BuildingInformation Modeling&Facility Management

LouiseSabol
IFMAWorldWorkplace,November2008.

Contents
BuildingInformationModelingArrives BridgingtheDataGap:BIMfor FacilitiesManagement CaseStudy:UsingBIMforFMSydney OperaHouseFMExemplarProject Glossary References

Abstract
BuildingInformationModelingisthelatestsoftware technologybeingintroducedthroughouttheAECprofession. Acomplete3Ddigitalrepresentationofabuildingsystemor subsystem,thissophisticatedtechnologyisbothavisually accuratemodelofabuildingandadatabaseforrecordingthe breadthofinformationdevelopedandassociatedwith buildingcomponents. Beyondbeingadrawinganddocumentationtool,BIMoffers aplatformforenhancedinterdisciplinarycollaboration,the capabilitytomanagechange,andtheabilitytoextend informationsupportthroughoutthebuildinglifecycle.

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BuildingInformationModelingArrives
BuildingInformationModeling(BIM)isthelatestsoftwaretechnologybeingintroducedthroughoutthe AECprofession.Acomplete3Ddigitalrepresentationofabuildingsystemorsubsystem,this sophisticatedtechnologyisbothavisuallyaccuratemodelofabuildingandadatabaseforrecordingthe breadthofinformationdevelopedandassociatedwithbuildingcomponents.Beyondbeingadrawing anddocumentationtool,BIMoffersaplatformforenhancedinterdisciplinarycollaboration,the capabilitytomanagechange,andtheabilitytoextendinformationsupportthroughoutthebuilding lifecycle.

Figure1:ABuildingInformationModel BIMisnotsimply3DCAD.CADapplicationshavebeeninuseforover20years,andarealsocapableof producing3Dmodels.CADfilesaresimplygeometricdata,comprisedofprimitivedrawingelements: lines,arcs,solidsandsurfacesthatrepresentthephysicallocationandconfigurationofbuilding components.CertainCADapplicationsallowbuildingelementstobetaggedwithsupplemental information,butthetechnologyisnotsophisticatedenoughtoprovideuserswithsignificantdataofa modelscomponentpartsorrelationshipsbetweenobjects InaBIM,elementsarevirtualsimulationsofbuildingcomponents.Awallexistsasawall,aboilerisa boiler,andallobjectshaveanidentityandattributes.Asadataapplication,BIMcantrackthetypesand quantitiesofmaterials,equipmentandspaces.Majorbuildingsystemsmayberepresentedindistinct andseparateBIMmodelswhichcanbeintegratedintoasinglemastermodel.ABIMapplication typicallyhasthecapabilitytoextractinformationin2Ddocumentform(akintoCADdrawingsheets)to enableusebyvariousprojectstakeholders. Quantitiesandsharedpropertiesofmaterialscanbeeasilyextracted.Scopesofworkcanbeisolated anddefined.Systems,assemblies,andsequencesaredisplayedinarelativescalewiththeentirefacility Page2

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orgroupoffacilities.Informationcanbeattachedtobuildingcomponentsduringthedesignprocess frommanufacturersspecificationstomaintenanceinstructionsthusofferingthepotentialforan integratedinformationbaseavailabletobuildingownersandoperatorsatprojectturnover.

Figure2:TraditionalCADdocuments(left)aredifficulttointerpret.A3DBIM(right)providesan improvedmeansoffindingconflictsandsupportingcomponentdata,leadingtoimprovedprocess efficiencies.(ModelbyDesign+ConstructionStrategies) Asidefrombeingapowerfuldataapplication,BIMtechnologyhasthepotentialtoenablefundamental changesinprojectdelivery,promisingamoreintegrated,efficientprocess.Asahighlycollaborative, datarichenvironment,BIMhastheinherentcapabilitytoreducecostsandpromoteefficienciesinthe followingmanner: Itacceleratestheprocessessothatdecisionsandchangescanbemadeearlywithareduced impacttotimeandcosts. Theaccuracyofthemodel,anditsabilitytocommunicateeffectivelytothediverseparties involvedinbuildingprojectsandmanagement,reducesmiscommunicationandreinforces understandingvisually. Quantitiesanddatacanbeautomaticallygeneratedbythemodel,producingestimatesand workflowsmuchmorequicklythanconventionalprocesses. Datadeliveredatprojectturnoverismorecomplete,morestructured.

