A gentle introduction to BIM

R. Filomeno Coelho – A gentle introduction to BIM (Kabandy©2016) – Slide 1
A gentle introduction to BIM
Rajan FILOMENO COELHO
Civil Engineer, PhD
Benoît DESCAMPS
Architectural Engineer, PhD
This presentation is designed
to provide you a quick but
comprehensive overview of
Building Information Modeling (BIM),
covering software, file format, and
implementation aspects,
but also emphasizing the benefits
of using BIM for all parties of a
construction project.

First of all, what does « BIM » stand for?
BIM = Building Information Modeling
 development and use of a digital model
of the building project
BIM = Building Information Management
 methodology and processes used to
manage the construction project during
its whole life cycle
BIM model viewed in Solibri
commons.wikimedia.org

Between two extreme views
The reality is somewhere in between…
In this presentation, we will see
what practical benefits
you can expect from BIM
« BIM is using BIM software
like Autodesk Revit for all my
projects »
Restricted view
« BIM is a totally new
paradigm that will
revolutionize the
construction sector »
Ambitious view

Table of contents
• Introduction: why BIM?
• Building Information Modeling
• Building Information Management
• Implementing BIM – Case study
• Conclusions & future trends
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Introduction:
why BIM?
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Main challenge in construction: collaboration
A construction project is essentially a collaborative work
Exchange of information between all parties (owner, architect, general contractor,
engineering offices, subcontractors, suppliers, etc.) is a crucial topic
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commons.wikimedia.org

Unefficient collaboration  financial consequences
Additional costs of inadequate interoperability in the construction industry in the
USA, 2002 (NIST study, figures in millions of $)
[Gallaher et al., 2004, cited in Eastman et al., 2008]
* O&M: Operations & Maintenance
*
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Cost of changes
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http://aecmag.com
 Adopting BIM practices requires more effort in the modeling process,
but is aimed to harvest benefits during the whole life cycle

• In 2014, the European Parliament voted the European Union Public Procurement
Directive (EUPPD), recommending the use of BIM in public contracts
 EU members must modify their legislation accordingly (no later than in 2016)
External constraint: European legislation on BIM
http://www.wspgroup.com/en/wsp-group-bim/BIM-around-the-world/
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Motivation for adopting BIM
Beyond the legal aspect, the adoption of BIM should help you:
• getting a solution to technical and organizational issues
• increasing significantly the quality assurance
• reducing the costs and delays
• improving the project management during the whole life cycle of a building
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http://www.tekla.com http://www.buildingshows.com

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Building Information Modeling

What is really Building Information Modeling?
Level 0
Historical approach (no explicit model, only views)
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0
Level 1
Computer drawings (mostly 2D views); e.g. AutoCAD.
The model remains purely geometrical.
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0
3D BIM model made in an authoring software, e.g.
Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD, or Tekla. Information on
materials, costs, etc., is available.
1
Level 2
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0
Collaborative BIM model, fully synchronized between all
partners. Standard files (e.g. IFC, COBie).
1
Level 3
2
Tekla
BIMSight
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From Computer Aided Design (CAD) to BIM
[Richards & Bew, UK Government Construction Client Group, 2011]
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Level 1: pure
geometrical
representation,
no property (cost,
etc.) associated.
Level 2: 3D BIM object.
Extraction of 2D views is
permitted. Usually
boundary representation
(facets) of the volume.
Some physical
properties available.
• E [GPa]
• Cost [€/m]
• …
ID = 14324
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Basic component: the BIM object
Example of BIM object for a column:
Level 3: 3D BIM object
taken from a library of
BIM objects.
Global Cartesian reference
system. Synchronization on
the cloud (web).

Libraries of BIM objects provided by suppliers
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Example of objects available in UK [http://www.nationalbimlibrary.com]

BIM model
A BIM model can be seen as a
collection of BIM objects
connected and synchronized
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C. Macieira

On a longer term, the final goal of BIM is to get a unique, centralized BIM database,
available in the cloud, during the whole life cycle of the building
BIM model for a construction project
Architect Contractor
EngineerManufacturer
BIM model
Owner
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L Benefits expected:
• Capture information once
• Lead parallel activities and
synchronize information
• Use BIM object libraries developed
by suppliers and subcontractors
• Control during the BIM process to
highlight interferences/issues
before components are fabricated

