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Bringing the Real World to School through BIM “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” “The only thing constant is change.” “Change is inevitable.” Thus, have poets and sages from past ages quipped and waxed lyrical. And technology took the class seriously. In just a century we moved from steam locomotives to flying aeroplanes, and in another half, we were conquering space. With outer space conquered, we came to cyberspace; and from the clouds, the ICT sector introduced cloud computing. Enter the 21st century and the saints of AEC came marching in with construction technologies such as prefabrication, modular construction and 3D printing, and digital construction technologies such as reality modelling, and artificial intelligence (AI). Yet the groundbreaking paradigm appears to be Building Information Modelling. BIM proclaimed itself the messiah to resolve many challenges that had plagued the construction industry. Established on the triple principle of digitization, simulation and collaboration, BIM resolved common challenges including multiple reworks, overall design variations, ineffective construction cost estimation and inability to schedule and sequence work with accuracy. Add to that the benefits of clash detection, improved onsite communication and 34
collaboration, more accurate and immersive visualization (3D visualizations, virtual reality and augmented reality), better coordination, enhanced prefabrication and streamlined facility management. Certainly, BIM has been revolutionary. Then COVID-19 pandemic came, and compelled the AEC industry to look for smarter and safer ways for building residential and commercial spaces. The World Economic Forum lauded how “construction powered by digital technology [where BIM falls] can help safely create sustainable, highquality housing at speed”, and “using big data and artificial intelligence throughout the design and construction process can transform the building sector and help provide sustainable, affordable housing for all”.
By Brian Boit Moreover, adoption of BIM is much easier (and cheaper) in schools than in the industry. Zulfikar Adamu and Tony Thorpe in a research paper, identified cost of resources and training as the greatest barriers to adoption of BIM in UK. However, the most common BIM-related tools used in our schools of architecture have student licenses which are free. In addition, their websites offer numerous educational materials for free or at waivered costs to the students! Our pedagogical systems need to also improve the structure and content used to teach BIM. One of the core principles of BIM is collaboration. While interdisciplinary collaboration has always, and of necessity, characterized the design and construction process, the BIM process has enhanced it a great bit by embracing simultaneous collaboration over linear
The African AEC industry is not lagging behind in this development. The African BIM Survey by BIM Africa has revealed that there is 90% awareness of BIM and 20.6% adoption. Yet the big Q is this, are our schools ready for the revolution? If BIM adoption is ever to be a success, the movement must establish its roots in our institutions of higher learning. Why? It is from hence that the next generation of professionals and practitioners will emerge. A seed early planted, is a forest secured. Issue 004 | December 2021
