Building Industry Magazine - September 2011 - (Page 56)

The Future Is BY JASON SOEDA Once upon a time, complicated architectural renderings and engineering drawings were drawn completely by hand. Then along came computer-aided design (CAD), which automated and accelerated the mechanics of the drafting process. Today, we have BIM (building information modeling), a process that lets you construct a building virtually even before the first shovel hits the ground! In this report, local industry leaders share their thoughts on the latest technology. The Trailblazers Ed Dang is all about careful planning. As the manager of construction information technology for dck pacific construction, LLC, part of his job is to mitigate risks on jobsites. “As a builder, anytime you can turn a risk into a certainty, you’ve increased the opportunity to achieve a successful project and gain a satisfied client,” says Dang. “Building information modeling is a process that can help mitigate a large number of those risks.” Dang explains dck pacific’s first experience using BIM: “In early 2007, our executive management was convinced of the potential benefits of BIM and believed that the technology and available software were at a level of maturity to sustain the process through completion. The decision was then made to deploy BIM on a pilot project. We didn’t wait long as dck pacific soon was awarded a $330 million design-build federal contract to construct the Hawaii Regional Security Operations Center (HRSOC) on Oahu. We saw it as an opportunity to enhance the building process and to become a proven industry leader in the use of BIM. We successfully used BIM to coordinate the design and subcontractor trades in the data and pump room areas where it was determined to be the most complex. “More recently, dck pacific was awarded a federal design-build project in Guam last year. We again pulled a design team together that was committed to design the project using BIM. Since BIM integrates all 56 | BUILDING INDUSTRY | SEPTEMBER 2011 Ed Dang, manager of construction information technology, dck pacific the pertinent building systems in the planned facility, we found, as we did in the HRSOC project, that the BIM process inherently creates an enhanced level of collaboration that we would otherwise have never been able to achieve under the traditional design process. The design engineers were able to digitally integrate or overlay each other’s system onto their own. This enabled them to coordinate their design so as to minimize conflicts. Using specialized BIM software to run the final clash detection analysis of the fully integrated model, the number of clashes found was nominal thus validating the overall design. The clashes were resolved within a week and the drawings were submitted to the owner for final approval. The BIM process certainly helped in reducing errors that may have otherwise been overlooked or missed.” Swinerton Builders Hawaii is another firm proven to be a leader in the utilization of BIM. The company currently is using BIM on the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole (PJKK) U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building project.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - September 2011

Building Industry Magazine Cover
Contents
Datebook
ABC Hawaii Appreciates Members
PV Installation Under Way on Hickam Homes
Hilton Project Reaches Major Milestone
FBI Building New Hawaii Office
Contracts Awarded
Belt Collins Wins Awards
Kauai
Concept to Completion: Wailua Cane Haul Bridge Widening
Local Firms Unveil Greenest Home in Hawaii
Civic Center Goes Net Zero
Inside the GCA
Center Park and Ride Facility
Guam
Best Practices
Low Bids
Developments in Industry Technology
News Makers
New Products

Building Industry Magazine - September 2011