Building information modelling
https://ilokabenneth.blogspot.com/2014/01/building-information-modelling.html
Name: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 1/13/2014
Introduction
BIM
is a significant new investment in the construction industry, and its
significance far reaches beyond the construction industry as it is being
adopted in other industries for the purpose of engineering and architectural
designs. As compared with the 2D auto-card, this form of engineering modelling
is a new wonder in the engineering world as it models all activities into
perfect picture by mimicking scenarios that will arise from the construction
and as such laying the right foundation for a 3D design that can actually be
based on real life activities.
In
line with these features, the purpose of this paper was designed to be to
understand the importance and application of BIM in the engineering world with
special reference to the construction industry. Such an understanding was
designed to look into the barriers that limit such applications and how these
barriers can be mitigated in order to ensure that the application is enhanced.
Enhancing the adoption of BIM in the construction industry is without a doubt
very significant in the sense that it will help to build a modelling system
that will have the potential of delivering the right platform and path towards
establishing sustainability in the construction industry. This is because; BIM
is built to understand the actual outcomes from related events in the
residential buildings by mimicking scenarios such as car parking, pedestrian
walking, and possible collisions. As such, the builder will be able to
understand the factors that will result to possible collisions and ensure that
such factors are actually mitigated in the actual construction process.
Summary of finding
The
literature review presented a clear definition of BIM as having to deal with a
vivid understanding of both the physical structure and the functional system of
the building. This is because the software can be sued to draw the actual
building as is in the case of 2D and also used to plan the building
construction process which is not applicable in 2D. The functionality can also
stretch down to minor functionalities like the lightning, interior décor,
flowering, garden design and other features in a house that were not usually
integrated in conventional design as a result of lack of such applications in
the 2D model designing system.
BIM
is very significant in the construction industry as it can be used to undertake
the four functions of plan, design, construct and operate. The planning phase
involves the adoption of the software to understand how the design would look
like by comparing between templates that are present in the software and using
them to construct a new design interface. Following the planning phase, the
actual design will take place and it will be based on the chosen template or
purely based on new design platform as it pleases the constructor. Just like
every other construction activity, the actually construction will proceed the
design and then the management of the construction is the final section. In the
management section, numerous issues are highlighted as being significant in the
overall design and such include the understand of set standards and using set
standard to compare the actual construction in order to ensure that it meet the
set standards. Impressing, this is the only software in the construction
industry that has the ability of combing all these features into one set piece
and such level of convenience means that user can find it easy to utilise in
their daily undertaken and ensure that the transformation continues throughout
the construction industry.
In
any case, it must be understood that the adoption of BIM is not definitive in
nature as the system has different features and functionalities and can be used
for different purposes. Therefore, it is important that the user understand the
purpose for which the system has been designed and try to configure the
functionality in order to meet the respective need for the system. This is
because; wrong application can actually be disastrous as it will yield wrong
design, wrong construction and definitely wrong management.
The
most significant application of BIM comes in the form of SMART construction. In
the modern business setting, companies are seeking new ways to reduce the
expenses of their business process and SMART construction is one of such
approaches as it involves understanding the best way to offer higher value at
reduced price. BIM is capable of doing such because of the four functions it
combines together, which allows the construction manager to understand the best
way to manage resources and as such reduce the incurred cost from mismanagement
of resources.
Basically,
the benefits of BIM in the construction industry especially with reference to
residential building where it enhances sustainability and reduces cost at an
added value cannot be overemphasized. However, there is still a case of
understanding the level of applicability of the software in the industry. This
is because while the software has been made readily available, application are
still limited in certain extent as a result of lack of fund to purchase the
software and lack of necessary skills to operate it. However, the case for this
paper is more towards understanding the benefits of implementation rather than
understanding the level of implementation. In that case, the variables loaded into
the questionnaire were designed to recalculate on this issue and make sure that
the overall finding is in line with the research objective.
Prior
to the development of the questionnaire, a case of the Eureka tower was
analysed to understand the challenges facing successful implementation of the
BMI model in the construction industry and a number of variables where
highlighted as the barriers to the implementation on both the economic, social
and environmental aspect as well as on the aspect of know-hows. These variables
also loaded into the questionnaire development in order to determine whether
what has been projected to be the main reason is actually the main reason from
the view point of the engineers in the industry. Following a successful pilot
test, the actual data was gathered.
