Sophisticated Subcontractors

Thursday around 5PM, after the subforums had wrapped up, Jim Bratton from Dyna Electric started rotating through one of his models. Operative word – his. We were all quite impressed because most electrical subcontractors insist that there is no value in modeling. Because of some schedule issues, we were able to pair him with David Morris, from EMCOR, for a presentation Friday morning to discuss model collaboration as a subcontractor. Like Kathleen’s presentation, this was an “instantly useful” presentation.

David spoke about coordination and although most of the things that he discussed were “flashes of the blinding obvious”, they are things that we consistently miss or leave out. He stressed the importance of publishing a Written Coordination Plan prior to the start of coordination. He also shared his coordination schedule, which was very helpful: a simple spreadsheet that works backwards from installation, identifying tasks such as fabrication, coordination sign off, general coordination, etc. The simplicity made so much sense – my sense is that we often over complicate our coordination schedules, to the point where no one even looks at them (never mind sticks to them).

Jim walked us through several of his models, pointing out things that he modeled: hangers, anchors, brackets, (some) wall studs, miscellaneous metals, seismic bracing etc. One thing that he wants to do on his next project is model clearance volumes to represent working access and service access. His general statement about scope was: If you don’t model it, it will be an issue on the job site. On projects that he coordinates, he insists that if a sub doesn’t model a certain component, it must be installed last.

I was so impressed with everything they said that I am going to set up a conference call for next week with Jim, David and the M/E/P/FP subcontractors for the Autodesk project, for guidance or inspiration or something along those lines.

Conducting Efficient Meetings

One of the most “instantly useful” presentations was Kathleen Liston’s (CIFE) on how to conduct efficient meetings. She has spent several years studying people in meetings, to understand how people interact with models. She shared several different types of meetings using different mediums and combinations of mediums for communication.

One of the things she discussed was the different ways to use the model, which make the meeting increasingly productive and enjoyable:

• Viewing
• Pointing
• Marking Up (this is where teams start to see a huge jump in efficiency)
• Modifying

After the meeting, Sarah, the BIM Lead from KlingStubbins for the Autodesk HQ, and I talked about using some of Kathleen’s concepts. We are both intrigued about the idea of modifying the model live in the meeting, but need to figure out how to make it work efficiently. It seems like it will save some time, but it will definitely take planning and coordination.

Kathleen also suggested assigning functional roles to people, so that everyone has a purpose: a model rotator, a laser pointer(er?), a mark-uper and a faciliatator. She also suggested that each space (monitor) have a function; for instance, maybe one screen shows the model and the other shows comments/text.

The team also needs to define how the BIM will be used in the meeting. Through her research, she has found that a model can be a “friend or foe” – one issue is if some people are using (and trusting) the model and others are relying solely on the drawings. She also said that drawings can be incredible effective, if the team is collaborating around one set.

And lastly, she indicated that meetings should not only avoid negative interaction (obviously), there should be a balance of work and play. There should be breaks with social interaction – it makes people more productive, and they leave the meeting more satisfied.

How Many Files is a Model?

More importantly, how can we coordinate all of those files.

Gehry Technology mentioned is that most of their models are made up of thousands files. Coordinating all of those files, considering both spatial and version control, is quite a challenge. I think at this point, most people using any kind of BIM-authoring software agree with that.

GT is actually looking to the film industry to potentially answer this. Apparently, computer graphics animators subcontract various components of the project. So, the hair gets subcontracted to a hair expert in one part of the world; the skin gets subcontracted to a skin expert in another part of the world. Those components need to be coordinated, and their files are actually 10 times are larger in size than ours.

Hopefully, GT will share the results of their investigation with us in the future, so we can improve our model coordination efforts.

Communicating the Model to the Field

Gehry Technology presented on their role for several projects (one was One Island East, which recently won an AIA Process Award) – they mostly serve as the point of collaboration and communication, with regard to modeling. The presenter shared several techniques for collaboration that they use on projects. One of the recurring concepts was communicating the model to the field, which I found particularly interesting because that is one of our main internal focuses right now.

They initially had the model in the trailer for people to use, but then transitioned to walking around the site with laptops and tablet PCs. On one project, to communicate the location of ductwork, they actually spray painted the duct locations on the under side of slab in yellow. I assume that they precisely located that using a model to Total Station workflow.

I actually really like that method – we’ve used the model to lay out wall partitions and penetrations on the top of slab, but we haven’t done anything on the ceiling. This sounds like something that would make sense for us to use on the Crate&Barrel, where things like lighting fixture placement is so critical.

BIMForum Lake Tahoe Meeting in Summary

The AGC BIMForum Lake Tahoe meeting is over (sort of – John will give his report to the PIAC tomorrow morning, but other than that, it’s done). Last week, I actually considered not going – because of how much project work we are doing right now. But John wouldn’t let me back-out; he said that the short- and long-term value of the meeting would be far greater than the short-term cost of unplugging from project work for a few days.

He was right. The past two days were incredibly beneficial. The theme of this meeting was Collaboration, and several series of presentations shed a lot of light on the topic – my “to do” list has just about doubled in length because I want to implement or research all of the things that I’ve heard about.

