Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Architecture, Engineering and Construction

Executive guide to BIM: part 1

Published: 09 May 2013

What is Building Information Modelling and is it relevant to me? This is a

question asked by many in today’s construction sector. This two-part guide
will attempt to answer the questions that may arise relating to a BIM
adoption strategy.
BIM is an acronym that is much used and very much misunderstood. It is not a new term —
it was first coined in the 1970s — nor does any one party own it, commercially or collectively.
This partly explains one of the problems with it: Because no organisation can claim
ownership or oversight, clear definitions and standards have been slow to emerge and
confusion has spread. This situation has been exacerbated by some parties inappropriately
or tenuously jumping on the Building Information Modelling (BIM) bandwagon in an attempt
to leapfrog the competition or re-launch existing products and / or services.

For many, the move to BIM can be more cultural than it is technological and the impact can
be far reaching in terms of upheaval as well as reward. It is important to grasp the principles
and methodologies of BIM, as well as the implications on the team workflow, but also to
seize the opportunity to work more closely with other stakeholders in improved collaboration
and co-ordination, often referred to as supply chain collaboration.

BIM is not a topic exclusive to architects, engineers and constructors and in the wider
construction sector BIM is no less relevant, even if it is arguably misdiagnosed as more of a
sideline issue.
If you are a manufacturer or supplier of products to the building industry then the use of BIM
may range from creating a suitable library of virtual elements to match your products, to
altering your manufacturing workflow to accommodate BIM data received electronically.

BIM libraries can be made available to designers who are specifying components, and
hence act as a great new sales opportunity, but which BIM software or format do you opt
for?

If you are a client, contractor, topographical surveyor, quantity surveyor or facility manager
then BIM may have a part to play, but your interaction with it may be varied. For many it may
be simply a case of ‘wait and see’.

The nature of the underlying database means that, once created, if an object is subsequently
updated or changed, these changes reflect in all relevant 2D and 3D views simultaneously,
and any annotation is also updated, thereby maintaining the co-ordination of the model as
well as all views of the model.

If you only take one statement from this guide, let it be that the most important part of BIM is
the ‘I’ in the middle.

Information is king. In the BIM methodology, data is collated, modelled, manipulated and
managed, but always with an understanding of the object to which the data relates.

Isn’t this just CAD with bells on?

When drawing boards were (largely) replaced by monitors plus a succession of tablets,
keyboards, mice and other input devices, developers of CAD software focused on mirroring
the techniques and processes of the drawing office, whilst removing some of the repetition
and making the job easier and faster along the way.

The adoption of BIM with all of the associated upheaval has been equated to this switch to
CAD, but the consequences for the drawing office can be considerably more far-reaching.
Technically, of course BIM is CAD in that CAD is Computer Aided Design, but pushing
semantics aside, the industry has come to draw a distinction between the two, with the
involvement of the computer being a foregone conclusion.

BIM cheat sheet

BIM is an acronym for Building Information Modelling. This might be stating the obvious but it
is worth clarifying because some argue that BIM can refer to Building Information
Management, and messaging from software firms can vary. Both interpretations are correct.
But sometimes the word ‘modelling’ causes BIM to be wrongly pigeon-holed as ‘fancy 3D
graphics’, especially when those writing about BIM tend to use fancy 3D graphics.

So what does it mean?

BIM can be summarised as a methodology which is fundamentally concerned with the

collation and management of information relating to a construction project, manipulated
through a 3D awareness of inter-relationships between objects and their associated data.

Follow that?
This means that a virtual building model is developed and information is collated from
manufacturers or through the decision-making process of design. This model is analysed,
tweaked, tested and revised, before a full-scale replica is built on site. It is built twice — once
in the virtual world and again in the real world. Drawings are no longer a prerequisite
deliverable from a BIM workflow, but when required they, along with schedules and other
deliverables are simply interrogations of this pool of graphical and non-graphical information.

What’s the deal with data?

One big difference surrounds text on a drawing; instead of information being entered using a
text tool which is akin to sticking a post-it note onto a sketch, data is added as a property of
the relevant elements which are placed within the model. Generic tags are then used to
extract and report the captured information and annotate the drawing. If a change is made to
the information, that change is reflected in all views and reports which reference those
elements, even if that data is stored externally and associated through a unique ID which
relates it back to the modelled element.

