1. IFMA WORLD WORKPLACE 2012
SESSION 6.11
THE VALUE OF BIM FOR LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT IN CRITICAL FACILITIES WHEN
TIME, QUALITY & COST MATTER
Andy Fuhrman, IFMA Fellow – FUHRMAN CONSULTING
If you were doing space planning, CAD/CAFM back to the early 1990’s you may have used
boxes of floppy disks provided by Haworth, Herman Miller or Steelcase that contained 3D
CAD objects that you could insert into your 2D floor plans. By adjusting the view you could
see your modular furniture plan in three dimensions from different angles. We could also do
some basic rendering which we could either print out or do screen captures in order to share
the proposed design with the intended occupants who traditionally have a hard time
visualizing designs from floor plans, elevations and cut-sheets, often times signing off on
the project, only to be disappointed with the actual deliverable.
The 3D objects representing panels, work surfaces, storage task lighting, chairs and all the
miscellaneous components contained specification information such as part and model
number, size, color, voltage, etc., that could be extracted from the CAD plan to create a list
you could order from.
Another application way ahead of our industry’s ability to recognize its value and adopt its
concept was SimCity first released in 1989, going far beyond the single building model
concept by having gamers build and design a city. The player could mark land as being
zoned as commercial, industrial, or residential, add buildings, change the tax rate, build a
power grid, build transportation systems and take many other actions, in order to enhance
the city. Once able to construct buildings in a particular area, residents, known as Sims,
may choose to construct and upgrade houses, apartment blocks, light or heavy industrial
buildings, commercial buildings, hospitals, churches, and other structures. The Sims make
these choices based on such factors as traffic levels, adequate electrical power, crime levels,
and proximity to other types of buildings—for example, residential areas next to a power
plant will seldom appreciate to the highest grade of housing.
Also, the player may face disasters including flooding, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes and
attacks by monsters. In addition, monsters and tornadoes can trigger train crashes by
running into passing trains. Sounds like something Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) should have been using for Hurricane Katrina.
Leveraging these ideas just didn’t catch on in the real world of Facility Management and
Real Estate. Use gaming software developers for the professional world must have been too
far out of the norm for the Traditionalist and the Baby Boomer generations.
Meanwhile in the Construction industry where productivity improvements was headed in the
wrong direction compared with other industry types1, a few innovative construction, design
and software companies began testing and advancing the use and capabilities of 3D
software to minimize the risk associated with constructing a new building, which typically is
a one-off unique design, where you’re not really sure of the best sequence or fit-up of
construction, not to mention how the building will actually perform.
1
http://www.aecbytes.com/buildingthefuture/2009/InnovativeTechnologies.html
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2. These innovative, forward thinking AEC firms typically used their own funds for the Virtual
Design & Construction (VD&C) process as it was too new to get owners to pay. General
contractors, their subcontractors and engineering firms began creating their scope of work
using software that best fir their needs. Structural engineers and fabricators may have used
Tekla Structures, Bentley Structural Modeler or Revit Structures, while HVAC contractors
may have used CADduct, Duct Designer 3D, Bentley Building Mechanical or Revit MEP.
There are over 200 BIM related software products in the market being used in their specific
domain space.
Not only do these applications create 3D images, many of the Mechanical, Electrical and
Plumbing (MEP) and Structural applications are used in conjunction with computer
numerical control (CNC) machines, like laser, plasma and high pressure water cutters as
well as drills, lathes, grinders and pipe benders. These advanced technologies and processes
are used in creating the new breed of high performance aircraft and wild looking buildings
such as the ones designed by Frank Gehry2, where the only straight lines are the floors.
The main point you need to be aware of here is that AEC firms constructing new
buildings or retrofitting existing, where they’re using Building Information Models
(the updated term for VD&C), may not all be using one single product like Revit
and that all the associated electronic data and documentation doesn’t necessarily
exist in a single database or repository – at least on the majority of projects I’m
familiar with. This is an extremely important point if you’re thinking about integrating BIM
with your Integrated Workplace Management System (IWMS) and/or Computerized
Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and/or Electronic Document Management
System (EDMS). It is my understanding that some Gehry projects required all trades to use
CATIA and the single data repository model.
CRITICAL FACILITIES VS. OFFICE BUILDINGS
Health Care, Labs, High Tech R&D and Manufacturing, Data Centers and Communication
facilities are typically much more of a challenge and of greater risk to builders who have to
fit electrical and communication conduits, cable trays, process gas pipes, HVAC duct and
components along with fire sprinklers and plumbing between the structural elements of the
floor and roof above and the suspended ceiling and within the confines of walls.
Getting pumps, chillers, boilers, generators, electrical control panels, CRAC units, PDU’s,
server cabinets, battery racks and other critical infrastructure into a space where
maintenance personnel can maintain, repair and replace them tends to be a greater
challenge in critical facilities than in office buildings just because there so much more of it,
all fighting for a finite amount of space.
And because there’s so much more of it along with all the components used to power and
connect them, time which equals money - as does quality of workmanship which impacts
commissioning and total cost of ownership over the long term; BIM, IPD, Bar Code, RFID,
Lean Construction practices all have the ability to significantly impact total cost of ownership
as well as the really big ticket – which is cost avoidance of impacting occupant productivity
associated with down time, indoor air quality issues, poor lighting, noise, and other business
disruptions.
