Anticipating a BIM Boom
The numbers don't lie - 2009 was an incredibly tough year for the global construction industry. Spending in construction fell by a seemingly improbable 12.4 percent while every single state as well as the District of Columbia lost construction jobs. While employing approximately five percent of the nation's workforce, fully 20 percent of recession-related job losses were in construction. These happenings were unprecedented and proof of the industry's tumultuous year.
The troubles aren't likely to dissipate this year and those searching for a huge recovery will be disappointed. The Associated General Contractors of America recently conducted a survey of 700 of its members on the outlook for the in 2010 2010. The outcomes were overwhelmingly negative with 90 percent indicating you will have no recovery this upcoming year.
Yet despite these grim facts, all hope isn't lost for all those in the construction industry. For just one, the federal stimulus has kicked in and raised the amount of publicly funded projects. Also the AGC's Chief Economist Ken Simonson reports the costs of building materials are at an all-time low, meaning now is a good time to build.
How does technology match the recovery? Building Information Modeling (BIM), along with other industry-specific technologies, is proving to work time-savers and bring a complete new meaning to collaborative effort. If any business needs a reason to smile this year 2010, search no further than BIM.
WHY BIM?
In line with the official definition supplied by the AGC, BIM is "the procedure of generating and managing a building information model through the use of three-dimensional, intelligent design information." Its presence is nothing new in the market; it's been around because the late 1980s.
However, only recently has BIM begun to emerge as an industry favorite. For many in the industry BIM represents a tremendous way to cut time by early problem identification. S3H, Inc., a pre-construction specialist in NEVADA, NV, utilizes its expertise in BIM to deliver cost-effective HVAC and plumbing solutions, specifically used it that is why.
"We have used BIM from Day One. It we can work with the project design and construction team and identify problems early, such as for example potential clashes with other building trades. You have all the details before you start. It is a lot cheaper to identify and fix problems in writing than it is to fix them during construction," says President Vatche Sarkoyan.
According to Sarkoyan, the process eliminates the necessity for Superintendents to trouble-shoot in the field, which can decrease productivity, be inefficient and is demoralizing.
One who will abide by Sarkoyan is CEO David Cullen of JP Cullen & Sons of Janesville, WI, who says BIM helped save a two-phase renovation of the 1917 historic Sterling Hall at the University of Wisconsin.
"We are the general contractor and you can find separate prime contractors. We got behind during the first phase also it was a significant problem. Then we came up to speed with BIM and caused the other contractors to create back the construction schedule and materials movement. They've commented that bringing BIM on saved the project," says Cullen.
MORE TO COME
As much of a direct effect as current versions of BIM have on today's contractors and construction companies, constant improvements to its capabilities will leave an even greater mark on the industry. Like any technology, many companies have gone through generations and generations of software to improve and refine BIM.
Recently, one software company that makes a version of BIM - various developers produce different variations of BIM software - has made recent improvements to improve efficiency. In accordance with Tekla, its latest BIM software includes an improved solution for cast-in-place concrete design and detailing, better IFC data exchange, better usage of reference models and improved numbering and model publishing tools.
New versions of BIM software, such as Tekla's latest, are also helping designers, engineers and architects push towards greener building. Great post to read Moving towards a greener installation is a small step forward but still part of the bigger sustainability benefits that implementing BIM can bring to construction," stated Risto R�ty, Tekla's Executive Vice President.
Besides newer, better versions of BIM software, the industry's acceptance of the technology have gone even further. Many companies, such as Ameri-CAD out of Allen, TX, have begun offering BIM implementation and consulting services. Ameri-CAD offers analysis, implementation, training, support, and services.
Meanwhile, the AGC is up to speed with BIM. In March the association is offering a BIM 101 Convention in Orlando. At this convention, various BIM experts will explain what the technology is, what its benefits are and they'll help attendees implement it for his or her own companies.
With all of this happening and many more, it's likely that 2010 will not only be the year of the Tiger, but the year of the BIM.