Jbim Spring09

JBIM Journal of Building Information Modeling An official publication of the National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance™ National Institute of Building Sciences: An Authoritative Source of Innovative Solutions for the Built Environment Spring 2009 The USC School of Cinematic Arts: The Arrival of Spring in the Facilities Industry

Contents JBIM Published for: Cover Story: Arts: The Arrival of Spring in the Facilities Industry Lifecycle: 16 The USC School of Cinematic 32 BIM in Structural Engineering: A Current View of the Profession From one of the The National Institute of Building Sciences buildingSMART alliance™ Expanding Thought: First National Surveys in 2008 1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005-4905 18 The Legal Revolution in of SE’s by a Non-Profit SE organization Phone: (202) 289-7800 Construction Fax: (202) 289-1092 nibs@nibs.org 21 Reducing Facility 34 Post Construction BIM www.nibs.org Implementations and Facility President Management Costs Through Asset Management Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA Integration of COBIE and Vice President LEED - EB Technology: Earle W. Kennett executiVe director 24 Where Does All This 36 Building Information Models Dana K. Smith, FAIA and Model Views – Part 3 buildingSMART allianceTM Information Belong? Published By: Case Studies/Best Practices: Education: Matrix GrouP PuBlishinG Please return all undeliverable addresses to: 16516 El Camino Real 28 BIM: The GSA Story 38 Nurturing BIM: Evolving Architectural Education Suite 413, Houston, TX 77062 Economics: Phone: (866) 999-1299 Fax: (866) 244-2544 30 Amara’s Law: How BIM’s 40 Commercial Construction President & ceo BIM Course Created for Jack Andress Future Beneftis Can be Academia senior PuBlisher Measured Today Maurice P. LaBorde PuBlisher & director of sales Messages: Joe Strazzullo jstrazzullo@matrixgroupinc.net 07 From the National Institute of Building editor-in-chief Sciences Shannon Lutter shannonl@matrixgroupinc.net finance/accountinG & 09 From the National BIM Standard Executive adMinistration Committee Shoshana Weinberg, Pat Andress, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net 11 From the Chair of the US National CAD Standard Project Committee director of MarketinG & circulation Shoshana Weinberg 13 From the Executive Director of the sales ManaGer buildingSMART alliance™ Neil Gottfred Matrix GrouP PuBlishinG account executiVes Albert Brydges, Davin Commandeur, Lewis News & Updates: Daigle, Miles Meagher, Ken Percival, Peter Schulz, Vicki Sutton, Frank Christmann, Rick Kuzie, Brian Davey, Jim Hamilton, Bruce Lea, 42 buildingSMART alliance™ Interest Groups on the cover: Declan O’Donovan, Jessica Potter, Lesley Dion, Dean Paprocki 45 How the New agcXML Standards Can Save The School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) at the University Your Firm Time and Money adVertisinG desiGn of Southern California James Robinson layout & desiGn 47 Business Opportunities Through Better (USC) is a notable example of how buildings should Travis Bevan Digital Collaboration: The buildingSMART Aquarium be created from this time ©2009 Matrix Group Publishing. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by forward. See the article on any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions 48 Join the Alliance: You are Critical To Our Success page 16. Photo courtesy of View by View, the BIM 49 Buyer’s Guide expressed in JBIM are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing. consultant on the USC team. Spring 2009 5

Message from the National Institute of Building Sciences an important learning opportunity. Your simple act of reading this magazine indicates your interest in finding out as much as you can about the ever-expanding subject of building information modeling. However, we need to ask you to do much more. We need you to take action and begin making fundamental changes in the way you do business so that you can take advantage of BIMs and the opportunities that are before you. The buildingSMART alliance™ is already known for its building industry teamwork. Soon it is going to be known for the products that come from the results of that teamwork. The first such example to occur during my tenure is the agcXML project, which was announced and delivered in early March at the AGC convention in San Diego. This is an example of the Institute’s ability to partner with industry associations to bring benefit to the building industry and is a statement of the interoperability of the Alliance. While the Alliance and the Institute makes this magazine available to you at no cost, it does require resources, staff time and author time to Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA develop its excellent articles. I encourage you to please get involved in the Alliance by contributing your expertise as well as providing financial support. Your investment will be returned through improvements in the JUST AS THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPERIENCED RECENTLY, THE building industry and greater efficiencies to the building process. National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) has undergone change I hope you enjoy this issue of the Journal of Building Information over the last year and I am very excited about the opportunities that lie Modeling. Please let me know what you think. I welcome your comments. ahead. The last issue of the Journal of Building Information Modeling was going to press when I came on board last year. Though new to my Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA role as President, I have a long history with the organization dating President back to involvement on Institute projects in the early 1980s. In 1999, I became a member of the Board of Directors and served on the Board S AV E T H E D AT E until 2007, completing a term as Chairman in 2004. In 2005, I served on in conjunction with: ® the task team to establish the buildingSMART alliance™. I also served Produced by as Chair of the Building Seismic Safety Council from 2006 to 2008. Just Sustainable, Green and High-Performance ® Solutions for the Built Environment as my involvement in the Institute has changed, I have great hope that Sponsor: National Institute of Building Sciences this organization will thrive and truly be a change agent in the facilities industry. Sustainable & Smart December 7-10, 2009 I see the Institute as playing an even larger role in building scienc- PLANNED EVENTS: es. Congress appointed us as coordinators and bridge builders and FEDCon® Conference - an exploration of Federal agency we take this role seriously. We have the responsibility to advise the design and construction President of the United States and his administration on issues related programs for the building community to the building industry. Through efforts such as the buildingSMART buildingSMART allianceTM - The International Conference on alliance™, U.S. National CAD Standard, National BIM Standard, and Facility Lifecycle Collaboration and Sustainability the many other programs of the Institute, we are building a strong Building Enclosure Technology & Environment Council foundation to better fulfill that role. However, we cannot do it without Conference on Sustainability your direct and active support and participation. Meetings: NIBS Board of Directors As the voice of the Institute, I wrote a letter last December to then High Performance Building President-elect Obama identifying opportunities for consideration in Council Whole Building Design Guide his new administration. That letter is posted on the Institute’s website Board and Advisory Committee Facility Maintenance & and I encourage you to read it. You’ll also find a letter there signed by Operations Committee many of the leading organizations in the facilities industry, which we NIBS Consultative Council BETEC Board of Direction wrote to the congressional leadership prior to the development and Annual Meeting Reception: signing of the economic stimulus bill into law. I believe it is more im- NIBS Reception and Awards Banquet portant than ever that the Institute takes a leadership and stewardship role in ensuring that taxpayer funds are well managed so the Federal MEMBER MEETINGS: December 7 - 10 2009 CONFERENCE: December 8 - 10 government and the taxpayers truly get a return on their investment. EXHIBITS: December 9 - 10 WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER Speaking of investments, reading the Journal of Building WASHINGTON, D.C. Information Modeling and being involved with the building National Institute of Building Sciences www.NIBS.org/AnnualMeeting An Authoritative Source of Innovative Solutions for the Built Environment To exhibit, become a sponsor or attend, call 1-800-996-3863. SMART alliance™ is a great investment of your time and offers you Spring 2009 7

Message from the National BIM Standard Executive Committee Visionaries and leaders will recognize that a “wait-and- see” attitude is the wrong choice and will instead make an investment in transformation. The current climate demands the efficient use of every resource. And results in other industries have demonstrated that no investment is likely to return a greater dividend than an investment in open and interoperable industry standards. Professional architect, engineer, contrac- adoption of standards provides and will pro- tor and owner (AECO) practitioners generally vide the level of direct financial support nec- are not well versed in either the concept of in- essary to rapidly establish and operate the dustry-specific, open and interoperable stan- neutral consensus adoption and governance dards needed by the AECO supply chain or body for AECO industry standards. the methods for defining and adopting these The National BIM Standard project has Alan Edgar, Assoc. AIA standards. Why should they be, for there is lit- intentionally been structured to resolve the tle in their professional training or experience dichotomy between knowledge of industry- that would have prepared them to recognize specific functional requirements and knowl- THIS YEAR MY FAMILY IS PLANNING A the technical underpinnings that enable in- edge of industry-standards development, spring-break trip to California. Like many teroperability, the market-driven forces that adoption and governance best practices. The people, we have accomplished almost all of govern development of the open, consensus- NBIMS Charter now establishes the horizon- the research, refined schedules, and booked based standards present in other industries, tal and vertical consensus-based structure to reservations using web-based services. I es- or the methods of development adoption and provide the necessary industry standards de- timate we touched hundreds of databases, governance that allow these types of stan- velopment and acceptance program as well viewed thousands of map presentations, dards to thrive. Professional pedagogy has as provide a neutral and democratic industry made payments using secure transactions; barely the time and resources to provide di- governance capability. It may be a “chicken all the while communicating via e-mail and rectly applicable theory and practice let alone and egg” issue but it seems likely that the VoIP with friends and family. Trust me, all of time to incorporate even the most popular imminent submittal of informative and can- the companies and services we are using are emerging practice theories such as Integrated didate standard documents will both dem- making money and there is plenty of pro- Practice Delivery and environmentally sus- onstrate to the AEC market the value in BIM prietary intellectual property at work within tainable material and methods. Standard development processes and prod- these organizations. So, there is no time or will in professional ucts as well as provide standards that provide But even as they each have their own pro- AEC programs to teach industry-standards real opportunities to adopters. prietary applications and internal databases development and, to be clear, I am not nec- Visionaries and leaders will recognize one thing they have in common—the thing essarily advocating that there should be. But that a “wait-and-see” attitude is the wrong that makes it all work—is the fact that they there should be recognition by professionals choice and will instead make an investment have each made a decision, driven naturally that open standards must be not only devel- in transformation. The current climate de- out of self-interest, to implement a myriad oped but also adopted through consensus mands the efficient use of every resource. of internationally accepted, democratically and governed in the public interest in order And results in other industries have demon- governed, open-specification standards. to be proliferated. strated that no investment is likely to return a Beginning with the fundamental engi- Practitioners are subject-matter experts greater dividend than an investment in open neering of networks, continuing through and therefore recognize symptoms of a lack and interoperable industry standards. Internet communications protocols, geo- of interoperability. They have begun to ac- Please visit the new NBIMS Forums at reference systems, forms and map presen- cept that help from impartial technologists www.buildingsmartalliance.org/nbims/fo- tation, digital rights protocols, reference and lessons from other disciplines are re- rum where you can express your ideas and/ models and application schema for business quired. Some are making investments in re- or start a new interest group discussion. communications, and a host of other general search and development through financial Then, lobby your company to join the build- and industry-specific standards my family’s and/or in-kind resources. As a result, there ingSMART alliance™, steer the agenda, and ability to plan and execute its travel plans is are now several excellent R & D projects run- participate in the NBIMS working groups. built on the individual choices of businesses ning concurrently which, already in 2009, are in the travel market to adopt useful, interop- yielding informative and candidate standard Alan Edgar, Assoc. AIA erable standards. Of these, it is especially the documents having the potential to advance OSCRE Workgroup Program Manager industry-specific standards that enable trav- the industry significantly. Soon, it is hoped, Chair, National BIM Standard Project el-specific commerce. more in the community will see the benefits Committee Spring 2009 9

Message from the Chair of the US National CAD Standard Project Committee We need to do things like explore standards for documentation of various 3D views made easy by wide adoption of new tools, and more strategic things like figure out what belongs in the CAD standard vs. the BIM standard. The good news is that both the National CAD Standard and the National BIM Standard are projects in the buildingSMART alliance™. Mark Butler CAD? I Don’t neeD no stInkIng CAD. NCS has some growing to do to keep up With this arrangement we are able to lever- (or Do I?) with BIM. That is what we are about today. age strengths of each standard to help move Why are we still talking about CAD in We are working through the process of ready- the entire industry forward. Cross pollination a world that has clearly gone BIM crazy? ing the next version (Version 5) of the NCS. between NCS and National BIM Standard is All the CAD specialists and CAD managers It will be a while yet before we see Version 5 already happening. It is an exciting time, and have turned into BIM modelers and BIM of the NCS, there is a lot of work left to do. I invite you to join us. Go visit the website, managers. McGraw Hill reported in their We need to do things like explore standards buy a copy of the NCS if you don’t already Smart Market Report last year that we for documentation of various 3D views made have one and check us out at www.buildings- had reached the “tipping point” of BIM in easy by wide adoption of new tools, and more martalliance.org/ncs. 2008, there is no going back to the “good strategic things like figure out what belongs old days” of CAD. And yet… in the CAD standard vs. the BIM standard. Mark Butler In order to build, communication The good news is that both the National CAD Chair, US National CAD Standard Project needs to happen between one who de- Standard and the National BIM Standard are Committee signs and one who builds. I don’t care what projects in the buildingSMART alliance™. HDR ONE COMPANY | Many Solutions you call the tools you use in the process of wrangling the thoughts in a designer’s noggin and eventually get them put on to a piece of paper to be used by building officials and contractors. But, you will be more efficient and so will those using your printed documentation if you are consis- tent. You know…follow a standard. In the area of standards for printed construction documentation the top dog is the US National CAD Standard (NCS). NCS and NCS based standards are used by many designers, builders and owners in the industry. BIM is a good thing, an important thing for the industry, the National BIM Standard talks about the NCS as the Standard to use when creating those paper Contract Documents. BIM does not make the NCS any less relevant; in fact, spending less time generating plots out of your models by using a comprehensive standard is a pretty attractive option. Spring 2009 11

Message from the Executive Director of the buildingSMART alliance™ There are very few who are in it for themselves but most are committed to an industry win as well as a personal win. My view is that there is enough to go around and if everyone works together, we will benefit as well as make a meaningful transformation, which will outlive our time on this earth. and construction transformation only team to ensure we are in fact getting from fixes part of the problem, as the problem the red zone to the end zone, as Dr. Bob Dana K. Smith, FAIA will only shift to the interface to the posi- Tener, Executive Director of the Pankow tion and then the information flow to the Foundation likes to say. I have met and owner and operator comes into focus. If continue to work with so many incredible BIM IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE ISSUES we can solve the problem early then the people in our industry and for the most where you find out that the more you learn independent designer will survive and the part all are pulling in the same direction. the less you really know. Every step opens appropriate information will be passed to There are very few who are in it for them- up new opportunities as well as creates the owner. selves but most are committed to an indus- new challenges. I am concerned that we It does not seem possible that it is try win as well as a personal win. My view are not taking on some of the bigger is- time for another issue of the Journal of is that there is enough to go around and if sues related to how to get information to Building Information Modeling. I think everyone works together, we will benefit as flow through the lifecycle. We are seeing everyone though is in awe of how fast this well as make a meaningful transformation, designers build models only to not turn train is moving and what new opportuni- which will outlive our time on this earth. them over to the contractors over con- ties are presenting themselves almost on Bottom line is that we can make a pro- cerns of liability and intellectual property. a daily basis. From my personal point of foundly positive difference. While these are legitimate concerns today, view, the pace is unprecedented. I could We are continuing with our approach what are we doing to change that by im- work twenty-four hours a day and still not of having various sections or topic ar- plementing metadata so we know who did scratch the surface. That is why it is so im- eas included in the magazine to ensure what when and information assurance to portant to have you involved. There are al- that we have balance. The sections are ensure that the information that is entered ready legions of folks involved working on Cover Story, Expanding Thought, Case is protected? all aspects and that makes the role of the Studies, Economics, Lifecycle/Technology, I am very concerned that if this prob- Alliance even more important. Education, Local Interest Groups, Alliance lem is not corrected then design-build Our challenge is to work together as a Projects, and International Update. firms will become the primary way of do- The optimal approach to ing business. They will hire the designers to build the models they need for construction. While this is a viable solution, and I certainly hold no malice toward design, build, operate,and design-build firms, it may mean the end of the independent designer because of the maintain buildings. W ith this strategic guide to building information modeling (BIM), you’ll learn how to implement this new technology as part of a comprehensive systems approach to the huge cost savings that will exist from col- design, construction, management, operation, maintenance, and use of buildings. The authors, among the leading experts and pioneers in BIM, show you how BIM supports laborative design and construction. It will more streamlined, integrated, and efficient business processes throughout the life cycle of buildings, from their initial conception through their eventual retirement or reuse. The probably not happen quickly, but it will result is better quality buildings, lower construction and operating costs, shorter project turnaround times, and a higher quality of building information to support better business happen. decisions. Moreover, they set forth a plan for incorporating BIM into every organization’s existing workflows, enabling you to take full advantage of all the benefits that BIM offers. The role of the secretary changed pro- DANA K. SMITH, FAIA, is Executive Director of the buildingSMART™ Alliance, a foundly due to the implementation of program of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), and a Senior Analyst with Cyon Research. word processing and email. One day they MICHAEL TARDIF, ASSOC. AIA, CSI, HON. SDA, is Director of Integrated Project Delivery Systems for Grunley Construction Company in Rockville, Maryland, and a came into work and no longer knew what contributing editor to AIArchitect and Construction Project Controls and BIM Report. was important and found that they were For more information, please visit www.wiley.com 978-0-470-25003-7, Cloth, 216 pages, April 2009 no longer a required function. Design Spring 2009 13

