BIM in Small Practices

Illustrated Case Studies

Edited by Robert Klaschka

BIM in Small Practices

IllustratedIllustrated CaseCase StudiesStudies

Edited by Robert Klaschka

© Robert Klaschka, 2014 Published by NBS, part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd, The Old Post Office, St Nicholas Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1RH ISBN 978 1 85946 499 1 Stock code 80471 The right of Robert Klaschka to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988 sections 77 and 78. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner. British Library Cataloguing in Publications Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Commissioning Editor: Sarah Busby Editor: Sara Hulse Design: Philip Handley Typesetting and Production: Michèle Woodger and Philip Handley Printed and bound by W&G Baird Ltd in Great Britain While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given in this publication, neither the Author nor the Publisher accept any responsibility for the subsequent use of this information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any misunderstandings arising from it. NBS is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd www.ribaenterprises.com

Preface

Small practices have always been innovators. This book is the story of ten innovators in the use of BIM. It celebrates sole traders who are making the most of ‘lonely BIM’ to improve their productivity and branching out into working with others. It features young and growing practices who have begun working with other disciplines in truly collaborative BIM. Lastly it explores the work of the specialists who have developed specific processes to complement their workflows such as Architype and Eurobuild with their semi-automated Passivhaus BIM systems. The case studies are supplemented by a series of contextual chapters written by industry leaders and discussing key issues of interest to small practices. Ray Crotty answers the question ‘Why BIM?’, exploring how our world will change when technology, standardisation and processes used in other industries cross over into design and construction. David Miller discusses the costs, practicalities and benefits of moving your practice to take advantage of BIM workflows and technologies. Stefan Mordue and Rebecca De Cicco give us a rundown of the vast and diverse resources available to those practices just starting to use BIM, including free guidance, groups, training and events. Finally I discuss how BIM can open up other lines for work through diversification to give your business a stable baseline cash flow. The change to model-based data-rich working to produce design, construction and maintenance information about buildings is probably the biggest shake-up of the way we work that I will experience in at least the first half of my career. The influence of the changes that are being demanded by the government and by private companies who are seeking reductions in construction costs and better data on and control of their buildings is far-reaching and it is clear that these changes will have a lasting effect on both big and small practices. With the UK establishing best practice for collaborative BIM working in the 1192 suite of documents and in future building control sign-off from models, it is only a matter of time before the BIM revolution affects us in one way or another. Looking more widely, the government construction strategy seeks to consolidate the UK’s position of excellence as a design, construction and maintenance services exporter. Through this BIM presents a huge opportunity for versatile small practices who want to grow into this new digital world. With government’s commitment to give 25% of all public work to SMEs and ongoing funded research programmes by the Technology Strategy Board specifically focused on digital construction there has never been a better time to start using BIM. This book highlights some of the best work that small practices are doing in BIM for both themselves and their clients through a series of detailed case studies. It seeks to dispel the myth that BIM is not for SMEs and presents a wide range of examples of how technology and processes can be tailored to work well in a small office to serve high-quality design and drive business success. Most of all the case studies show that small practices can benefit from BIM. The hurdles for entry are less difficult than you think and, more importantly, BIM presents a platform for the future development of your practice as a provider of both exceptional design and valuable information.

Robert Klaschka June 2014

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Foreword by John Eynon

This book busts a few myths about BIM and also, I think, points the way for the future of the profession. Myth 1 – BIM is for large projects. No! Examples in this book include residential conversions, extensions and a self-build house. Myth 2 – BIM is only for new buildings. No! There are lots of examples here of work involving existing buildings at all stages. Let’s remember that the majority of practices in the UK are micro to small and medium-sized enterprises. These businesses are the engine room of the design economy and the lifeblood of most projects. These case studies from hands-on practices illustrate and explain the use of BIM right at the grass roots, providing practical examples and plain speaking advice for any practitioner at whatever point on your BIM journey. Importantly for the architectural profession some common themes emerge here: ƒ improved collaboration for the team ƒ better design and project coordination ƒ increased efficiency and profitability ƒ more value added services; more accurate information earlier in the process ƒ better coordination with contractors and subcontractors ƒ faster and more accurate optioneering of alternative solutions at any stage. Architect SMEs are the speedboats of the industry, weaving between their oil tanker rivals and counterparts – they are quick to adapt, innovate and evolve with market conditions. BIM provides an opportunity to regain ground in design, procurement and construction processes by managing, coordinating and delivering perfect data across the asset life cycle and cementing their place as the real master builders in the industry. I commend this book to all architects – this is required reading for anyone thinking about starting their BIM journey or already on the road. Carpe diem!

John Eynon is a chartered architect and construction manager, writer and presenter, Chair of the SEBIMHUB and Vice Chair of BIM4SME, a CIOB Ambassador and Director of Open Water Consulting.

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Foreword by David Philp

Building information modelling (BIM) is emerging as an enabler of more efficient, innovative and collaborative forms of working. This value proposition is especially relevant to the smaller players in the built environment who are more agile. Whilst for some there may be a need to make an initial investment, the realisation of quicker workflows, automation of key processes and better coordination of information will soon unlock a positive return on their outlay. We are also witnessing some early SME adopters of BIM punching well above their weight and levelling the playing field against their bigger competitors, offering added value, less risk and better outcomes. As you will see through the case studies in this book, BIM, and in particular virtual prototyping, is helping practices and their customers to better understand design solutions as well as ultimately improving the quality of builds. From better spatial coordination, rapid optioneering to self-generation of data sheets the list of opportunities for the small practice is a large one. Organisations must also consider the risk of doing nothing in a sector that is rapidly shifting to digital transactions and queries. Hopefully this book will inspire you to make changes in your organisation – to either start doing BIM or perhaps accelerate your implementation. To paraphrase Clint Eastwood, “Sometimes if you want to see a change for the better, you have to take things into your own hands.”

Professor David Philp, MSC, BSc, FRICS, FCIOB, FGBC Head of BIM – UK BIM Task Group

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Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to my wife Philippa, my son George and Izzy, aka BIMdog. I’d also like to thank Mervyn Richards and Nick Nisbet of BuildingSMART. Their ideas, passion and determination have inspired my journey into the BIM world and regularly remind me that it is not a new idea but one that has been maturing for decades. Books like this can’t happen without the involvement of many others, not unlike successful BIM. Beyond the hard work that the chapter authors have all put into their contributions, we’ve had the help of a distinguished group of reviewers supporting us. My thanks to David Philp, John Eynon, Richard Fairhead, Paul Vonberg and Rachael Davidson. Thank you also to Michèle Woodger and Philip Handley for their fantastic work on the production and design of this book. Last but certainly not least my thanks go to Sarah Busby, my long suffering keeper at RIBA Publishing. Without her constant support, advice and direction throughout the creation of the book, it would never have happened. It seems appropriate, given that this book crosses many of the authoring and sharing platforms involved in the BIM process, that it has been supported by most of the companies whose software features in these pages. My thanks go to Autodesk, Bentley, Solibri and Vectorworks for their support.

