(January 22, 2010) – Until a few years ago, the process of designing a building had not changed significantly since the French revolution, or the American for that matter. Yes, CADD came along in the early to mid eighties with promises of great change. The truth is that most architects simply put away their pencils and drafting tools and picked up a mouse, but the design process didn’t change significantly. As with hand drawing, the drawing sheets remained individual entities that were only linked in the most rudimentary fashion. Simple design changes (such as the deletion of a door) still had to follow through the set and changes had to be made on each drawing. The deletion of that single door may require changes to five or six drawings. All the changes needed to be done manually, and if one drawing was missed, it could mean a change order. Now multiply that by the thousands of decisions and changes that occur on a project and statistically speaking, even if you could be 99.99% accurate, the drawings would still have coordination issues that more often than not will result in change orders.
However, change for the better is now possible and BIM is helping to make it happen. Finally, now Architects and Contractors have new tools that can and are changing the way we design and build buildings. With the arrival of powerful, reasonably priced desktop computers and software, it is now possible to construct buildings within the digital environment. These digital models are, in essence, databases that can be used to dynamically convey information far beyond that of the traditional methods such as line drawings and typed specifications. These models can then be used throughout the lifecycle of a building from design, through construction and finally passed into the hands of the owners for facilities management.
In fact, this is what Building Information Modeling (BIM) is really about. The power of BIM is not just in the ability to produce presentation materials such as renderings and walkthroughs that will be discarded after the building is completed, but in the ability to produce a modeled database that will be useful to multiple people with differing concerns during the lifecycle of the building.
The components of the building’s model are intelligent, in that they “know” what they are. For example, a particular wall would know that it is made up of painted gypsum wall board on 3 5/8” metal studs spaced 16” on center. The color of the paint, the gauge of the studs and the type of Gypsum Board can all be part of this wall type. This data can then be extracted from the model and used by cost estimators to determine the quantity and subsequent cost for this type of wall throughout the building. Now imagine that all the building components, including furniture and equipment, had this level of detail. Think of what you would be able to do with this information far beyond just extracting quantities.
Other industries (such as the aviation and auto industry) have been using this type of technology for decades because it was easy to absorb the high expense of computers and software for product design when millions of units were being produced. Recently, it has become cost effective for the AEC community to use similar programs due in part to the development of powerful low-cost computers and software that allows architects and engineers to easily and quickly build the models and enter usable, extractable data.
When chosen to design a major renovation and addition to the Daniel Z. Gibson Performing Arts Center at Washington College, GWWO Inc. / Architects utilized BIM software to help streamline and facilitate the design process.
The design team began using the software early in the design stages by modeling the existing building’s architectural and structural components, however, the model ultimately became the starting point for the design efforts (refer to images 1 & 2). The model itself became a tool for quickly understanding changes and ramifications of changes proposed to the existing structure and other items. This was possible because all of the building’s components and their relationship to one another were clear and could be easily grasped by everyone. No longer did members of the design team need to flip through multiple drawings to understand complex relationships. It was clear by simply looking at the model.
As the design progressed, the model was used to track basic design data such as room sizes, seating requirements, finishes and equipment. They could also convey the design intent to the client in a quicker more concise manner.
This helped the process by allowing the client to understand more accurately the design intent, facilitate early design approvals and reduced design changes later in the process. A good example of this was the design team’s ability to put the client into any seat in the performance spaces and show the view of the stage to ensure the site lines were unobstructed (refer to images 3 & 4).
The Model was refined during subsequent phases of the project, and became even more valuable as a tool. Because the information was all in one file and could be scheduled, the design team could instantly determine the number of seats in the main performance space, the tonnage of steal, the quantity of brick, CMU and VCT. Working with the Construction Manager, who was responsible for cost estimating, the design team was able to quickly and accurately verify quantity take-offs resulting in estimates that were far more accurate.
As a coordination tool, BIM proved invaluable in the coordination of the building’s differing systems. A good example is how the design team coordinated the proposed ductwork for the building. The design team modeled all the major building components to ensure there were no conflicts. Images 5 & 6 show a typical tight area with ceilings, bulkheads, walls, etc. and how all the components relate to one another. Because of this modeling, untold areas of conflict were detected and resolved early and prior to construction.
The model continued to be valuable during the construction phase of the project. While the final bid documents were traditional, the model itself became a useful tool for the contractor. The superintendant working with the design team would put the subcontractors in the virtual space and show them the result before they began their work. This was particularly useful for complex areas where many differing elements had to come together (refer to images 7 & 8).
The use of BIM and the resulting transformation (refer to images 9 and 10) resulted in a satisfied client who experienced a smooth Design and Construction Process that had minimal RFI’s, Change Orders and other items that one typically sees on a project of this complexity. That success was facilitated by the use of BIM.
In the end, however, it is important to remember that BIM is really just a technology and not a solution in and of itself. Instead, it is an opportunity for real and important change in how we think and operate in this industry. Phillip Bernstein, FAIA, in his article “Integrated Practice: It’s Not Just About the Technology” discusses how technology acts as a catalyst for facilitating changes. He notes, “Traditional methods are too costly and wasteful. Traditional industry practices do not provide sufficient access to sufficient information for everyone involved to make crucial decisions under today’s pressures of time, budget, and accountability. Traditional methods do not deliver the outcomes clients demand in today’s business climate.” In other words, regardless of what technology we are using, if what we are doing is inefficient, it needs to be reexamined and changed so that we can provide better and more profitable services to our clients. That, would certainly be change for the better, and BIM is a tool that can help us get there.
Paul Hume, AIA, LEED AP
GWWO, Inc./Architects
phume@gwwoinc.com