As you may notice, we have added a contact me if you would like to serve on mation to guide our future action, so I do few new sections, the most notable being this board. The primary responsibility is to encourage you to participate. It is easy to the international page and the interest go over the many abstracts and select the sign up and participate. groups report. The interest groups are tak- ones that will be turned into articles. The We will continue to evolve and become ing off in a big way and some are number- Board will also review the articles and work a stronger force in the industry as we re- ing over one hundred members with over with the authors to ensure that a high level ceive more funds. It is just about as simple 300 in New York. Little did we anticipate of quality is sustained. as that. We have lots of plans and together that when we started those just six months On the web-based information side we can certainly continue to make a differ- ago! This is simply another example of how we also initiated forums a short time ago, ence. Whether it will be a small difference people are taking on the task of transfor- which was a way to not clog up our emails will depend on you. We need corporate mation and seeking to work together in and still carry on some substantive dis- members as well as sponsors, so please that effort. cussions. The threaded approach helps do what you can to help bring them to the We also initiated an editorial review keep multiple discussions going and allow Alliance. board to make the selection of articles. This people to track those issues that they have group will strengthen over time. Please intense interest in. We will use that infor- Dana K. Smith, FAIA 14 Journal of Building Information Modeling

Spring 2009 15

Cover Story The USC School of Cinematic Arts: The Arrival of Spring in the Facilities Industry By Dana K. Smith, FAIA THE FACILITIES INDUSTRY HAS ENDURED so smart? Essentially, experience proved to that firms that measure return on investment a long hard winter, but a new day is dawning be a great teacher. The donor had previously report higher ROI than those that simply as evidenced by the School of Cinematic Arts completed the Letterman Digital Arts Center, guess how much BIM is helping them. In one (SCA) at the University of Southern California a $350 million project on which they saved industry example, Holder Construction of (USC). Designed by the Urban Design Group an estimated $10 million due to BIM. While Atlanta estimates that they have achieved a (UDG), SCA will likely be recognized for many the return on investment metrics have not 5:1 ROI on their construction jobs using BIM. reasons in the coming months and years, yet been established for SCA, it is likely that In another case, Dee Cramer, a sheet metal most notably as an example of how build- millions will be saved over the life cycle of sub-contractor, estimates an 18 percent im- ings should be created from this time for- the facility. As structural engineer Gregory provement using 3D vs. 2D on a single multi- ward. From the very beginning, the Lucasfilm P Luth, S.E., Ph.D., notes, “this project was . phased hospital project. Many other industry Foundation, the company that was the pri- ground-breaking on multiple levels. The uni- leaders are reporting significant returns on mary donor requested that the planners, de- versity received a facility of exceptional ar- projects, but there remains no standard way signers, construction contractors, and facility chitectural design of timeless elegance with a to assess or collect the information. To that managers all use building information mod- revolutionary structural system that assures end, the Alliance is coordinating the develop- eling (BIM) throughout the design and con- a multi-generational life span built with su- ment of templates to collect statistical infor- struction process and on through the building perb quality on budget and on time, with an mation from across the industry. Specific case life cycle. Another notable request was that information model that will continue to have studies of best practices are likely to emerge even though it is located in an earthquake value throughout the life cycle. With the per- from this effort, but the primary benefit will zone, the facility is designed to be sustainable spective of time, this project will be seen as a be a statistical database of projects. When or- through a +100-year life span, which exceeds seminal event in AEC history.” ganizations may not want to share publicly code requirements. While many projects to- A critical need of the industry is a standard project-specific results, they may be willing day are designed using building modeling, way to evaluate the quality and sustainability to include them in a database of aggregate re- this facility will use building INFORMATION of a facility, to augment emerging anecdotal sults. Because of the varying levels of value of modeling as it was truly intended. This life examples taken out of context. Unfortunately, BIM at different phases of projects, this effort cycle view has led to innovative designs and collecting performance metrics has not been will look at all facets of the project in order to preconstruction approaches, comprehensive a strong suit of the building industry, though capture the holistic information that owners engineering analyses, and unique operations that is beginning to change. For the past two need to make the yes/no decision to require and sustainment strategies. years, McGraw-Hill Construction and its in- the use of BIM, just as USC and the Lucasfilm This may well be the first full life cycle dustry sponsors have released statistically- Foundation have done. The underlying capa- building project in the United States re- rich SmartMarket Reports related to interop- bilities that need to be in place to achieve the quested by a donor. While many owners are erability and BIM. McGraw-Hill has commit- greatest return also need to be studied and now specifying BIM as both a method and a ted to producing these reports annually, with catalogued. Some projects achieve greater deliverable, few donors or lenders have been the planning for the next edition already well ROI than others, so the question must be as clear and definitive about exactly what under way. One of the most interesting rev- asked, “what are some people doing right they want. So how did this donor become elations of the 2008 SmartMarket Report was and others not doing so well?” However, change without a plan ultimately ends in chaos. If we fail to plan, we will have squandered the tremendous opportunity that is available to our industry. 16 Journal of Building Information Modeling

A key element of success is leadership and awareness by facility owners in requiring BIM on all facilities. While “super buildings” attract the greatest press attention, significant ROI has been achieved on parking ga- rages. High Concrete Structures, using Tekla Structures software, was able to complete the Charles Town Casino & Slots Parking Garage (another UDG-Greg Luth project), a precast structure, 15 percent under budget and three weeks early with zero design errors. The design of the structure, which would have required 60 hours using traditional methods, was completed in only 8.5 hours. These examples illustrate how BIM is changing everything so quickly. However, change without a plan ultimately ends in chaos. If we fail to plan, we will have squandered the tremendous opportunity that is available to our industry. The buildingSMART alliance™ is working to coordinate an industry that has traditionally not been coordinated. Sadly, it appears not to be in our DNA to work together, yet as owners such as USC and the Lucasfilm Foundation become more numer- ous, the incentives will increase to ensure that we work together to achieve interoperability. The Alliance recently developed a strategic plan that can be accessed from the Alliance Web site. The plan, which is summarized be- Photo courtesy of Veiw by Veiw. low, is straightforward and easy to remember, with just four primary goals: a huge task for which little has been invested AECOO-1 Test Bed, coordinated by the Open to date. The Alliance needs the help of some Geospatial Consortium (OGC). This project Build team: The first step in collaboration major sponsors to kick off this effort. used time tested OGC processes to focus on is to understand who the players are and to energy analysis and quantity take off for esti- identify their relationships. The Alliance web Accomplish tasks: We have a good start on mating. These are just three of nearly twenty site includes extensive list of industry organi- some of the tasks that begin to build the projects currently underway, all of which zations that are key players in industry-wide patchwork of the overall solution. Current could generate potential industry standards. team building. Each represents a particular projects are using the development process constituency. Local interest groups of the defined in the first release of the National Build standard: The culmination of our ef- Alliance also are springing up all over North Building Information Modeling Standard forts is the development of NBIMS. Version America, each providing grassroots network- (NBIMS), but we need to begin stitching 1, Part 1 of NBIMS defined the process; Part ing opportunities for pioneers, the fully en- the projects together so we do not duplicate 2 will define the consensus process based gaged, or those who are just getting started. work and ensure that the individual projects on the rules identified in the NIBS enabling You can become a part of this team as a connect. One of the most notable projects legislation. member, supporter, contributor, or sponsor. is the Construction Operations Building We are building a vision, a plan, and now Information Exchange (COBIE), which dem- are beginning to see case studies that define Define scope: Just how big is the elephant? onstrates how information can flow from where we want to be. Our success and speed We have traditionally focused on pieces of a design through construction, gaining intel- depends on you as a supporter, contribu- solution without fully understanding the total ligence as the project matures with the in- tor, or sponsor. Most of the work is still per- picture. This has allowed us to get started and tent of delivering it to the facility manager. formed by dedicated volunteers such as you; to work out the process, but it does not solve Another notable project is agcXML, which Version 1, Part 1 of NBIMS was completed the entire puzzle. We need to map out all the was recently completed and is now avail- with volunteer effort that has an estimated activities of business processes and see how able to automate the information flow now value of over $1 million. Make a commitment information should flow. Who is the authori- trapped in paper documents or discon- today; our industry is depending on you. n tative source for the information and how nected applications. A future phase of the do they get that information to others in the agcXML project could help populate COBIE. Dana K. Smith is the Executive Director of lifecycle so no one has to re-create it? This is Another project, just wrapping up, is the the buildingSMART alliance™. Spring 2009 17

Expanding Thought The Legal Revolution in Construction How collaborative agreements, BIM and lean construction methods support integrated project delivery By James L. Salmon, Esq. Founder, Collaborative Construction Resources, LLC REVOLUTIONARY COLLABORATIVE AGREE- Defining BIM often devolves into seman- Simply allowing contractors’ experience ments are the keystone to construction tic gymnastics. Suffice it to say, for purposes to be contractually relevant in the early de- productivity and energy savings that flow of this article, that BIM represents the full sign phase of a project consistently results in from the intelligent use of building in- range of next generation software tools and the common Lean Construction benefits of formation models and lean construction processes that are supplanting CAD tools and saved time and reduced costs, as reported by processes. processes. There are some aspects of CAD researcher Dr. Martin A. Fischer of Stanford New contracts are being developed that that will remain in the definition of BIM, but University. He has been addressing this sub- assist use of advanced technologies in inno- we must acknowledge the rapid creation of ject since 1997. vative and profitable ways. powerful new tools that support the produc- Chaotic delivery systems and a culture of Effective use of BIM software and lean tivity revolution needed in the building in- adversarial relationships have been the norm construction processes are proven to work dustry. BIM allows stakeholders to plan and in almost all building related industries for in case-by-case applications. However, to design facilities in animated computer mod- far too long. Today, new BIM software and assist repeatable processes and predictable els linked to live data. These processes allow Lean Construction tools have proven their results, it is important to establish a flexible knowledge from more people to positively in- truly revolutionary ability to increase quality, legal form of agreement that can give confi- fluence productive and profitable projects. reduce costs and improve schedules. To de- dence to teams ready to produce significant Lean Construction methods and tech- rive the most value from these new business work on accelerated schedules. niques are an outgrowth of the Lean processes a new generation of integrated or With BIM and lean construction pro- Production techniques Toyota brought to collaborative contracts must be used. cesses acting as two supporting segments of the U.S. Automotive Industry. Adapted to an arch and collaborative agreements as the the building industry and referred to as Lean the keystone: CollABorAtIve keystone of the arch, together they support Construction, it systematically cuts waste AgreeMents for IntegrAteD productive and profitable integrated project and inefficiency out of the processes and projeCt DelIvery delivery. supply chains prevalent in the Construction There are many versions of the keystone or Industry. Moving to zero waste, as the Toyota Collaborative Agreements: ConsensusDOCS, the BIM AnD leAn segMents method encourages, allows projects to re- LLC, the American Institute of Architects, Building information model software port saving more than $100,000 on dump- the Army Corps of Engineers, private enti- supports collaborative teams by making it ster fees. BIM animations allow smoother ties, and others have all drafted integrated or easy to say, “I SEE what you mean.” It also construction processes that save 1.5 days collaborative agreements of varying quality. helps to automate code checking, cost re- per floor on an 80-story high-rise. Many The ConsensusDOCS 300 Standard Form porting, energy analysis, system clash detec- other compelling benefits are contributing of Tri-Party Agreement for Collaborative tion and other powerful design, planning, to growing acceptance and implementation Project Delivery, released in September, scheduling and implementation processes. of BIM throughout the industry. 2007, was the first such collaborative agreement released in the U.S. and was quickly followed by similar offerings from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in May, 2008. The Collaborative Project Delivery Guide, (CPDG) created by the AIA California Council and published nationally by AIA, provides a good overview of IPD concepts and serves as a backbone for the AIA’s new General Conditions Document, AIA A295-2008 and the latest generation of AIA IPD Documents released in 2008. The ConsensusDOCS 301-2008 BIM Addendum, AIA’s E202-2008 Building Information Model Exhibit and Protocol, the Army Corps of Engineer’s Building Information Modeling Road Map (October 2006) and the AGC Contractors Guide to 18 Journal of Building Information Modeling

BIM, can all provide elemental components In the Midwest a core design and con- the CollABorAtIve revolutIon to the specific collaborative agreement for a struction team built one arena using tradi- Integrated Project Delivery allows project. Team members collaboratively de- tional methods and the second one with BIM. new forms of legal collaboration by cide what contractual building blocks they For the traditional project, there were 60 ma- definition. BIM and Lean Construction want to use for that specific project. With the jor Requests For Information and $357,000 encourage collaboration and provide speed and value of projects varying based on in change orders. For the BIM project, there the best results when collaboration is relationship to mission priority, putting the were only two (2) Requests For Information at its best. A natural result of a revolu- proper legal relationship tool in place for the and only $26,000 in change orders, both of tion is new and better forms of legal right job can be a significant element of mis- which were related to work by subcontracts collaboration. By working together, sion success. that did not use BIM tools. individual project benefits will accu- The foregoing instruments are all rooted Existing insurance industry data con- mulate in an overall benefit to soci- in the breakthrough Integrated Agreement for firms the power of the waiver provisions. ety that can truly be revolutionary in Lean Project Delivery authored by Will Lichtig On typical design-bid-build projects over terms of reduced energy use, reduced in collaboration with members of the Lean 80 percent of the claims made are instigated waste, reduced risks and increased Construction Institute on behalf of Sutter by core project participants, such as own- productivity. Health in California. The creation of that legal ers, contractors, designers and subcontrac- tool was inspired by Alliance Contracts that tors and more than 87 percent of the claims originated in Australia in the 1990s. paid fall in that category. Collaborative In integrated project delivery (IPD) the Collaborative agreements provide sim- agreements attack this problem by waiving disparate legal, design and construction ple, yet dramatically beneficial process im- certain claims and certain types of damag- communities have a project delivery model provements that result when experienced es, establishing laddered dispute resolution that empowers committed stakeholders to professionals work toward shared rewards processes, selecting project neutrals in ad- take advantage of design and delivery inno- in legal comfort. Waiver clauses, laddered vance and intelligently managing and miti- vations simultaneously. The keystone that alternative dispute resolution provisions, gating risks through pain share gain share supports the effective and simultaneous and innovative pain share gain share ad- agreements. use of innovations manifested by BIM and dendums are a few of the more effective fea- An institution of higher education was Lean Construction is the new generation of tures found in this new generation of legal expanding it’s research capabilities by Collaborative Agreements. instruments. building two identical research buildings, Revolution is not easy. By definition, one at a time. After finishing the first build- revolution requires change. But also by defi- BenefIts of the revolutIon ing with traditional processes, a new team nition, building industry professionals are While Revolutions are messy and do not built the second with BIM and related pro- committed to constantly improving their immediately provide statistical benefits for cesses. On the BIM project, Requests for skills and abilities in order to better serve the every category of a complex industry, there is Information on the foundation construc- society that requires and enables their spe- overwhelming evidence from the field, case tion declined by 74 percent, RFIs for the cialized knowledge. studies and award winning projects that steel erection went down 47 percent and The foundation has been laid. The tools clearly indicate what the rewards will be. there was a 31 percent reduction in change are in place. They require practice and pa- The Dispute Review Board Foundation orders overall. tience, but the results of legal collabora- has tracked more than $90 billion in con- Yes, there are examples of misused tools tion that supports collaborative building struction projects since 2001 and found that causing problems, but when the proper ap- processes can be personally satisfying, advisory opinions issued by dispute boards proach is used in creating collaborative proj- professionally profitable and socially sig- are accepted by the parties at a phenomenal ect teams, there is significant evidence of nificant. Being familiar with the new col- rate of 98.7 percent. That means collabora- reduced risks. In fact, insurance companies laborative legal agreements and how they tive agreements almost eliminate litigation and financial institutions are beginning to can benefit you will lead to success on costs from $90 billion in construction…a explore new products that will promote in- many levels. n stimulus-sized savings by any calculation. tegrated project delivery. James L. Salmon, Esq. President and BIM softwAre tools leAn tools Autodesk Revit Lean Project Delivery System Founder, Collaborative Construction Re- Autodesk NavisWorks Last Planner System ™ sources, LLC is a strategic and collaborative Autodesk Buzzsaw Lean Project Delivery System™ consultant and the creator of IPD in 3D™, Beck Technology’s D-Profiler Collaborative Const. - IDP in 3D™ Bentley Architecture an innovative program for achieving IPD. Bentley Generative Components leAn systeMs Salmon advocates the use of advanced BIM Bentley Project Wise Enterprise Certification technologies, lean construction methods, Excel Supply Chain Management Gehry Technologies Digital Project Continuous Product Improvement collaborative agreements and other IPD in Graphisoft Archicad 3D™ processes for the benefit of the build- Google Earth BIM support orgAnIzAtIons ing industry. Salmon would like to thank ONUMA Planning System BIMWiki buildingSMART alliance™ Michael Bordenaro, Co-Founder of the BIM AGC’s BIM Forum Education Co-op™ for editing assistance NBIMS Protocol Committee with this article. Spring 2009 19

