Entry Level - Learning Content
3. A New Way of Working
3.1 Information Management
Under digital ways of working, information is managed using newer and more effective approaches. When information is expected to be exchanged, the recipient of the information provides a description of what they will need, and what format it is expected to take. Contrast this to older approaches where the provider gives an “information dump” that the recipient must then sort through. While the newer methods can put some additional burden on the provider, in reality it can also save them considerable effort because they can focus just on what is needed and not become distracted by extra information.
These expectations are communicated through a set of documents known collectively as “information requirements”. These information requirements specify “what” is expected and “how” it will be delivered. In many cases, they also describe the purpose of the information. This can help when evaluating different options to allow professionals to choose solutions that are best suited for the purpose.
It is very common for information requirements to flow from one stakeholder to the next, with each adding further details and expectations. This also provides clarity for all stakeholders to understand who has which responsibility. While these responsibilities still fall along professional standards, it helps define expectations where professional roles overlap. Figure 6 describes some of the information requirements under digitalized approaches.
When information is exchanged between stakeholders, it is commonly done using models. Depending on requirements, these may be through access (typically “read only”) to models or may be through specially formatted exports of model contents. In general, information that is proprietary to a company is not exchanged, but in practice this does not affect things. Typically, proprietary information is what is used to make decisions, but the resulting decisions themselves can be freely shared.
3.2 Building Information Modelling
Building Information Modelling, or BIM for short, is the process of using digital tools to design, analyze, approve, and document the creation and utilization of a built asset and is an integral component of digitalized information management processes. BIM works by having professionals use standardized processes and approaches that are based on industry best practices.
While many individuals have their own definitions of BIM, the most official is presented as part of the ISO 19650 standard which defines BIM as “Use of a shared digital representation of a built asset to facilitate design, construction and operation processes to form a reliable basis for decisions.”
Building Information Models (BIMs) are a collection of digital objects that have attributes and relationships that describe an item and its role in the physical built asset. These models describe not only built assets, but also the design and construction models to convey and construct the physical representations. Digital objects may contain geometry, such as doors and walls, or may be more abstract concepts like weather or “purpose”.
Models are designed to be used collaboratively, where different stakeholders can use the CDE to access and view (and in some cases edit) the model according to permissions and use. This allows, for example, an engineer to create and modify a structural model based on up-to-date architectural designs, and to also inform the mechanical designer to plan their work around the structural elements.
Because physical objects are represented as 3D objects, communication can happen using both data as well as with both visual and contextual cues, greatly facilitating communication and understanding. And because designs are digital, it is possible to create software that looks through the model in automated or semi-automated manners to detect any elements of the design that go against constraints.
3.3 "Dimensions" of BIM
Many stakeholders follow a consistent pattern for the way they model and utilize information which has given rise to an informal naming convention about how BIM is used. In general, adopters will take the information they are already familiar with and build models around it. As they gain familiarity, over subsequent projects they will expand on the information they place within models and how those models are used to make decisions. This has also given rise to an informal description of BIM use and a way to roughly judge an organization’s BIM maturity. Although the modern approach is moving away from the use of this “dimensions of BIM” terminology, it is still used by many practitioners, and is often useful to people new to the sector to understand how BIM is commonly adopted.
When beginning, most practitioners will take the information they already use and tie it to geometric data within models. According to the purest form of information management, geometry is not strictly necessary for BIM (for example one comment asset management platform uses spreadsheets to store and exchange information), and most implementations will include models of objects with a three-dimensional representation. If for no other reason, most people find the visual representation is a convenient way to communicate between colleagues. Many people consider this baseline of what constitutes BIM and will refer to it as “3D BIM”.
Typically, once practitioners are used to dealing with geometric data, they will add information related to sequencing and project scheduling, to understand how things happen over time. This information allows practitioners to better remain “on time” and to understand the required lead times during physical construction and operation, as well as to prevent work being done in the same location by multiple parties who would likely interfere with each other. This is known as “4D BIM”.
The next element that is generally added is costing, pricing, and productivity information, which helps project managers monitor and control costs. Having this information allows for better estimations on how decisions will impact costs. It also allows project managers to monitor budgets and remain within project scope. This is known as “5D BIM”.
