library

Comment The right information

Without well-organised, comprehensive and connected content the opportunities available with BIM will not be achieved, writes Ian Chapman

Through Building the many parties involved in Information Modelling designing, constructing, using (BIM) the construction and maintaining a built asset is industry is undergoing vast and more often than not it its very own digital revolution. is created in different ways Tools are developing rapidly, using a variety of methods. processes are changing and this Ian To achieve data integration, will all lead to better value for Chapman industry needs a common money and better buildings. approach to information and Software technology will take Director of The the necessary protocols and care of itself but effort needs to be National BIM Library at NBS and also a standards put in place. While placed on the all-important ‘I’ in Director of collecting data is necessary, it is BIM. Without well organised, buildingSMART UK&I also important to avoid inforcomprehensive and connected Email: mation overload by developing content the opportunities avail- ian.chapman@ methods that allow individuals able with BIM will not be thenbs.com to focus on providing, accessing achieved. Twitter: @ianchapmannbs and using information that

The need for construction infor- really matters at any given mation is not new; it has been pre- point in time. pared, shared and used for The Government’s BIM Task Group labs centuries. What is new is the opportunity to: area website (bimtaskgroup.org/task-grouplabs-portal) is full of help as to the way for• build upon information throughout ward in this regard. There is the digital the workflow in a more efficient way plan of work; its stages 0-7 are discipline • collect information in a standardised independent and encompass the whole manner project life cycle. Guidance describes the • use technology in analysing that digital plan of work as the “articulation of information more thoroughly. the project delivery stages and the level of detail/definition that needs to be delivered Other industries are busy collecting infor- by each supplier/discipline to the employer mation in far greater frequencies and vol- at any point in time”. This, essentially, umes than ever before; with information defines the information that needs to be collection comes analysis that can result created and supplied throughout life of a in vastly improved intelligence and more built asset. Why is this important? Well, informed decision-making. Just look at the answer can be found in the data hierarthe plethora of apps now available for chy section of the labs area. mobile devices. The Ministry of Justice created a set of

You can track every step, every mile, “plain language questions” that, as a client, every heartbeat, every calorie and every they intend to answer at each stage of a unit of alcohol consumed. Collecting health construction project. Key decisions such as information regularly and on a large scale whether to proceed to the next work stage has proven to help identify problems or not will be made based upon the before the patient experiences any symp- answers to these questions. toms. The same can be said for the ‘health’ A series of properties can be collected at of construction projects and the resulting each stage for objects such as ceiling sysbuilt asset. By analysing the data, issues tems, structural elements and products, can be spotted before they become a prob- and recorded in the demand matrix section lem. Preventative measures can then be of the labs area. Project information is implemented, which will inevitably result added to the demand matrix at each stage in better buildings from both value for so that it can be reviewed, and this is where money and user experience perspectives. the COBie testing tools come in.

The amount of information produced by Information collected in a common format can be readily compared with previous stages and analysed. If the ceiling budget changed from stage 3 to stage 4, it can be automatically reviewed.

The tools on the BIM Task Group labs area give us a glimpse of some simple automated checks that can be achieved with applications such as Microsoft Excel. NBS is a member of the BIM Technology Alliance which supports the government’s BIM objectives. Together with other members of the alliance, we are developing software solutions that will enable sophisticated information checking and analysis.

The electronic co-ordination of information between disciplines as part of the design process, that has been a regular activity since the introduction of CAD, is rapidly being surpassed by the need to integrate information. Project teams embracing integration are standing out from the crowd and winning business. NBS BIM content supports this integration. BIM is all about supporting the workflow and the role BIM content plays in achieving this is central.

Most built assets start with the site arrangement, masses and forms, and evolve at each project stages with increasing levels of geometry and technical detail. Developments such as shopping centres and university campuses are combinations of buildings, roads, pavements, bridges and external spaces.

As the project progresses, buildings become combinations of activities and spaces which, in turn, are defined by elements such as roofs, walls and floors. With further design work the elements become combinations of systems, such as blockwork walling, plastering and painting systems. Finally, once product selection decisions have been made, these systems become combinations of products. At any point these objects can be described in generic or proprietary terms — roofs for example. Also, at any level or project stage, these objects can be described in performance terms — thermal performance for wall elements and acoustic performance for ceiling systems for example.

The availability of BIM content to sup-

The right information at the right time

The National BIM Library features concept objects for use at early project stages, generic objects for use when design decisions have been made and then proprietary objects for use once manufacturers have been selected. Pictured from left to right: Concept tile, generic tile, Kalzip tile

port this process is critical to the success of Manufacturers’ BIM objects are the digi- and Vectorworks is starting to show the BIM. BIM objects are needed for use at all tal representation of their product ranges benefits of BIM. In years gone by, many project stages and are provided by the free and NBS is working hard with manufac- project claims were attributable to poor to use NBS National BIM Library. The turers to extend the availability of proprie- coordination of information. Now, being approach taken by the National BIM tary BIM objects. able to synchronise and verify a BIM library is as follows. Concept objects such The construction industry needs a com- design with the associated technical specias a wall element can be used for space prehensive library of manufacturer objects, fication using plug-in technologies is posplanning during the early project stages. these objects need to be of the right quality sible and will bring design and specificaOnce the internal arrangement is complet- and connect with generic objects and associ- tion activities far closer. Mistakes in the ed the concept objects might be replaced by ated technical specifications. Achieving con- contract documentation such as items generic objects such as brickwork and sistency between generic and proprietary annotated on a drawing using a reference blockwork. Generic objects are valuable as information is what NBS has been doing for that does not appear in the specification they enable precise solutions to be deter- 40 years and our entire product range is can now be archived in history. mined at subsequent project stages. geared around supporting the plan of work. However, BIM does not stop when a

This deferral of decision-making is com- Products such as NBS Create exist to sup- building is handed over. The government’s monly influenced by factors soft landings project is all such as method of procurement and design duties. Generic objects when part‘‘ The “I” in BIM is vast and there can never about collecting information and analysing during the inuse phase. Is the building nered with performance crite- be too much information; but at project performing as designed? ria are a valuable component of the information evolution level, it is making the information concise Were the energy targets met? Using soft landings lessons for a built asset. Once con- and work hard that is crucial learned can be fed back into structed, a built asset is a combination of proprietary and site built products. ’’ the briefing process for new projects; this is how clients, design teams, contractors

The availability of manufacturers’ BIM port the information evolution along the and manufacturers can truly benefit from objects is an important factor in the achiev- project timeline with content, tools and BIM. The “I” in BIM is vast and there can ing success with BIM. The number of man- guidance that enable outline specifications never be too much information; but at projufacturers engaging with BIM is rising but to become performance specifications or ect level, it is making the information connot fast enough. detailed product based specifications. This cise and work hard that is crucial.

Those that are investing will benefit soon- is no different to our approach with the BIM is about avoiding information loss er and be in prime position for centrally National BIM Library; it has concept objects and encouraging information accumulafunded and private projects adopting BIM. for use at early project stages, generic tion through the normal project stages. In Designers and contractors will become reli- objects for use when design decisions have time, the construction sector will move ant upon these BIM objects and use them to been made and then proprietary objects for from a focus on information collection to optimise the supply chain for greater effi- use once manufacturers have been selected. information connection. Connected inforciency and accuracy. A manufacturer who Integration of BIM geometry informa- mation will lead to insight, and analysis does not make BIM objects available will tion and BIM technical information via will lead to prediction. And that is when lose out to competitors that do. NBS plug-ins for applications such as Revit buildings become intelligent.