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BuildingInformationModeling&FacilityManagement
LouiseSabol
IFMAWorldWorkplace,November2008.
Contents
BuildingInformationModelingArrives BridgingtheDataGap:BIMfor
FacilitiesManagement
CaseStudy:UsingBIMforFM SydneyOperaHouseFMExemplarProject
Glossary References
Abstract
BuildingInformationModelingisthelatestsoftware
technologybeingintroducedthroughouttheAECprofession.
Acomplete3Ddigitalrepresentationofabuildingsystemor
subsystem,thissophisticatedtechnologyisbothavisually
accuratemodelofabuildingandadatabaseforrecordingthe
breadthofinformationdevelopedandassociatedwith
buildingcomponents.
Beyondbeing
adrawing
and
documentation
tool,
BIM
offers
aplatformforenhancedinterdisciplinarycollaboration,the
capabilitytomanagechange,andtheabilitytoextend
informationsupportthroughoutthebuildinglifecycle.
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BuildingInformationModelingArrives
BuildingInformationModeling(BIM)isthelatestsoftwaretechnologybeingintroducedthroughoutthe
AECprofession.Acomplete3Ddigitalrepresentationofabuildingsystemorsubsystem,this
sophisticatedtechnology
is
both
avisually
accurate
model
of
abuilding
and
adatabase
for
recording
the
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,and
all
objects
have
an
identity
and
attributes.
As
adata
application,
BIM
can
track
the
types
and
quantitiesofmaterials,equipmentandspaces.Majorbuildingsystemsmayberepresentedindistinct
andseparateBIMmodelswhichcanbeintegratedintoasinglemastermodel.ABIMapplication
typicallyhasthecapabilitytoextractinformationin2Ddocumentform(akintoCADdrawingsheets)to
enableusebyvariousprojectstakeholders.
Quantitiesandsharedpropertiesofmaterialscanbeeasilyextracted.Scopesofworkcanbeisolated
anddefined.Systems,assemblies,andsequencesaredisplayedinarelativescalewiththeentirefacility
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orgroupoffacilities.Informationcanbeattachedtobuildingcomponentsduringthedesignprocess
frommanufacturersspecificationstomaintenanceinstructions thusofferingthepotentialforan
integratedinformationbaseavailabletobuildingownersandoperatorsatprojectturnover.
Figure2:TraditionalCADdocuments(left)aredifficulttointerpret.A3DBIM(right)providesan
improvedmeansoffindingconflictsandsupportingcomponentdata,leadingtoimprovedprocess
efficiencies.(ModelbyDesign+ConstructionStrategies)
Asidefrombeingapowerfuldataapplication,BIMtechnologyhasthepotentialtoenablefundamental
changesinprojectdelivery,promisingamoreintegrated,efficientprocess.Asahighlycollaborative,
datarichenvironment,BIMhastheinherentcapabilitytoreducecostsandpromoteefficienciesinthe
followingmanner:
Itacceleratestheprocessessothatdecisionsandchangescanbemadeearlywithareducedimpact
to
time
and
costs.
Theaccuracyofthemodel,anditsabilitytocommunicateeffectivelytothediversepartiesinvolvedinbuildingprojectsandmanagement,reducesmiscommunicationandreinforces
understandingvisually.
Quantitiesanddatacanbeautomaticallygeneratedbythemodel,producingestimatesandworkflowsmuchmorequicklythanconventionalprocesses.
Datadeliveredatprojectturnoverismorecomplete,morestructured.
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BridgingtheDataGap:BIMforFacilitiesManagement
FacilityManagersarecontinuallyfacedwiththechallengeofimprovingandstandardizingthequalityof
theinformationtheyhaveattheirdisposal,bothtomeetdaytodayoperationalneedsaswellasto
provideupper
management
reliable
data
for
organizational
management
and
planning.
An
alphabet
soupofdatasystems CAFM,CAD,IWMS,EAM,CMMS servicethewiderangeofneedsinthefacilities
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
exploitedin
commercial
FM
systems
as
of
yet.
BuildingInformationModeling,however,isacomplexapplicationandnotsuitedtothecasualuser.
MorecomplexortechnologicallysavvyorganizationsmayhavetheresourcestoemployBIMspecialists
orconsultantstomaintainmodelsfortheirfacilities,astheSydneyOperaHousedidfortheir
geometricallycomplexfacility.(SeeCaseStudytofollow).
