5D Macro BIM Project Profiles Using DProfiler

Project Example: GSA Feasibility Study
Washington, D.C.

Working closely with Jones Lang LaSalle and HOK, Beck Technology
developed cost models to accompany a feasibility study for the General
Services Administration (GSA) in Washington, D.C.

Seven design concepts, multiple phases of construction, historic
preservation, anti-force protection, renovation and rehabilitation were all
expressed through the Macro Building Information Model produced by
DProfiler. This tool enabled the team to track various construction and
development cost utilizing only architectural and engineering programmatic
narratives.

The key to this project was the ability for Beck Technology and DProfiler to
act in a cost information management capacity for the team, generating and
collecting the cost data that would later be used in detailed phasing studies
and reporting to the GSA.

To accurately document and communicate the cost of the various design
solutions, hundreds of pages of cost data were produced as backup to
support higher level costing assumptions in the executive summary reporting
Name | GSA Feasibility Study for the conclusion of the study.
Owner | GSA
Program Manager | Jones Lang LaSalle The models were also used for visualization of the concepts and phasing
A/E | HOK
Cost Consultant | Beck Technology, Ltd. plans. Utilizing simple massings and color coordination that mirrored the 2D
Scope | Feasibility Cost Modeling Services architectural feasibility sketches assisted in communicating the various
Cost | Undisclosed components of the study.
Completion Date | February 2009

*Client Contact Information Can Be Provided

Beck Technology, Ltd. | 1807 Ross Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, Texas 75201 | p.214.303.6297 f.214.303.6300 | www.beck-technology.com

Project Example: Mary Shiels Hospital
Dallas, Texas

In the early phases of the economic decline, the healthcare industry was still
going strong and keen developers were able to take advantage of falling
commodity prices. With minimal architectural information, limited to
programming documents, floor plans, and elevations, Beck Technology was
able to develop a Macro Building Information Model in DProfiler to assist this
client in identifying the overall cost of this project.

Upon submission of the cost model, the conceptual budget was within an
unbelievable 1% of the client’s established budget, previously unknown to
Beck Technology. Aside from the impressiveness of the accuracy of the cost
model, what makes this extraordinary is that this client frequently manages
and builds their own projects and is uniquely familiar with their product type
and subsequent cost.

To further ensure the accuracy of the cost estimate, an estimate review
meeting was established to verify that the early cost assumptions were in
alignment with the design intent of the project. The client and the team
reviewed the estimate clarification documents which defined foundation,
structural, architectural and MEP design assumptions down to a level of
detail not always defined at such as early stage of estimating. Each room
had a detailed finish schedule defining ceiling, floor, and wall finishes as well
Name | Mary Shiels Hospital as a list of specialty items included in each room type. It was this level of
Owner | Duke Realty – Bremner Duke detail that enabled the client to proceed forward confidently that they would
A/E | Page Sutherland Page
Scope | Conceptual Cost Modeling Service be able to build this project within the established budget. Eight months later,
Cost | $17 Million when the project was bid, the final cost came within 5%-10% under the
Completion Date | February 2009 original conceptual budget both in part due to further design revisions and an
aggressively declining economy.


Project Example: Engineering & Research Bldg
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Designed to provide full-scale structural testing of heavy building materials
such as precast concrete double tees and steel beams, this Structural
Engineering Research Center would be the largest in the nation when
constructed. DProfiler created the cost model that was used to confirm that
the conceptual design could be built within the budget that was preliminarily
established.

From a technical standpoint the project is unique in that its design
incorporates two 50 ton bridge cranes, a 3.5’ foot thick concrete reaction floor
and a 4 story reaction wall. These features will enable load testing of full
scale mock-ups for bridge and building components, empowering research
teams to put mathematical calculations and theory through rigorous real life
testing.

