A framework for the utilization of Building Management

Table of Contents

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Abstract..........................................................................................................................................3
The main Objective of the study...................................................................................................4
Other objectives.........................................................................................................................4
Overview and Background of the study......................................................................................4
Utilization of BIM Systems in construction industry alongside its implications.....................7
Success factors in the use of Building Information Modelling..............................................7
Utilization of Building Information Modelling in facility management...............................8
Advantages.....................................................................................................................................9
Disadvantages...............................................................................................................................10
Industrial implications of using Building Information Modelling Systems...........................11
Impacts of Building Information Modelling on design management practices.................13
Predicted findings and Initial findings (Explicit knowledge and Tacit knowledge)..............13
Understanding the concept behind BIM system...................................................................14
Management of design changes using BIM tools..................................................................14
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................16
References-....................................................................................................................................17
Abstract

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Computer-aided technologies have been widely used in the construction industry to track and
monitor building activities and processes. However, little success has been achieved given that
the formats being used in making reports and communicating the progress of construction do not
swiftly and conveniently convey the required information on construction progress (Marti`nez et
al., 2019). This justifies the need to use Building Information Modelling (BIM) to automatically
detect health and safety hazards in construction sites and prevent them from occurring.
Workers in construction sites are exposed a variety of health and safety hazards. This technology
enables identification of potential hazards prior to their occurrence and automatically corrects
such safety hazards in the process of construction. According to Tela (2019), architects and
engineers use the BIM tools to simulate and receive a visual output in digital forms. The process
of producing digital visualization of the design and construction process creates a better
understanding of the most common causes of health and safety risks.
Figure 1. The use of BIM in construction (Source: Own study)
This article gives an in-depth analysis of Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools as used in
the construction industry, as well as their effects on construction activities as outlined in the
objective statement. It should however not be forgotten that the main reason behind introduction
of BIM tools in construction is to enhance safety measures by creating a safe workplace. John

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Smallwood and Fidelis Emuze, (2016) postulated that a safe work environment is one where
injuries and fatalities constitute ‘zero’ sum.
The main Objective of the study
Health and safety concerns have become pertinent issues in the successful evaluation on
construction projects. To increase efficiencies in the construction industry, the sole purpose of
this paper is to explore the use of Building Information Modelling system in the construction
industry as a way of improving safety and increasing efficiencies.
Other objectives
In order to achieve the main objective outlined in the above objective statement, there is need to
accomplish the following specific objectives:
 Putting in place legislative measures compelling the managements of construction projects to
lay emphasis on creating a safe and healthy working environment.
 Employ the use of technological systems that have the capabilities of automatically detecting
errors in design and correcting them before the actual phase of construction starts.
 Involve all key players in the construction industry to create awareness on the importance of
health and safety for increased efficiencies of a construction project.
Overview and Background of the study
Safety in construction industry has always been a major concern. Since the construction work
site is dynamic and hazardous, it is important to create safety awareness and determine the
factors that cause accidents at work site.
The personnel operating the BIM system in a control room is able to automatically identify
potential threats to the structural integrity of the design and give a feedback for proper corrective
measures. The model simulation is always done from the beginning of the project and integrated
with the aspects of initial designs for better performance in monitoring deviations of the design
elements.
To objectively understand applications of Building Information Modelling systems in the
construction industry, the following statistical information proves worthwhile examining.

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According to reports released by OSHA, between the year 2005 and 2015 there were a total of
13,344 and 35.1% of them were recorded in the construction sectors, a clear indication that
safety at construction sites is still not fully addressed.
Some of the areas that should addressed are as they contribute to death of workers and include
death by falls (36.5%), those hit by objects (10.1%), electrocution by faulty electricity (8.6%)
and caught in between (2.5%).
Reliability is a concept that is widely used in the construction industry, basically described as the
appropriate performance of a building facility under given conditions, and used in the safety
analysis of technical solutions.
Reliability in construction projects is a wide and complex concept with elements such as safety
margins, durability and structural integrity. For a complete assessment of technical safety
solutions, the reliability analysis should be done in combination with a review of the possible
consequences of failure. The figure below shows injuries caused by different structures from
2004 to 2014 in Russia.
Figure 2. Building collapse accidents between 2004 to 2014(Courtesy: OSHA statistics)
In her work, Dimitra (2019) explains that the integrated use of Building Information Modelling
with other monitoring software has created anticipation of reduction in future incidences of

