Construction Maeconomics Conference 2016

BIM AS INNOVATION BOOSTER IN CIVIL ENGINEERINGFilip Kessler1

1Department of Economics and Management in Civil Engineering, Faculty of Civil engineering, CTU, Thakurova 7, Prague 6, 160 00, Czech Republic, filip.kessler@gmail.com

AbstractBuilding Information Management (BIM) is the phenomenon with massive impact on many processes in civil engineering business and throughout the whole construction life cycle. Therefore it seems that BIM is very good environment for the innovations in civil engineering business. Author of this paper would like to answer a question whether the BIM accelerate innovations is relevant topic for research.

Keywords

Innovation; project management; BIM (Business information management)

Introduction The new concept of BIM (Building information modelling or management) is slowly coming into

account in our middle-Europe area. It seems it will bring massive changes in standard processes that we currently use in the whole life cycle. BIM become new phenomenon in civil engineering nowadays.

If we will look at BIM from the innovative point of view it seems evident that BIM will boost innovation in civil engineering along its implementation in the near future. So the paper explore whether this topic, BIM accelerate innovations is relevant topic for research.

Historical viewVojta [1] in his diploma thesis puts beginning Building Information Modelling (BIM) in 70s of the

20th century where the development of computing and imaging capacity of computers enabled implementation of software for design and other disciplines in engineering. So first 2D models been used in civil engineering and substituted paper drawing.

On the other hand Nývlt [2] saw the beginning of BIM in 2002 where the abbreviation BIM first used Liaserin [3]. Since that BIM is more presented as complex information model in civil engineering that should be used though the whole life cycle of a construction.

Today, BIM is commonly used in the US and also in UK. Other northern-western European states as France or Denmark plan to implement BIM this or following year mainly for public tenders.

Methodology Nývlt [2] uses one of these fundamental definition of BIM:

“BIM is a model of information about the construction (building or object) that contains complete and sufficient information to support all processes throughout the life cycle of buildings that can be interpreted within software applications. It contains information about the building itself, as well as about its components and also contains information on properties such as function, shape, material and life cycle processes.”

This definition refers to BIM as Building information modelling as you can see on Figure 1. Nývlt [2] offers second view on this phenomenon and talks about BIM as Building information management. This shift in definition refers to different view and enlarge BIM with other disciplines that are necessary to successful BIM implementation – process management, innovation management, knowledge management etc.

Figure 1 BIM scheme

Innovation is defined simply as a "new idea, device, or method". However, innovation is often also viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs. [6]. And it is nowadays the best way how to stay competitive and it is very supported by the EU structures [5].

In order to decide whether BIM accelerate new innovations or not we define those criteria:

Criteria 1: BIM should represent massive change in construction business in order to be able to accelerate innovations

Criteria 2: Present at least one particular innovation that comes with BIM

If we will be able to prove that BIM meets this criteria we can state that BIM accelerate innovations.

Innovation accompanying BIMImplementing Building information management into day to day practice will be huge and hard

task for any company in Civil engineering business. But it is inevitable step to the future engineering constructions as BIM brings particular advantages and modern approach that will be demanded by customers.

Therefore my hypothesis says: “Is BIM the environment that creates enables and accelerate innovations? “

So I assume that BIM as a massive change in civil engineering business will be accompanied by relevant amount of innovations that enables smooth implementation and positive change. This change is represented by using information model of a building for the whole life cycle of a structure which can simplify many processes usually covered by different systems in the past.

So we meet criteria one from the methodology because BIM really represent significant change in construction business.

Change in delivery systems preference used in civil engineering

One of the innovative approach that follows BIM is different approach to delivery systems in civil engineering.

Standard delivery system used very often separates the delivery of the project design and project realization. In standard process one team designes the construction itself then prepares tender documentation for choosing the contrator. The chosen contractor receives finalised project documentation for project realisation as it is shown on Figure 2.

Figure 2 Current industry practice

On the other hand implementing BIM methodology requires different approach. Bim methodology as a tool integrates whole construction life cycle precesses together and we are talking abuout Integrated project delivery. Mesa [4]. You can see this different process in a model on Figure 3.

Figure 3 Integrated project delivery IPD

So we can consider IPD as a very good representant of new approach that comes with BIM and therefore we meet criteria 2 from our methodology and note BIM as a potentially good environment for Innovation.

Conclusion In my dissertation I would like to prove my hypothesis that Building information management

(BIM) is the environment that creates innovative environment necessary for its own implementation. So this paper has found the answer on the relation between BIM and innovation but logically open other ones as how and with which intensity BIM accelerate innovations in civil engineering.

References[1] Vojta, J., Analýza a vyhodnocení možností implementace BIM v malém stavebním podniku,

2014, 114 str, CTU diploma[2] Nývlt, V., Řizeni znalosti v prostředí BIM, 2016, 147 str., CTU dissertation [3] LIASERIN,J., Comparing pommes and naranjas. The Liaserin Letter., (2002)

http://www.Liaserin.com/features/issue15/feature01.php.[4] Mesa, H A., Molenaar, K.R., Alacrón, L.F. Exploring performance of

the integrated project delivery process on complex building projects, 2016, International journal of project management

[5] Veber, J. a kol., Management inovací, 2016, 288 str. Management press[6] Maryville, S "Entrepreneurship in the Business Curriculum", 1992. Journal of Education for

Business. Vol. 68 No. 1, pp. 27-31