The adaptation of digital technology advancements, such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), etc., have gradually shifted the face of the AEC industry, and its tremendous results are visible to the world. The credit for such positive transformation, especially in the construction industry, goes to a powerful design tool—Building Information Modeling (BIM)—which changed the present of this industry in ways one didn’t even imagine in the past.

BIM, an integrated data system based on advanced 3D parametric object-based modeling, allows complete -monitoring and tracking and seamless project planning. Itis an important aspect as the information in BIM requires to be exchanged to derive the benefits. Before we dive deep into the concept of BIM Interoperability, it’s imperative to understand what ‘interoperability’ means. In simple terms, ‘interoperability’ refers to the ability of computer programs and systems to exchange information efficiently and seamlessly. The property allows a product or system to share data and resources between various products or systems via software and hardware without disturbing the existing ecosystem.

Where does BIM Interoperability stand in the AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation) industry?

BIM Interoperability has a central position in the AEC industry. According to an article in the Journal of Management in Engineering, ‘The AEC industry uses BIM for 3D visualization, clash detection, feasibility analysis, constructability review, quantity take-off and cost estimate, 4D/scheduling, environmental/LEED analysis, creating shop drawings, and facility management.’ BIM allows the integration of 2D sketches with 3D models to integrate several lifecycle phases of a building, making it useful in the AECO industry. It bridges the gap between the users’ expectations and application functions that weren’t possible before without re-entering information. BIM software interoperability allows data to be transferable between various systems and gives access to organizations working on the same project to share the same data in real-time. This becomes central in cases where the data should stay in a single system for an extended period—for example, Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM).

What are the advantages and challenges of BIM interoperability in AEC companies?

Advantages:

1. Optimization of Design and Planning Processes: With BIM, Prototyping and analyzing during the planning and design stage helps early detection of potential problems and can eventually save considerable expenditure cost and time of the rework.
2. Efficient Data Handling: BIM interoperability has eliminated data re-entry manually, resulting in dependency on paper. The BIM model has also allowed teams to verify data and designs using the software and later manage documents and design history, outlining future decisions. It has served as the ‘central repository for data mapping, information, and integration.’
3. Increased Quality of Communication: Interoperable BIM processes have reduced miscommunication and errors. All the relevant information and necessary process are available to all teams in the cloud for project transparency and, eventually, better outcomes.
4. Faster and Smarter Delivery of Projects: As per UN’s research, the world population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050; hence, the AEC industry worldwide needs to resort to much smarter, faster, and more efficient methods to design infrastructure that prove to be a complete gamechanger. BIM is a one-stop smart solution to fulfill this vision.

Challenges:

1. Interoperability is key for successful BIM implementation. Lack of transparency, inability to continue from one tool to another, multiple data formats, etc are some potential challenges that can be faced due to lack of interoperability. Due to lack of interoperability, the benefits of the entire process and across the value change can be reduced. There is potential rework leading to additional costs
2. Data duplication and multiple sources of data are other challenges of lack of interoperability.

With the ‘information age’ gathering pace, there is a growing need for all industries to collaborate and exchange and re-use data in a much more streamlined, systemized, productive, and cost-effective way. With the use of BIM, the AEC industry is on its way to making notable progress. As per the statistics shared by NBS, ‘Of organizations that haven’t yet adopted BIM, 59% believe they will be left behind if they don’t do so.’ Therefore, despite a few challenges, BIM remains to be a point to be of focus in the future.

Inquisitive to know more? Check out our other blogs for detailed information on the subject while you look at the golden era of BIM in AECO industries that’s about to transform the future!

Were the last two years the years of disruption or transformation? While almost every industry faced a slump, it forced companies to adopt long-due digitalization and acquainted many with the concept. We can say the same for the AECO industry (architecture, engineering, construction, and operations) – which is still largely personnel dependent, fragmented and new to the world of digitalization.?

We could say that several sectors, such as engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, etc., have seemingly fared better in adopting digitalization than the AECO Industry. Moreover, it is a vastly complex industry, given the interdependencies between stakeholders such as architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers, government bodies, etc. The demand for human coordination among a large pool of entities demands improved integration, faster communication, and coordination between them.?

The industry is vast and a significant player in world economics. A recent report by IBISWorld stated that there are more than?3.75 million construction businesses?in the United States alone, and the entire industry is estimated to touch USD 57 trillion by 2030.?

But how can AECO players benefit from digitalization? How can they become more efficient and make better decisions? How can the industry achieve the next level of growth? This blog might have some answers to address how it can be a game changer.?

1. Increased Efficiency? 

By introducing digitalization, in turn, BIM (Building Information Modeling) to their systems, AECO companies can improve every step of the process, including planning, design, procurement, construction, etc. BIM provides the data that can be used throughout the collaborative processes in all stages of the project lifecycle. Additionally, cloud-based data-sharing applications break down data silos to make inter-disciplinary graphical and non-graphical data accessible in one place. These digital tools enable data visualization and effectively analyze how built assets are managed, delivered, operated, and maintained.?