Expanding Thought Reducing Facility Management Costs Through Integration of COBIE and LEED - EB By Harinder (Harry) Singh, Woolpert, Inc., Dana K. Smith, Information Consulting, LLC, and John M. Przybyla, PE. GISP, Woolpert, Inc. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE ONLY CONSTANT IS CHANGE… commonalities during the initial requirements gathering process. it is a truism that is especially relevant within the facilities manage- By ensuring that the integrity of information is sound, data can be ment industry. There are a number of major technology trends that collected once and shared wherever appropriate. drive today’s planning, design, construction and facilities man- Integration of information required by the BIM and LEED offers agement functions—seemingly all independent of each other. The such an opportunity and provides the potential to minimize infor- emergence of BIM (Building Information Modeling) as the domi- mation losses. Untapped savings can be achieved by preventing the nant tool for design and construction is one major trend. Leadership loss of information from each phase of a facility’s life cycle and com- in Energy and Environment Design® (LEED) has become the essen- bining it with the effort of collecting information for LEED certifica- tial yardstick for defining green and sustainability. Computer Aided tions. By maximizing the quality and quantity of information that is Facilities Management (CAFM) and Computerized Maintenance received by the facility manager from the design and construction Management System (CMMS) are essential tools for managing fa- process, substantial improvements to operation, maintenance and cilities once they are placed into use. These trends all address dif- energy efficiency can result. ferent needs within the facilities industry. But a new standard, If facility managers and planners fail to collaborate, efforts are Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBIE), often unnecessarily duplicated and wasted. For example, a planner ties all three trends together in a way that leads to improved opera- without access to condition data collected by the facility manager tion and energy efficiency over the lifecycle of a facility. over a period of years will unknowingly recollect condition informa- The facilities management industry is experiencing programmat- tion or proceed to make decisions without it altogether. Similarly, ic demands: assets are aging and reaching the end of their expected an energy manager collects the same information to develop energy lifespan; the gap between the condition of assets and maintenance projects as the facility manager does to maintain LEED certifica- budgets is continuing to grow; and dwindling funding resources in tions. If a project begins as a simple restoration, the facility manager light of today’s tight economy are presenting new challenges and will likely bypass the planner altogether. added responsibilities. Additionally, due to losses of information at If the project evolves because of new code and regulatory re- each phase of a facility’s lifecycle, facility data must often be recreat- quirements and the judgment is made to recapitalize in a few years, ed. According to the National Institute for Standards and Technology, decision making must start from scratch—since certain sustain- the cost to re-create lost data can reach up to $15 billion annually. ment investments are curtailed in the meantime, and capital plan- Access to more information alone does not always ensure im- ning will be required. provement. Information sharing and process improvements must Over time, a facility’s systems and components start deteriorat- occur, and decisions must be based on shared goals and objec- ing predictably within its given life cycle curves. As a facility becomes tives. One way to reduce facility management costs is to identify functionally obsolete, additional investments are no longer justified because the cost of improvements far outweighs the benefits (see fIgure 2). The purpose or mission of the building occupants may change over time as well. Throughout a facility’s life cycle, building codes will change, and there will be new regulations for health and Figure 1. Lifecycle Funding Alternatives (Courtesy DKS Information Consulting LLC). Figure 2. Spring 2009 21

The best time to invest in sustaining the building/component/ system is while the condition has only deteriorated slightly, to a condition index of 95 on a 0-100 scale. The longer investments are delayed, the more it will cost to keep these systems/components operating in a good working order. If the investments are not made in a timely fashion and maintenance is deferred, the overall life cycle cost will increase and complete replacements will have to be made earlier than the expected life of the system. Oversights such as these can cause a facility to fail to achieve the results intended by its LEED certification. Figure 3. A properly implemented CAFM or CMMS for facilities man- safety, environmental compliance, energy efficiency, water con- agement will help facility managers, planners, and owners better servation, security, and handicap access and ADA (Americans with manage facility life cycles. Information from a CAFM or CMMS can Disability Act) compliance. While changes in function are not nec- be used to inform the design process and result in better designs. essarily predictable, they are more likely to increase in complexity This technology can serve as the integrating platform that cap- rather than decrease. These new requirements, including the po- tures information from the beginning to the end of a facility’s life tential achievement of LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) rat- cycle, including that critical transition period from sustainment to ing goals, must be included in the scope of any recapitalization or recapitalization planning. Design, whether for renewal of existing replacement project. facilities or for planning new facilities, is best performed using the As a facility approaches the end of its life cycle in this critical re- BIM technology. capitalization stage, a decision must be made whether to recapitalize The benefits of BIM for design and construction are well known. the facility or demolish it and construct a replacement. Restoration But using BIM for design does not by itself provide sufficient ben- addresses concerns about condition, while modernization address- efit from a facility management perspective. In terms of life cycle es concerns about functionality and obsolescence. The goal is to en- costs, consider the following: sure that the resulting facility meets the intended requirement while The total cost of ownership for planning, design, construction achieving the least life cycle cost. is 25 percent; and 75 percent is for operations and maintenance The systems and components of the LEED-EB rating criteria (see fIgure 4). also have a life cycle curve of their own. The six categories address The cost-saving potential at the O&M stage of the life cycle is a facility’s life cycle first at the building level, then at a system level, highest when all the information is collected and made available in and finally at a component level (see fIgure 3). Building owners early stages during planning, design, and construction. However, may not be able to maintain levels of certifications as these sys- continuous accumulation of information is necessary to mine max- tems and components deteriorate with time. Conditions that cre- imum savings and reduce the total life cycle costs of ownership. ate barriers to certification need to be addressed and sustained at The platform used to collect the O&M information as part of the opportune times through a process of condition assessments the BIM is COBIE. It is a data standard for documenting the in- or re-commissioning. Most of the categories in the LEED-EB rat- formation needed to optimize a facility’s life cycle and reduce its ing system can be facilitated with BIM technology. For example, operating costs. It defines a convenient structure and method for Innovation & Design (use of BIM is innovation), Energy Efficiency, solving the problems described above (from duplication of efforts Water Efficiency, Materials & Resources and Indoor Environmental to oversights in maintenance). The COBIE approach integrates the Quality (HVAC designs). capture of project data as it is created during design, construction LEED is a series of green building rating systems developed by and commissioning, rather than waiting until project completion. U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). For new construction, LEED In addition to the BIM model itself, representative COBIE data – NC provides a standard for defining a “green building.” It is used by captured from designers includes floor, space, and equipment owners, architects, engineers, and contractors alike to take a holistic layout information. During the construction stage, contractors approach in evaluating a building and its systems over the life cycle. Having a true “As-Built BIM” gives one the opportunity to validate during the commissioning that the physical building is working as the model predicted. If it is not, then the project owner can adjust his analysis tools to ensure that future buildings successfully meet the design and stay within the original energy budget. For existing buildings, LEED-EB is applicable to building operations, processes, system upgrades, and minor space changes. The methodology can be used by buildings new to LEED certification, or as a recertification vehicle for buildings that have previously achieved a LEED rating. As with other LEED systems, existing buildings can achieve one of four ratings: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The LEED guidelines specify criteria that define environmentally superior buildings in each of the six categories illustrated in fIgure 3. Figure 4. 22 Journal of Building Information Modeling

could share information about a facility’s condition, functionality, performance, energy efficiency, and all of the six LEED categories, redundancies could be eliminated and information could be sustained throughout a facility’s life cycle. BIM and COBIE can serve as the integrating platforms that capture information from the beginning to the end of a facility’s life cycle—from the critical transition period from sustainment to recapitalization planning—and assist in maintaining LEED certifications. n Figure 5. COBIE Process Overview. Source: E. William East, PE, PhD. Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers. Acknowledgements: The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors. However the authors would like to acknowledge the provide make, model, and serial numbers of the installed equip- contributions of many of their colleagues at the Naval Facilities ment. The data is provided by the facility contractors as well as Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Woolpert, Inc., buildingSMART- product manufacturers who provide product data sheets and rec- allianceTM, Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army, ommended maintenance and operation (see fIgure 5). Corps of Engineers and others as a result of direct and indirect con- While COBIE is designed to work with BIM, its data may also versations over a several months, preceding writing this paper. The be created and exchanged using simple spreadsheets, Extensible assistance and candor of others in developing these ideas contained Markup Language (XML) or Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs). herein are greatly appreciated. The benefits of the COBIE approach can be widely used throughout the facility acquisition industry (not just on large, high-visibil- Harry Singh is the principal in a facilities asset management ity projects), including LEED. By allowing the exchange of COBIE firm and a consultant to Woolpert, Inc. He holds a BS in Mechanical data through the use of spreadsheets, energy managers can main- Engineering from Utah State University. He is an active participant tain LEED-EB certifications, and small homebuilders can provide in the National and International organizations, such as Federal a simplified as-built BIM to their customers along with the keys to Facilities Council, International Facility Management Association their new home. (IFMA), APPA, and buildingSMART alliance™. The benefits to adopting COBIE as a technique for capturing Dana (“Deke”) Smith is the principal in an information-consult- comprehensive facilities data are immeasurable. COBIE provides a ing firm and co-author of a new book to be available in April on link between all players in the facilities acquisition chain, allowing strategic planning for BIM. He was the founder and former chair everyone from the LEED accredited professionals (APs) to the facil- of the NIBS Facility Information Council. Smith is the Executive ity managers and planners to collaborate and share information. Director of the buildingSMART alliance™, a dynamic and expand- This is especially critical during the transition from sustainment ing program of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) toward capital planning for facility replacement. Regrettably, col- to improve construction productivity through interoperability and laboration of this kind is not the norm in this industry. But consid- elimination of non-value added effort or waste in the facilities ering the cost and environmental saving opportunities that can be industry. achieved, it’s clear that it is time for the old paradigm to change. John Przybyla, PE, GISP is a Senior Vice President for Woolpert, As energy managers continue to duplicate facility manager’s Inc., in Dayton Ohio. Przybyla holds a BS in Civil Engineering and efforts when conducting routine energy equipment performance an MS in Sanitary Engineering, both from Michigan State University. evaluations (such as HVAC and lighting), it’s clear that old meth- He is a registered as a Professional Engineer in five states and is a ods of communication are broken. In contrast, if these managers Certified GIS Professional. Spring 2009 23

Expanding Thought Where Does All This Information Belong? By Deborah L. MacPherson, AIA, CSI CCS, Specifications and Research, Cannon Design; Projects Director, Accuracy&Aesthetics THIS ARTICLE IS MEANT TO TIE TOGETHER being crammed together in 15. Like a load cal- clashes, for example pipes hitting beams. loose ends about BIM’s role in filing and ac- culation for occupancy where one 200 pound Through the typical submittal process, the cessing information about the built environ- person is not the as same as two 100 pound contractor can easily document compliance ment. Some processes are new, some have people, HVAC and plumbing have their own with the specifications while inputting installed been around since building documentation personalities and requirements and are better products, warranties, parts lists, and sequences began. Incorporating updates, getting parallel off apart. Nevertheless, surveys indicate a large of operations and maintenance to fill buck- efforts to work together, acknowledging related number of people still cling to 5-digit MF1995. ets where this information belongs, without standards and classification structures, accom- Today, information exchange about the ever duplicating any of these records. This is a modating a variety of project delivery and op- built environment follows a typical pattern of marked departure from today. Ultimately the erations methods: all include the need to sys- development and execution. Once the owner’s owner, occupants, and authorities having ju- tematically address where information belongs requirements have been decided as shown and risdiction (AHJ) will keep information alive on to achieve true interoperability. specified in the construction documents by an as-needed basis. Ideally using only real, up- The images in fIgure 1 (on page 27) show architects and engineers, there is no reason to to-date information systematically organized mechanical, electrical, and plumbing speci- keep all of the background information leading to ensure plans or options that were not imple- fications. The top set shows the Construction to the final design. It is proposed that the mini- mented do not clutter up widely exchanged Specification Institute (CSI) MasterFormat mal hand over documentation from architects records. 2004 (MF2004) Divisions 21 Fire Suppression, and engineers should be well formatted, clean But where do you file and find this informa- 22 Plumbing, 23 HVAC, 26 Electrical, 27 and should have easily accessible indices to tion for broad exchange? fIgure 2 (below) Communications, 28 Electronic Safety and other documents such as the list of drawings, shows a partial map between the MasterFormat, Security. The bottom shows a case where, even table of contents and schedules (doors, parti- UniFormat, OmniClass and relevant standards, though MF2004 numbers were assigned, the tions, finishes, equipment, and commission- contract document forms, and existing knowl- author was still thinking in MF1995 where 3 ing). The contractor adds more information, edge sources about concrete, masonry and Divisions were used: 13 Special Construction, also purging potential information that was not metals. It uses Excel colors: indigo are typically 15 Mechanical, 16 Electrical. realized. sections for new high rise construction. Light Today, all participants in the built environ- The Construction Operations Building orange needs definition. Brown is UniFormat ment keep up with classification systems to file Information Exchange (COBIE) will simplify mappings provided by Mark Kalin, President away and find information. Updates are neces- this process. The architect specifies a set of of Specification Consultants in Independent sary to keep up with distinctions between sub- performance requirements, delivers a schedule Practice (SCIP). Blanks are not filled in yet. ject matters. For example, plumbing and HVAC of every space classified a standard way, and a Figuring out where materials and systems needed their own Divisions 22 and 23 rather basic building model with a schedule of known belong across classification schemes may seem UniFormat MF2004 OCCS Number OCCS Name UniFormat Name MF2004 Name Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Number Number Portland Cement: ASTM C150 Course Aggregate: ASTM C33 Fine Superstructure & B1010 Floor Construction 03 31 00 Structural Concrete 21 41 31 Aggregate: ASTM C33 Enclosure Air-Entraining: ASTM C260 B2010 Exterior Walls 03 33 10 Architectural Concrete C2020 Finishes 03 35 00 Concrete Finishing Post Tensioned B1010 Floor Construction 03 38 00 ACI-318 Post Tensioning Institute PCI Concrete Superstructure & 21 41 31 Compression Test ASTM C31 and C39. Enclosure PCI Precast / Prestressed Concrete 03 40 00 Precast Concrete Air Content ASTM C173. Unit Weight Slump: ASTM C143 A1010, Institute ASTM C567. A2020, 04 00 00 Masonry BIA Brick Industry Association B1010, Exterior Walls ASTM C109 Compressive Strength of Type ASTM C1019 Compressive Strength ASTM C 136 Sieve analysis of aggregate Bearing Wall B2010, 04 10 00 Masonry Mortar 21 14 31 19 5 block and brick motar Test: For Grout Used in Masonry used for mortar and grout Construction C1010, (Facade) Unit 04 20 00 Masonry Other Interior 21 41 71 11 C1010 Interior Partitions 04 20 00 Unit Masonry IECC 505.2.1 part of an egress pathway Construction ASTM C97 density, __ pounds per CF; ASTM C97 absorption by weight,__ %; 04 40 00 Stonework ASTM E109 Magnetic Particle Inspection AWS D1.1 Ultrasonic Inspection ASTM C170 compressive strength __PSI; ASTM C880 Flexural strength, __PSI; 21 41 51 Enclosure B2010 Exterior Walls ASTM C241 abrasion resistance, __ 04 72 00 Cast Stone Shop-Applied 05 05 13 Coating for Metal Bearing Wall B1010, Structural Steal AISC Structural Joints using ASTM A325 ASTM Steel - Structural Reinforcing 21 14 31 19 Roof Construction 05 12 00 AWI American Welding Society Inc. Construction B1020, Framing or A490 Bolts Pressure Vessel, Railway Architecturally Superstructure & 21 41 31 B2010 Exterior Walls 05 12 13 Exposed Structural Enclosure Steel 05 20 00 Metal Joists Figure 2 . 24 Journal of Building Information Modeling