Robert Klaschka June 2014

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Contents

Notes from our publishing partners vi-ix

X PART A Case studies 01–10

Case study matrix 1

01 BIM and the new RIBA Plan of Work 2013 3 Poulter Architects 02 Communicating Ideas with BIM 11 Jonathan Reeves Architecture 03 BIM and Clients 19 jhd Architects 04 Traditional and Modern Methods of Construction 27 using BIM Axis Design Architects Ltd 05 Winning Funding with BIM 35 Constructive Thinking Studio Ltd 06 Moving Towards BIM in the Cloud 43 Niven Architects 07 BIM for Existing Buildings 51 Studio Klaschka 08 BIM for Passivhaus Design 59 Architype Ltd 09 Building Passivhaus with BIM 67 Eurobuild 10 BIM and Working with Consultants 73 Metz Architects

X PART B Contextual chapters 01–04

01 Why BIM? 83 Ray Crotty

02 Getting Started with BIM 87 David Miller

03 Tapping into the BIM Community 89 Stefan Mordue and Rebecca De Cicco

04 BIM and Diversification 91 Robert Klaschka

BIM Glossary 93 Rob Jackson

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Publishing partners

Autodesk helps people imagine, design and create a better world. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction and media and entertainment industries – including the last 19 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects – use Autodesk software to design, visualise and simulate their ideas before they’re ever built or created. Within the infrastructure and construction industries, BIM is changing how buildings, infrastructure and utilities are planned, designed, built and managed. Autodesk BIM solutions help turn information into insight and deliver business value at every step in the process. BIM gets the right information to the right people at the right time, helping firms innovate and compete. Autodesk’s comprehensive BIM portfolio delivers a workflow advantage for virtually any project.

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Publishing partners

Bentley Systems has strong BIM credentials with ability to support companies working collaboratively through the life cycle of a project. Bentley supplies products supporting information modelling, management and mobility and emphasises how federated models can provide more efficient collaboration in a multidisciplinary project team BIM workflow. Fully supportive of IFC and COBie, AECOsim Building Designer, Bentley’s interdisciplinary BIM application, provides COBie-compliant IFC (SPFF) files and COBie spreadsheets (from Bentley i-models).

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Publishing partners

In the BIM world we are creating more data than ever before. This brings with it the real probability that, if this data is not properly verified and managed, potential problems currently experienced in traditional construction processes will be magnified. The answer is to provide a solution that can assure data quality at both the single and combined (federated) model level. Solibri Model Checker provides that solution. Using a unique rules-based system, models can be assessed to determine if they comply with generic construction requirements such as design coordination, clash detection and constructability analysis, as well as specific requirements such as correct and complete COBie data, Building Regulations compliance and meeting bespoke design specification. Having ensured that designs can actually be built (a massive leap forward from traditional process) Solibri Model Checker can then be applied to interrogate models to provide key information to users, such as quantity take off, COBie spreadsheets, product data and space boundaries. Imagine – reliable information on demand. With Solibri Model Checker this becomes a reality, and for that reason it is the product of choice for the construction professional.

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Publishing partners

For 25+ years, Nemetschek Vectorworks Inc has been a global leader in design technologies, providing elegant architectural and landscape design software that offers BIM capabilities in a flexible, hybrid-design environment. As members of BuildingSMART, we are committed to ‘openBIM’ and true interoperability within this industry. These open standards include the use of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for building geometry and data. We are actively responding to the UK government’s BIM mandate and COBie compatibility, with particular attention to the needs of small and medium- sized practices and also take an active role within the Landscape Institute BIM Working Group and BALI Affiliate Members BIM Committee. Over the last few years, Nemetschek Vectorworks has continued to raise its profile as a major BIM solution, producing BIM guides and running RIBA CPD certified BIM seminars. We also partner with various industry companies, such as NBS, to provide collaborative BIM workflows, an example being the Vectorworks NBS Annotator plug-in. We are also one of the founder content providers for the National BIM Library.

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About the editor

Robert Klaschka has over 15 years’ experience working in the UK and Europe in architecture and design and is founding director of Studio Klaschka, a small architecture practice specialising in retrofitting and refurbishment, based in South London. Over the ten years of the practice, he has driven the adoption and use of BIM software to make the most of his small team’s resources. He has experience in cultural, developer-residential, student accommodation, sports and office fit-out projects. He has close links with the development team at Bentley Systems and was elected chair of The Bentley Community UK and Ireland in 2010 and 2014. As an Advisory Panel member for NBS he has advised on the development of the data exchange between NBS Building and Bentley Architecture. Whilst there is no question that he enjoys working at the leading edge of design software use and development, Robert’s focus is on maximising design flexibility and creativity, whilst understanding the consequences of design and briefing decisions.

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Part A: Case Studies

01 BIM and the new RIBA Plan of Work 2013 3 Poulter Architects

02 Communicating Ideas with BIM 11 Jonathan Reeves Architecture

03 BIM and Clients 19 jhd Architects

04 Traditional and Modern Methods of Construction 27 using BIM Axis Design Architects Ltd

05 Winning Funding with BIM 35 Constructive Thinking Studio Ltd

06 Moving towards BIM in the Cloud 43 Niven Architects

07 BIM for Existing Buildings 51 Studio Klaschka

08 BIM for Passivhaus Design 59 Architype Ltd

09 Building Passivhaus with BIM 67 Eurobuild

10 BIM and Working with Consultants 73 Metz Architects

CASE STUDY MATRIX 2000 2005 2010 2014

01 Poulter Architects 1 02 Jonathan Reeves Architecture 1 03 jhd Architects 3 04 Axis Design Architects 4 05 Constructive Thinking Studio 4 06 Niven Architects 14 07 Studio Klaschka 5 08 Architype 13 09 Eurobuild 5 10 Metz Architects 8 PreBIM Lonely Collaborative AECOSIM ArchiCAD Revit Vectorworks

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BIM AND THE NEW RIBA PLAN OF WORK 2013

Practice: Employees: Technology: Poulter Architects Sole trader Autodesk Architecture Suite Location: Founded: 2011, including New Mills, High 2010 Revit and Peak, Derbyshire AutoCAD; Founder: Adobe Photoshop; Jeremy Poulter Microsoft Office Jeremy Poulter

