With many projects in Ireland beginning to require Building Information Modelling (BIM), and with only 1 year to go until the 2016 UK Government Mandate requiring all centrally procured public projects to use BIM level 2 to PAS1192 standard, Irish Building Magazine asked Ireland’s specialist BIM Consultants, ArcDox, to clarify and outline what our readers need to know.

By Ralph Montague

The benefits of BIM are well documented, from improving design coordination, communication, understating, performance and schedule, while reducing errors, waste, risks, and uncertainty, but what most people don’t realize, is that unfortunately the benefits of BIM won’t materialize, unless there is a clearly defined and managed BIM process, or information strategy, in place, that every participant is required to adhere to during their contribution to the project. Our experience over the last 6 years as BIM consultants, is that in an adversarial and fragmented industry, the lack of a clear Employers Information Requirement (EIR), has led to confusion, non-compliance, and ultimately a break-down in the BIM process, says Ralph Montague, managing partner of ArcDox. “A lot of people think BIM is just about 3D CAD, or computer software, but there is an end-to-end “process” that the industry needs to get their heads around.”

So as a professional, as a company, what do you need to know to be BIM Level 2 Compliant to work to PAS1192-2 standard? Here is a useful list provided by ArcDox.

BIM Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQ’s)

In order to tender for design or construction services who will have to be able to respond to “BIM capability questions” in Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQ’s), see examples in Table 8 in PAS91:2013 as http://shop.bsigroup.com/en/Navigate-by/PAS/PAS-91-2013/

Employers Information Requirements (EIR)

To work on a BIM projects, you must understand and respond to the EIR (Employers Information Requirements), a document setting out the clients BIM objectives and deliverables. See here for more details http://www.bimtaskgroup.org/bim-eirs/)

You may also be required to assist in writing an EIR (where it doesn’t exist), to clarify BIM requirements as early as possible. In situations where you are the “employer” (eg contractor/sub-contractor relationship), you will have to be able to write an information requirement that will ensure that your supply chain are making information contributions that are compatible with the overall BIM strategy.

BIM Execution Plan (BEP)

Your response as a company, to the EIR,  is the preparation of a Pre-Contract (pre-appointment) BIM Execution Plan (BEP) Document, setting out your strategy to deliver on the employers information requirements, together with BIM capability assessments (resources, IT etc). See templates here http://www.cpic.org.uk/cpix/. Once the project team has been appointed, a combined Post-Contract BIM Execution Plan, will be developed/agreed between the team members, overseen by the Project Information Manager.

Commercial / Legal / Insurance Implications

You should be aware of the requirements and implications, of having a BIM Protocol appended to your contact/appointment, setting out the roles, rights, responsibilities and obligations for the BIM process (see template CIC UK BIM protocol here: http://www.bimtaskgroup.org/bim-protocol/) This should be checked with your solicitors. You should also be aware of the insurance implications, and make your PI insurers aware that you are participating in BIM projects. (See guidance here: http://www.bimtaskgroup.org/professional-service-indemnity-insurance-guidance/)

Digital Plan of Work (Information Deliverables)

As the industry moves from paper-based to digital deliverables, it is important to determine and clarify exactly what level of detail and what level of information, is required at each stage of the project, and who will provide this information. The Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP),is the document setting out who will produce what information at each stage, to what level of development, being level of detail (LOD), and level of information (LOI). You should understand and be aware the new RIBA or CIC Plan of Work. (see details here: http://www.ribaplanofwork.com/) A new Digital Plan of Work tool is currently being developed by NBS to help industry with managing these issues, and should be available later this year. (see http://www.thenbs.com/bimtoolkit/)

Project Information Management

Depending on your role, you may be required to take on the function of “Project Information Manager” for either design or construction stage,  and you may even be required to manage and/or host the Common Data Environment (CDE) (see the scope of the role is defined here: http://www.bimtaskgroup.org/scope-of-services-for-information-management/) In terms of interacting with the CDE, you will need to understand the file-naming, folder structures, workflows and approvals processes set out in BS1192.

BIM Capability (Review)

To participate in a BIM projects, you will need to have the ability to receive, open, navigate, query, analyse, review and comment on BIM data. (Free BIM viewers are available eg. Autodesk Design Review, Bentley Navigator, Graphisoft BIMx, Solibri Model Viewer, Tekla BIMsight, xBIM explorer etc) If you are client-facing or a project leader attending meetings, you will need the ability to navigate and show your model. You may be required to participate in BIM coordination reviews (clash detection).

BIM Capability (Production)

You will have to have the ability to produce, manage and share, any information you are required to contribute to the project, in a BIM format, including open IFC format (industry foundation classes),  also including the ability to provide COBie (construction building operations information exchange) Digital Data Drops at the required project stages. Your data will have to be organized and structured using BS1192/PAS1192/BS8541 standards, and Uniclass2 classification, and you will have to contribute your data to the project Common Data Environment (CDE). Someone in your team will have to take on the role of Task Information Manager, to liaise/coordinate with the overall Project Information Manager and interact with the CDE.

BIM Capability (Analysis)

You may be required to provide extended analysis and use of BIM, such as 3D coordination / clash detection, sequence / programme analysis (4D), cost analysis / quantity take-off (5D), structural analysis / energy performance analysis (6D), lighting analysis, systems analysis, pedestrian movement or evacuation analysis, operational or whole lifecycle cost analysis, enhanced visualization, use of BIM for facilities management or operations (7D)  etc, etc .

Continued Professional Development & Education

Clearly BIM is going to require new skills and capabilities, and as an individual, and a business, you should have a plan, through a continued program of research and development, to make sure you acquire the skills and ability to deliver extended services, and see how BIM can be further leveraged to enhance your business processes and offerings.

Becoming BIM level 2 Compliant isn’t something that can happen overnight. It is a journey, from where we are as an industry right now, to where we should be, in the digital age. You can ignore the digital revolution if you want, or pretend it won’t happen, but you may be left behind. So start the journey, and keep moving, keeping the end in mind. Good luck with your BIM journey. www.arcdox.com