A single digital environment allows seamless information sharing, real-time communication, and the ability to make data-driven decisions in operations and maintenance processes. All of this and more is possible with digitalization!?

2. Cost-Savings 

The AECO industry relies heavily on labor, raw material, and world economics. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, the shortage and increased cost of raw materials was a severe concern for this industry, with fewer chances for profit-making. The efforts to optimize costs and the resources at hand became a priority for the AECO industry, leaving no room for mistakes or rework. The sector found that digitalization helps solve these issues and more.?

The BIM models offer pre-construction insights that help reduce errors by identifying potential issues before they occur. Thus, the massive cost of rework and delays is saved. With the correct data, the quantities of labor and raw material required for a project can be optimized.

Digitalization also helps to reduce the human capital needed by turning tasks handled by teams into single-person jobs – with fever errors. All these factors lead to enormous cost savings in large-scale projects.

3. Innovation 

Digitalization allows AECO companies to experiment and innovate with 3D BIM modeling services and Architectural BIM services. BIM and the concept of digital twins help companies to develop ‘virtual prototypes’ of different projects. The entire project lifecycle helps the various stakeholders analyze the feasibility of the projects and prepare ahead.?

The Architectural BIM services empower visualization, data-driven designs, and transparent analysis of the project. It also allows architects to rethink designs and offer customized solutions. Visualizing the real-life experience with features like natural lights and open spaces significantly impacts all entities involved.?

4. Sustainability?

Employee health and safety, labor compliances like working hours & minimum wages, greenhouse emissions, material wastage, etc. are growing concerns for the AECO industry. In digitalization, BIM meaningfully addresses these concerns and helps to upscale the entire system’s sustainability. BIM enables sustainable design allowing architects and engineers to access higher-tech tools to integrate and analyze things like heat gain, solar, ventilation, and energy efficiency in their designs. It creates detailed 3D models of a building’s innards and overall structure to better match design intent and actual construction. The model also serves as a blueprint to facility managers, as an aid in maintaining and operating the building, and evaluating and enhancing energy efficiency. With better decision-making, more accessible information, better analysis, and simpler certifications, BIM helps the AECO industry achieve its sustainability standards.?

Recently, public policy and sustainability-related regulations are encouraging AECO companies to implement sustainable practices, and digitalization is the most effective step toward it.

5. A Step Forward Towards Industry 4.0 (Construction 4.0) 

The AECO industry is still at a preliminary stage in the digitalization pathway. However, BIM and its huge role in digital transformation could take this massive industry towards construction 4.0.

To put things in perspective, the research by Allied Market Research suggests that the global AEC market size was valued at $7,188.00 million in 2020 and is projected to reach $15,842.00 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 10.7% from 2021 to 2028.

But the way the construction industry works is typically linearly or sequentially where each player delivers his role and passes on to the next one for his work. This sequential and fragmented approach to the construction value chain could have an alternative model in the new digital ecosystem, but not without some challenges that need overcoming. And BIM coupled with cloud computing could be a solution to these challenges!

It will be correct to say that technologies such as digital twins, AR/VR, 3D printing, and many others have become ever more important in the AECO industry. But there are still quite a lot of companies that need to understand BIM or solve even more fundamental challenges in a digitalization context. Nevertheless, the BIM market is looking at solid growth soon. And as the government mandates grow for several countries and the integration possibilities between BIM and other new-age technologies increase, we can see that Construction 4.0 or Industry 4.0 is not too far.?

In the current context, digitalization for the AECO players could mean focusing on collaboration, upskilling, acquiring new capabilities, joining ecosystems, solving pain points, and remembering to start small and gradually scale. It will help project timelines stay on track and give AECO players a competitive advantage by introducing an additional layer of assurance for project stakeholders. Achieving holistic digital transformation and understanding and delivering what the client requires will always remain the prime agenda behind starting the digitalization journey.?

For more such brain feeders, go to our Blogs page

Towards the end of the last decade BIM adoption for clash detection, coordination had gained acceptance. Now it was necessary to move beyond this and look at what more can be done using the BIM models. Dimensions of BIM from 3D to 8D were a topic of discussion and a significant number of organizations decided to implement these. Having an integrated 5D BIM platform was being mandated on some large infra projects. Using the BIM models to create asset models for facility management was also gaining acceptance.

All this meant that digital transformation was happening at various levels. The pandemic hit us in 2020 and the entire ecosystem was impacted. But this also opened for us new avenues of working. Working remotely, using technology to speed up construction, ensuring that there are minimal time and cost overruns on projects gained importance, along with acceptance of digitalization.

In the examples we are sharing, we wish to highlight that BIM adoption has matured and it should be looked at the norm.