So what technology do I need for BIM?

BIM is a methodology, not a software tool; no one application can deliver the whole BIM
picture, nor should it. Technically, BIM methodology could be applied using a pencil and a
spreadsheet application, and it could equally apply to road, rail and infrastructure. Other
terms can be used to describe the same process for different related sectors, such as
Graphical Information Systems (GIS) in mapping and larger-scale project management;
Facility Information Management (FIM) for electronic O&M manuals.

OK that sounds reasonable

To keep things simple, we are talking about BIM for building projects; it should be rich in
non-graphical information; and built with reference to a 3D Model.

It is not simply a case of applying traditional techniques to a new technology, but the
adoption of new methodologies and business practices that denote BIM. Aspects of BIM will
replace the drawing production side of CAD as it will similarly replicate some of the actions
traditionally performed by spreadsheets and databases for quantitative analysis and
component specification.

It is a common misconception that buying a piece of software is the answer to adopting a

new business / design strategy. Also affected will be the team structure, job titles and project
management; communication with suppliers and contractors; client deliverables;
collaboration with other project stakeholders; fee structures and contract form; legal
liabilities; insured risk and mitigation; and the benefits and rewards can be equally
comprehensive, but only if the adoption of the process and workflow is managed well.

Buying the wrong software or pouring money into inappropriate training can result in an
expensive and painful exercise.
How and where do I buy BIM?
Does Revit equal BIM and BIM equal Revit? Several misconceptions need to be explained,
including the idea that buying a piece of software is the answer to adopting a new business /
design strategy.

BIM is a methodology and a working process as much as it is a purchasing decision. Revit is

currently the market leading BIM software and it does help facilitate this methodology if
properly utilised but so would products from Bentley, Graphisoft and a myriad of other
developers — even Microsoft Excel has a part to play. Each tool has ardent fans and fervent
detractors and each has benefits and failures, none of which we will be looking at here.

The pros and cons of each platform need to be understood in the context of the unique office
environment and the requirements therein. Best avoid the soapbox preachers from any one
camp and remember to speak to the whole supply chain.

Industry drivers
Often the biggest driver for BIM adoption is the government, as it often represents the
largest client with the weight to force technology and process adoption.

National governments across Europe, in particular in Scandinavia and the UK, plus various
States in the US, have made progressively stronger announcements regarding BIM in recent
years, many mandating the use of BIM methodology on all public works. Most follow a
similar vein to the UK approach, which has initially dictated that from 2016 onwards, a Level
2 BIM methodology is mandated on all centrally procured public construction projects with
IFC and COBie as the exchange formats for hand-over. These are very achievable targets in
the short to medium-term but it is anticipated that as the market progresses and meets these
objectives, the bar will be moved higher.

It is not that every design practice intends on winning public work, nor should a practice that
precludes such work ignore this information as the effort and researching undertaken to
validate this government decision has given the private sector the confidence boost it
needed to move in the same direction. It is no longer early-adopter technology but
something with a proven track record and a strong future.

In addition to the political drivers, the technological improvement in both hardware and
software associated with BIM is driving the market forwards. The efficiency gains that can be
made in adopting even a fraction of the features of BIM software can justify the often steep
purchase and implementation cost.

These savings cannot be assumed however and the benefits promised by the chosen BIM
software should be carefully reviewed against the associated expense of delivery in the
traditional workflow; or the added financial benefit or delivering a new service.

Educational institutions have access to pretty much all the software they need but they
rightly have a tendency to only adopt the technology which supports or enhances the
message being taught in the wider curriculum. Software is rarely the topic of the course but
usually just a means of delivering the expected result. BIM methodology transcends this and
is both a delivery mechanism and a topic worthy of academic study. Many colleges and
universities are now offering qualifications in BIM methodology and the principles form a
core of many design courses.
Understanding of the benefits to be had from a BIM-committed supply chain is growing in the
UK. Communication is a key aspect of BIM, and better communication through multiple
representations of a problem or design intent, allows for a better understanding of a given
scenario.

The impact of any proposed solutions is seen on all surrounding objects, therefore allowing
for more informed decisions and various options can be reviewed and discussed in order to
reach the best result with full understanding of the costs and rewards of each alternative.

