DiGiovanni - Blog Post 2

Some of what Chapter 5 discusses is the positives of 3D modeling over CAD and the practicality of 3D modeling not only in design but also construction.

The text highlights ways that BIM can make the design process more cost and labor efficient for all parties involved. Having a detailed model early on in the project, in addition with some modern contract agreements such as Integrated Project Delievery (IPD) or Design-Build can really benefit the project. The traditional method, or design-bid-build, has the parties in "silos" which promotes a sort of "everyone for themselves" mentality. Instead of doing this, which requires a set of Schematic Design (SD), Design Development (DD) and Construction Documents (CD); a large team can sit together with a 3D building model and hash out any issues early. This is a lot better than doing it after the construction crews are mobilized, saving time and money. While SDs, DDs, and CDs may still need to be issued in an IPD or design-build, if all the major issues are ironed out beforehand then the issuance is almost just a formality (but not fully!)

This chapter also highlights the time saving aspects that a forward thinking approach can have in regards to design. It provides an example where Skidmore Owings & Merril (SOM) partnered with a technology company to design parameters for an ideal building core. This problem was able to be solved because of two major factors: 1) Core design is heavily dependent on code variables and design knowledge 2) Core design can be highly repetitive once an optimal core is found that fits all the variables. Using these two key pieces of information, SOM was able to put together a parameter matrix to calculate the perfect "golden core", or the most optimal code compliant core possible. Some of the data it would return include: number of elevators, number of fixtures, and egress information. Another time saving feature the chapter discussed was being able to use master libraries of actual products to put into the building. If a designer wanted to test out two different ceiling 2x4 LEDs, they could upload the actual product using the vendor's specifications to see which model would work better. Having access to a library of thousands of already created pieces of a building such as doors, windows, and fixtures saves time and effort, while also allowing the designer to be quicker and more responsive to the owner's needs.

Overall, this chapter contained a lot of information not covered here. I felt these two main paragraphs strongly applied to me because as someone who is starting a full time job soon, saving time and money is very important in the industry. While class projects can teach you the importance of deadlines, it is good to be reminded about how companies are saving money so I can figure out how to help.

e-book MLA Citation: Eastman, Charles M. BIM Handbook : A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. vol. 2nd ed, Wiley, 2011. EBSCOhost, ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=364239&site=ehost-live.


Responses:

1) Kerry,


Your blog post made me interested in finding out some of the other limitations of BIM. A lot of people see BIM as a fix all or catch all design tool. This could be a negative thing if designers see a 3D modeling program as the only solution. As Abraham Maslow said, "If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". As diverse and unconstrained as BIM softwares can be, it is never a good thing just to give up CAD software or hand designed models, because who knows when those tools may be needed.
Information on the quote: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument#History


2) Jordan,

Your comment about pre-fabrication had me questioning the book a little. Because while pre-fabrication does reduce on site labor costs, it increases up front costs required to fabricate parts of the building. I wonder if that chapter had any cost breakdown comparisons. Even besides costs, pre-fabrication does have other cons such as reduced flexibility in the field. If a design or site issue arises, a pre-built structure may have trouble being adapted to fit a different purpose. Overall, I think pre-fabricating certain parts of the building off site is smart and should be implemented more widely, I was just curious if the book talked about some of the negative aspects involving it

3) Dee Dee,

I had a similar experience on my second co-op. I used to sit in big meetings with all the designers: Mechanical, structural engineer, fire protection (different company than the mechanicals), and even the electricians. This group would meet and all have the BIM model up, then as the meeting went on and issues were brought up, solutions were sought. Sometimes the mechanical engineer would ask the electrician for their input regarding practicality of a design. Or the structural steel would clash with the ducts. In my personal experience, I learned that the steel is rarely moved in a "clash", and that the fire protection pipes or heads in a clash always lose (easiest to re-route). It probably is easiest to re-route the sprinkler pipes because the BIM today can perform most of the calculations and code checks instantly, where a structural change, no matter how small, can greatly impact the building.