Phase 1: Maha Metro – 2016 – Ongoing

Maha Metro is the first organization in the country to implement 5D BIM project visualization. 5D BIM is a digital project management concept that integrates many software’s seamlessly. This implementation has enabled Maha Metro to control quality, cost and time very effectively.

In a country where large infrastructure projects have gained notoriety for time and cost overruns and have often delivered dubious quality, using the new 5D project management platform, Nagpur Metro has broken from the traditional vicious circle of project management and delivered consistent quality along with timebound completion.

The traditional approach followed in the construction industry often struggles to deliver the project on time and within budget. Lack of precision and exactness in the process of information flow leads to conflicts between stakeholders. Design management, document control, quality assurance, timely completion, cost control, risk mitigation, maintaining safe construction environment and effective operation and maintenance of services are among the most common challenges faced by the construction industry. Reduced rework, reduced coordination problems, better communication between various stakeholders, reduced documentation errors, fewer claims, reduced paperwork, reduction in time and cost overrun, reduction in lifecycle costs are amongst the main benefits of 5D BIM.

The results show that 5D BIM based digital project management system integrates all the processes, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the project, right from design through operation and maintenance.

Nagpur metro was the first 5D BIM implementation in India. This project has certainly paved the way for many such applications now. In the last 2 years (2020-2021) almost all public infrastructure projects are mandating BIM and its various dimensions to be digitally integrated with planning, construction management, cost monitoring, asset management and even digital twins.

Phase 2: Mixed Use development – 2022

The current state of BIM adoption and implementation is drastically different from when we started 18 yrs ago. BIM implementation is mandated as part of the scope from day 1. Contracts include this, consultants have the required knowledge and owners are ready to look at the long-term benefits this first step will provide.

On a very recently started project we have seen the acceptance of implementing BIM and going beyond. Some highlights are:

• This is a mixed-use retail centre situated in Mumbai. BIM has been mandated by the developers
• RFP was generated, bids were invited, and a bidding portal was used
• The RFP mentioned that a design model will be provided by the developers. This was an example which demonstrated that there were no barriers to adoption, design had started with 3D, BIM standards were available, and goals has been clearly laid out.
• Architect and MEPF consultants on this project are building their own models. The BIM team at Excelize is only building structural models
• The architects have setup CDE and are driving the entire workflow.
• Bids had to submitted with prior experience documents, reference check contacts, approach and methodology for this project, team profile, confirmation on capability of using CDE
• Technical evaluation was done through presentations and discussion with the client’s team.
• The scope extended itself beyond BIM modeling, as laid out in the contract. It included:
  • Architectural base BIM model
  • BIM model for structure.
  • Extracting Bill of Quantities (BOQ) from clash free design model
  • 2D GFC extraction for structural services.
  • Construction simulation (4D), cost management (5D), asset model, Digital twin
• The client decided to implement Digital twin in phase 2 as the technology and process would have expectedly evolved as they reach this phase in 3-4 years.

BIM standards and implementation framework

Though BIM is a technology that can be pivotal to enhancing productivity and optimizing costs for construction, it is not guided by a set of standards or rules for its implementation.

As there is no single body mandating BIM, the standards and implementation framework has been decided largely by users. BIM Execution Plan (BEP) is the first attempt at creating a framework and standing of processes involved.

Back in 2010, Excelize worked on an airport project, wherein no BEP was generated, no standards for the project were documented. In 2014, the Excelize team worked for an IT giant that was setting up 10 campuses in India. While BEP wasn’t generated for this project as well, the standards were setup and made mandatory too.

In 2015, the BEP for Maharashtra Metro was well detailed and thought out. It was generated in consultation with all the stakeholders and owners. As part of the BEP, employers’ information requirements, master information delivery plan, task information delivery plan, Level of Details (LOD) matrix, and Level of Information (LOI) guidelines, were documented and implemented. BS PAS 1199 standards were followed for this project.

In 2020-2021, we have many tools that allow us to generate the BEP. Based on the project or organization goals, BEP can be generated to various global standards. There is a movement that insists on the adoption of a uniform, global standard i.e., ISO 19650.

Phase 1: JIO world – 2014

BIM Modelling services were sought by a leading telecom giant for the construction of an international exhibition and convention centre. Request for Proposal (RFP) was floated, and 5 bids were received. An interesting enhancement in the evaluation criteria was the emphasis on prior work experience, over being just restricted to commercials. The principal contractor – Samsung Korea – was appointed to evaluate this process also. They visited the Excelize office, reviewed the company’s processes, quality audit protocols, team capabilities and even the license compliance for the BIM tools to be used in the project.

This is a convention and exhibition centre spread over an area of more than 8 million square feet comprising of high-end retail, Theatre, convention and exhibition centre, service apartments, residential, commercial offices, etc.

Observations:

• This project coordination would have been a massive challenge if BIM was not deployed.

• Roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders were clearly defined when related to BIM implementation

• The modeling approach was a hybrid one:

• • • Design models were provided by foreign design consultants

    • During the construction phase, the BIM team was asked to build the architectural, structural and services models.