The BIMForum also spent some time refocusing its mission, purpose and activities. Its simple; we want to make “this stuff” work, now – with the tools we have available now. The BIMForum is looking to become more deliverables based, using the BIM Addendum as a guide. We had a “spaghetti throwing” deliverables session, where everyone at the meeting suggested deliverables for the various subforums. We called it “spaghetti throwing” because we were “seeing what stuck” to the wall. The subforums met, made Deliverable Execution Plans (DEPs – because we need another TLA) for the ideas that “stuck” and then presented those to the group at large Friday afternoon.

After the DEP presentations, we had a series of rapid fire technology presentations: Bentley ConstructSIM, Vico Conceptual Estimating , McGraw-Hill Design Studio, HKS ArchEngine, Autodesk QTO, Beck Dprofiler, and PolyCom/Smartboards. Each had 15-minutes to demonstrate the technology.

All (well, most) of the presentations will be available on BIMForum soon, along with the DEPs. If you don’t have access to the BIMForum, click here to register.

ConsensusDOCS BIM Addendum

ConsensusDOCS is publishing the BIM Addendum on June 30, 2008. Unlike IPD contracts, the BIM Addendum focuses on GMP projects that include a preconstruction period.

A Beautiful "BIM Moment"

Last week, at the weekly BAT (Building Advisory Team - a group of Autodesk employees that represent the various departments for design input) meeting we had an amazing "BIM Moment".

We were reviewing a potential feature in the building, with the hope that we could come to a decision. KlingStubbins had prepared a number of views, showing the feature. After going through the series of images, no one was sure if the feature was an effective enough design component to approve it. Offhand, one of the representatives from Autodesk offered to prepare a walk-through of the feature for the end of the meeting, but most people were convinced that the feature wasn't going to happen. The feature was tabled until then.

Later that day, rather than a canned walk-through, we actually walked-through the feature live, using FreeWheel. As a feature, it was hard to control (or at least it appeared that way), but after that we really understood the feature and its impact. After walking through the space, observing the feature as a user in the building, everyone realized that the feature did have a significant design impact.

Decision made: BIM saved the design feature - it will be included in the project!

What is a Building Information Model (BIM)?

One of the things the Tocci marketing department has recently asked me to do is write an article on VDC at Tocci - 1,600 words long. Due last Friday - oops. Not that it's anything new, but since I'm already writing all of this, I figured I could be lazy and post it here in sections as I write it, in the hope that it passes as a legitimate blog post.

(An intro will go here, but I haven't written it yet!)

What is a Building Information Model (BIM)?
Traditionally, building architecture is represented with 2D drawings. When 2D Computer Aided Design (CAD) was introduced in the early ‘80s, it was a giant step for the typically anti-technology AEC industry, but building elements were still only represented using arcs, lines and polygons. Designers envisioned the building in their minds in 3D and then squashed it flat to 2D plans, sections and elevations. Builders then had to re-inflate the design to 3D, so they could cast it into concrete.

Flash forward about 20 years when the AEC industry is on the brink of an even larger leap forward.

Tocci and other progressive AEC firms are on the cutting (perhaps bleeding!) edge, utilizing software to create a Building Information Model (BIM). BIM-creation software uses 3D parametric-modeling and self-aware, intelligent components to design and then represent building architecture. On a basic level, that means that a door “knows” it’s a door and a wall “knows” it’s a wall, and doors “know” that they can only exist in walls. Through detailed parameters, doors automatically also “know” their height, width, thickness, fire-rating, material, frame type, and more. So after Tocci completed modeling them, the foundations and ramp shown above in 2D, look more like this:

Note the added construction information, input by Tocci: hand trim, top surface area, etc.

The BIM, often referred to as The Model, is comprises of all the modeled components and disciplines of a building.

BIM in The Economist

As Jaime, one of Tocci's Virtual Construction Coordinators, said when she emailed this out to the department:

It's all the same old stuff that we have heard again and again, but what I find interesting is that this isn't a builders magazine. I think it's really neat that we are gaining such breadth in the industry!

Click

Laser Scan Data

Similar to our previous HDS projects, we have a few deliverables. First two are 100% in:

Point Cloud Data
















Truview:

BIM Workshop

One of the scheduled items required in the IPD contract is a BIM Workshop, where the team meets to discuss specific standards and processes relating to the BIM. We assumed that this was a time to discuss items in the BEP (BIM Execution Plan), a concept that (we think) was born during a Virtual Project Charrette involving Johnson & Johnson, Tocci & KlingStubbins.

There were specific requirements for the BIM Workshop, but most of those were covered in our BEP (and then some) so we stuck with our basic BEP template.

In a typical project, where the owner is less tech-savvy, the designer and builder would work together with minimal input from the owner. Because Autodesk is the project owner, we were able to have Autodesk staff at the BIM Workshop to contribute to strategies and review content. We had representation from all the Autodesk tools we are going to use: Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, QTO, and NavisWorks.

It was very helpful to review some of our ideas relating to gatekeeping, roll-back, etc. with the Autodesk team and get their feedback. I should clarify at this point that construction and design are sharing a model for this project - I refer to it as The Model. One topic that seems to be the most problematic is modeling strategy. For instance:

• Walls (1 v 3, how & when – not if, though!)
• Lighting Fixtures (in the MEP model or the Architecture model)

Another major concern is interfacing with the subcontractors in the model. Some subs will be in The Model, so we have to figure out all sorts of things (how, when, etc.).

Hopefully, we will be resolving these types of issues and testing new strategies over the course of the project.