Episode 4 - BIM for Designers

In this episode, our senior BIM consultant Valeria Cuadra talks about the BIM process as it relates to designers.

Speaker Geraldine Rayner, Summit BIM Data Matters

Transcript

Hello everyone, and welcome back to our Summit BIM podcast, Data Matters. I am Valeria Cuadra, and I will be your host today. As an architect with a master’s degree in building information management, I’ve dedicated the past four years to the world of BIM projects at Summit BIM, where I serve as a senior BIM consultant, we are all about empowering owners to harness the full potential of their buildings data.

In this episode, we are going to dive into the world of BIM from a design and construction perspective. Specifically, we are going to be focusing on how to implement BIM effectively with a keen eye on data structure in the realm of building information management. Two key groups are essential, each playing vital roles in the process. Firstly, we have the design team who are responsible for creating the basis for the data.

These individuals gather, organize, and input crucial information about the project, laying the foundation upon which the entire BIM process relies. Their work ensures accuracy, completeness, and accessibility of the data, serving as the backbone for all subsequent stages. On the other hand, we have the construction team who are the experts in charge of translating the design intent into physical reality.

Their expertise brings virtual designs to life, overcoming challenges and using innovative techniques along the way. Together, these two groups form the Dynamic Duo, driving the BIM process forward, bridging the gap between conception and construction. So, let's start talking about the BIM process for design consultants. Let's kick things off by answering two essential questions. What exactly is BIM and why should designers care?

Well, BIM isn't just another trendy acronym or software. It's a game changer in the world of architecture, engineering, and construction. Essentially, BIM is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of buildings. It's a comprehensive database of information that spans from the initial conceptualization phase all the way through to demolition. If you are a design team member who is not used to working with BIM, you must be asking yourself what is the motivation to change and why should you, as a design consultant, shift to a BIM process?

Well, as designers, harnessing the power of BIM can revolutionize our workflows, streamline collaboration, and ultimately lead to better built environments. Transitioning to our building information management process offers numerous compelling reasons for designers. Firstly, BIM enhances collaboration and communication among project stakeholders, fostering a more integrated and efficient workflow. With BIM, you can easily share and access project data, promoting transparency and minimizing errors.

Additionally, BIM enables better visualization of design concepts, allowing for more accurate assessments and informed decision making. This not only improves the quality of your designs, but also enhances client satisfaction. Furthermore, shifting to a BIM process as a Design Consultant equips you with the tools and methodologies necessary to streamline your workflow, elevate your designs, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

Not to mention boosting the revenue of your business, whether by cutting project timelines or by securing additional projects. So, let's start by addressing the elephant in the room, the pain points associated with traditional paper-based processes, the familiar smell of freshly printed drawings is somewhat romantic, but behind this nostalgic facade lies inefficiencies, errors, and missed opportunities. The first step forward is to acknowledge and address the pain points associated with traditional paper-based processes.

They are riddled with risks, from version control nightmares to communication breakdowns, time consuming manual updates, limited collaboration, and coordination, because, let's face it, everybody's working on their own island, and very poor documentation. Not to mention the environmental impact of all that paper waste.

It's time to recognize the limitations of the traditional process and explore opportunities for improvement. We need to transition to digital data driven solutions that offers greater efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. Enter the Common Data Environment, or CDE. This centralized platform serves as the beating heart of BIM implementation, providing a single source of truth for all project data. The one version of the truth means sharing and reusing the information which is key in driving the BIM process.

The CDE is where the magic happens. It's where designers, engineers, contractors, and the owner come together to share information, coordinate workflows, and ultimately deliver better built environments. Moving an organization from a very deep paper process to  new digital processes is a top-down approach, which takes time and requires support. This means that BIM must be embraced by the top management and from there to the rest of the employees.

But before we can reap the rewards of BIM, we must first define our goals. What do we hope to achieve with this digital transformation, and how do we measure success? when defining BIM goals It's crucial to think both short term and long term. Short term goals might include streamlining collaboration, reducing errors, and improving project efficiency. Meanwhile, long term goals could encompass the company's expertise, expansion,

sustainability and Data-Driven Decision making. But achieving these goals requires top-down leadership and commitment from company leaders. It's crucial that these goals are communicated effectively from the top management, down to every level of the organization, rather than the other way around. As we delve deeper into the realm of building information management, it's essential to set clear objectives and understand how BIM can help us achieve them.