This case study demonstrates how THE PRACTICE From the model we generate: a sole practitioner is able to utilise ƒ 2D drawings: plans, sections, the benefits of BIM to his own elevations, details advantage on the projects that are ne of my first investments ƒ 3D drawings: axonometrics, line his bread and butter – residential when I set up the practice perspectives, rendered perspectives, projects. It also explores how, even Owas BIM software, in the form solar studies in the smallest of practices, the BIM of Autodesk Revit. Whilst working at ƒ Schedules: Area, Door and Window, process can be mapped to the Bond Bryan Architects (until the LSC Materials, Drawings. stages of the new RIBA Plan of funding fiasco left me out of work), The other consultants we work with all Work 2013. I gained some experience of ArchiCAD, a Mac-based BIM work in a traditional 2D format. We package and saw the potential of model their designs in 3D within the BIM to transform the way we produce Revit model and set them out. This and communicate building design. includes all the main elements of structure and significant building The bulk of my experience, however, services elements. Any information we has been using AutoCAD on a PC. I export to consultants or specialist chose the Autodesk product Revit over subcontractors are 2D CAD files ArchiCAD, out of familiarity with the generated from the Revit model. PC environment and because, within the industry, it looked like it would This is very much Level 1 or ‘lonely become the most popular BIM package. BIM’, where only one member of the project team is benefitting from the The majority of the practice’s projects model. have been residential extensions, renovations and new-builds for private However, given the scale of projects clients. that we tend to work on, it does mean we are able to have full control over the All projects are modelled in 3D in Revit management and coordination of the after an initial hand-drawn sketch design in one single model. ‘The more information you design stage. This often involves the start producing, the modelling of existing buildings and greater the benefit of a BIM landscapes. object over a traditional 2D file.’ BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 01: BIM and the New RIBA Plan of Work 2013 | 3

THE PROJECT

X 2 ST PETER’S AVENUE, KNUTSFORD This case study tells the story of how I have used BIM on one residential project from its inception all the way through to its completion. The latest RIBA Plan of Work stages are used as broad headings, providing an indication as to where we were in the process and how the model was used to progress through each stage. ƒ Stage 0 Strategic definition

The client, who is a surveyor, was Figure 1.1 introduced through a mutual The existing bungalow acquaintance late in 2011. He was in the process of purchasing an existing ƒ Stage 1 Preparation and brief ƒ Stage 2 Concept design two bedroom bungalow within In terms of procurement, the client Having already carried out the sketch walking distance of Knutsford town had decided to project manage the options we discussed and agreed centre. He had identified its potential building himself and would be which elements of each were to be for extensive renovation and procuring trades to carry out the combined and developed during enlargement into a low-carbon family various elements of the build. Our Stage 2. We also obtained some home. He had also already engaged a scope was to take the project through pre-application advice from the structural engineer who established, planning, produce a full set of working planners, who highlighted the need to in principle, that the existing footings drawings and carry out a number of address the building’s relationship with would allow an additional storey to be site visits to monitor progress. the conservation area neighbouring the built on top of the existing structure. site. I undertook a measured survey of the He initiated a mini competition and property and plot and then modelled A key driver in the design of the asked both Poulter Architects and this in 3D in Revit. I was then able to building was the location and another practice to produce initial add information on the depth and size configuration of the stairs and the sketch designs based on an initial brief of the footings and had gleaned some desire to get a view down into the living and the dimensioned sales literature. information about the existing wall room from either the first floor or the We produced an outline 3D model in constructions which I was able to add staircase. Several options were Revit from which sketch options were to the model. explored, modelled in 3D, then 2D drawings were generated. developed. The hand drawn and From this I produced a set of 2D survey photoshopped perspectives we drawings: for some of the existing The benefit of using the model was that presented were tracings of the 3D elements it was simpler to draw things the implications of each could be perspectives generated from the Revit in 2D. Below-ground drainage, for explored more quickly than going model. example, was simply an annotated through the process of drawing out On the basis of the initial options and mark-up of the site plan based upon the both plans and sections for each option our presentation Poulter Architects measured manhole positions, invert to see if something would work in the were appointed for the project. levels and a CCTV survey of drains. way we wanted it to.

Figure 1.2 Sketch options which used perspectives generated in Revit as a base

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For example, we initially looked at a solution where a first floor gallery overlooked the living space. What became apparent quite quickly was that the roof to the living room would need to be lifted quite significantly to make this work, such that it would make the relationship of the single- storey and two-storey elements seem out of proportion. The solution we settled on placed the stair in the middle of the plan, so that the half-landing provides a viewing point overlooking the living room and allows views both up and down from the living space. Figure 1.3 Early section generated in Revit demonstrates limited visual connection between first floor and living room

Figure 1.4 Early plan showing revised position of stair at the centre of the plan

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ƒ Stage 3 Developed design Figure 1.5 Once the design was frozen, Elevation submitted for planning showing colour, texture and shadow information was developed towards a applied in Revit planning application. One of the issues with BIM is that, at this stage, you find you put more information into the model than is necessarily apparent in the drawings. A lot of the general arrangement (GA) coordination occurs during this stage and modelling in 3D forces you to put additional effort into resolving the tricky junctions. The huge advantage over designing in 2D is that coordination does not rely on the designer following through any design Perspectives were simply set up and Phasing issues also needed to be decision made in plan through the rendered without the need to export to looked at in greater detail at this stage sections and elevations. other software and then carry out and the software helps to address this. further work on allocating materials The basis of the whole model is the Decisions were also taken about the and lighting. Whilst the renders may existing building which is allocated to build-up of walls, floors, etc. and fed not be the polished photorealistic the Existing Phase. In the New into the model even though they are images achievable in other software, Construction Phase existing elements not seen in the 2D drawings. Walls for the scale and type of project I work (walls, floors, roofs, windows, etc.) can were drawn as a single composite on, they provide a great means of either be retained or demolished. You entity and not the series of lines you communicating my designs. can simply switch between phases in would draw in 2D. A handy detail level any view to understand what is being button simply switches the wall retained or demolished. construction from two lines, showing overall wall thickness, to the composite build-up of construction layers, ready Figure 1.6 for Stage 4. Internal rendering of the living room looking towards the stair The other great benefit of Revit is the ability to put materials, colour and shadow on surfaces. This was used in the elevation drawings for planning. The finish for each wall is selected when you create the wall construction and when viewed in elevation the colour and texture can be turned on. Shadows can also be turned on and set to any time of day or any date in the year. A fully coloured and shaded elevation can be created without the laborious process of colouring up by hand or in Photoshop. Even better is that when you adjust the design, shadows and colour instantly update in the elevations, preventing the scenario I used to see very often, of a design change leading to many hours of work recoloring or photoshopping drawings. Rendered perspectives were also generated in Revit to show how the building would look both internally and externally. Again the material finish was simply allocated to the wall, floor, etc. within its properties dialogue.