DProfiler was utilized continually from the planning/programming phase of
this project through Schematic Design to aid the design team in maintaining
the relationship between the design and the client’s budget. By starting with
simple, but intelligent, massing models at the programming stage and adding
complexity to the model as detail was developed by the design team, the BIM
produced by DProfiler provided a continuous “gut-check” capability for the
Name | Structural Engineering Research Center design team and client to monitor the project as the design progressed. This
Owner | University included capturing accurate costs for the specialized floor and reaction wall
A/E | Halff Associates
Cost Consultant | Apex Cost Consultants
by including specific assumptions regarding steel and concrete before any
Scope | Conceptual Cost Modeling Services design calculations had taken place. As the design of the slab, wall, and
Cost | $25 Million – Construction Cost structure unfolded, these assumptions were replaced with the real design
Completion Date | January 2009 specifications.


Project Example: Texas Army National Guard
Fort Bliss, Texas

Rarely, if ever is the cost estimator the bearer of good news, or the glue that
binds a team together. Yet cost is a key component to a project’s success.
If the cost of components and building systems can become the focus of the
team, rather than the overall cost of the project, teams have a unique
opportunity to allow cost estimation to become a “value-add” process as
opposed to a process that subtracts value from a project.

Much the same way the Army utilizes parachute drops to deliver people,
equipment, and supplies to challenging locations, DProfiler was parachuted
into this Texas Army National Guard project to help track and allocate cost in
ways that benefitted the project team. The team was charged with creating
one architectural solution from two separate budgets and programs. This
effort required the team to maintain separation and integrity between the two
budgets, but deliver a concept that seamlessly blended the designs together
in one package. From a cost estimating perspective, maintaining clear
boundaries between the two cost estimates and being able to visually
communicate these costs were the main objectives for their role. This
challenging situation created the perfect scenario for DProfiler to demonstrate
the effectiveness of Macro Building Information Modeling.

Name | Armed Forces Reserve Center Working together in real time with the BIM, the team was able to establish a
Owner | Texas Army National Guard baseline project that was within budget and exceeded the baseline
A/E | Jacobs Engineering
programming requirements. Months later, at bid day, the budget estimate
Scope | Conceptual Cost Modeling Services created at Schematic Design was within 5% of the awarded contract. The
Cost | $50 Million ability to visually communicate cost in three-dimensional terms had been a
Completion Date | June 2008 valuable process change as compared to the traditional isolated cost
estimating methodology.


Project Example: Mixed Use Office Park
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

DProfiler, a Macro Building Information Modeling tool, played a key role in
integrating multiple disciplines and various sources of information to deliver
important, substantive data to the client to be used in determining the viability
of this project.

A unique and integrated team of disciplines including Architecture,
Construction, Real Estate, and Development collaborated together to create
a BIM for this project, responsible for evaluating a brown-field property
situated in the heart of an historic downtown medical district. The client had
charged the team with determining best use for the property, occupancy
types, architectural concepts, cost estimates, and a project proforma to aid in
the decision making process that would ultimately cost over $100 million
dollars in private equity. Racing against a nation-wide faltering economy, the
client had to make important decisions in a shortened time frame to ensure
that other competitive ventures did not impede this specific opportunity.

While Developers generated market analysis and comparable data for the
property, the Architect and Contractor worked together to efficiently model
and subsequently cost multiple early design concepts. Ultimately, the data
was collected and input into the DProfiler model to generate project proforma,
Name | Rosedale Mixed Use cost estimate, and other related information for the client. This data was
Owner | Undisclosed used by the client to determine the viability of the project and ultimately
AE | Beck Architecture
Contractor | The Beck Group
resulted in a “no-go” decision. Evaluating feasibility early and quickly with
Scope | Conceptual Cost Modeling Services minimal capital investment saved this client money and the fallout from a
Cost | $75 Million risky real estate venture.
Completion Date | July 2008



Project Example: Paschal Elementary School
Fort Worth, TX

Paschal Elementary School is a 92,000 SF educational facility located in the
Fort Worth Independent School District. The project is two story, above
grade structure. The building structure consisted of a drilled piers, a partial
structured slab on a 4’ crawl space and carton forms, and a structural steel
superstructure. The skin system consisted brick, metal panels, storefront
windows and punched openings.

