UK BIM Academy
In our January trip to the UK, we met with Ryder Architecture and Northumbria University, who are joining forces to launch the UK BIM Academy. The official launch is now only days away (June 21) – we wish we were able to attend, but look forward to hearing about their great contributions to UK BIM Adoption.
“Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture”
Even though there are a variety of Revit tutorials and tips online, we make sure to get the updated version of “Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture” each year. Not only does it include step-by-steps for more complex modeling techniques, it also discusses use cases and processes.
It’s by no means a quick, easy, sit-down read, since there are four digit-page numbers toward the end (it probably won’t fit in your briefcase). It is also not an introduction – it’s for power users. This Autodesk Official Training Guide helps users to refine their skills, and build upon concepts they have already grasped, at every level beyond basic. In addition to modeling tutorials, this manual provides readers with a troubleshooting appendix and an overview of BIM effects on project approach. “Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture” has become our ‘go-to’ for Revit troubleshooting.
Less on the technical side, there are chapters such as, “Working with Consultants,” that can help you to prepare for collaboration on a BIM project, or the development of a BIM Execution Plan. Care to learn about “Social BIM?” The authors tell us all about this notion, originally put forth by “John Tocci of Tocci Building Corporation…a forward-thinking construction company with headquarters in Woburn, MA.”
Links to authors’ blogs:
Nancy Duarte’s “slide:ology” Refines Calamitous Presentation Visuals
With a team who uses presentations to change the world (okay, just the industry), any VDC department needs a go-to resource on how to present well. In “slide:ology,” author Nancy Duarte gives us just that. She spells out exactly how to generate effective presentations, right down to the very detail of which color palette to select. It’s tempting to wonder, “Is the color palette of my presentation really going to make or break it?” Yes, and she breaks it down into a science.
As Duarte shapes her suggestions, we begin to understand that PowerPoint’s interface does us no favors. The icons dangle there on the toolbar just begging us to welcome each word and picture to the slide with a cute little whooshing animation. Effective? Nope. Speaking of words, Duarte also notes that what some people mistakenly call a “PowerPoint” is, in fact, a document, or a teleprompter plagued with too much text. To combat unsuccessful methods, she lays down some basic ground rules:
• “Ignore the entire default master” backgrounds. The graphics take up valuable space and are likely useless, anyhow.
• Don’t forget to consider your audience. Images are “culturally neutral,” and words aren’t.
• Use the 10/20/30 rule of thumb—the presentation should be 10 slides, delivered in 20 minutes, with nothing smaller than 30 point font.
Whether it’s teaching the rest of the team a crucial BIM technique or delivering a presentation on your process, the manner in which we convey our information reflects on us. If you want your content to be heard and understood, keep Duarte’s book in your office. If you want your presentations complicated and ineffective, well, just listen to the little talking paperclip on the corner of your screen.
SWOT Analysis: Status of IM
For the report to WRAP, the team put together an interesting analysis of the status of IM in the UK. Although the UK and US are at different points in BIM adoption, the analysis mostly hold true for the Status of IM in the US.
BIM Reduces Waste..But How?
The report on Information Modeling to WRAP, included a section on how BIM can improve resource efficiency. Although many talk about reducing waste through BIM, the report actually detailed BIM Uses by project phase, for ways to reduce waste for both building and infrastructure projects. The report also organized the BIM Uses by resource: Material; Water and Carbon/Energy.
Some of the strategies for building projects are listed below. More are available in the full report to WRAP.
| Design | Construction | Operations | |
| Material | Refinement of design to avoid material cuts | Prefabrication of components reduces construction waste | Preventive maintenance scheduling to improve service life of products and equipment |
| Water | Quantification of the performance of fixtures and fittings | Monitoring performance and analysis of impact of investments to detect issues early on | |
| Carbon/Energy | Accurate assessment of ‘passive’ design opportunities | Optimized sequence reduces unnecessary ‘moves’ and equipment | Improved management of equipment leads to improved efficiency |
Reducing Waste Through BIM
Q5 recently collaborated with AEC3, CyrilSweett and Ryder Architecture on a project for WRAP, an agency within the UK government focusing on reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources efficiently in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Our report focused on the way information modelling (IM) align with WRAP’s mission. Q5′s role was to give the US perspective on BIM adoption and waste reduction, an excerpt can be found here.