Other “dimensions” of BIM exist, and are in use by different practitioners, though there is not as much consensus on what these dimensions represent.
3.4 buildingSMART & openBIM
buildingSMART is an international not for profit organization comprising a global community of Chapters, Members, Partners, and Sponsors and has the goal of bringing modern ways of working and information sharing to the built industry sector. buildingSMART is led by the parent body, buildingSMART International. Together, the buildingSMART community creates and develops open digital ways of working for the built asset industry.
buildingSMART's mission is to proactively facilitate the active use and dissemination of open data standards enabling infrastructure and building asset data and life-cycle processes to improve the value achieved from investments in built assets and enhance opportunities for growth.
buildingSMART standards help asset owners and the entire supply chain work more efficiently and collaboratively through the entire project and asset lifecycle. Since it was incorporated in 1995, buildingSMART has focused on solving industry interoperability challenges.
One important area of work is through the development of openBIM® standards, that allow methods for different practitioners to share and exchange information across different platforms without being tied to one particular software tool or family. This allows for faster and more robust integration of data across the supply chain, which in turn benefits collaboration between stakeholders.
3.5 International Standards
Most people don’t need to know the ins and outs of international standards, they just need to know they exist. Just like they don’t need to read the standard that describes a PDF to open a file, they don’t need to read the standard that describes IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) to work with BIM. That having been said, some basic familiarity with the standards can be beneficial for those within the sector. The two most important standards for BIM are ISO 16739 which describes IFC and ISO 19650 which describes how to organize and use BIM on projects. Both these standards are created using a consensus approach where international experts in the industry meet to determine industry best practices.
The IFC standard describes models and gives details about how geometry is represented, as well as what are the fundamental objects that are relevant to the building sector and how they are related. As an example, the description of a wall might describe most fundamentally its height, width, and thickness, but it might also contain information about the materials it is constructed with, its thermal properties, fire resistance, weight, and sound transmission. International experts work together to determine what properties are mandatory, what are optional, and how they relate, so that professionals can build tools to interact with models and be able to rely on the information contained in them.
This approach also allows significant improvements in terms of interoperability. As information is exchanged between stakeholders in a project, they will need confidence that not only is data being correctly exchanged, but the meaning and context behind that data is as well, even if the stakeholders are using different software or working in different countries. This also allows data from component providers to be seamlessly brought into models and designs without the fear of information loss.
The international standard that describes information exchange workflows similarly looks at a large set of standardized information exchange scenarios and describes the roles that should be involved, and what models should contain to ensure expectations are met.
3.6 Where Do I Start ?
How you begin using BIM and Digital Information Management will depend on your role within an organization and in the sector overall. Someone approaching BIM who is familiar with the sector but is new to the concepts of information management will have a different approach to someone who is new to the sector but comes with a background familiar with overall data exchange and storage concepts. Younger practitioners who are newer to the sector often have an easier time adopting BIM because they are not tied to preconceived ideas of what the industry is, and how it operates.
For people who are new to the sector, as you learn about your role inside the sector, make sure to gain an understanding on what information is required to make decisions, and where that information comes from. Where possible, look to standardize your practices, so that you can ensure repeatability and reliability. Understand where your work and decisions impacts others, and learn how information sharing can lead to mutually beneficial scenarios.
For people who are already working in the built asset sector, the most practical approach to the adoption of BIM is to look at your current role and to examine your current and planned information usage. Determine what information you will require for your next project, and from where will you obtain it. Consider who is most likely to be the source of that information, and what decisions you will make with it. Especially if it is tied to geometry, it can likely be associated with models, and is very likely relevant to others in the supply chain.
In addition to this, you can familiarize yourself with BIM concepts and terminology, both through formal training as well as informally through reading whitepapers and watching instructional videos, especially those tied to your area of interest and specialization.
But no matter your role and your familiarity with the sector, you are already taking the first step by working through this program and obtaining your buildingSMART International Entry Level certification and accompanying e-badge.
Module 3 - 10-point summary (key learnings)
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