This is why the contractor and the client can expect a more streamlined and efficient design
process, which in turn is why many of them are mandating BIM on all future projects — a
trend which has been accelerated by the government pronouncement to the same effect.

With energy prices expected to rocket in the coming decades, the existing building stock is
coming under ever closer scrutiny. Older, less efficient structures are being assessed and
options being explored and priced to renovate or replace.

Many of these inefficient buildings are owned and maintained by public bodies such as
councils, universities and hospitals, and with limited budgets available in the public sector,
this task has to be performed with intelligence and as much self-sufficiency as possible. BIM
does have a large part to play in the survey and assessment as well as the development of
refurbishment options or replacement opportunities.

The construction sector will emerge from the current financial squeeze in a leaner, more
robust form. Those companies that survive and form the vanguard of the next boom will
demonstrate an awareness of this cultural change and be fully conversant in the
technologies, methodologies, implications and workflows of BIM.

What dimension?
For the practical purposes of BIM, there are six ‘D’s that have relative industry agreement:

1D A Point

2D Line Drawing

3D Modelled Solids and Surfaces

4D Time and Sequence

5D Costing

6D Building Lifecycle Management and Facilities Management

The above will have a greater or lesser involvement in your BIM workflow, depending upon
your discipline and choice, but also on the demands of the clients and project stakeholders.

BIM data produced by an architect can often be used by engineers in analysis applications;
quantity surveyors in cost estimating; contractors in the planning and construction phase;
and ultimately used as the basis of a facilities management handover, but all of these uses
may have implications on the way that a model is constructed and the type, style and
formatting of information that is collated and compiled. These requirements may mean
additional work to the model or even efforts that run contrary to the requirements of others.
This statement may seem contrary but in truth, the model that is produced by the concept
architect at the commencement of the design is a very different model containing vastly
different objects to the one which is used as an facilities management tool at the end. It is
neither possible nor cost-effective to encompass all possible uses into an element from the
outset, but most BIM workflows allow for the easy swapping of components and the addition
of new meta-data to suit a new usage.

Is BIM relevant to me?

You may be thinking that BIM is only really of interest to architects and engineers, possibly
contractors as well. Certainly those parties may chose to take on BIM and make it a core
aspect of their business because it can improve the quality and efficiency of their delivery.

But they are not the only people to whom BIM is relevant. For those in less obvious sectors,
the decision to get involved in BIM can be simplified with a succession of questions leading
to the most appropriate solution:

Issue A: You need to be aware of BIM and where it is being adopted, above and below
you in the supply chain
 Action: Keep asking questions

Issue B: It may be pertinent to supply BIM data as a sales initiative either in maintaining
current position or gaining new market share

Action: The most cost effective solution is to contract out building the components as the
cost of maintaining the software and skills in-house would be hard to justify

Issue C: Building BIM skills internally would be relevant and cost-effective in order to
interact with the supply chain and the manufacturing or maintenance process

Action: Define a BIM Strategy, choose a primary software format and train or hire BIM-
ready personnel

Issue D: BIM methodology can deliver demonstrable efficiency gains internally

Action: An adoption strategy with return on investment should be strongly considered

and regularly reassessed in the future if the numbers do not yet stack up

Issue E: Full collaborative BIM involving the transfer and reuse of electronic data with
one or more stakeholders makes adoption essential

Action: A thorough software adoption and training strategy should be budgeted and
planned

The diagram below is intended to lead through to one of the suggested solutions listed
above.

BIM terminology and principles

Here we explore some common Building Information Modelling (BIM) terms and take a look
at the wider implications in preparing data that may be used in design, construction and
maintenance.

The single building model

The single building model relates to the idea that all stakeholders participate in the editing of
one single file, adding their work and elements to a central pool.

It is a common misconception that the concept of BIM and the idea of a Single Building
Model are the same. This is also one of the biggest fears for insurance underwriters who see
a free-for-all where every stakeholder is working on one shared file, adding and modifying
the elements, with other trades working around them, potentially getting in the way and
accidentally making changes.

It raises serious questions regarding the ownership of elements and associated permissions
and liabilities, only some of which are answered by the technology. A lot of these issues
currently have to be handled through trust and management and are a potential hotbed of
disagreement and blame.