    • MEPF (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing Fixtures) consultants were to build their own models.

• On-site team was responsible for coordination with contractor’s team and the principal contractor was responsible for the construction planning and simulation of design.

• This was the first project that had a requirement for an as-built model along with asset tagging

• This was unique and one of the biggest projects with mixed use design, multiple designers and consultants were involved in the project. To get timely resolution from the consultant was the biggest challenge for coordination.

• Owners team should appoint a BIM champion to drive BIM modelling and allied services. It cannot be done through the contractor as they do not have the complete view of the project.

• Asset strategy should be thought and formulated early in the lifecycle as this affects the LOD of the model

• 4D construction simulation was done but was not used for catch-up planning.

• Models built were not used at coordination meetings but only the clash report was reviewed.

Phase 2: Campus for a large IT services company – 2015

An IT giant required BIM support for setting up multiple campuses. It was mandatory for the project team to setup standards; no BIM execution plan was set up for these projects though.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) had a very clear scope of work identified and the deliverables were documented. A contract was drafted clearly stating these aspects.

Observations:

• The scope extended itself beyond BIM modeling for clash detection and coordination, as laid out in the contract. Besides modeling for clash detection and coordination, it included:

  • Extracting Bill of Quantities (BOQ) from clash free design model and bill verification for the BOQ from model and contractor’s Running Account (RA) bills

  • 4D BIM dashboards and reporting to management

  • Appointment of on-site BIM coordinator

• Most of the issues stemmed from the top-down approach. No time was given to site teams to adopt and evolve through processes.

• Contracts made with the contractor had not specified BIM verification which created tremendous resistance at the contractor’s end.

• Owners kept tweaking the design even while the construction was being done, so many changes had to be incorporated in real-time.

• BIM models were not used to generate the 2D. It was a 2D to 3D effort, which was the reverse of the usual approach which made it more cumbersome.

• Site changes on materials resulted in consumed quantity not matching tender quantity or BIM quantity as estimated in the plan

• On-site coordinator took around 6-7 months to feel included as a part of the team.

• The adoption on the first project was a failure and as BIM consultants, Excelize team faced push back from everyone. By the time, the team started work on the third location, the acceptance had increased manifold.

BIM mandates

BIM will gain momentum only when its implementation will be mandated by the government or at an enterprise level. The adoption of BIM has been mandated in many countries globally, though there is no such mandate in India. The advancement of BIM implementation solely relies on the success or benefit achieved on every project at an organizational level.

For many years in the past decade a BIM Consultant would implement BIM on any project only for coordination during design phase with an objective to get accurate quantities for estimation & bill verification during the construction of the project. Since 2020 while the world has been battling with COVID19, adoption of BIM has increased threefold especially the architecture and design firms. BIM has also been regulated due to mandated in the private sector in India.

The Public sector has been prompt in regulating BIM Implementation depending on the size of the projects and the ease of managing. Even with the successful implementation of 5D BIM on the Maha metro project in Nagpur BIM has not become a mandate on all the metro projects in the country. Likewise, infrastructure projects are looking beyond regulation of BIM implementation and are now looking to adopting digital integration platform in construction phase of projects for the ease of asset management during lifetime of the project. This includes incorporating BIM models, project plans for 4D simulation and monitoring and integration with ERP tools for 5D cost management. All this is possible with mandates at various levels.

Phase 1: Mumbai Airport – 2008

This mega structure is spread over an area of 5 million sq. ft. The complex design was fully coordinated using 3D BIM models. Excelize team was entrusted with the challenge of showcasing the benefits of BIM adoption for coordination. A Proof-Of-Concept (POC) was conducted for a small area before the work on the entire terminal was done.

No BEP was generated, no standards were defined and documented, and only BIM goal was to generate coordinated 2D drawings from clash-free models.

Observations:

• The input data was incomplete with inadequate information. Using these at site would have resulted in a lot of on-site decision resulting in potential delays.
• A lot of clashes were detected and resolved using the model. This ensured that
  • Minimal decisions were taken on site
  • No undocumented changes at site
  • Very little rework at site thus time and cost overruns were minor
• Every designer had his/her perspective for resolving the clashes. Excelize team took initiative to document the rules for clash resolution that could be shared with the design teams, and this led to the first piece of standardization
• Value engineering exercise was conducted in coordination with design team at site, which involved re-design and second round of clash resolution.
• Clash free areas and models were produced which the site team was not capable of viewing. Lack of trained staff, infrastructure (hardware/software) and resistance to accept change were some of the barriers to implementation. At the end of this phase, walkthroughs were generated from the model which the team used for inspection during installation.

Phase 2: Star rated Hotel – 2012

The goal for this star rated hotel project was to demonstrate the benefits of BIM models through the design and installation phase. The ability to visualize the entire space in 3D, to plan the services routing more efficiently, identify clashes early in the design process and how all of this supports the onsite team during the installation process were some indicators.