So how do you define your goals effectively? The answer lies in being strategic and following the S.M.A.R.T. framework. This acronym stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely by ensuring your goals meet these criteria you can set yourself up for success in your BIM endeavors. Now, let's shift our focus to the critical role of designers in all of this.

Internally, designers must champion BIM adoption, embracing new tools and workflows to unleash their creative potential. The company needs to define their internal BIM standards and protocols. Making sure resources are used wisely is crucial. Being aware of the possible risks and coming up with plans to deal with them is important. Also, ensure that teams receive guidance and support. 

Externally, designers must collaborate closely with all their stakeholders, sharing knowledge and expertise to deliver holistic design solutions. Understanding the owner’s objectives and needs is crucial. BIM thrives on collaboration with various disciplines and stakeholders. Designers need to define strategies to achieve the owner’s goals (which may differ from their own). Documenting the process and strategies employed is essential. Managing audits and offering feedback are also part of the responsibilities.

And to guide us on this journey, we need a roadmap, which is a strategic plan that outlines our objectives, milestones, and resources. This roadmap serves as our North Star, keeping us focused and on track amidst the chaos that is digital transformation. Making a roadmap involves laying out steps and creating a clear path to follow. It is a structured plan that helps implement BIM within the organization step by step.

First, you need to identify your pain points and inefficiencies. Then you need to define specific goals and objectives. As explained before, you must focus on goals that are both important and achievable. After that, you must define the timeline. Then you must allocate the resources. Ask yourself what do I need? When do I need it? And who can provide it either from within the company or if you need to hire an external consultant.

Then you develop strategies to achieve goals during the implementation phase and during the process. Document lessons learned so that you can understand what worked and what didn't work, reassess, and have a feedback loop that will enhance the next project. But it is important to stay flexible. Your standards should be adaptable to accommodate goals and uses that may not directly impact your organization’s goals, but greatly influence the project lifecycle.

For example, you must consider the owner's requirements. Remember, don't pursue BIM only for internal purposes. Now let's talk about the BIM specification requirements. The owner’s goals, also known as organization information requirements in ISO 19 650. What data and geometry does the owner need to make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle? Owners are the ultimate beneficiaries of BIM.

Reaping the rewards of better built environments for years to come. As such, it's essential to align the owner’s BIM specification with the specific needs and objectives from our design company, whether it is cost reduction, sustainability, or operational efficiency. Note that sometimes the owner's BIM goals and uses may differ from those that impact directly on the designer's practice, sometimes leading to an extra effort in the design phase to be able to add the owner's required data to the asset.

That is the reason why it is crucial for designers to understand the BIM specification or requirements set by the owner to be able to plan and budget the efforts accordingly. With our goals defined and our roadmap in hand, it is time to develop the BIM Execution Plan or BEP, our master plan for success. This comprehensive document outlines project roles, responsibilities and deliverables ensuring everyone is on the same page from day one.

The BIM Execution Plan is a document where the design team proposes their strategies and workflows to achieve the goals set in the BIM requirements by the owner. So, let's break down what you need to define in the BEP. You need to define your workflows and protocols. Also, the team responsibilities incorporate the data and modeling requirements. Develop the strategies to achieve the goals and create a timeline.

And don't forget to incorporate project information. Recognize that the BEP serves as the foundation for model and data audit. Understand that it's a dynamic document and ensure it's regularly updated for future use.

That is why the design phase is so important in the BIM process. Making changes is inexpensive during design but becomes much more expensive during construction or afterwards. This emphasizes the need for careful planning and decision making early in the project to prevent costly revisions later. It is crucial to act when the impact on project cost is minimal. Now let's talk about some of the ways BIM benefits designers broken down into simpler points.

First, we have space awareness and visualization. With advanced visualization tools, designers can explore different design options in a virtual environment. Furthermore, designers can use BIM 3D modeling capabilities to create immersive visuals and renderings, making it easier to explain design to clients and teams. Virtual and augmented reality technologies can also enhance interactive design reviews and presentations. We also have sustainability as our benefit.

Designers can conduct energy analysis to improve building energy performance early on and optimize lighting strategies for better energy efficiency and comfort. But one of the greater benefits for designers is the Design Process Automation BIM allows designers to automate tedious tasks like creating drawings and schedules, saving time and ensuring accuracy. Changes made in the 3D model environment update across all associated 2D views automatically.