For this project a unique Scope to Budget design phase was utilized, in which
a simple design massing model is created and an architectural program in
Excel defines the spaces and overall building square footage. This very early
design phase is used as a benchmark for the school district and Program
Manager to establish and confirm the budget for the project.

From a cost estimating perspective, DProfiler brings a tremendous value to
the team in being able to generate a detailed cost model, based on intelligent
assumptions that help to bridge the gap between concept level design
documentation and a complete cost estimate that ensures 100% scope
coverage.

Name | Paschal Elementary School Since this first Scope to Budget design phase, the team has been able to
Owner | Fort Worth Independent School District
proceed with their design through the Schematic Design and Design
Program Manager | DMJM / AECOM
A/E | Perkins + Will Development phases while maintaining the prescribed budget. The value to
Cost Consultant | Apex Cost Consultants the client is that without DProfiler and the visual representation of cost that it
Scope | Conceptual Estimating Services provides, the team would not have been able to estimate and communicate
Cost | $17.1 Million – Construction Cost the cost of this project as effectively using traditional means and methods.
Completion Date | August 2009



Project Example: Oak Cliff Middle School
Dallas, Texas

Oak Cliff Middle School is a 200,000 SF educational facility located in Dallas,
TX. The project consists of new construction with three floors above grade
and one floor partially below grade. Perkins+ Will began the Scope to
Budget phase of design in the second quarter of 2009. Since this time, they
have been able to proceed with their design through the Schematic Design
and Design Development phases.

The Dallas Independent School District has created and published
standardized design guidelines, referenced as “TDG’s”, or “The Design
Guidelines”. These documents establish consistent architectural and
structural design specifications for all projects regardless of who the Architect
of Record is for each project. This methodology allows for the individual
design process to creatively evolve for each project, but ensures that similar
materials and systems are utilized throughout the school system’s portfolio of
projects. This also equates to efficiency for the facility management staff to
effectively manage and maintain the buildings once they are turned over to
the school system.

The value for the project is that DProfiler can emulate these standards in the
Name | Oak Cliff Middle School database and very accurate cost models can be built for each school early in
Owner | Dallas Independent School District the design process when very little design information has been developed
Program Manager | Jacobs from the architect. This allows the team to identify areas of cost overruns
A/E | Perkins+Will Associates
Cost Consultant | Apex Cost Consultants early and enables course corrections in the design process without sacrificing
Scope | Conceptual Estimating Services the overall design intent of the project. It also eliminates hasty cost cutting
Cost | $38.7 Million – Construction Cost measures performed in the eleventh hour of design that often result in “value
Completion Date | December 2009 deducts” rather than “value adds”. In the end, the school system receives a
high-value design within expected budget parameters.


Project Example: DISD High School
Dallas, Texas

This High School is a 220,000 SF educational facility located in Dallas, TX.
This project contains unique components such as an Automotive Technology
Center and Youth & Family Center. Corgan & Associates began the Scope
to Budget phase of design in the first quarter of 2009. Beginning with the
Scope to Budget design phase, and moving through Design Development,
this project has benefitted from a declining national economy and falling
commodity prices. The construction industry in the DFW area is also at an
unusually high level of competitiveness due to the fewer number of projects,
and multiple number of contractors eager to begin new projects. The result
has been lower overall pricing for projects, but a higher level of caution with
respect to the risks of defaulting contractors, rises in litigation and lower
quality of craftsmanship.

DProfiler was utilized on this project to track cost through each of the design
phases. Ultimately, as the year progressed, and as other projects in the
DFW area were completing the buy-out process, DProfiler was able to
account for the decline in pricing by de-escalating unit price values
appropriately, while preventing a “false bottom” created by the competitive
environment in the Metroplex.
Name | DISD High School
Owner | Dallas Independent School District To date the Architect has progressed through STB, Schematic Design and
Program Manager | Jacobs the Design Development phases. The cost estimates created with DProfiler
A/E | Corgan & Associates
Cost Consultant | Apex Cost Consultants have given Corgan & Associates an independent cost check tied to a visual
Scope | Conceptual Estimating Services representation of the design intent throughout each of these design phases.
Cost | $43.2 Million – Construction Cost
Completion Date | December 2009



Project Example: Project Confidential
Washington, DC

Beck Technology had a unique opportunity to utilize DProfiler in a role that
emphasizes its ability to innovate the preconstruction process. The client was
faced with a universally challenging situation: create a presentation to
accurately depict construction sequencing on a renovation project for a
Request for Proposal in less than 48 hours. Given the short time frame, the
client reached out to Beck Technology for an innovative solution which led to
DProfiler.