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safety hazards at construction sites, and many countries across the world are adopting the use of
BIM in their legislations.
Even though the adoption of Building Information Modelling has taken root for nearly three
decades, it is still evolving due to the dynamic nature of the construction industry posing a major
challenge in its adoption for management of the construction activities. Since this is a
combination of science, forecasting and calculated simulation processes, the industry fully
recognises the benefits that come with the adoption and implementation of the Building
Information Modelling systems in reduction of accidents and efficient management of
construction activities and processes in building projects (Ilias et al., 2016).
Application of the BIM technology is helpful to project managers since through the digital
visualizations created, they are able to adequately plan for both the construction processes and
safety concerns, a concept well elaborated by Khoshnava (2012).
The figure below is a schematic representation of life cycle of a BIM
Figure 3. Life cycle of BIM (Courtesy of: Holder Construction, USA)

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Utilization of BIM Systems in construction industry alongside its implications
In an attempt to ensure that the major objectives and goals of construction projects are achieved,
the element of monitoring and evaluation proves to be a fundamental process for attainment of
such goals.
Given the dismal performance of construction industry across many countries, this monitoring
and evaluation process proves to be difficult necessitating a dire need to implement the usage of
Building Information Modelling systems.
A recent study carried out by Martínez et al. (2019) reveals the possibility of using simulation
models to automatically detect errors and anticipated design failures, while eliminating them
before actual implementation of the design in construction.
In the light of the above, another successive study conducted by Akram et al. (2019) also
concluded that in order to prevent accidents at construction sites, there is need to use automatic
hazard detection systems to alert the team on site and implement precautionary measures, and
this is made a reality by the use of BIM to detect hazardous situations and correct them. Further,
there is need to come up with legislative laws compelling the stake holders in the construction
industry to conform to the standards of Health and Safety requirements as this will reduce
injuries and fatalities at workplace.
Success factors in the use of Building Information Modelling
A project is considered successful is it completed within the time allocated, completed within the
funds allocated, quality desired and no injuries caused to workers or the general public. It is
critical that all these elements are precariously balanced for a project management to run
smoothly and considered successful (John Smallwood and Fidelis Emuze, 2016).
It is therefore elemental to clearly define success factors in measurable terms so that monitoring
and evaluation becomes easy for effective implementation of BIM systems and monitoring of
success rate of a project.
This will consequently lead to integration of the BIM tools with other computer-aided
monitoring software for better efficiency in prevention of safety risks and health hazards that are
likely to occur in a construction work site.

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Utilization of Building Information Modelling in facility management
The concept of Whole Life Cycle Costing (WLCC) is used in decision making to determine the
total cost associated with a facility before making a purchase decision. This concept dictates that
the operational phase of a construction project is the most important since the life span of a
construction project is long (between 40 to 100 years depending on the project type) with
operational phase taking a significantly longer portion of the total time. The operational phase is
characterised by high costs due to maintenance, energy usage, operations, repairs, rehabilitations
and even demolitions as described by Križaić (2016). The use of BIM utilizes information
models during this phase to increase efficiency and quality while reducing associated costs,
hence provides a better solution in management of building facilities.
Usually, utilisation of BIM modelling starts at the onset of a project, same time with the planning
and design of the project and continues throughout the preparation and realization phase of the
project. The creation of a BIM model varies depending on the conditions and circumstances
surrounding the project as postulated by Qunzhou at al. (2016).
The figure below illustrates a BIM model created in the initial stages of design, forming part of
Project Information Model (PIM) which in turn relays information to the Asset Information
Model (AIM).
It is worthwhile noting that in some projects, the process of AIM is entirely covered by the PIM
as represented by the orange colour in the figure below.
Figure 4. The relationship between BIM, PIM and AIM (Source: NBS Website)

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Advantages
The figure below is a diagrammatic representation of the advantages of using Building
Information Modelling, encompassing design, scheduling and planning, cost estimation,
operation management and control of the construction activities.
Figure 5 Diagrammatic representation of Advantages of BIM (Source: Own study)
A number of benefits are associated with the use of Building Information Modelling systems in
construction industry.
Enrichment of imagination and visualization for the conception using BIM systems creates a
better understanding of the project thus minimising associated risks. The main aim of simulation
is to gain some level of certainty that the planned design can be implemented in reality with as
close accuracy as the simulated model.
Application of BIM tools proves to be beneficial in early detection of design flaws and
correcting them, preventing reworks that would have been done if the failure actually occurred.
In one of the studies conducted by Nuno and Miguel (2016), the use of BIM tools provides visual
display, enabling the team to make changes in the design early enough. This is because the BIM
model is created at the beginning of construction, taking into consideration the initial design
stages. By elimination of these likely errors, there is increased efficiency in the process of

