BIM the Revolutionary concept in the construction industry analysis

This report delves into the revolutionary impact of Building Information Modeling (BIM) on the construction industry, exploring its transformative effects across various stages of the construction process. It examines how BIM enhances design, improving collaboration and reducing errors by integrating construction personnel early in the design phase. The report analyzes the benefits of BIM in estimating, highlighting how it simplifies and increases accuracy by utilizing object-oriented modeling. It also discusses the advantages of BIM in scheduling, showing how it enables the creation of dynamic schedules linked directly to the building design, leading to improved project management and visualization. Furthermore, the report touches on the integration of green technologies, financial considerations, and ongoing issues associated with BIM adoption, providing a comprehensive overview of BIM's current and future role in the construction industry.

BIM the Revolutionary concept in the
construction industry

Table of Contents
1. Introduction..........................................................................................................2
2. Synthesis and Interpretation BIM and the Construction Process.......................4
2.1 Design...........................................................................................................4
2.2 Estimating.....................................................................................................7
2.3 Scheduling....................................................................................................9
2.4 Managing the Project..................................................................................11
2.5 Operations..................................................................................................12
3. Green Technologies in the Buildings & Facilities Industry................................12
4. Reflective commentary......................................................................................14
4.1 Financial issues associated with BIM adoption..........................................14
4.2 The future of BIM in the construction industry............................................15
4.3 Ongoing Issues with BIM............................................................................16
5. Conclusion.........................................................................................................17
6. References........................................................................................................17
7. Appendix...........................................................................................................19
pg. 1

1. Introduction
Building Information Modelling is paving its way in regards to the construction
industry by causing changes to the manner that the design to completion process
takes place. This is particularly true for the UK and other international locations
where there is the high level of advancement in respect to data and digital
modelling tools.
Figure 1 BIM levels
pg. 2

Very quickly, BIM has turned out to be an unexceptional component of the
construction process. In fact, all public works when suggested by contractors in the
UK, need to be “BIM-ready”. Accordingly, the technical requirements for minimum
level 2 BIM must be fulfilled by the contractors (Abdal Noor and Yi, 2018). This
way, all the parties who are a part of the construction project will be able to share
info at the primary and combined level.
Figure 2 Benefits of BIM
The ability to minimize mistakes through the complete project’s lifecycle is
considered to be the best advantage of BIM. The reason behind this is that to know
how multiple elements work when combined, a huge amount of varied data (say,
different conditions, measurements or materials) is included in the BIM. By
developing a fully digitalized model for the project, any issues can be identified
pg. 3

very quickly which can be followed up making necessary changes before the
initiation of any physical construction. This also helps in cost reduction.
Figure 3 Evolution of BIM
BIM is a great example to showcase how a project’s clarity can be improved via
collaboration. BIM presents each stage’s details reaching the final outcome and
even the project’s future. Minimizing the errors and improving the transparency for
every party, BIM enables the changing of multiple factors so that the impact can be
analyzed.
2. Synthesis and Interpretation BIM and the Construction Process
2.1 Design
On completion of the construction project’s new design by the A/E, it is given to
some other person for development. Full efforts have been made by the A/E to
place project’s every detail on two-dimensional drawings including other renderings
pg. 4

and construction-related documents. In fact, in reference to the construction
industry, these documents’ quality has been mentioned as a highly important issue.
What generally happens at this point is that the errors are identified by the
construction personnel which will be harmonized with the A/E (BIM Transition
Process in Construction Companies, 2019). As the design continues to develop,
this can include a lot of repetitions and time. Other reasons for design changing
include changes undertaken by the owner to the project so that he can physically
observe the project before any details are decided on. This point deals with a direct
risk to the project’s timing and cost. So, in order to reduce these issues in the
phase of designing, modelling should be preferred in the BIM environment since it
provides amazing benefits.
Figure 4 Sample BIM design of building
As BIM is used for the development of building’s design, the construction
personnel can be made the process’s part at a much earlier project’s point. Rather
than waiting for A/E for design completion, the task of finding out constructability
issues in the model of the building can be initiated by the contractor on a real-time
basis. A lot of money and time can be saved in the later phase of the project if
building model is developed in real-time. When the owners undertake changes
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very late owing to the physical site, a really high level of visualization features are
provided by the majority of BIM tools. The ability pf observing the building 3-
dimensionally by walking through the building model in the design phase very early
helps assure the satisfaction of the owners with respect to their needs. There is no
need for the owner to wait until the start of the construction so as to know how it
actually looks like. Visualization of the project in the design phase also helps in risk
reduction related to any later changes in the project. The collaborative efforts of the
owner, A/E and contractor towards the completion of the building model offers a
more powerful design which has minimum risk related to changes taking place at
construction time.
Figure 5 Different stages of BIM
The benefits of working with BIM can also be showcased by taking into
consideration the project review process and the lessons learned. Numerous
lessons are learned in the entire project. The distribution and implementation of the
lessons learned would be directed to the entire organization and future projects by
the good project mgt. skills so as to fetch benefits. However, since there are many
lessons learned which belong to a certain project only, so they may not be
pg. 6

applicable to any next projects (Concept of Value Engineering in Construction
Industry, 2016). But when any project is undertaken with BIM, the majority of the
lessons come from the virtual construction process only. Rather than facing any
real issues related to time and cost, the issues are identified in the virtual project
only where they can be managed via an optimized timing and cost solution. The
beginning of the physical construction appears to be the project’s second time
associated with the benefits of learned lessons.
2.2 Estimating
Taking into consideration an established set of construction documents, the
construction manager would be required to create an in-depth estimate as to the
next step of a traditional construction project. A person having skills related to
pulling together fairly correct estimates in a judicious time will be generally included
when a reliable estimate is to be put together. This is because it would be not
fruitful to count every beam, brick or bolt in regards to the building. However, the
task of estimating is highly easier, simplified and accurate when it comes to
considering BIM environment.
Figure 6 Sample BIM estimation
pg. 7

