BIM Building Information Modeling 1 - (Page 21)

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION AIA Member Perspectives on BIM As BIM evolves and gains traction throughout the industry, each firm develops its own unique path to adoption and implementation. In this feature, three AIA members share their experiences and perspectives on the impact of BIM internally at their firms, on their projects, in their professional community and for the entire industry. upgrades in CAD software were mostly in terms of improving the way graphics were handled, while new BIM systems require a fundamental change in the way architects interact with the software by shifting from a 'drawing' mentality to a 'building' mentality. This new method of working in BIM has also been described as virtual construction. It is from this virtual building, or Building Information Model, that the subsequent visual images, design drawings, quantity take-offs and physical calculations are extracted. Because BIM requires this mental shift from CAD, there are two observations about implementing BIM: 1. It has often been found that people with less CAD experience have an easier time adopting a BIM approach to designing a building. 2. Because BIM is more focused on how a building is put together, people with knowledge of building systems and construction technology seem to have an easier time adjusting to BIM. It is this shift from thinking about how graphics are organized to thinking about how a building goes together that has industry experts excited about BIM and its potential. Mark Schmieding, AIA Senior Associate DeStefano+Partners, Ltd. BIM technology has been in development for a long time and has been evolving within advanced CAD platforms for years under such names as “Object Based CAD” and “Parametric Building Design.” These earlier versions of BIM were developed based on CAD platforms, which are primarily focused on storage and manipulation of graphic data. Professionals were able to draw more quickly and accurately using CAD, but the graphic data produced did not “know” what it represented. This resulted in complicated routines to attach information to these graphic elements. With BIM becoming a widely accepted technology on its way to becoming a standard in the building design industry, many software companies are now offering BIM solutions that are “purposebuilt.” This means that a particular software platform is designed exclusively for BIM applications so that the interface, information processing and file formats all work in the most efficient way to streamline the data-intensive workflow of Building Information Modeling. Autodesk Revit is an example of purposebuilt BIM software. While this is beneficial by providing greater efficiency and more functionality, it can create challenges for offices wishing to switch to a BIM-based workflow from existing CAD systems. The reason for this is that previous Images from DeStefano+Partners of a project designed for a competition for the Arab Jordan Investment Bank Headquarters project in Amaan, Jordan. Marc Teer, AIA Associate, Gensler BIM Adoption: Architects Gensler's adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is moving ahead steadily. “Just-in-time training” is key to a successful transition because those who are trained and quickly begin using BIM seem to better retain the information they just learned. Those who quickly return to working in CAD do not reap the full benefits of the training. We are finding that those who are already comfortable working in three dimensions make the transition easier. Coupled with this, fears about more inexperienced staff being able to work in this tool are subsiding, because younger staff tend to already be comfortable working with three dimensional tools, and BIM doesn't impose any impediments to more experienced architects providing direction about the details of how a building goes together. Senior architects still provide red-lined sketches to younger staff who then refine the building information model. In our efforts to incorporate BIM into the design process, we've found that other 3D tools allow our teams to explore design iterations more quickly. BIM tools seem to be most useful toward the end of schematic design, once the form of the building begins to settle down. An architect's ability to move between many different tools, digital and analog alike, seems to be crucial to creating a successful design. BIM 21

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

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