BIM and Construction Management Proven Tools, Methods, and Workflows

1.3. A NEW CONCEPT OF DELIVERY
Integrated project delivery (IPD) is a new form of project delivery that has gained popularity as an integrated solution.
Although many firms have practiced integration, this new definition of project delivery and contract language aims to take
it to a new level.
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and
practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to reduce waste and
optimize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication and construction.
—"A Working Definition—Integrated Project Delivery" (AIA California Council, 2007)
1.3.1.
1.3.1.1. Preconstruction
IPD calls for a complete integration of teams from the onset of a project, allowing the team as a whole to become a
collaborative group that focuses on leveraging the latest technology to foster flexibility and successful project outcomes.
This delivery method has really started to set the stage for a truly collaborative process. Although varying degrees of a
BIM process can be used in virtually every delivery method, this method allows for a greater degree of potency in the
process and promotes project balance through the required use of BIM. George Elvin makes an excellent case for
integration and spells out how it's critical to the success of the industry.
Pioneers in integrated practice are finding they can amplify their fees, expand their services, and build long-term
relationships with their clients by working in a highly collaborative relationships with all project stakeholders throughout
the complete lifecycle of the buildings they create.
—George Elvin, Integrated Practice in Architecture (Wiley, 2007)
1.3.1.2. Communication and Collaboration Methods
By integrating BIM technology and using new delivery methods that focus not only on the successful delivery of the
project but also on project balance, rewards are achieved in the form of profit, professional relationships, reputation, and
money. A fundamental flaw in all the previous delivery methods is value added vs. project cost. In most scenarios, the
project team is reimbursed as a percentage of the project cost. This quantifies in some way the scope of the work to be
performed by the project team. The flaw is when a member of the project team or the project team as a whole improves
collaboration and creates value or savings for the project. This results in the following:
• There is no incentive for the AEC team to create any additional value, because there is no additional compensation
for the additional resources required to further collaborate.
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• If the professional's fee is based on a percentage of the project, the fee may be reduced for the professional because
of significant project savings.
IPD promotes the concept that by sharing the risk and reward of a project through target project goals, that compensation
may increase or decrease depending on results. As an example, the team, including the owner, develops a goal for the
entire project budget. If the project comes in under budget, then additional fees are distributed to the team; if the project
comes in over budget, fees are reduced. By holding the others accountable, IPD fosters a great degree of communication
and promotes intense collaboration among the project team, because it can result in additional profits.
This delivery method involves the entire project team from very early on in a project and consists of project goals, which
are shared and incentivized throughout the team. By using the knowledge of all parties, including subcontractors,
consultants, and local governing bodies, IPD aims to eliminate issues in the field that result in significant cost overruns
later in the project. Through increased accountability and promoting teamwork, IPD is a model for new process teamed
with new technology.
1.3.1.3. Types of Documents
IPD is unique in that it is driven by BIM technology. IPD relies on BIM not only to be more collaborative and integrated
but also to be a quick and efficient means of developing a project. With BIM, a change to one element equals a change
everywhere; this means that the technology is limber enough for a design to be developed, tested, altered, and updated
during preconstruction to eliminate coordination issues later.
Documentation in an IPD process is a combination of individual profession-focused models, such as the architectural and
engineering models, and the composite BIM documentation. This BIM documentation can be used for estimate revisions,
constructability reviews, clash detection, site coordination, and a host of other coordination responsibilities. Because
many changes can be represented in one model file, the number of information transfers is reduced, but the information
is able to be tested and coordinated more quickly than in CAD.
1.3.1.4. Clarification of Information
Information flow in an IPD process (Figure 1.8) continually informs the team and allows the project stakeholders to have
a say in the project and make informed decisions as a whole. The advantage of this type of information management is
that the biggest focus of the project now becomes using and sharing information. It is no longer the litigious arena that
architects and contractors have played in for decades but rather a new platform that effectively challenges the knowledge
base and experience of a project team by making the focus understanding and early issue resolution, as opposed to
profession-focused concerns.
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Figure 1.8. Integrated project delivery
1.3.1.5. Project Closeout
Integrated project delivery provides the stage for all the team members to perform at their best. IPD is unique in its ability
for the facility manager to be involved with the construction and design of the building and ultimately to use BIM as a tool
to better maintain the facility. Information sharing and data management techniques are refined to make an integrated
project successful. A completed BIM at project closeout avoids the typical disconnected data and provides the facility
manager with a much more useable tool than CAD. Other documentation still must be compiled either digitally,
embedded in the model itself (see Chapter 7), or embedded in an O&M manual.
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Chapter 3. BIM and Construction
This chapter explores BIM during the beginning phase of a construction project, outlining what BIM can mean to a
construction project and defining the amount of work associated with three topics: scheduling, constructability, and
multiple trade coordination. This chapter also includes step-by-step tutorials for each of these tasks to show how BIM can
provide tools along the project management path to increase a project's efficiency. Specifically, this chapter covers the
following topics:
Many tasks can be associated with construction and project management, and scheduling, constructability, and trade
coordination represent a good cross section of how BIM may be used. I will identify how these tasks can be accomplished
in concert with the architectural and engineering teams. I will begin by explaining some of the fundamental deliverables
of a construction manager currently and how BIM can enable better coordination in a "typical" construction project.
To some companies, using BIM during the construction phase may mean implementing a new process and refining
operational tasks. Although some companies use BIM throughout the entire course of a project, many others either stop
using it in the preconstruction phase or use various bits and pieces of a BIM process to help them better coordinate a
project. Although there's no right or wrong way to use BIM, the most important question is, how can you improve the way
you practice construction management? As projects progress, it is easy to slip back into the same old way of doing things,
and in doing this, there is very little chance for future growth, either in technology or in efficiency. Gradually adopting
BIM initiatives is the best way to change existing practices until it becomes habit. As projects become more advanced,
complex, and difficult, the technology used in these projects will also advance along with them. More exciting, the
construction industry is driving these technologies further then ever before. Entrepreneurs, software companies, and
tech-savvy professionals are developing BIM tools rapidly to meet the rising demands of the industry.
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4.3. BIM AND ESTIMATE UPDATES
Another strategy for leveraging BIM during a project is to use the BIM file for updating estimates very quickly. Later I will
discuss how to use an updated model to quickly generate an outdated estimate without having to use significant resources
and complete manual quantity takeoffs. It is important to note that last-minute design changes, addendums,
clarifications, and scope alterations that are physically represented can be altered and updated much more quickly than
typical takeoff methodologies can catch up with. By utilizing BIM technology during the estimating stage of a project, you
can house the building documentation in a single model and use it to clarify many of the questions that might arise during
the bidding process, from the schematic to the beginning of construction (Figure 4.5).
Figure 4.5. Estimate updates are used from project initiation to construction.
Many times the "value of BIM" question comes up, and many times the answers seem to be in clash detection or improved
visualization. However, one of the best uses for BIM is the ability to utilize the work already accomplished by architects
and engineers and streamline the takeoff process. BIM and estimating can be simplified down to two common
denominators that affect the quality and accuracy of the estimate:
• The quality and content of the BIM
• The quality and content of the cost database
In the tutorial to follow, I will demonstrate how to run an estimate update using Innovaya to update the quantities in your
Timberline estimate as you refresh the link to the BIM. To provide detailed estimates, not everything needs to be
modeled. Of course, every contractor would prefer virtually complete models, but because of current limitations in BIM
file sizes, it is often a much better strategy to not model every nut and bolt but to instead communicate with the design
team what the modeling strategy is. Using detail information such as detail components, callouts, text, and linked
specifications is currently the hybridized method of using BIM. The hybridized approach to document creation is when an
architect creates a model and then as the views of the model such as floor plans, elevations, and sections are created, there
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is additional 2D detailed information layered on top of this view (Figure 4.6). This enables the design team to still use the
model effectively while not modeling down to a very deep level of detail and without significantly increasing file sizes. This
is another area in which BIM will continue to develop as software continues to grow in sophistication. Regarding a
composite model, the contractor should still use models from both the engineers and architects and layer any additional
critical information onto the construction model or communicate with the design team where additional detail is needed
(such as structural details) and where it isn't (such as in doorknobs).
Figure 4.6. Example of the model view to the left and the same view with detail information on top of it to the right. The example
image shows the difference between the default model view and the same view with detailing and annotations layered on top of
the view.
So, if everything isn't modeled, how do you know exactly what you are estimating? The answer is that BIM provides a
more accurate solution to the estimator in the form of quantity to assembly. Estimators are still very much needed in a
BIM estimating practice. You can't click a button, and you're done with the estimate. The estimate and methodology of
taking off still need to be verified for accuracy, and the estimate itself contains information that might change, such as
square footage premiums and tight sites where the BIM model, if used as a stand-alone solution, would generate an
update of quantities in the same format it was previously mapped to. What should be detailed, though, is the contractor's
cost database.
Every contractor has a "typical" way of doing things, and many contractors see their typical way of doing things as a
hybrid strategy. For some, this means that initial plans were made to use a certain piece of software, archive cost history
models, and train new associates in a customized company tool. Often, what happens is that the least common
denominator becomes the standard. The software that everyone is used to or able to be immediately used by new
personnel brought on during "busy periods" becomes the estimating methodology of choice. BIM, set up right, can help
transform an estimating department into a much more efficient and productive group.
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To help visualize the concept of general modeling, imagine a 3′ 0″ by 7′ 0″ hollow, metal interior door. In Revit, for
example, this component can be directly inserted into a wall, and its element properties can be filled out via text fields in a
door schedule, including model, manufacturer, hardware type, and rating (Figure 4.7). Now knowing what you have
learned through model mapping in earlier Innovaya tutorials, you know that this door can be assigned a cost assembly.
These assemblies can include such items as labor, hardware type, finish, and so on. The question therefore becomes, does
the architect need to model the door hardware for the estimate? The hinges? The closer? If they're in the estimate
assembly, probably not. Unless you need some specialized or custom door, modeling to the "nth degree" in the example
really isn't necessary. By using detailed cost assemblies and the concept of model component linking, Innovaya
remembers the mapping of model components to cost assemblies even as the model changes. Thus, a drastic increase in
productivity considering the model may use such tools as Auto-Takeoff. This Innovaya tool updates the cost almost
instantly and identifies all unassigned items needing to be investigated and mapped to costs. Updating the budget is
critical for project success. As such, it is important to use the latest version of the model to create the latest version of the
estimate, as opposed to making assumptions and approximating these changes because of time constraints.
BIM cannot fix all the estimating and data management issues in the world, but it can be a valuable resource during the
estimating or phase of a project. Using Timberline in this example, you will use the 75 percent design development model
to run an estimate update. Then you will compare it with the previous 50 percent design development model.
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Figure 4.7. The door model's detail level is minimal but information rich. The example image shows how using the door schedule
to host additional information to model components limits the amount of model detail.
NOTE
As you overlay the two files on top of each other using Navisworks later in this chapter, you will not use Innovaya's Merge
or Synchronize model features.
To begin, it's usually a best practice to archive the previous Innovaya cost model and to create a copy of the Timberline
estimate for future reference later in the project. This example utilizes an updated Timberline estimate from a new
Innovaya file. Refer to Chapter 2 for reference in how to create an estimate. You can update an estimate from Innovaya in
a couple of ways. The first is to use the copy mapping function from a previous estimate. This will copy all previously
linked assemblies to the new model that can then be used to update the Timberline estimate. The second means is to
archive the old model and save the new model file over the previous file. You can accomplish this by exporting the model
from Revit to Innovaya Composer and use the previously linked filename.
NOTE
In general, when working with BIM, it is wise to keep the most current files saved as a general type for instances,
"estimates", "schedules", "mechanical model", and so on. This will make archiving these files throughout the process
easier when they can be saved as either dated files (MEP model43009, MEP model61009, and so on) or phases of
the project (for example, 50 percent construction documents, 75 percent construction documents, and so
on).
4.3.1. Comparing the New Estimate with the Old in Timberline
Timberline can compare side-by-side estimates and quantity takeoffs from Innovaya. In this tutorial, you will get a better
picture of the implications of this new model update to the budget. Using Timberline, you will check for the variance
between the estimates by running a variance report. In this example, I will show how to generate a variance report from
the two estimates.
Creating a Variance Report in Timberline
1. Open Timberline.
2. In Timberline, open the Example75% dd.pee estimate.
3. Now select Reports > Variance Report (Figure 4.8).
4. First select Example75% dd.pee, and then click Add > New.
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5. Select the completed Example50% dd.pee estimate from the book's companion web page
(www.wiley.com/bimandconstruction (http://www.wiley.com/bimandconstruction))
6. Click Add (Figure 4.9). This opens the Variance Report dialog box (Figure 4.10).
Figure 4.8. Using the Variance Report function in Timberline
Figure 4.9. Adding an estimate to a variance report
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Figure 4.10. The variance report options box.
7. Click Preview.
8. Click the Report Options button, which opens all the exporting and printing settings to export the report.
In this example, you will analyze only the quantities in this example.
9. Deselect all the fields under Report Options except for the Qty fields and the Total fields, as shown in Figure 4.11.
Figure 4.11. Using the Variance Report Options dialog box, you can customize the comparison to how you want to see it.
Exporting the Report to Excel from Timberline
1. Now click Export, which gives you the option to save the file as a number of different file types including PDF and
XML. In this example, you'll export this file to an Excel Workbook file.
2. Enter the file location and name you want to save the report as, and specify Microsoft Excel Workbook (*xls) as the
file format (Figure 4.12).
3. Open Excel and open the newly created report.
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Figure 4.12. Exporting the variance report into Excel
You'll now see that the two estimates have been categorized with each other and changes have been identified in the
Variance column within Excel. Additionally, you can now reformat this for printing and archive it for future reference.
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4.4. BIM AND MODEL UPDATES
Throughout the process of model sharing and transferring digital formats, you can update your current model in a
number of ways (Figure 4.13). Depending upon the project delivery method type and type of company delivering it, you
need a coherent and logical means of updating BIM information. The strategy for model updating in a company that has
all design-build functions in-house or that colocates in the same office for a project will be different from a team in New
York working on a project in Dubai, for example. Furthermore, the amount of information is limited in our digital world
by the amount of data that current standards allow you to transfer over the Internet. I talk about future data transfer in
Chapter 8, but in this chapter I'll talk about current suggestions for transferring data efficiently.
Figure 4.13. Keeping the model current updated begins in design and lasts throughout the life of the project.
Building information models are only as useful to the team as they are current. Many times I'm asked, "Why do we always
seem to be playing 'catch up' to the design team?" Or conversely, "Why can't the design team catch up?" The answer is old
processes require information to be delivered to the rest of the team when a particular phase of the project has been
completed. For example, the architect submits her 50 percent construction documents because she believes it is
completed to this level. The problem for this type of data transfer strategy is that you are always looking at old
information. The architect is not going to stop drawing and stop tweaking and modifying things as the general contractor
reviews it. And an engineer is not going to stop working on a set of drawings after submitting the design development
drawings. In this digital age, where information is critical to the success of so many decisions, some project teams parallel
project information as a blog and updates as an RSS feed or live feed of information for a project. All team members want
to base decisions and strategies on the latest data. Typically, if the data or drawings change, the decisions change. So, how
do you transfer BIM files that contain a huge amount of data (typical BIM files are between 50GB and 200GB some can
reach up to 400GB and 600GB!) back and forth between all parties?
If your operations are all in-house or are colocated, then you have the advantage of using network connections and can
house the models on a networked server so that they can then be accessed, modified, and saved by the entire team,
granting some exclusiveness to attempts to edit same files or components. The ability to save and pull down new
information is more streamlined because the users' computers contain the software relevant to their work, not the servers.
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Essentially, the server acts as a warehouse, receiving and shipping data but not producing any of the information. Of
course, this is a best-case scenario, where huge amounts of design and construction data can flow smoothly across the
network and where, conversely, teams can receive real-time BIM updates as the project progresses. In addition, this is
why a number of companies have adopted this strategy because it is the most effective way to work on a BIM project.
What about the other companies that need to update their models as frequently as possible?
If you're like so many other construction companies, then you are used to CDs or DVDs of 2D file information that is
couriered back and forth among the teams. This approach has really become antiquated; unless there is particularly
sensitive security measures that require this type of transfer, it is one of the most ineffective means of delivering model
updates. However, many companies now use an FTP or extranet solution, and in the following tutorial, I will show you
recommendations for best-practice model updating. The first will show how to archive old models and link in the new
files. The second tutorial will show how to use a received BIM model to update an animation.
The FTP model (file transfer over the Internet) holds the most promise because it requires only a high-speed connection
to the Internet and can be accessed by all parties including consultants, owners, and local approval organizations.
Although this is not a real-time means of viewing the model in its native format across multiple disciplines, it offers much
better security and ease of access. (Refer to Chapter 2 for a more detailed outline of model-transferring standards.)
4.4.1. Updating a Revit File
Updating the Revit file is something that is required to keep the information in the model current. As mentioned earlier, it
is usually a good idea to develop a system of archiving, as well as a file-naming convention, so that as a project progresses,
you can create archives.
Updating the BIM Using Autodesk Revit
1. Open the Construction.rvt Revit model.
2. Open the visibility graphics window by either typing VG or selecting View > Visibility/Graphics (Figure 4.14).
3. In the Visibility Graphics window, select the Revit Links tab. This is where you can manage the links associated with
the Revit file. In this example, you will merely turn off the Example50% dd.rvt link and link in the new Example
75% dd.rvt file link.
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Figure 4.14. Setting up visibility graphics
4. Deselect the link Example50% dd.rvt (Figure 4.15).
5. Click OK.
Figure 4.15. Unlinking the 50 percent version of the Revit file
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You should now be looking at nothing but the layered floor you created in the earlier tutorial.
6. To continue, select File > Import Link > Revit.
7. Select the Example75% dd.rvt file, and click Open.
NOTE
You can also click the pull-down bar located to the right of the Open button to import specific work sets. This is
useful when large files are being handled and you need to see only specific components in the BIM model.
8. When Example75% dd.rvt is imported, save the file.
This will link the latest version of the architectural model into the Construction.rvt file.
For reference sake, you can turn on both the previous version and the updated version and use the Half-tone,
Transparency, or Color Fill settings to see what has been altered from the previous model.
This completes this tutorial. Keep in mind that new models don't necessarily need to be deleted from the composite model
file; in fact, in early design stages, it's easier to leave them on so that as models go through multiple iterations, turning
them on and off in one model is possible.
4.4.2. Updating a Navisworks Animation
This tutorial shows how to update schedule animations. Keep in mind as information, files, and schedules are linked into
Navisworks, the software searches for the correct location of these files. To limit confusion, I will show how to do this as
opposed to providing all the files required.
Saving the New Models for Use in Autodesk Navisworks
1. Open the file construction.nwf, which contains all the models and schedules for the project.
2. Save the file.
Notice that this model is the older 50 percent model, which is linked to the schedule (Figure 4.16). In this tutorial,
you will update the archmodel.nwd file with the 75 percent design development Revit model.
3. Open the archmodel.nwd file, and save it as 50% archmodel.
Figure 4.16. The existing Navisworks file prior to updating
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Now you will export the Example75% dd.rvt file from Revit to Navisworks.
Exporting the New Revit Model to Update the Navisworks Animation
1. Open Revit, and select File > Tools > External Tools > Navisworks 2009.
2. Specify the filename as archmodel.nwc.
3. Click Save.
Updating the Sequencing Animation Using the New Model in Navisworks
1. Open the new archmodel.nwc file in Navisworks.
2. Save the file, overwriting the old archmodel.nwd file.
3. Open the construction.nwf file; the new file should have replaced the older file (Figure 4.17).
Figure 4.17. New linked version of the architectural model
The mapping to the schedule remains the same; any new items that haven't been linked to a task should be visible on the
Timeliner Simulate tab at the beginning of the project.
You can update the schedule similarly by archiving the previous schedule and saving the new schedule over the current
schedule. If the schedule is linked to a Microsoft Project schedule, then the file will update when saved and Navisworks is
opened. The schedule must be exported if it was exported before. For instance, the example schedule export would need to
go through the same process again to "repath" the schedule. Keep in mind that Navisworks identifies task names to linked
model components. That said, if the name of the schedule changes or if new line items are added, they will abandon
previously linked associations.
NOTE
Typically it is best to leave the Navisworks file saved as a general type of file, such as "construction" or "current",
throughout the preconstruction and construction phases of a project and then save the old files as an archived version,
such as 50% dd, 75% cd, and so on. This keeps the files backed up for reference if needed and makes importing new files
easier, because they simply need to be saved in the same location with the same filename as previously opened.
This updates the schedule link as well as the new model file. To add tasks that might have been added to the schedule,
right-click the schedule link, and select Rebuild Task Hierarchy from All Links. This adds any new tasks to the project that
weren't there before for additional model linking.
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As shown, updating an animation sequence is straightforward, but it is important to note in Navisworks that in order for
the process to work correctly, you must have a file archiving structure in place to be effective. This allows for future
models and schedules to be saved over the old ones after they are archived.
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4.2. BIM AND PREBID
Typically the data that is transferred among the project teams during the prebid phase of a project is a combination of
PDFs, scan files (TIF, JPG, and BMP), CAD drawings, and paper documentation. As a project nears bid day, the estimator
is responsible for making sure that the information that they are quantifying (PDFs or CAD drawings) is the latest set of
documentation. They then rely heavily on the specifications to clarify the scope of work, degree of finish, material type,
and quantity to verify with the subcontractors what is included in their price as they bid or are working toward issuing a
GMP or budget. It is not uncommon for estimators to have to make assumptions on a scope of work because of incomplete
construction documents or specifications. Based on my experience, often you'll have either overlapping scopes or all of the
scopes are not covered when the project budget is issued, because information is missed or added without notification and
therefore the details remain unclear. Although this is a relatively common dilemma in the construction industry, it is
usually resolved prior to actual construction and addressed in the construction contingency of a project.
The difficulty in hard bid projects (to general contractors in particular) is the disadvantage presented by scope or
coordination issues that arise in the field that either were missed or were not coordinated in the contract documents.
Typically a general contractor will gain an understanding and level of completeness of a project and, basing a number on
that documentation, will carry a large or small amount for contingency depending on the project scale and complexity.
Contingencies have been an industry standard for addressing issues that arise in the field for some time, and there have
been two schools of thought as to their validity. The first is that contingencies are additional money provided by the owner
to essentially pay for mistakes in the documentation and coordination of a project, and the second defines contingencies
as essentially quantifying the unknown based on experience and precedent. The Association for the Advancement of Cost
Engineering (AACE) defines contingency as follows:
An amount added to an estimate to allow for items, conditions, or events for which the state, occurrence, or effect is
uncertain and that experience shows will likely result, in aggregate, in additional costs. Typically estimated using
statistical analysis or judgment based on past asset or project experience. Contingency usually excludes:
• Major scope changes such as changes in end product specification, capacities, building sizes, and location of the
asset or project;
• Extraordinary events such as major strikes and natural disasters;
• Management reserves; and
• Escalation and currency effects.
Some of the items, conditions, or events for which the state, occurrence, and/or effect is uncertain include, but are not
limited to, planning and estimating errors and omissions, minor price fluctuations other than general escalation, design
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developments and changes within the scope, and variations in market and environmental conditions. Contingency is
generally included in most estimates and is expected to be expended.
—"Cost Engineering Terminology," Recommended Practice 10S-90, AACE International, WV, rev. 2007
Although it is nearly impossible to perfectly coordinate construction documents with or without BIM, a BIM specific
process can help more clearly define project scope and budget issues to subcontractors and therefore potentially lessen
any excessive contingencies during preconstruction (Figure 4.3). In addition, BIM promotes best services, not necessarily
best cost. Although an estimate may be checked through peer review or by an estimating consultant, the goal is to have the
best number as opposed to a lower number.
Figure 4.3. A BIM model during the prebid stage is useful for defining the scope and budget of a project.
Some strategies for using BIM during preconstruction to help lessen contingencies are as follows:
• Get the subcontracting team involved early in the development of the design and project coordination. This
increases the subcontractor's understanding and comfort with the project, and many times will give the
subcontractor insight about the type of team involved prior to construction.
• Include in the contracts the ability for the subcontractor to be reimbursed. This strategy allows the subcontractor to
be compensated if for some reason they are not selected and the owner decides to take the project to bid. This
strategy is useful in that it allows the subcontractor selected to gain an advantage to understanding scope, budget,
and project issues more clearly than an outside subcontractor bidding on the project for the first time. In turn, this
gives the subcontractor a vested interest in the project because of the amount of time put into the project during
preconstruction to be competitive.
• Coordinate constructability reviews with the subcontractor prior to issuing final construction documents because
this will help alleviate a potential increase in difficulties envisioned through construction that the architect and
general contractor may not have been aware.
• Use the model to assist in defining the scope of work and complexity of the project three dimensionally to the
subcontractor.
The last point is what I will focus on in this chapter, because I've already covered early subcontractor involvement, which
continues to make the case for accomplishing more integrated practice. So, how can BIM be used during preconstruction
prior to bidding?
4.2.1. Prebid and Hard Bidding
If the project is a hard bid project and has not included any early involvement from the subcontractor, the BIM model is
still useful but limited in effectiveness. By using Navisworks or similar software, the general contractor can quickly isolate
items within a model that are specific to that particular subcontractor, create search sets or selection sets, and then issue
the NWD file to the subcontractors for viewing. For example, if a mechanical engineer has completed the ductwork design
in Revit MEP, the subcontractor can view this file using Navisworks if it has been layered and saved as an NWD file such
as in Chapter 3's scheduling tutorial.
Although this is useful in the bidding stage, the model in this scenario is typically for supplemental information only and
should not be the sole basis for a bid. Because the contract documents remain the primary means of establishing the scope
and responsibilities for a particular subcontractor, often models aren't distributed among subcontractors bidding on the
work. Many companies utilize a waiver associated with this model that allows the subcontractor to view the model, which
is specifically used for reference only, and the contract documents still hold sway unless otherwise agreed to by contract.
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How Do I Get the Models?
Many times after lectures and during BIM breakfasts, technology work groups, and training sessions, I get
asked the question, "How do I get the architects' and the engineers' models?" Many times the stories go
something like this:
"I asked the architect and engineer to send the model with the 2D drawings so I could use it, and they said