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BridgingtheDataGap:BIMforFacilitiesManagement
FacilityManagersarecontinuallyfacedwiththechallengeofimprovingandstandardizingthequalityof theinformationtheyhaveattheirdisposal,bothtomeetdaytodayoperationalneedsaswellasto provideuppermanagementreliabledatafororganizationalmanagementandplanning.Analphabet soupofdatasystemsCAFM,CAD,IWMS,EAM,CMMSservicethewiderangeofneedsinthefacilities arena,buttherearenoonesizefitsallapplicationssinceFMpracticesarewidelydiverseintheir requirements. Anemergingtechnology,BuildingInformationModelingispoisedtoofferanewleveloffunctionalityfor themanagementofbuildingsandthephysicalassetswithinthem.Assetandfacilitiesmanagementhave primarilyreliedondatacentricapplicationsfortheirinformationsupporttasks.Graphiccapabilitiesin CAFMandIWMSapplicationshaveprimarilyfocusedonspacemanagement.Reworkisoftenrequired tomakeCADfilesdeliveredfromprojectconstructiondocumentsusefulforfacilitiesmanagement.Not beinginherentlygraphic,FMapplicationsareoftennotseamlessinmanagingchanges,requiringtedious synchronizationwhenbuildingconfigurationsandaffiliateddataattributeschange. BIMprovidesaunifieddigitalrepositoryofallbuildingcomponents,andasafull3Dmodelitiscapable ofdisplayingviewswithaclaritythataretypicallyeludesusersnotschooledininterpretingstandard2D buildingdrawings.Theapplicationscapabilitytoattachaninfiniterangeofdatatocomponentsofthe model,eitherwithintheapplicationorinanexternaldatabasesuchasOracle,createsapotentialdata repositorythatisusefulbeyondconstructiondocumentation.Forexample,BIMspacecomponentscan besupplementedtotrackinformationsuchasroomnumbers,areacalculations,andoccupantcensuses. Equipmentobjectscanrecordmanufacturer,roomlocation,equipmentspecifications,referenceURLs, amongmanyotherattributes.Asarelativelynewtechnology,thecapabilitiesofBIMhavenotbeenfully exploitedincommercialFMsystemsasofyet. BuildingInformationModeling,however,isacomplexapplicationandnotsuitedtothecasualuser. MorecomplexortechnologicallysavvyorganizationsmayhavetheresourcestoemployBIMspecialists orconsultantstomaintainmodelsfortheirfacilities,astheSydneyOperaHousedidfortheir geometricallycomplexfacility.(SeeCaseStudytofollow).

StandardsandDataExchange
Tosupportthefullbuildinglifecycle,newstandardsfordataexchangeintheAECFMindustrywillneed tobedeveloped.TheNationalInstituteofBuildingSciences(NIBS)formedacommitteeinearly2006to createaNationalBuildingInformationModelStandard(NBIMS)toprovideacommonmodelfor describingfacilityinformation.Severalorganizationsinthebuildingindustryarealsopursuingeffortsto standardizeanddefineBIMtechnologies,including: ConstructionSpecificationsInstitute(www.csinet.org)DevelopingtheInternational FrameworkDictionary(IFD)LibraryforbuildingSMARTwhichwillbeanopen,shared, internationalterminologylibraryforstructuringobjectorientedinformationexchange.

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OSCRE(www.oscre.org)Organizationdirectedtowardsdevelopingglobalstandardsfor exchangingelectronicrealpropertyinformation. FIATECH(www.fiatech.org)Organizationworkingtoacceleratethedevelopmentandadoption oftechnologiesthatautomateintegrationforcapitalintensiveprojects.