The Single Building Model is at this point, a fallacy, both from a technological perspective
and from a cultural perspective. The software and hardware would preclude all but the
smallest commercial projects, and the contractual environment within the supply chain is not
ready for the required workflows.

Case studies are available demonstrating the concept of a single file, worked on by all
parties, but this has been in limited and controlled circumstances, on small-scale buildings.
Given the right hardware and software, it is feasible to do, but that does not make it right or
advisable.

BIM or BIM

It is impractical to suggest that any organisation will take a single step to go from reliance
upon 2D drawings using CAD to a full collaborative BIM workflow. In fact there are four
defined levels of BIM adoption:

Level 0: 2D CAD

Level 1: 3D CAD

Level 2: Siloed BIM

Level 3: Collaborative BIM

As can be seen in the above graphic, there is overlap between the levels of CAD and BIM
use and there is a natural process of ascendancy that is commonly followed during the
adoption of BIM.

Level Is it CAD or BIM?

It is not uncommon to find that software such as Revit, ArchiCAD or other BIM-capable
applications are used to deliver drawings, but all BIM aspects are effectively ignored in the
process. This is no better than 3D CAD and the model is used purely for aesthetic and
graphical interrogation, effectively missing the ‘I’ out of the acronym and leaving a Building
Model.

This generally occurs when there is a lack of understanding and training and usually stems
from a decision — forced or otherwise — to adopt BIM and thinking that the price of this
adoption is the cost of a software licence.

It is a common mistake to imagine that because a company is staffed with intelligent users,
they will be able to train themselves and get on with it. Whilst this may be true, in terms of
replicating old processes and getting the new software to ‘fit-in’, it does not allow those users
to realise the benefits of the new workflows that deliver the real return on the investment.
You can only search for help if you know what to search for.
Big BIM and little BIM

So having decided to use the missing ‘I’ and add information to the modelled elements,
users move firmly into the BIM ecosystem. But adopting BIM-capable software and
methodologies for in-house production of deliverables is only the first step in BIM and
although the benefits of doing so are measurable, it is only when BIM data is transferred
between stakeholders and used in a collaborative sense that the full capabilities are realised.

Level Siloed BIM

Level 2 BIM is often referred to as Siloed BIM or Little BIM, so called because BIM is used in
isolation of outside circumstances. This is not necessarily an indication that the software is
badly-used or under-performing, but is often seen as a means to an end in terms of
production, alteration and management of drawings and is often the first step in a BIM
implementation — learning to walk.

Often various stakeholders use BIM for their own purposes in-house and yet are unaware of
how others on the project are preparing documentation for the client or contractor. Each
party delivers a set of drawings and instructions as per the contractual deliverables, whether
they use the latest BIM tools or not.

Level Collaborative BIM

Also known as Collaborative BIM, iBIM or Big BIM, this is the ideal to which we should aspire
as an industry.

It does not dictate that all parties utilise the same software platform, but that electronic
communication between platforms is fully explored and exploited.

Ideally, data is regularly passed between all parties and frequent meetings see the collation
of the virtual building design incorporating all disciplines.Such meetings would identify
clashes and assign resolution of issues.

Each team should have access to the BIM data of other parties as a backdrop to their design
activity and the client or contractor would be able to see and interact with the process.

The final deliverable of the workflow would be a fully laden 3D model containing all
associated meta-data. The production of drawings might still be required by construction
workers but need no longer be an integral aspect of design delivery.

Executive guide to BIM: part 2

Published: 17 July 2013

The second installment of this two-part guide goes into greater detail on
Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows, when a model
progresses from concept to construction and facilities management. We
cover the benefits and implications of adopting BIM, including changes to
teams and workflows.
Having looked at levels of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and dimensions of
information in the first part of this guide, the third factor to consider is the level of detail or
level of development (LOD) contained within the model. Both terms mean the same thing
and aim to clarify the expectation in terms of information granularity. These LODs are often
linked to time and stage of work with a model progressing from concept through to
construction and facilities management (FM).

The buildingSMART MacLeamy Curve promotes a workflow where the decision making process is
moved further forward and lowers the cost of refining design

There are two strains that have developed independently, either side of the Atlantic but have
matured into near alignment. Table 1 (top page 23) compares and contrasts the two.