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Figure 1.7 GA section showing drawing and detail referencing, window and keynote references

Because this project required a There is no need to draw and create Following a review of costs, there were substantial amount of demolition, this your own detail or section reference. If some changes to the design. For caused issues in Revit, as new knock- you change the drawing number the example we originally modelled the through openings didn’t seem to be reference updates through the model front brick entrance bay in a traditional able to be allocated to a phase. This and vice versa. This creates a robust cavity wall construction. However from meant that both Existing and New drawing management structure. a cost and construction perspective it Construction model files were required was decided it would be easier to use The sections and key details that are rather than the ideal situation of a the same external wall insulation (EWI) set up are basic outlines showing the single model file. system cloaking the rest of the build-up and junction of elements. building, but with a stick-on brick ƒ Stage 4 Technical design The bulk of the work then is in adding instead of render. 2D detail, annotations and The more information you start dimensioning to these outlines to The reduction in man-hours to make producing, the greater the benefit of a resolve these junctions. this change, when compared with a 2D building information model over approach, is significant. In terms of the traditional 2D files. Nowhere is this At this stage the engineer sized all of GAs it was as simple as changing the more apparent than in Stage 4. the structure and I modelled this composition of the wall construction information, positioned and set out I had already built in a lot of information whilst maintaining the external setting these elements. 2D CAD files were about wall, floor and roof constructions out points, rather than having to go then exported out of the model, in Stage 3 and by switching the detail through each plan and section to make which the engineer used to produce level from Coarse to Fine, the the changes. However the revised a set of calculations to back up the composite build-up of these elements details did require reworking in 2D, structural design. now appeared in the GA drawings. which took some time. The specification was a separate From here several more GA sections The door and window schedules were stand-alone Word document, referenced were set up and allocated to sheets. At also generated in Revit with door and on the details by material keynotes. A this point it required very little additional window references indicated on the keynote is a reference you give a work to get these basic sections. Key plans, linked to the schedule, thus material or element within Revit that details were identified and again set up avoiding the laborious exercise of labels selected materials automatically, on sheets, very quickly setting up a creating a stand-alone schedule. Overall rather than having to type in each label drawing schedule and structure. during this stage, 26 A2 drawing sheets by hand. This does require some upfront were produced, plus a specification. A great benefit of the Revit model is work, but saves a significant amount of This was approximately five weeks of that it references sections and key time spent working out which label goes work in total. It is true that a great deal details from the GA to the drawing with which material on each and every of coordination was done in Stage 3, sheet. drawing. that in a 2D set-up may well

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Figure 1.8 Detail. Whilst Revit generates an outline there is a lot of 2D work added to resolve the junctions and show elements (e.g. blocks, joists)

‘The benefits of a fully have been done ordinarily in Stage 4, ground-bearing slab. There has been but from experience I know this is a an adjustment to the detailing but the coordinated design, which considerable improvement on what I finished floor level remains as it was in have been assisted by would have been able to achieve, had the original design. the work been carried out in 2D. The Otherwise, there have been very few modelling the project using other great benefit of modelling in 3D is site queries and the work has the confidence you have in the BIM software, means we progressed well. The benefits of a coordination of the design. have avoided any fully coordinated design, which have ƒ Stage 5 Construction been assisted by modelling the uncoordinated junctions project using BIM software, means Work started on-site in December 2012 and having to design our we have avoided any uncoordinated and I visited site to monitor progress junctions and having to design our way out of these.’ roughly every other month throughout way out of these. the build. The biggest challenge has been the variance in the level of the existing brick coursing, which only came to light once the existing internal plaster was removed. The Revit model was very helpful in terms of identifying a datum level and making the necessary adjustments to the coursing. The most significant design change has been the client’s decision to demolish the existing suspended timber floor and instead install a

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CONCLUSIONS AND Figure 1.9 FUTURE PLANS The building nearing completion

Integrating BIM into the way the practice works, right from the very start, has been a huge benefit to its development and what it has been able to achieve. At the very beginning, when there was very little work, time was spent experimenting with the software and discovering its capabilities. This was time well spent, because when work did start coming through the door, I was well prepared. When compared with a 2D CAD approach, of which I had many years’ experience, BIM has allowed me to deliver more, in less time and better communicate the proposals to clients through the drawings and 3D images the model is able to generate. On daylighting, at any stage during the ‘...being in complete relatively small projects, such as that design process. Whilst this will not discussed in the case study, being in replace the need to get independent control of a single building complete control of a single building qualified environmental assessors to information model, information model, including carry out statutory assessments, it will coordinating all the other consultants allow me to make better informed including coordinating all and specialist designs, offers great decisions early in the design process the other consultants and advantages. regarding issues such as window sizes, specialist designs, offers solar shading and thermal The change to workflow from a 2D performance. great advantages.’ approach means that there is perhaps more upfront coordination work in BIM does offer the small practice the Stage 3 and a more complete opportunity of greater control over the coordinated package at the end of design and construction process Stage 4. The benefit is that during the through the greater ease in being able construction phase there are far fewer to produce fully coordinated and site queries and time isn’t spent trying integrated designs. The smaller scale of to resolve dimensional discrepancies. the projects I work on means that I can combine the roles of architect, lead In terms of how I see this developing consultant and BIM manager. It also further within the practice, I have offers the potential to provide further already started to carry out cost services such as environmental estimates using the materials analysis and materials scheduling. schedules and areas generated in Revit combined with information from Spons. I am keen to grow the practice and I’m now looking at adding material work on larger and more challenging areas to the specification, so that when projects. With a good understanding of contractors tender for a project, they Level 1 BIM, where I am the sole team use an accurate take-off, leading to a member managing the model, the next more accurate price and less waste step is to Level 2, where you work as when the project goes to site. part of an integrated team of consultants and specialist designers all I am also exploring the possibility of using BIM as a collaborative tool. When purchasing IESVE, an environmental that opportunity arises I hope to make analysis tool to which Revit models can that step up to Level 2. be imported. This is capable of assessing performance requirements such as SAP, SBEM, BREEAM or

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 01: BIM and the New RIBA Plan of Work 2013 | 9

LESSONS LEARNT

My three tips for any practice ƒ Make the change. BIM will lead to a ƒ Don’t run before you can walk. considering BIM would be: sea change in the way buildings are Start at Level 1 and gain a full designed, procured, constructed and understanding of the capabilities of ƒ Don’t be scared of the change. operated. Architects have a great the software through training and Creating models is actually quite opportunity to regain a leading role exploration before progressing easy to pick up and intuitive for so get on board before you get left further. anyone with a good grasp of behind. But... buildings and 3D.