relatively straightforward. Looked at in detail however, multiple UniFormat classes for one MasterFormat class or vice versa are evidence that the same materials can serve multiple functions in the same facility. Special relationships between OmniClass tables are able to ex- tend facility, material, and system descriptions even further. Ideally pointing to or calling up any item using one class, someday will be able to be toggled into other classes automatically, Figure 1. based on what you are looking for and how you are looking for it. documents are no longer suitable to describe An ultimate IFD stores multiple classification Knowing where information belongs for a building as well as the building itself does. systems and ontologies in its structure. Defining multi-descriptive filing and access becomes Precisely where and how should typical con- and sharing these structures is a new form of more important the more information is tracting documents be reflected in open ex- ontology, architecture, engineering, ownership, shared. Relationships between materials, as- change standards to be specifically compressed and manufacturing. semblies, systems, performance requirements, or deleted when a project changes hands? A Knowing and distributing the context use groups, services, facility types, local ju- partial map of this area is show in fIgure 3 of where information belongs will help fine risdictions, and regions get intertwined and (below). Additional colors include Lime for tune and substantially reduce the amount of complex very quickly. Assuming reliable data COBIE and Blue-Gray for the Organization information being archived or exchanged. If structures can eventually be designed and built for Structured Information Standards (OASIS) standard definitions, references, and typical to transcend individual projects, machines, and Open Building Information Exchange (OBIX). placeholders can be applied “outside of” or programs—anyone should be able to find any- The reason for organizing, cleaning and “underlying” building information models thing beginning at any starting point. On the eliminating as much information as possible is and project specifications, the building itself down side, if an item is misclassified, it will be the ability to learn only the steps and standard can serve as an interface to up-to-date infor- lost. parts you need to tap into one reliable system mation stored and maintained elsewhere, ref- If building data could live in a unified frame- from any point of vew. An ideal example from erenced only as needed, ideally highlighting work with predefined semantic relationships all the International Framework for Dictionaries changes or updates since existing documents around all the places where data belongs, it gets (IFD) can be found at http://dev.ifd-library. were frozen in time. n tricky trying to figure out where the American org/index.php/ifd:ifd_in_a_nutshell. The Institute of Architects General Conditions image was created by Lars Bjørkhaug, Senior Deborah MacPherson does Specifications (A201) and MF Divisions 00 Procurement and Scientist at SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, and Research at Cannon Design. She is also 01 General Requirements fit or what benefit “the and was provided courtesy of Håvard Bell PhD Projects Director for the nonprofit organization front end” serves after a design is constructed. at the IFD, where the essential rule is “a concept Accuracy&Aesthetics, whose mission is Building As soon as a building is occupied, the design can only exist once! There are no duplicates!” Consensus. UniFormat OCCS Number OCCS Name UniFormat Name MF2004 Number MF2004 Namer Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Number Project Management 01 50 00 Temporary Facilities and Controls 36 21 24 11 Information 01 60 00 Project Requirements IAI Design Object Library LEED Materials and Recycling Points GeoDRM Geospatical Software Licensing AIA C106 Digital Data ISO 35.100 Open Systems 36 15 34 35 Property Rights 01 61 13 Digital Rights Manage- Requirements Licensing Agreement Interconnection ment Reference Model GeoDRM Geospatical (Model) Execution 01 70 00 Digital Rights Manage- IETF Internet Engineering Task Force Requirements Project Management ment Reference Model 36 21 24 11 Information 01 73 00 (Facility) Execution AIA G704-2000 Certificate of 01 77 00 Closeout Procedures Substantial Completion COBIE Construction NIST National Institute of Standards AIA G808-2001 Project 36 11 31 00 Calendars 01 78 00 Closeout Submittals Operations Building and Technology Data Z1040 Project Closeout Information Exhange Project Management Operations and Maintenance Fiatech and NIST 36 21 24 11 01 78 23 OBIX Open Building Information Information Data Traceability NBIMS National BIM IAI Internationa Alliance for ISO/IEC 11179, 36 24 11 00 Record Documents 01 78 39 Project Record Documents Standard Interoperability Information Technology COBIE Construction Facility Operation 36 21 27 00 01 79 00 Demonstration and Training Operations Building Information Procedural General Z1020 Information Exchange Quality Requirements Superstructure & IECC 505 true/false 21 41 31 01 80 00 Performance Requirements IECC 505.21 space to be for Enclosure interior or exterior space Construction Techniques Special Construction Building Service Performance OBIX Open Building DGIWG Digital Geospatial 36 21 27 00 Facility 36 21 24 17 F1030 01 80 01 Information Systems Requirements Information Exhange Information Working Group Operation Procedural General Z1020 01 81 13 Sustainable Design Goals USGBC LEED Scorecard Quality Requirements Procedural General OBIX Open Building Information Sustainable Design Z1020 01 81 19 Indoor Air Quality 36 21 17 17 Quality Requirements Exchange Information COBIE Construction OSCRE Open Standards Consortium OGC Onservations and Z1040 Project Closeout 01 90 00 Life Cycle Activities Operations Building for Real Estate Measurements Standard Information Exchange Figure 3. Spring 2009 25

Case Studies/Best Practices BIM: The GSA Story By Stephen R. Hagan, FAIA, Peggy Ho and Charles Matta, FAIA THE STORY OF BUILDING INFORMATION and even 4D schedule + BIM visualiza- BIM prototypIng reAl worlD modeling (BIM) at GSA has been both an ex- tion and analysis. Interest within GSA projeCts traordinary story of aligning business needs PBS was sufficiently high that an update The exploration of BIM technology and with technology, as well as a case study in to the Facilities Standards for the Public illustrating its true benefit to GSA was devel- how to combine social, business and tech- Buildings Service (the document known oped in the Center for Federal Buildings & nology efforts in an effective organizational as the 2003 edition of P-100), included Modernizations by a Stanford University Center transformation. Four purposes of this article a paragraph that stated: “GSA has set a for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE) are to: goal to require interoperable Building Fellow, Calvin Kam, Ph.D., AIA, under the guid- 1. Provide a brief chronology of how BIM Information Models (BIM) on FY06 proj- ance of Charles Matta, FAIA. This collaborative was introduced and adopted at the U.S. ects in support of improving design qual- team chose a wide array of ongoing projects General Services Administration’s (GSA) ity and construction delivery.” where BIM technology might provide a benefit. Public Buildings Service (PBS). Two important points in that message were: From a historic courthouse in Oregon 2. Illustrate “The GSA BIM Story” with ex- • The focus on the business problem of which was undergoing a renovation requiring amples of successes, emphasizing that improving delivery of capital construc- seismic base isolation underpinning the en- although efforts have been underway tion projects (both new and repair and tire masonry load-bearing structure, to a se- for six years, the BIM initiative is just alterations); and curity upgrade to a plaza in an urban Federal beginning to bear the fruit of its labors. • Beginning with the early design stage. Building in New York City, each BIM case 3. There is a considerable way to go to In spite of this being clearly stated as study investigation illustrated how 3D mod- achieve the promise of BIM in an owner “a goal”, organizations around the world eling could solve project-level problems and organization as large and complex as took this as a “mandate” and applauded save time and significant amounts of money. GSA. GSA for “putting a stake in the ground.” Some investigations were at the micro-level 4. Provide a summary roadmap for other Interoperability efforts had been un- of 1/64” of an inch, showing how new secu- owner organizations considering the derway since 1994 by the International rity windows could achieve their function adoption of BIM. Alliance for Interoperability (IAI), but this while fulfilling visual requirements of one of is the first time that an organization with GSA’s most historic structures. Spatial inves- the “MAnDAte” heArD ‘rounD the the scale of projects and building assets tigations, with the added dimension of 4D worlD and influence on a construction econo- time-lines, helped to illustrate how a massive In early 2003, BIM began to gain signif- my had made such a public and forward project in Los Angeles could accommodate icant interest at organizations such as the thinking statement. tenant needs with limited disruption. American Institute of Architects (AIA). As The GSA 3D/4D BIM team began in ear- Most important to GSA in these studies GSA PBS held its first Project Knowledge nest to bring the “goal” to reality. Three paths was realization that BIM could be a real ben- and Technology Showcase during the 2003 were pursued, all ultimately contributing to efit for many building types, both new and PBS Capital Construction Conference in the BIM program’s success. These paths co- renovations, and across the entire life cycle Seattle, a number of technology compa- incided with the statement at the beginning of planning, design, construction and facil- nies including Autodesk, Bentley, Optira, of this article that technology, business, and ity management and operations. and Commonpoint featured 3D build- social dimensions all needed to be pursued ing information modeling, 3D Scanning, to achieve success. the BusIness of BIM: engAgIng wIth teChnology CoMpAnIes While prototype studies clearly demonstrated the value of BIM to GSA, the chal- GSA has set a goal to require interoperable Building Information Models (BIM) on FY07 lenge of implementing BIM for a program projects in support of improving design quality with over 200 active projects, valued at over and construction delivery. The office of the $12 billion, meant that the program needed Chief Architect is developing scope guidelines to be business-focused, easily understood, and offering regional pilot opportunities to help the regions in meeting this requirement. and achievable with near term successes. A During the initial phase, and in support of design critical decision by the GSA BIM team was to reviews during the concept design stage for the narrow down the BIM effort initially to some- new construction and modernization projects, thing universally understood and at the core interoperable BIM delivery shall of GSA’s mission: Space. In this case, the real property space that tenants occupy in GSA buildings, that projects are justified based on need of space, and that are the result of new or renovated construction projects, for the 28 Journal of Building Information Modeling

purpose of rent revenue from government agencies to GSA. Spatial BIM, then, if it could be achieved economically and effectively with commercial software tools, would truly enhance and support GSA PBS’s core mission. The GSA BIM team decided to engage with industry technology leaders and challenge all of them equally to include the GSA BIM Final Concept spatial requirements in their shipping software. The business case had two dimensions. If GSA’s BIM requirement was in shipping commercial software, easy to use and implement, the impact on the architect-engineer firms that were re- sponsible for projects would be minimal. Second, technology companies would sell more software because it was both innovative and met a stated industry-wide need. The development of a publicly available (GSA Region 2), Washington DC (11), Atlanta documents and resources (www.gsa.gov/ GSA BIM Guide Series was undertaken, with (4), Chicago (5), Kansas City (6), Seattle (10), bim) continues to provide outreach to many the following firms participating and fully and upcoming in Philadelphia (3). Along industry groups, national and international. supportive: with internal GSA project managers, asset • Autodesk managers, facility personnel, and attorneys, A roADMAp for owner • Bentley local architects, construction managers, and orgAnIzAtIons • Graphisoft constructors who have worked on GSA proj- GSA’s success with BIM to date could be • Onuma ects share a continuing dialogue about les- a roadmap for other owner organizations. • Digital Alchemy (support to GSA) sons learned, best practices, and a strategy The most important aspects of the GSA BIM • Solibri (support to GSA) and roadmap for moving forward. Story could be summarized as follow: The GSA BIM Guide Series 01 and 02 • Make Your Approach to BIM Strategic, summarized the overall BIM program and AwArD wInnIng BIM clearly articulating the link to an organi- the specific requirements for spatial valida- As of 2008, GSA PBS had 18 projects for- zation’s mission; tion at early design stage. mally employing BIM, 12 buildings utilize • Rapidly develop Prototype Studies of Commencing in Fiscal Year 2007, this 3D scanning and BIM technology for analy- real-world projects, engaging your orga- became a formal requirement for GSA’s pro- sis, over 15 million GSF modeled in BIM, 8 nization in the research and document- spectus level projects funded by Congress national and international awards, and an ing the results; for design. Each year, about 20 new proj- international agreement among four coun- • Get High level management support; ects are funded, so over the course of the tries, focused on BIM and interoperability. • Also foster Project-level team and re- next few years, a large sample of real world Among the organizations recognizing the gional champion buy-in; projects will provide specific feedback to the GSA BIM program for awards were: • Maintain a balance between technology, GSA BIM program. • Office of Government-Wide Policy, win- business and social (cultural) aspects of The GSA BIM Guide series has grown to ner of the 2007 GSA Achievement. business transformation; and series 01 to 07, including the most recently • Award for Real Property Innovation. • Get organizational consensus and realization released Guide for BIM and Energy. All can • buildingSMART Innovation Award. that BIM, in the end, is not just technology but be viewed at www.gsa.gov/bim. • FIATECH Celebration of Engineering & a transformational approach to the business Technology Innovation (CETI). and mission of the organization. n BIM ChAMpIon networks AnD • 2007 National Institute of Building regIonAl BIM ConferenCes Sciences Honor Award. Stephen R. Hagan, FAIA is a member of the If technological and business aspects of • AIA Technology in Architectural Practice National BIM Standards Executive Committee BIM were critical to the GSA BIM program, (TAP) BIM Award in 2007, Jury Choice. and co-chair of the Federal Facilities Council cultural change, the “people” and social side • GSA San Francisco Federal Building, (FFC) Emerging Technology Committee. of BIM was the third leg of the stool. A net- Wayne Morse Courthouse in Eugene. Peggy Ho is a Visiting Fellow to GSA’s work of BIM “champions” was created, about • Oregon, and Herbert Hoover Commerce National BIM Program and a PhD Candidate two champions in every one of the eleven Building in Washington DC, all have re- at Stanford’s Center for Integrated Facility GSA PBS regions. A sense of both shared mis- ceived AIA TAP BIM Awards. Engineering (CIFE). sion, camaraderie and collaboration soon Charles Matta, FAIA, is the National Di- developed among the BIM champions. This InDustry-wIDe AnD InternAtIonAl rector, Federal Buildings and Moderniza- was enhanced by Regional BIM conferences outreACh tions, Office of the Design and Construction that, to date, have occurred in New York City The GSA BIM website, with both Programs. Spring 2009 29