IntheareaofBIMdataexchangestandards,IFCs(IndustryFoundationClasses)areanopen,(vendor neutral,formatdevelopedbytheInternationalAllianceforInteroperability(IAI)tofacilitate interoperabilityinthebuildingindustry.TheIFCformatfacilitatesthetransferandintegrityof informationbetweenintelligentbuildingmodelsandtheinformationsystemsthatplayaroleinbuilding management.IFCsofferameanstotransferdatafromaBIMapplicationintoaffiliatedsoftware programsthatarecapableofcostestimating,CMMS,orspacemanagement. LargeorganizationsarebeginningtorequireBIMdeliverablesfortheirbuildingprojects.IntheU.S. FederalGovernment,BIMisarequirementforprojectsatGSA,theU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers,and theDepartmentofState.OnegoalofGSA'sBIMrequirementistobettermanageitsspaceby automatingspatialvalidationofA/Edesigns.GSAusesthisinformationforprogramvalidation,cost recoveryandmovemanagement.

Figure3:RevitmodelofGSAspace.GSArequiresspacesgreaterthanninesquarefeettohaveaspecific setofnongraphicdataattributes (describedinSection2.1.1oftheGSABIMGuideforSpatialProgramValidation). Page5

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TheConstructionOperationsBuildingInformationExchange(COBIE)isbeingdevelopedbytheCorpsof EngineersResearchLab(CERL)tocreatebothaformatandstandardizedtemplateforinformation handovertooperationsandmaintenanceentities.TheCOBIEapproachenvisionscapturinginformation incrementallythroughouttheplanning,designandconstructionprocessesandprovidingaframework forrobustinformationorganizationforfacilitiesmanagement.

Figure4:RevitmodelwithcustomdatafieldsforCOBIEdata,exportpathstoCOBIEinbothExcelandIFC formats[Design+ConstructionStrategies]

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CaseStudy:UsingBIMforFMSydneyOperaHouseFMExemplarProject
In2005,theAustralianCooperativeResearchCentreforConstructionInnovationembarkedonthe SydneyOperaHouse(SOH)FMExemplarProjecttoidentifyFacilitiesManagementindustrybest practices.Alongwithresearchingprocurementandbenchmarking,thetwoyearstudyalsoinvestigated digitalmodelingBIM.Thelackofconsistentdatainasinglesourcehasbecomeanongoingissueto themanagementofthefacility,onethattheprojecthopestoresolve.Preliminaryresearchsuggests thata3DdigitalmodelofSydneyOperaHouse,populatedwiththeappropriatedata,willsavetime whileimprovingtheoperationofthefacilitythroughconsistent,accurateandcurrentdatathatenables fasterandmoreeffectivemanagement.

WhytheSydneyOperaHouseneededaBuildingInformationModel
SydneyOperaHouseisalarge,verycomplexstructure,housingequipmentandactivitiesthatare equallycomplex.Commencingin1958,theoriginaldocumentswerehardcopypaperandpencil/ink drawings.Whileexcellentpaperarchivesexist,thisdocumentationdidnotadequatelydescribethe buildingthatwasultimatelycompletedin1973.Thefinal,completebuildingvariesfromthearchitect's originaldrawings,andunfortunatelynodefinitivesetofplansordocumentationincorporatingthe changesexisted.CADdrawingsoftheexistingfacilitywerecreatedinthelate1980s,butproved unreliableanduncoordinated.

Figure5:SOHConstructionDrawing(left)andPhysicalModel(right) Thebuildinghasreachedamilestoneageintermsoftheconditionandmaintainabilityofkeypublic areasandservicesystems,functionalityofspacesandlongertermstrategicmanagement.Major buildingupgradesarebeingplannedthatwillputconsiderablestrainonexistingFacilitiesPortfolio services,andtheircapacitytomanagethemeffectively. Thefacilitydoesnothaveoneunifiedfacilitymanagementsystem,currentlyrelyingonseveraldifferent andincompatiblesystemstomanagefunctionsasdiverseasbuildingmaintenance,accounting,building presentationandassetvaluemanagement.Theorganizationsmultimilliondollarannualbudgetfor Page7

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O&Mandlargetechnician(40to50personnel)andcontractorgroup(over200workersperweek) demandamoreintegratedsystemthataccommodatestheconstantchangesoccurringinthefacilityand itscomplexconditions.