Using a combination of resources, starting with DProfiler and including
Google Earth, Google Street View and Bing Maps, we were able to create a
3D model and display it in such a way as to convey what the massive
renovation and additions to the building would look like in concept.

With an adaptive use of DProfiler’s Layer View, an animation of the
construction sequence was created. This showed the different stages the
project would evolve through from start to completion. From special
waterproofing protection to ensure continuous operation of a datacenter on
the first level to the relocation of RTU’s, the animation clearly articulated to
the owner the different steps and sequence that needed to be occur to
undertake this ambitious project.

This project was a great example of how DProfiler can facilitate
preconstruction activities other than costing such as the communication of
Name | Withheld site logistics plans, phasing and sequencing and site evaluations.
Owner | Confidential
Scope | Construction Sequencing Presentation
Cost | Confidential
Completion Date | 2010


Project Example: Tarleton State University Master Plan
Stephenville, Texas

Beck Technology was brought onto the team to assist Apex Cost
Consultants and Freese & Nichols develop budget cost estimates for this
Master Plan. Traditionally, historical cost per square foot for similar
building types are utilized to develop budget estimates for projects at the
master planning phase of design. At this stage there simply is not
enough design documentation to develop reliable, traditional cost
estimates. However, because DProfiler is assumption driven and is
effective in communicating and documenting these assumptions,
accurate detailed cost estimating can occur at this stage and provide
valuable planning information to the team.

To support this design exercise, DProfiler was used to model the as-built
condition of the campus, and the proposed construction. When
compared, these models enabled the cost estimator to quickly develop
appropriate budgets for sitework associated with phasing of the campus
development as well as detailed building estimates for new projects.

As the Master Plan is accepted and begins to be implemented, DProfiler
will help the architect, the owners and campus leadership better plan for
future development to correspond with future enrollment. Being able to
visualize and understand the assumptions made in the creation of the
Name | Tarleton State University cost estimate, will enable them to strategize how major capital projects
Scope | Master Planning Cost Model are deployed.
A/E | Freese & Nichols
Completion Date | June 2011



Project Example: South Texas College Master Plan
McAllen, Texas

South Texas College has five campuses in McAllen. These five
campuses each serve a different aspect of academia. Freese & Nichols
was hired to help the college deal with their growth expectations and to
tie each of the campuses together through effective planning.

Working with the College and Freese & Nichols, Beck Technology
facilitated a Cost Estimating Workshop prior to starting the process to
discuss the Master Plan. In the workshop, each new proposed
construction project was discussed to capture high level assumptions
about occupancy, use, and typical finishes. This data was stored in
Project Data Sheets.

Traditionally, historical $/SF for similar building types are utilized to
develop budget estimates for projects at the master planning phase of
design. At this stage there simply is not enough design documentation to
develop reliable, traditional cost estimates. However, because DProfiler
is assumption driven and is effective in communicating and documenting
these assumptions, accurate detailed cost estimating can occur at this
stage and provide valuable planning information to the team.

By integrating cost knowledge with the massing models, the DProfiler
Name | South Texas College model also enables the team to better visualize the phasing and
Scope | Master Planning Cost Model sequencing impacts caused by major master planning decisions such as
A/E | Freese & Nichols infrastructure and utility upgrades and installations.
Cost Consultant | Beck Technology, Ltd.
Completion Date | December 2009



5D Macro BIM Project Profiles Using DProfiler

More Related Content

Viewers also liked (9)

Similar to 5D Macro BIM Project Profiles Using DProfiler (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

5D Macro BIM Project Profiles Using DProfiler