BIM Handbook 2011 – Chapter 4 – “BIM for Owners and Facility Managers”

Week 4

1/29/13

David Bregande

Group C

               The purpose of this post is to compare chapters from the 2008 BIM Handbook to the most current 2011 edition.   The executive summary is exactly the same between the two versions of the book.  The first notable addition is introduced shortly afterwards when the 2011 version goes into the details of Integrated Process Delivery, or IPD.  This concept is used in order to better communicate the project to all aspects and departments involved.   This especially applies to the owner of the future structure and the ability for this person to be included and informed from beginning to end.  In the 2008 edition, this section is primarily used to discuss how the owner can benefit from BIM most when it comes to cost projections and being the most efficient economically.  The idea of IPD being included in the current edition makes sense to me because integration between personal has been a recurring issue under constant improvement and has been discussed frequently in class and in previous readings. 

                The trend towards an owner’s better understanding of the design and physical nature of the project itself, as well as an economical payoff due to better organization through BIM, is further displayed in the 2011 version as it leads off section 4.2 with “Design Assessment”.  This section, as compared to the first section of 4.2 titled “Cost Reliability and Management”, goes further into explaining how the concept of the project in its functional phase can be realized before ground is even broken.  This idea allows for owners and managers alike to make alterations and design changes as necessary with as little disruption to the process as possible.  This means a faster and more economical turnaround as well as the creation of a better-suited and more functional result.

               I also found it interesting how the increase in mobile technology and computer systems between 2008 and 2011 allow for BIM to function in a way never thought of before.  As Kayleigh mentioned in her post, the traditional office is being redefined as mobile technology is allowing for people to be unchained from their desks while still being prepared and able to work.  Not only is this nice for the average office worker being able to get some fresh air, but whole projects are now accessible for multiple people from lightweight laptops which allows for instantaneous information almost anywhere.  Jeanine points out that with BIM software becoming more commonplace and practical, there are going to be the need for and an increase in students graduating with vast knowledge with some sort of BIM software.  What was once a tool used by the few to get an edge on the competition, BIM will soon be a requirement for graduating with an engineering degree and landing a good design job.

SOURCE:

BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers, and Contractors.  Chuck Eastman, Paul Teicholz, Rafael Sacks and Kathleen Liston  Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.