no."
"I told the design team that they were issuing the 2D documentation, but they said they couldn't issue the
model...why?"
In this book, I have talked about different project delivery methods, and the one in which there is the least
amount of resistance among the design team to share the model with the general contractor or subcontractor
by its very nature is an integrated one. So, how does it work in the design-bid-build world?
The answer, unfortunately, is that many times it doesn't.
Although there is a great opportunity for AE teams to get a lot of good clarification data and coordination
questions by issuing the model, many firms won't issue the model to general contractors and subcontractors
because of liability and contract concerns. This is where you can really see where old-school practice butts
heads with new technology. When it comes down to it in a design-bid-build project, models contractually do
not need to be issued to contractors bidding on a project using typical contract language. In addition, the
contractor does not have a "right" to that data.
Now, where does that leave the contractor?
Well, the real issue here lies in the process of project delivery and the true value of BIM in regard to bidding a
project. An IPD or advanced design-build project will typically have a much more open if not critical attitude
of model sharing and potentially address BIM and file-transferring language as part of the process, whereas
the value of BIM in a hard bid situation would be limited in that everything I have outlined so far would be
difficult for a subcontractor or general contractor to realize in the amount of time allotted to bid a project. In
fact, it might even spell disaster for the AE team to try to coordinate the model among multiple bidding
general contractors and even more subcontractors. Overall, this type of communication has a greater chance
of confusing everyone instead of helping because the sheer amount of information is often too much to digest
in a four- to six-week bid schedule.
I'm not discouraging transferring models during a hard bid because they are extremely useful to experienced
general contractors, but go into the request knowing that the architect or engineer might not have time to
respond to model issues associated with a design-bid-build project. Model updating will be slim, if at all,
because of time constraints. In a scenario such as this where old processes meet new technology, the outcome
is often limited compared to more integrated forms of delivery.
Ultimately it's in the architect's best interest because better information equals better bids. So, let the design
team and owner know exactly what you intend on using the model for and that you are willing to sign any
disclaimers or waivers if necessary and hope for the best. Keep in mind, though, that unless you've established
this process in the contract language, they are under no particular requirement to issue it to you.
4.2.2. Prebid and the Integrated Project
Budget updates present a unique set of challenges when they relate to a more integrated method of delivery. From the
beginning, the selection of a subcontractor should be based not only on the capability of completing the construction of
the project at a reasonable cost but on being able to meet the demand of a BIM process and supplying the required
deliverables as outlined in the contracts. This coordination is extremely important in a BIM project. Team selection
should be taken into consideration when project teams are being assembled. This selection is even more important when
issues arise, such as when an owner has a "preferred" subcontractor they want to work with who is consistently low priced
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but lacks the ability to deliver a BIM fabrication model and an as-built BIM of the work after the project is completed as
outlined in the contracts. In this example, communication with the subcontractor is key. The construction manager
should make it known that the bid needs to include creating a BIM model and scope to coordinate it as well as part of the
contracts. A construction manager in this instance will need to work with the subcontractor and make them aware of
resources and options to meet the BIM criteria for the project. If the subcontractor isn't willing to utilize new
technologies, the general contractor should make the owner aware of the subcontractor's inability and arrive at a solution
between the team.
Another example might be a steel fabricator who is the low bidder on a design-build project and has the ability to perform
the work but has a limited ability to deliver a detail 3D model for the record BIM, as was outlined in the BIM deliverable
of the contract. These issues are the realities that BIM projects face, and they're better if addressed at the onset of a
project or as soon as the issue arises. If these issues arise during a bidding process, there are often a number of feasible
resolutions that won't involve the subcontractor raising the fee on a project beyond what it costs to have a consultant
complete the models. In fact, a number of companies in the United States and abroad specialize in modeling services for
construction projects both before and at the completion of a BIM project as mentioned earlier. In addition, if the fee on
the use of a U.S. modeling company is too high, many subcontractors in the United States will outsource the modeling
scope of a project overseas to meet the program requirements of a BIM project. Although this has been met with mixed
results, it is still a task that needs to be managed, and additional fees might need to be figured into the cost of not only
performing the work but of having someone manage the modeling for the project.
Engineers often have the ability to create a model for the subcontractor and might be able to provide an additional
resource for a fee if the scope of work is relevant to the engineer. Of course, the ability for a subcontractor to hire an in-
house BIM specialist is not always an option but is becoming more commonplace as the number of BIM-specific projects
begin to rise in order to stay competitive. In this way, the subcontractor can estimate the approximate amount of time the
specialist will be utilized on the project and introduce that fee as part of the project scope. Last, if the project is advanced
and extremely complicated, some consultant companies specialize in applying their expertise to make sure that the project
goals are delivered. Often this is a costly option but is feasible if the project is constructible but the means of modeling it is
"over the contractor's heads." This option is also a good idea because it becomes the responsibility of the consultant to
make sure the modeling is completed on time and that the contractor has a fixed consultant fee and is not spending
internal time on a scope of work they're unfamiliar budgeting into the project fee.
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Sharing and Transferring Digital Information
Throughout the construction community, the practice of sharing and distributing CAD files to contractors and
consultants alike has widely been accepted because general contractors, architects, and engineers have gained
an understanding of what the files were being used for.
Digital file sharing among teams was met with skepticism initially because of a general lack of understanding
about what file sharing could provide other design team members. However, as time has progressed, this has
become more and more accepted, and in many companies it almost goes without saying that a general
contractor or subcontractor has the ability to open and view CAD files.
A discussion has arisen in the AEC community in regard to sharing and transferring BIM files and what
liability and issues might arise—much like when CAD file sharing was an issue. The most common concerns
are the following ones:
• Inadvertent editing of the BIM file
• Liability associated with interpreting the BIM as an "end-all" design tool
• Using the "legacy information" from a BIM to be copied and used in the future by other companies that
might be in direct competition
You can solve most of these issues by using some of the best practices mentioned in this book. To limit
accidental model editing, arrange for the proper contract documentation to be negotiated and signed at the
front end of a project. If no project language has been established but BIM coordination is still a project goal,
utilize other documentation such as a BIM waiver. A waiver clarifies the exchange and use similar to the
information exchange and model coordination plan but focuses only on digital information sharing and model
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ownership. An example of resolution at a further stage might involve saving the file in a neutral file format
such as Navisworks to protect legacy data, which allows users to still engage in the use of BIM and establish a
comfort level with the team. Ultimately, it is important that the BIM is responsibly shared to increase the
effectiveness of the team.
Sharing BIM files ideally requires work at the front end but can pay dividends when shared with a project
team later. Especially when considering further integration of project teams and the technology age as a
whole, digital file transferring will become critical to the success of tomorrow's successful companies.
Integrated teams also provide unique opportunities in using BIM when bid numbers on a project are close. Often a project
is given to a subcontractor who has better qualifications because of previous BIM project experience and is able to
contribute more to the design team than the other. Although selecting team members based on qualifications has become
part of the process, BIM has begun to be factored into the equation more and more. During this phase, the construction
manager really begins to see the contract language for file-transferring standards and formats tested. Prior to bidding (if
applicable) and after construction or implementation documentation has been issued, it is often typical for more
information in regard to quantities of updates, questions, addendums, responses, and clarifications to be issued than was
issued to the general contractor to date. This barrage of late-coming information seems to always happen, so it is critical
to maintain the project standards that were established at the onset of the project (Figure 4.4). As mentioned earlier, this
is essential for a number of reasons, mostly in that the way you manage and track information now is reflected in how it
will be transmitted to the field. In certain circumstances, someone will need to reformat the information to meet the
standards prior to construction beginning on the project. Although maintaining standards seems like a feasible option,
often it is not, because the tasks seem to increase only after a project has been bid, and document coordination begins to
take a backseat to other more important tasks at this phase. For this reason, as well as holding the design team and
yourself accountable to contractually meeting your obligation to the team, it is wise to take the time to verify that the
information that is being transferred is being tracked and logged as required by the contracts and that the structure for
the construction manager is being built correctly so that later during construction administration it doesn't fall apart.
Figure 4.4. Clarification stage diagram. BIM reduces the influx of information during the clarification stage of a project.
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4.5. CLASH DETECTION UPDATES
Earlier I discussed clash detection and its value to a construction management team; in this section, I'll investigate its
ability to be assigned to the responsible parties, updated, and then new clashes assigned. The value of BIM as a multiple
trade coordination tool increases incrementally every time clashes are found, tracked, and resolved before a project
reaches the field. This clash detection resolution/reporting allows construction managers to utilize BIM as an organic
means of finding issues with those models provided by engineers and subcontractors. Although industry metrics tend to
range from an average savings of 40 to 50 percent of field change orders, much of the savings is relatively difficult to
quantify; therefore, the following argument arises: "If those issues would have been found by an estimator or project
manager before construction, does that subtract from your calculations?" As arguments about BIM on either side of the
table request metrics, it has become widely accepted that the ability for a computer to find issues in 3D is much more
detailed, quicker, and accurate than light tables or CAD overlays. This being said, in regard to the value of BIM in clash
updates, the process must continue to be smooth as it moves forward. Otherwise, the technology doesn't allow for a better
process and ultimately becomes useless. So, how do you continue to use clash detection reports as a tool throughout a
project?
Clash detection takes time. Be aware that in highly complex work, the initial clash detection reports can be somewhat
daunting. The numbers of clashes may easily reach into the thousands, and it takes time to find out what is clashing with
what, prior to putting the responsibility in someone else's court. In other words, this is a process change. Although the old
way of doing things allotted for an on-the-go constructability review with some overlays and overhead or below-floor
coordination, clash detection takes more time. I'm sure some people have mastered this, but as a generalization, this
process does not become "quicker" with updates, especially when there are multiple stakeholders inserting models, such
as the three models shown in Figure 4.18. This is the opposite of what you learned about cost estimating and the ability to
update estimates and quantities much faster than before. Instead, you now find a process that takes time and requires
efforts that weren't accounted for before. The user's efficiency will begin to decrease the amount of time it takes to
perform the clash detection against various model components with time, and the use of search sets and selection sets
increases the efficiency of clash detection analysis and reporting. Still, the fundamental analysis of testing structural
models vs. mechanical models and structural vs. site concrete, and so on, takes time. The construction manager should
plan for this in a BIM project. The amount of time varies by the complexity of the project and the experience of personnel,
but the average time increases by 20 to 30 percent for BIM clash detection and coordination, compared to previous
constructability reviews.
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Figure 4.18. Three different piping and duct models from different stakeholders linked together. The added degree of complexity
with multiple stakeholders and multiple models increases the amount of time spent to coordinate the project during preconstruction
and construction.
One of the major advantages to using Navisworks is its ability to export the clash detection reports in various formats.
Language formats such as HTML and XML allow for other programs to receive the reports and to use them easily. Even
more recently, new software is using the BIM outputs such as the clash detection reporting feature of Navisworks to
coordinate the information in a single data source. Using the Internet, XML, and server space, Constructware by Autodesk
has become a useful tool during a BIM process in the preconstruction phase of a project. Constructware is construction
management software similar to Prolog and CMiC and a host of other software systems that provide budget, cost and
procurement, document management, and hosted (website) collaboration. What is unique about Constructware is its
ability to track and manage clash detection reports through the site. This added functionality takes a lot of the legwork out
of creating clash detection reports manually. By using the export to XML format functionality, clash detection reports can
be uploaded directly into the interface and users or clients can log in and see what clashes there are and who is
responsible for them.
If you don't have access to construction management software, you can handle clash detection updates in a number of
ways. For project teams using an intranet or extranet, the exportable file might be an HTML file. This file type can be
viewed over the Web and is available to the entire design team and can be saved to an archive for future reference through
Navisworks and Freedom Viewer. The disadvantages to this format is its inability to be directly edited or responded to,
especially in Freedom Viewer, which doesn't allow for commenting in either the HTML import or the XML import type of
file review. Mostly teams use the HTML tool because of its visualization characteristics with X,Y,Z reference points to be
shared among those using Navisworks Freedom.
If both the construction manager and the subcontractors happen to have licenses of Navisworks, then files can be
imported and reviewed, and new clash tests can be added and distributed among the teams using the XML format. Using
the XML export and import tool from Navisworks, users can import the clashes into an NWF file that can be viewed
among the team using Navisworks. The following tutorial will show you how to create batch clash reports and import
them into Navisworks. When completing the tutorial, keep in my mind how you might use this when you are
communicating back and forth with subcontractors on a daily basis. Navisworks also does an excellent job of not
duplicating clash geometries when merging geometries. By bringing the clash detection report into the database via XML,
Navisworks really gives you the most flexibility in regard to not only Navisworks files but DWF files as well.
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For the following sample tutorial, you will use the NWD file you created in Chapter 3. You will then analyze further the
clash detection report that was previously generated, and then run a clash detection on an updated file. In the previous
clash batch, you can see that the majority of the clashes are because of the ceiling and the ductwork interfering with each
other on the top floor (Figure 4.19).
Figure 4.19. The ceiling is interfering with the ductwork.
To verify this, move into a view on the top floor, and highlight the item called 2′ × 4′ ACT System.
Testing a Model Assumption Using Autodesk Navisworks
1. Open Navisworks, and open the file Example50% ddlinked.nwd.
2. Right-click the ceiling, and select Item Hidden (Figure 4.20).
This hides the ceiling.
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Figure 4.20. Hiding the ceiling element to limit clashes
NOTE
Navisworks will not include hidden items in a clash detection report, which is useful when a major component, such as a
ceiling, intersects other components multiple times, as in the example.
Now you will rerun the clash detection report to verify that you were correct in your assumptions. This should reduce the
number of clashes from 751.
Testing the Model for Clashes by Hiding Model Components
1. Open Clash Detective.
2. Highlight the FGHVAC04.nwd file in the left window and the Example50%dd.nwd in the right.
3. Click Start to rerun the clash detection.
You now see that you were correct and that the ceiling accounted for about 533 of the clashes in the report.
In this situation, you now need to notify the design team that you have an issue with your floor to ceiling heights and that
you need to either increase the height within the structure or lower the ceiling. Because the ceiling is at 9′ 6″, you might
suggest both measures—lowering the ceiling to 9′ 0″ and raising the structure 1′ 6″ for a total shift of 2′ 0″.
Typically, this type of major clash would involve an email to everyone to identify the issue and try to propose a solution
quickly, so the next revised clash detection report is somewhat manageable. Additionally, this issue could be tracked using
web hosted project management software as well. Whichever is chosen, the issue should be brought to light quickly,
distributed, and tracked.
To continue this tutorial, you will export the report and send the report as well as a viewable reference file in some form to
review the clashes in. The problem is that neither of the exportable types from Navisworks is directly editable, and they
require some work to get them into an editable format that allows the file to be commented on.
One way to do this is to export the file into an XML form, which can then be imported back into Navisworks on another
user's machine for review and approval as well as into other programs, such as Excel or Constructware.
Creating an Updated Clash Report Using Autodesk Navisworks
1. Run the clash detection, and go to the Report tab in the Clash Detective window.
2. Select XML.
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3. Select Write Report.
4. To import the XML clash report, select File > Import > Clash Tests XML (Figure 4.21).
5. Specify the file you want to import, and then click OK.
Figure 4.21. Importing a clash detection report
NOTE
To open this file in Microsoft Excel, find the XML file, and when the Open XML dialog box opens, select As a Read Only
Workbook, and click OK. This opens the file in Excel. Although this isn't an immediately useful tool with macros and
scripts, the XML to Excel path can become a usable tool. I won't cover Constructware in this book, but just know that you
can import the clash report into Constructware as well and distribute it for delegating and reviewing responsibilities.You have 7 days left in your trial, Adrianbetana. Subscribe today. See pricing
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Once the XML file has been created, you can send it to another user who has Navisworks who can import it for review.
Keep in mind that Freedom Viewer will not import XML clash detection reports.
This imports a clash report from another user into your Navisworks file, allows you to see specifically what the other user
is looking at, and lets you get more detailed information about what is in each person's scope. Ideally, the workflow would
look something like this:
1. The report is generated.
2. Fake clashes or minor clashes are marked or resolved.
3. The remaining items and responsibilities become an XML file, which is distributed to the team.
4. The respective models are altered.
5. The new files are sent to the model manager, old files are archived, and new files are loaded into Navisworks for the
next clash report.
It is usually a good idea to print or create a clash responsibility matrix in a spreadsheet and distribute it at the same time
as the clash report. Distributing during progress meetings or as the clashes need to be resolved lets users identify which
issues are theirs and which ones aren't.
This seems like a feasible solution, but in reality all parties involved might not have licenses of the Navisworks software.
Another means of exporting the clash report is as an HTML file. This method allows you to view the exported clash report
through Explorer, and the HTML file can be imported into Adobe Acrobat Professional for commenting.
Exporting the Clash Detection Report to Adobe Acrobat Professional
1. Run the clash detection,
2. Go to the Report tab in the Clash Detective window.
3. Select HTML.
4. Select Write Report.
5. Create a separate temporary folder because large amounts of images are associated with this file.
6. Save the export.
7. Open the folder the report was just exported to.
8. Open the HTML file.
9. Click Save As, and select Webpage, Complete (*.htm, *.html). Save the file in the same directory (Figure 4.22).
10. Open Adobe Acrobat Professional.
11. Click Open, and select the HTML file just saved.
12. Save the file.
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Figure 4.22. Saving the HTML file as a web page
Now that your clash detection report is in Adobe Acrobat Professional, you can set up responsibilities and commenting in
a number of ways. The easiest way to enable commenting is to have the issuer identify whether the clash is critical. The
user sending this report can create a comment on the clash instance to identify whether this is a fake or minor clash as
well as comment on what two parties have an issue through the commenting tool (Figure 4.23). This enables the
mechanical engineer, for example, to search the Adobe document for comments containing the word mechanical in them,
which will pull up all comments containing that word. Additionally, you can customize Adobe documents with forms that
attach to the PDF file and audio files linked to comments as well to meet a variety of user's needs. A good reference for
Adobe Acrobat Professional customization is The Pocket Book of Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional by Andy Zhang.
Figure 4.23. Clash report in Adobe to review
To conclude this portion of the tutorial, you will link this file to Adobe Review Tracker. This program allows a document
to be stored on a server and uses an RSS feed to email the other users when the file has been reviewed and updated.
Setting Up the Clash Report for Review Using Adobe Review Tracker
1. Open the Adobe file.
2. Click the Review and Comment icon.
3. Select Send for Shared Review (Figure 4.24).
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4. Walk through the step-by-step guide. Completion of this tutorial enables users to work in the same file provided it's
on a read/write network folder.
Figure 4.24. Setting up Review Tracker in Adobe
4.5.1. Updating the Clash Report
You will now use the earlier tutorial's clash detection file to update the sequencing animation to update your latest
Navisworks files. If you haven't yet completed this, please refer to the earlier tutorial titled "Updating a Navisworks
Animation." This example shows you how to rerun your clash detection to see whether the ceiling issue has been resolved.
In this example, you are simulating that you received an updated model from the architect and told the mechanical
engineer to compensate for a shift of 2′ higher elevation from level 1 and up for every floor. This will allow the architect to
move the existing ductwork model to the new Z coordination. For reference, open the new Example75% dd.rvt file in
Revit, and move to an elevation or section view where you can see the new plenum space design for level 4, which is 3′ and
is in between elevation 52′ 2″ and 55′ 2″ (Figure 4.25).
Figure 4.25. Revised plenum space in Revit
In this example, you will use the latest models as if they have been exported from Revit and are ready to use and open in
Navisworks. Then you will run the clash detection.
Updating a Clash Detection Report Using Autodesk Navisworks
1. Open the file Construction.nwf.
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2. Select the archmodel file on the left screen and the updated mechanical model mechmodel on the right (Figure
4.26).
3. Leave the defaults, and click Start.
You now have created a new clash detection report. The new file should have somewhere around 107 clashes (Figure 4.27)
with no large-scale issues on single components. This means that the construction manager can begin digging into the
clash report and finding out the details of what is conflicting with what and whose responsibility it is. Ideally, you will use
Navisworks in this scenario so other users can find the clashes they are responsible for and can update their models for
additional testing. A clash detection responsibility matrix lets you more easily identify issues, responsibilities, and the
changes made to the model.
Figure 4.26. Updating the clash report with two new linked files
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Figure 4.27. Revised clash detection ready for more coordination
This tutorial just scratches the surface of how to use a clash detection tool, but it is good to know how the information is
able to flow from all parties and be compiled in a truly collaborative piece of software for all parties to test and analyze
(see Figure 4.28). Navisworks is a unique tool in that it has the ability for teams to update the information as it is
transmitted and then directly imported into the software. Other software does allow for updates and for different file
formats to be imported and exported, but the industry needs more software similar to Navisworks that allows for teams to
better collaborate without colocating. The discussion for interoperable standards will continue to be defined by formats
that the most people are asking for and that all software can work with. That may be the software and processes that
you're familiar with, but it might not be. Navisworks is one of the first interoperable standard in that it allows a way for
virtually all file formats to be imported into a composite model; it also allows further collaboration by exporting into
formats that can be imported into other software as well.
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Figure 4.28. Live clash detection meeting to update and review a clash detection report with the team
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3.4. CONCLUSION
This chapter evaluated the tools available for building information modeling during the construction phase of a project.
The next chapter analyzes how to update these tools to make them effective throughout a project. Current BIM tools are
useful and early adopters will assuredly reap the rewards of future releases and updates. The advantages of working BIM
into a construction management process now will pay dividends later, as software and technologies continue to develop,
making the construction manager increasingly effective. Software will continue to develop at a rapid pace over the next
decade, and users who have implemented BIM into their process will be at a significant advantage over those who have
not. Holding off now and attempting to adopt many new BIM tool offerings later will necessitate a lot of catching up.
Utilizing BIM during construction is when many of its values shine. You may have noticed that for the BIM process to
work, there are different software applications for different purposes rather than a streamlined and connected one;
however, keep in mind that a BIM model—as opposed to CAD files—contains large amounts of usable data and that each
piece of software analyzes and sorts the data in a different way. As you go through this book, you will learn how and when
these varying tools should be used and what software is handing off information to the next tool.
In this chapter, you began with an architect's model in Revit, linked it to Navisworks for scheduling, created a linked Revit
model in which to layer constructability information, handed the Revit information off to a DWF file to begin setting up
the in-field RFI process, and then returned to the Navisworks file to run clash detection. In essence, there are many tools
required to do the job in virtual construction. Using and maintaining the BIM model will continue to be a learning
process, as there is an existing array of tools, and ideally there will be more coordination among them moving forward.
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2.2. CONTRACTS
The intention of a contract, especially when geared toward BIM users, is not to point fingers if something goes wrong but
rather to clearly define tasks, responsibilities, and rights at the onset of a project (Figure 2.3). Unless contract language is
defined before creating, using, or transferring BIM technologies into a project, no team member can be held responsible
for delivering on their intended goals. And unless the terminology and plan have been established, it is difficult to uphold
any standard means of working together in BIM. In a typical BIM contract, there are three groups of professionals: the
owner, the design team (architects and engineers), and the contractor. These groups are professionals who share similar
but different rights and privileges when completing a BIM-led construction project.
Figure 2.3. BIM contract negotiation begins at the onset of the project.
Contracts on a BIM project determine a contractor's ability to influence and collect and share data throughout the
project's life cycle. Thus, it is critical to define these responsibilities early on. BIM contracts in general are in their infancy
in the construction industry, and BIM project planning is new ground as well. Current BIM contracts require that the
parties entering the agreement have a thorough understanding of BIM processes, model sharing, and ownership
privileges. Although this is fine for an experienced BIM team, it can be difficult for a team new to BIM to spell out at the
beginning of a project what challenges they are anticipating. If you are a new user, either consult with a professional peer
who has entered into a similar agreement or bring on a BIM project consultant to help the parties define what is the best
way to distribute roles and responsibilities among the project teams before entering a BIM contract. This will streamline
the process significantly and can provide invaluable insight to avoid potential pitfalls ahead. If neither of these options is
available, consult with your legal counsel about the contract language, with the focus on integrating BIM and the project
team and clearly defining these roles. As this book will show, BIM is most effective when used as part of an integrated
effort between the project team. This is particularly evident during project planning when it is being determined when and
how BIM is to be used, shared, and analyzed.
A number of groups have model contracts geared toward integrated projects and language you can use to develop
contracts. Currently, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC),
and the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) all have documents that deal with project team integration and
alternative delivery methods. However, the AIA and the AGC have to date been the two organizations which have
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developed BIM contract language that deals specifically with building information modeling roles and responsibilities
within the team throughout the construction process. Both of these contracts are similar in appearance to the IE and
Model Coordination Plan shown later in this chapter.
Most important in an integrated BIM process is team selection. Ideally, you should select companies and professionals
you can work with that have the experience and ability to perform and deliver a BIM project. Effective team selection sets
the tone for the entire project, and past successes set a precedent for working well together in the future. Many
subcontractors and consultants have no experience using BIM software. In this case, you must find out the stance of the
subcontractor. If the subcontractor is receptive to using new technologies and delivery methods, this can be helpful in
future projects and relationships. Resource sharing is in the best interest of the general contractor who wants to use BIM
in regards to the subcontractor community. Often contractors complete multiple projects with the same subcontractors.
For this reason, general contractors who choose to engage a subcontractor to use BIM should develop an information
exchange plan between themselves and the rest of the team. In turn, the process of using BIM technology will become
more efficient, and experience increases between the two teams and the community at large.
2.2.1. AIA Documents
The AIA has released contract language that addresses the use of BIM as well as integrated project delivery (IPD). These
AIA documents require a knowledgeable team of experienced BIM users to define the protocols for sharing, owning, and
transferring data throughout a project.
These documents are as follows and can be found on the AIA's website (http://www.aia.org/docs (http://www.aia.org/docs)):
AIA A295-2008
General Conditions of the Agreement for IPD
B195-2008
Standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Architect for an Integrated Project
A195-2008
Standard Form of Agreement between Owner and Contractor for an Integrated Project
GMP Amendment to A195-2008
Amendment to A195, defines the GMP and contemplates distribution
Additionally the AIA has contract documentation for the creation of a "single-purpose entity" and uses BIM within the
language as well. Per the AIA, "This agreement allows a complete sharing of risk and reward. With this arrangement,