In table 2 the two standards diverge slightly as the purpose of the LOD is interpreted
differently with the AEC terminology looking to differentiate between the geometric simplicity
that is acceptable for general draughting purposes versus the complexity required to
produce quality rendered images.

The majority of design work is carried out in the first three LODs where the terminology is
interchangeable.

This terminology is important because it may have a major impact on the quoted price of a
job and a detailed scope should go much deeper in specifying what scale and at what stage
certain elements will be defined and in what dimension.

The following practical example may help to clarify: For the next delivery deadline, all pipes
above ## will be modelled in 3D. Pipes between ## and ## will be shown schematically in
2D. Connections below ## will not be shown.
A succession of these types of statement will clarify, without ambiguity, the extent to which
the model is expected to deliver on clash detection and to what extent the final fixtures are
connected by the skilled fitter on site.

Only the first part of this scope is BIM with the second part being a CAD workflow and the
third being blind luck.

This is not an uncommon scenario where BIM methodology is delivered to a defined point
but no further. Where traditional, manual construction methods are ultimately to be used, the
advantages gained from the BIM, versus the cost of creating the model do tail off as we
approach higher levels of detail.

The counter argument is that this does lead us towards a process which is open to human
error.

Implications of adopting BIM

The buildingSMART MacLeamy Curve (pictured page 22) promotes a workflow whereby the
decision making process is moved further forward and hence lowers the cost of refining
design.

BIM methodology can assist in this effort by improving collaborative communication and by
drawing closer parallels between the virtual concept and the built reality, thereby highlighting
clashes and construction issues.

This desire to improve can also lead into one of the most common BIM adoption pitfalls,
potentially causing undue financial expense and leading to BIM software and protocols
becoming unpopular among staff.

It is an incorrect assumption that in developing a design using BIM methods, all design
decisions have to be made at a far earlier stage of the job than is preferable or would
previously have occurred.

Table 1
AIA BIM
AEC(UK)BIM
Standard Description
Protocols
(US)
A conceptual massing study where shapes and forms are
explored against the client brief and design intent. At this stage,
LOD 0 LOD 100
floor areas and volumes can be extracted from the 3D model and
departmental flow can be rationalised
The basic form is developed using categorised components such
as walls, floors, columns and equipment. These elements are
LOD 1 LOD 200 generic place-holders in terms of their associated meta-data but
also appearance, often with all objects made from one common
material, hence the application of the term ‘White Model’
As design decisions are made, the generic place-holders are
LOD 2 LOD 300 replaced with precise, manufacturer-specific objects, rich in
associated information but still simple in their 3D geometry
Table 2
AIA BIM
AEC(UK)BIM
Standard Description
Protocols
(US)
Simplified geometric form is adequate for most BIM tasks but
LOD 3 N/A when aesthetic images and rendered scenes are required, it is
necessary to replace elements with more accurate objects
Objects are either swapped or additional information is appended
to include fabrication and assembly information. This does not
LOD 4 LOD 400 always mean that the objects get more geometrically accurate,
but that information is added which is relevant to the construction
process
The model is updated to reflect the As-Built nature of the finished
LOD 5 LOD 500
building

While the buildingSMART MacLeamy Curve diagram shows us that this can be beneficial to
the overall project, it is inappropriate during the tender stage for instance, when work is
carried out speculatively and with minimal effort.

It is often a symptom of the self-taught user that undue consideration of the components is
applied prematurely whereas BIM software is just as capable of being vague and conceptual
as CAD or the pencil are.

Very closely linked to this topic is the problem of over-modelling, which is not uniquely a BIM
problem but is just as prevalent among CAD users. Just because software allows us to draw
or model a component with accurate anatomical geometry, does not mean that it is the right
thing to do.

The worst protagonists of this have and remain to be product manufacturers who provide
their electronic libraries, complete with seals, washers, grommets, bolt-threads and fan-
blades.

The user often does not have the time to clean and rationalise these elements and the result
is too much graphical information going into a drawing or model.

BIM should be the technology that removes this problem but it is also the technology that
accentuates it. It has the potential to eliminate it because associated metadata can provide
specifics on a chosen element without the need for graphical recognition — rather than
model the hinges of a door, the properties of a simple generic component can advise that
Furniture set A is applied as per specification, for example.