The overall report, coordinated by CyrilSweett, walked through:
- Current status and development of IM
- Impacts of IM on resource efficiency
- Implications of IM for WRAP’s work in the built environment
- Forward Strategy
Asking for BIM Services (how to RFP)
Asking for BIM Services is a lot like asking for any other service: define the project requirements, supply resources and structure the response. If we were going to outsource BIM, we’d structure an RFP something like this:
| Requirements | |
| Team Experience | Minimum team requirements; for instance, a project manager, an architectural modeler and a structural modeler |
| Schedule | Deadlines and any milestone dates |
| BIM Uses | Exactly what the outsource company will do; for instance, a 2D conversion OR a 2D conversion and clash detection. Make sure you clarify the extent of the BIM Use. If they are doing clash detection, do they have to resolve the clashes or just report clashes? |
| Software | Software requirements, including version |
| Standards | Clearly defined requirements for file organization, coordinate system, tolerances and file standards |
| Communication Protocols | Method for transmitting RFIs and progress models, along with requirement for communications (i.e. daily web conference) |
| Level of Detail | Exactly what is required for modeling, and how to model it. This is not the time for “LOD 300” type language. For instance, model all interior partitions, building the layers and naming them according to the partition schedule. Include Fire Rating as a parameter (1 HR). Model partition height according to height of stud; GWB can align to top of stud. |
| Resources | |
| Project Information | General project statistics: SF, type, floors, etc. |
| Drawings | All drawings (PDF or DWG) that need to be converted. It may be helpful to ‘grey-line’ which objects and notes can be excluded from the model |
| Renderings | If renderings are available, include for quick reference and project understanding |
| Response | |
| Team and Experience | Information required for team members and portfolio of similar work |
| Schedule | Detailed schedule, outlining how they will approach modeling to meet deadline |
| Pricing Information | Specify how pricing should be broken out. For instance, by discipline, with hours defined for modeling and QAQC |
| Typical Process | Narrative on how 2D conversions are typically performed and managed |
5 Tips for Managing Outsourced 2D Conversion
1. Commit internal resources
Just because you’re outsourcing the modeling effort, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to manage the process. After all, in the end, you’re going to have to live with the model, so you should participate in the process. So what resources? A “BIM person” may need to be available up to half-time (sometimes more!) to ensure the best possible model; they will be doing all of the things described in the following tips.Don’t be afraid to micro-manage
2. Just get in there.
That may be working directly with the actual modelers. Although some modeling companies only give you access to one point person, you don’t want to be playing a game of telephone. If you’re getting good results, don’t worry about it. If not, work directly with the modelers
It may be directing the schedule and order of operations. Have them submit a file with levels and grids for you to review and approve before modeling starts. Have them create all the required components for you to QAQC and approve before they start placing them.
3. Schedule daily communication
Consider a daily model upload at 8AM, a web conference at 9AM to review RFIs and open issues and a daily QAQC of progress in the model, sending a QAQC report to the outsource company by 12PM. Touch the project daily.
4. Document everything
Maintain logs of RFIs from the outsource consulting and RFIs sent to the design team as a result of the 2D conversion. Save all QAQC reports. Record web conference, capturing both audio and video. Although it seems like overkill, you will be happy to have everything after the fact, whether it is working through issues or using screen captures for marketing.
5. Know when to stop
A 2D conversion can be a black hole. Refer to your LOD requirements and stop there. And don’t allow the outsource company to do more than you want; you’ll spend more of your time QAQCing and managing content .
Should You (or Anyone) Outsource BIM?
The Short Answer: No
We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: BIM should not be outsourced. BIMs should be created and used by the people who are actually performing work, not a third party and is disconnected from the day-to-day of the project. Using a BIM is a transformative process that delivers significant value and reduces waste; however, the value goes to the entity or person that actually does the work. Consider the following BIM uses that contractors often outsource.
Model Authoring (2D Conversion)
Ideally, the design model is created by the design team and is used to create the construction drawings. The contractor can add detail and update the design models as needed for their BIM Uses. (Although don’t forget, you still need to QAQC the model for completeness and accuracy!) If the design team didn’t model, contractors have two options: outsourcing the 2D conversion or performing the work in-house. Creating a BIM builds significant understand of the details of a project; why would you want someone who isn’t working on the project to have that understanding?
Clash Detection
The go-to BIM use for contractors is clash detection. When outsourced, this is usually done after the modeling is completed; the deliverable is a report of clashes that need to be resolved. Typically, the external entity just runs hard clashes between disciplines, as modeled. Unfortunately, this has little value for a contractor who needs to coordinate and optimize systems considering code and clearance requirements. Clash detection adds value to a coordination process, but on its own isn’t all that valuable.
Effective BIM Use
John Lorimer, Capital Programme Division Director for Manchester City Council, followed up with us to ask us “What in your view are the 3 (or maybe it’s 5) key things a contractor needs to put in place to enable the effective use of BIM on their projects?”
We brainstormed:
And then responded:
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