owners, architects, and construction managers work together from the beginning to carry out projects with mutually
agreed-upon goals and target costs." Although BIM as a technology has gained acceptance, the methods of delivery are
new in its approach in the United States, although similar models have gained acceptance and popularity in countries
such as Australia and the United Kingdom (www.tradelineinc.com/reports/0A03D1C0-2B3B-B525-85702BCEDF900F61
(http://www.tradelineinc.com/reports/0A03D1C0-2B3B-B525-85702BCEDF900F61)).
Conceptually, the agreement forms an umbrella entity, in which the teams involved are all members. The agreement aims
to limit exposure and liability through language that doesn't permit litigation within the newly formed entity. The
members are therefore shareholders with the owner, essentially buying a product at an agreed upon cost, which is a
building or structure. The professionals providing the services (the architect, engineer, or general contractor) act as the
manufacturer of the product. Subcontractors then become the distributors of the product. Upon successful sale of the
product to the owner, any profits or efficiencies realized are monetarily rewarded, such as the product was delivered early,
came in under budget, or other delivery goals were met.
The document for this type of Single-purpose entity method of delivery is:
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C195-2008
Standard Form Limited Liability Availability Agreement for an Integrated Project. (See Figure 2.4)
Figure 2.4. A Project Alliancing Example – National History Museum, Canberra, Australia
The design-build method, as discussed in Chapter 1, has gained popularity in the United States. It is a widely known
method of project delivery and a feasible means of delivering a collaborative project. Although the AIA has documents
that address the design-build process, there remains the opportunity for further language to be developed within these
documents for the integration of building information modeling. The contract language from the AIA A295-2008
document provides an overview of processes and a skeletal outline for how BIM is to work during a project. However,
consult with legal counsel prior to engaging in new agreements or attempting to alter typical contracts, because you might
find industry-standard language elsewhere. The following are typical contracts for use in a design-build scenario under
the AIA agreements:
A141
Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder (architect as design-build prime)
A142
Standard Form of Agreement Between Design-Builder and Contractor (between design-build prime and general
contractor)
A143
Standard Form of Agreement Between Design-Builder and Architect (contractor as design-build prime)
2.2.2. AGC Documents
The AGC was the first organization to market with contract documentation focusing on the use of BIM in a project, on
September 28, 2007. These contracts addressed a number of different project delivery methods and the use of BIM. The
following are the contracts that were developed, and are available at (www.consensusdocs.org (http://www.consensusdocs.org)):
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ConsensusDOCS 300
For Delivery Methodology
ConsensusDOCS 301
For Electronic Communication and Building Information Modeling
The focus of these documents was to begin identifying key parties and technologies involved in a project and define
liabilities, responsibilities, and opportunities "to reflect the project's best interests, rather than a single party's interest"
(www.consensusdocs.org/news/20070921-agc.html (http://www.consensusdocs.org/news/20070921-agc.html)). The ConsensusDOCS
contracts reflect an overall industry interest in a more integrated process and focus on BIM as a tool that can enable the
team. These contracts aim to turn the focus away from finger pointing and toward project-focused teams through BIM
technology and responsible data sharing and collaboration.
The AGC still maintains contract documents for the design-build method of project delivery. The integration of BIM into
these contracts is through the aforementioned ConsensusDOCS 301 BIM addendum. Per the AGC, the BIM Addendum
document "is intended to be used as an identical contract addendum for all project participants inputting information into
a BIM Model throughout the construction process. The document includes a BIM Execution plan, and allows the project
participants to determine the level for which a BIM Model or models may be legally relied upon"
(www.agc.org/cs/contracts (http://www.agc.org/cs/contracts)). In addition, the AGC ConsensusDOCS 200.2, Electronic
Communications Protocol Contract, addresses paperless project delivery, how to use information appropriately in transfer
and use, and how to structure the IT team. This document aims to address and organize the flow and management of
digital data on a project.
The following are common AGC contracts:
AGC 400
Preliminary Design-Build Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder (review and evaluation of owner's
program and development of a price and time to complete a project)
AGC 410
Design-Build Agreement and General Conditions Between Owner and Design-Builder (cost plus with a GMP –
Guaranteed Maximum Price)
AGC 415
Design-Build Agreement and General Conditions Between Owner and Design-Builder (lump sum based on
owner's program and schematics)
2.2.3. DBIA Documents
The DBIA offers contracts that deal with differing methods of design-build project delivery. The DBIA has not introduced
BIM technology or digital information–sharing language to date; however, the most common contracts for a design-build
delivery are these (and are found at www.dbia.org/pubs/contracts (http://www.dbia.org/pubs/contracts)):
DBIA 520
Preliminary Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder (review and evaluation of owner's program and
development of a price and time to complete a project)
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DBIA 525
Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder (lump sum)
DBIA 530
Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Design-Builder (cost plus fee with an option for GMP)
Collaboration, Not Litigation
What is unique about these associations, contracts, and the industry as a whole is the desire to eliminate
litigation, to responsibly use technology, and to create a more collaborative environment. BIM technology
requires a change in the entire process of construction in order to work, and this change must extend into the
way we write and negotiate contracts. At some point, our industry turned from a necessary collaboration of
construction professionals to its current litigious arena. We can begin changing by looking at how we worked
in the past.
Sy Hardin, a structural engineer for forty years with Sverdrup and Parcel (now merged with Jacobs
Engineering) and a man I greatly respect, says: "The problem with the construction industry is the focus has
shifted to lawsuits and litigation prevention as opposed to their individual craft. The ability to effectively
communicate, in some respects, is more important than what is drawn. Technology should always and
without exception better our ability to communicate, not complicate it." Although BIM offers an effective
array of tools, it must be built upon a strong foundation of information sharing.
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2.3. DEFINING RESPONSIBILITIES AND OWNERSHIP
In all the types of contracts discussed, the project team members need to define how data will be shared and used (see
Figure 2.5) in order to do the following:
• Eliminate confusion
• Organize tasks
• Standardize information transfer
• Define the schedule
• Focus on project quality
Anticipation is always a better approach than reaction; just ask a goalie. To carry out a BIM project, you need to create
two plans at a minimum that anticipate some of these issues. The first is the Information Exchange (IE) Plan. The second
is the Model Coordination Plan. Both plans should begin as drafts and then be reviewed and approved by the team in
preliminary contract meetings. These two plans or other similar plans will then be carried forward as an addendum to the
BIM contract language for the project. Just as the owner, architect, and contracting team must define critical deadlines,
goals, and methodologies, you need a road map for the BIM portion of a project as well (see Figure 2.6).
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Figure 2.5. BIM has multiple uses and stakeholders, so defining the rights and responsibilities are critical between team members
and model users.
Figure 2.6. Information and model exchange plans are established at the beginning of the project.
There are a number of legal questions arising from the use of BIM, which raise concerns as to a professional's exposure
when utilizing BIM. A question of particular concern is: who is held liable when inaccurate information is input into the
model?
This is particularly relevant to a process that involves any type of bidding. Depending on the type of contract, this topic is
not too much different from existing inaccurate or incomplete CAD derived data and is usually covered in the E and O
(errors and omissions) portion of the contract documents. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the licensed professional
to verify that accurate information is input into the model, just as CAD or line based documents. BIM is unique in that
those terms have yet to be clearly defined as to what information and level of detail (LOD) is expected from each team
member. The model coordination plan aims to clarify expected BIM deliverables along a project's milestones.
Additionally, it should also be outlined in the IE plan that it is the responsibility of the team to notify other players to
inaccurate model information, which helps in coordination. The creation of the "perfect model" in a project is often a
moving target as the design changes and shifts to accommodate this additional coordination. It is interesting that the
ability to add and coordinate documentation above and beyond what is currently accomplished brings to light additional
liability issues, when in reality the documentation is typically more accurate than before. In part, this is due to the
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relatively little amount of litigious information about BIM, which ironically somewhat hinders the development of the
language associated with better technology, process, and information sharing.
Another question often asked is: who owns the model? This question requires entirely different thinking because the
answer should be that no one does. If the library has all of the information you need to efficiently share and borrow
information, then the actual ownership of the library becomes somewhat of a non-issue (provided the user has some
means of access to the library). This is not to say that there is no need for a gatekeeper or model content manger; the
reality is that the need for this person is paramount when dealing with a composite modeling strategy. Current contracts
give the model manager role to the architect. However, this might not always be the best solution, as architects may be
new to the use of BIM and have more experienced teammates who would better manage this coordination. Additionally,
some projects may have a certain focus where a structural engineer has the majority of input and wants to shoulder the
bulk of the coordination, such as a bridge project. Lastly an owner might provide their own model coordinator or require
the contractor to be the model coordinator on projects that require complex phasing or construction methods. Although
the answer to the model sharing solution does not have a standard answer, it does offer flexibility for the team and
positions the responsibilities of a project to be most effective (see Figure 2.7). The need for this plan to be clear at the
beginning is critical to its success.
Figure 2.7. The model coordination plan is relevant to the information being input into the model and the information exchange
plan is relevant to the exchange of information between team members.
2.3.1. Information Exchange (IE) Plan
The following is a preliminary draft of the IE plan for different members of the project team:
Architect's IE Responsibilities
• Responsible for communicating the design intent of the structure through documentation (both real and virtual) in
agreed upon manner (FTP site, Newforma file transfer, DVD) to the team.
• Responsible for coordinating information regarding life safety, code compliance, and accessibility issues
• Responsible for issuing BIM information and documentation to MEP, structural and civil engineers, and other
consultants throughout the design process at agreed upon project milestones.
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• Responsible for tracking the date, time, and people to whom the design documentation was transferred; includes
FTP site uploads for consultants and engineers
• Responsible for model coordination and model ownership through the design phase and 100 percent construction
documentation milestone of the project
• Responsible for owner-client (facility model) BIM through the design phase and 100 percent construction
documentation milestone of the project
• Responsible for submitting responses to RFIs in a digital format (PDF, DWG, .RVT) in tandem with or in place of
paper submittals
• Responsible for submitting punch list and project closeout document in agreed upon format (PDF or Vela System)
for owner's, architect's, and contractors' use
• Responsible for submitting all construction documentation, specification, warranty, BIM, and other design
information in agreed upon digital format at project closeout
Contractor's IE Responsibilities
• Responsible for reviewing the architect's design intent model and assigning a budget to the BIM using the agreed
upon software (Innovaya, Constructware, Vico Estimator)
• Responsible for maintaining and layering information onto the singular model as defined and agreed upon (URL
data, unused data fields for coordination, embedded worksets, sequencing and date information, assembly code
estimate linking, specification information, and custom fields if not provided)
• Responsible for creating and maintaining sequencing animation throughout the project, beginning at 100 percent
schematic design submittal
• Responsible for clash detection reporting on a biweekly basis beginning at 50 percent design development
submittal; creates and maintains a clash resolution report from design development through project closeout
• Responsible for digital RFI issuance and utilization of the agreed upon software and transmittal system (Prolog,
Adobe, NavisWorks)
• Responsible for creating the as-built or record BIM from the beginning of construction to the completion of the
project and delivery to the owner and architect as agreed upon; includes all as-built and site alterations and changes
Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Structural Engineers' IE Responsibilities
• Responsible for the 3D creation of the systems in the design team's preferred software per the requirements set
forth by the model coordination plan and exported in the agreed upon format (DWF, 3D CAD, IFC or other) to the
contractor to be used in the clash detection process
• Responsible for accurately updating the project team on model changes
• Responsible for making recommendations to the design team on performance and manufacturing efficiencies in
their respective system designs
• Responsible for making alterations to the design model after a clash has been reported within one week of the report
being issued
• Responsible for submitting the completed clash report to the contractor in tandem with completing the model
alteration
• Responsible for delivering all 3D documentation to the contractor at project closeout for the creation of a record
BIM
Although these are some simple draft examples of what the IE responsibility matrix should contain, it's a good start in
working toward your project-specific plan. This responsibility matrix typically will be completed by the architect and
construction manager, because these two parties will be responsible for the majority of information sharing and
management. The engineers and subcontractors on the team should then review this document with regard to their
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respective scopes of work. If the delivery method does not permit some of the relevant parties to participate early in the
process, be sure that these members are acutely aware of the responsibilities associated with working on the project team
as early as possible. Integrating the technology and goals in the RFQ as part of the project deliverables further defines to
the rest of the team members what technology will be used and for what purposes. Communicating early and choosing the
right partners from the start of a project lays a strong base to build upon and limits confusion in the project.
2.3.2. Model Coordination Plan
Although the IE plan responsibility matrix defines responsibilities for the larger tasks, the team should also develop a
Model Coordination Plan, sometimes called the BIM protocol document or the BIM guide. This document spells out who
is responsible for the development and analysis of the model at what point in the project's progress and to an acceptable
level of detail. In some projects, the design team might have management privileges of the model throughout the entire
process. In others, the design team might hand the model off to the construction manager to update the model as the
project is being constructed so the construction manager can verify changes and on-site design alterations, as in the
earlier IE plan example. This is also common when the project calls for a completed record BIM to be delivered to the
owner at the end of a project; it streamlines the work that the architect must do during construction. In other projects, the
owner's representative might maintain the model and track the transfer and compilation of data through a virtual
construction manager. This position was unheard of a decade ago, but it is becoming more and more popular as a project's
size and complexity increase and timelines continue to become tighter and more sophisticated. In all of these options,
there must be a clear means of transferring the data at critical timelines and an understanding of who will be responsible
for analyzing that information along the construction process. This is the purpose for the Model Coordination Plan.
A Model Coordination Plan spells out which team member is responsible for which portions of the model throughout a
project. In the past, projects have lacked sufficient information sharing because one or two members on a project team
had proprietary information in the model prior to transferring. Although it's a great idea for firms to develop these
libraries of assembly and component information to improve internal efficiency, doing so should not inhibit the progress
of the project and become more of a liability to the team than a resource. The information in a BIM project is different
from a CAD project, because BIM information is intended to be routinely shared among team members. If required, a
nondisclosure document may be signed at the beginning of a project if a certain organization is worried about transferring
legacy information.
Typically, Model Coordination Plans begin at the onset of a project and defines in detail the model responsibilities from
start to finish. Table 2.1 is an example of a draft model coordination plan for schematic design.
Table 2.1. Schematic Design Model Coordination Draft Plan
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The Model Coordination Plan should break out timelines and milestones, specific portions of the model, who is
responsible, control type, special conditions, type of software and project file type, and comments, at a minimum. Often
there is a need for further information and category breakdown, especially on complex projects with multiple phases or
existing conditions or where level of detail must be defined. The Model Coordination Plan supplements the information
exchange plan as a detailed outline for information being built into the model and as a tool for coordination among the
team members. It is impossible to address all the conditions that arise through the development of the project. However,
the model plan aims to make it easier to determine who is responsible for certain elements that come up, as opposed to
not having a plan at all. Ultimately, the plan should be organic—developed, updated, and submitted before the completion
of any project milestones. This maintains a clear picture of responsibility and eliminates much of the confusion that can
occur with the development of the BIM.
Both of these plans are critical to drawing boundaries and defining relationships in a successful project. However, these
plans must allow for flexibility; they have to account for changes and for different team members needing differing levels
of access to information throughout a project. For instance, the level of access that a structural engineer might need in
schematic design or initial concept development might be different than anticipated. Therefore, the responsibility level
might need to shift during the construction document or implementation documentation stage. Buildings and structures
come together organically. No continuous level of detail exists for each stage of a project for each team member. For
example, a change in the design from a punched window facade to four stories of curtain wall will require the mechanical
engineer to redesign the mechanical systems to work with the new concept. This additional work puts any deliverable for
the mechanical design behind where it would be if the engineer were proceeding with the original layout. For this reason,
the level of detail isn't as critical as that team members provide the information needed in time to further the entire
design.
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2.4. DIGITAL INFORMATION TRANSFER STANDARDS
Transferring data among team members can be a time-consuming process. In the past, architects have transferred data to
the contractor by means of printing CAD files or other 2D drawing information into a PDF or other noneditable format
and then mailing CDs, posting to a firm FTP site, couriering DVDs, or attaching ZIP files to email. This followed
converting the native file format and limiting any input from other team members into the native file. Until recent years,
many projects were architect-led, and the architect dispersed the data to the relevant parties. But more recently, some
projects are contractor-led, and the contractors are running more sophisticated technology than the architect's software.
Although this is not always the case, it is definitely an interesting turn of events in that both professions are realizing the
value of information-rich data and are demonstrating this belief by investing in BIM software. With collaboration and
integration in mind, many companies are now seeing the value in creating information sharing standards before
construction. (See Figure 2.8) This concept is different from past models in that the goal is not at any point to "lock" or
"freeze" data prior to distribution. The freezing of data occurs, for example, when a sheet is plotted or is converted to
another read-only format. BIM involves linking multiple models, testing them, and then further coordinating the virtual
construction. Because there are so many stakeholders and so many model changes and updates, an archiving strategy
must be developed. Archiving is useful for many reasons, such as when certain project milestones must be looked at to
gain an understanding of completion, or with previous design changes, or to follow the cost estimate history. Additionally,
this is needed in a BIM-focused project not only for milestone reviews but also as a means of backing up previous data or
design options.
Figure 2.8. Project transfer standards need to be complete at the time of contract negotiation.
BIM projects are only as useful as the last model update. If the project is to be a BIM project, the project needs to stay in
BIM models. Architects and engineers new to BIM might be tempted to export the model to CAD at the end of a project. If
the model is exported to a CAD drawing format and the BIM technology is abandoned, the file loses the intelligence and
the advantages of using BIM software to begin with.
There are two schools of thought on using BIM:
• Creating a parallel BIM model for use by individual professionals
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• Using a composite BIM model for all disciplines
2.4.1. Parallel BIM
The idea of parallel BIM model is to create a separate model for use by contractors based on the information provided by
the architects and engineers. Although this helps ensure that the model will be useful and specific to the contractor's
needs, there is a liability that the model may not be an exact reflection of the architect's and engineers' models; there may
also be a conflict with the architect's and engineers' contractual responsibility for communicating the design intent for the
project. Allowing the contractor to create the model independently from the design team increases the risk on a project.
The architect's design intent can become decoupled from the contractor's model as the contractor continues to edit it. But
the architect is responsible for the design and life safety of the project, as are the engineers who sign and stamp their
designs. In this redundant modeling strategy, contractors expose themselves to litigation by creating a model that might
differ from what was designed by the architects and engineers.
Some construction management companies promote parallel modeling as a best practice in dealing with collaborative
BIM projects; they miss an opportunity in working together with a project team, and they fail to look at solutions in the
software. There are ways to embed, extract, and analyze information in BIM without creating an additional model. Some
special cases exist where a temporary parallel model is a necessity, but overall the industry is moving toward an open,
usable tool as software becomes more sophisticated. The practice of creating silos of information that are independent
and separate from each other will continue to diminish.
2.4.2. Single BIM
The second method of BIM is maintaining a composite BIM model. Although this method requires an advanced
understanding of BIM software programs and relationships, it is truly where BIM shines. This book explores new means
of transferring data in a manner that supports the case for a single model.
Understand that singular modeling is not necessarily everyone working on the same model at the same time; instead, it
lets users work on their own models and link or import the models together to create a "composite" model. Users from
around the world or in the same room create and build BIMs, which can then be linked into a single model for estimating,
clash detection, sequencing, and other analysis. The two software programs that this book uses to accomplish this are
Autodesk Revit and Autodesk NavisWorks.
2.4.3. Team Communication
Using either a parallel or composite modeling approach, a project team must establish a means of transferring
information. This is the basic purpose of a number of tools. These tools can include an FTP site, software that integrates
and tracks file transfers such as Newforma, or an extranet. As more tools are made available in the industry every day, a
general understanding of how to transfer files is good to have when creating a standard.
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2.4.3.1. FTP
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a means of transferring data directly from a server to a user who has access to it. This is
available for any Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and works across different operating systems.
These are some of the advantages to using FTP with project team members:
Ease of use
Users copy from their hard drive and paste onto shared server space
Centrally located information
Information is contained in one place and available for access and review at any time.
Minimal software required
An Internet connection and a browser are usually all that is required.
These are some of the disadvantages:
No tracking capabilities in place
Users can't verify whether a file was successfully downloaded by other users or by whom it was downloaded
Security maintenance
Keeping track of which users have access to which data can be cumbersome, and password sharing limits
security.
Manual archiving
Archiving consists of taking older files and creating archives of them, typically in dated folders, for any future
use.
Many firms use FTP; overall, it has proven itself an adequate, though time-intensive, means of transferring data.
2.4.3.2. Newforma
A software product that shortens the time it takes to post and transfer model data is Newforma (www.newforma.com
(http://www.newforma.com)). Newforma is a client-server system with tracking and information management capabilities. This
robust tool uses Microsoft Outlook to send files and tracks information that is missing in an FTP-only system.
These are some advantages to using a Newforma system:
Controllability of file transfers
Newforma lets users decide who should get relevant information as opposed to sending all data to the whole
team
Tracking file transfers
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Newforma tracks the date and time and whether the file was successfully downloaded for the user, creating a
log of this information for the user.
Searchable content
Users can search for data sets distributed in the past, and they can generate additional required copies, using
the archive feature, which creates and stores all files sent for a project.
These are some of the disadvantages:
Expense of software
Although the system is robust, users pay for it
Learning curve
Using new software and installation can take time.
Newforma is a robust tool that focuses specifically on the AEC industry. The company has begun to look at integrating its
software for use with BIM projects (www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/1019/1019rc_face.cfm
(http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/1019/1019rc_face.cfm)).
2.4.3.3. Extranet
Lastly, an extranet is a private network that focuses on business-to-business data transfer without access from the public
on the Internet. As bandwidth increases and more and more data is stored on web servers, an extranet might be a tool to
consider.
Using an extranet provides these advantages:
Security and privacy
Through the use of firewalls, digital certificates, and encryption, it offers a high level of security
Exchange of large volumes of data
Using electronic data interchange (EDI), large amounts of data can be accessed and downloaded quickly.
Usefulness for larger groups
Extranets allow large numbers of users to access private information relevant to a project team.
Here are some disadvantages:
Expense
Hosting and maintaining an extranet internally can be costly
Access to all data
Instead of specific access, generally extranets provide users with access to all data within the extranet.
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Working Directly Across The Internet – Or In The Same Room
As technology and software develop, users may be able to directly link to a single model and work through the
Internet. In the meantime, the options described here are useful for transferring information among team
members virtually. Another solution is to have all team members work from the same room on the same
network to compensate for data transfer rates. This introduces a level of efficiency that would not be possible
in a virtual sharing environment.
Developing the project standard begins during contract negotiation. The team then agrees upon a method of transferring
data for the project. This involves posting the data, letting relevant users know about the post, and archiving past data.
The information should be easily accessible for all parties from subcontractors to owners, and the process of transferring
this data should remain simple. Whichever system is agreed upon by the project team, it is a best practice to include this
in the model coordination plan.
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2.5. ESTIMATING
Extracting quantities, areas, and volumes from a model is one of the most useful functions BIM technology offers. The
following tutorial uses a Revit model and shows how to use Innovaya's estimating tool to extract quantities from the
model and then tie them to a Timberline estimate. Other software combinations are also available, such as Vico Software
and Beck Technology's DProfiler, with which you can accomplish similar tasks.
Estimating takes place during preconstruction (see Figure 2.9). The procedure that follows shows how to complete
updates. This example assumes that all you have received is a business development model that is in its infancy. You start
by gathering square footage data and then begin to link model objects with Innovaya for future updating.
The examples in this book progress in level of detail and become more advanced, simulating an actual construction
project. This lets you use the tools as you might encounter them in the course of a typical construction project.
Figure 2.9. Project estimating continues from schematic design to construction.
2.5.1. Revit
Autodesk Revit (www.revit.com (http://www.revit.com)) is a BIM software modeling program that allows you to design with
parametric modeling and drafting elements. In other words, the model is interconnected; a change in one place
propagates changes throughout the model. For instance, if a wall is moved 3 feet in plan, that wall now moves in elevation,
section, perspective, and all other relative views. The concept of a single database file that can be shared among multiple
users is unique to BIM and separates it from isolated CAD drawings. When a CAD drawing changes, all relevant views
must be altered to maintain document accuracy. Revit is not the only BIM software available. ArchiCAD, Bentley, and
VectorWorks, among others, all offer BIM modeling packages, which all accomplish approximately the same tasks. A good
reference to compare these different pieces of software is the BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling
for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors by Chuck Eastman, Kathleen Liston, Rafael Sacks, and Paul
Teicholz (Wiley, 2008), which does a comprehensive job of showing what programs are available and for what purposes.
By contrast, the book you hold in your hands features tutorials and walk-throughs using some of these programs. (It's
beyond the scope of this book to offer tutorials on all the BIM software packages available.)
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The first file you'll use is examplecoreshell.rvt. This file, and all of the other tutorial files used in this book, can be
found on the website: www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction (http://www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction). This is a business
development model that reflects a schematic concept, where the architect might have established the basic building
program and for which the structural engineer has begun sizing structural members for floor-to-ceiling height reference
and initial coordination. When you examine the model in Revit, notice that no mechanical, plumbing, or electrical
information is associated with this model; it is merely a schematic design with which the engineers might begin their
calculations. You will start by tackling an initial estimate for the core and shell model.
Opening the Model
1. Open Autodesk Revit 2009 (see Figure 2.10), and choose File > Open.
2. Navigate to your CD drive, and open examplecoreshell.rvt (or download it from the book's companion web
page, www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction (http://www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction)).
3. Once Revit has loaded the file, click the View tab, and specify 3D view or click the 3D button at the top of the Revit
toolbar (see Figure 2.11).
Figure 2.10. Revit user interface
Figure 2.11. Revit 3D view control
options.