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COMMUNICATING IDEAS WITH BIM

Practice: Employees: Technology: Jonathan Reeves 1 architect, Vectorworks Architecture 1 administrator Architect; Cinema 4D; Director: Founded: Artlantis; Jonathan Reeves 2000 Adobe Photoshop 02 Location: Ilfracombe, Jonathan Reeves North Devon

This case focuses on the intuitive THE PRACTICE visualisation tools such as Spotlight for nature of communication using lighting studies and Renderworks for 3D models. To some extent we all advanced ray traced rendering. take 3D visualisation for granted e are a small practice based Vectorworks Architect includes now as it is so prevalent. in the south-west, mainly Wconcentrating on work for free-form modelling capabilities that In the case study the inherent private clients and BIM consultancy allow users to design any object from efficiencies of producing 3D for other practices. Having always any 3D view including graphics, interiors, visualisation from design and used Vectorworks for 2D and 3D hardware, furniture fittings and the site construction models are work, our adoption of BIM has been itself – with a healthy crop of trees and discussed. The study discusses relatively straightforward, as we had plants. In fact we have recently been solutions that improve your already been doing some elements of producing a series of eight garden internal productivity and provide the BIM workflow before the term graphic animations using Vectorworks the basis of high-quality BIM became part of modern Landmark combined with Artlantis for visualisation models as part of the architectural vocabulary. the popular ITV show ‘Love Your process. Garden’, which shows how flexible a Vectorworks Architect is our main tool program Vectorworks is for landscape for all 2D CAD, 3D modelling and also design as well as architecture. building information modelling. We find it a powerful cross-platform Figure 2.1 solution that is ideal for small to Still taken from the ‘Love Your medium-sized practices and projects. Garden’ TV animation Its ease of use and powerful toolset make it very productive for all the main ‘As a small practice that tasks within the architectural design process, from concept design right often collaborates with through to production information and also marketing brochures. other architects and As interoperability and collaboration developers, being able to Those of you familiar with Vectorworks are the essence of effective BIM, will know that it comprises a number of communicate ideas clearly Vectorworks includes a range of modules that cover most aspects of options, including IFC 2x3 and gb.XML in three dimensions has building design and construction, from file handling, the ability to exchange always been important terrain modelling, site and landscape 3D NURBS models with Rhinoceros 3D, design through to rendering and simple importing of concept models to us.’ BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 02: Communicating Ideas with BIM | 11 from Sketchup or downloading of thousands of models from Trimble’s 3D Figure 2.2 Aerial image of Kingsway School showing the warehouse. It can also import and play space between the primary and junior export the latest version of AutoCAD school wings and earlier files and export 3D models to Google Earth. While the definition of what BIM really means is still developing and can mean different things to different people, there is a growing acceptance that 2D CAD drafting using lines and shapes does not exploit the full potential of developments in both software and hardware. Some architects tend to think that BIM is only suitable for larger projects involving lots of coordination with the entire design team all using the same software. However, the fact that Figure 2.3 smaller architects are not just one-stop Image of Kingsway School house designers any more and that courtyard they need to adhere to building regulations, environmental standards and to satisfy local planning offices, clients and any other parties interested in local development, means that they need to call on experts in each particular area to support their work. This has been made easier by the ability to create 3D models of their designs and to share these with other people or companies drawn into the project, so that they can view and comment on the plans, analyse the model to see if it meets local Figure 2.4 sustainable targets, or further the Elevations of Extracare Nursing Home generated from the BIM design by adding their own components – structural elements, MEP and so on.

SEEING THE BENEFITS OF BIM AT KINGSWAY SCHOOL As a small practice that often collaborates with other architects and developers, being able to communicate ideas clearly in three dimensions has always been important to us. As an early adopter of BIM, the first real practical experience of the benefits was collaborating on a project for Kingsway School, helping Quattro Design Architects in Gloucester back in 2006. (This project featured last year in CAD User and Detail 4 2011).

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The design was a colourful series of angled wings with double curved zinc Figure 2.5 Rendered site plan showing roofs, which would have been difficult nursing home and to draw traditionally and visualise by Extra Care apartments the client teachers. While little collaborative BIM was achieved on this project, the ability to evaluate the design visually, generate accurate plans, sections and elevations and also produce shadow studies and presentation material to help secure funding was invaluable. The project was so successful that Quattro have recently been commissioned to design a very similar sister school a few miles away for the same client. The experiences learnt on the Kingsway project were then applied to a much larger three-storey Extra Care nursing home in Figure 2.6 Ebbw Vale discussed later. Exploded isometric view of the nursing home 3D BIM The design for this project was more complex and the timescale for development very short, so producing a full set of planning drawings from a single coordinated model was an essential part of the workflow. There was also the additional benefit of being able to produce a set of marketing visuals and a full animation moving from external setting to inside journey through the building. This animation can be viewed on YouTube at: the jra-vectorworks-cad channel. We are now using the latest release of Vectorworks Architect 2014, which has full BIM capabilities on projects of all types and sizes in the south-west of the UK, especially in the counties surrounding our base in Ilfracombe.

PASSING ON OUR KNOWLEDGE As one of the pioneers of Vectorworks 3D workflows, we now not only provide architectural services, but also offer Vectorworks CAD training, sales and BIM consultation and visualisation services for architects. We are recognised as one of the leading architectural Vectorworks trainers in the UK and provide both one to one and on-site training courses at all levels to clients big and small. Being respected as a teacher that talks their language and also a successful practicing architect with hands-on BIM experience is the key to our success with practices.

