Engineering Inc. - March/April 2008 - 14

t BIM at a Glance raditional cad applications provide advanced design and geometric capabilities. But BiM advances engineering and design further by incorporating data associated with a project and providing realtime, dynamic capabilities to spot problems and explore certain “what-if” scenarios. BiM supports an array of computer applications and funnels data into a central repository. essentially, it creates a series of data representations about a project. For example, when constructing a building, BiM technology enables designers to input detailed information about the electricity, plumbing and ductwork, even the color of paint to be used, giving developers a clear-cut understanding of the scope and cost of the project before it begins. design professionals can then swap out changes and different scenarios—including cost data and future energy consumption. BiM can even reuse existing data. if, for example, a company needs to build a call center for 200 employees, BiM can generate design options based on the climate, earthquake codes, equipment requirements, lighting, building costs, green initiatives and other factors. “BiM moves beyond 3d and creates a fourth dimension of data,” says Jeff Beard, acec’s vice president of business affairs. its capabilities and versatility make BiM ideal for complex projects, including wastewater treatment plants, bridges, tunnels, large buildings and highways. rather than work off of hundreds, even thousands, of drawings and data files, an organization can create a single data repository, which it can share with business partners, subcontractors and other stakeholders. BiM also provides tools to examine a project and its costs over its life cycle. conflicts much sooner. It leads to better design decisions up front and a better set of documents in the field.” Yet, despite its enormous capabilities—and potential—substantial challenges remain. BIM is still in its infancy. Where large, private firms have proven to be among the first and most willing to experiment with the technology, slower-moving government agencies are trying to understand how and when to best use BIM, how to deal with competing platforms and how to work with partners, including A/E/C firms. Though BIM appears poised to work its way into engineering’s mainstream, it’s neither an easy nor a painless transition. And achieving bottom-line results isn’t a given. Business Modeling: A New Frontier Improving work processes is a central goal of almost any engineering technology. As the industry migrated from paper and vellum renderings to CAD during the 1980s, a new era of productivity emerged. Suddenly, engineers could develop projects in 3D. They had access to advanced modeling software, simulations and reusable design components. But they also ran into problems—not the least of which was the existence of incompatible file formats and technology standards. “It took years for engineering firms to migrate entirely to CAD,” says Pluke. As they consider the usefulness of BIM, engineers remain mindful of these challenges. Though major software vendors—including Bentley Systems, Autodesk and Graphisoft—are aggressively pushing new BIMoriented solutions, lingering compatibility concerns, coupled with the potentially steep cost of adoption, have tempered enthusiasm about the transition. A single seat runs upwards of $5,000, and an organization adopting BIM also faces additional costs associated with altering workflows and acclimating staff to the software. Platform compatibility is another potential stumbling block. In some cases, firms considering BIM are forced to host the technology on multiple platforms, further bloating the cost of successful implementation. “Getting up to speed can demand substantial money and resources,” says James Blake, a vice president of Hunt Valley, Md.14 ENGINEERING INC. MARCH / APRIL 2008 based KCI Technologies, Inc., a design and engineering firm that works often with government agencies. Then there is the issue of standardization. Because the A/E/C industry hasn’t migrated en masse to BIM, and because software vendors cling to proprietary systems and formats, using the software in the real world presents its share of obstacles. “Although a growing number of organizations are adopting BIM, there isn’t a lot of knowledge about best practices and return on investment,” explains Blake. “People are still trying to figure out how to use it.” Government agencies are largely in the early stages of adoption—and, as neophytes, regard BIM with equal parts optimism and caution. “We expect BIM will become a tool that NAVFAC uses for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure,” says Joseph Gott, NAVFAC’s acting chief engineer. “The drawback is we have etting up to speed many different companies can demand offering software that isn’t necessarily based on com- substantial money mon system architecture.” and resources. NAVFAC relies on a mélange of applications, JaMeS Blake including Autodesk CAD, kci technoloGieS DrChecks, eProjects and Primavera, to oversee the design and construction of facilities for the Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps and other military commands. Though it has yet to select a platform for BIM, Gott says the agency is working with the National Institute of Building Sciences and the U.S. Department of Defense CAD/BIM Technology Cen- G

Engineering Inc. - March/April 2008

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