BuildinganFMDataModel
TheSOHdevelopedabuildinginformationmodeltobeusedforfulllifecyclemanagementofthefacility. Thecreationprocessdidmorethanrecordthephysicalstructureofthebuilding;italsoincorporated hugeamountsofservice,maintenanceandcostinformation.Themodelincludesallinformationabout objectswithinthebuilding,suchaslifts,ventilationandfiresystems,andimportantlytherelationship betweenthem,inasinglerepository. Themodelingwasdividedintoamastermodelandlogicaldisciplinespecificsubmodels(architectural, structure,mechanical,electrical,andothers).A3DstructuralmodelcreatedbyArup,SOHsconsulting engineers,wasusedasthebasisformodeldevelopment.Themastermodelsupporteddifferentspatial hierarchies:locationzones,functionalspaces,roomsandplacestoorganizeinteriorspaceformultiple purposes.ThemastermodelintegratesGISdata(viaIFCs)toprovideasiteunderlayrepletewithdata aboututilities,undergroundutilities,terrain,andothersiteattributes. Modelentities(orobjects)thathaveassetmaintenancerequirementswerepopulatedwithdatafields (e.g.name,location,maintenancetask,andschedule).Generaldataattributesforoperationsand maintenancewerealsoapplied,notablyasetofdatafieldsforBuildingConditionIndexthatincluded sixteenfieldstotrackthegeneralappearance,tidinessandcleanlinessoffunctionalspacesofthe building.

Figure6:TheSOHdatamodelcanbequeried(left,searchonBPI<80)andtheresultsreturnedina graphicalform(atright,redindicatedroomsthatmeetthequeryconstraints)

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TheIndustryFoundationClass(IFC)datamodelwasanintegralpartoftheSOHmodeldevelopment.The modeldevelopmentusedIFCstotransportArupsstructuraldesignin(BentleyTriforma)modeltotheir BIMapplication(ArchiCAD)forfurthermodeling,withfurtherexportstotheirFMsoftwareviaIFCs.

Figure7:MigrationofdataviaIFCsfromengineeringmodeltodevelopmainBIMandexporttoFM software. TheintegrationofFMapplicationsandIFCcompliantBIMisinitsinfancy.TosupporttheFMprocesses usingtheIFCattheSydneyOperaHouse,theteamdevelopedguidelinesandmodelingpracticesand formalizedthemintoaspecification.Thedocumentdescribeshowinformationandconventionsspecific toSydneyOperaHousewereincorporatedinBIMandenabledtheorganizationtodevelopaBIMwith consistency.

MajorFindingsandConclusions
TheFMExemplarProjecthasestablishedthatbuildinginformationmodelingisanappropriateand beneficialtechnologyenablingstorageandretrievalofintegratedbuilding,maintenanceand managementdataforSydneyOperaHouse. Inthetechnicalreview,usingthisapproachyieldedseveraladvantagessuchasconsistencyinthedata, intelligenceinthemodel,multiplerepresentationssuchastwoandthreedimensional(2Dand3D) reports,anintegratedsourceofinformationforexistingsoftwareapplications,andintegratedqueries fordatamining.Thestandardizedbuildingmodelactsasthemaindatastructurewhichcanbeextended withotherdatasourcesaseachelementofthemodelsuchasawall,furniture,aroom,oragroupingof elementshasauniqueidentifier.Thisuniqueidentifiercanbeusedasabasisforcorrelatingdifferent datasets,therebyopeningupquerycapabilitiesacrossdifferentdatasets.

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TosupporttheFMprocessesusingIFCexchangesfromaBIM,aSydneyOperaHousespecificationwas developed,whichwillbecriticaltofinaldevelopment.Testswithpartialdatademonstratedthata completeBIMwasrealistic,butreliantonsupportofexchangestandardsbyparticipatingandstill evolving,softwareapplications. SpecificbenefitsofBIMtoSydneyOperaHouseFacilitiesManagementinclude: Fosteringfasterandmoreeffectivefacilitiesmanagementbyprovidinginformationthatiseasily sharedandreusedbythevarietyofcontractorandstaffemployedintheorganization. Forupgradeandrefurbishmentprojects,thecapabilitytoanalyzethedesignsthoroughly,and performsimulationseasily. Abilitytocontrolwholeoflifecostsandenvironmentaldataleadstopredictablebuilding performanceandtighterbudgetplanning.