Observations:  

• The client team was comfortable with their traditional approach of design co-ordination and had been rather reluctant to change. It was incredibly difficult to convince them in favour of BIM adoption
• There was no team identified to review and utilize the information that would be shared by the BIM team and no training was imparted to the existing team for deploying BIM
• Information in drawings was incomplete, so, models had to be made based on certain assumptions.
• Excelize worked remotely on building the model had a part time BIM coordinator driving the in-person meetings, getting clash resolution
• After one-on-one meetings with different team members, there was a gradual shift in their approach towards viewing the model. A bottom-up approach worked in realizing the value of BIM models.
• As the project was on the verge of completion, there was openness to using BIM during construction as a coordination and visualization tool and sought appreciation by team members

BIM adoption

The transition from traditional construction methods to using BIM has brought a revolution among all the project stakeholders. For architects, BIM enhances their designing capability which brings refinement in design which in turn reduces unnecessary re-work.

The next set of people to adopt BIM were the project owners. The benefit achieved is accuracy in estimation which in turn helped in material procurement and cost, transparency among other stakeholders of the project during coordination and construction was key for the owners to adopt BIM.

In due time contractors and other stakeholders observed the efficient gains from BIM adoption. They are today the biggest proponents of BIM and this gives them the ability to build faster, smarter, reduce errors and wastages and eliminated unbudgeted problems.

We would like to share the BIM Story in India; through our journey of almost 2 decades. Through a series of articles, we will share India’s BIM story with parallels to Excelize BIM journey.

PART 1

The journey of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in India has moved from doubt to acknowledgment to utilizing the higher possibilities of BIM. Excelize Software (www.excelize.com), serving the global Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) industry from its headquarters in Aurangabad, has been a pioneer in this transformational journey for almost two decades.

Construction & Architecture have gone through a transition since their shift in design communication from 2D (Computer Aided Design) CAD drawings to 3D models. BIM models came in handy for the architects and builders as it helped in visualizing their projects accurately. BIM models also helped to outdo the constraints of 2D drawings as it integrated all the project-relevant information in just one model during the construction of the project. The ability of BIM is to align and incorporate data precisely to enhance good communication among project stakeholders (clients, architects, engineers, and contractors). It is also a starting point for use of advanced technology applications like artificial intelligence, robotics, etc in the AEC industry. Excelize is optimistic that technology is going to be a key enabler for the AECO industry in the times to come.

BIM is not just automation it leads to creative, logical, analytical, and critical thinking and enables a process that accelerates operations. The adoption of BIM has also been influenced by the implementation of policies and construction standards. It is safe to say that BIM is a center of information management for all projects, irrespective of location, standards, scale, after-construction use, nature of construction, and others.

Potential benefits of BIM

At the beginning of this millennium, there was significant growth in the number and types of projects being constructed. There was an increase in projects with advanced security systems and sustainable energy requirements. This brought up the necessity of having a tool that would have all interactive data

right from design to the construction in one place and would also be available during the lifetime of the project for facilities management & maintenance. Thus, most of the project stakeholders started gaining interest in BIM.

By 2015 most of BIM users began to see BIM as a ‘Must Have’ tool. Using BIM, it was possible to track and monitor potential issues such as cost overruns and cost to completion based on the progress of present construction. During the operations and maintenance stage, locating and accessing assets, and identifying challenges in accessing the assets are some benefits that are also gaining interest.

We have seen stakeholders visualizing the design flaws when they could see the model much ahead of construction. Clash detection and coordination using BIM models help save time during the coordination stage by almost 1/3 of the time required using the conventional method. Coordination issues are rectified in the model which in turn helps reduce in wastage of material and time. Construction sequencing helps in checking on time progress during construction of the project and helps in making catch-up plan if there is any delay. Another important benefit is having an asset model which is generated with up-to-date information about the project constructed at the site. This model helps during the entire lifespan of the project for facilities management.

The bricks of any building, bridge, or any piece of infrastructure are laid by construction workers. No matter how advanced the technologies are involved on site or how efficient are the materials and processes deployed, the quality of construction will continue to depend significantly on the people who work on site. Naturally, it is the responsible of construction companies, firm owners, project managers, builders, architects, contractors, suppliers, and other such stakeholders to take care of the health and safety of the people working on site.

Healthy, Safety, Environment (HSE) standards have been much discussed, but unfortunately, the construction industry globally has traditionally scored rather low on this parameter. A high number of fatalities, injuries and illnesses are reported from all/most construction sites. It is common knowledge in this industry that the construction is fraught with risks such as harmful chemicals, loud noise, handling heavy loads or hazardous materials, potential of injuries such as cuts, falls or electric shocks. These risks make it essential to audit and upgrade the HSE parameters of any construction site.