Economics Amara’s Law: How BIM’s Future Benefit Can be Measured Today By Neil Steinkamp, CCIFP, and Tom Dionne, Stout Risius Ross, Inc. Amara’s Law: We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.¹ IntroDuCtIon in greater capacities have been the limita- necessary to estimate the value of the proj- Much like wood, iron, rock and oil, infor- tions of financial measurement. Owners ect in the design phases. Further, this information is a resource that is gathered such that are reluctant to expand the scope and role mation (when intertwined with information it can be utilized in an application. However, of architects, engineers, and contractors regarding the building operation and design) information enables its possessor to make without understanding the expected ben- enables owners, designers and contractors better decisions rather than better products. efit. Charles Hardy a deputy director with to make informed decisions about building Building Information Modeling (BIM) is en- the U.S. General Services Administration’s design and component product usage based couraging the collection of information and Office of Property Development stated in an on the change in value of the building project providing a repository for the collection of August 2007 interview, “in the end, there has over the building life cycle, not simply the cost this resource. Yet a toolbox of the finest tools to be a strong business case, focused on ROI reduction in the construction of the facility. has little value if there is no craftsman to ap- and value added, for all parties involved, to Utilization can be envisioned to model facility ply them. Information in BIM has little value commit to BIM use.”³ BIM, as an informa- management costs, energy usage, tenant space without practitioners apply to it. tion repository, now has the functionality usage and occupancy cost management. It is well documented that construction to provide this analysis such that more in- stakeholders recognize that BIM’s full ben- formed decisions can be made. the three ApproAChes to vAluIng efit is realizable over the entire building life Matt Cramer, President of Dee Cramer, a Assets cycle. The McGrawHill SmartMarket Report Michigan based heating, cooling and ventila- There are three general methods of valu- “Building Information Modeling” released tion contractor notes, “as a contractor we are ing an asset; the cost approach, income ap- in late 2008 noted, “architects and engineers experiencing significant gains in the form of proach and market approach. While all are place the highest emphasis on [Lifecycle increased productivity and other measures. applicable in regards to the benefits of BIM, Value of BIM]. The data created during their In fact, we have been able to pass along these this piece will focus on the income approach early involvement in BIM projects can live on savings to owners in the form of reduced to valuation. long after their work is complete.”². Other no- bids/quotes. That being said, we have also table benefits of BIM’s application include: observed that owners are reluctant to adopt the InCoMe ApproACh to vAluAtIon • Easier bonding; BIM without a better understanding of the The income approach is premised on value • Fewer Lifts (safety and liability); magnitude of the benefit they could expect to being measured by the present value of all fu- • Fewer code violations and punch outs receive from its use. As the industry is able to ture cash flows generated by the asset (build- • Reduced number of RFI’s and quicker RFI better measure the short- and long-term saving). Essentially, there are two components turnaround; ings provided by BIM, its adoption and appli- to this valuation approach, 1) the cash flows • Fewer change orders; and cation is sure to increase.” generated and 2) the risk of receiving them. • Reductions in crew down time. With BIM’s 4D and 5D capabilities4 the This method calculates the present value of Certain hurdles to the application of BIM models possess the financial information the cash flows at time zero (i.e., the present date). The income approach can be applied to building construction because of the ability to forecast the cash flows based on the future revenues and expenses the building will produce and incur over the entire life-cycle of the building. Further, this analysis can be completed in the concept and design phases of construction such that the [lifecycle] value of the project can be measured and managed, rather than simply managing construction costs. CAsh flows The cash flows generated are typically measured as a) revenues generated less b) expenses, and giving consideration to non-cash items such as capital expenditures, asset replacement, working capital investments, etc. 30 Journal of Building Information Modeling

revenue Revenue can be forecasted based on several factors; the geographic region, performance of the specific industry, the underlying purpose of the building (i.e. commercial rental units), market rates of commercial rental buildings in the area, as well as other factors. Many times revenue may be forecast giving consideration to phases of the life-cycle such as pre-stabilization and post-stabilization. expense The modeling of expenses over the building life cycle may yield the greatest benefit. Value management utilizing BIM technology will enable stakeholders to make design changes and product choices that may cost more in initial outlay but may add significant work for a base set of design and construction tal expenditures, and reduced risk. This would value over the building’s life cycle. BIM not costs as well as ongoing revenue and expense further contribute to the Value of the building. only provides a repository for financial infor- from the operations of the building. The val- mation, but its ability to evaluate the interac- ues reflected herein are simply for example to ConClusIon tion of design changes with the operating sys- illustrate the potential value adding abilities of BIM’s technical capabilities gives owners tems of a building have brought together the BIM. Important to note are operating margins and general contractors the ability to deter- design and financial capabilities. of 35 percent, combined construction costs of mine how the estimated value of a building can In addition, if BIM models can be used by $6 million, and a discount rate of 15 percent. be enhanced with products changes, system owners and facility managers throughout the Scenario 2 (on page 31) illustrates the changes, and structural changes. While BIM lifecycle, the detail contained in the model change in Value calculated by reducing the has been utilized to reduce immediate con- provides for a more informative and accurate design and construction costs 10 percent. struction costs, a majority of a building’s value process of repair, maintenance, and changes These costs would conceivably be generated is captured in the cash flows that exist for the to the physical space (e.g., finishes). with a reduction in construction claims, clash decades following its construction. Adding 5D The expenses applied in the income ap- detection, and increased trade coordination. cost information to BIM models, and related proach include all costs incurred to build and Scenario 3 (on page 31) illustrates the con- financial models, allows owners and contrac- operate the building. Essentially, there are tribution to Value that results from BIMs abil- tors to evaluate modifications to the building two categories of expense to consider when ity to allow for the construction of a building process. This evaluation enables parties to de- measuring the value of the building; a) the that generates improved operating margins; termine if proposed modifications add value, cost incurred during the entire construction this model reflects a relatively modest im- or simply reduce building construction costs. of the building from design to completion, provement in operating margins from 35 to 38 and b) the operational costs incurred during percent. It is important to note that BIM may for further InforMAtIon the entire operational life of the building. also provide for cost savings through reduced For a full list of references for this article repair and maintenance expense, lower capi- please email editor@matrixgroupinc.net. n rIsk The measure of risk estimates the cost of the uncertainty associated with receiving future cash flows. A discount rate is applied to the cash flows to capture the discount an investor would apply to future cash flows to determine what the value would be if the cash flows were paid in a lump sum payment today. Each year’s cash flow is dis- counted using the computed rate of return specific to the asset being valued to arrive at the annual present value of distributable cash flow. The sum of these cash flows yields the total present value of cash flows for each individual represented in the model. An exAMple Scenario 1 (on page 30) provides a frame- Spring 2009 31

Lifecycle BIM in Structural Engineering: A Current View of the Profession From one of the First National Surveys in 2008 of SE’s by a Non-Profit SE organization By Will F. Ikerd II, P.E., C.W.I, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ADOPTION OF BUILDING INFORMATION training their recent graduate engineers-in-training (EIT) and proj- Modeling (BIM) by the structural engineering profession cannot be ect managers with professional engineering (PE) licenses. Of those emphasized enough because the structure is the key component of expressing an opinion, the plurality of responses reported an esti- buildings and all other disciplines are built on and scheduled around mated four to six weeks of lost billable time due to training per per- it. The BIM enabled process for structural elements maximizes the son in the first year of implementation. potential for construction schedule optimization which can result The structural engineering profession can be seen in three phases in significant savings on projects. Trades related to architectural fin- when considering its transformation process as it relates to the ishes, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, fire protection, curtain wall, stone, structural profession as it relates to building information modeling. masonry, and other facade systems must all follow the critical path Useful in understanding this process is the technology adoption delivery of the structural frame. lifecycle model which describes the adoption of a new innovation, However, for the building industry to experience the value of BIM according to the demographic and psychological characteristics to its fullest, the structural engineering profession must first assess of defined adopter groups. The process of adoption over time is where it is with BIM so that it can then choose the best path for the typically illustrated as a classical normal distribution or “bell curve” profession to transform into a BIM delivery process. This first step (see fIgure 1). The model indicates that the first group of people began last year with one of the first national surveys of the structural to use a new product is called “innovators,” followed by “early engineering profession and BIM. The BIM and Structural Engineering adopters” and then the “early” and “late” majority, and the last group survey was a collaborative effort of the Structural Engineering to eventually adopt a product are called “resistance” or “laggards”. Institute’s Committee on BIM (now the Joint SEI-CASE committee on Traditionally our profession in modern times has consisted of en- BIM) and the Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT). gineers and technical drafters with some of the latter who become The survey first provides demographic information of the struc- engineers as well. Before computers, this process required a consid- tural engineering profession as it relates to the topic of building in- erable amount of time and structural design progress on projects formation modeling (BIM). The survey was sent to over fifteen thou- with a high degree of deliberation and thought. Changes from the sand SEI members via email and over seven hundred responses were architect came in the form of issued paper document sets that were received. The typical structural engineering office would be consid- couriered or delivered. Engineers progressed their designs and com- ered a small to medium sized office of 2 to 10 people with the majori- municated to their technical drafters their intent via paper sketches ty of offices being less than 20 people. Most respondents were in their and notes. When we moved our drafting technicians from the draw- thirties, in upper management and had obtained a masters degree. ing board to CAD, we did not fundamentally change the traditional The computer analysis software tools that structural engineers office relationship with the structural engineers. use varied greatly over the 20 applications surveyed. None of the 3D structural analysis software applications had more than a 50 percent market usage which underscores the need for open interoperability among the analysis packages with BIM programs. The respondents represented a broad cross-section of building types with commercial buildings being the most common. Over half of those surveyed identified building information modeling as being a relational database. A third recognized a current need to use BIM and almost another third expected to need it within two years. A very high interest in BIM was recorded for a third of the company leaders and an even greater percent of personal interest. Half of those responding have BIM software with Revit Structure being the significantly dominate platform of over 8 percent of the respondents. Although a combination of training methods could be used, the self paced training with software provided tutorials was the predominant method. The majority of responses reported that their Figure 1. Author’s application of BIM with classic adoption life cycle model of new technol- firm’s training program was “horrible, non-existent” to “moderately ogy. In light of the national suvey of structural engineers, the profession is poised for the effective”. In addition to training drafters in BIM, most firms are also early majority and some of the late majoity to transition to BIM in the next two years. 32 Journal of Building Information Modeling

Based on the survey results, the profession is a few years into the second phase of transition to BIM now. For this second phase to take hold, the AECOFM industry required three essential elements to begin using parametric modeling in a reasonable price range: computer power, common software platforms and bandwidth to transmit the models. We began to see this at the turn of the century. In this phase we are challenging traditional office work flows as engineers take a more active role in the production of the drawing by working in the same models alongside their technicians. Structural engineers are starting to see benefits of linking their structural engineering analysis applications to one central BIM; however, these benefits are very limited in this BIM transition phase due to interoperability challenges with the software. Most of the success structural engineers are seeing in this phase is with mentoring younger structural engineers by visualizing constructability in 3D models, com- Figure 2. Author’s projections of the technology adoption of BIM for the stakeholder in municating the structural aspects of buildings with their clients and the project delivery process. Projections are based on the national survey refrenced in this in early quantity take offs to facility value engineering. Some noted article, author’s experience, and history of other technolgy transition. success has also been reported of structural engineering models being utilized in construction to facilitate the fabrication process in ar- Based on the survey results, the profession is a eas such as structural steel. The challenges of this phase are marked few years into the second phase of transition to by firm resistance to change, uncertainties in liability issues, and BIM now. For this second phase to take hold, the aversion to the significant investment firms must make to transition AECOFM industry required three essential to BIM. The third phase of BIM in structural engineering will be elements to begin using parametric modeling signified by a majority (see fIgure 1, BIM Late Majority) of in a reasonable price range: computer power, structural firms who have trained their engineering staff to fully common software platforms and bandwidth to utilize the BIM and leverage the structural analysis links that will transmit the models. have matured into dependable tools. While open to debate, the results from the survey question asking when firms will need to use BIM to meet their clients’ needs indicate that this phase would be well underway before 2015 (see fIgure 2). This phase of BIM transition will also begin with a number of project successes achieved by early adopters to the BIM process. Interoperability will also move beyond linking in the office with the structural engineer’s analysis model to greater use of their model downstream in the construction and fabrication process. The early success of interoperability in the steel industry even with some challenges that took place during the transition phase will be followed in this phase with other materials and systems that are influenced by the coordination of a building structure such as pre-cast concrete, concrete reinforcing steel, concrete formwork modeling, and engi- neered products such as bar joists, wood products and building en- velope systems. The theme of the early part of this phase in structural engineering will be lean design with just-in-time delivery of the en- gineered building components that is coordinated in the BIM. Some firms may significantly struggle with the challenges of changing roles as AECOFM teams move towards tighter Integrated Project Delivery that is facilitated by BIM as a process and tool. Other firms will enjoy the rewards of adding value to the process through their investment in BIM. n William Ikerd PE, CWI is founder and Director of the Department of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) at Raymond L. Goodson Jr., Inc.’s Consulting Engineers (www.RLGinc.com). The department specializes in the process of building information modeling (BIM) to assists their clients in utilizing RLG’s engineering services in integrated teams as well as consulting their clients in utilizing BIM and associated AEC technologies. Spring 2009 33

Lifecycle Post Construction BIM Implementations and Facility Asset Management Innovative pilot program slashing operations/maintenance costs, providing valuable metrics for DoD owned facilities By James R. Watson, G. Russell Watson, Mat Krogulecki, MACTEC’s Facility Lifecycle Group THE POWER OF MANAGING EXISTING facilities through virtual modeling is being demonstrated and documented in a pilot program by the Facility Lifecycle Group of MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc. The program is being funded by and conducted for an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD); it includes 10 significant mission critical facilities geographically dis- persed throughout the United States. The program features an innovative solution combining a modified BIM (Building Information Model) and structured facility asset management process, known as ‘BIMam™’, Building Information Modeling for Asset Management. The value of BIM created during design and construction phase is well documented and can result in an estimated 30 percent reduction in total construction costs. The above represents the current condition of assets through the shading of the building information model. The business case for implementing BIM in the design/build stage pales when compared benchmark reduction that BIMam will pro- ing the Uniformat II taxonomy and in accord to applying BIM technology combined with duce will yield a benefit of $73.00 per owned with COBIE requirements for maintaining an Engineering Management System (EMS) square foot. Compare that to a 30 percent re- an open architecture and the mission of the to manage a building once constructed and duction in a construction cost of $120.00 per National Institute of Building Science (NIBS) occupied. According to a 2006 International square foot which yields a $36.00 per square BuildingSMART Committee. Facility Management Association (IFMA) foot benefit and the cost effectiveness of gen- The software transforms objective facts study, the typical construction cost of a build- erating a BIMam for existing buildings be- into meaningful metrics, actionable proj- ing is $120.00 per square foot and the annual comes a solid business decision with a pay- ects and facilitates modeling various funding operations and maintenance cost about $7.26 back of less than one year. scenarios, as well as variable decision matrix per square foot. Therefore, the occupancy cost BIMam contains building system com- relative to the importance or preference for of owning a building over a DoD mandated ponents spatial data that meets the follow- impacting one performance metric over an- 67-year life cycle represents a cost four times ing criteria to be included in a BIM: must other competing metric. greater than the cost to construct. Hence, the be readily accessible without removing any The advantage of generating a BIMam is typical 15 percent reduction in operations cladding/walls/ceiling/flooring material; sig- that it then becomes the baseline data into and maintenance gained through imple- nificant relative to preventative maintenance which all future facility transactions can menting BIMam produces twice the savings schedules; high mission criticality to build- be documented. This means of course that than just using BIM to reduce construction ing occupants or contribute significantly to BIMam is dynamic in not only visualizing the costs would produce. the overall cost of facility asset management. performance metric but also the dynamic Estimates are that it currently costs about In addition, spatial, systems, systems com- repository for all asset information, growing $486.00 per square foot to own and maintain ponents nameplate and condition data; and in scope as remodels and/or additions are a DoD facility over the lifecycle of the facility. asset quantification are collected and stored made to the building. Multiplying this estimate by the 15 percent via facility asset management software, us- EMS Asset Management software can 34 Journal of Building Information Modeling

generate multiple performance metrics to upper management by facility managers from edge to executive level decision makers in a be displayed in BIM. BIMam then provides the site level. Using BIMam these division dashboard format. calculated condition/costs/schedules and managers can now weigh the impact of vari- The BIMam dashboard will have the abil- repair vs. replace options for each systems ous funding options on their desired strategic ity to display not only three dimensional and component of the facility. These metrics outcomes based on an aggregated view of their information but will also represent time are impacted by modeled budget funding total building portfolio performance metric. passage and funding scenario applications. scenarios. These scenarios give facility man- Financial and strategic officers will now Users will have the ability to see the rami- agers the “what if” analysis capability with be able to track online the current status of fications of both long and short term pen- the hard data backup that has been missing the total agencies portfolio’s performance alty cost for not fully funding O & M require- in prior quests to provide a business case for metrics versus the desired performance ments. These penalty costs will be displayed the right funding scenario to decision mak- metric. They will have the capability to drill as a changed color on a performance metric ers. The funding scenarios also present the down to the regional BIM and the site BIM dashboard button. need for the right type of expenditures. For and even the individual building BIM to run Often limited budgets restrict available example, in some instances investing capi- “what if” analysis with various funding sce- funding. Consequently, underfunding of fa- tal dollars to replace a system may be more narios to maximize the desired performance cility management requirements sometimes economical than spending expense dollars to at minimum costs. occurs. The BIMam dashboard assures man- maintain the asset. Scenarios can be readily BIMam can show color coded perfor- agement has the right data at the right time determined and presented graphically so se- mance metrics on each building and also to make the decision that is best for the over- nior management can quickly see the benefit for all aggregated buildings. Selected met- all performance of the agency mission. n of the intended scenario. rics can include Mission Dependency Index Using BIMam gives facility managers the (MDI), Facility Condition Index (FCI), Space James R. Watson is Director of Federal dashboard tool to model the most efficient Utilization Index (SUI), Mission Readiness Programs for MACTEC’s Facility Lifecycle use of funds, time including routing mainte- Index (MRI), and Return on Investment Group. G. Russell Watson is Director of nance staff based on current location versus (ROI). Each of these metrics are color coded Business Development for the Facility Lifecycle service need and effective fire and/or other using the DoD defined red-yellow-green sys- Group. Mat Krogulecki is the BIM Manager emergency escape routes. tem, with green representing good condition, for Facility Lifecycle Group. MACTEC (www. The BIMam pilot program will provide de- yellow representing fair condition and red in- mactec.com), based in Alpharetta, GA, is a cision support for use by division managers to dicating failing condition. These visual rep- leading infrastructure engineering firm with verify and fund the needs and wants sent to resentations permit a fast transfer of knowl- annual revenues of more than $450 million. Spring 2009 35

