BUILDINGS [11] 1

Procure a BIM deliverable with ease

By Jennie Morton

ith building information modeling

(BIM) gaining steam as a facilities
management tool, many owners are excited to commission this
game-changing technology for their buildings.
But requesting a model is much more complex
than ordering furniture or recycling bins.

"You can have the best BIM, but v\/ithout the foresight and planning, it's not
worth commissioning," says Pete Zyskowski, director of technical services and a
BIM consultant with Applied Software, a BIM services provider.
A BIM deliverable needs to be as unique as the building it represents. As the
end user, you determine what your model includes and how detailed it should be.
To guide you through commissioning, follow these steps to ensure your deliverable will meet your needs.
1) Determine the Big Picture
A clear focus for your model is the most important part of the commissioning
process. The level of detail you need directly impacts scheduling and costs.
First identify how the model will support facilities management. BIM allows
you to gain greater control over areas like energy spend, space planning, and asset management - which of these benefits are you looking for?

"One of the best things owners

can do is educate themselves on what
value can be extracted from BIM looking at how it adds value to their
business, creates efficiencies, and
ultimately saves them money," says
Kyle Bernhardt, product line manager
for Building Design Suite at Autodesk,
a 3D software provider. "It's those
calculations that can really provide a
successful process."
Without a clear purpose, you may
get a model that doesn't support your
end goals. "Asking for just BIM is like
asking a builder to just build a home.
There's so much more information
that needs to be discussed," says
Mark Petrucci, an application specialist with Applied Software.
Because BIM is only starting to
emerge on the operations side, you
can't use the same model that was
created during design, otherwise it
will be saturated with data unrelated
to facilities management.

BUILDINGS [11)11

"Focus on the T in
BIM," advises Aniruddha
Deodhar, program manager
of AEC Sustainability for
Autodesk. "If all you have
is a box, a wire 3D frame,
it's not as compeiiing. The
more rich in content your
BIM is, the more useful and
valuable it is downstream
for maintenance and operations."
After determining the
model's scope, be ready to
provide background data
to the design team. If you
are commissioning for energy management, you can
help the contractor gather
known data that will populate the model.
"In terms of energy
analysis, the more figures
an owner can offer the better," recommends Deodhar.
"Provide information about
the mechanical systems,
occupancy, building schedule, utility bills, rough estimates
of floor-to-ceiling heights, and glazing percentages."
Make sure these figures are as accurate as possible. If
you cut corners with off-hand calculations or benchmarking,
you'll compromise the integrity of the model.
"Owners will try to use this information to save on
costs but it ends up costing them more in the long run
when they have to rectify or recreate a flawed model,"
Deodhar warns.

2) Select a Scanning Option

How detailed your model is typically defines the methods
used for reality capture, but there are several options available that meet different budget parameters:
Measuring tape and wheel
2D architectural drawings (plan and scale)
Laser scanning
Photogrammetry
Geospatial information gathering
continued

The Skinny on
BIM-Ready Content
A growing trend among manufacturers is to provide
what they call "BIM-ready content." These are BIM deliverables of their specific products that you can download
online, whether it's an HVAC system or an executive desk.
While it may be tempting to seek these models out,
understand that there are no national standards for BIM
yet. One company may offer a basic model that only
contains dimensions. Another might include details more
applicable to engineers, such as the metal composition of
bolts. Both could lack the energy performance data you
were hoping for
There is also a concern about compatibility. Even if the
manufacturer's model has what you need, how will you get
it into your model? Online offerings may not be usable
across multiple platforms.
Your best bet is to have your design team work directly
with a manufacturer to secure the information you need.

'"^-iiigi

29

30

BUILDINGS [11111

A measuring tape and wheel have long been a standby

in the industry. It's a cost-effective option that doesn't require complex technology and is ideal for simple spaces.
These manually gathered dimensions are turned into a 2D
architectural plan, which is easily converted into 3D, says
Birgitta Foster, assisting director of the buildingSMARTalliance, an organization that promotes BIM. Owners with
these drawings already in place have a leg up over those
starting from scratch.
Owners should note that the accuracy of measuring tape
and CAD drawings isn't as strong as other reality capture
options. For example, measurement methods differ - do
you start a measure from the center of a room, a corner,
or a wall? Are you measuring for gross square footage, net

square feet, or rentable square feet?