4. With the 3D view open, you can move around and position the model for viewing and for enhanced understanding
of the model, giving you a better understanding of the scope of the model and showing you any potentially
incomplete components around the structure.
To orbit around the model, click any component in the model and then hold the Shift key and the middle mouse
wheel button down to orbit around the selection. This is the easiest way to orbit. To pan in Revit, hold just the
middle mouse wheel down and move the mouse. Scrolling the wheel zooms in and out of the 3D view.
5. Click View > Visibility/Graphics to isolate components. Alternatively, type VG.
Once you have explored the sample structure enough to have a basic understanding about what is being estimated, you
can export the model into an Innovaya (INV) file.
Which Way Is It Going?
Bidirectional model linking is different from model exporting. Model exporting is when BIM information is
taken out of its native file format and made available for another program to use. Although the model is
providing the information, once the model is exported, there is no way to input information into the new
format and then update the model. With bidirectional linking, the information can flow and expand between
the software tools.
Adding and compiling information in multiple programs as the model is being developed is the most effective
means of taking off model components and updating them throughout the course of the project. This is also a
goal of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) National Building Information Modeling Standard
(NBIMS) and the International Alliance for Interoperability. BIM shouldn't be limited by proprietary
software; compliance with industry standards can maximize flexibility and productivity in the future.
2.5.2. Innovaya Composer
Innovaya Composer (www.innovaya.com (http://www.innovaya.com)) is a model-linking Revit plug-in tool that converts an RVT
file to an INV file. In essence, it converts all the BIM components into a file format that is easy to view as estimate-related
data and quantity information. Innovaya Composer creates a link in the chain from Revit through Innovaya to Timberline.
options.