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construction, which also increases the level of safety for both the workers on site and the
ultimate users of the facility.
Finally, but most importantly, as discussed by Michał Juszczyka et al. (2016), the use of BIM
utilises information from the operation of facilities. The operational phase is the longest length as
defined by the concept of WLCC hence is associated with maintenance, rehabilitation, repair and
high energy consumption costs. BIM tools uses this information to efficiently manage the facility
by increasing quality and efficiency as well as reducing the costs incurred during the operational
phase of a building project.
Generally speaking, the benefits of BIM are categorised as either elimination, visualization or
collaboration.
Disadvantages
Despite the number of benefits that comes with the use of Building Information Modelling tools
in construction projects, a few challenges are still evident and needs to be addressed.
 The BIM system is still evolving hence it is yet to be globally recognised and appreciated by
relevant stakeholders. There is need for key players in the contsruction industry to adress the
need for universality of BIM and come up with acceptable codes to be used in the
construction industry.
 Lega implications as a result of adopting Building Information Modelling system software
are not yet explicitly tested. This may come with a huge liabilities and law suits if damages,
accidents and failures are caused by the very system designed to enhance safety.
 The adoption of BIM software is costly and needs resources, something that medium players
in construction industry are not willing to do since it will reduce profit margins by increasing
costs. It should be a concerted effort for both engineering fraternity and law makers to come
up with policies that insist that every project must implement Building Information
Modelling for safer working environments.
 Managing and operating BIM software requires experts who can understand its use, simulate
the model under a given set of conditions and correctly interprate the digital visualizations.
This requires knowledge which is still missing hence necessitating the team of reserachers,
architects, engineers and scientists to come together and ahsre knowledge about this dynamic
modelling system.

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 The acceptance of a new technology like BIM system faces challenges since resistance to
change is the most obvious first response for humans. In order to be fully utilised, there is
need for the BIM tools to be widely accepted by who;e stakeholders in the construction
industry. Below is a representation of the acceptance model for a new technology.
Figure 6. Technology acceptance model (Source: Own Study)
Industrial implications of using Building Information Modelling Systems
The type of activities in a construction industry creates an extensive and complicated structure,
increasing the likelihood of making errors that would result into reworks as pointed out by
Mohandes (2013). This necessitates the use of Building Information Modelling as an elemental
tool in waste management and increasing efficiencies in construction projects.
For proper utilisation of the BIM tools in construction management, there is need to understand
its various components as illustrated in the figure below.

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Figure 7. Elements of Building Information Modelling (Courtesy: Geospatial world website)
The application of Building Information Modelling is useful to both engineers, architects and
project managers since they are able to attain objectives of the project across all dimensions, that
is, minimizing errors arising from design procedures, reduction of clash detection, optimization
of cost and time as well as harmonizing the transition between the design and construction
phases.
In certain instances, there is need to collect relevant data for implementation of a specific
function.
This could be simulations on evacuation, mechanical system designs, designing monitoring and
control systems, energy consumption, scheduling and cost analysis (Guo Hongling et al, 2016).
According to Abdulkadir and Godfaurd (2015), the conceptual procedures of design have
variations in their approaches accompanied by their disadvantages. When an engineer makes an
error during conceptual design, it is carried along and may in effect have an impact on the wok
efficiency. Consequently, the delays in reworks when correcting the mistakes caused by
inefficiencies results into time wastage that translates to economic losses.