StandardsandDataExchange
Tosupportthefullbuildinglifecycle,newstandardsfordataexchangeintheAECFMindustrywillneed
tobedeveloped.TheNationalInstituteofBuildingSciences(NIBS)formedacommitteeinearly2006to
createaNational
Building
Information
Model
Standard
(NBIMS)
to
provide
acommon
model
for
describingfacilityinformation.Severalorganizationsinthebuildingindustryarealsopursuingeffortsto
standardizeanddefineBIMtechnologies,including:
ConstructionSpecificationsInstitute(www.csinet.org) DevelopingtheInternationalFrameworkDictionary(IFD)LibraryforbuildingSMARTwhichwillbeanopen,shared,
internationalterminologylibraryforstructuringobjectorientedinformationexchange.
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OSCRE(www.oscre.org)Organizationdirectedtowardsdevelopingglobalstandardsforexchangingelectronicrealpropertyinformation.
FIATECH(www.fiatech.org)Organizationworkingtoacceleratethedevelopmentandadoptionoftechnologiesthatautomateintegrationforcapitalintensiveprojects.
IntheareaofBIMdataexchangestandards,IFCs(IndustryFoundationClasses)areanopen,(vendor
neutral,format
developed
by
the
International
Alliance
for
Interoperability
(IAI)
to
facilitate
interoperabilityinthebuildingindustry.TheIFCformatfacilitatesthetransferandintegrityof
informationbetweenintelligentbuildingmodelsandtheinformationsystemsthatplayaroleinbuilding
management.IFCsofferameanstotransferdatafromaBIMapplicationintoaffiliatedsoftware
programsthatarecapableofcostestimating,CMMS,orspacemanagement.
LargeorganizationsarebeginningtorequireBIMdeliverablesfortheirbuildingprojects.IntheU.S.
FederalGovernment,BIMisarequirementforprojectsatGSA,theU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers,and
theDepartmentofState.OnegoalofGSA'sBIMrequirementistobettermanageitsspaceby
automatingspatialvalidationofA/Edesigns.GSAusesthisinformationforprogramvalidation,cost
recoveryand
move
management.
Figure3:RevitmodelofGSAspace.GSArequiresspacesgreaterthanninesquarefeettohaveaspecific
setofnongraphicdataattributes
(describedinSection2.1.1oftheGSABIMGuideforSpatialProgramValidation).
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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:UsingBIMforFM SydneyOperaHouseFMExemplarProject
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)
The
building
has
reached
a
milestone
age
in
terms
of
the
condition
and
maintainability
of
key
public
areasandservicesystems,functionalityofspacesandlongertermstrategicmanagement.Major
buildingupgradesarebeingplannedthatwillputconsiderablestrainonexistingFacilitiesPortfolio
services,andtheircapacitytomanagethemeffectively.
Thefacilitydoesnothaveoneunifiedfacilitymanagementsystem,currentlyrelyingonseveraldifferent
andincompatiblesystemstomanagefunctionsasdiverseasbuildingmaintenance,accounting,building
presentationandassetvaluemanagement.Theorganizationsmultimilliondollarannualbudgetfor
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O&Mandlargetechnician(40to50personnel)andcontractorgroup(over200workersperweek)
demandamoreintegratedsystemthataccommodatestheconstantchangesoccurringinthefacilityand
itscomplexconditions.
BuildinganFMDataModel
TheSOH
developed
abuilding
information
model
to
be
used
for
full
lifecycle
management
of
the
facility.
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.The
master
model
integrates
GIS
data
(via
IFCs)
to
provide
asite
underlay
replete
with
data
aboututilities,undergroundutilities,terrain,andothersiteattributes.
Modelentities(orobjects)thathaveassetmaintenancerequirementswerepopulatedwithdatafields
(e.g.name,location,maintenancetask,andschedule).Generaldataattributesforoperationsand
maintenancewerealsoapplied,notablyasetofdatafieldsforBuildingConditionIndexthatincluded
sixteenfieldstotrackthegeneralappearance,tidinessandcleanlinessoffunctionalspacesofthe
building.
Figure6:TheSOHdatamodelcanbequeried(left,searchonBPI
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TheIndustryFoundationClass(IFC)datamodelwasanintegralpartoftheSOHmodeldevelopment.The
modeldevelopmentusedIFCstotransportArupsstructuraldesignin(BentleyTriforma)modeltotheir
BIMapplication(ArchiCAD)forfurthermodeling,withfurtherexportstotheirFMsoftwareviaIFCs.
Figure7:MigrationofdataviaIFCsfromengineeringmodeltodevelopmainBIMandexporttoFM
software.
TheintegrationofFMapplicationsandIFCcompliantBIMisinitsinfancy.TosupporttheFMprocesses
usingtheIFCattheSydneyOperaHouse,theteamdevelopedguidelinesandmodelingpracticesand
formalized
them
into
a
specification.