Unfortunately, bad practice and over-enthusiastic users tend to get carried away, enjoying
the ability to recreate a component as a virtual work-of-art. This is repeatedly evident by
reviewing the copious online repositories for BIM content where proud modellers are willing
to share their creations in return for plaudits and followers.

The problem is that such extremes are not scalable, nor do they necessarily add to the
delivery or the value of the finished product.
Standards and protocols
Various international standards will be bandied around and may be referred to on different
projects. A brief explanation is provided on the most relevant of those (box out, left).

All of the standards mentioned, left, are industry-wide protocols with many more coming up
for consideration in each of the different disciplines, such as transfer protocols specific to
environmental assessment of buildings and structural analysis of structures.

There are too many to list in this exploratory article but further information is available in this
series of training modules.

Reference

AEC(UK) BIM standard

A working set of protocols and best practice for SMEs. Free of charge and targeted at users
of specific software applications in order to use recognised terminology rather than generic
vocabulary. A Revit version and Bentley version are available, with other versions in
production alongside generic documents such as BIM Execution Plan Pro Forma.

BS1192:2007
A UK standard that establishes the methodology for managing production, distribution and
quality of construction information, including CAD data, using a disciplined process for
collaboration and a specified naming policy. Some of the techniques and protocols are dated
and a review is underway.

COBie
Construction Operations Building Information Exchange is a subset of IFC (see below),
designed as an exchange format for the handover of a construction project upon completion
and is a large spreadsheet. It does not need a 3D model to create it but tools can
automatically transfer BIM data into the COBie format.

CI/SfB
The favoured system for many architects, this element classification schema is no longer
maintained and is superseded by Uniclass.

Uniclass
Developed by the Construction Industry Project Information Committee (CPIC) representing
RIBA, RICS, CIBSE and others, this system replaces the CI/SfB classification and is due for
a new release.

Industry Foundation Class (IFC)

A means of passing information from one BIM software platform to another. The difficulty is
in the way that compliance is applied: imagine a list of one hundred bullet points and in order
to comply, you must hit forty of those points. It is possible for two applications to be IFC
compliant and yet completely miss each other. Future releases should tighten up the gaps.
OmniClass
A classification system for the US construction industry with a growing number of global
users. The tables are made up of various other naming and numbering systems and the
table for designed elements comes from UniFormat.

UniFormat
The dominant system in North America and those parts of the world where the US has
influence, such as the Middle East.

AIA BIM Protocols E202

Focuses on the processes surrounding BIM use and collaboration between the various
stakeholders rather than the internal standardisation of BIM software use. It is very similar to
the BIM Execution Plan mentioned in the AEC (UK) documentation set and the Penn State
version as well.

Team and workflow changes

There are many areas of working practice that are touched by the BIM ethos if properly
embraced.

That is not to say that complete turmoil will ensue on the first day of use, and BIM
methodology can be eased into a practice and allowed to prove its merits before spreading
its wings, but in order to take full advantage, old processes and workflows may need to be
re-assessed.

A few such examples are highlighted here.

In the traditional drawing office, a pyramidal structure would see a lead designer at the
pinnacle and a tier of tracers at the base with various grades in between. Often the lead
designers would have a hands-off approach to drawing production work.

BIM encourages, and in many cases insists that operators understand what is being
modelled because the elements are not arbitrary lines to which meaning is assigned by a
skilled overseer; they are intelligent objects with properties and inherent characteristics
specific to the category of component.

As such the more building-savvy the user — the more efficient they are at modelling and
manipulating information in a BIM environment.

Particular skills will naturally emerge and talents for specific tasks will surface among the
users. Some will take to content creation while others will gravitate towards schedules,
detailing or model management.

Over time the team will settle into a new, more horizontal structure as these skills develop.

Another area that can lead to frustration in the office is the timeline for producing
deliverables. Again looking at a traditional environment, a twelve week programme with a
requirement for 200 drawings should see somewhere in the region of 150 drawings at or
near completion by the nine week stage. Management and the client can see the progress
and gauge whether deadlines will be met.

In a BIM scenario however an inexperienced team may not have a single drawing prepared
by the same milestone, but they have a fantastic model filled with metadata and resplendent
with fabulous views which are compiled at the eleventh hour to deliver the job. This can only
lead to stress that can easily be avoided.

Most BIM tools allow the drawing sheets to be created, named and views allocated, even if
those views are largely empty or under development.

