BIM is the new buzzword in construction, as more and more stakeholders in the industry try to explore the unique opportunities that it offers. If used right, BIM can be the vehicle to share valuable data during a project.

Nevertheless, there is still a lot of confusion around the role of Building Information Modeling and what are the components of a successful BIM strategy. Having a 3D representation of your project is surely a powerful thing but it should not come before data. After all, a 3D model is only as good as the information added to it.

This is where the issue of user adoption comes into the picture. Construction is one of the industries that generate the largest amount of data on a global basis. It appears, though, to be one of the worst sectors in collecting, sharing, and analysing these precious beats of information.

Simply put, this signifies that the digital culture of the sector is still at a very early stage and that there is a considerable digital gap that has a direct effect on the way people in the industry communicate, collaborate and eventually build.

That being said, it becomes understandable that before construction falls for BIM, it is necessary to sort out the parameter of digital adoption on the field. Only then, the industry will be ready to get the most out of the implementation and use of BIM.

Push for standardisation first

There is no doubt that BIM will take over and disrupt the construction industry within the next couple of years. However, its impact can increase exponentially if the right systems and procedures are in place.

Building Information Modeling is here to help people get organised and develop their processes in a digital environment so that they gain time, collaborate more and by extension trust, each other more leading to better data collection and fact-based decisions.

For that to happen, there are certain steps that need to be followed:

a.Get people to use digital solutions

The transition from a hammer to a tablet can take a while but it’s the bedrock for the digital transformation of the construction industry. The adoption of a data-driven way of working will pave the way for a better-connected construction site with lower rework rates and higher productivity.

b.Show them how they should use them

Once they get going with the use of digital tools on the field, it is time for the next step which is known as process digitalization. Show them how they do what they used to do using that device. Once they understand the value that the new working approach brings to the table, they will become your most valuable allies to this digital transformation journey.

c.Standardise your processes

Last and most critical step is, without a doubt, the standardisation of the building process. As soon as you turn your construction site digital, it is time to push for standardisation. In that way, the learning curve both across internal and external projects will be much faster. This change of mindset could act as a catalyst for BIM adoption and fuel a meaningful change in construction.

BIM is a data vehicle

We already mentioned in the opening of the article that Building Information Modeling can be one of the main vehicles to share data in the course of any construction process. Thanks to wider user adoption, planning can become a part of the BIM model.

Through the BIM model, the different field teams can track progress, collaborate effectively on the latest updates and adjust their planning process based on the provided feedback.

For this to happen, though, you need people both on the site and the office to actively use digital tools in order to collect and analyse data. Like that, it will be considerably easier for BIM managers to link activities on-site to the model.

At this point, the importance of standardising your processes can become apparent considering the fact that many companies are struggling with a vast number of classifications that differ from project to project.

People need to have a well-defined Protocol for their on-site follow-up. Establishing a set of standard internal classifications so that all model elements are identified and described with accuracy is one of the biggest challenges for more efficient construction industry with lower rework rates.

There is a plethora of different parameters that can be used for the description of an element in a BIM model (eg. location, structure, material) and the absence of a common classifications language can hinder collaboration across tasks and projects.

The industry needs to learn more about BIM

BIM technology has been around for quite a while now but it is still clear that many in construction appear to be very cautious regarding its benefits for the industry. That is mainly because they haven’t fully understood the great potential that Building Information Modeling offers.

And this is something that the sector needs to address. In most cases, the reluctance to invest in BIM implementation stems from the high initial cost around BIM training and on-boarding. But that’s something that applies to almost every type of digital solution in construction.

By skipping this crucial step, many project teams end up not having the proper knowledge and skills in order to get the most out of the use of a BIM model and create a unified classifications language.

This results in construction projects which are either poorly-driven when it comes to BIM and where the numerous teams are working in a very isolated way resulting in loss of vital information, more delays and budget overruns.

Final word

Wrapping it all up, it is of paramount importance that the industry starts to see BIM as a vital competitive advantage and invest more in boosting the adoption of the technology on both the boardroom and the construction site.

It is a long and demanding process that requires a lot of effort and a unique focus on data. Before we dive into 3D representations of a built structure, it’s vital to prioritise the data.