Study of a clinic designed by Tony Rinella, Anshen+Allen, Architects [Fallon & Palmer, 2007]
Cost estimation
Traditional approach
(21 days)
vs.
BIM strategy
( 3 days)
 Significant time
reduction
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Benefits expected from BIM: illustration

What about BIM for infrastructure?
• BIM for infrastructure is also called « Horizontal BIM », « Heavy BIM », « Civil
Information Modeling »
• Applications: roads, tunnels, dams, canals, power plants, etc.
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http://www.teklabimsight.com

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Return on experience: extension in JFK airport, New York
• Terminal extension (1.2 billion $)
• Several stakeholders for civil engineering, buildings, etc. + public authorities
• Observations:
• Use of BIM models enhanced the integration of work by subcontractors
• On site virtual studio on schedule planning, site logistics, etc.
• Faster recovery in case of schedule issues
• Conclusion: Building Information Modeling can also be seen as a tool to improve the
management of a construction project
http://satpon.com

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Building Information Management

Benefits of BIM for all parties in a construction project
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Owners
• Improved quality of the building
• Reduced delays
• BIM model used during the whole life cycle of
the building (maintenance, renovation)

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Architects & Engineers
• Easier collaboration with all
parties
• Avoid errors easily met with
2D drawings
• Increase visualization
possibilities for customers
Owners

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Architects & EngineersOwners Contractors and
subcontractors
• Increase of accuracy and
consistency of data
• Easier generation of
documents for daily use
on site
• Prevent conflicts before
construction
• Use of Geographic
Information System (GIS)

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subcontractors
Fabricators
• Prefabrication
and offsite
manufacturing
more effective
• More room for
developing
innovative
products
• Promote their
products

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subcontractors
Fabricators
Global benefit: improves
collaboration between all parties

Guidelines for adopting BIM in your company
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[buildingSMART alliance, 2010]

Guidelines for adopting BIM in your company
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Template for information exchange document
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New roles: BIM manager & BIM coordinator
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The BIM Manager
• BIM leader within a company
or on a specific project
• Set-up BIM workflow inside the office
• Co-ordinates the use of BIM on a
whole project
• Responsible for user access to the BIM
model
• Guarantees data security and archive
The BIM Coordinator
• He/she has to daily coordinate the
BIM models within his department
• Usually in addition to his/her
modeling tasks
 Next question: how to implement BIM in your company?

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Implementing BIM –
Case study

Remarks:
• Transition between tasks: not always straightforward
• Integrated workflow using a proprietary solution  collaboration? durability?
• How to exchange with other software products?
The simplest implementation: using a software suite
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http://www.autodesk.com

Geometric
design
Authoring
software
Performance analysis
(e.g. structure, energy
performance)
Calculation
Software
Interoperability: illustration on design & analysis tasks
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Major bottleneck
for productivity and competitiveness

Geometric
design
Performance analysis
(e.g. structure, energy
performance)
Authoring
software
Calculation
Software
Audit & analysis
software
Model viewer
and checker
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Interoperability: illustration on design & analysis tasks
 A new family of programs has
emerged to facilitate the BIM
processes for all users

• IFC (Industry Foundation Classes): developed by the buildingSMART alliance®,
the IFC was created to promote the collaboration between all AEC (Architecture,
Engineering and Construction) actors. IFC complies with ISO 10303-21.
• Others: gbXML, aecXML, AGCxml, BCF, COBie, etc.
Exchange of information easier with open file formats
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• Due to their open, free, neutral, durable character, open formats are likely to
play a more and more important role in the future

Open file formats
“For the most part, the
designers with whom we
have worked and collaborated
realized long ago
that committing to and
investing in the emerging
BIM standards and protocols,
such as IFC and
COBie, would lead to great
benefits in design
productivity and efficiency.”
[David Shepherd, BIM
Manager, HOK]
HOK, Auburn University Recreation
and Wellness Center
HOK, Arizona State University
West Campus Sun Devil Fitness
Complex
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The cloud
• Although there is still some issues to be solve (e.g. security, legal, efficiency) to share
BIM models accross the web, the future trend will consist in providing access to BIM
models directly in the cloud
• Current platforms include:
• BIM Cloud (Graphisoft)
• BIM360 (Autodesk)
• Tekla Field 3D (Tekla)
• Aconex
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Tekla Field 3D