ItisonlyamatteroftimebeforeaprotocolisfullyestablishedtoexportthevaluabledatainBIMmodels toFMapplications.Dataformats,vocabulariesanddataexchangepoliciesneedtomaturebeforesuch anapplicationisusefulfortheaveragefacilitymanager.However,theexperienceoftheSydneyOpera HouseFMExemplarProjectdemonstratesthevalueofdevelopingstandardstoorganizethis informationexchange,andintegratingnewinformationtechnologiesintoanFMpractice.

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Glossary
AEC BAS BIM CAD CAFM CMMS COBIE FM GSA IAI IFC IWMS NBIMS Polyline Architecture,Engineering,andConstruction BuildingAutomationSystem BuildingInformationModel(softwareapplication) ComputerAidedDesign(softwareapplication) ComputerAidedFacilitiesManagement(softwareapplication) ComputerizedMaintenanceandManagementSystem ConstructionOperationsBuildingInformationExchange FacilitiesManagement U.S.GovernmentServicesAdministration InternationalAllianceforInteroperability IndustryFoundationClasses IntegratedWorkplaceManagementSystem(softwareapplication) NationalBuildingInformationModelStandardproject InCAD,acontinuouslinecomposedofoneormorelinesegmentsthatistreatedasasingle object.Usedinspacemanagementapplications(CADorCAFM)torepresentaspaceor room.

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References
InternationalAllianceforInteroperability:www.iaiinteroperability.orgincludingtheIFC,Industry FoundationClassesspecifications:www.iaiinternational.org/Model/IFC(ifcXML)Specs.html NationalBuildingInformationModelStandardproject(NBIMS) www.facilityinformationcouncil.org/bim GSA3D4DBuildingInformationModeling:www.gsa.gov/bimandGSABIMGuide(Series01): http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_DOCUMENT/GSA_BIM_Guide_v0_60 _Series01_Overview_051407_R2Ca3l_0Z5RDZi34KpR.pdf FMAsaBusinessEnablerSolutionsforManagingtheBuiltEnvironment.CooperativeResearch CentreforConstructionInnovationforIcon.NetPty,Ltd,2007.http://www.construction innovation.info/images/pdfs/PublicPublication/CRC%20FM%20Report%20Feb07.pdf AdoptingBIMforFacilitiesManagement,SolutionsforManagingtheSydneyOperaHouse. http://www.constructioninnovation.info/images/CRC_Dig_Model_Book_20070402_v2.pdf

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AboutLouiseSabol LouiseA.Sabolisaregisteredarchitectwithmorethan 25yearsofexperienceinthebuildingandtechnology professions.AtDesign+ConstructionStrategies,LLC, Ms.SabolservesasDirectorofTechnology,providing overalltechnicalplanningforthefirmstechnology integrationprojectsfororganizationsinvolvedin complexcapitalprojects. Design+ConstructionStrategies,LLC 11DupontCircle,Suite601 Washington,DC20036 (202)2220610 www.dcstrategies.net Copyright2008Design+ConstructionStrategies.All rightsreserved. Design+ConstructionStrategiesandtheDesign+ ConstructionStrategieslogoaretrademarksofDesign+ ConstructionStrategies.Othernamesmaybe trademarksoftheirrespectiveowners. AboutDesign+ConstructionStrategies,LLC DCStrategiesisdedicatedtobusinesstechnology implementationandthecreationofITenabledculture intheAECcommunity. OurclientsincludetheU.S.DepartmentofState,the GeneralServicesAdministration,theInternational CodeCouncil,Autodesk,Inc.andGreenwayConsulting. Moreinformationisavailableatwww.dcstrategies.net.

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