Technology Building Information Models and Model Views – Part 3 By Richard See, Managing Director, Digital Alchemy PART 1 OF THIS ARTICLE (PUBLISHED IN testing examples were developed by the Each task, decision gateway, reference data the Fall 2007 issue of JBIM) provided some histo- original GSA teams (there were two) and type, and exchange requirement is document- ry about building information modeling (BIM), by the team for the Building Performance ed in the IDM document, as shown in www. and ended by introducing information delivery Energy Analysis (BPEA) thread of the bSa/ blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/IDM/BSA-002/ manuals (IDMs) and model view definitions OGC Testbed project. The March 26 dem- PM_BSA-002.pdf. (MVDs) as parts of a process for realizing soft- onstration in Washington, DC and subse- ware interoperability. Part 2 of this article (pub- quent Engineering Report will culminate lished in Fall 2008) provided more detail about that Testbed. However, work to evolve these a standard process and toolset for developing prototypes into commercially available prod- BIM based solutions called the IFC Solutions ucts will continue in the “Concept Design Factory. In this third installment of the series, BIM 2009” project, funded by GSA, Statsbygg we will look at the Solution Factory artifacts (equivalent of GSA for Norway), and Senate for a project organized, funded, and managed (equivalent of GSA for Finland). by the US Government Services Administration exChAnge requIreMents (GSA), the buildingSMART alliance™ (bSa) and IDM for “ArChIteCturAl DesIgn to An exchange requirements document de- the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). energy AnAlysIs” fines the data to be exchanged between two The project began July 2007, when GSA be- As the name implies, this interoperabil- applications being used in the process map. gan formulating requirements to enable energy ity use case involves development of build- This includes data element names, descrip- analysis of buildings in early stages of design. ing model in an architectural BIM authoring tions, data types and units. www.blis-project. During the past 18 plus months, an IDM and application and then submitting that BIM org/IAI-MVD/IDM/BSA-002/ER_BSA-002. MVD have been developed and widely reviewed, to an energy analysis application in order to pdf. prototype software implementations have been give energy performance feedback to the de- developed, and software testing has begun. By signer, throughout the design process. Other the time this article is published, the first pub- use cases are being developed in parallel. lic demonstration of software supporting this These include cost feedback, and checking interoperability use case will have shown at the that spatial programs and security require- national building museum in Washington, DC. ments are met. As described in the previous It will show models created in ArchiCAD and article, there are three primary deliverables in Vectorworks exported as IFC BIMs. These IFC an IDM: a process map (the end user process), BIMs are then preprocessed by the Geometry exchange requirements (the information to be BIM guIDe Simplification Tool (GST) (developed at the exchanged), and a BIM guide (instructions to The BIM guide provides guidance to end Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) the end user). Examples and web addresses users that will participate in the industry pro- and submitted for energy analysis by EnergyPlus for download and review are also included. cess and BIM data exchange documented in (also developed at LBNL). EnergyPlus is the pre- the process map and exchange requirements. mier full building energy simulation engine. The proCess MAp In particular, it captures the business rules resulting energy performance assessment will A process map is a series of process dia- that the end user must follow to be success- then be compared to energy targets and programs that chart the tasks and information ful in creating the BIM to be exchanged and/ vide feedback to designers early in the design flow in an industry process using Business or using the BIM in the receiving application. process—when there is still time and flexibility Process Mapping Notation(BPMN), and stan- www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_ to make design changes. dard managed by the Object Management DOCUMENT/GSA_BIM_Guide_Series_05_ The following IDM, MVD, and software Group (OMG) (www.omg.org). Version_1_R2C-a3-l_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf. The full article with high resolution photos can be downloaded at www.buildingsmartalliance.org 36 Journal of Building Information Modeling

MvD for “ArChIteCturAl DesIgn to exchange, using an information model of concepts, lends itself very well to software energy AnAlysIs” schema. In this example, the binding is to unit testing. Unit tests are software tests As described in the previous article, the the IFC 2x3 schema, developed by build- that test for compliance to a single require- MVD provides guidance to software compa- ingSMART International. Other bindings ment. The test package for a single MVD nies looking to support the IFC BIM exchange could be developed for future versions of concept includes one unit test for each re- in their applications. This is done through the IFC standard, of for other information quirement defined in the implementation a web of interconnected pages on the MVD model schemata, including XML schema guidance for that concept. These unit test Coordination web site at www.mvd.build- definitions. www.blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/ packages are run by the software develop- ingsmart.com (which forwards to www.blis- reporting/browseMVD.php?MVD=BSA- ment or test engineer using the NUnit Test project.org/IAI-MVD/). These pages include 002&BND=IFC2x3&LAYOUT=H. Framework (www.NUnit.org).The image an MVD overview, a generic MVD (indepen- below shows an example of the results for dent of any information model), one or more testing all ElementQuantities in a test file MVD bindings (to the IFC BIM schema), and generated by a BIM authoring application. implementer guidance for each MVD Concept As you can see, some failures are because in each binding. Examples and web addresses the test file did not include all the required for download follow. object types. Test packages will be down- loadable from the MVD Coordination web MvD overvIew site by mid-2009. This document provides a high level over- softwAre IMpleMentAtIon view of the purpose of an MVD, the IDM that guIDAnCe for MvD ConCepts enD user vAlIDAtIon of BIM DAtA defines requirements, and the application One of the significant issues with software exChAnge types expected to support the IFC BIM ex- support for IFC in the past has been incon- The fourth process and toolset in the change. www.blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/ sistent interpretation of implementation re- IFC Solutions Factory, as described in the MVDs/BSA-002/Overview.pdf. quirements. This is generally attributed to in- last segment of this series, is focused on sufficient documentation of requirements for enabling end users to validate a BIM they the Coordination View (the model most im- have received as correctly supporting all plemented to date). The current MVD system requirements in the agreed BIM data ex- addresses this by requiring documentation for change (i.e. the agreed IDM exchange re- each MVD concept that includes an instantia- quirements and BIM guide requirements). tion diagram (exactly which IFC entities and Development of this process and tools is relationships must be included) and all imple- ongoing, so I don’t have an example here. menter agreements. The intended result is an What can be shared is that this develop- generIC MvD implementation spec that is unambiguous ment is based on technology developed The generic MVD is a series of entity-re- and will be implemented consistently by any for automated building code compli- lationship diagrams that define the software number of software vendors. www.blis-proj- ance checking in the SMARTcodes project data concepts (MVD concepts) to be ex- ect.org/IAI-MVD/reporting/showConcept. (www.iccsafe.org/SMARTcodes). Examples changed. Each diagram is focused on a con- php?CREF=BSA-267 (where BSA-267 is the should be available for review and com- figuration of static MVD concepts (concepts Concept ID). ment in late 2009. n that can be reused in many MVD Diagrams, and do not change, -e.g. name, description Part 4 of this article series will walk and 3D placement) to be included in the ex- through a series of MVD concepts that are change for a single variable concept (concepts common to a wide array of buildingSMART that can be configured to include different in- industry use cases. Review of these key con- formation in different MVDs, -e.g. wall, door cepts will give the reader a much better un- or window). www.blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/ derstanding and appreciation for how BIMs reporting/browseMVD.php?MVD=BSA- are structured and why the relationships be- 002&BND=Generic&LAYOUT=H. softwAre testIng for tween objects in a BIM are just as important “ArChIteCturAl DesIgn to energy as the objects themselves. AnAlysIs” In order to have confidence in any data Richard See is Managing Director of exchange, the candidate software imple- Digital Alchemy, Chairman of the BLIS mentations must be tested. The third pro- Consortium, Leader of the Models and cess/toolset in the IFC Solutions Factory is Implementation Guidance committee in the focused on development of thorough and NBIMS initiative, member of the Technical repeatable testing of software applications Advisory Committee for buildingSMART MvD BInDIng to the IfC BIM sCheMA for correct support of export or import of International, and member of the Technical An MVD binding defines how each an MVD. Committee for the buildingSMART alli- MVD concept will be represented in a data The structure of an MVD, as a collection ance™ (North America). Spring 2009 37

Education Nurturing BIM: Evolving Architectural Education By Lucas Reames, Gehry Technologies ABstrACt This article examines needs and solutions for the implementation of BIM technologies and integrated processes within academic institutions of architecture. The goal of this article is to give insight to tangible solutions for academic institutions to employ and utilize. The topics covered here foster better members of future integrated teams and of- fer a more enriching educational experience. BIM eMergIng In ACADeMIA Some describe BIM as making a profound impact on the profession of architecture not just as a tool, but also because of the way it has assisted in developing new methods of practice in the AEC industry. This article looks at the requirements and concepts necessary to develop strategies using BIM and notions of integrated practice into the core curriculum of architecture programs. Advancements in collaboration, workflow and standards for using BIM have grown reasonably fast when compared historically the following requirements in order to main- Construction Cost Control, Collaborative to academia. With the rate of licensed archi- tain status as having a professional program Skills, Technical Documentation, Client Role tects falling, it is crucial for academic insti- with NAAB accreditation: in Architecture, and legal aspects of Project tutions provide students with the knowledge 1. NAAB perspectives Management and Risk Mitigation. All of that will give them the proper opportunity to 2. Program self-assessment procedures these requirements benefit from the use of participate with the new workflow and stan- 3. Public information BIM and integrated practice methodologies. dards that are being developed. There are 4. Social equity There are two ways these standards can two aspects of education that affect academ- 5. Studio culture benefit the core curriculum in architecture ic curricula. The first being requirements set 6. Resources school. First, NAAB standards can be ex- by external entities and the other is formed 7. Human resource development tended to specifically include BIM and in- by the culture that the school, itself, decides 8. Physical resources tegrated practice or academic institutions to surround itself with. 9. Information resources can incorporate these elements into their 10. Financial resources curricula and define the benefits through DevelopIng ACADeMIC stAnDArDs 11. Administrative resources the required Architecture Program Report Although most schools may have various (APR). These NAAB areas of desired perfor- review boards that differ from each other in professIonAl Degrees AnD mance can however be achieved without the regards to policy, intent and level of influ- CurrICuluM stuDent perforMAnCe use of BIM, which means that architecture ence, the most accepted is structured through CrIterIA schools can graduate students with a pro- the National Architectural Accrediting Board The professional degrees and curriculum, fessional degree that may lack in knowledge (NAAB) for academic institutions offering and student performance criteria present concerning workflow processes, collabora- professional programs.¹ These programs are the most opportunity for developing archi- tion using BIM and new practice structures typically geared towards individuals who plan tectural curricula since they illustrate the re- that are developing current and future AEC on getting licensed to practice architecture in quirements for students to show competency standards such as various forms of con- a particular state since it is one of the several in specific areas in order to receive a pro- tract documents, software interoperability, possible methods to obtain an architectural fessional degree. Under the NAAB Student cost estimating and project performance license. If a program is under the jurisdiction Performance Criteria, students must express optimization. of NAAB accreditation, it must conform to understanding of Formal Ordering Systems, The NAAB Trends in The Profession Task 38 Journal of of Building Information Modeling Journal Building Information Modeling

Group reported in their 2008 Winter Board generation of employees and firm owners to referenCes Meeting that design efficiencies are realized be competent in the practices and method- 1. Documents referring to the National through BIM as well as reported that BIM has ologies that will give them a competitive edge Architectural Accrediting Board can be an opportunity to evolve into the NAAB re- in the AEC industry. found at www.naab.org. quired curriculum both as a subject matter The NAAB process to revise the require- 2. The report of the Trends in The Profession Task and as a tool. Among other trends discussed ments for Condition for Accreditation will Group presented to the National Architectural were building collaborative leadership skills have a mid-term to long-term effect on aca- Accrediting Board Winter of 2008 can be found with both vertical and horizontal team struc- demia, and therefore should be pursued im- at www.naab.org/documents. tures, building respect between professions mediately. For students to stay engaged in and the need to encompass and entire proj- an architectural education, they need to see Lucas Reames is from Gehry Technologies, a ect through digital information systems.² proof that all stakeholders in the architec- company which provides technology and servic- tural education are making a rigorous effort es to leading owners, developers, architects, engi- peDAgogy of BIM to provide a relevant education to a new gen- neers, general contractors, fabricators, and other The second method for implementing eration of architects. n building industry professionals worldwide. BIM and integrate practice into academic curricula is through a more versatile, yet very tangible culture of each institution. The culture of an architecture program is measured through the schools mission statement, program description, trends in faculty resources, core curriculum, and elective courses. A solid set of courses can be set up around BIM if it is understood as a tool that can help facilitate the learning of a lot of complex issues; such as complex façade systems, program analysis, environmental systems, team management, software training, project visualization, design optimization, and information sharing. A common missed opportunity is to as- sume that software training covers all characteristics of BIM that students will need to know. In reality, aspects of BIM can help facilitate learning in many areas of a typical architecture curriculum. A model is not required to adequately educate students as to what they may face when they join the workforce. For instance, professional practice courses should include legal aspects of information management, design studios may benefit from utilizing versioning aspects of BIM, shop classes can teach how to produce a technical set of shop drawings from a model, etc. IMpleMentAtIon In an era where individuals may consider leaving the profession of architecture due to a bad economy, strict architectural licensing standards and attractive opportunities elsewhere, architecture programs should review their strategic plan in regards to their current curriculum and skills offered to prospective students. Architects have an opportunity for a bright, successful and collaborative future if they foster a culture and set forth requirements that will train and guide the next Spring 2009 39 Spring 2009