Otherwise, no matter how nice a 3D model can be, it plays no role if the data that supports it is imprecise.

About the author: Anastasios Koutsogiannis is Content Marketing Manager at LetsBuild. 

The construction industry has seen a phenomenal change with the wholesome adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the public as well as the private sector. It’s fair to say that BIM has transformed the execution of construction projects by helping in decreasing the time and cost involved in the building process.

The governments across the globe took notice of the benefits of BIM technology and are mandating its use for public projects. Countries like the UK and Germany have passed the mandate while the USA, China, South Korea, Brazil, and Singapore are considering their own BIM adoption standards. To further drive up adoption, the European Union (EU) has issued a directive to its 28 members for adopting BIM on public projects.

The governments’ stand on BIM is based upon the proven ability of the technology to enable seamless integration and collaboration between the project participants across the different project phases. This collaboration results in reducing the time involved in resolving conflicts. It lowers the operating costs while improving construction quality.

The private players are also gung-ho about the adoption and implementation of BIM technology for large-scale projects. Contractors are realising the advantages and demanding the use of BIM, even in countries where there are no government mandates issued. The impact is being seen in huge projects worldwide. The Qatar Rail is one such example. Autodesk is responsible for the design, construction, commissioning, operating, and maintaining of the massive rail project.

Application of BIM in a Construction Project

BIM provides a holistic approach to the construction process by providing insights and inputs at various stages from design, cost and raw material estimations, schedule planning, the build process, and allocation of resources to post-handing operation and maintenance of the building.

Let’s look at the 5 facets of a construction project where BIM applies:

1.    The conceptualisation of the project

A building is only as good as its design, and design is as good as the concept or the idea. The 3D BIM model aids in building intelligent concepts that provide a preview of the building. The 3D model helps in identifying design clashes. The contractors, builders, architects, engineers, electricians – all have access to the complete information at a centralised source in BIM. The seamless integration of data for the involved parties aids in better planning and avoiding delays in the construction timeline due to redesigning.

2.    Drawing estimations for raw materials

The seamless collaboration brings together all the essential parameters of the project. The detailed model helps in determining the exact quantities of all the materials required for the construction. On an ongoing basis, the parametric modeling helps in identifying the impact of every small little change made in the design of the overall project. For example: Changing one wall will change all the elements involved with it – quantities for cement, steel, sand, paint; everything will change accordingly. Any change in any of the design specifications will reflect the amount of raw materials required.

3.    Construction Scheduling

Adhering to the schedule plays a significant role in any construction project. The BIM model offers a single-window of truth for all the different teams involved in the construction. This promotes better collaboration and seamless interfaces between them that allow better construction scheduling. That apart, delays due to clash-detections, wrong estimation of raw materials, inefficient logistics are hard to control in the absence of BIM. The powerful visualization of the building design, clash detection, and the extraction of the estimated time required for completing each phase drive better adherence to the stipulated timeline.

4.    Project Planning and Financial Strategy

The fifth dimension of BIM provides information on the material requirements at specific points in time in the project. This information, in turn, helps in enabling just-in-time (JIT) delivery of raw materials to the site; which in turn helps in cash flows, as well as in saving effort and cost in transportation, storage on site, and prevents wastage of raw materials due to problems on-site making it easier to execute the plan.

As mentioned earlier, the detailed analysis helps inaccurate estimations, thereby extracting the approximations for the overall budget of the building project. You will know precisely how much outflow must be projected for at each stage. Better planning of finances can help drive project profitability since financing costs form such a significant part of any project’s cost.

5.    Project Handing and Operations Management

A key dimension of BIM is the as-built picture of the construction project. This is an essential part of the handing over process post the completion of the project. The reality of construction is that, however comprehensive the design, the final site will always look different in small and big specific ways. The as-built design of BIM provides access to the most accurate information of the facility, which forms the basis for efficient operations and maintenance of the facility.

Phillip G. Bernstein of Yale University said, “Evolution of BIM implementation came in parallel with a willingness to collaborate and share project information, the move toward an integrated practice that is much talked about in the industry.” It is this willingness to collaborate across all the stages of the construction cycle that will drive the most efficient construction projects forward. And BIM will lead that charge.