In Revit, choose Tools > External Tools > Innovaya Composer for Revit (see Figure 2.12).
Figure 2.12. Exporting to Innovaya
This opens the Innovaya Composer for Revit dialog box (see Figure 2.13).
options.

Figure 2.13. Innovaya Composer for Revit dialog box
The dialog box has three tabs: Export to INV, Assemblies, and Tools. The Export to INV tab includes the Building Sections
group with the following four options:
• Use Revit Phases
• Use Revit File Names
• Use Uniformat Titles
• Use Revit Assembly Codes
These options specify how you want the components in the model to be categorized. The order of appearance will depend
on how you specify the data to be compiled. For this exercise, select Use Revit Phases. At other times, you may prefer Use
Revit File Names or Use Uniformat Titles. The Use Revit Assembly Codes option is rarely used, because it categorizes the
components into assemblies as defined by the Revit software and isn't typically the best tool to use for interoperability.
The Options group allows you to select one or more of the following preferences:
Enable Revit 4D Phases
This enables sequencing videos completed in Innovaya's Visual 4D Simulation to be exported. These videos
animate the model components tied to a phase in the Innovaya software. For the sequencing video in the
example, I will use NavisWorks
Include Empty Levels
This function lets the estimator assign a cost to a particular level as a line item in Innovaya.
Include Revit Rooms
This function lets the estimator break out the rooms into room types to be assigned a cost as a line item.
Add Wall Properties to Doors/Windows
options.

Selecting this box adds the area, volume, and other characteristics typically associated with a wall to door and
window information.
Replace Special Characters by "—"
This allows you to replace any special characters.
Multi-color Curtain Panels
This enhances the view of curtain panels.
The Phases area lists the current project phases. You can check all or only new or different phases, as needed, for export.
The Combine Family and Type Name area lets the estimator select the family and type names to combine so there is only a
type name in the Innovaya file.
The dialog box has these additional controls:
Path
This shows the full path where the INV file is to be saved
Name
This allows you to create a name for the INV file.
Linear Unit
This allows you to choose the linear unit setting for the file.
Area Unit
This allows you to choose the area unit setting for the file.
Volume Unit
This allows you to choose the volume unit settings for the file.
One of the great features of Innovaya is that you can merge multiple models into a single file. This is effective when one
portion of a design has been completed and one is still in development.
Next you'll export the model using the default settings.
Exporting an Innovaya File
1. Click Start at the bottom right of the Composer window. This opens the Specify an INV File dialog box.
2. Specify where you want to save the file. Typically, it is best to assign a date and keep all the INV files in one folder
for future use.
3. Click Save. You should see a message that your export was successful (see Figure 2.14).
You can use Innovaya Composer to merge multiple Revit model files into one INV file.
options.

Merging Multiple Revit Models into an Innovaya File
1. Open an existing INV file that contains previously exported Revit models by clicking the Open button.
3. Specify a new location where you want to save the file.
4. Click Save. You should see a message that your export was successful.
Figure 2.14. Successful export message
With Innovaya Composer, you can also synchronize design changes between two editions of a Revit model.
Synchronizing Design Changes in a Revit Model with an Innovaya File
1. Open an existing INV file that contains previously exported Revit models by clicking the Open button.
3. Keep the save location unchanged.
4. Click Save. You should see a message that your export was successful.
2.5.3. Innovaya
Innovaya Visual Estimating (Timberline) is not a modeling platform; rather it is a way of displaying model types and
elements and assigning costs to them. Figure 2.15 is the introductory Innovaya screen.
Innovaya Visual Estimating acts as a connector between BIM software (Autodesk Revit) and estimating software
(Timberline and MC2). Using BIM elements with assembly codes, Innovaya sorts the elements and compiles their
information into managed quantities (MQs). These are different ways of grouping components into levels, types, phases,
and so forth. One of Innovaya's biggest strengths is its ability to maintain sticky memory for model objects that have been
linked, or pathed, to Timberline assembly costs. This vastly improves the takeoff process when compared to taking off the
building again and again as the model and design changes using On-Screen Takeoff or a digitizer. Typically, the accuracy
is better as well, but as in most things in a BIM project, the takeoff is only as accurate as the model. Incorrectly modeled
elements will be taken off as modeled. For example, walls that are modeled to the bottom of deck, but are only 8′ 0″ high
with kickers will be reflected inaccurately in the estimate. Keep in mind that the software is only relaying the information
in the BIM. This is why it is critical to input information as accurately as possible when creating the model.
options.

Figure 2.15. Innovaya user interface
Exploring the Innovaya Interface
1. Launch Innovaya Visual Estimating (Timberline).
2. Click Start > Open Project, as shown in Figure 2.16. Innovaya should default to the location you last exported a file
to. If not, specify the file you exported.
The Component Types pane at the top right is now populated; it shows that walls, doors, and windows are loaded
into the file. The Building Sections pane has Existing and New Construction tabs; if there are multiple phases to be
estimated, it is usually best, for clarity, to export only the relevant phase or to isolate the phase in the INV file.
Figure 2.16. Opening a project in Innovaya
options.

3. Maximize the New Construction window at the top left. The sections are divided into levels. Note that the
zzzUnassigned category helps you verify the completeness of the takeoff, because it lists components that do not yet
have a cost assigned.
Estimating the Blob
One of the great values of BIM estimating is the ability to assign a cost to every item in the model. By
isolating the items that don't have costs assigned to them, you can make sure your estimate contains all
the items in the current BIM. So, what do you do when you can't figure out what the item you're
estimating is?
This happened to me on one of the first projects I estimated. I kept isolating the unassigned items
(zzzUnassigned category in Innovaya), and I kept getting what looked like a giant blob in my model. At
first I thought it was just a software error, and then I found out that the blob was an actual object that
someone had taken the time to model.
I brought up the blob in our next progress meeting only to find out that one of the younger interns on
the architectural team had modeled a representation of the sculpture that was to occupy the lobby space.
At first we laughed about it. Then we found out that the base of the sculpture was in the base building
scope and that we needed to budget for the material and construction of the base. So, it ended up being
a good thing he had modeled it!
Figure 2.17. Walk and Examine tools in Innovaya
4. In the middle of the Innovaya window (see Figure 2.17), select the Walk option.
5. With the Walk option selected, note the two icons just to the right of the Examine option:
Walk
The first icon maintains a uniform perspective height. Click and hold the left mouse button and move the
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Pan
The second icon lets you pan the view around and look up and down to better understand ceiling and floor
elements.
6. With the Examine option selected, you can change the perspective height and angle. Note the three icons to the
right: Spin, Roll, and Pan. These are self-explanatory. Click and hold the middle mouse wheel button to manipulate
the model in any of these modes. This may take some getting used to, because these controls differ from those in
Revit.
Explore the other controls in the Innovaya window at your convenience. Keep in mind that some buttons are toggles that
you click once to activate a mode and again to exit that mode.
Innovaya lets you specify what items you want to see in your estimate through managed quantities. You can specify MQs
on the Quantities tab. There are multiple options for generating, saving, and managing these quantities. However, just
because you can see the items in the view doesn't necessarily mean the items are in the MQ.
The user uniquely specifies MQs; they allow the estimator to take off different arrangements of quantities without having
to save multiple files.
Generating Managed Quantities
1. Select Quantities > Batch Generate (see Figure 2.18). Batch Generate is a tool that generates an MQ file for
quantities in the model. The default is all the items in the BIM; however, it is possible to specify categories such as
walls, ceilings, and doors and then generate quantities for those items.
This opens a dialog box (see Figure 2.19) that allows you either to create an MQ file for all the items in the BIM
(default) or to specify a group of items that you would like to take off.
Figure 2.18. Using the Batch Generate function
options.

Figure 2.19. Batch Generate Managed Quantities (MQ) dialog box
2. Use the default settings, and export all the items in the model. To do this, verify that all the items in the Component
Types pane are selected, and then click the Generate button.
At the bottom left of the main Innovaya window is now the Managed Quantities pane, listing the items you selected.
You can sort the items by building section or by component type by clicking the corresponding button. For example,
if you are estimating a large high-rise condominium project, you may want to see a breakdown of the items in the
model by floor. So, you would sort by building sections. On the other hand, if you are working on an estimate with a
subcontractor who is interested only in the amount of gypsum board in the project, then you would be better off
sorting by component types.
3. Select Quantities > Export to Excel (see Figure 2.20) to quickly export an estimate of items in the BIM to Microsoft
Excel. This is not a linked file, and it is not a best-practice method of takeoff, but it is useful in quickly finding
quantities of materials in the BIM.
options.

Figure 2.20. Exporting to Excel from Innovaya
4. In the Export Excel dialog box, specify the number of digits after the decimal (usually two) as well as the options to
include the MQ name and MQ color. Then click OK.
This opens an Excel workbook (see Figure 2.21) that shows you square footage, width, height, level association, assembly
codes, counts, and so forth. Although this is a good way to quickly get an idea of quantities from the model, any updated
information will need to be sent through the entire process again. Costs still need to be assigned to these units. Typically
this type of estimate is most useful as a way of getting an idea of cost and scope more quickly than On-Screen Takeoff or a
digitizer during the concept or business development stage.
options.

Figure 2.21. Exported Innovaya BIM takeoff in Excel
Innovaya Functionality
Innovaya can work with an MC2 estimate. This is useful to those who are already more familiar with the MC2
recipe format. By manipulating schedules and quantity tables in Revit, you can understand the amounts of
materials in a given project. A company using Excel can format a standard set of schedules to copy into a Revit
model and then export using the File > Export > Schedule command with the relevant schedule in the active
window. This exports a delimited text file that can be opened in Excel.
2.5.4. Timberline
Next, link your model to a Timberline estimate, which is linked to a database.
Timberline estimating, from Sage Software, is a large database geared specifically toward estimators. The basic
functionality of Timberline is to enable users to automate their estimating processes. This is achieved through the use of a
database that houses assembly and model cost information. To clarify, these are not BIM assemblies but are similar in
concept, because they are bundles of line items for a particular building component. These bundles of cost data include
information such as material, cost, equipment, labor rates, and so on.
By compiling the data into a single item assembly, you can assign a cost to a metal stud wall, for example, associating
multiple line items to the wall so you can use that item assembly in the future without having to create the assembly again.
The assembly relates to the BIM in its linking to Innovaya by querying the components in the model. These are yes or no
questions related to assembly costs. For example, after you link a model component with an assembly cost, the software
asks, "Does the wall have blocking?" If you answer yes to this question, the estimate will enter the line item cost from the
database to the current estimate. If you answer no, then it is not included. Because both Timberline and Revit are based
on using assemblies to streamline their processes, it is a logical way of connecting estimate assemblies to model
assemblies.
Creating a New Estimate in Timberline Estimating
1. Open Timberline Estimating.
2. Create and save a new estimate.
options.

3. Close Timberline Estimating.
4. Proceed to the "Opening an Existing Estimate" steps.
Creating a New Estimate in Innovaya Visual Estimating
1. Select Timberline > New Estimate.
2. Proceed to the "Opening an Existing Estimate" steps.
Let's Talk Database
A preassembled database is available through Innovaya that contains a huge number of assembly mappings.
This can be a great tool for new Timberline users or for users who self-perform a large portion of their work. If
a large database is already in place in Timberline, experienced users can explore using existing assemblies and
relevant cost histories, rather than starting over, which can be a large undertaking.
Opening an Existing Estimate
1. In Innovaya Visual Estimating, select Timberline > Open Estimate (see Figure 2.22). Specify the estimate you just
created, and click Open.
At the top of the window you should see two additional items with parentheses around them. The first is the
database filename the estimate is linked to, and the second is the estimate name. Their presence here indicates that
the estimate has loaded correctly.
2. To begin linking items, ensure that your MQ file is open and loaded into the Innovaya workspace.
Figure 2.22. Creating a new estimate
Next, begin assigning costs. The Takeoff menu offers multiple ways to take off components from a BIM.
The first option is Assemblies/Items. Although your database might be configured a different way, the default database
shows the two methods of taking off assemblies—as MasterFormat divisions under the Items category or as Assemblies
options.

items. Other options such as Quick Takeoff and One-Time Takeoff are not linked to any model components. The way
Innovaya is set up allows users to assign cost line items to the estimate that aren't necessarily linked to a component.
These items can be one-time takeoff items such as Formwork Set Up and Tear Down, Site Electrical Set Up, and the like.
As in any construction estimate, there are costs associated with work that might not or cannot be modeled. There will
probably never be a model the construction manager receives from the architect that includes all the form work, rebar
layouts, and site excavation.
NOTE
Hint: Try to limit one-time assembly takeoffs. Link costs to assemblies as much as possible; this will make reloading and
updating much easier.
Assigning Costs
1. Click Sort by Component Types in the Managed Quantities pane, as shown in Figure 2.23.
Figure 2.23. Using Sort by Component Type to identify a BIM element
2. Expand the Level 1 listing and then the Walls category.
3. Click the first wall listed, 12 Concrete Foundation Wall.
The wall becomes visible in the Detailed 3D Object Viewer pane at the lower right of the main window. The wall is
also highlighted in the Dynamic 3D Model Viewer pane at the top center of the main window. Both of these views
help clarify what component of the building you are estimating.
4. Select Takeoff > Assembly Takeoff. The Assembly Takeoff dialog box opens, as shown in Figure 2.24.
2
options.

Figure 2.24. Innovaya's Assembly Takeoff dialog box
5. Now drag and drop the 12″ Concrete Foundation Wall item from the Managed Quantities pane to the MQ field at the
upper left of the Assembly Takeoff dialog box (see Figure 2.25).
Figure 2.25. Dragging and dropping quantities into the Assembly Takeoff dialog box
6. In the Timberline Assemblies window, assign a cost link to the 12″ Concrete Foundation Wall by clicking the 400
Walls category to expand it and then dragging and dropping the Concrete Wall category on top of the blank
Assembly pane (see Figure 2.26).
options.

Figure 2.26. Dragging and dropping Timberline assemblies to the Assembly Takeoff dialog box
The Assembly pane shows values for several variables, beginning with the quantity. These values are tied to all cost
assemblies. In the example shown, the selected wall from the Revit model (MQ pane) ties to the Timberline cost
assembly (400 Concrete Wall) on the right.
7. Drag and drop the length and height from the MQ pane onto the corresponding variables in the Assembly pane to
create a takeoff (see Figure 2.27). This specifies how you want to take off this wall; in this example, you are using use
square footage and leaving the rest of the variables at their default values. For components such as doors, you might
just drag and drop the count value.
Figure 2.27. Assembly pane after takeoff
8. At the lower right of the Assembly pane is the Pass box; it's the one with a green check mark in it with 0 showing to
its right. Click the green check mark to increase the number to 1. This field specifies how many times to add the
assembly to the model. Although the majority of the time you will add just one pass to the model, some unique
conditions might require multiple passes or counts to be assigned to an estimate.
9. Ensure that the Replace check box at the lower left of the Assembly pane is selected. This keeps you from
accidentally creating multiple line items for the same wall.
10. Click the Takeoff button at the bottom of the Assembly Takeoff dialog box to add the wall to the estimate.
The concrete wall has now been added to the Timberline estimate and should be visible in the Estimate pane (see Figure
2.28). In the Managed Quantities pane, a yellow dollar sign appears to the left of the wall you just added to the estimate.
This indicates that the component has been added to the estimate.You have 7 days left in your trial, Adrianbetana. Subscribe today. See pricing
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Figure 2.28. Wall added to estimate
Repeat the previous steps for the Int-S1A (4 ⅞″) wall, using the 436-Metal Framed Wall Interior Timberline assembly.
Add a pass, and then click the Takeoff button (see Figure 2.29).
Figure 2.29. Using the Takeoff tool
Using the Auto-Takeoff Function
1. Select Takeoff > Auto-Takeoff (see Figure 2.30).
The Auto-Takeoff function assigns the same cost models to all model components with the same name.
options.

