BIM Building Information Modeling 1 - (Page 15)

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION A Contractor Tells How They Made BIM Work for Their Firm Q. What's your firm's history with this process? A. Hill Mechanical Group has been utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM) to lower the cost and increase the quality of self performing ventilation, piping, plumbing, testing/balancing, commissioning, and building operations since 2003. It started as a commonsense approach of operating our CAD, CAM, and Estimating software from one master database. This has evolved to a dynamic tool to increase efficiencies in our mechanical construction, service and operations business. Q. What's the result of your incorporating BIM? A. We have been able to obtain some of the following uses and resulting efficiencies: • Information for sheet-metal fabrication can be downloaded directly from the model since it shares the same data base. This has reduced the labor associated with creating the bill of materials for fabrication. It has also helped eliminate human error and inconsistency inherent with the previous process. • Creating detailed spooling sheets for plumbing and piping sub-assemblies for pre-fabrication has lowered overall labor costs by shifting as much as 50% of the total project labor into our manufacturing facility. The additional byproduct has been increased quality and safety through providing the tools and environment that would not be achievable in the field. • By creating bill-of-material information, reports can be generated that quantify all items of content which have been created. This has eliminated the need for a field foreman to manually create the bill-of-material list, saving labor and reducing human error and inconsistency. • Using virtual supplier management software allows us to send electronic material lists directly to vendors for quotation and purchase. • Downloading information directly to surveying equipment for setting sleeves, identifying openings, setting inserts and hangers, layout for coring and saw cutting, and many other uses has increased the quantity and accuracy of the locations that can be done in a day. • We utilize software for collision detection of all model information to increase coordination accuracy and reduce field conflicts. • We utilize free viewers for presentation and viewing by foremen, project engineers and clients. The added underRobert Krier, president Hill Mechanical Group standing by viewing the project three dimensionally has decreased installation times and reduced owner changes during installation. Q. Where's BIM going? A. The development and improvement of ways to leverage model information for the overall increased efficiency of the design and construction process is continuous. There will be many challenges for all stakeholders to change their existing business models to adapt. Implementation will lead to consolidation within the industry, rewarding those who take the risks to utilize this new technology. BIM 15

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of BIM Building Information Projects No 1

Cover How Building Information Modeling (BIM) is Dramatically Transforming the Design, Building and Operation of Projects An Interview with a Local AGC Chapter on Its Nationwide BIM Training and Validation Program Launch BIM - more than just a clash detection tool A Contractor Tells How They Made BIM Work for Their Firm BIM’S Sixth Dimension: RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY ALLOCATION Experiencing the Benefits of a New Tool AIA Member Perspectives on BIM Thoughts From a Digital Imaging Firm

BIM Building Information Projects No 1

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.