Designers can standardize templates, libraries, and design guidelines to further streamline their process. Finally, we have document and project reporting. BIM enables designers to track project progress by visualizing data and using dashboards and graphs. For example, one to do this is power BI. This ensures consistency across projects and facilitates automated area statistics and data quality checks. So, from enhanced visualization and simulation to automated workflows and clash detection, we can see how BIM empowers designers to push the boundaries of creativity while delivering projects on time and on budget.

Of course, with great power comes great responsibility. New roles and skill sets are needed to harness the full potential of BIM from BIM Managers to BIM Modelers, BIM Educator or Trainers, Virtual Design Coordinators, or Information Managers. Design consultants often find themselves in need of extensive training to truly master BIM software and workflows. Bridging this knowledge gap is absolutely vital for ensuring successful implementation of BIM strategies.

One critical point to remember is the distinction between BIM roles and software proficiency. It is easy to confuse the two, but they are separate aspects of BIM implementation. For instance, certain roles within BIM, such as the information manager, might not be readily available within an organization due to their specialized nature. In such a scenario, it's wise to consider enlisting the expertise of external consultants who specialize in these roles. And let’s not underestimate the resistance to change.

Overcoming inertia and cultural barriers is no easy feat. Change is tough, especially when finances or deadlines are tight. As we get older, it becomes even harder, especially if our expertise lies in traditional methods. The hesitation among upper management to embrace change, particularly when it comes to adopting new processes like BIM, is a common challenge. Some leaders may dismiss BIM as just as another passing trend, failing to recognize its true value.

Forbes warns against the dangerous mindset of “we've always done it this way”, which essentially shuts down any discussion for a change. Managing change requires clear communication, engagement strategies, managing expectations, ongoing support, and fostering a culture of collaboration and information sharing. Other challenges design consultants may encounter during BIM implementation could be initial investments and training costs. Dealing with interoperability issues among different software platforms, adjusting to new software workflows and learning curves.

Resource constraints like ensuring adequate training and skill development. Legal contractual implications as some contracts still require 2D drawings.

And data security concerns such as protecting sensitive project information. Let's start by uncovering a few of the invaluable lessons learned when working with BIM during design. Here are some of the most common takeaways. First up, we have change in management. It is no secret that navigating change can be challenging, especially when introducing new technologies and processes like BIM.

That is why careful planning and clear expectations are key to overcoming resistance and ensuring a smooth transition. Next, we have the realization that BIM is much more than just software. It's a holistic process. Understanding this fundamental aspect is essential for maximizing the benefits of BIM, and integrating it seamlessly into your design workflows. Lastly, we can't overlook the importance of distinguishing between BIM expertise and software proficiency.

While mastering BIM tools is important true success lies in grasping the broader concepts and methodologies behind BIM. By embracing these lessons, you will be better equipped to harness the power of BIM in your design endeavors. But let's take a moment to explore some fascinating insights from a report by Toronto University regarding BIM in the industry. Despite the challenges encountered, the report highlights a significant consensus among both users and non-users of BIM.

They overwhelmingly agreed that BIM represents the future of the industry. These findings show the growing recognition of BIM's transformative potential. Moreover, as the demand for BIM on projects continues to rise. Familiarity and experience with the process will undoubtedly become a crucial advantage for professionals. BIM is not a trend. It is here to stay, and it's shaping the landscape of the industry.

Now, let's turn our attention to the insights obtained from implementing BIM for designers. These are the main findings. Let's start with continuous improvement. BIM isn’t a static solution. It's an evolving process. By learning from experiences and staying updated with industry advancements. Designers can refine their strategies for better outcomes. Next, let's talk about long term value realization. The true benefits of BIM emerge gradually.

By consistently applying BIM methodologies Designers can accumulate valuable data and insights, maximizing project benefits over time. Also, the roadmap and timeline, a well-defined roadmap and timeline are indispensable for successful BIM integration. They provide a clear path for designers to align their implementation with organizational objectives. Furthermore, let's not forget the commitment to quality and innovation. Upholding a commitment to excellence in project delivery drives competitiveness and fosters innovation among designers.

Now let's discuss the acknowledgment of challenges. Reflecting on past challenges equips designers with the wisdom to tackle future hurdles effectively. It’s through learning from mistakes that designers can refine their approach to change management. Finally, I want to emphasize that data matters. BIM is not just about 3D modeling. It signifies a shift towards collaborative, data centric methodologies. Designers must embrace this holistic approach to leverage the full potential of BIM.

Thanks for tuning in to our BIM for Designers podcast. Stay tuned for our next episode where we will dive into the world of BIM for construction. Bye!