Existing 2D plans also suffer from the same inconsistencies as blueprints - they can be inaccurate or out of date.
Use laser scanning to confirm the reliability of CAD plans or
bypass architectural drawings altogether.
"Laser scanning is the best possible method to capture
the existing state in a 3D form," recommends Bernhardt.
"What you end up with once you aggregate multiple scans
into a single point cloud is the 3D representation of that
building. Anything that can be seen by the scanner is captured into hundreds of millions of data points. With the
amazing computing power that's brought to bear across the
various technologies around laser scanning, it can deliver a
remarkably real-life experience."
continued

Options for Reality Capture

Plan and Scale

Measuring Tape
and Wheel

PROS

CONS

\lany owners already have on hand

Incomplete or inaccurate drawings

Low cost

Can't provide all data needed for BIM

Good for basic dimensions

Doesn't include equipment specs

Tried and tested

Greater chance for error

Inexpensive

Can only measure dimensions

Suitable for basic models

Not suitable for complex layouts

Captures a high level of detail

Higher cost due to specialized equipment

Easy to update

Some firms may not offer this service

Laser Scanning

_
. 1 r^
Geospatial Data
Capture

Photogrammetry

4 ^ ^ H Ideal for exteriors and campus settings

^^^SB
Mr
_
i
m Supports master plannmg

Higher cost
Cannot document interiors

Doesn't use special equipment

Limited to the photos you take

Cost effective for simple models

Can be hindered by calibration of photos

Appropriate for space planning

Typically paired with another method

UILDINGS [11] 11

While this method comes with a higher price tag, scanning affords a level of detail that cannot be matched by
more traditional methods.
"From that high detail point cloud, it can be used as a
modeling reference for the authoring of BIM elements,"
Bernhardt continues. "You can very accurately and quickly
trace walls, windows, and piping because you have a reference that is the real thing - in some cases down to a 7-millimeter level of detail."
In fact, modeling technology has evolved to the point
where it can distinguish between different types of systems. "You can bring the scan data into the software and
it's intelligent enough to recognize a pipe is a pipe, a wall
is a wall, and so on. If it doesn't know what it is, it won't try
to model it," explains Foster.
The good news to an owner concerned about costs is
that you can use any combination of reality capture methods (see sidebar on page 30). This is also a smart move if
you have a wide variety of areas to document.
"An owner may determine that something as basic as
a gymnasium does not require scanning because he only
needs the dimensions of the four walls," says Neil Parker,
director of business development for EcoDomus, Inc, a
BIM services provider. "With a boiler room, scanning may

be the better choice because of all of the equipment that

needs to be documented."

3) Set Aside Time

The complexity of your model also impacts how much
time it takes to create it. Most capture options take anywhere from an afternoon to a few days. Once the data is
collected, a basic model can take a designer half a week
to populate, while a fully integrated version will take much
longer.
"It's very difficult to generalize the amount of time it will
take because it is extremely infiuenced by how complete
you want the model to be," says Bernhardt. "If you're only
looking for the envelope, you can model that in a number
of days. If you want to go beyond the exterior and have
accurate renditions of interior partitions, glazing, doors,
and ductwork, it could be on the order of weeks, if not
months."
The size and age of your building are also factors. A
one-story school takes less time than a 20-story high-rise.
The older the building, the more complex it can be to model
because of changes over time, says Zyskowski.
As your building undergoes reality capture, make sure
your staff and occupants are aware of the extra contractors

BUILDINGS [11] 11

coming in. Employees

may need to be displaced for an afternoon
if after-hours documentation isn't an option.
4) Vet Your Designer
Your goals for BIM
also dictate who you
need to bring on board.
"The service provider
or firm that generates
i
these models is the
single biggest factor
for a project being
delivered on time and
on budget," Bernhardt
explains.
If you have a stand-.ing AEC firm you work
with, ask whether they
offer BIM services.
An established relationship is ideal, particularly with the
amount of communication required.

This image of the Autodesk Canada

Office exterior shows the beginnings of BIM graphics overlaid on a
point cloud.

"BIM isn't so much about the technology - that's been

around for 20 to 30 years," says Mieczyslaw Boryslawski,
co-founder of EcoDomus, Inc. "It's about the collaborative
effort between the different players."
If your firm can't meet your needs, select a BIM provider that has a proven track record with deliverables. Though
the surveying industry has been around for decades, BIM
is a new arrival and not all businesses have fully adopted
the technology.
Request to see a project portfolio from a prospective
firm, focusing on quality rather than quantity. "I've asked
providers to share with me what their deliverable would be
so I can understand if it's sufficient for my needs or not,"
Foster says.
Also ask about how they communicate with owners,
whether they have their own scanning equipment or contract the service out, and if they can provide ongoing BIM
assistance after the model is created.
"You want to make sure you're working with a team
who understands what your end goal is," recommends
Parker. "If your end goal is to create a model for a renovation project, you want to select a firm that has an eye toward renovation. Same with facilities management or new
construction."
5) Justify the Costs
Owners need to view BIM as an investment - the upfront cost to develop a model is typically countered by the
efficiencies you gain.
Establishing ROI is tricky because the benefits of BIM
vary so widely. How do you put a price tag on establishing
consistency throughout multiple properties, supporting
sustainability initiatives more efficiently, or gaining better
control over energy spend?
"A highly detailed model is a costly proposition," says
Bernhardt. "But if you have clearly defined needs, you
get value out of that level of detail and the cost will be
warranted." @
Jennie Morton (jennie.morton@buildings.com) is associate
editor of BUILDINGS.

33

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