Research also suggests that the construction industry is saturated with traditional injury-prevention strategies and demands a new approach to safety innovation. Experts suggest that the most effective form of safety program management can be done at the planning and pre-construction phases of a project. Here’s where Building Information Modelling (BIM) comes into the picture. Globally, BIM has often been leveraged for better design, improved stakeholder communication, enhanced productivity gains, logistics and supply chain management, cost estimation and analysis but most BIM users haven’t really explored it enough for health and safety.

The HSE performance of a construction site can be managed at the following levels:

1. Planning and Assessment of Risks – To begin with, construction managers should identify potential HSE hazards, their likelihood of occurrence, severity, impact, what deserves immediate attention and what is anticipated for future. At this stage, BIM can be used for worker safety, training and education, designing and planning for safety, falling prevention, planning the right materials, processes and systems, visualization and simulation of high-risk activities. For example, 3D visualization can be used to check crane reach and capability in construction work, or to examine the risks in case of load fall or to evaluate what the crane jib could hit. BIM and the digital environment could also be used intelligently to initiate a cultural change on the site basis the onsite safety data. Companies in UK introduced a Construction, Design and Management (CDM) coordinator at the design stage of construction projects. The introduction of the CDM role has contributed to the ‘safe by design’ principle and a drastic drop in the fatalities in UK construction sector.

2. Risk Control and Prevention – Using of personal protective equipment (PPE), training and capacity management of construction workers, using appropriate equipment and setting the right processes, eliminating hazards and enforcing regular breaks are few necessary actions that must follow the assessment phase. Some companies see these steps as additional expenses but the cost of completing any project without any reported incidents is perhaps several times lower than the costs associated with accidents such as workers’ compensation, medical expenses, material and equipment damage and legal services. Accidents can also lead to indirect costs such as hiring replacement staff and implementing corrective measures. A UK study found that companies save up to £3 for every £1 invested in accident. Besides, the impact of losing human lives can hardly be computed in monetary terms. In 2018 alone, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2.8 million work injuries and illnesses, and 5,147 fatalities.

BIM can be smartly leveraged for integrating high HSE standards, ensuring compliance as per local regulations, cost estimates of the right materials, tools and processes, accident investigation and designing for prevention of accidents. BIM can help with ensuring safety by simulation of vehicles, equipment and movement of people at the construction site. Using BIM models, material movement can be simulated through challenging areas of a building under construction while complete avoidance of accidents. Optimized locations for cranes and material storage can also be planned using BIM models.

3. Review of Health and Safety Management Processes – Adequate implementation of accident prevention strategies by onsite workers, periodic maintenance of site equipment and work area, enforcing compliance of safety-critical features at all times, safe handling of materials, updating policies and procedures, evaluation of risk exposure and monitoring the effectiveness of HSE measures are a few of the actions that construction project managers and site owners must undertake. Here, BIM can actively help with facility management, site surveillance, safety reviews during construction, higher clarity in safety related communication among stakeholders and more. What if scenario analysis, optimized options for vehicle movements, etc can be setup as processes that are part of the HSE management plans and can be done using digital BIM models.

Technology will have a critical role to play in improving the HSE standards of the construction industry. For example, wearable technology can be used to track workers individually in project sites, at all times. When they step into a dangerous area, such as the swing radius of a crane in operation, they can be alerted with an immediate audiovisual notification. Technology can also be used to gather site data more effectively with digital formats, and this includes faster access to information about workplace risks.

We, at Excelize, highly recommend extracting higher value from BIM models by leveraging it for establishing the highest HSE standards possible. It is only prudent to put in the right policies, standards and procedures in place for ensuring a zero-incident construction project while striving for high quality and productivity.

The $20 trillion US economy heavily relies on a vast network of public infrastructure from public transport to bridges to electrical grids, water carriage systems, and more. The country saw a historic movement in November 2021 when the government announced a commitment of hundreds of billions of dollars toward building new infrastructure. However, the existing infrastructure is rather overstretched and needs maintenance to be able to support ongoing needs.

The report Well Maintained: Economic Benefits from more Reliable and Resilient Infrastructure published by The World Bank in May 2021 effectively documents how good and timely infrastructure maintenance boosts prosperity, enabling growth and well-being of people, firms, and economic systems. Estimating (just) the direct costs imposed on firms in low- and middle-income countries, sales losses due to power outages amount to $82 billion a year; disruptions to the water supply infrastructure cost $6 billion annually, and reduced utilization rates of transportation due to disrupted infrastructure cause a loss of $107 billion a year. These estimates exclude indirect copying costs, loss of competitiveness, and capacity to attract investments.

Maintaining existing infrastructure is therefore as critical as investing in the upgrades. Asset maintenance and management of existing assets are not free from its challenges – complying with complex standards set by the civil authorities as well as internal quality norms, data validation, and integration workflows, asset handover and data sharing between various teams, combining disparate sources of data from various teams to create a unified view, and automating infrastructure asset management to save time and money, are a few of the key challenges by infrastructure owners.