As the model progresses, so do the drawing sheets, so the boss can see what is going on.

Fees and deliverables

It is imperative that the implications of BIM are considered when preparing fee proposals and
agreeing terms with clients and contractors. By this we do not imply that it is more expensive
to deliver a project when BIM methodology is utilised, nor is it as simple as saying that the
reverse is true.

Often the increase in efficiency and hence the reduction in time and costs of preparing
deliverables is offset by the increase in expectation and potential additional services, which
may be naively promised for no additional fee. Those seeking work and agreeing terms at
the top of a company need a good understanding of the various costs and efforts involved in
preparing a particular set of data by those at the coal-face.

This is nothing new, but the upheaval of new technology and the clamour for available work
has seen a few companies over-promise and strip out all profits from a job.

There are new roles emerging within the industry that will need to be filled, and hence
opportunities to offer new services and grow additional revenue streams. Someone within a
project team will need to take on BIM leadership and co-ordination. Do you want that role
and the associated fee and responsibility?

Who owns the model? This is always an interesting question because unless it is stated in
the contract documentation, the BIM data is simply a means to an end in preparing the
drawings that you are obliged to deliver. If the client or contractor then asks the architect for
a copy of the model for clash detection, review or even FM, should he expect to get it for
free?

Many would argue that if I paid for your time in preparing the information, then I can expect
to have it in the original format that it was prepared in. Whichever side of the fence you sit
on, it is much better all round if this is clarified at a contractual level and not fought over at
the back end.

Protecting embedded intellectual property is a topic that logically leads on from the model
ownership.

If a lot of time is spent developing a data-rich and efficient library of components, and a
model containing such elements can easily be mined for elements, this will inevitably lead to
these elements falling into the hands of competitors and there is very little you can do about
that. This should not be used as a reason not to build libraries but should be considered
when defining the specification of such efforts.

Data format is also an aspect of the market which will come under intense scrutiny in the
future.

BIM is not about a single piece of software, nor even a specific type of software, but a
means of interacting with data from many perspectives and objectives, and hence the
exchange formats are ultimately more important than the software used in any one part of
the building life-cycle.

Formats such as IFC are hopefully going to step in and fill the gaps that currently exist and
allow stakeholders to pass information freely around the design, construction and
maintenance teams without large amounts being lost along the way.

Contract and insurance

Much has to change in order to allow BIM methodology to reach full potential and for the
entire industry to properly embrace the new way of working and collaborating.

Various initiatives aimed at proving the effectiveness of IPD contracts (Integrated Project
Delivery) or similar are both available and underway and these new contract documents
should ease the adoption of BIM by eliminating some of the risks surrounding litigation, but
this mitigation of risk is not the only contract-related change that we will probably see in the
near future.

One example of an area that will have to change radically if we are ever to realise the
collaborative advantages of working in a fully co-ordinated 3D model is the terms of contract
for building services consultants and designers.

Recent years have seen a steady decline in their involvement, often to nothing more than
schematic design and plant-room layout.

Even this small amount has been done at a relatively advanced stage of the design process,
leaving little room for influencing proposals without significant cost implications.

As far as the insurance industry is concerned, BIM adoption has made them nervous to say
the least. The current consensus seems to be that BIM is a free-for-all and that the only way
to protect themselves is to ring-fence BIM activity and effectively treat it as a means to an
end in the production of drawings, with the sharing of models prohibited.

This is due in no small part to the lack of common standards and mandated protocols by
which they can gauge the capability of a company or the requirements of a project, and
hence assess the inherent risks. It is something that the whole industry has to work to
overcome and as standards are defined and gain acceptance in the future, we will see the
emergence of professional accreditation and qualifications which can then be mandated by
underwriters and sought as a mark of quality.
The final word
BIM is a mind-set, not a software application, and adopting BIM methods can require an
overhaul of the design process, team structure and even business practices in order to
achieve the full potential of the technology.

This is not going to happen overnight, as much because the industry will need to adapt as it
is because of the internal upheaval and cost, but the potentials are an exciting area of
development with new revenue streams, additional services, increased efficiency and a
wider involvement in the whole building lifecycle.

It is not so new as to be an untested technology, but it is new enough not to be able to see
the ultimate potential yet.