BIM Enhances Facility Models, Construction, Maintenance and More

Contractors and technology solutions providers are partnering to bring advanced technology to projects.By now, all construction companies have heard of BIM, though many still can't justify the cost to deploy it. Advanced integrations in cloud file sharing, mobile devices and new model visualization solutions are working to change that. In this dynamic session, James Benham of JBKnowlege sorts through the latest trends in BIM, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) solutions and devices, how contractors are using them today, and how they should be using them a year from now.

The Data Age is upon us, and architects, engineers, and CM's/builders/Specialty Trades will need to augment their traditional design and construction skills with skills borrowed from data science. This presentation will survey basic data science, statistical, and visualization techniques that architects, engineers, and CM's/builders/Specialty Trades can use to mine their building data to put them on the road to turning this information into actionable insights. Learn the techniques of model data extraction & storage, how to derive actionable knowledge through finding patterns, trends, & outliers; and learn how to build a convincing, metrics based rationale through data reporting & visualization.

These basic tools can "tell a story" with data to persuade, achieve goals, and enforce or challenge common intuition. AEC professionals are on the path to data analysis & data visualization techniques to gain new insight, optimize design and construction processes, and add business value to their organization.

For well over a decade, we have promoted that 3D modeling and coordination of architectural, structural, and MEP systems during design will identify conflicts before the start of construction, thus saving time and money for the project. While this is true in theory, any contractor understands that the design is never truly complete. It continues to evolve throughout construction due to unforseen existing conditions, RFIs, and client driven changes. The National BIM Standard tells us that BIM should be "a reliable basis for decisions" about a facility "from earliest conception to demolition".

The true value of BIM during construction is not about avoiding clashes, it's about optimizing the process of construction. Reliable model information during construction is enabling a fundamental shift in the process of how we build. Robotic layout from the model and prefabrication are just some of the examples of how BIM is shifting the way we build. But this level of BIM optimization during construction is only successful when all project team members are committed to keeping their respective models updated throughout the entire project lifecycle. This presentation will highlight the successes seen from maintaining a reliable model through construction as well as the pitfalls of when project teams lose faith in their models.