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Figure 2.7 CGI visual of the development used for project marketing

We find that perceived lack of time, Architects (LHA) on a number of data flows ensuring schedules could be confidence and investment is what projects including a church conversion amended and drawings automatically holds them back from adopting more in France and an underground ballroom updated, saving time and eliminating BIM into their workflow. However, once for a listed building in Box, near Bath. errors. they have had some good grounding in Having only met once in over two years, Acoustic and structural issues were the basics they can see the benefits we were engaged in developing designs issues dealt with by other consultants and often feel that there is no going for the 65-bed nursing home and 18 Extra who were provided with 2D DWG files back. That’s when they begin to fully Care apartments, which is a significant and the BIM in IFC format. Industry engage. project for a small regional practice. Foundation Classes or IFC format is As well as providing a full range of Working with the lead architect the possible to import and export using Vectorworks based training courses, we nursing home plans were developed Vectorworks Architect and allows the offer a BIM design and modelling using wall styles and repeated libraries model’s 3D geometry and data that service as remote consultants, working of parametric windows and doors, define the building elements to be with other architects or developers, which could easily be replaced as the shared. some of which have been carried out design developed through many This opens up the possibility for energy without ever meeting the client. While iterations. The Helidon tool in the latest analysis and clash detection, although this may sound strange to some, the version of Vectorworks made it simple at this point there are still problems advent of fast broadband, powerful to investigate potential overshadowing with exchange between different laptops capable of running advanced issues on the communal gardens and software packages. Using IFC capable BIM software and ease of also determine where external shading software such as Solibri Model Viewer, communication via Skype, mobile might be required. the project manager can integrate phones and technologies such as On commercial projects of this scale information from different consultants FaceTime and instant messaging have accurate area schedules were also and it is envisaged that for future changed the requirement to work required. These were easily produced projects the model will be handed over geographically near to the client. using the fully customisable Space tool at completion for use by the facilities It was working in this way that we have in Vectorworks Architect. Door and manager. We can foresee this becoming been involved with a developer and Windows schedules were generated in more important as BIM becomes more lead architect Llewellyn Harker the same way, with intelligent two-way widely adopted by end-users clients.

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THE PROJECTS The following cases explore how we used BIM on a small and medium-sized project and how early models were able to successfully communicate our design ideas to the client and the planners. X PRIVATE HOUSE IN LEE BAY, NORTH DEVON At the smaller end of the scale is our use of BIM on a residential replacement dwelling on a cliff top site in Lee Bay, North Devon for the design process and Figure 2.8 Perspective views of the proposed building in context submitted for communication between the client and planning as additional information showing the building in context planners. Located on the beautiful South West Coast Path in an Area of The roof ridge height was also reduced required to introduce more glass Outstanding Natural Beauty, the to match the neighbouring property. and corner windows to the seaward- project was very sensitive Following a lengthy period of facing gable. environmentally and contextually. consultation, planning was granted By updating the model, it was simple to The existing single-storey bungalow on and we were commissioned to explore the options and present these the site had severe structural issues, undertake working and Building in 3D form to both the client and making it beyond economic repair, due Regulations drawings, which were planner. It was possible to demonstrate to poor construction and some developed by adding more detail to the that the changes would not be visible suspected ground movement. model. to any of the surrounding neighbours, Following a long battle with the Once the structural engineers had so the planner was happy to approve insurance company, the owners sought produced their designs for the ground the change quickly as a minor to replace it with an environmentally beams, including 22 piles, these were amendment at this late stage! sustainable dwelling, taking into modelled to incorporate into the BIM so Another challenging aspect of the account the scale, layout and that the sections accurately reflected project was finalising the services appearance of their new home. the appropriate details. strategy, as there was no mains gas A survey was commissioned in 3D form At the time of writing the project is available. and a 3D site model produced using the currently on-site and due to client Vectorworks Architect Terrain changes, an application for a modelling suite with the surveyor’s non-material amendment was data. This allowed the existing property to be accurately modelled and initial massing studies of proposed building forms to be produced – very useful for exploring early stage design options for discussion with the client and planners. Once a basic strategy had been agreed, detailed proposals were developed with slabs, walls, parametric doors, windows and roofs, allowing plans, elevations, sections and 3D perspectives to be produced directly from the model. Because of the sensitive nature of the site, the planning officer asked for a number of contextual views from key Figure 2.9 vantage points, resulting in some Perspective views of the proposed dwelling prepared for changes being made to a critical the client’s understanding elevation.

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X THREE TERRACED HOUSES IN Figure 2.10 ILFRACOMBE, DEVON Exploded isometrics of the model help communicate relationships of Following a relocation from Bristol to internal spaces coastal North Devon in 2009, we were keen to develop new relationships with local clients. However, while a number of new contacts were developed it was clear that North Devon fee structures were very competitive, especially when first trying to tempt a potential new client to move from their existing firm. After being approached by a developer who already had planning for two traditional terrace houses, on a tight town centre setting in a conservation area of Ilfracombe, we were asked to look at the possibility of getting planning for three units. An initial concept design was required by the developer in a very short timescale and for a very low initial fee! Once again the benefits of BIM were exploited to produce a convincing concept design that persuaded the client to commission a new planning application for the terrace of modern three-storey townhouses. Key advantages of BIM workflows are the speed and efficiency of producing full sets of coordinated documentation and 3D views, in a way that traditional 2D drafting does not allow. This means it is possible to offer much more for less when the commercial pressure is on, making a practice more competitive. Originally an air source heat pump was the year to demonstrate their potential Following planning approval the same specified in combination with solar effectiveness. All of the heat source model was developed to produce thermal panels and underfloor heating options were also subject to SAP building regulations and working throughout. However the client became assessment by a consultant assessor drawings, schedules and information increasingly concerned about potential (Synergy), who also made use of the on quantities, which helped the noise, having developed a hearing information from the BIM, following the developer to look at costs of alternative condition that made them very design changes. forms of construction and assess these sensitive to background noise. Overall, using a BIM workflow on this at a relatively early stage. Ground source heat pumps using 65m project from inception right through to Detailed 3D models were produced of deep boreholes were also explored, but on-site construction certainly presented the bespoke elements such as this was ruled out by the consultant challenges, such as modelling some of balconies and lead roof dormers. This geologist. This left photovoltaic (PV) the junctions between the roof and allowed very detailed material take-offs and the relatively new technology of walls, using non- standard, bespoke and some fabrication to be streamlined. thermodynamic panels as potential windows and doors and also dealing For example it became very simple to options. with the complex site levels. However, model all of the eco floor and roof it did allow late design changes to be Again the BIM was invaluable in trusses required for the project, which incorporated relatively easily and assessing the visual impact of the resulted in detecting some clashes communicated with the entire design panels and also using a virtual Helidon where waste pipes needed relocating, team, including client, planners, built into the software to analyse sun avoiding potentially expensive contractors and structural and SAP shadow patterns during the course of alterations on-site. consultants. 1616 | CaseCase Study 002:2: CCommunicatingommunicating Ideas with BIM | BIM in SmallSmall Practices

Accurate quantities of materials, Figure 2.11 Exploded isometrics of the trusses and also window and door model which proved useful for schedules were produced from the aiding design development discussions model, making managing costs much easier too. Another great benefit was the ability to start generating interest in the development by using the rendered perspective views of the scheme, prepared for planning, which made the estate agent’s job of marketing the properties much easier which in turn pleased the client. The buildings are now complete and make a welcome addition to the developing modern architectural movement emerging in Ilfracombe. More recently, following the positive regeneration occurring after the installation of Damien Hirst’s 65 foot high ‘Verity’ statue, other interesting modern buildings such as a new Weatherspoon’s pub have been approved, which bodes well for wider investment in this beautiful Victorian seaside town.

