’ve all seen the fantastic models that architects, GCs, and subs produce to help the Owner visualize their work; now let’s break down the dimensions.
2D BIM: As much as we would like to change commercial construction contract law, the 2D drawings remain the cornerstone of the contract. The BIM model is typically used to produce these 2D drawings.
What tools do you have in place to organize the 2D drawings you receive? Do they land on your desk with a thud at the eleventh hour? And is it your job to catch all the changes made between this version and the last version you received? It would be advantageous to have a Drawing Registry which automatically collates and compares the different versions of 2D vector-based PDFs and DWGs. It would locate the changes so you can mark up the drawings with clouds, comments, questions, and even provides a collaborative...
The Benefits of Cost Planning Versus Estimating August 25 '10
When a budget is prepared for a project, the cost calculation tends to go through a number of phases. Typically the estimate goes from a “back of a napkin” cost calculation to a highly-detailed cost estimate that can later be used for cost control in the production phase. The AACEI (Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International) rates cost estimating work in 5 classes, starting at “Concept Screening” (Class 5), followed by “Study and Feasibility” (Class 4) and “Budget, Authorization & Control” (Class 3). The final cost plans are either a Class 2 or a Class 1 cost plan, based on a 30%-70% complete project definition or on a 50%-100% complete project definition.
The results of the cost estimating work, done throughout the phases defined as “Classes” by AACEI, are often autonomous. Relations between cost estimates do not always exist and it can therefore be hard for project teams to understand what the impact of a certain design decision is.
Also, because preparing a cost estimate ...
Owners Want Integrated BIM August 16 '10
More and more owners are following the lead of the General Services Administration (GSA) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and demanding BIM, BIM Templates and, ultimately Integrated BIM that carries critical data from site selection, design and construction through to facilities management.
More and more states are looking into the use of BIM and more and more private owners are as well. While it is great that more owners are demanding more BIM and more sophisticated levels of BIM, there are very few who also demand Integrated Project Delivery. Too many owners view BIM as an end in and of itself and fail to recognize the need for IPD and value of Integrated BIM.
Collaborative Construction and its affiliates work hard to deliver Integrated BIM solutions to owners. We understand the need to utilize Federated BIM when that is all a team is capable of achieving, but we constantly push the envelope and press clients, affiliates and others we come in contact with to seek...
The Simple BIM Concept August 11 '10
Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables unprecedented Team Work of building design and constructability. The power of BIM to bring together the client, architect, engineer, and contractor into a singular team, centered on project execution, will transform our industry.
The design team’s mission for a BIM project should be to create a realistic simulation of working conditions necessary to produce a realistic BIM Model that will enhance time and effort to produce construction documents, maximize time available for design development and optimization, and thereby provide our clients with a better project development process.
The BIM deliverable focus should center on how, not, who, when, where or why. For the design team to have an effective deliverable, they should involve the client in team communication during every phase of design. Part of the process should be to hand the client a model viewer and supply training on use of the viewer, so that the BIM model can be viewed as the model is...
The Rebirth of Common Sense June 22 '10
As a member of several discussion groups on LinkedIn related to BIM and the Building Industry, we witness daily many great perspectives from around the nation and the world, helping us keep our “finger on the pulse” as our Industry goes through rapid transition. Not only is BIM technology transforming the way we all do business, but the relationship between owner, architect and contractor is changing and evolving as well. The following post (June 2010) and an immediate response, summarize why there is a change in the relationship and the opportunities that await those ready for the shift.
Phil Adams, VP of Architecture at J & S Construction, Nashville, TN observes:
“As an Architect, I had the chance to join a Design-Build firm several years ago. Unlike many Design-Build firms, we actually have Architects on staff, however our main job is to interface between the Owner, my firm and an outside Architectural Firm that is selected based on the particular project and client. As an Architect, I can bring all...
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