Figure 2.30. Auto-Takeoff on the Takeoff menu
2. Accept the default settings in the Auto-Takeoff window, and click the Go button.
The Object Property List shows that a cost has been assigned to all the Int-S1A (4 ⅞″) wall components in the
model. The software keeps track of the model mapping as you continue to take off assemblies; after a model
component has been dragged in, it automatically populates the assembly pane. Remember that an item is not added
to the estimate until you add a pass and click the Takeoff button. This allows you to adjust for unique conditions,
such as when one component has the same name as another assembly but needs to be altered to meet special
conditions. For example, a soffit of the same wall type as Int-S1A (4 ⅞″) might have a unique cost because of its
location or shape.
3. Continue assigning costs and mapping components to the estimate for the walls, roofs, and floors.
Doors are taken off as quantity-related items instead of square foot calculations.
Taking Off Doors
1. Drag and drop the Single HM Frame Door 36″ × 84″ onto the MQ field.
2. Drag and drop the 448-Opening-Doors onto the Assembly field.
3. Drag and drop the Count to the Quantity field that contains a 1 (see Figure 2.31).
options.

Figure 2.31. Dragging and dropping quantities into the Assembly Takeoff window
This specifies that you want to take the item off by count. You can specify the height and width of the opening, the
type of door, and the hardware later, but the primary means of taking off this element will be the quantity.
4. To finish taking off the door, specify the type of door and height and width of the opening, at a minimum, and then
add a pass and click the Takeoff button.
5. Save both the INV file and the MQ file for use later in the book.
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1.2. EXISTING DELIVERY METHODS
So, why does BIM matter to contractors? To really understand the answer to this question, you need to first look at
current processes to see how information is shared, what types of technologies are being used, and what types of project
delivery methods are being used. Therefore, in the following sections, I'll introduce you to four current project delivery
methods: design-bid-build, design-build, CM-at-risk, and integrated project delivery. I'll talk about each method in the
context of five categories, specifically in regards to information and workflow:
• Preconstruction
• Communication and collaboration methods
• Types of documents
• Clarification of information
• Project closeout
The four methodologies discussed are practiced using CAD technology. Although the type of project delivery varies for the
purposes of this discussion, I will cover the most popular methods and how information flows within each of them. As
there are other types of delivery methods, these commonly practiced methods will begin to paint a picture of how
information is currently shared among teams and the last method will explore a potential future means of project delivery.
1.2.1. Design-Bid-Build
Design-bid-build is one of the most traditional types of delivery methods practiced today. The basic concept behind
design-bid-build is a linear process. The owner contracts with the architect to develop a program and then further
develops the design using mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers. After the design has been solidified, the project
moves into construction documentation, with the understanding that the design team will produce completed
construction documents for the project to be issued to a number of general contractors to bid on. The role of the general
contractor on this type of delivery is to take the documents and specifications and work with subcontractors to define
their relevant scope of work and deliver a bid for the project. Using these subcontractors' estimates, the general contractor
then compiles a completed bid. This bid is then delivered to the owner, and at this point all other bids on the project are
opened either privately or publicly depending on the project type. The owner then awards the general contractor the
project's contract based upon price to complete the project.
The design-bid-build delivery method has these problems:
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• If a contractor has been consulted to complete an estimate on the project during construction documentation, the
project may go over its scheduled delivery date because of additional drawing time due to value engineering.
• It assumes that cheaper is better. Although that assumption might be correct in regard to cost, it is not necessarily
accurate in regard to project quality or the ability of the contractor to adequately perform the work or collaborate
with the team.
• In a design-bid-build delivery it is the assumption that by promoting competition among general contractors the
best possible price will be issued.
• The owner is at risk to the contractor for design errors.
General contractors' bids on this type of project may vary wildly because of both internal and perceived external issues on
the project. First, if a general contractor is backlogged and has too much work on their plate, they might bid the project
higher. This contractor wants to complete the work they already have and justify the additional cost through staff
adjustment, overtime, and other overhead costs to complete the work. Second, the general contractor will gauge the
aptitude of the design team based on the documents. Because this is often the only means of collaboration with the design
team that the contractor will have during a bid process, aside from a pre-bid meeting, they will raise or lower their costs
depending on the detail and accuracy of the documents. Lastly, the contractor is at risk of not being selected. Typically
general contractors spend a considerable amount of time and money on producing a bid, and there is a high risk for not
being rewarded for that investment. Additionally, even if they are the low bidder on the project, the owner reserves the
right to not accept any of the bids regardless of the cost. This drives some contractors to work with owners under other
delivery methods that validate their investment of resources to receive a project.
In a design-bid-build contract (Figure 1.4), typically no information is shared in schematic design (SD) or design
development (DD) between the architect and contractor. Although a contractor might be involved with a design-bid-build
project as an owner's representative or in a design-assist capacity, often that contractor is involved purely for estimate
checking and cannot bid on the project, because they might have additional information that would be an advantage over
the other bidders and because their contract is for a predetermined fee separate from the construction contract. Since
little to no contractor involvement during preconstruction severely limits the design team's ability to make informed
design decisions, the design team is forced to issue "value engineering" options or "deduct" options to reduce the bid
amounts for the project.
Figure 1.4. Design-bid-build information flow
Design-bid-build is not all bad, in that it allows the architects and engineers some time to collaborate effectively and
produce relatively integrated documents. Design-bid-build also gives the owner control of the project, but requires a high
level of owner expertise and resources. In regard to BIM it is mostly ineffective. The design-bid-build delivery method
limits the ability for BIM to be used to its full potential as a coordination tool by the contractor. In regard to scheduling,
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clash detection, constructability, and estimating, the model is somewhat of an afterthought, because the drawings take
precedence and because the architects and engineers are under no obligation to even share the model—if it exists—with
the contractor. In reality, BIM is not useful in a design-bid-build with the exception of trying to use it to quickly extract
quantities for estimating purposes from a model of unknown quality. The attitude for model sharing is sometimes
tentative if language has not been worked into the contractual agreements, or other waivers have not been signed because
the architects and engineers don't want to legally expose themselves to misinterpretation of information any more than
they already do.
Depending on the type and schedule of the project, information is often not shared with the construction team until the
100 percent construction documentation (CD) phase. Drawings are distributed from the architect or local print shop, at
which point the contractor then takes either the sheet drawings or the digital PDF and CAD files and performs a takeoff.
The takeoff process, in the case of the sheet drawings, is done using document tracing software, manual takeoff, or on a
digitizer (Figure 1.5).
Figure 1.5. Using a digitizer to complete an estimate takeoff
A digitizer helps an estimator trace documents and quantify items such as walls, floors, and ceilings and counts the
number of doors, fixtures, and equipment, while also flipping through corresponding drawings to see whether the
drawings paint a clear picture of the design intent as communicated by the architects and engineers. This process is
disconnected in that it relies entirely on the ability of the estimator to correctly interpret drawings that are assumed to be
accurate. The problem with the digitizer method of takeoff is that the level of interpretation left to the person doing it is
great; often, a significant amount of misinterpreted data is input into the estimate. The other resource that is being
consumed in great quantity here is time. Especially on larger, more sophisticated projects where it is critical that data is
correct, this method takes a large amount of time and effort.
This method of delivery often requires numerous clarifications, which are ultimately the sole means of communicating
with the design team aside from site or prebid meetings. Although this method tracks the questions being asked and the
answers being issued, it is usually too cumbersome to navigate in a relatively short period of time to provide an effective
means of project communication. Often, the big issues are addressed, and smaller issues that aren't understood are
interpreted and assigned a contingency to be resolved later.
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1.2.1.3. Type of Documents
The typical documentation for design-bid-build is printed sheet drawings and specifications. The practice of providing the
contractor with a PDF, CAD, or image file has become more commonplace, and estimating programs such as On-Screen
Takeoff, SOFTakeoff, and Bluebeam can speed up this tracing process. Contractually, however, the design team is not
typically responsible for sharing digital files and often doesn't—to limit any involuntary editing or further possibility for
misinterpretation of information. Although the estimating software saves time, this system relies on the estimator to
quantify accurately all the building components in a set of drawings and assign prices and estimates to the labor,
equipment, and materials associated with that construction, using the architects' and engineers' design drawings for
accuracy. Although this is the typical responsibility of the estimator, the issue of time continues to come into play. The
reasons for this are that in a design-bid-build delivery, the architects and engineers have been working and coordinating
drawings for much longer than the contractor, who typically has only weeks to fully understand the site, systems,
construction, and reasoning behind the design before assigning a cost to the project. Although much of the project's
estimate basis might be determined by a square-foot cost and subcontractor input, there is a large margin for error
because of the lack of time to fully understand the project and all of its nuances.
Clarifications are formally issued and addressed in addendums that include supplemental drawings from the architect or
engineer, specification clarifications, and other directives. These clarifications are then distributed to all contractors
bidding on the project via email, fax, project website, distribution list or public notice. Additionally, these clarifications
must be tracked and audited as to when they were issued and that all bidding parties received the clarifications. Again, in
this type of delivery, the contractor and subcontractor have no input in the actual design and documentation process, with
the exception of clarification and supplemental drawing information and are ultimately responsible for checking with the
design team, owner or owner's representative to verify receiving any further updates.
Once the contractor has created an estimate for the project, the contractor's bid is based on the information provided by
the design team and often carries a contingency to allow for information missing from the documents that is later resolved
in the field. In this type of project, CAD drawing information is to be built as drawn by the architect and engineer. Because
of a lack of flexibility, this process leaves little room for adjustment during construction, which may lead to an adversarial
relationship between the designers and the contractors performing the work. The reason for change orders often involves
the contractor's requirement to construct something that may be considered unbuildable as drawn. Another reason is that
the contractor might have means of building something more efficiently than what was drawn by using new technologies,
past experiences or new tools that the design team wasn't aware of when they were creating the documents. While this
change may equal a price deduct, a change order will need to be issued to address this change. This lack of flexibility may
equal additional costs when local jurisdictions having authority (JHA), standards and governing building codes require a
certain type of construction that the contractor may have been aware of and that the design team might not have been. As
the drawings and specifications in the design-bid-build method are the sole means of communicating exactly what is to be
built, when situations arise that weren't thought about in the design and documentation phase, the contractor issues a
change order. This is because every item that wasn't assigned a cost in the initial construction documents is considered "in
addition" to original project scope and leads to extra costs. That said, incorrect documentation and lack of collaboration
equal more costs, change orders, and inefficiencies in this delivery method.
At the end of a design-bid-build project, the CAD files, shop drawings, specifications, RFIs, and change orders are
compiled into a binder and submitted with a operations and maintenance (O&M) manual. These documents are
submitted to the building owner after the final walkthrough and the completion of construction work under contract. This
usually marks the end of the responsibilities for the contractor.
Often the O&M information turned over to the facility manager is an inadequately organized mixture of disconnected
information. The facility manager is then tasked with inputting additional information or layers of relevant information
over this compilation of disconnected data. This information includes tasks such as work orders and maintenance
requests, move orders, associate locations, telephone extensions, equipment warranty information, emergency exit
strategies, and any site-specific facility information such as laboratory clean rooms, hospital head walls, sensitive
government data, and so on. The CAD files delivered to an owner are usually unreferenced or part of the architecture
firm's legacy information, which might involve customized plug-ins, applications, and routines that are unable to be
opened by the new facility manager.
This delivery method can drive a wedge between architect and contractor, especially if the construction documents aren't
precise enough to cover work included in the contractor's contingency. This delivery is a perfect example of an old way of
thinking, using a rigid system of information management and sharing, where the main focus is to avoid litigation. The
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architect is responsible for documenting all work to be completed on the project. Total documentation, especially through
CAD, is nearly impossible in any project, and too often time is spent drafting details and views to prevent
misinterpretation, as opposed to staying focused on the design and the owner's desires and requirements for the project.
BIM in this model can be used little, aside from efficiencies realized by the engineers and architects using it to better
coordinate their design documents and some use by the contractor for quantity extraction. Additionally this method
promotes the separate creation of a construction BIM used in the field, which is developed by the general contractor
separate from any construction documents and holding no design professional's sign or stamp. This in turn creates
additional liability, which will be discussed in detail later.
1.2.2. Design-Build
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) says this about the design-build method of delivery:
The design-build form of project delivery is a system of contracting whereby one entity performs both
architectural/engineering and construction under one single contract. Under this arrangement, the design-builder
warrants to the contracting agency that it will produce design documents that are complete and free from error (design-
builder takes the risk). The selection process under design-build contracting can be in the form of a negotiated process
involving one or more contracts, or a competitive process based on some combination of price, duration, and proposer
qualifications. Portions of the overall design or construction work can be performed by the design-build entity or
subcontracted out to other companies that may or may not be part of the design-build team.
—An Introduction to Design-Build (Design-Build Institute of America, 1994)
Many envision design-build as the BIM solution. Design-build delivery is much more integrated than design-bid-build
and with the introduction of a design assist agreement, can create a strong foundation for collaborative practice. The
design-assist agreement dovetails into a typical design-build contract and allows for the contracting team to have early
involvement in a project, with a concession for the potential to recapture the fee when the design portion ends, if not
selected for the project.
Although the DBIA holds no specific BIM contracts currently, it does strongly promote the early formation and
collaboration of project teams. This might change as more owners, and specifically those who most often utilize the
design-build form of agreement, demand BIM. Ultimately, the framework of design-build is structured to facilitate the use
of BIM. However, some of the typical project deliverable timelines will need to be shifted to facilitate creating BIM
documentation as opposed to CAD documentation to facilitate the new resources and tools available to construction
managers to deliver a better project.
In design-build delivery, the contractor or architect is contracted as a single entity known as the design-builder or design-
build contractor. The purpose of this type of contract is to increase accountability and have a single source of project
delivery. In this type of system (Figure 1.6), the design-builder is responsible for streamlining the process by combining
the design, permit, and construction tasks. If the lead is the architect, the contract is for a "design-led design-build"
project. If the lead is the contractor, the contract is for a "contractor-led design-build" project. In either case, both parties
are under agreement to design and construct the owner's building in budget and on time.
The rising popularity of design-build shows it to be one of the more effective ways of delivering a project. However, there
can be inaccuracies and ambiguities in this process because the construction can happen in parallel with the completion of
the design documentation. The process is weak in design review because the design is still being completed as the project
is being constructed. Quality control tasks associated with the design team become secondary, because the primary goal
becomes completion of the project under a contractor-led agreement. The quality of design produced by the architect and
design team can suffer as well, because the contractor's responsibility of coordinating trades and schedules on a working
construction site becomes the driving factor for the project, not aesthetics.
Conversely, in an architect-led design-build project, there is the potential for the focus to become the aesthetic and design
elements of a project instead of the project schedule or other construction-related tasks. A fundamental issue with a
design-build project is that ultimately one project team member has seniority over the other by default. The fact is that
whether it is the contractor or the architect, by choosing one or the other, the project team is not all on a level playing
field, which can ultimately lead to project complications later. Design-build's efficiencies are in overlapping the design
phase with the construction phase to shorten schedule and reduce project costs. To efficiently use the design-build
delivery, you need a balance among the team members, built upon a schedule that enables the use of BIM processes.
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Remember that BIM is not necessarily a fast-track means of delivering a project. Rather, it is a technology that allows for
more coordination before the project is constructed due to streamlined documentation processes.
Figure 1.6. Design-build information flow
Information flow in this type of project delivery begins with the initial design produced by the architect, as presented to
the owner for review. This design is then used by the contractor to begin putting together an estimate and schedule for the
project. As many architects and contractors know, the first design is rarely the one chosen and built. So while the
contractor is assigning a cost to the first design proposal, the design is already outdated and incorrect; the architect is now
revising the design per the owner's design changes and contractor input. This continues throughout the project process,
because the architect is constantly trying to stay ahead of the contractor and the contractor is trying to catch up to the
architect's design drawings.
The construction documentation phase of a design-build process often begins with 50 percent of the construction
documents going to local code authorities to secure a permit. Construction planning and site development begin at this
point in anticipation of 100 percent of the drawings being finalized. The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers'
drawings, as well as the specifications, are submitted in tandem with these documents. Engineers in a design-build
contract are contracted directly with either the architect or the contractor and typically engage the design at the design
development level of the project and in some special cases during schematic design. The engineers then begin to create
their layouts, complete calculations, and size equipment based on the architect's design. The contractor then begins to
assign costs to the engineers' layouts as well as the architect's drawings, while simultaneously beginning construction on
the project. The construction of a building while design documents are being completed is unique to a design-build
process. For example, allowing for the construction of certain packages of work, such as concrete or steel, requires careful
coordination with the designers and engineers to make sure that as their designs are being completed they don't alter or
interfere with work already being done. Although this is an opportunity for BIM to shine in this type of delivery, it is also a
challenge to constantly update the composite BIM with new information from the architects and engineers.
1.2.2.3. Types of Documents
In a typical design-build project, documents include printed construction documents and specifications, CAD files, and
PDF files. In a design-build agreement, CAD and PDF files are readily shared, because the team is responsible for building
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the project together; as one benefits, so does the other. For this reason, the formality and rigor of document sharing are
reduced when compared to the design-bid-build means of delivery. Sometimes, because of the sensitive nature of a firm's
legacy data, the architect or engineer will require a media release or a nondisclosure agreement to be signed by the project
team. This is a means of protecting the firm's database of information from being shared with competition, either
intentionally or unintentionally. Many firms deal with company-specific digital information by printing the drawing
information into a hard copy or PDF and then deleting the native files from the shared documents in order to avoid any
issues.
The same agreement might be required if BIM is integrated into this type of delivery method and specifically if the general
contractor has an in-house design department but is working separately from that department on a project. A BIM type of
project documentation can be planned for and coordinated in a design-build process and should be introduced in the
initial contract negotiation meetings. Chapter 2 discusses how to build and integrate an information exchange (IE)
responsibility plan and a model coordination plan. Both of these, or similar documentation, should be required in a
design-build project if the intention is to use BIM in any fashion on a project.
Changes in this process are addressed with cost updates. The preliminary contracts usually provide for design alterations
and changes throughout the design and construction documentation process. Typically a point of no return takes place in
the project, after a final budget has been issued, when design alterations stop and further design changes result in
additional project cost or change orders in the field.
Conceptually, design-build aims to limit the exposure of uncoordinated items and, through collaboration, increase the
viability and accuracy of the project. Yet this process also relies heavily on the integrity of the contractor to deliver the
project within budget and schedule, which may be difficult because the quality and interpretation of design documents
leaves room for misinterpretation and assumption. Although not all design-build projects are fast-track or require
additional construction and design coordination, many times the project is similar in timeline and schedule to a design-
bid-build delivery, with the major exception that the project team is integrated. A rising perception within the industry is
that—just like cheaper isn't better in a design-bid-build project—faster isn't better in a design-build project. In actuality,
the more coordination and clarification that can be accomplished before a shovel ever touches dirt, the more potential
issues can be avoided later.
Many times in design-build the engineering team provides a performance specification. It is then left to the subcontractor
to design and build a system that meets these requirements. Many subcontractors are familiar with this and go about
designing and issuing shop drawings for engineering approval. Yet some companies have seen a unique opportunity.
Because they ultimately design the mechanical, electrical, or plumbing system and build it, there has been a rise in
companies integrating engineering in-house and offering both services. By streamlining internal processes between the
engineer and the fabrication shop, many of these companies are becoming more popular, specifically among more
integrated teams, because of the coordination they can offer.
At the completion of a project using design-build, the O&M manual is issued, along with hard copies of the building
drawings, shop drawings, field changes, specifications, change orders, and punch lists. This information is not in a
connected format and often is a hybrid of paper and digital documents, just as in other delivery methods. It then becomes
the responsibility of the facility manager to correlate this information into usable documentation.
BIM in design-build presents a unique opportunity by allowing facility managers to define early on what they expect to see
as a deliverable at closeout, not only the type of documentation but also the level of detail within the documentation. The
buzzword of digital O&M manuals pertains to the concept of embedding within BIM components relevant and specific
information. Information such as cut sheets, photos, shop drawings, pictures, and URLs can potentially be inserted or
linked to model components (see Chapter 7). Combined with a more integrated means of delivery, design-build offers
unique opportunities as a delivery method for BIM projects.
Design-build is the father of a true BIM process. It introduced the idea that a project team that collaboratively seeks to
complete a project can realize efficiencies and profits. Design-build delivery continues to be a good starting point for those
interested in beginning integration one step at a time, as well as a means of building a BIM process through hybrid
documentation.
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It is always important to consult with legal counsel prior to engaging in or using altered or untested contracts,
agreements, and plans. Although the examples in this book aim to further define what tasks are important in a BIM
process, you should always review all documentation with your legal counsel.
1.2.3. CM-at-Risk
CM-at-risk entails a commitment by the construction manager to deliver the project within a guaranteed maximum price
(GMP). The construction manager acts as consultant to the owner in the development and design phases (often referred
to as preconstruction services) but as the equivalent of a general contractor during the construction phase. When a
construction manager is bound to a GMP, the fundamental character of the relationship is changed. Not only does the
construction manager act in the owner's interest, but the construction manager must manage and control construction
costs to not exceed the GMP, which would be a reduction in fee and as a result a loss in profit.
One of the most important aspects of the survey results is the changing attitudes concerning construction delivery
methods. Quasi-public and government organizations predominantly use the design-bid-build method, but clearly, many
have tried other methods and most would consider either CM-at-risk or design-build to be the best-value alternatives.
Changing the delivery methods used, in the case of these organizations, will often require changing laws and politics, but
that is happening, too, because the public is best served when it gets the best value for its tax dollars. Privately held and
public companies continue to try a variety of delivery methods...but CM-at-risk will likely become the more dominant
delivery method for this group as long as the experience is positive.
—FMI/CMAA Sixth Annual Survey of Owners (FMI, 2005)
CM-at-risk delivery methods can be customized to a BIM process. CM-at-risk as a BIM process has two key ingredients.
The first is that there is a belief in the industry that a more integrated process equals a more profitable one (Figure 1.7).
The second ingredient is a perceived value in leveraging BIM technology with the team.
Figure 1.7. Perceived delivery method value
The flow of information in a CM-at-risk contract can provide an integrated service. By integration, I mean the ability for
the contractor and subcontractors to be involved with the project very early on and have input into the design and
documentation of a building. The CM-at-risk model puts the risk for delivering the project at the proposed GMP on the
contractor's shoulders and thereby gives the contractor a stake in the development of the project. What is valuable from
this type of delivery is having the contractor sitting at the same table as the design team.
During preconstruction, the CM's involvement is critical to the success of this type of project delivery. The contractor can
continually inform the design team of cost based on the current documentation. Using a design-to-budget approach, the
contractor removes the value engineering period associated with project delivery methods that typically come in over
budget. Value engineering is the belief that by allowing time for the design team to redesign a project to attempt to reduce
cost, the changes made will save the project money. This concept is flawed; as a process, it indicates only that proper
estimating procedures were not in place prior to the design being completed. Although this process is prevalent in design-
bid-build and even some design-build projects, the CM-at-risk delivery method somewhat mitigates this issue because the
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contractor is intimately involved with the estimating process of the project, because they are required to deliver a GMP
based on the completed design.
1.2.3.2. Communication and Collaboration
The contractor in this method is responsible for delivering the project within the budget. The architect who contractually
may be under the contractor or the owner, while attempting not to exceed the project budget, may deliver a project that
programmatically and aesthetically pleases the owner. The risk to the owner in CM-at-risk is the contractor taking too
much control of a project, especially when the contractor enters the realm of design and owner program management. If
the project is difficult and unique in design, a construction manager may become concerned with the cost and difficulty of
the project. By providing estimates and updating material costs, the CM enables the owner to make a decision based on
the aesthetic or the cost and move forward without damaging the project timeline. The real issue for this type of project
delivery is making sure there is an involved owner in the process to see that both the design and the cost requirements are
being met.
Ultimately, the contractor is responsible for delivering the project on time and within budget. However, that shouldn't
come at the expense of good design and project balance. By seeking project balance and collaboration in the flow of
information and management of the project, CM-at-risk can effectively utilize team integration and BIM technologies.
With proper up-front coordination and planning, the CM-at-risk delivery method is an effective means of bringing all
team members to the table and sharing responsibilities equally among them.
1.2.3.3. Type of Documents
The typical documentation for a CM-at-risk delivery is printed contract documents. Again, because of team integration
and depending on team agreements, PDFs and CAD files may be made readily available. As the design develops, the need
to continually update the estimate may affect the means of transferring data. In some cases, a project FTP is established,
or a means of drawing distribution is established through either a print shop or plan distributor. In other cases, the
drawings may be simply emailed through a point person who tracks and archives the files that were sent for future
reference.
In this delivery method, the need for agility and rapid transfer of data is primed for BIM. Using a composite model,
multiple design changes can be housed in a single model and can easily be imported to replace antiquated data, which can
then be archived. BIM holds an enormous advantage over CAD in this type of delivery. The three-dimensional
construction of a facility inherently holds quantitative information that may be used early in the process to establish a
preliminary estimate and coordination. In addition, the cumbersome management of multiple singular drawings or CAD
files associated with each profession for each update can be overwhelming, whereas a BIM is a single file to update that
contains all the necessary information relative to that profession.
The process of clarifying information with a CM-at-risk delivery is integrated and project focused. Clarification during
preconstruction involves direct interaction and input from the general contractor and even subcontractors. The contractor
is able to clarify a number of issues, including budget, estimate breakdown, trade coordination, and constructability. By
providing a GMP for the project, the contractor has a vested interest in providing the design team with as accurate of
information as possible. Likewise, the architect and engineers have an obligation to the contractor to provide as much
information as possible along the process of design development to further refine the scope, budget, and schedule of the
project.
During construction, the contractor is typically very pliable and, instead of taking an adversarial approach to issues that
arise, takes on a mediator role. This is because profitability is directly tied to the contractor's performance and project
coordination. While bidding to subcontractors, if required, the contractor and design team have it in their best interest to
give the subcontractors as much information as possible about the project to improve the accuracy of the estimate and to
reduce any large contingencies. Although many of the issues should be resolved prior to construction because of
integration and team involvement, there exists the potential for a general contractor to receive an additional bid for a
scope of work if they believe the estimate to be too high.
BIM fits well into the CM-at-risk method of delivery. The BIM tools available allow for the ability to test and coordinate
prior to construction, thus limiting the need for clarifications. Yet if clarifications are needed, BIM provides the ability to
quickly find answers, which is critical in a CM-at-risk project where large amounts of data are being frequently moved.
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At project closeout, the owner receives information just as in the other methodologies. The facility manager is again
responsible for coordinating all the documentation, information, and correspondence as part of the job. In some cases, the
facility manager is brought to the table early and defines what the expectations of project closeout deliverables might be.
This early interaction should also be written into the project contracts as required deliverables for the project, because
otherwise the facility manager is left with the same jumble of information as with other methods.
Often facility managers are hired after the completion of the facility and are not as familiar with the facility as the project
team and owners. Therefore, the flow of information and project experience are disconnected. As a best practice,
construction managers should ask what type of deliverable is expected at project closeout for a number of reasons—first,
to define the cost and resources needed to deliver the documents, and second, by being prepared and asking, the
construction manager averts dissatisfaction from the client and provides the new facility manager with the requested data.
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4.1. OVERVIEW OF BIM AND UPDATES
In this book, you've seen how BIM can be a useful tool in the preconstruction and early construction phases. But how does
it stay a valuable tool throughout a project? One of the answers to this question is through updating. Toward the end of
preconstruction and at the beginning of the construction phase of a project, the flow of information in a project increases.
Specifically, addenda, supplemental drawing information, and submittals, to name a few types of information, start
becoming available more rapidly than before. The success of the project starting correctly is usually a direct result of how
well this rapid influx of information is managed, tracked, and distributed. Many times this involves the use of a
gatekeeper, a single person or team that is responsible for managing the information coming in and then distributing it to
the rest of the team. The role of gatekeeper may be a project manager, support staff, model manager, or other personnel.
The information distribution's success depends on the ability of the gatekeeper to communicate to all parties, to make
sure that the correct data is distributed to the relevant people, and to manage the documentation. Managing the
documentation includes tracking where it came from, the date it was created, the issue or question involved, and who is
responsible for its resolution. Many times it is this additional information that changes bid dates, prices, scope, and
responsibilities and that can add a layer of complication and difficulty to a project.
BIM is a single source for information in a project; with it, you can get information and view the latest design changes
relatively easily. Although the tools associated with building information modeling have to date been mostly focused on
the architecture and engineering sides of things, momentum is picking up for contractors. For this reason, many of the
ways BIM is used during the preconstruction and construction phases of a project have improved much more than once
believed possible. Modern BIM solutions continue to involve a mix of software systems to accomplish varying tasks. To be
effective, these tools must not only accomplish the tasks they were intended for, but the files must be set up so that they
can be updated efficiently (such as model linking, as opposed to exporting). The pressure during preconstruction typically
intensifies the closer a project gets to the construction phase. This means that it's critical for the tool sets used to focus on
accomplishing the necessary tasks and to limit repetitive work. The term interoperability applies directly to this ability or
inability to transfer information during the life cycle of a building from designing it to decommissioning to future projects
(Figure 4.1). Menial and repetitive tasks contribute directly to wasted time on a project and are not nearly as effective as
the tools that allow for information to be linked, pathed, analyzed, and updated quickly.
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Figure 4.1. BIM evolution in a project. BIM evolution is cyclical and impacts future project additions and renovations.
This book presents the case for a BIM evolution to a composite model. BIM during the updating and development (design
development to construction documentation) stages may run into the following issues:
Challenge:
Existing project timelines have limited time to accomplish necessary BIM tasks.
Solution:
Log the amount of time needed for future scheduling and evaluate which tools are most needed and which
aren't as critical.
Challenge:
Low experience levels mean additional time and projects until users become efficient and familiar with BIM
both as a technology and as a new process.
Solution:
Create an in-house FTP or guide for users to share experiences and improve faster. Additionally, verify in-house
resources are adequate for new personnel.
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Challenge:
Old processes are used as the benchmark instead of new processes resulting in better project outcome.
Solution:
Using old processes based on old technology doesn't make sense for new tools and technology. Use these new
processes as a relative benchmark, not old processes.
Challenge:
Creating and compiling the model, testing it, and addressing issues all take more time than relying largely on
field personnel to address constructability issues in the field.
Solution:
BIM leverages computers as an additional analysis resource. Addressing issues in the field is often a more costly
strategy. Use BIM technology as an extra player in combination with other analysis strategies.
BIM is linear in its process of refinement and development and cyclical in how it is tested, revised, and resubmitted. Take,
for instance, how a structural BIM might evolve:
1. An initial design-level BIM model created by the architect or engineer is tested in design and layout and eventually
becomes...
2. An analysis and testing model where some detailing has been added. After further testing and refinement, it