Education Commercial Construction BIM Course Created for Academia By Shanna Schmelter, Alumni Graduate Teaching Assistant at Purdue University & Clark Cory, Associate Professor of Computer Graphics at Purdue University THE NEED FOR BUILDING INFORMATION modeling (BIM) in the commercial construction industry is increasing every day. Educational programs that focus on construction graphics are at the front of fulfilling this need. Companies are now looking for individuals straight out of college that are knowledge- able about computer graphics, and that have construction visualization and BIM skills. Figure 1. Students analyze construction documents for inputting information into the model. As of a year ago, Computer Graphic Technology (CGT) students at Purdue University Course DevelopMent MethoDology incorporated into the final syllabus. The who wanted to specialize in Construction To develop a new commercial construc- syllabus was seen by respondents as “de- Graphic Communication (CGC) were being tion BIM course, a four step process was out- scribing basic concepts that will be used taught residential construction processes with lined. First, a draft syllabus was developed as a foundation for the general industry.” 2D drawings and 3D tools. However, there are to meet the student’s educational needs. However, many responses suggested even many more opportunities in commercial con- Second, a survey was sent to industry pro- more emphasis on design processes which struction for students that needed to be ex- fessionals to evaluate the proposed syllabus. would lead to learning in project setup, plored by the CGT department. Students lack- Third, survey feedback was incorporated into organization and standards. Many respon- ing commercial construction education can the course syllabus. Fourth, an inaugural class dents also suggested adding a discussion ultimately have limited visualization skills and was taught. on design development (using tools like understanding of construction concepts, and The course development team assumed Google SketchUp to investigate volumes limited career opportunities. Development of that by collecting and incorporating feed- and shapes) so that students would under- a course addressing commercial construction back from industry professionals, the stand conceptual design. Other topics sug- BIM education enables students to have hands- course would better meet an essential part gested added into the course were: on training with 3D tools and increase their vi- of their education. The survey was created • Contractual and legal relationships sualization of 2D information into 3D, their un- to obtain feedback on the BIM course syl- between BIM participants derstanding of the coordination of commercial labus to aid students in commercial con- • Scheduling construction documentation and technology, struction and BIM knowledge. Target sur- • Estimating their familiarity with current BIM technologies, vey participants were industry profession- • Spatial analysis and their ability to cooperate with architects, cli- als in design and construction firms that • Energy analysis ents, and partners. Students taking such a class had involvement in using BIM. The survey • Rendering receive education on professional practices, are included the course content outline and • Prefabrication able to explain how BIM is used in the industry, questions about course improvement from • Maintenance documentation and know about BIM processes as they apply to an industry viewpoint. Statistical feedback The survey responses were invaluable in companies using or contemplating BIM. and written comments were compared helping to align the proposed curriculum As the construction industry and technol- with other BIM classes, educational, and with current industry needs and practices. ogy progress, education must be at the fore- technical research to validate the proposed The responses confirmed the industry de- front of industry needs to produce the best curriculum and revisions. mand for BIM education, and BIM as an education possible to prepare students for Based on the survey results, many effective tool to supplement traditional in- their future careers. improvements to the course were struction in construction curricula. Purdue University further sought to use BIM as an educational tool to benefit students in understanding commercial structures and se- quencing. This content and feedback was integrated into the lecture and laboratory sections of the BIM course at Purdue University. The class has now been taught for more than a year. Figure 2. Completed student Revit model with architectural, structural, and MEP included. 40 Journal of Building Information Modeling

curriculum (or the Purdue CGT curriculum) is helpful for students seeking careers in the commercial construction industry. Industry professionals participating in the survey confirmed: • 100 percent agreed that the syllabus outcomes reviewed meet industry BIM needs. Figure 3. A typical construction laboratory classroom environment at Purdue University. • 89.5 percent agreed that the resources in the syllabus meet student’s needs. BIM peDAgogy: how CoMMerCIAl NavisWorks to do a collision detection re- • 73.7 percent agreed that the syllabus BIM Is tAught At purDue port of the compiled model and resolve col- would well serve students seeking BIM The objective is a BIM course to assist lisions. Finally, students use the corrected education and careers. education in commercial design and con- and completed model to produce a “Facility • 100 percent agreed that the course struction. In this introductory class, students Management Tool” which they turn over to should be offered at Purdue University examine geometry, spatial relationships, the Purdue University building faculty for and other educational institutions. geographic information, quantities and at- use in building management. Each group • 89.5 percent of the firms agreed that tributes of building components represented has three projects which allow them to rotate future graduates that they will hire will by intelligent objects. The format consists of through all three model types (architectural, need BIM knowledge. lectures and lab demonstrations. Students structural, MEP). Research in the commercial construction have weekly lectures about BIM industry top- Through lecture, demonstrations, proj- industry supports the need for educated BIM ics (for example: Who Needs BIM, MEP BIM, ects, and real world examples, students de- professionals. Educational institutions are the BIM Legal Issues, and Industry Trends). velop an understanding and increase their best place to teach students basic commercial Following the industry topic lectures, stu- ability to visualize spatial relationships construction BIM fundamentals. This survey dents attend demonstration lectures in which between structural and architectural ele- and the inaugural course at Purdue University weekly Autodesk Revit training modules are ments. The student’s group work helps them pave the way to produce the educated BIM taught. The Revit training modules teach BIM develop independent and team skills using professionals needed in the industry. n concepts, incorporate industry practices, BIM to cooperate with architects, clients, and and illustrate structural components and partners, and to visualize construction. Most Shanna Schmelter was a Graduate Teaching processes. Other Revit modules include con- importantly, the course helps prepare them Assistant at Purdue University while this re- ceptual design, creating walls, windows, and for future BIM careers. search was taking place. Since graduation, she doors, creating components, structural anal- works for Holder Construction Co. in Atlanta, ysis, documentation, scheduling, estimat- ConClusIons GA, as a Building Information Modeling Office ing, and rendering. After each Revit module The educational implications of these find- Engineer. Clark Cory continues his research and students have an assignment that pertains to ings are that integrating commercial construc- teaching in Construction Graphics Technology the demonstration to practice what they have tion and BIM principles in any construction at Purdue University. learned. Students also write research papers that pertain to industry trends. In addition to and concurrent with individual learning are the group projects throughout the semester. For example, a group project requires model creation of various construction disciplines (architecture, structure, and MEP) and integration into NavisWorks, thus encompassing the complete BIM process after conceptualization. A typical group project has students model two existing Purdue buildings in groups, so that each system (architectural, structural, and MEP) is completed by a different group. These model “divisions of labor” help each group develop their own BIM/CAD standards, workflow, and project management processes to follow throughout their project. En route they learn how to cooperate with others. Once the different models are finished, students compile the models into Autodesk Spring 2009 41

News & Updates buildingSMART alliance™ Interest Groups By Terry Jordan BUILDINGSMART ALLIANCE™ INTEREST of the alliance. In May 2008, the bSa Board centers. The Quad-Cities group, for instance, Groups are ad-hoc groups of professionals of Direction approved a simple set of guide- holds its meetings at a local La Quinta Inn. from throughout the building industry— lines for local interest groups seeking official The hotel provides its meeting space free of architects, engineers, building owners, bSa affiliation, which can be found at www. charge provided that, at a reduced fee, at- contractors, facility managers, attorneys, buildingsmartalliance.org/resources/inter- tendees purchase their breakfast bar. real property owners, university faculty and est_groups.php. Attendance for interest group meetings students, and even first responders—who What began as a small gathering of like- can range anywhere from 3 to 4 people to 75 share an interest in exploiting technology to minded individuals meeting for breakfast in or more, depending on local interest. Most enhance quality and improve efficiency in a Bethesda diner has grown to a network of groups start small and gain members rapidly the built environment. These groups meet ten professional networking groups and one as word gets out. Some are affiliated with lo- informally each month for the exclusive student interest group all over the nation. cal chapters of national organizations such purpose of professional networking and bSa Local Interest Groups now meet regu- as the American Institute of Architects (AIA), knowledge sharing. larly in Atlanta; Austin; Chicago; Cincinnati; the American Institute of Steel Construction Dallas/Fort Worth; Gainesville, Florida; the (AISC), the American Society of Professional how BsA loCAl Interest groups Iowa-Illinois Quad-Cities; Minneapolis; New Estimators (ASPE), or the Construction CAMe Into BeIng York City; Seattle; and Washington, DC. Specifications Institute (CSI). The bSa Local Interest Groups trace their origin to the “Bethesda Breakfast Club” the “InteroperABle Culture” of AtlAntA BIM BreAkfAst group (BBC) a group that formed when Deke Smith, BsA loCAl Interest groups The Atlanta BIM Breakfast Group began the bSa’s Executive Director, then of the U.S. Typically these informal meetings are held with an open call from Chuck Eastman at DoD’s Army Research Lab; Sandy Shaw, then once a month before or after business hours. Georgia Tech for interested parties in August of NIBS; and Michael Tardif, then of the AIA; The meeting format is determined by each 2008. The group has since held seven break- began meeting for a monthly breakfast five group based on what works best for them. fasts in the Student Center at Georgia Tech. years ago. Eventually Brad Holtz, of Cyon A typical meeting consists of 30 minutes of There is no charge and people buy their Research, Lamar Alexander, formerly of the breakfast/chat, a 15 to 30 minute presenta- own food in the food court. Most meetings CUA School of Architecture; Steve Hagan, tion (with or without PowerPoint), and 30 to begin with a 45-minute presentation by of the GSA; and Ric Jackson, Executive 45 minutes of discussion. The total time for a one of the participants and have featured Director of FIATECH; joined them. The BBC typical meeting is about 90 minutes. Light re- Bobby Jones of Beazer Homes on their use inspired Dave Jordani and Karie Johnson of freshments are either provided by a sponsor of BIM as a national homebuilder; Chirag Minneapolis to start a BIM Breakfast Group or host or attendees pay for their own meal. Mistry of HOK and Paul Hedgepath of under the auspices of the Minneapolis AIA Each group uses its own combination of Web, Holder Construction, who presented their chapter, which soon began to attract 50 or e-mail, and social networking tools to com- work on the Psychology Building at Emory more attendees regularly. municate with members about upcoming University; Chuck Eastman and Yeon-Suk In December 2007, inspired by the meetings. This simple organizational struc- Jeong, who spoke about the work by Georgia Minneapolis group—and not to be up- ture can work for groups of 5 or 50. Tech on automating design guides for the staged—the BBC moved its monthly meet- There is no cost for official bSA affiliation GSA; Greg Dasher of the Facilities Group, ing to the Renaissance Hotel in downtown for a local interest group, though the group who presented work on 3D laser scanning of DC to coincide with the annual AEC-ST coordinator must be a member of the alli- the Emory campus; and Kristin Tilakos and Show and buildingSMART alliance™ ance and must also sign and agree to abide by Arol Wolford of Reed Construction, who pre- National Conference. Nearly 40 people the bSa’s Memorandum of Understanding. sented Reed’s SmartBIM Library. Attendance showed up for that first breakfast, and the Meetings of bSa Local Interest Groups are averages 20 to 30 people. Renaissance Club was born. Shortly there- open to anyone. In fact, the bSa guidelines after, the New York City Metro BIM Group specifically state that membership in any new york CIty Metro BIM was formed and began attracting 50 to 100 group, including the bSa, CANNOT be a New York City Metro BIM was formed to attendees for each meeting. The NYC group requirement for attending any bSa Local enable NYC Metro area industry profession- and others soon petitioned the bSA for “lo- Interest Group meetings! als to network on the subject of BIM technol- cal chapter” status. The bSa, to avoid orga- Some meetings take place in the office ogy application. The NYC Metro member- nizational bureaucracy, encouraged the lo- of a local architecture, engineering, or con- ship has grown rapidly from 3 original mem- cal groups to grow organically and remain struction firm, while others are held at local bers in March 2008—Hosney Abdelgelil, focused on the knowledge-sharing mission hotels, restaurants, schools, or community Project Controls Director, Hill International 42 Journal of Building Information Modeling

Inc.; Stephen Thomson, Principal, Thomson group—which has brought in new members collaboration of local architects, engineers, Architects PC.; and Steve Jones, Sr. Director, as well. Attendance averages 12 to 20 peo- and contractors, with a nice cross section McGraw-Hill Construction—to over 300 ple. The group is considering experiment- of educators, attorneys, and risk manage- members today, making it the largest inter- ing with alternate meeting times (currently ment experts. The group has met monthly est group. meeting at 7 a.m.) to help increase atten- for over two years, drawing about 30 to each Within a year, the group had held 10 dance. Membership is slightly heavier on meeting. consecutive monthly events. The group the architecture side, but includes a good Last year, the group began to include has drawn the attention of local industry cross-section of all disciplines. With one ex- product presentations at meetings to ex- and professional organizations to BIM ap- ception, when the group met at the offices pose attendees to products or concepts that plications and sparked the interest of the of OWP/P the group has been meeting at the , are not easy to find through local channels. local media. To attract new members, NYC Chicago offices of HOK. The group plans to The group also finds value in the discussion Metro BIM has certified their meetings for change venues occasionally to give every- that evolves from viewing demos in a group continuing education credit by professional one a chance to showcase their office. setting with fellow professionals, something associations, including the AIA, ASPE, the The group is currently exploring ideas re- that would not happen in a private office Construction Management Association lated to its agenda and goals. Meetings have demo. Thus far, the group has hosted presen- of America (CMAA), the Association for been fairly ad-hoc up to this point, generally tations of DProfiler by Beck Technologies, the Advancement of Cost Engineering with a planned topic to spur discussion. The the Onuma Planning System, Newforma International (AACEi), and others. The group’s stated goal of bringing together like- Project Center, the ICC’s SmartCodes, and February 2009 meeting was the first at which minded people in the local AEC community others. Late last year the group webcast attendees could earn AIA continuing educa- to discuss working collaboratively has in a meeting to other bSa interest groups in tion learning units. some ways been accomplished, and they are which New York and DC members partici- NYC Metro BIM is also studying en- now considering more tangible actions the pated. The vendor/presenter moderated hanced networking capabilities among group can take to make members’ working questions from all locations through the we- members and with other national and in- relationships that much more effective. This bcast chat interface. ternational BIM groups. “We are looking may take the form of published whitepa- for video conferencing to allow us to invite pers for the group’s use outlining workflows, the renAIssAnCe CluB, out-of-town speakers, upgrade our Web site methodologies, and so forth, but ideas are wAshIngton, D.C. format, add forums and blogs to discuss all still in the germination stage with nothing The DC group meets faithfully at 7 a.m. issues related to BIM, and provide space for yet decided. Chicago also is looking to the the first or second Wednesday of every those looking for jobs or business opportu- other local interest groups for ideas that it month. Twenty to thirty minutes of informal nities,” says Hosney Abdelgelil, NYC Metro might borrow. networking is followed by a 30-minute pre- BIM co-founder. The group is planning to To join the Chicago BIM-IPD Group, go sentation and another 30 minutes of Q & A. launch its first ever BIMStorm New York to http://chicagobim.ning.com. The group began meeting at the Renaissance in fall 2009. To prepare for the event and Hotel, but when the hotel increased the price maximize its community benefit, a series of CollABorAtIve BIM BreAkfAst of its buffet breakfast to $24/person, coordi- presentations are being planned to educate group, CInCInnAtI nator Michael Tardif appealed to club mem- both public and private organizations to al- Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, the bers for suggestions on alternate venues, low them to actively participate. Collaborative BIM Breakfast Group contin- and was soon flooded with dozens of pos- The agenda for 2009 has been designed ues to grow. The January meeting, which sibilities. VOA Associates generously offered to cover as many topics of interest as pos- doubled as an Owner’s Symposium on to host meetings in its newly-renovated DC sible. These include, but are not limited to: Integrated Project Delivery, was hosted office and provide complimentary breakfast BIM applications for Emergency Response by Messer Construction Company, a local refreshments. So after a two-month hiatus, Teams; BIM and Ecosystem Preservation; advocate of BIM and Lean Construction the Renaissance Club was reborn (hence the Tele-manufacturing and Supply Chain; BIM methods. There were over 20 participants. name remains apropos) in a new and better in Education; local New York Wicks Law and James Salmon, founder and coordinator of venue. Attendance, which averaged 25 to 30 BI; Financial Dimension of BIM; and even the Cincinnati group, served as the panel at the hotel, is now typically averaging 40 to Post-BIM Phase in Facilities. moderator, which featured great presenta- 50. Attendees include architects, engineers, For more information go to www.meet- tions by Andy Burg of Messer, Rich Cardwell constructors, subcontractors, federal agency up.com/NYC-Metro-BIM. of Construction Owner Resources, Matt Birk representatives, and private-sector property of GBBN Architects, and Donnie Reed, an owners. The group uses iContact to e-mail ChICAgo BIM-IpD group owner’s representative with Clarian Health HTML meeting invitations to over 2,100 DC- David Ivey, coordinator of the Chicago of Indianapolis. area industry professionals each month, but BIM-IPD Group, reports that the group is thus far has not established a Web site or so- humming along quite nicely. They currently MInnesotA AIA BIM BreAkfAst CluB cial networking site. Meanwhile, the original have just under 50 members, but are hav- The Minnesota AIA BIM Breakfast Club Bethesda Breakfast Club, unable to break its ing a small growth spurt created by word- first met in early 2007 as a follow up to a “tired old men” habit, continues to meet of-mouth. David has spoken at several lo- 2006 seminar sponsored by Minnesota AIA. monthly on an alternate Wednesday, and cal seminars recently—always plugging the A growing group of about 65, the group is a eventually plans to move to a retirement Spring 2009 43