Figure 2.12 3D views that were later used for marketing the project

‘BIM is all about setting standards and operating procedures that make collaboration much easier, simplifying the task of sharing data with other professionals who use different technologies, different file formats and different ideologies.’ BIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 02:02: CCommunicatingommunicating Ideas with BIMBIM | 1717

CONCLUSIONS AND One might say that the use of BIM on more of the industry adopt BIM these projects contributed no more workflows and hope to do more FUTURE PLANS than traditional workflows and 2D collaborative BIM with either other drawings would have. However that is architects, or the consultants we work Having been a Vectorworks user since to miss the point entirely. BIM is all with. about setting standards and operating 1991, I have always been fascinated by We are interested in using our models procedures that make collaboration the potential of 3D modelling, computer more easily for early stage energy much easier, simplifying the task of graphics and multimedia in analysis with IES software (Integrated sharing data with other professionals architecture to develop and explain Environmental Solutions), who have who use different technologies, design ideas. recently agreed a development different file formats and different partnership with Nemetschek. Certainly, the visual benefit of being ideologies. able to develop, evaluate and communicate design ideas clearly via All have simple aims in mind – saving the 3D model using rendered visuals time, money and effort – and improving and animations has proved invaluable the architecture that emerges, whilst on all of these projects. also enjoying the process! In the near future, we are looking forward to seeing

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Don ’t make excuses for not trying ƒ Investing in your practice’s core CAD ƒ Before long, there is no going back BIM. Now is the right time to get and BIM skills and the software is to 2D drafting as 3D BIM workflows started or keep developing probably one of the most important become far more productive, elements of a BIM workflow and try investments you can make in your efficient, enjoyable and to push the boundaries with every business. appreciated by your clients and project. consultants.

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BIM AND CLIENTS

Practice: Employees: Founded: jhd Architects 2 architects, 2003 1 business Location: Technology: development Cranbrook, Kent ArchiCAD director and Director: several 03 Timothy Ball freelancers

Timothy Ball (left) Susan Room and Jon Hughes (right)

There are many ways of making THE PRACTICE design options available to the client using the internet and this chapter focuses on using tools for n 2001 my business partner Susan sharing work online with services Room and I started jhd Architects including BIMX and Dropbox. I(a RIBA Chartered Practice) in collaboration with Sevenoaks It also offers a valuable insight architect Jon Hughes, of Jon Hughes into the process of outsourcing Design. I am an architect and BIM Figure 3.1 work. In addition there is a specialist and I work with Jon closely New reception at Hartley House Care Home detailed look at what the practice on most of my projects. produces at each design stage, to whom I’m now offering my services demonstrating that BIM has a I also have a Business Development to help them take full advantage of the place in their deliverables at Director and several freelance benefits of BIM. For example, a specialist every stage. assistants, including ArchiCAD users, fit-out company is currently using me in the UK, India and Serbia. We are one as their BIM specialist to pitch for work of very few Kent practices using 3D with Lendlease, Stanhope and McAlpine. BIM to design all projects. Our main area of work is high-end private The main driver for use of 3D design residential, but we also take on other and BIM has been to improve the projects. For example, we are currently communication of the design to clients extending Hartley House Care Home in and contractors. The better we explain Cranbrook, Kent, to provide new it, the fewer misunderstandings there ‘Imagine a pencil that communal areas and additional are. As John Ruskin said: “Quality is could draw the accommodation for residents suffering never an accident; it is always the from dementia. result of intelligent effort.” construction of a wall, tell I have over 30 years’ experience of We started using CAD software in the you how much of each running successful independent mid-1980s, progressing from Turbo- material is in that wall, practices. I have been using ArchiCAD CAD to AutoCAD and then to AutoCAD AEC, which was a fledgling 3D design how well it performs as a 3D design tool for 15 years and as a full BIM tool for the last four years. I’ve package. However the architectural thermally and give you also had extensive experience working design tools seemed to be written as on BIM projects with contractors add-ons for what was essentially an every conceivable engineering product so we looked for viewpoint of it.’ an alternative. BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 03: BIM and Clients | 19

Now we use ArchiCAD, which is a full The complexity and inter-relationships In ArchiCAD you can have many BIM design software package and we of the different graphics options at the people working simultaneously on the have an excellent relationship with the start are quite daunting, but of course same model, from different support staff in the UK, using their once you find a presentation you like, geographical locations. telephone support line several times a you can use it as a template. OUTSOURCING OUR BIM week. I invested considerable time and The main external package we use is effort to learn the BIM aspects of the ArchiCAD software is well used an add-on produced by CADImage (a software as I think there is clear internationally, not least in countries New Zealand company). This tool evidence that it drives productivity and where there are lots of freelancers. Its creates a database of the project competitive advantage. website has a job board for users to specification which is maintained exchange services and some years ago Although we review our software within the project file. The text from we used it to source freelance help in options regularly, we have not found this database can then be presented on India, Serbia and the UK. Hiring people any better software on the market. different drawings and as traditional on an ad hoc basis means we can ArchiCAD was written from scratch for specification sheets, all in different control our workload, scaling up or architects and our tests prior to buying ways depending on how much detail down as required and managing our illustrated how much easier it was you need. So on a drawing you can overheads very tightly. going to be for us to use. show a short specification description and include the full description in the To build trust and confidence, we have Its user interface is very intuitive and specification. started by outsourcing the conversion visual. It is a very complete package in of 2D survey information into 3D which we create 3D and 2D drawings The same data can be exported as a models. Our Indian and Serbian as well as 3D renderings and 3D virtual text file or spreadsheet for the associates are very good at 3D building files all ‘out of the box’. For contractor to use. We don’t use the NBS modelling but they need a lot more instance, we find it easier to create a specification packages as we find them guidance, especially when embedding presentation document using over-long and too complex for the types the information to comply with our ArchiCAD than using PowerPoint or of building we design. standards and working methods. We Word. The only other software we use In summary, ArchiCAD is working very are helping them to improve the quality heavily is Excel, to export BIM data in well for us. Creating a virtual landscape and accuracy of the embedded data text form for contractors to use. We also has become nearly as easy as sketching – as this is becoming increasingly use Dropbox to issue PDF drawings and and far easier than physical model important – by introducing them to the 3D files to clients, consultants and building. Imagine a pencil that could concept of standard templates that contractors. draw the construction of a wall, tell you incorporate embedded features such as Rather than creating super-realistic how much of each material is in that our layer standards and IFC renderings, we prefer to spend time on wall, how well it performs thermally parameters. the 3D virtual walk-through files, which and give you every conceivable Our UK associate is a working mum our clients really like because it helps viewpoint of it. Whilst there is always a who I met at an ArchiCAD Summer them to understand their building. place for pencil and paper, from an School. She was starting to use efficiency standpoint there is no more The 3D design aspect of the programme ArchiCAD, but was already efficient method than BIM. is very intuitive and in fact quite experienced in creating 2D working seductive in use. You genuinely feel The drawback is that you need to work drawings. We are currently training her that you are creating a building in 3D on your 3D design skills in the same remotely to create BIM construction before your very eyes. However it takes way that you once worked on your models from which we can extract the a little time to get used to thinking in sketching and drawing skills. To get to detailed drawings, schedules and 3D geometry. You need to be very the point of easy fluency in using the quantities required by contractors. precise to make sure everything fits software probably takes a year or so. together so your geometry needs to be However the investment in time then millimetre perfect. pays off very quickly. Think of it as training a new assistant to work for you ‘Rather than creating When you draw using a 3D programme, for a year. super-realistic renderings, you are effectively creating a model that the software then interrogates to The software also needs to be used by we prefer to spend time on create plans, elevations, section and everyone working in the practice, from the 3D virtual walk- other views from it. The link is live, so concept designers to technicians to job any changes are immediately reflected runners. It is only then that you gain through files, which our in every view. However you need to the full advantage of the integrated clients really like because work out your own techniques for building model that BIM offers. That drawing graphics presentation. requires changes in working practices. it helps them to understand their building.’ 20 | CaseCase Study 03:03: BIM and CClientslients | BIMBIM in SmallSmall Practices