becomes or replaced by...
3. A fabrication model, which is fully detailed and dimensionally accurate. This is rigorously analyzed and is then
tested against or becomes...
4. The shop drawings. Later, if there are changes made in the field, the changes are made to the detailed model
reloaded into the project and...
5. The record BIM is delivered to the facility manager who updates any information associated with the structure for
future projects.
Layered constructability information increases in sophistication and detail as the project nears the construction phase
(Figure 4.2). In essence, BIM represents an evolution in and of itself as a design and construction tool. However, it is
during this period of heavy coordination in which a BIM project team will be tested. This is especially critical in regard to
updating. Updating estimates, clash detection reports, schedule animations, and constructability models all directly
correlate to the quality and output of a project. If the information is outdated, then the tool becomes useless. To some
extent, the ship is steering itself, as they say. The idea with BIM is to coordinate and keep coordinating project
information throughout the project's life cycle, especially during updates.
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Figure 4.2. Diagram of analysis and refinement to a BIM process
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2.1. PLANNING A BIM PROJECT
A good construction manager knows that any successful project begins with good planning (see Figure 2.1). This is true for
planning a BIM project. Although the deliverables are different between virtual construction and actual construction, the
goals and focus of completing a successful project are the same. This is why it is important to define how you'll use BIM as
a tool before beginning a project. BIM is a great technology and a resource that will continue to grow and change the
construction industry for the better; nonetheless, you should approach it with a fair amount of thought in its use. After all,
if a mason is just learning how to use a trowel, you can't expect him to build a great cathedral or temple the next day (see
Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.1. Planning a BIM project begins before contract negotiation.
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Figure 2.2. The construction of the Pantheon in Rome required precision, the right tools, and years of experience.
Construction professionals around the world have begun using BIM technology, but there are risks in adapting these
technologies on a project, depending on the experience levels of those on the team. Some contractors and design teams
expect too much of software or its users and try to use too many tools at once. The group then becomes ineffective and
gets bogged down in attempting to understand the array of tools. For example, if the internal goal is to use BIM estimating
software on a project for the first time, then it will be difficult to adopt clash detection, animation, and field BIM software
for the first time as well. To avoid adopting too much too soon, focus on one area of implementation per project; then dig
in deep to find out what worked and to note the lessons you've learned. Treat new projects as opportunities for both new
technologies and new experiences, and plan on adapting to these new needs responsibly.
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Because each new construction project has so many variables (different project teams, different project types, different
locations, and so on), it is difficult to define a one size fits all plan for the use of BIM or to measure its successful use. The
best way to produce a successful project is to draw on all team members' experiences while at the same time taking into
account the level of sophistication of the BIM user, unique project challenges, and owner requirements. All of these
elements contribute to a successful BIM project plan.
The following are critical factors in planning a BIM project:
Educate the team
Educate team members on the reasons BIM technology is being used, the desired results, and how the different
pieces of software relate
Achieve team buy-in
All the members of the team should realize the importance of their role in the process and have some degree of
input throughout the project.
Keep it real
Too many times we forget that we are humans dealing with humans, not computers dealing with computers. In
this regard, educate teammates on the real-world application and desired physical result of what they are doing.
Set goals
This is a good way of quantifying successes in a scalable manner. These goals should be both internal and
project focused. A sample goal might be: "Use BIM estimating software to run the initial estimate and updates
for a project, and quantify the time required for all tasks associated with BIM estimating up to the construction
phase." Project focused goals are established in the information exchange and model coordination plans, which
are discussed later in this chapter.
Take it a step at a time
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Identify which technologies your group will be using on a project at what time in a project. These should satisfy
both internal efforts and the project owner's requirements.
Select the properly trained staff
If it is an internal project goal to familiarize junior project management staff with BIM technologies, then pair
them with an experienced user. If the project is highly sophisticated and requires your best and brightest, or
outside help, address these issues early.
Challenge the team
Adapting and digging deeper into new technologies helps people keep an open mind toward alternative delivery
methods, software, and technology and lets all team members have constructive input on a project.
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3.1. SCHEDULING
Before the first shovel of dirt moves, the construction manager must do a significant amount of work. Arguably, the most
important task is preparing the schedule. The schedule is one of the driving factors in the success of any project and is a
critical component to all team members. At the onset of a project (and often before that), a member of the construction
management team creates the schedule. This schedule typically reflects experience with construction timing; material lead
times, weather, crew, and equipment concerns. The importance of a schedule in regard to BIM is to better inform the
team and track progress from the beginning to the end of a project (see Figure 3.1). So, how does BIM improve schedule
management? How can you use BIM to increase visualization and schedule accuracy?
Figure 3.1. Updating a BIM schedule is a continuous task through a project.
A construction schedule is a sophisticated chart or table showing tasks and the times required to accomplish them (Figure
3.2). Although there is an implied correspondence between a task and a building component, there really is no direct link
between the CAD drawings, the specifications, and the construction schedule. As the design progresses, the construction
manager reviews the updated drawings to identify changes in scope, as well as the addition of design elements, and then
updates the schedule to reflect these design changes. The refinement of the schedule relies on the accuracy of the
construction manager to review the new design documents each time and judge the projected availability for additional
equipment, material quantities, and so on. The schedule, and the subsequent revisions, is one of the more time-intensive
aspects of a project, and the members of the team rely on its accuracy to deliver a project to the owner on time. Therefore,
any increase in efficiency and schedule accuracy can do two things. First, it would provide the construction manager with
more time to further coordinate other tasks. Second, it mitigates many of the issues associated with schedule
misinterpretation through enhanced visualization by linking the schedule to the virtual construction. This is the ultimate
goal of BIM—to increase efficiency, communication, and collaboration.
NOTE
I mean efficiency here not only in terms of time but also in terms of costs, accuracy, and thoroughness.
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Figure 3.2. A schedule is a series of complex, overlapping tasks to ensure successful project delivery.
In the tutorials later in the chapter, you will simulate real processes by using an architect's example model to generate a
BIM sequencing animation, which is the link between the design model to the construction manager's schedule and is an
extremely valuable tool. As more model components are added and as the schedule changes, linking eases the work
associated with updates while still providing a robust resource.
A scheduling animation shows in 3D the building being built from start to finish; it helps communicate completion dates
to owners, gives subcontractors and tradespeople a better understanding of the scope and timing of their work, and helps
field personnel verify the project is on track. To use BIM for scheduling, the model-sharing language discussed in Chapter
2 must in place. If language hasn't been established, there may be some challenges for the contractor to receive the
architect's schematic or design development–level BIM file. Although there is not a huge need to go into great detail about
sharing the model during this phase, contractors should state their intentions for using the model in the IE responsibility
plan. Additionally, the construction manager must also understand that a design development–level BIM is by no means a
completed BIM model. In a BIM process, it is helpful to establish an understanding that model sharing is critical to
accomplishing more integration, especially if the construction manager is to advise the design team through the
preconstruction phases. After the model request has been made and you've received the model from the architect, you can
begin creating a scheduling animation.
The advantage to beginning with the architect's model is threefold:
• During the design phase, it tells you what components have been modeled and to what level of detail. Users who are
experienced working with building information modeling can tell a well-constructed model from one that needs
work. This almost becomes second nature, just as a construction manager can spot well-coordinated print
documents today.
• There is a cost savings in not allotting additional resources to remodeling a structure very much in its infancy.
Creating a secondary construction BIM model is typically unnecessary in a project, especially during the early design
phases of a project when it is a waste of resources.
• The construction manager can identify additional elements, design updates, and program changes for reference, as
well as begin separate layering construction model information, discussed in more detail later in this chapter.
Although these are all benefits, the main benefit to beginning with the architect's model is that you're using the product
developed by the design team, which is a best practice. Many times, the response to a design development–level BIM
model by a contractor is that it is not complete enough and that "I am going to have to create my own model instead." A
model typically changes many times prior to creating the construction documentation. It is better to use a single model
and inform the architect of any big issues associated with their model as opposed to putting it by the wayside. Using the
architect's model helps to identify new items and scope as well as coordinate owner-driven design and program shifts; in
other words, coordinating once instead of twice.
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3.1.1. Scheduling Software
Scheduling software, such as Primavera (www.primavera.com (http://www.primavera.com)) or Microsoft Project
(http://office.microsoft.com/project (http://office.microsoft.com/project)), keeps track of the work breakdown structure (WBS)
and critical path dependencies between overlapping tasks to create complex timelines, which can be displayed in a variety
of standard formats. The software can be used for planning as well as for tracking projects once they are underway.
Schedules are constantly updated, and the software helps update the project's schedule.
Both Microsoft Project and Primavera systems are compatible with Navisworks TimeLiner. So is any other scheduling
software that can produce an MPX or a Primavera version 5 file. The following tutorial uses Primavera to demonstrate
how to link a static schedule to a BIM schedule. The power of most scheduling software is its ability to easily overlap, link,
and create very complex schedules with large amounts of tasks tied to a timeline. Updating these schedules can be a
constant source of work that is required to define the progress of a project. These scheduling programs and others
simplify the task of creating these complex schedules and are commonplace in the industry.
Starting with an existing Primavera schedule (one is available on the book's companion web page,
www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction (http://www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction)), you can link a simple schedule during the
conceptual stages of a project and add detail later.
NOTE
Remember when working from Primavera that future revisions and changes supersede the old schedule. Always archive
your old schedule, and save over the old schedule with the same filename.
Exporting a Primavera Schedule for Use in Navisworks
1. Download the file Example-50% DD from the book's companion web page.
2. Start Primavera SureTrak, and open the downloaded file.
3. Select File > Save As.
4. Select the MPX file type (Figure 3.3), and save the file.
Figure 3.3. Saving the schedule as an MPX file
Next you will import the saved MPX file into Navisworks to begin linking model elements to the schedule.
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3.1.2. Navisworks Collaboration Software
Autodesk Navisworks (www.autodesk.com/navisworks(http://www.autodesk.com/navisworks)) is a powerful tool for construction
managers using BIM. Navisworks is collaboration software that allows a design team to share, combine, review, and
correct a BIM model and 3D files using a 3D viewer. Navisworks can open multiple 3D files and combine them in a single
workspace. Navisworks or similar software, such as Solibri Model Checker (www.solibri.com (http://www.solibri.com)), can
provide functional insight into the growing variety of industry software systems.
Many subcontractors, such as fabrication and sheet metal shops, may already be using 3D modeling software that
generates information you can integrate into a BIM workflow. The typical shop deliverable file is 2D sheet drawing that
does not reflect the 3D design, because the 3D modeling information may not have been requested.
Fabricating from a 3D Model
Cates Sheet Metal, a ductwork manufacturer in the Midwest, has been creating 3D models for some time and
shipping them to computer numerical control (CNC) machines to laser cut the sheet metal and fold them into
the correctly sized components (Figure 3.4).
Figure 3.4. Using a plasma cutting CNC machine
This company is similar to others in that they have modeled duct runs, connections, and other components in
3D for some time. However, as the standard requested deliverable has been 2D sheet drawings derived from
the 3D model, many architects and contractors don't know to request the 3D files as well for shop drawing
review.
Although this example uses sheet metal, many other fabrication shops coordinate in 3D, such as structural
steel, casework, precast concrete, fire protection, piping, and other specialty fabrications. Many machines on
the market today use 3D models to fabricate their components to pinpoint accuracy based on 3D information
and coordinates.
Navisworks is not modeling software, but rather analysis software. In the tutorial to follow, it allows models to be
compiled and linked to a schedule to create a schedule animation.
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Composite Modeling
Composite modeling is a modeling compilation strategy that combines the available 3D information into a
single shared file. Composite modeling is not necessarily the ability to house all team members in the same
office, developing the same model, using the same software. Although some companies are capable of this
type of model development with architects, engineers, and contractors in house, it is unusual. Some owners
who have a fast-track project using BIM find that one way to rapidly advance a project is to have a BIM pit or
BIM huddle, in which all the members of the team, even those from different companies, have their office in
one location, where they work together to model and virtually construct the proposed structure. However, it is
more common that the design team uses a singular composite model. A composite model is a series of 3D
models that are created from the same or different pieces of software and that can be compiled for analysis
and advanced visualization. Arguably, the most robust tool in which these models are compiled and tested is
Navisworks.
How Many Files!?!
One of my first BIM projects was for a medical facility. Part of the IE responsibilities was to combine the
multiple 3D formats of the project and create a model clash detection report. Initially, I was tentative about
this undertaking, because the project had been put on hold for some time and had just come to the forefront
again with such vigor that the management team had to move fast. Our standard preliminary meetings were
very compressed.
The owner desired a BIM deliverable project, and all parties involved knew that the project was to be finished
in BIM; however, the discussion late on a Friday afternoon quickly turned to how to do it. The architect was
using Revit Architecture, the structural engineer was using SDS2 modeling software, the mechanical
subcontractor was using CAD-Duct, and the civil engineer was using AutoCAD Civil 3D. We anticipated using
Navisworks for clash detection for the most part. However, using these other files to generate a clash report
was new science to us. But we discovered that every 3D model that had been created could be compiled into
the Navisworks model. Although this initial multiple-file undertaking went smoothly as we generated our
clash detection report, we learned to double-check whether we could use the team's native formats or had to
use exported versions prior to compiling the file in Navisworks.
This book shows how to use Navisworks to run a schedule animation, sequencing animation, and clash detection. Navis
has other tools, but these three are the ones used most by construction managers. The greatest benefit to using
Navisworks is the ability to combine many files of many different file types. Again, Navisworks is not a modeling program;
rather, it links BIM and 3D files into a Navisworks format (NWD), which is often a more useable file type than the NWF
format. Both files can be viewed using the free viewer for Navisworks files, called Navisworks Freedom. This viewer is
useful for those who might want to look at conflicts or at the composite model overall but who don't want to purchase the
full version or any licenses of Navisworks. Figure 3.5 shows the basic Navisworks interface.
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Figure 3.5. Navisworks user interface
As mentioned, the purpose of a scheduling animation is to show in 3D the building being built from start to finish.
Ultimately, the quality of the animation is directly related to the quantity and accuracy of the model components. Keep in
mind that it requires additional time to link more components to the schedule. Furthermore, the more complex the
schedule, the longer it takes to link to more lower-level schedule elements. In a schedule animation, you can show the
earthwork excavation, site demolition, pile driving, piers, excavation, forming, site utilities, crane erection, truck loading
areas, staging and lay down areas, reinforcement and rebar, concrete foundation pour, structural steel erection, and so on.
Almost any activity that occurs during construction can be modeled if represented by a virtual model component. With
Navisworks, you can create detailed or simple animations using these 3D model components.
Exporting a Revit Architecture File for Use in Navisworks
1. Download Example50% DD.rvt from the book's companion web page.
2. Launch Revit, and open the file.
3. Choose Tools > External Tools > Navisworks 2009 (Figure 3.6). The Export Scene As dialog box opens with the
Navisworks NWC file type selected by default. Change the linear units to Feet and Inches (Figure 3.7).
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Figure 3.6. Exporting the BIM from Revit to Navisworks
Figure 3.7. Changing the export settings to feet and inches
NOTE
If you notice that the Revit exporter is not working correctly because the file isn't created or the tool option isn't
available from the pull down menu, open the Windows Control Panel, choose Add or Remove Programs, and click
on Revit Architecture. Specify that you want to add components to Revit Architecture, and then verify that the
needed programs are selected to use the exporter from Revit. Once the correct programs are selected, reopen Revit,
and try to export the Revit model again.
4. Click the Navisworks Settings button to open the Options Editor dialog box. The settings in this dialog box define
how you want to export your file to Navisworks.
5. In the tree at the left, expand the Interface branch, and select Display Units.
6. Change the default setting from Meters to Feet and Inches.
7. Select Snapping, and choose Snap to Vertex, Snap to Edge, and Snap Line to Vertex (Figure 3.8).
8. Click OK to exit the Options Editor.
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9. Specify where you want the NWC file to be saved, and click Save.
Figure 3.8. Enabling snaps in Navisworks
Importing the Model into Navisworks
1. Launch Navisworks Manage 2009.
NOTE
If Navisworks is installed after Revit, then it should find all the relevant software to link and import into
Navisworks.
2. Choose File > Open, and navigate to the NWC file you just created.
NOTE
Other means of opening files in Navisworks under the File navigation include Merge, Append, and Open URL. Open
and Append are the two main commands you will use. Open begins the file overlay, and Append layers other models
into the composite model. You use Merge when working with NWF files and importing review comments, which I
will cover in Chapter 5. For more on Append and Open, see the "Navisworks Clash Detective" section later in this
chapter.
3. Choose File > Save As.
4. Specify the NWD file type, and click Save (Figure 3.9).
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Figure 3.9. Saving the NWC file as an NWD file
Now that the model is saved in Navisworks, you need to import the Primavera schedule you exported earlier.
Importing the Schedule into Navisworks
1. Click the TimeLiner button on the toolbar (Figure 3.10). The TimeLiner window opens at the bottom of the screen.
2. Click the Links tab, and right-click in the blank table area to open a context menu.
Figure 3.10. Activating TimeLiner in Navisworks
3. Choose Add Link > Microsoft Project MPX (Figure 3.11) to link the MPX file you exported earlier, and click Open.
This opens the Field Selector dialog box.
4. Select Text10 in the Unique ID Import Field drop-down menu (Figure 3.12), and click OK. This adds the link to the
TimeLiner window.
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Figure 3.11. Linking the MPX file
Figure 3.12. Selecting the Text 10 Unique ID field
5. Right-click the new link, and choose Rebuild Task Hierarchy from Link on the context menu (Figure 3.13). This
takes all the schedule line items and breaks them out into tasks within Navisworks.
6. Click the Tasks tab. All the line items in the schedule are now tasks, with start and end dates.
Figure 3.13. Rebuilding the task hierarchy from the link
Now you can begin linking tasks to model components. You can go about this in a couple of ways:
• Navisworks includes a search tool that allows the model components within Navis to be searched and grouped based
on the name type.
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• You can assign tasks to model components manually.
A model search is usually the easier way to link schedule items to the model. As similarly named items are added later, it
finds these new elements with the same specified search parameters and links them automatically.
Linking Tasks to Model Components
1. Click the Find Items button in the toolbar (Figure 3.14).
Figure 3.14. The Find Items tool
2. Select the file Example50% dd.nwc, and select the following values in the fields on the right, as shown in Figure
3.15, by clicking in the field and choosing from the drop-down list.
Field Value
Category Item
Property Type
Condition Contains
Value footings
Figure 3.15. Setting the search parameters
NOTE
If a drop-down menu isn't available, close the Find Items window, and reopen it using the toolbar button.
3. Click the Find All button. In the 3D browser pane, all the footings in the model are highlighted.
You can create search sets for all the listed and available categories in Navisworks, which helps delineate one component
from another more easily. In the next set of steps, you'll save this search set in Navisworks.
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Search Sets vs. Selection Sets
Navisworks allows you to create two types of selection groups:
• A selection set groups components together that have been manually selected by the user, either through
the 3D browser or through the model selection tree.
• A search set groups components based on search criteria.
The advantage to creating search sets as opposed to selection sets is that search sets allow the model to be
updated and the model components to be more easily selected. In a selection set, the selection would have to
be manually updated with each subsequent model update. So, it is usually a better practice to use search sets
as opposed to selection sets.
Creating a Search Set in Navisworks
1. Using the previous search selection, click the Selection Sets tab on the left edge of the Navisworks window. When
the Selection Sets pane opens, dock it by clicking the pushpin at the upper right.
2. Right-click in the open area, and select Save Current Search from the context menu.
3. Name this search set footings.
4. After you've created the search set, scroll down the task list in the TimeLiner window.
5. Right-click the task Footings and Foundations, and select Attach Search from the context menu (Figure 3.16). The
updated status is reflected on the Footings and Foundations line in the listing, indicating the search has been linked
to the task successfully.
Figure 3.16. Attaching search sets to the schedule
6. Click the Task Type field in the same line, and select Construct from the drop-down list to indicate that these are
construction, rather than demolition or temporary (such as shoring or formwork).
7. To verify that the simulation is being set up correctly, click the Simulate tab, and then click the Play button. The
simulation should show the footings being constructed along the project timeline. If the animation is moving too
quickly, click the Settings button, and specify the desired interval and playback duration (Figure 3.17).
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Manually Assigning a Single Component to the Schedule
1. Select a foundation wall in the 3D browser.
2. Right-click the Footings and Foundations task again, and select Attach Selection from the context menu (Figure
3.18).
You can also assign model components to tasks using the selection tree. You'll do this in the following tutorial.
Figure 3.17. Editing animation settings
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Figure 3.18. Attaching individual selections to the schedule
Assigning Components Through the Selection Tree
1. To open the model selection tree, click the Selection Tree icon in the toolbar (Figure 3.19). Dock the selection tree in
the window by clicking the pushpin in the upper right.
Figure 3.19. Attaching through the selection tree
2. Select Basement Level. You can then select all the basement walls or just the related basement wall.
3. Right-click the Footings and Foundations task again, and choose Attach Selection from the context menu.
4. Continue to link the rest of the model to the schedule as desired.
Using this powerful tool in Navisworks, you can simulate a schedule in 3D to better communicate the order and
construction of a structure. The animation can be exported as a rendered animation for business development purposes.
Creating the animation takes effort the first time it is being developed; however, updates usually take much less time to
create. You can use a scheduling animation in the field to indicate degree of completeness, which helps assign some visual
basis of completion to contractors and subcontractors. In essence, BIM bridges the gap between model component and
schedule and is an invaluable tool to the construction manager using BIM.
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2.6. SITE COORDINATION
Site coordination begins at schematic design and carries through the construction phase, as shown in Figure 2.32.
Figure 2.32. Site coordination timing
Site coordination is important for a construction manager, especially when dealing with dense urban environments or
challenging sites. BIM offers tools such as perspective views and walk-through videos to show areas for crews to avoid
during certain stages, check crane swings, show vehicular accessibility, and promote safety on site for workers, material
hoists, equipment, and scaffolding. These views are called site coordination plans and can be constructed using a path of
Revit into Google SketchUp or Revit into NavisWorks. Chapter 3 outlines how to create sequencing videos using
NavisWorks. The following sections explain how to export a Revit model into Google SketchUp.
2.6.1. Starting the Site Coordination Plan in SketchUp
Google SketchUp (http://sketchup.google.com (http://sketchup.google.com)) is a free, intuitive program that is useful during the
schematic and conceptual phase of projects for designers who want to understand the tectonics, scale, and massing of a
design. You may want to purchase Google SketchUp Pro, which has added functionality and makes file importing and
exporting easier.
Designers and architects often make SketchUp models before starting a Revit model, because of either their familiarity
with the program or its ease of use. These SketchUp models can be shared and imported into the Revit model, just as a
Revit model can be imported into SketchUp. Unfortunately, when you take the model from Revit into SketchUp, you lose
whatever intelligence the model might have had, and you retain only the 3D massing characteristics. That is why
SketchUp is most useful toward the beginning of a project, when the concept is more of a priority than exact detail.
Exporting from Revit to SketchUp
1. Start Revit Architecture.
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2. Navigate to your CD drive, and open examplecoreshell.rvt; or download it from the book's companion web
page, www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction (http://www.sybex.com/go/bimandconstruction).
3. Switch to 3D view in the Project Browser.
4. Select File > Export > CAD Formats (see Figure 2.33). The Export CAD dialog box opens.
5. Specify the type of file you want to export your 3D model as. Choose AutoCAD.
6. In the Export CAD Formats dialog box, click Options.
7. Select ACIS Solids as the export type. The default configuration of the export is a polymesh. This format makes it
difficult to paint surfaces in some programs. The ACIS Solids format allows you to paint in SketchUp on single
planar faces at once as opposed to painting onto multiple triangulated surfaces, such as in a polymesh file.
NOTE
The advantage to exporting polymesh is for complex model geometries. This format is used in MAX, Maya, and
Rhino for editing vertices.
8. Click Save to export the file and keep the file nomenclature the same.
Figure 2.33. Exporting from Revit to a CAD format for use in SketchUp
Importing into SketchUp and Exploding the Model
1. Launch Google SketchUp.
2. In SketchUp, select File > Import.
3. In the Files of Type field, choose ACAD files (*.dwg, .*dxf).
4. Navigate to the CAD file you just exported, and, using the default settings, click Open.
5. After the model loads, click the selection tool (the arrow at the upper left of the SketchUp interface), and click the
model. It should highlight in blue.
6. Right-click, and choose Explode (see Figure 2.34). This breaks the model into its original components.
The SketchUp interface is different from the Revit interface, but it is simpler and lacks intelligence to any associated
objects. It does tell you the layer of the object and the name of the object, though. SketchUp is a valuable tool from a
visualization and an ease-of-use standpoint.
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NOTE
Google SketchUp for Dummies by Aidan Chopra (For Dummies, 2007) does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of
SketchUp and the graphic interface and is extremely useful if you use SketchUp regularly.
Figure 2.34. Exploding the model in SketchUp
Painting the Model in SketchUp
1. Click the Materials toolbar to expand it. (Clicking it again collapses it.) If the Materials toolbar isn't loaded in the
viewer, activate it by selecting it in the Windows menu.
2. You can now begin painting the model by clicking a material in the toolbar and then clicking the model component
you want to assign it to (see Figure 2.35).
Figure 2.35. Applying materials in SketchUp
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2.6.2. Inserting the Site
After you have rendered the building as desired, use Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/ (http://earth.google.com/)) to
import the site into the model:
• The base version of Google Earth is available as a free download; it does a nice job of approximating terrain and
scale, enabling you to visually place a building on a specific site. Google Earth Pro and Google Earth Plus are also
available. Google Earth Pro is geared toward users who want to create high-resolution videos and presentations and
use online collaboration tools.
• Google Earth Plus is focused on mapping, GPS, and terrain and civil information. Google Earth Plus offers real-time
GPS tracking. Chapter 7 discusses asset management using RFID tags and GPS locators with Google Earth Plus.
You can familiarize yourself with the Google Earth user interface at http://earth.google.com/intl/en/userguide/v4/
(http://earth.google.com/intl/en/userguide/v4/). (See Figure 2.36.)
Figure 2.36. Overview of Google Earth
Importing a Site with Google Earth
1. Enter an address in the Search field. For this exercise, enter West Watkins St & South 11th Ave Phoenix, AZ (see
Figure 2.37). Often when a building site doesn't have a formal address, the only information known is the
intersection at the new building site.
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Figure 2.37. Inputting an address in Google Earth
2. Zoom into the area you want to use as the site, because what is visible in the window is what will be used as a
reference for the site in Google SketchUp.
3. Toggle back over to Google SketchUp without closing Google Earth.
4. In SketchUp, move to the top or plan view.
5. Click the Get Current View button; this is the world icon with a yellow arrow over the top of it (see Figure 2.38). It
imports the current Google Earth view into the SketchUp model.
The result is a Google Earth terrain image and the SketchUp model.
6. Place the model on the site by moving the model on top of the site image and positioning it. This might involve
rotating and using the move commands in SketchUp.
After your building is positioned, it should look like Figure 2.39.
7. Click the Toggle Terrain button (see Figure 2.40) to view the slope of the terrain.
Figure 2.38. Get Current View button in SketchUp
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Figure 2.39. Google Earth terrain placed in SketchUp
Figure 2.40. Toggle the view between a flat photo of site and a 3D representation of terrain with the Toggle Terrain button.
In this example, the site is relatively flat, so it looks like there won't be any issues with the first-floor storefront glazing
wrapping around the building at the same level. However, if you put this model in San Francisco at the intersection of
Montclair Terrace and Lombard Street, you get quite a different story (see Figure 2.41)!
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Figure 2.41. Building placed on the steeply sloped Lombard Street in San Francisco
The last portion of this tutorial involves drawing additional information on the site coordination plan. These elements can
include directional arrows, 3D text, staging areas, worker parking, and a host of other information (see Figure 2.42).
SketchUp lets you quickly input general information to communicate how a construction manager wants to operate on the
site.
Figure 2.42. An example of a site coordination plan
Using the Line and the Push and Pull tools, you can create virtually any shape or outline you want to use to communicate
your plan more effectively.
SketchUp also exports into Google Earth. Importing the SketchUp model into Google Earth lets the user get an idea of site
context, surrounding building scale, access to resources, distance calculations, and adjacent infrastructure.
Exporting a Site Coordination Plan to Google Earth
1. Click the Place Model button in SketchUp (see Figure 2.43). This inserts the SketchUp site coordination plan into
Google Earth temporarily (see Figure 2.44) so you can use it to analyze a particular site.
Using Google Earth and Google SketchUp for site analysis lets you gather site information without a completed civil
survey to understand grading, property boundaries, staging areas, and the best means of loading and moving equipment.
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Overall, the Google software is a powerful resource when doing preliminary site analysis, and it is relatively easy to use
and understand. These tools provide an open platform for online collaboration, letting you add, edit, and share 3D
information about the site.
Figure 2.43. Clicking the Place Model button exports the SketchUp site coordination plan to Google Earth.
Figure 2.44. A model placed into Google Earth, showing a 3D view
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1.5. TEN STEPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING BIM
What does it take to implement BIM? When you start down this path, you have to ask some questions. What are you
trying to achieve with BIM? What elements define this company? And what steps are necessary to begin implementing
BIM software and processes?
To begin, develop a simple statement about how BIM aligns with the goals of the company, how it can be used in the
future at the company, and how it might make your company more successful. This brief statement should define the
organization's stance on new technology. This will become vital information later, in the implementation phase, when the
pieces of software that have been identified by the organization to implement might go beyond BIM. Additionally,
ownership needs to be involved in this initial discussion of strategy, because they will have to decide on investments in
software, hardware, and staff.
Ten steps are critical to the successful implementation of BIM in any organization, outlined in the following sections.
1.5.1. Step 1: Identify a BIM Manager
When a construction company embarks on constructing a structure, the organization staffs a project manager to direct
and organize the project. This is the same in virtual construction. Similar to a construction manager, a BIM manager must
manage and facilitate all the processes necessary to create and manage BIM. This involves coordinating all the
information from architects, consulting engineers, and subcontractors. The BIM manager also coordinates project
reference points and develops a schedule that identifies when tasks such as clash detection and model updating need to
take place. Overall, the BIM manager needs to have old skills, new skills, and, most importantly, an open mind and ability
to solve problems. In his article "The New 'Must Have'—The BIM Manager," Dominic Gallello outlines the responsibilities
of a BIM manager as follows:
• Understanding project workflows (schematic design, design development, construction documentation phases) and
project management.
• Understanding different needs of the delivery team (architects, engineers, estimators and contractors). The BIM
Manager works much earlier with the entire project team in setting up the project structure and data exchange
formats.
• Technical knowledge of the BIM application used, related systems and network infrastructure, and awareness of
new technologies.
• Communication and training skills (verbal and written).
• Strong teaching and coaching skills to bring new team members up to speed.
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• Ability to communicate the benefits of BIM firm-wide, including the "personal win" at each level in the organization.
• Objective decision-making in times of crisis.
• Flexibility and mobility. Large multinational firms with multiple offices worldwide often require BIM Managers to
help the implementation of new company standards throughout the whole company. In addition to a desire to see
the world, being sensitive to cultural nuances will be a great asset.
—http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/2008/issue_34.html (http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/2008/issue_34.html)
Many companies choose to start the process with a single professional internally—someone who has good management
skills and who has a background in technology. This is wise, because the best person for this job needs to have an intimate
understanding of the day-to-day functions within the company. If this resource must be a new hire, then it is critical to
choose an individual who is highly competent in organizational and communication skills, has a background in BIM
technology, and can be trained in different pieces of software and to manage multiple tasks.
This BIM manager becomes a key player in the next nine steps of implementation. Before selecting the BIM manager,
consider the manager's involvement on other projects, because the implementation process is time-consuming and will
become the sole initiative of this individual. This person needs to be able to understand the functions of the software and
how it will work with the company's operations. In addition, it will be the responsibility of this BIM manager to spearhead
the process of integrating BIM into the company. The goal of the BIM manager is to identify what will work best for the
company and make recommendations to the leadership about what is valuable and what might not be the best fit or might
need to be further developed.
1.5.2. Step 2: Develop an Estimate of Cost and Time to Implement and Use BIM Software
The next step is to put together a software and hardware acquisition plan. This plan should include the cost of the
software, the hardware, and any additional staff needed. The goal of this plan is to give management an idea of the scale of
the investment needed. It should include yearly subscription costs, support costs for at least the first year of using the
software, and any other costs associated with using the software. Potential hardware costs include additional RAM, disk
space, servers, or network connections that are required. The software vendor can generally furnish this information.
The following is an example of a line-item estimate for one user to begin using BIM with an extremely robust set of tools:
Equipment Cost Time Period
Dell Precision M90, with additional memory and enhanced graphics card $2,400
Microsoft Office tools or equivalent $300
Architectural CAD/BIM modeling software $3,200 First year
Structural or energy analysis software $1,000
Estimating software $7.200
BIM model compiling software, such as Navis $9,300