venue in the lobby of a bank in South Florida Group founder Terry Jordan, Structural will witness and learn how to participate in that serves free coffee and donuts. Designer with Stanley Consultants, Inc., a Green BIMStorm. BIMStorms are award would eventually like to provide web con- winning events that illustrate that collabo- quAD-CItIes BIM-IpD group ferencing ability, not only for local members ration can happen at a stunning pace using The newly formed Iowa-Illinois Quad- who like to sleep in, but also for those who Low Carbon Collaboration techniques. Cities bSa Interest Group has yet to hold would like to attend from outside the local Other topics that will be covered include a meeting, but already has more than 40 area. preparing yourself for the new reality of “official” members and several “unoffi- For more information on the Quad- having to do more with less and be green cial” members. It seems some folks would Cities BIM-IPD Group, go to http://qc-bim. at the same time; a discussion of emerg- rather not join, but would still like to attend ning.com. ing BIM technologies; and a discussion of the meetings. Not a problem! Everyone inputs used in generating CO2 reduction, is welcome and membership is NOT a southern CAlIfornIA BIM Interest energy reduction, investment, and incen- requirement. group tive dollars. Scheduled to speak at the first meet- Another newly formed group is the ing is Luke Faulkner, BIM Director of the Southern California BIM Interest Group. get InvolveD, spreAD the worD! American Institute of Steel Construction Founder Kimon Onuma, FAIA is recognized We have a huge job ahead of us to trans- (AISC), who will make the 180-mile trip from as a world leader in the building industry form an entire industry, and we need every- Chicago for what should be a very interest- and has a unique perspective that spans one’s help to accomplish this goal. To see ing presentation and discussion. On the architecture, planning, programming and if there is a group in your area, or to start a agenda for future meetings are John Cross, software development. group of your own, please visit www.build- VP of Marketing of AISC and Secretary of Attendees for the group’s first meet- ingsmartalliance.org/resources/interest_ the Executive Committee of the building ing will receive lessons from the building groups.php. n SMART alliance™. David Ivey, Associate and SMART alliance™ on how to position them- CAD/BIM Manager at HOK in Chicago and selves to participate in the new generation Terry Jordan is a structural designer with founder of the Chicago BIM-IPD Group, also of projects driven by the Stimulus package. Stanley Consultants, Inc., in Muscatine, will speak at an upcoming meeting, as will They’ll also learn how owners such as the Iowa. Hosney Abdelgelil, Chuck Eastman, Dennis Befeler of IPC, Inc. in Iowa City, who General Services Administration (GSA) are David Ivey, David Jordani, James Salmon, has offered to provide a 1-1.5 hour AIA CES redefining how contracts are being written and Michael Tardif also contributed to this accredited presentation focused on BIM. and what is expected from the industry and article. 44 Journal of Building Information Modeling

News & Updates How the New agcXML Standards Can Save Your Firm Time and Money By Dan Bailinger ON EVERY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, in communication, because the same data 1. The general contractor enters an RFI challenges always exist with timely and ac- is represented differently in the different into its project management system as curate communication and collaboration systems used by different project team it normally would. among all project team members. When members on the same project. The agcX- 2. The GC then sends the RFI record by you get right down to it, an RFI is an RFI, ML schemas bridge these gaps by estab- whatever means has been agreed to yet every project team member, whether lishing a common format for representing by the project team. This could be an they are a contractor, designer, engineer- the same type of data that each system can XML-tagged word document via email, ing firm, subcontractor, consultant or read. In short, using the agcXML schema, or, if supported by the software, elec- owner, has their own project management a subcontractor can transmit an RFI electronically via a toolbar button directly system, which makes sharing and exchang- tronically to a general contractor, who can from the RFI form. ing information difficult. To draw an anal- receive the information without operator 3. The architect who, in this example, is ogy, traveling to foreign countries would intervention, as long as both software sys- a user on the owner’s capital project be very difficult if currencies could not be tems support agcXML. management system: converted in real time. In the AEC industry, To help develop these standards, the • Receives the RFI record. the opposite dynamic exists. So how can AGC developed a task force through its • Validates it to ensure all required we communicate most effectively when by Electronic Information Systems (EIS) content is received (i.e. RFI Date, nature we all use different systems on the Committee to oversee the initiative. In RFI Question, etc.). If any of the same project? There needs to be a simple conjunction with the buildingSMART alli- required data fields have not been means of translating and exchanging in- ance™ of the National Institute of Building transmitted, a rejection notice is formation in the same way that currencies Sciences, schemas for the following com- returned to the subcontractor. can be readily translated and exchanged. mon business processes were devel- • Notifies the appropriate individual Recognizing this challenge, the Associated oped: RFIs, Submittals, Bonds, Change via workflow that a new RFI has General Contractors of America, Inc., es- Directives, Contracts, Schedules of Values, been received. tablished the agcXML initiative to help Potential Change Orders / RFPs, Change • That individual evaluates the RFI, bridge the gap between project team Orders, and Applications for Payment. enters an appropriate response, and members by creating a common standard Representatives of design and construc- sends it back to the GC, again, in for sharing information among different tion firms, together with industry experts agcXML format. systems. This initiative resulted in the cre- and software vendors, conducted review 4. The GC is notified by the workflow ation of standards for the construction in- and validation meetings to vet the sche- engine in his project management dustry called agcXML. mas. agcXML is meant to be flexible, pro- software. He reviews and accepts the XML is nomenclature for eXtensible viding a baseline data set to which a user response, which is automatically re- Markup Language, although it may be can add (or deduct) any specific informa- corded in his software, marking the RFI easier to think of it as eXchange Medium tion requirements. as resolved. Language, a common standard for shar- Here is how the agcXML schema can As this simple scenario demonstrates, ing data. There are many software sys- work, using the example of a “round trip” the general contractor and the architect tems that address project management RFI exchange between a general contrac- can communicate seamlessly without any needs, including processing Requests for tor and an architect as presented in live operator intervention, without having to Information. Even though “an RFI is an demonstrations at the recent building standardize on the same project manage- RFI,” each project management system SMART alliance™ National Conference in ment software, and, most importantly, retains the same information in its own Washington DC, and in a widely attended without incurring any additional cost for format. This results in a natural breakdown webinar sponsored by AGC: the respective parties to re-enter the same Spring 2009 45

RFI record into their different project communicating and shorten the response management and collaboration systems. time for many routine forms of commu- the benefits of a Multiply the time saved re-entering all RFIs nication such as RFI’s, proposed change buildingsMart on a project by the hourly cost of your proj- orders, and applications. aquarium: ect engineer, and the savings add up pretty Another benefit of the agcXML sche- • Obtain high Return on quickly. mas is future compatibility with the Investment; Like any other technology initiative ConsensusDOCS™, the new standard • Access truly global solutions your firm has undertaken, good planning agreements and forms developed col- and expertise; and preparation are needed to incorporate laboratively by the Associated General • Make better decisions earlier; these standards into your daily operations. Contractors of America, Inc., the • Enhance coordination be- First, you need to make sure your soft- Construction Owners Association of ware vendor supports the agcXML stan- America and 20 other leading construction tween disciplines; dards. If they do not, they can most likely organizations. In other words, if you re- • Reduce change orders and readily adapt to these standards. Then, ceive an electronic record using the agcX- mistakes significantly; what is most important is developing a ML schemas, you will be able to import • Avoid “hand-checking” of communications strategy for using the that information directly into the applica- data; and agcXML schemas to communicate seam- ble ConsensusDocs form, eliminating the • Enable digital collaboration. lessly with your project team members in need to enter the information manually. the most efficient way. Conceivably, you As you can see, the Associated General could use the agcXML schemas to send Contractors of America, Inc., in conjunc- the outputs: certain keyed information electronically, tion with the National Institute of Building • Description of business op- while using other processes for uploading Sciences, is helping to bridge the commu- portunities; drawings and other back-up documents. nication gaps between project team mem- Inevitably, when an owner prescribes bers. • Problem definition; n rules for communicating, your firm will • Process map; most likely have to adapt. agcXML sche- Dan Bailinger is president of Chameleon • Exchange requirements; and mas, however, can become an important Software in St. Louis, Missouri. He can be • Proposed software part of your collaborative strategy. Used reached at (314) 863-2378 x103 or via email solution. effectively, agcXML can reduce the cost of at dan.bailinger@chameleon-software.com. 46 Journal of Building Information Modeling

News & Updates Business Opportunities Through Better Digital Collaboration: The buildingSMART Aquarium By Lars Chr Christensen and Astrid Severin, buildingSMART International THE LACK OF DIGITAL COLLABORATION OR INTEROPERABILITY experts form a team that identifies and improves potential solutions between software tools to design, build and use building facilities often during a series of workshops. Depending on the problem, it takes 3 to results in time-consuming manual transfer and re-handling of data. It 6 months to develop a solution ready for implementation by the users. causes thousands of companies a significant loss of efficiency, produc- The main outputs are detailed descriptions of business opportunities and tivity and money. In the US alone, the lack of interoperability is esti- the high-value problem, a process map, the exchange requirements and mated to cost up to $15.8 billion a year. a proposed software solution. Finally, it is through the implementation of buildingSMART International has now successfully tried and the proposed solution that the problem owners can achieve substantial tested a process to take advantage of better digital collaboration— business benefits. the buildingSMART Aquarium—helping companies to quickly buildingSMART uses global expertise to facilitate the Aquarium identify practical solutions to their interoperability problems. The process. It also ensures that the work and lessons learnt from the col- Norwegian Homebuilders Association Boligprodusentene and the laboration in the Aquarium process directly feed back into the build- international architect outfit HOK have been among the first to use ingSMART standards work. the Aquarium process. Patrick MacLeamy, CEO of HOK, reports on his experience: “We have commissioned a buildingSMART Aquarium The Aquarium demonstrated how architectural to combine the owner’s stated requirements and the initial design programming and design tools can seamlessly into Room Data Sheets, a process that currently requires a lot of exchange core data via open standards and provided hand-checking of data. The Aquarium demonstrated how architec- us with potential solutions to avoid manual handling tural programming and design tools can seamlessly exchange core and mistakes. data via open standards and provided us with potential solutions to avoid manual handling and mistakes. I am confident that this will save significant project time in the future and result in a very positive return on investment.” how Does A BuIlDIngsMArt AquArIuM work? A buildingSMART Aquarium is a problem-solving process geared to improving existing software or creating new software solutions to enable true digital collaboration based on existing open building SMART standards. During an Aquarium, problem owners, solution vendors and buildingSMART experts are invited around the table to explore business opportunities through better digital collaboration. The process, its documentation and results are open and observers are encouraged and welcome. An Aquarium starts by formulating the problem and scoping it down to the point where the real high-value interoperability issue lies. A clear understanding of pain points and business opportunities is key to producing successful output and to identifying the relevant software developers. As a next step, problem owners, solution vendors and buildingSMART InteresteD In A BuIlDIngsMArt AquArIuM? To share their experience with other key players of the construction industry, buildingSMART International and HOK are organizing an exclusive CEO Briefing Session during the build- ingSMART Industry Day in Paris, on May 13, 2009. For more information and participation, please consult www.buildingsmart.com or contact aquarium@buildingsmart.com. Spring 2009 47

News & Updates Join the Alliance: You are Critical To Our Success PLEASE GO TO THE WEB SITE • This Journal of Building Information need funding will also come directly www.buildingsmartalliance.org and join Modeling magazine; from you. A list of projects will be cre- the Alliance and make an investment in • National BIM Standard Development; ated to identify these opportunities. your future. We encourage you to join as an • International standards development Sponsorship also lets you fund specific organization as the switch to BIM is organi- (ifc, IDM, MVD & IFD Library); additional projects of interest to your zational and this would send a strong mes- • Support to buildingSMART organization. sage not only to your organization, but also International; • The National BIM Standard needs sub- to the industry. However, if you are not able • Sponsorship of Alliance projects and stantial expansion. Projects must be to do that then please join as an individual. project promotion. This supports proj- completed then go through the consen- Joining as a sponsor will have the big- ects such as COBIE, Smart Market sus process so that they can be incorpo- gest impact on the industry and will pro- Report and BIM Storm; rated into the standard. This takes staff vide you the opportunity to help guide the • Presentations, workshops and seminars time and resources to accomplish. Alliance by being included on the Board of to nearly 100 organizations a year; It should be noted that our goal currently Direction. Sponsorships over $25k provide • Coordination of Speakers Bureau; is to develop a plan and demonstrate practi- access to all chapters worldwide. Therefore, • Coordination with all organizations in- tioner interest in transforming the industry. if you are multinational or considering be- volved in BIM; However, we do not think that we are going so in the future, this might be your best • buildingSMART alliance™ web site; ing to solve a $400B problem on the backs investment. • buildingSMART alliance™ conferences of the practitioners. It will take significant Our approach is to make the vast major- (December); involvement from those who are spending ity of our products available at no charge to • Organizational support for Local build- the $400B, in order to accomplish this. We the end user. This is because it is our goal to ingSMART alliance™ Interest Groups; first have to identify where the funds are be as inclusive as possible and to achieve and being wasted, then provide a plan to fix the a faster market penetration of all phases of • General support for the Alliance. problem areas. Once we reach that point the industry. However, we cannot do that Our goal is to expand these products by then the funding for overall success will be without resources and that is where you adding additional products. These will only made available. This will not be a quick fix, come in. Since you understand what we be made possible through a significant in- but will occur through an overall transfor- are trying to accomplish your support will crease in membership: mation throughout the industry. We have help others learn. It is estimated that there • JBIM Live—an on-line version of JBIM never had a better opportunity to succeed are upwards of 10 million people involved allowing longer articles and timelier than we do now. However, it will only come in the facilities industry. There is no telling posting of articles—more than twice a if you support the early phases now. n how many we need to engage fully in order year. to succeed, but the number is quite large. • Project sponsorship is based on the pleAse serIously ConsIDer We plan to do this with the support of in- funding you provide. Many projects are joInIng the AllIAnCe now. dustry associations, government agencies, critical to our common good, but are not as well as individuals. funded to include any level of collabora- For more information on the alliance and The various products that we are cur- tion and coordination with others. The membership fees, please contact: rently providing after just one year in op- Alliance will help support those projects Deke Smith, FAIA, Executive Director eration include the following. We need and ensure that multiple organizations buildingSMART alliance™ your support to first simply sustain these can work together. (202) 289-7800 or (703) 909-9670 products: • New projects that are not funded that dsmith@nibs.org It is estimated that there are upwards of 10 million people involved in the facilities industry. There is no telling how many we need to engage fully in order to succeed, but the number is quite large. 48 Journal of Building Information Modeling

Buyers Guide 4D Construction Simulation Software Macro BIM Software Software Training and Synchro Ltd. .........................................3 Beck technology LLC...................26, 27 Services CADD Microsystems Inc. ..................33 Architecture Interiors, Sustainable Mechanical Contracting, BIM Services Design Apollo Sheet Metal Inc. .....................15 Structural and Civil Kirksey ................................................11 Engineering Mechanical Contractors Brandow & Johnston Inc...................46 Architecture, Engineering and Mechanical Inc. ..................................49 Construction Vectorworks Architect by Mason & Hanger ................................23 Software and Consulting Nemetschek North America Digital Alchemy ...................................4 Vectorworks .......................................50 BIM Application and Specifications e-SPECS. .............................................47 BIM Cost Estimating, Automatic Project Scheduling and Bidding Building Explorer Inc. ..........................8 BIM Experts Digital Vision Automations Inc. ........39 London Infotech Inc........................ IBC Woolpert Inc. ......................................20 BIM/Model Checking and Analysis Solibri LLC ........................................IFC CAD/BIM Software and Services Microsol Resources Corporation.........6 Cobie “Information Management Services” Peripheral Systems Inc. .....................14 Construction Consulting Services McDonough Bolyard Peck Inc. ..........41 Design Automation and Product Lifecycle Development Avatech Solutions Inc. .......................15 Education Design Build Institute of America ....35 Facility Software Omegavue ..........................................10 General Contractors PCL Construction Services Inc. ........12 Industry Publications 4 Site Press .........................................44 Leading Multidisciplinary BIM Software Bentley Systems Incorporated......OBC Legal Services Zetlin & DeChiara LLP.......................14 Spring 2009 49

Jbim Spring09

by Taiheon Choi on Jul 08, 2009

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