The
above discussions are the foundation from which the background of this paper
was developed, in order to understand the importance of building information
modelling in the construction industry. Understanding such importance is
necessary as it would create the right setting for reshaping the construction
industry in order to ensure more sustainable production process and output from
such processes. Sustainability is fast becoming a growing trend in the
construction industry and BIM has a role to play in the sense that it would
help create the perfect picture or design for a sustainable construction system
where all are based on needs and not just open personal opinion.
On
that note, this paper started with an introduction of how the research process
will be undertaken. This chapter also contains elements such as the research
purpose, objective and scope, as well as the organization of the research
process. Basically, this is the foundation from which the whole paper was developed.
Following the introduction as identified in the research organization is the
literature review. At this point, it is important to recall that the objectives
that are contained in the introductory section of the paper is that this paper
will be developed to understand the concepts of BIM and the influence of such
concepts on the construction industry, with one eye focused on understanding
the implementation process and limitations to implementation of this concept in
the industry. As such, the second chapter was developed to understand the
theoretical backgrounds on the topic of discussion. Findings from this section
revealed that BIM is a new construction concept which is based on constructing
houses based on processed concepts that details the whole building outline in
relation to the activities that will be undertaken in the building following
construction and the control measures to ensure that the building is capable of
yielding its deigned purpose. Theories in this section shows that BIM is a model
used to map building outline, putting into concepts the common issues that
might arise when the building is finally being used and how these issues can be
solved. Some of these issues come in the form of parking space and movement of
people as well as machinery in the system. Still on the note of understanding
issues eliminated by BIM, it was also discovered in this chapter that there are
numerous forms of BIM systems and the differences exist as a result of
difference in application. On that note, it was stated that BIM is not easy to
be incorporate into the construction industry because of the differences that
exist in its application.
Having
understood the theoretical concepts in relation to the developed topic, the
next step was taken in the form of developing the methodology that will be used
in the development of primary research. Primary research was deemed a necessary
because it would help to put into practice the concepts that have been
developed in the theoretical background and understand the level of application
of such concepts in the real world settings. In order to ensure that the
primary research meets the set objectives as described in this chapter, the
step was taken to design the methodology for the study and it was deemed fit
that the responders would come from the construction industry because they are
best positioned to understand the concept being studied and contribute
significantly towards expanding the knowledge based of the research topic.
The
fourth chapter focused on analysing gathered data. As described earlier,
primary research was conducted with respondents in the construction industry
and the purpose of the research was to understand the extent of application and
perception of the theories presented in this paper in the real world setting as
it is related to the construction industry. The revelation from the primary
research are not of any differences with what was obtained from the theoretical
background presented in the literature review and this is based on the notion
that respondents associated BIM with numerous positivity in the sense that it
contributes towards establishing sustainability in the construction industry by
modelling how the buildings will be constructed in such a way that all
obstacles that will exist from usage are eliminated and as such reduce the
potential of added costs that might arises from cases where such situations are
not eliminated. Additionally, it was found that BIM comes in different models
and there is a need for users to be acquitted with the concepts in order to
ensure full adoption. On that note, it was found that knowledge is key to
success in the adoption of BIM in the construction industry and adoption will
yield numerous benefits.
On
that account, the final chapter was developed in the form of chapter 5 in order
to summarize the whole discoveries from the research and lay the right
foundation for further researches on the related topic. Since the findings from
the primary research are in line with what has been discussed earlier in the secondary
research, it becomes very clear that this paper has been successful in
establishing the right link towards enhancing the understanding of the topic of
discussion and developing the right background for further researches on the
subject. Basically, the finding from the paper is of the notion that BIM plays
significant role in the construction industry towards establishing the right
background for developing an understanding on the concepts of modelled
construction and enhancing sustainability in the construction industry.
However, the differences that exist in the application of the concept is a
limitation to its adoption.
Recommendation
Patrick
MacLeamy - Chief Executive Officer of HOK, in his letter to the UK government
highlighted a number of benefits of BIM as discovered in this paper, and they
come in the form of increase in building transparency, efficiency in the
construction process and even mention of chances for increased employment. On
that account, BIM is recommended in the construction industry as it has been
proven to be beneficial in the industry.
Conclusion
On
that note, it will be stated that BIM is very important in the construction
industry as it enhances sustainability in the building section as well as
establishes the right background for proper use of allocated resources.
However, there are problems in the form of understanding how to apply the
concept are they are different forms of BIM which are developed for different
reasons. In any case, it will be concluded that such differences should not be
viewed as overweighing the actual importance it plays in the construction
industry because it is key to sustainable development.
Reference
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