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Conclusions &
future trends

To summarize: BIM in a nutshell
• The final aim of BIM is to develop and use a digital model of the building, available
and synchronized for all parties, for the whole life cycle of the construction project
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• Our guess: the use of BIM is likely to be encouraged by owners and public authorities
to better manage their building projects (operations & maintenance, renovation)
• In most medium- and large-sized companies, new roles will appear: BIM managers and
BIM coordinators
• Several software products are labeled as « BIM-compatible », but the key point is the
interoperability between programs to allow all parties to collaborate

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Towards 6D BIM for construction
• 4D BIM: 3D BIM + time  clash detection, etc.
• 5D BIM: 3D BIM + time + cost  take off quantities, etc.
• Future trend: 6D BIM (= 5D BIM including all aspects of life-cycle
facility management) in a cloud-based environment
Already available with
Autodesk Navisworks,
BiMUp 5D, etc.
Autodesk Navisworks

What can Kabandy offer you regarding BIM?
• Kabandy is a start-up established in Brussels, Belgium
• We deliver BIM applications as a service for AEC companies
• Expertise: interoperability through IFC files (e.g. integrity check, filtering of data,
parametric design, export to Excel or XML, etc.)
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Feel free to ask questions at: info@kabandy.com
New website available in March 2016: http://www.kabandy.com

 Adriaenssens, S., Ney, L., Bodarwé, E., Williams, C., Dutch Maritime Museum: Form-
finding of an irregular faceted skeletal shell, Proceedings of the IASS Symposium, 2009
Reference on the design of the dome of the Dutch Maritime Museum by Ney+Partners.
 AEC (UK) Initiative, AEC (UK) BIM Technology Protocol (version 2.1.1), 2015
Guide containing best practice guidelines for deploying BIM in AEC
(Architecture, Engineering & Construction) offices.
 Becerik-Gerber, B., Rice, S., The Perceived Value of Building Information Modeling in
the U.S. Building Industry, ITcon Vol. 15, pp. 185-201, 2010
This paper presents findings from an industry-wide online survey aiming to
understand the perceived value of BIM in the U.S. building industry.
 BIMForum, Level of Development Specification for Building Information Models,
bimforum.org, 2013
Detailed specifications of the LOD (Levels of development) for BIM models.
References
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 buildingSMART alliance, BIM Project, Execution Planning Guide v.2, 2010
This Guide provides a structured procedure for creating and implementing a BIM
Project Execution Plan.
 Delcambre, B., Mission Numérique Bâtiment, Ministère du Logement, de l’Égalité des
territoires et de la Ruralité, France, 2014 [in French]
French report analyzing the current situation of BIM techniques in France, as
practically used in the AEC sector.
 Eastman, C., Teicholz, P., Sacks, R., Liston, K., BIM Handbook, John Wiley & Sons, 2008
First reference book on BIM.
 Ernstrom, B. et al., AGC Contractor’s Guide to BIM, The Associated General
Contractors of America, 2013
Guidelines of BIM for contractors in the USA.
References
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 Fallon, K.K., Palmer, M.E. (eds), General Buildings Information Handover Guide:
Principles, Methodology and Case Studies (NISTIR 7417), 2007
An American industry sector guide about BIM interoperability issues, with an insight
on file formats. Interesting case studies are detailed.
 Glover, J., UK: Legal Issues Surrounding Building Information Modelling (BIM), Fenwick
Elliott LLP, 2012
Article describing legal aspects related to BIM. Although written for the UK legislation,
most notions are applicable to all countries.
 Jones, S.A. ,Bernstein, H.M., The Business Value of BIM for Infrastructure, McGraw-Hill
Construction, 2012
Report about the benefits of BIM for infrastructure. Made in collaboration with the
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and Autodesk.
References
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References
 Richardson, J.N., Nordenson, G., Laberenne, R., Filomeno Coelho, R., Adriaenssens,
S., Flexible optimum design of a bracing system for façade design using multiobjective
Genetic Algorithms, Automation in Construction 32, pp. 80-87, 2013
Study of the façade design of the MHAAC Museum in Washington.
 Succar, B., Building information modelling framework: A research and delivery
foundation for industry stakeholders, Automation in Construction 18, pp. 357-375,
2009
This paper explores some of the main BIM concepts and guidelines and proposes a
general framework to analyze BIM.
 Waterhouse, R., NBS National BIM Report 2014, RIBA Enterprises Ltd, 2014
This document contains several interesting contributions on BIM aspects
(standardisation, data validation and extraction, manufacturers and suppliers, etc.). A
list of reference books on BIM is also available (pp. 22-23).
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A gentle introduction to BIM

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