Page 30 - College Planning & Management, September 2017

THE BENEFITS OF BIM
a building’s life. Other potential avenues for using a BIM database after the ribbon is cut include developing realistic deferred main- tenance strategies or managing facilities investments to strike a balance between new builds and renovations. BIM holds potential for realizing benefits from cradle to grave.
Planning and design. Implementing a detailed BIM database early in the plan- ning stages can help establish budget frameworks for construction and op- erations, help balance energy goals with construction costs, estimate compliance with standards like LEED — even track- ing points toward certification — and power simulations for optimizing critical features. An energy conservation model for optimizing daylighting and illumination can reduce future electrical consumption, while a model for thermal performance can
help deliver a building envelope that opti- mizes heating and cooling requirements by detecting materials clashes and thermal bridges before construction starts.
BIM also facilitates rapid generation of design alternatives for client consideration, and can enable 3D-rendered virtual-reality walkthroughs — an alternative to con- ventional presentations shown to improve client engagement, reduce timelines and minimize change-orders.
Construction. New web-based applica- tions can connect the BIM model from the architect’s office to the job site, to the field,
to a testing lab for mock-ups and anywhere else. Detailed models can even predict pos- sible interactions between the activities of sub-trades, helping prevent structural and thermal issues before they happen, and mini- mizing time lost to resolving the issue. Some
BIM applications track and manage specified components from procurement through in- stallation. Others introduce video game-style 3D rendering as a communication tool: team members use a phone, tablet or a VR headset for “walkthroughs” of the model, suggesting changes and leaving “notes” behind for oth- ers to see and respond. The reduced timelines that result from tools like these shift costs in the favor of the built asset.
Operations and management. BIM databases can assist with project tracking, developing strategies to guide investment
in renovations, or optimizing maintenance resources. They can also provide the basis for a space management system, or as a util- ity for obsolescence planning. A truly robust model may also provide a platform for col- lecting and analyzing Internet-enabled data input from “smart” building systems. This Internet of Things (IoT) application can pro- vide detailed pictures of energy consump- tion, occupant behavior, traffic and usage, security system data and more.
In sum, effective BIM opens the door for high-value projects that make the most of an institution’s limited endowments funding.
Using BIM Wisely
Ultimately a BIM model is a database, and its usefulness depends on the stake- holders who create and apply it. There are potential pitfalls as well, the biggest of which is the possibility of investing time and resources into building the model without
a plan in place for putting it to work. Other mistakes to avoid include using (and paying for) flawed models and databases, and rely- ing on BIM applications as a substitute for spending resources on mock-ups and testing prior to construction.
Input from campus operations and management teams is critical, beginning with pre-planning conversations. Otherwise the database will not effectively reflect the institution’s interests and goals, and a major opportunity — to structure the BIM model as a tool for use throughout the life of the building — will be missed.
30 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / SEPTEMBER 2017
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