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Gehry
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3. No doubt BIM can provide value for office buildings as well. Where I believe the most
significant value lies is in Energy modeling of the proposed building. This includes:
• A analyzing the suns impact on the orientation of the building, including the roof, shell,
windows and floor (heat gain and loss);
• Modeling and analyzing the HVAC system and airflow through the building with the
proposed hardwall offices and modular furniture in place;
• Modeling and analyzing day-lighting and the buildings lighting system.
Owners/Operators/FM’s need to start considering inserting requirements into their new
construction RFP’s and pay the smaller dollars for this work to avoid the higher cost of
operations over the long term.
WHY SHOULD OWNERS/OPERATORS/FACILITY MANAGERS CARE ABOUT BIM
DURING THE PLANNING, DESIGN & BUILD PHASE?
• You hire the AEC firms – they work for you.
• Using BIM helps them reduce overall cost of the job from traditional methods and can
reduce delivery & occupancy time.
• If you want a BIM for FM operations, you need to find AEC firms who are experienced in
creating and using one as a team that not only provides value during the design/build
phase, but also during commissioning and handover for FM operations.
• By incorporating an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach, your FM/RE team will
have the opportunity to review the model design, equipment layout, fit and functionality
prior to construction where changing electrons on a computer screen is far more cost
effective than when the asset is actually installed.
Here are four case studies obtained from McGraw-Hill’s document ‘THE BUSINESS VALUE OF
BIM - GETTING BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING TO THE BOTTOM LINE3’
RESEARCH 2 - UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO – DENVER HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
• GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Mortenson Construction
• PROJECT COST: $201 Million Project
• PROJECT SCOPE: 11 Floors - 540,000sf Bio-Medical Facility
• TECHNOLOGY: Used 3D & 4D BIM
• BUSINESS VALUE REALIZED
• 74% Reduction in RFI’s during the Foundation phase
• 47% Reduction in RFI’s during Steel Erection phase
• Completed 2 months ahead of schedule & 6 months ahead of similar building
for same client not using BIM
• Mechanical Sub (U.S. Engineering) realized 50% reduction in labor and 50%
reduction in schedule.
TEXAS A&M HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
• GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Satterfield & Pontikes
• PROJECT COST: $103.5 Million
• PROJECT SCOPE: Two buildings
• 128,000sf Health Professions Education Building
3
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/final_2009_bim_smartmarket_report.pdf
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4. • 127,500sf Medical Research & Education Building
• GC invested $250,000 of their own money to build a BIM model prior to the bid. They
were awarded the bid and were $10 Million lower than the next bidder
SUTTER HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER CASTRO VALLEY
• GENERAL CONTRACTOR: DPR Construction
• PROJECT COST: $320 Million
• PROJECT SCOPE: 130-bed, acute care hospital, 230,000sf
• Integrated Project Delivery (IPD): The team is using an 11-party Integrated Form of
Agreement (IFOA) contract.
• $1.2 Million savings in Actual Cost vs. Budget
• Shaved 2.25 years off Design & Permit process
• EXPECTED COMPLETION: 2013
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• ARCHITECT CH2M-HILL
• PROJECT COST: $100 Million
• PROJECT SCOPE: 45,000sf High Explosives Pressing Facility
• Blast resistant concrete
• Extensive process piping
• Eight separate electrical systems
• BIM model uncovered over 500 serious design problems
• Independent Cost Estimators calculated $10 million savings using BIM
WHAT’S NEXT?
IFMA members have taken the initiative to launch the BIM Lifecycle Operations Community
of Practice (BIMLO COP) to collaborate on and establish Best Practices and gather Lessons
Learned on the use of technology, processes and policies for the built environment,
primarily pertaining to BIM, which is evolving quickly incorporating live – real time data
from Building Automation and Management Systems (BAS/BMS), connecting with
IWMS/CMMS, EDMS, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), local weather data providers
and 3rd party cloud based real estate data.
IFMA’s BIMLO COP Vision Statement:
To assist the Facility Management professional deliver optimal operating performance of the
built environment and its occupants
Misison Statement:
To collaborate with other AEC non-profit organizations to develop BIM related best practices
and case studies used to educate IFMA members, enhancing the knowledge and value of the
Facility Manager
You’re welcome and encouraged to participate with other industry professionals of various
levels in both our public facing social media portal on LinkedIn at
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/IFMA-Building-Information-Modeling-BIM-4552551 as well
as our IFMA Members Only website which you can access at
http://www.ifma.org/communities/bim/
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5. BIM RELATED RESOURCES
• buildingSMARTalliance
http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org
• U.S. General Services Administration: 3D-4D Building Information Modeling
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21062
• GSA Bim Guide For Facility Management
http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/BIM_Guide_Series_Facility_Management.pdf
• Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie)
www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php
• IFMA http://www.ifma.org/resources/bim/
• U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers CAD-BIM Center
https://cadbim.usace.army.mil/%5C
• The International Institute For Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)
http://www.i2sl.org/working/labfm.html
• Stanford University Center For Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE)
http://cife.stanford.edu/publications
For more information, contact Andy Fuhrman, IFMA Fellow – FUHRMAN CONSULTING
andy.fuhrman.799@gmail.com
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