From Multi-Discipline Coordination to Clash-Free Models: A Data Center BIM Case Study

Data center projects require a high level of coordination because building systems, services, and infrastructure must operate within tightly controlled spaces while meeting project standards and execution requirements. Design and service-routing changes can have a direct impact on coordinated models and downstream construction documentation. When these changes are managed through disconnected workflows, there is a greater risk of outdated information, unresolved clashes, inconsistent routing, or discrepancies between the model and issued drawings. These issues can become more difficult and costly to address once construction documentation has been prepared or field installation has begun. For this project, Excelize implemented a staged BIM coordination workflow in which modeling, clash detection, QA/QC, project-team reviews, client reviews, and revision feedback were connected as a continuous process. Each review cycle provided an opportunity to validate design and routing changes, resolve coordination issues, and maintain compliance with project standards before the model progressed toward approval. This model-driven approach created a controlled path from initial BIM development to client-approved construction documentation, reducing the risk of coordination issues carrying forward into later stages.