The
document
describes
how
information
and
conventions
specific
toSydneyOperaHousewereincorporatedinBIMandenabledtheorganizationtodevelopaBIMwith
consistency.
MajorFindingsandConclusions
TheFMExemplarProjecthasestablishedthatbuildinginformationmodelingisanappropriateand
beneficialtechnologyenablingstorageandretrievalofintegratedbuilding,maintenanceand
managementdataforSydneyOperaHouse.
Inthetechnicalreview,usingthisapproachyieldedseveraladvantagessuchasconsistencyinthedata,
intelligenceinthemodel,multiplerepresentationssuchastwo andthreedimensional(2Dand3D)
reports,anintegratedsourceofinformationforexistingsoftwareapplications,andintegratedqueries
fordatamining.Thestandardizedbuildingmodelactsasthemaindatastructurewhichcanbeextended
withotherdatasourcesaseachelementofthemodelsuchasawall,furniture,aroom,oragroupingof
elementshasauniqueidentifier.Thisuniqueidentifiercanbeusedasabasisforcorrelatingdifferent
datasets,therebyopeningupquerycapabilitiesacrossdifferentdatasets.
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TosupporttheFMprocessesusingIFCexchangesfromaBIM,aSydneyOperaHousespecificationwas
developed,whichwillbecriticaltofinaldevelopment.Testswithpartialdatademonstratedthata
completeBIMwasrealistic,butreliantonsupportofexchangestandardsbyparticipating andstill
evolving,softwareapplications.
Specificbenefits
of
BIM
to
Sydney
Opera
House
Facilities
Management
include:
Fosteringfasterandmoreeffectivefacilitiesmanagementbyprovidinginformationthatiseasilysharedandreusedbythevarietyofcontractorandstaffemployedintheorganization.
Forupgradeandrefurbishmentprojects,thecapabilitytoanalyzethedesignsthoroughly,andperformsimulationseasily.
Abilitytocontrolwholeoflifecostsandenvironmentaldataleadstopredictablebuildingperformanceandtighterbudgetplanning.
ItisonlyamatteroftimebeforeaprotocolisfullyestablishedtoexportthevaluabledatainBIMmodels
toFMapplications.Dataformats,vocabulariesanddataexchangepoliciesneedtomaturebeforesuch
anapplicationisusefulfortheaveragefacilitymanager.However,theexperienceoftheSydneyOpera
HouseFM
Exemplar
Project
demonstrates
the
value
of
developing
standards
to
organize
this
informationexchange,andintegratingnewinformationtechnologiesintoanFMpractice.
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Glossary
AEC Architecture,Engineering,andConstruction
BAS BuildingAutomationSystem
BIM BuildingInformationModel(softwareapplication)
CAD ComputerAidedDesign(softwareapplication)
CAFM ComputerAidedFacilitiesManagement(softwareapplication)
CMMS ComputerizedMaintenanceandManagementSystem
COBIE ConstructionOperationsBuildingInformationExchange
FM FacilitiesManagement
GSA U.S.GovernmentServicesAdministration
IAI InternationalAllianceforInteroperability
IFC
Industry
Foundation
Classes
IWMS IntegratedWorkplaceManagementSystem(softwareapplication)
NBIMS NationalBuildingInformationModelStandardproject
Polyline 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.
Sabol
is
aregistered
architect
with
more
than
25yearsofexperienceinthebuildingandtechnology
professions.AtDesign+ConstructionStrategies,LLC,
Ms.SabolservesasDirectorofTechnology,providing
overalltechnicalplanningforthefirmstechnology
integrationprojectsfororganizationsinvolvedin
complexcapitalprojects.
AboutDesign+ConstructionStrategies,LLC
DCStrategiesis
dedicated
to
business
technology
implementationandthecreationofITenabledculture
intheAECcommunity.
OurclientsincludetheU.S.DepartmentofState,the
GeneralServicesAdministration,theInternational
CodeCouncil,Autodesk,Inc.andGreenwayConsulting.
Moreinformationisavailableatwww.dcstrategies.net.
Design+ConstructionStrategies,LLC
11DupontCircle,Suite601
Washington,DC20036
(202)2220610
www.dcstrategies.net
Copyright2008Design+ConstructionStrategies.All
rightsreserved.
Design+ConstructionStrategiesandtheDesign+
ConstructionStrategieslogoaretrademarksofDesign+
ConstructionStrategies.Othernamesmaybe
trademarksof
their
respective
owners.
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