32″ HDTV LCD monitor (optional) $1,200
Video projector (optional) $600
FTP site service provider annual charge (optional) $1,900.0
All software's annual service charges (subscriptions) $1,200 After first
year
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Equipment Cost Time Period
CAD training charges $6,000
IT cost for initial setup $2,200
Dedicated large-format plotter/printer and service charges $2,800
Annual salary of staff $70,000 Annually
Cost of attending industry events such as seminars, trade shows, and peer
group events
$4,000
Grand total $112,100
Although this example shows a full-blown, robust BIM machine, training and software, you should keep it in perspective.
BIM is an investment and requires a significant cost; on the other hand, the potential savings and return on investment
far outweigh the costs of hardware and software, and can be purchased over time.
Because many of the pieces of software require additional horsepower to make the software function correctly, this can
make for a significant investment by the firm. Further development of the plan should include a description of each piece
of proposed software, a rationale for its use, the cost, and estimates for the time to implement it and train personnel on its
use (see Figure 1.10).
Figure 1.10. Time vs. cost of implementation
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Implementing a BIM solution is an endeavor in itself; to make the overall transition easier, a firm should not try to
acquire and train people on multiple pieces of software at the same time. Identify specific pieces of software in the
estimate that show the initial investment and time, and show what software is to be acquired later in the integration plan.
The goal of the acquisition plan is to give management a clear understanding of the total cost to implement the proposed
solution and to secure ownership buy-in. Ownership may begin a conversation about which software products can get the
firm to walk in BIM before everyone has to start running in it. The BIM manager should rely on the experience and
guidance of management and senior staff to help develop a plan that everyone can support.
1.5.3. Step 3: Develop an Integration Plan
The implementation plan consists of a software acquisition plan, a training schedule, a hardware update schedule, and a
narrative explaining the company's shift into this new technology. Additionally, the implementation plan explains how the
BIM strategy will be rolled out across the company. This plan will take time to build, so account for this.
For larger organizations with multiple offices across multiple states and a large employee base, it's best to start with a
single office that can become the hub for the system. You won't gain anything by attempting to implement BIM at two or
more locations at the same time. The BIM manager needs to research and interview the different departments to find out
what software is currently being used as well as what processes are in place in the organization. Often it is helpful to list
the software and the departments in a spreadsheet to analyze what existing software is BIM compatible.
For smaller companies, take inventory of what is currently being used, and then develop a plan based on division
interviews. See what tasks are required, and how long they will take for each division.
Put metrics in place. The goal is to determine the efficiency of new systems as a benchmark. Eventually the production of
metrics after adoption should show efficiencies of the new system compared to older tasks.
1.5.4. Step 4: Start Small
Training should begin with the BIM manager and a few dedicated associates from the division specified in the
implementation plan. The idea is to begin with a small group that can start producing work after their training. The first
group's goal is to start using the software and implementing it immediately after training on a project. Unless the use of
the software directly follows the training, the associates will forget what they learned.
Five Components of an Integration Plan
An integration plan has five components:
Synopsis
This is a brief statement of the company's stance on BIM
Goals and schedules
This section should include all of the following:
• Goals of the BIM integration
• Purpose of the BIM integration
• Team members' responsibility outline; should include new and changed responsibilities
• Software acquisition plan, which should show the following:
• Training schedules
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• Hardware update schedules
• Implementation schedule
Additional operational information
This includes new contracts and new delivery methods.
Future growth plan
This should outline the future goals for BIM at the company.
Supporting articles
This should include journal articles, publications, book excerpts, and statistics that make the case
for BIM and identify potential opportunities.
When completed, the plan should be compiled into one document and then presented to management. The
BIM manager will be responsible for implementing the plan and organizing the training for associates, and it
is critical that division managers know that training will be taking project management's time away from their
normal day-to-day tasks. Organizing the management of associates and scheduling their training will be
challenging, but the rewards, if implemented correctly, are significant.
The next issue involves project choice. Smaller projects provide a scalable way to begin using software effectively, while in
a larger project the fee is able to fund research and the purchase of the software. Larger project BIM implementation isn't
necessarily to pay for the software; it is to create efficiencies and savings for the project team and the construction
company. The size of projects varies, and there are pros and cons to each. This decision will need to be made by the team
and will need to be focused on a project where the architect, engineer, and fabricators are all using BIM.
1.5.5. Step 5: Keep the Manager Trained
The BIM manager will need to be trained in all the BIM software that the company uses—not to become completely
proficient in all these different pieces of software but rather to gain an understanding of its purpose and be able to
competently speak about all the software when requested to report on its implementation. Continuous training will keep
the company aware of new technologies, methods, and resources through the manager.
1.5.6. Step 6: Support the Manager by Starting a Department
Implementing BIM in a construction company is in many ways more difficult than in a field such as architecture or
engineering. Although an architecture firm might adopt Revit, Bentley, or ArchiCAD, the BIM implementation in a
construction company goes through each department and involves multiple pieces of software and overlapping
responsibilities. In a typical architecture firm, the role of CAD manager is usually filled by the professional who has been
tasked with maintaining firm standards, implementing software, and keeping the licenses up-to-date. In a construction
company, the role of BIM manager is specific to each company. Because there is no general consensus about the specific
role of the BIM manager and supporting personnel such as BIM specialists, there seems to be a number of companies that
have identified that the number of projects within their organizations requires a BIM department. In a construction
company, a BIM department should be structured so that the average workload can be distributed effectively among the
team. Typically, BIM specialists can run about three to five projects, depending on their experience level, while a BIM
manager might be able to handle more. Don't expect to hire one BIM manager and have them effectively run 12 or 13
projects. Think of the construction project manager's project load and staff similarly for the virtual construction
department. Because the project manager is responsible for the physical construction, the BIM manager will be
responsible for the virtual construction and inform the team about issues before construction on the project starts.
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1.5.7. Step 7: Stick to the Plan but Remain Flexible
Possibly the most difficult part of implementing BIM technology at a company is sticking to the plan. This entails
supporting the manager, purchasing software on schedule, and making sure associates are being trained in software
relevant to their day-to-day tasks. The implementation is successful when the plan is achieved.
Although sticking to the plan is a yardstick for success, it's also important to be flexible. The implementation process can
potentially take years, and it's important that the plan stays flexible as new software and other technologies become
available and other challenges arise. Software will continually change, so the plan has to adapt to better alternatives that
become available as key milestones are reached.
1.5.8. Step 8: Create Resources
Develop internal tutorials and guides. Developing tutorials will help create a reference and a learning point for field
personnel, construction management, and other departments. In turn this will create a lean BIM department and the
ability to standardize how certain tasks are accomplished. These tutorials may be hosted on a company's website, intranet,
FTP or other media for access.
1.5.9. Step 9: Analyze Implementation
Find out how BIM is either improving or not improving processes. Measure to see what components of BIM are realizing
the most savings and creating the most value. By measuring where the BIM implementation plan has taken the
organization, the manager and the leadership team can gather information and begin to analyze which software is
working and where there is room for improvement. It is critical to the success of a BIM division that you avoid pointing
fingers. BIM is a growing industry, and certain solutions continue to be tested in the real world. There are so many pieces
of software and so many organizations operating with different standards in place that BIM solutions must be customized
to complement a company's existing operating platform—that's yet another reason why research is critical, as stated in
step 1.
1.5.10. Step 10: Monitor New Software Proposals and Industry Trends
The BIM manager has to constantly be immersed in market trends, new software, and industry publications to stay ahead
and aware of industry trends:
• By staying aware of new and emerging solutions, you can begin to develop a plan in your mind that addresses issues
at your own company. Constantly question the efficiency of an operation, and continually seek improvement.
• Management will often become interested in what technologies can give them a competitive edge over their
competition as more and more owners and clients begin to request BIM technologies. Many companies adopt
multiple pieces of software to try to achieve a desired result, but the real market advantage comes with being able to
show how a solution has worked (or not) and to learn from the experience.
• This BIM department has the potential to generate revenues outside an organization's bread-and-butter revenue
source. One of the advantages of integrating new technology is that by doing so you can create a product that
becomes more intelligent and useable by professionals along the path of construction. Sometimes markets are
created, just as virtual construction companies have begun to explore what the value is to create a BIM, something
that wasn't even considered until recently.
Additionally the BIM Manager should attend conferences, presentations, forums, and construction meetings related to
BIM technology to do the following:
• Learn how others are using each piece of software and, in turn, get the message out about the company's experience
with these solutions.
• Gather information from these groups and functions to take back to the team.
• Remain aware of new available technologies and get an idea for emerging market trends to make more informed
decisions later.
Technology today is moving at an exponential pace. Software development, entrepreneurship, and global communications
technologies have created an environment in which being cutting edge requires someone to constantly be informed. A
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number of online resources are available, such as blogs, content libraries, online model testing sites, and forums. A few
are listed here:
www.revitcity.com (http://www.revitcity.com)
www.augi.com (http://www.augi.com)
www.bimforum.org (http://www.bimforum.org)
http://bimcompletethought.blogspot.com (http://bimcompletethought.blogspot.com)
www.aecbytes.com (http://www.aecbytes.com)
I encourage professionals to share and distribute among their peers the procedures and best practices that educate users
about BIM. The dialogue becomes stronger among the BIM community and becomes an invaluable resource to build upon
for the present and future generations.
By staying aware of the market and emerging developments, the BIM manager will be able to make more informed
decisions about future implementations as well as be able to judge a company's current status compared to the market.
Ten Steps: The Short Version
This sidebar comes from the advice I gave a colleague who was tasked with implementing BIM at his
organization. Although it's a humorous slant on the ten steps, it's meant to outline a recipe for successfully
integrating BIM into the fabric of a company.
1. BIM doesn't work—people make it work. There is no way you can load BIM onto a machine, plop anyone
in front of the machine, and hope that it will somehow make your life easier. In fact, it will make it
harder for a while; let everyone know this.
2. BIM is an investment. The easiest way I can explain this is that it's almost like your 401(k) in the form of
coordination return. Will you realize the profits immediately? I don't know—probably not. Will you
realize your investment six to eight months down the road when you find 188 clashes that equate to
more than $2.3 million in change orders? That's closer. Will you realize that investment when you can
provide a greater service to your AEC team in improved communication and collaboration? Bingo!
3. BIM will not tie your shoes. I use this phrase in my office when someone thinks that BIM can solve every
construction-related problem there is. It's just not true. BIM is still developing. There isn't a "one-
software-works-for-everyone-and-will-fix-everything" solution.
4. Start small. A colleague of mine was recently tasked with integrating BIM into his large construction
company. He gave me a call and asked me what the best methodology was. He was thinking of training
all 16 different satellite offices via web meetings. I told him don't. Start with one office, make it work,
and go from there.
5. Train yourself. Make sure you know and learn and continue to learn as much as you can.
6. Start a small, intense training of a BIM team. These will be your disciples and your backbone when you
get uber busy. Believe me, it happens.
7. Third, multiply yourself. Create an FTP file where you can put all of the information in your head in the
form of tutorials, articles, standards, etc. for everyone to refer to. This will make your life easier as well.
8. Stick to the plan but don't. After you've dedicated three weeks to do nothing but write a plan that
includes a schedule and key timelines, and made it generous, be prepared to edit it frequently. People
will question why the company is implementing this new strategy. Be prepared to be called overhead
until you make their day-to-day routine more efficient—and then be prepared to be called buddy.
9. Stop and look at what you've done. Get management to review the implementation, and get feedback so
you know where to improve. Finally, get some metrics. This will be a little like herding cats, but finding
out how BIM has helped or hurt each division will help your decisions.
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10. Attend conventions, seminars, and technology expos to learn about what's out there and if it could be
helpful to your company. Have a committee that reviews the new stuff and presents a software plan
annually to the ownership.
When new technology and software are approved to be implemented, repeat....
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1.1. THE VALUE AND POTENTIAL OF BIM TECHNOLOGY
BIM is a revolutionary technology and process that has transformed the way buildings are designed, analyzed,
constructed, and managed. Currently, an overwhelming amount of information is available about BIM, such as theories
on where BIM can go, the vast array of tools available, and how BIM seems to be the answer to all the problems facing a
construction manager (CM). Although some of this information is useful, often it inundates potential users because the
information all seems to meld together. BIM has become a proven technology. What it can do and the concepts associated
with BIM taken out of context, however, can become misleading and frustrate users and owners alike to the point of not
wanting to use this technology again on future projects. This not only hurts the future growth of BIM technology, but it
inhibits users from getting involved and sharing their experiences with others in the BIM community to further refine
lessons learned and best practices. Figure 1.1 shows an example of a building constructed using BIM technology.
Figure 1.1. Sunset Drive office building, a LEED Gold building constructed using BIM technology
BIM works. While there currently are a number of inefficiencies that will continue to be refined, BIM as a technology is no
longer in its infancy and has started to produce results for the AEC/O industry all over the world. The new frontier for
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BIM and for its users is to define a new process that better enables this new technology. This book identifies a new process
and a way of thinking about BIM that is different than previous processes based off older technology.
1.1.1. BIM: A Primer
So, what is BIM? As Charles Eastman puts it in Building Product Models: Computer Environments Supporting Design
and Construction (CRC Press, 1999), "BIM is a digital representation of the building process to facilitate exchange and
interoperability of information in digital format." For a contractor, BIM is the virtual construction of a facility or structure
that contains intelligent objects in a single source file that, when shared among project team members, intends to increase
the amount of communication and collaboration. The words communication and collaboration have become common in
discussions about BIM today, not only among architects, engineers, and contractors but also with owners, facility
managers, and sustainable design professionals. In fact, according to Interoperability in the Construction Industry
(McGraw Hill Construction, 2007), construction productivity has decreased significantly over the last forty years. This is
in large part because of a lack of communication and collaboration through information (Figure 1.2).
Figure 1.2. Construction productivity index compared to nonfarm industries
Informed contractors and sophisticated owners have begun to look at the current processes and demand higher
interoperability among teams and among software packages, better tools, fewer change orders, and fewer questions in the
field.
The question then becomes, how? How can building professionals begin to deliver better projects to their owners even as
buildings become more and more complex and dependent on new technologies in an ever-changing and moving world?
One of the loudest answers has been BIM.
BIM is not just software. BIM is a process and software. Many believe that once they have purchased a license for a
particular piece of BIM software, they can sit someone in front of the computer and they are now "doing BIM." What
many don't realize, though, is that building information modeling means not only using three-dimensional modeling
software but also implementing a new way of thinking. It is in essence a new way of not doing the same old thing. In my
experience, as a company integrates this technology, it begins to see other processes start to change. Where a certain
process might have made perfect sense for a CAD-type technology, now that doesn't seem to be as efficient. As the
technology changes, so do the practices and functions of the people using the technology. In other words, don't expect to
begin adapting to this new technology and have everything function as it has in the past. Chances are that very few of your
practices will remain the same, because when the information is much richer and more robust, the management of this
information must change in order to fully utilize its potential. Although it is clear that many BIM technologies continue to
grow and develop, it is even more apparent that the "old way of doing things" has a limited future.
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So, what are the advantages of BIM? Let's first look at the owner's perspective. According to Interoperability in the
Construction Industry, 49 percent of owners are now demanding BIM be used on their projects (Figure 1.3). Right behind
the owners' demand for BIM, 47 percent of construction industry professionals are choosing to use BIM for its "ability to
improve communication with clients/others in the design and construction process." Clearly, BIM is being perceived by
owners as a tool that can better coordinate and manage building information. Additionally, construction industry
professionals are choosing to use BIM to improve the design and construction process. Although the technology is key, it
is perhaps even more critical to define processes that utilize this technology and how to work better with all members
involved.
1.1.2. BIM and the Team
What does BIM mean to other team members? Architects use it to more efficiently model their designs (it's not drafting
anymore), to generate the documents that are required of them, and to perform a host of other tasks. Designers using BIM
can quickly generate rendered perspective views and animations to better communicate the project to the owner or local
municipalities. Engineers can model mechanical and electrical designs to evaluate how a system will perform.
Sustainability consultants, architects, and engineers can measure day lighting, recycled and reused material content, and
solar orientation. In essence, any physically modeled object can be created, infused with data, analyzed, scheduled, and
tested.
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Figure 1.3. Industry factors influencing the use of BIM
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3.3. TRADE COORDINATION
A major portion of the construction manager's responsibility is coordinating multiple trades. Trade coordination involves
working and communicating with subcontractors, supervisors, material suppliers, fabricators, and specialty equipment
suppliers, among others. In addition to juggling the scheduling, managing the budget, sorting through constructability
issues, and managing relationships, the construction manager is also responsible for coordinating who is doing what work
on a project. This is a daunting task, especially when the scale and complexity of the project escalates.
In the past, trade coordination was accomplished either on light tables with plans overlaid on each other or through 2D
CAD drawings that were referenced on top of each other in the computer during the initial design stages. These CAD
drawings, which lack a z-axis, allow for mistakes in interpretation. For them to be completely accurate, the top and
bottom elevations of all the components in a project need to be shown in order to coordinate these layered CAD files.
Although many projects establish a plenum space, below-floor elevation space, under-slab elevations, and chase spaces in
which to run equipment, there is often no real way to determine the actual dimensions of equipment as it reduces in size
from one floor to another, the layout of the supporting raised floor columns, or the rebar layout in a floor that is to be core
drilled. The only real way to accomplish a useful coordination model is to create a composite model in which all files are
3D, linked, and intelligent during the design phase (Figure 3.40). Trade coordination is one of the areas where BIM really
shines.
Figure 3.40. Trade coordination begins in design and continues though construction.
3.3.1. Clash Detection and Reporting
One of the major factors leading to the building information modeling movement for contractors was the drive to develop
clash detection functionality between models. The degree of accuracy and the ability to layer multiple data sets and
models into one file are new in the construction industry. These capabilities show where BIM can provide a tool that 2D
data can't touch.
At the onset of a project, you can run entire models against other models to see what the scope of interference is. Virtually
anything in the model can be tested against another set of objects, elements, or selection criteria. As the number of
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reported clashes diminishes, the areas that are being tested can be narrowed down; they can be avoided if there are known
issues that are to be resolved later in the project timeline.
Not only do the clash reports need to be generated and distributed to the project team, but these conflicts also need to be
resolved!
AISC Guiding the Way
By Erika Winters Downey
The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has been a driving force behind many of the BIM efforts
in the industry today. It has been promoting the adoption of BIM in steel construction for more than a decade.
Erika Winters Downey, S.E. AISC Great Plains regional engineer, has provided this sidebar to elaborate on
AISC's role.
The structural steel industry experienced a significant improvement in productivity during the past two
decades of the 20th century as a result of improvements in the mill process of producing structural steel. The
average number of hours required at the manufacturing mill per ton of structural steel plummeted from 12 to
0.5 during this period. Following these improvements, the industry turned its attention to other aspects of the
supply chain for fabricated structural steel in hopes of identifying specific activities that could yield similar
productivity improvements.
In 1998, AISC analyzed the traditional workflow processes in steel-framed building projects and identified
inefficiencies when 2D drawings are manually transferred between parties instead of electronically
transferring the data. AISC evaluated several existing file formats already commercially available and chose
CIS/2 as the best format for neutral file transfer. CIS/2, or CIMSteel Integration Standards/Version 2, is a
U.K.-based data dictionary and file format that AISC chose because of its robustness in terms of its abilities to
assign intelligent entities within a structural model and then manage and track changes to it. In 2000, major
software firms in the United States agreed to incorporate CIS/2 technology into their programs in exchange
for a three-year moratorium on changes to the CIS/2 standard.
As a result, project teams can save time by electronically transferring data from a structural BIM to a
manufacturing model, rather than starting a new model from scratch using 2D design drawings. Programs at
the fabrication level allow for electronic development and review of shop drawings. The fact that structural
steel is fabricated in centralized locations, remote from job sites, inherently allows it to adopt automation in
the workflow. At the fabrication shop, information from the 3D manufacturing model is sent to computer
numerically controlled (CNC) machines on their beam lines. This process integrates well into a lean
construction model utilizing 3D design of MEP systems, cladding, and architecture.
In the 2005 AISC Manual of Steel Construction, the Code of Standard Practice debuted Appendix A, "Digital
Building Product Models." When specified, the design model will govern over architectural and structural
design drawings. The manufacturing model will govern over shop and erection drawings. It also sets
procedures for the logical product model, which encompasses the analysis model, the design model, and the
manufacturing model.
AISC continues to support CIS/2 by ensuring its integration into the larger AEC industry. The first step in
doing so was to develop a translator that would allow a CIS/2-to-IFC exchange. This allows steel-framed
structures to be integrated into the standard that is internationally recognized. With a CIS/2-to-IFC
translator, CIS/2 became capable of exporting structural steel models to IFC-compliant building software.
Additionally, AISC began to participate in the National BIM Standard (NBIMS), which was an undertaking of
the buildingSMART Alliance and the National Institute of Building Science (NIBS). AISC's work with NBIMS
has revolved primarily around defining how and when information is exchanged in the structural steel design
process.
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3.3.2. Navisworks Clash Detective
The following tutorial uses a new mechanical ductwork model and runs clash detection against the structural steel. It
shows how to generate a clash detection report, distribute it to a project team using HTML or a Navisworks viewer file,
and develop a resolution plan that shows the clashes and tracks responsibility for resolving them.
Using Navisworks Clash Detective
1. Launch Navisworks, and select File > Open > Example50% dd.nwd.
2. Click the Clash Detective button (Figure 3.41), and dock the Clash Detective palette by clicking the pushpin. The
Clash Detective tool tests 3D (or CAD with z coordinates) information in the left pane against information in the
right pane.
Figure 3.41. Clash Detective button
3. Append the mechanical model to the architectural model in Navisworks.
NOTE
Revit Architecture opens Revit mechanical models, but the ability to model using the mechanical interface is unique
to Revit MEP. The same is true for Revit structure files as well. In other words, a model created in Revit Architecture
must continue to be modeled in Revit Architecture. A model built in Revit MEP must continue to be created in Revit
MEP.
4. Select File > Append, and choose the file FGHVAC04.nwd file (Figure 3.42).
Figure 3.42. Append command in Navisworks
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Although this tutorial tests two models against each other, all elements can be selected and tested against each
other. For example, a search set of the structural steel can be created and then tested against the concrete floors of
the same model. As an additional exercise, create search sets of both the structural steel and the concrete floor from
the architectural model, and run an additional clash detection batch. This will help you familiarize yourself with the
capabilities of the clash detection function in Navisworks.
You now see that under the clash detective reporting windows there are two model files (Figure 3.43).
5. Select the FGHVAC04.nwd file in the left window, and select the Example50% dd.nwd file in the right window
(Figure 3.44).
6. Make sure that the Self Intersect check box is cleared on both sides.
7. Set Type to Hard at the bottom of the Clash Detective palette.
Figure 3.43. Separate files are identified in the Navisworks clash detective windows
Figure 3.44. Comparing two models against each other
NOTE
A hard clash is the physical intersection of two 3D components, whereas a clearance clash will report if components
are within a specified dimension of each other. Duplicates identify two objects that are identical in type and
position.
8. Set Tolerance to 0ft 0.01. This is the degree of interference that is acceptable. It defines a rule for generating the
clash report.
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9. Click the Start button to generate the report.
10. Click Save.
If this example has been completed correctly, you should have 751 clashes, which you can see by clicking the Select tab
and looking at the bottom of the screen (Figure 3.45).
Figure 3.45. Found clashes using Navisworks
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By clicking each clash on the Results tab, Navis will automatically zoom into the area of the clash in the 3D viewer. You
can use the Display tool on the right side of the viewer to change how clashes are displayed. Click through the clashes, and
see how the Auto Zoom, Hide Other, and Dim Other display features can be toggled. This will help you clarify exactly what
you are seeing. Keep in mind that you can use the Orbit, Pan, and Zoom tools at any time when viewing a clash report in
the clash report view.
Other elements on the Results tab are a series of headings titled Name, Status, Distance, Description, Found, Approved,
Approved By, Clash Point, Start, End, and Event. These are described in Chapter 4, which discusses using the clash
detection report to generate actions and to update the report.
Save this file as Example50% clash.nwd when you have completed the tutorial, because you will use this NWD file in the
next chapter to begin resolving and updating the clashes.
3.3.3. Case Study: Managing Construction of a Signature Bridge with BIM
Standing tall as a vital transportation link in the Bay Area, the current construction work on the San Francisco–Oakland
Bay Bridge (SFOBB) is a premier example of renewal and investment in America's critical bridge infrastructure. It is also
an excellent example of BIM applications making a difference in a large construction program. In this case study we
outline the processes and tools used across the delivery team to improve quality, reduce risk, and enhance
communications with the traveling public.
Enabling nearly 300,000 vehicles crossing daily, the two spans of the SFOBB are among the busiest bridges in the nation.
In the aftermath of the devastating 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
determined that the East Span would be replaced with a new structure and the West Span would be seismically retrofitted.
Both projects would be completed with the structures remaining open to traffic. This project is among the largest public
works projects in California history, costing $6.3 billion, and features the world's largest self-anchored suspension span.
Based on the early success of 3D model renderings of the new bridge during the extensive environmental approval phase,
Caltrans requested that Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) develop an updated 3D model of the entire span reflecting the
completed design for use in its new outreach strategy in led by the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA). At the time, many of
the design activities were being completed in standard 2D CAD applications. PB produced an accurate 3D digital model of
the entire East Span corridor, including the existing bridge, temporary structures, and the future new span renderings
using Autodesk 3ds MAX software (see Figure 3.46).
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Figure 3.46. Rendering of new bridge work and temporary detour route.
To extend the utility of the initial modeling activity, PB went on to create a 4D project model using Autodesk Navisworks.
Components and groups of components within the 3D model were linked to corresponding construction activities in a
master Primavera-based contract schedule. The resulting interactive 3D simulation of the entire project shows
construction activities including staging and equipment moves over time in an effective and realistic way (see Figure
3.47). For the BATA project team, this was the first implementation of a 4D process during construction, and the ease of
use enabled them to immediately leverage the benefits during project review meetings.
The BIM project model achieves several objectives:
• Better inform the design and construction teams about planned construction processes
• Help communicate to decision makers when certain activities will take place and the relationship among key
milestones
• Foster more collaboration among project partners and stakeholders
• Enable the public to clearly see what the project will look like over the course of construction
• Facilitate media campaigns that effectively communicate planned closures and traffic detours
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Figure 3.47. Stills from completed sequencing animation.
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Early acceptance led to an iterative model revision process within an overall model management framework. The project
model was maintained as designs were refined and the schedules updated. The model was extended to include fabrication
and delivery of deck and tower sections for the self-anchored suspension (SAS) portion of the bridge, critical activities for
overall construction scheduling (see Figure 3.48). The detailing of components and complexity of geometry has expanded
with use. Currently the model links to over 3,000 construction activities in the multiple contracts, and the model itself has
grown to over 800 million polygons.
Figure 3.48. BIM of the bridge showing daily construction activity tied to rendered components.
The composite model has become an integral part of several notable achievements. In one example the clear depiction of
what were initially overlapping activities in the same work area among multiple contractors' construction schedules
helped resolve conflicts in confined areas with limited access on Yerba Buena Island between the two spans. Within the
model simulation, multiple planned activities can be shown together for any day during the life of the project. This
approach to construction sequencing is being embraced by clients and team members at every level of the project
including the Caltrans scheduler, Toll Bridge Program Oversight Committee (TBPOC), and even the executive committee
responsible for making major decisions on the project.
The project work has created many new opportunities for Caltrans and BATA to explain the project to non-technical
stakeholders, and has made stakeholder communication easier and more comprehensive. Caltrans and BATA have
committed to the continued use of visualization and 4D modeling to illustrate construction sequencing for several more
key components of the new bridge, including a detailed visualization of the construction of the SAS portion of the bridge.
The structural and MEP components for the bridge were modeled in 3D and compared for potential design conflicts
including interface issues between the two construction document packages being developed in parallel.
The model-based methods and associated used on this project has led to discussions by Caltrans leadership on the
inclusion of 4D modeling and digital prototyping as standard components of their project development process for their
large infrastructure projects.
The following specific construction challenges were managed more effectively through innovative use of BIM processes.You have 7 days left in your trial, Adrianbetana. Subscribe today. See pricing
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Challenge:
There are three prime contracts with work areas on Yerba Buena Island, the small island (only 300 acres) that
serves as the connection between the east and west spans of the SFOBB. The team needed a way to illustrate the
work areas for each contract, as well as communicate the limited geographic area in which to stockpile
materials and conduct construction operations. Contractors needed to be informed about the state of
construction adjacent to their work areas at the beginning of the contract, as well as the location of
environmentally sensitive areas (ESA).
Solution:
Using a 2D sheet file of the contract work area boundaries, 3D splines were created and formed to fit the base
digital terrain model (DTM) in 3D. A high resolution aerial image was draped over the terrain model, and
boundaries were color coded to illustrate each contractor work area. The work area geometry was imported into
the 4D model, and images were submitted to the client for different points in time during the project
construction.
Challenge:
The 150-meter tall suspension tower for the Bay Bridge has extensive internal mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing (MEP) design elements, in addition to a seismically innovative structural design. Because of the size
and complexity of the tower, the project team needed a way to perform design validation for the variety of
engineering disciplines. PB designed the MEP elements of the tower, while a Joint Venture team, TYLin/Moffat
Nichol, designed the structural systems. Although the structural design was created in 3D using Dassault
SolidWorks, proprietary considerations in project contracts made it an issue to share design information
between team members.
Solution:
The design team was able to provide their 3D structural design in an Autodesk Navisworks .NWD file format
without sharing proprietary design information.
Navisworks then was able to import both the .NWD file exported from SolidWorks with the MEP design .NWD
file exported from Autodesk 3ds Max to perform clash detection operations on both design models. Initial clash
processes yielded multiple issues, and electrical designers were provided with reports generated from
Navisworks that clearly demonstrated the areas of conflict.
Challenge:
The 2,047 foot self anchored suspension span of the new SFOBB will be the largest of its kind in the world. At a
cost of $1.45 billion, the span is being built under the largest infrastructure contract ever awarded in California.
The steel deck and tower components will be prefabricated in China and shipped to the project site, creating
monumental logistical and managerial challenges for the project team. An effective method to visualize and
understand the interaction between the fabrication and construction operations was needed.
Solution:
Detailed structural models for the bridge components were created using original 2D design data. PB then used
construction schedules for the project in coordination with a procedural fabrication schedule to create a 4D
model for the prefabricated deck and tower components that simulated segment and lift assembly, shipment
and inspection status, as well as placement of the prefabricated components on falseworks at the project site
(Figure 3.49).
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Figure 3.49. Rendering showing phased construction activities and break down of the old structure being phased into
the new structure.
Challenge:
Both directions of the SFOBB were closed for Labor Day Weekend 2007 to allow workers to replace a 350-foot
section of roadway. As California's busiest bridge an enormous public outreach effort was needed to change
area motorist's behavior during the closure.
Solution:
600,000 fliers were printed, hundreds of Electronic Message Signs were placed, radio ads and television
commercials ran, presentations aired before the coming attractions in movie theaters throughout California,
and giant banners were placed in the Bay Area's airports. A major element in this endeavor was a set of 3D
model renderings and animations generated from the project model and used to quickly explain step by step
exactly what was going to happen. At the time of the closure, surrounding traffic was so minimal the bridge was
closed almost an hour before scheduled.
Challenge:
There is an enormous interest in what the new bay bridge will look like in its future environment. Numerous
images and animations of the new bridge have been released to the public through local media. These resources
are valuable, and can answer many questions, but seeing the bridge in its context from any vantage point in an
interactive real time 3D model is the ultimate way to quickly show and explain this future icon to the general
public.
Solution:
A less detailed model of the New Bay Bridge was generated and imported into Google Earth. Inside Google
Earth, a model of the completed bridge exists in its geographic location. Along with the ability to fly around and
view the model from anywhere, the model has placemark links to information on the new bridge and upcoming
closures of the existing bridge.
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