The modelling of the building is undertaken in an object-oriented environment only
right from the project’s starting. This implies that the building components are not
only drawn to resemble a particular object, instead they are identified as that object
only through the entire process of BIM. For instance, in reference to a beam, a
beam is put up as a 3-dimensional object which is identified as a beam along with
all the necessary physical parameters of a beam. Apart from the physical
properties, various metadata can also be attached to an object which will remain
linked to that particular object through the complete project. Finally, in the end, the
total number of beams along with all of their sizes, any additional cost, sourcing or
additional data linked to them is identified by the software. When compared with
the usage of a quantity take-off, the technique of utilizing the actual data of the
building model for estimate creation is considered to be unique.
BIM serves the purpose of developing a traditional gap between the constructional
personnel and engine/architect. Even if a 3-dimensional CAD package is being
utilized by the A/E for building designing, in the absence of BIM he would be
required to “dumb-down” a huge quantity of info of the project to a paper’s pile and
give it to the contractor. Apart from the collaboration, the BIM environment also
provides the benefit of the preservation of all the info that got into the building while
it was getting communicated to successive elements of the construction process.
Undoubtedly, the owner is likely to take part in the process. This collaboration
gives the owner some amazing opportunities with respect to the project’s scoping
and costing. Causing a change to the building model and finding out how actually
that change influences the project’s total cost turns out comparatively easy. For
example, a change can be examined in project’s single area so as to find out if the
project has chances of expansion to another, thereby providing the chance of
molding the design as per the budget. The facilitation of many of these scoping and
costing opportunities is done via the BIM environment only.
pg. 8

2.3 Scheduling
Upon design finalization and estimate creation, planning the schedule and
determining the time and order of task execution becomes crucial. The traditional
methods of scheduling depend on a few people who have knowledge regarding the
tasks to be executed. These project members decide the order and total time
required for task completion. Any other connected logic or superiority between the
tasks must also be included (Sigalov and König, 2017). With technology
advancement, the scheduling process has advanced to a scheduling software from
an all-paper process. However, there is no effective linking back of the schedule to
the building design. It is dependable on them who developed the schedule for
causing any changes in the schedule when necessary (via building design
examination). This is one of the most crucial gaps pertaining to the traditional
process which has been overcome via BIM usage.
Figure 7 Sample BIM project scheduling
Take the building model 3-dimensionally. The component of time is commonly
known as the 4th dimension. In reality, the schedule is an outcome of work tasks
evaluation while they relate with time (both in terms of sequence and duration).
pg. 9

Going again to the project’s design phase, another important feature in respect to
the BIM packages is their potential to relate objects series inside the building
model. Along with the mgt. of building components as objects inside the model,
there is a presence of sequencing concept which specifies which objects are to be
put inside model after or before another. As an instance, considering that the steel
structure of the building has to be erected before the placing of the floor, the model
includes the objects’ sequencing. Upon application of this sequencing to all the
components spread across the model, it turns out to be basic logic by which the
schedule is fed. The schedule is no longer assembled by the project team. Rather
it is one of the numerous BIM model’s outcomes. Now, the collaboration among the
3 can involve the schedule to be one of the pieces of the project being developed.
Any modification to the model can quickly return the cost implications along with
the impact on the schedule. At a very early point in the process, the owner can
make the decision regarding the time, quality, cost and scope trade-offs which are
possible.
The ability to observe an animated model of the process of construction being
undertaken while the schedule scrolls across the screen’s bottom, is considered to
be one of the best visualization tools provided by numerous BIM packages. This
feature serves the purpose of offering a very strong 4-dimensional depiction of the
project to the project team. Apart from utilizing as a presentation tool, 4D models
like these can be used for assessing the status of the project (during the process of
construction), comparing the progress with the schedule, visualizing future. The
team is enabled to observe what the building should actually resemble what the
actual competition level it is at, at any day on schedule. The power of the BIM as a
tool becomes clear when the tasks’ sequence and duration are applied to the
model so as to generate a project schedule.
pg. 10

2.4 Managing the Project
On initiation of building construction, the project management process includes
progress monitoring, comparison of the current status with the set schedule,
offering direction to the project activities so that the schedule can be matched with.
However, this process encounters numerous challenges. Changes are considered
to be the most common challenge. Changes arising due to undiscovered issues,
changes in the design or scope by the owner, or unpredictable situations are
included. Though claims are disputed are highly acceptable in the process of
construction, still, it is agreed that a lot of money and time gets wasted due to
these changes.
Figure 8 BIM project management
This holds true for everyone who is involved. Time is costed to everyone which
leads to cost money to at least somebody. All issues like these reach the
misbalance existing between expectation and status (Volkov, Chelyshkov and
pg. 11