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

Week 3

1/22/13

David Bregande

At first thought, I see BIM as a tool for building owners to utilize once the building is completed and operational.  At the time of daily operation, owners will use BIM to manage and analyze the function of their building systems, thus making the building more efficient on a whole and less costly to operate.  What I have never thought about much, and what this chapter covers, is how owners and managers of buildings can use BIM before even breaking ground.  “Many owners view construction as a relatively small capital expenditure compared to the lifecycle costs or other operational costs that accrue over time. Changing marketplace conditions, however, are forcing owners to rethink their views and place greater emphasis on the building delivery process and its impact on their business” (Geertsema et al. 2003; Gaddie 2003).  Utilizing this powerful tool from the very start of a project and into its construction allows for everything from day one to run for efficiently and cost effective; and if I owned a building, cost effectiveness and efficiency is what I would strive for.

                The most basic, yet sometimes the most practical, aspect that can be improved for a building manager through BIM is the ability to actually see in a real life sense how the building is going to physically operate.  Kayleigh points out that before BIM, owners and managers didn’t have much input in regard to MEP and structure as they are generally unable to interpret plans to that extent.  With the ability to model and navigate something in 3D, a building manager can make sure that things are physically arranged in a way that makes the most sense for his needs and functions.

                When it comes to cost savings, BIM tools will create them in multiple ways and allow the owner to gain the power of control and knowledge of the site he is paying for.  The first way is that it will allow for more accurate budgeting and demand for cash flow.   Next, BIM tools will make scheduling more accurate and allow work phases to be more fluid; delays will be less and the overall time and cost of construction will be reduced through efficiency.  Another way costs will be lowered is through enhanced monitoring and controlling of energy and resources.  This only gives a brief idea of how BIM can be used to save money during and after a building project.

                As with any technology, BIM tools will only be as useful as the people working with and utilizing them.  In the last paragraph of Jeanine’s post, she focuses on identifies the extra work and training that will be required for a project to accurately utilize BIM.  Besides for knowing how to use the actual programs and software, it must also be noted that all aspects of using computers and systems must be acknowledged, such as file formatting, updating, archiving, etc.  It becomes clear very quickly that this will require a lot of training for the everyday person on a construction site or project, but that the training will be very worth it.

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 © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.