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This scenario can be easily averted by employing the use of BIM tools in scheduling of works
and automatic detection of design flaws, a concept also shared by Matti Tauriainena et al. (2016)
in their work.
It is worthwhile noting that when the model is created, the project realization progressively
develops with it. The implication is that there reaches a point in the simulation model when it
stops to reflect that realisation, necessitating the need to develop a new model. Since model
development follows a loop of feedback, it only gets better with time, making it perfect and
eliminating the previous challenges.
Impacts of Building Information Modelling on design management practices
Apparently, the use of new tools and methods in BIM can significantly improve design
management. However, when using BIM systems in construction, the duties of workers, the
conceptual design procedures and flow of communication among workers cannot be fully
integrated into the new ways of working. In essence, the BIM tools just improve operations and
remove inefficiencies by eliminating activities that do not add value to the project
implementation (Matti Tauriainena et al. 2016).
Further, the utilization of BIM results into increased value for customers. Visualizing the content
of design makes it possible to identify and eliminate the contents that do not add value.
Similarly, those tasks that add value to the project can be visualized by the BIM analysis tools
and improved for better outcomes. Arguably, the number of errors in the design cycles can be
decreased creating efficiency by enhancing speed, more economic use of allocated resources and
smooth transitions from one phase of the project to the other.
By relying on a single source of information and enabling clash checking, the use of Building
Information Modelling minimises design conflicts significantly (Vito et al., 2016). This BIM
tools enable effective visualization of the form and proper assessment of function.
Predicted findings and Initial findings (Explicit knowledge and Tacit knowledge)
From the reviewed literature, it is evident that the use of Building Information Modelling is
highly gaining momentum in the construction industry, resulting into safer workplaces with a
variety of benefits regarding the overall project management.

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Understanding the concept behind BIM system
The Building Information Modelling utilizes various elements in a structure like slabs, columns,
windows, doors etc. by applying their respective attributes including usage and structures and
also the use of parametric technology. The BIM tools are capable of distinguishing
interrelationships between the attributes and detect any alterations in the elements of a building
(Kamardeen, 2013). This means that the specifications of a building element can be obtained
using a model simulation.
BIM utilizes software packages to create a simulation of construction projects using pre-
determined conditions in a virtual environment. The virtual simulation is like a practice that
points out to areas of concern before the design is implemented on the ground, and the resulting
issues addressed adequately. The errors in the virtual environment do not constitute serious
threats since they are found and needs to be corrected early enough by the analysis tools of
Building Information Modelling as pointed out by (Bouškaa, 2016).
Management of design changes using BIM tools
Any design alterations in the previous design is needed whenever errors that require revision are
detected. The redesign process using BIM tools is rigorous enabling a design that is sound and
conforms to all desired fundamentals of a construction project. According to Vidovszky (2016),
re-designs were focused on the efficiencies of the information and exchange of information in
the past, for instance, a request for design revisions. As a matter of principle in the application of
BIM systems, it is assumed that is a likelihood of minimizing errors at design stages which
consequently leads to lesser incidences of design requests. This creates efficiency by reducing
time being wasted on reworks and directly translates to the economical use of funds.
It should however e understood that the use of BIM in construction does not necessarily
eliminate all the design errors, but reduces them significantly thus there may still exist certain
instances of re-design being needed in the construction project Michał Juszczyka et al. (2016).
Design change management in BIM basically refers to a dynamic process that detects a
compelling reason to make changes in the already made designs, carries out the implementation
of that change in a simulated model and analyses the effects of the change created.

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In order to create efficiency in the process, the tools should also minimise the negative effects
brought about as a result of the change implemented.
Below is an ideogram that represents classification of information related to design change made
to a BIM model.
Figure 8. Idea of classification of information related to design change made to BIM model (Source:
Own study)
The design change management functionalities in a BIM system have the capability to display
the modified designs, removed elements of the design or even the added components after a
change of design (Trani, 2016). This makes it easy to make a comparison through visualization
of the parameters and decide which design suits the project better. This is illustrated in the figure
below.

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Figure 9. (a) View of revision list; (b) A view of IFC viewer window – left side: normal view, right side –
display of changes (Courtesy: YouTube tutorials)
Conclusion
As discussed in the text, safety at construction sites is treated as a serious issue that needs to be
addressed in order to achieve zero fatality at construction work site. The use of BIM at design
stage creates efficiency by eliminating design errors which would later improve the construction
process, thereby enabling the construction industry to achieve a safer working environment.
Given the dynamic and extensive nature of the construction industry, it is often difficult and
almost impossible to detect design errors manually, necessitating the need of automated systems
through the use of BIM tools, which automatically detect design flaws and correct them before
the implementation of the project. This system is also beneficial to contractors and construction
managers by providing tools to make design changes and integrate it on the already made design
for enhanced efficiencies in construction industry. Conclusively, the benefits of using Building
Information Modelling systems in simulation of construction projects outweighs the discussed
disadvantages, thus it is safe to say that with more knowledgeable experts manning the systems,
its use will define the construction industry moving into the future.

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