Here’s where BIM can play a significant role. Let us look at an example from a project-based in Columbia, USA.

A water and sewerage authority in USA which offers a range of water services, needed a provider of BIM services and ongoing technical support for a pilot study to implement a software solution capable of integrating BIM models and asset data for their Water Pumping Station. A twin asset via a BIM model that includes complete asset history, and accurate real-time information across asset portfolios and locations reliably support better planning of maintenance, repair, and replacement and lesser time spent for asset maintenance. The downtime needed for maintenance can be reduced as the BIM models help us plan for various ‘what if’ scenarios.

The owner of this project had scanned certain facilities and built as-built 3D BIM models. The asset data that was to be linked to the assets in the model was available at various scattered physical locations and was dependent on people accessing them. Since the water supply network is spread over multiple locations, it was necessary to have an integrated picture of the assets in one place. This was the biggest challenge that needed to be addressed.

The general requirements of this project included – key user capabilities, IT security, standards, and miscellaneous. The pilot execution stages included – project kick-off workshops, demonstration and training, end-user testing and feedback workshops, system updates, and implementation of solutions. Their Request for Proposal also stated that in addition to the services and ongoing technical support provided for the pilot study solution, the vendor shall provide details of what is needed to scale up the solution for system-wide implementation.

For linear assets, the organization uses ArcGIS as a solution that provides a visual interactive interface for managing water and sewer pipes, valves, manholes, hydrants, and other assets within the transmission, distribution, and collection networks. Another software provides connectivity between ArcGIS and asset information through a visual interface. Integration with analytical software supports criticality analyses, which are performed to determine linear assets at the highest risk of failure for inclusion in capital replacement and maintenance projects.

In comparison, facility asset information (pumping stations, storage facilities, non-process facilities) is not accessed via a centralized visual interface. Information for facility assets is available in the form of record drawings, SOPs, O&M manuals, service manuals, operating information, and maintenance records. This information is stored in multiple systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning, network drives, Maximo, Wonderware (SCADA), SharePoint, and printed copies. Observing the many advances in technology around facility management, the Department of Pumping and Sewer Operations is evaluating the possibility of incorporating BIM into the existing asset management process. The desired end goal is to centralize access to existing information using an interface that is simple and intuitive.

As a first step, a pilot study is being planned for one of its pumping stations to assess the current technology and associated costs and benefits for the systemwide deployment of a visually interactive information interface for vertical asset management.

For any asset management project in general, a digital twin (aka a BIM model) would be immensely helpful as it can be a storehouse of data that includes asset history,

its operation, its size, dependencies, and disaster recovery. This easily accessible asset data supports better planning of maintenance, repair, and replacement and reduced time in asset maintenance.

A relatively less talked about benefit of BIM modelling is in the area of shop drawings. 2D shop drawings are quintessential for contractors (civil, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, etc) who review them for constructability in mind, conduct value engineering and optimization and then generate shop (fabrication) drawings. The shop drawings are typically made for execution of services illustrating details like size of pipe, slope, type of joints, bending angle, length of uninterrupted pipe based on availability in the market, information about hangers and distance, among others.

This blueprint shows a clear picture of the entire construction process, specifies measurements, production standards, and fabrication specifications for prefabricated components, details of construction supplies and other necessities. Ranging from steel beams, trusses, and concrete slabs to elevators, appliances, cabinets, ducting, and electrical layout, shop drawings show a wide range of modular components.

Let’s look at the role of BIM in assisting the process of generating accurate shop drawings. BIM helps identify potential clashes at the design stage and minimizes constructability issues on site.

This process of coordinating and integrating all the services and civil components in a 3D environment before generating the shop drawings strengthens the process of drawing generation and minimizes possibilities of co-ordination issues or human errors as compared to hand drawings.

Typically, MEP (mechanical, engineering, plumbing) contractors face challenges like – inaccurate component installation due to insufficient details in the drawings, inaccurate cost estimates, poor co-ordination between project stakeholders, inability to standardize fabrication parameters and lack of visualization leading to not-so-informed decisions.

Drawings generated from the BIM model are consistent so the challenges of version management are quite avoidable. A large amount of time is otherwise spent in incorporating changes at a micro level, which is saved when the generation of drawing is supported by BIM.

Let us look at two of our Excelize projects to understand this better:

Case 1:

For a mechanical contractor in USA, we were asked to produce shop drawings for HVAC (Heat, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) from the existing design issued for construction drawings. The team produced the CAD output: a series of shop drawings showing HVAC installations.

This was achieved by building a LOD 400, 3D BIM model from the design data provided. Clash detection was performed thereafter and critical clashes were addressed through a preliminary report. Once these conflicts were resolved, a sample sheet was generated to align with the sheet standards set by the customer.

Had we taken the traditional approach, the coordination effort would have been tedious as everyone would have work in the 2D environment in isolation. While using a BIM model, each contractor could see the design of the other contractors at work and liaise suitably. This saved significant amount of time and effort. Also, with the details captured in the BIM model, the duplication of creating the details in 2D was eliminated.

Case 2:

Architects for state-of-the-art international school located in Alipore, Kolkata appointed Excelize to develop an interior 2D Shop drawings package for a built up area of 200,000 sq.ft. The details were developed for classroom, laboratories, libraries, activity areas, dining areas, auditorium, play areas and the entrance lobby.

2D interior shop drawings were generated from the general arrangement drawings (GA drawings), reflected ceiling plans (RCP), elevations and others shared by the customer’s team. Various packages were developed for interiors in coordination with the structure and MEP services. Flooring plans with pattern and details, casework drawings, ceiling pans and details, lighting layouts, specialized furniture details for activity rooms, classroom furniture and other such details were illustrated in the shop drawings.

All CAD & design standards were maintained throughout the project with the help of checklists and a stringent QC process.

Shop drawings drive accurate fabrication and installation through precise and detailed information and advanced visualization to clearly communicate design intent. Extraction of detailed drawings from Revit, for interiors and each MEP component, ramps up project speed and streamlines construction significantly.

Digital Twins has shown rapid acceptance in the past two years. An US based report stated that the market for digital twins was pegged at around 4 billion USD in revenue in 2019 and is expected to reach 36 billion USD by 2025. Initially introduced to the aerospace industry in the 1960s, this emerging technology has now found takers in the manufacturing sector, smart city development projects, infrastructure and retail sectors.

What is Digital Twin?

Digital Twin in construction refers to a 3D virtual representation of a physical building with accurate data on each asset collected from IoT (Internet of Things)-enabled devices like sensors attached to the building and equipment. The 3D model stores accurate real-time data of the asset right from the design and planning through post-construction. This data enables monitoring and maintenance of the asset in real time with clarity at all stages of the project. It also lends valuable insights into the building’s impact on climate change and incorporates other valuable information about the performance and lifecycle of the asset. Designers, engineers, architects, and project managers can use this data to design and build a robust and resilient asset. This data can even aid decision-making for similar buildings being constructed in identical environments.

Considering around 90% of human lives are spent in buildings, it’s imperative to construct assets that ensure the occupant’s comfort, safety and well-being. An unforeseeable event like the pandemic challenged public spaces and infrastructure at many levels to offer more. Workspaces had to deal with challenges such as managing operational capacities, space vacancies, stringent hygiene measures, and health screenings of building entrants. In such circumstances, the adoption of Digital Twin paired with IoT devices could have helped develop a smart building system that adapts to the occupant’s needs and the environment. A Digital Twin-enabled smart building helps asset managers smoothly manage the new protocols and ensure the safety and comfort of the building occupants.

Here are a few ways in which Digital Twin and its IoT devices can help meet the stringent needs of infrastructure and spaces in terms of public health and safety:

1. Enhances the indoor environment

The Digital Twin paired with IoT devices can help improve the air quality and regulate the temperature, humidity, and ventilation to create a comfortable and healthy indoor environment for the building occupants. For instance, air quality sensors can detect high levels of carbon dioxide and alert the ventilation system. Similarly, real-time humidity updates from the sensors can notify the Digital Twin to adapt the HVAC (Heat, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) building systems as per the ambience.

2. Monitors building entrants
   One of the primary protocols of buildings in the new normal is to identify sick entrants by monitoring their body temperature. The body temperature detection integrated with access control can ensure a contactless and secure solution. Similarly, sensor lights and automated doors can help in creating contactless interfaces.
3. Minimizes infection spread
   HVAC systems are potential carriers of infected droplets which can rapidly spread infections. With the real-time data from sensors, the Digital Twin can help circulate fresh air at regular intervals and reduce recirculation of impure air. This improves indoor air quality and minimizes the risks of getting infected.
4. Ensures optimum space utilization

With employees returning to work, measures such as space utilization and vacancy monitoring, have been a priority for office facility managers. IoT technologies can help monitor all these aspects and ensure effective facility management. For instance, IoT devices can track vacancy and occupant traffic patterns to plan the space and manage social distancing, if required. IoT sensors can also detect two occupants near each other and alert the Digital Twin model for necessary action.

5. Conserves energy and saves costs

Asset managers can access the real-time data of HVAC systems anytime, anywhere. They can monitor and analyze the building spaces that may require higher energy consumption. This works best in the current hybrid working model wherein staggered employee entries are allowed on fixed working days. On days when the spaces are vacant, the building managers can lower the consumption of the heating, cooling, and electricity systems. Such measures not only save the asset maintenance costs but also optimize the utilization of energy and lower carbon emissions.

In many ways beyond this list, Digital Twin along with the IoT devices can automate building systems to adapt to the external environment and create a healthy and comfortable living space for the occupants. While enriching the human experience, Digital Twin and IoT technologies also save energy, minimize carbon footprint and get us a step closer to sustainable living.