OUR STANDARD BIM OUTPUTS ACROSS A PROJECT LIFE CYCLE

We use the full 3D capabilities of BIM • Automated uploading of whole right from concept design stage, Figure 3.2 drawing sets to Dropbox. We can Detailed eaves through detailed design and planning design in 3D that create a set of drawings for issue drawings to construction really works – and automatically output them as documentation. Key types of output no faking it! PDFs without any need for for the various stages are: printing. • We are increasingly creating ƒ Stages 2 and 3 Concept and drawings that are optimised for Developed Design viewing on laptops and tablets • Simple 3D images created in much and very rarely use A1 size the same way as Sketch-Up but drawings. Most are now A4 or A3. smarter to analyse multiple • The software also links drawing concepts against the brief. markers on one sheet to referred • Site meshes based on land drawings. So you can have a multi ƒ Stage 4 Technical Design: contours grabbed from OS maps. -page PDF that cross-references Construction Documentation • Massing elevations to compare, from plan to section to detail to say, existing and proposed • Accurate and fully coordinated 2D technical specification, all buildings. plans, elevations and sections of the embedded in the PDF. We think • Automatic floor area and volume building. that in the future we’ll be able to calculations using a tool called • 3D and 2D details showing the improve this further using Zones. construction. The 3D aspect is very embedded html links. • Presentation sheets that can powerful and also makes the • We also issue the 3D virtual combine drawn information, explanation of junctions easier. building file to the contractor and schedules, written text, PDFs and • Work packages created for any trade they use their own laptops or JPGs, all on the same sheet. combining 2D, 3D and scheduled tablets to check their information. For instance we can understanding of the detailing ƒ Stages 3 and 4 Developed and issue an electrical layout that shows on-site and illustrate the design Technical Design the locations of the power and intent to the site workforce. • Detailed design in 3D that really lighting on a plan, 3D details of Incidentally there is no issue works – no faking it. critical setting out areas plus a about accuracy because this file is • Accurate plans, elevations and schedule of the number of power created from the same information sections to illustrate the design, points and different light fitting that creates all the other particularly to planners. types, including pictures, all documentation. • Very quick 3D model output that embedded into the scheduling. ƒ Stage 6 Handover and clients can upload, on their iPad, Close-out: Record Drawings Android tablet, laptop or PC and Figure 3.3 then view, play with and walk The 3D BIM data makes the • We update the 3D model explanation of complex around their building in their own structures easier throughout the project so that at time, at home, or on the move. the end of the job we can issue the client with up-to-date record drawings and 3D models for future reference. • We are working on ways to embed user instructions and certifications within the same ƒ Stage 5 Construction: On-Site model. This will become easier • Accurate automated drawing when we can use html links. registers to keep track of information issued and its status.

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THE PROJECT

The project is a contemporary building housing an indoor swimming pool, changing areas, double garage and a gym. It is located in the garden of our client’s Grade 2 listed house in a small village in a Kent conservation area. The L-shaped plan wraps around the parking court, cut at an angle where an existing tree is located. Swimmers look out to the garden and in good weather two large sliding/folding doors open onto the terraces. Our design was built using materials sympathetic to the conservation area. Figure 3.4 For example, the roof material is dark Two large sliding folding doors open onto the terraces grey slate to blend with surrounding

Figure 3.5 A BIM rendering of the contemporary pool house in the garden of the client’s Grade 2 listed property in Kent

Figure 3.6 BIM meant that we could make changes quickly, knowing every drawing and detail was fully coordinated buildings and the external cladding is the building structure is mainly timber. We used BIM for the detailed design grey stained larch fixed with exposed The scheme commenced on-site in and planning stages and for the stainless steel screws. The external November 2011 and was completed in construction drawings and have made windows and doors are grey powder- August 2012. Completion was delayed the minor changes needed to the model coated aluminium. The clay ground by about four weeks due to to reflect the as-built situation. conditions and nearby trees meant that groundworks problems with foundation Although the client didn’t request it, deep mass concrete foundations were depths and weather. BIM benefitted their project in several required; however, above ground, ways. For example, an early meeting with the client and contractor led to a decision to relocate the pool cover housing to the shallow end and move the pool by 1m, thus increasing the space around it. BIM meant we could make the necessary changes very quickly, in the knowledge that every drawing and detail was fully coordinated and reissue the drawings whilst keeping the programme on track. The client was both reassured and impressed. Figure 3.7 An external view as finished

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BIM AND THE CLIENT

We are finding that more and more But they can only see the design in 3D, We built our model without visiting clients are attracted by the idea of not the data embedded in it. The only site using photographs and 2D plans having a 3D model on their iPad so way they can see this data is either by which they sent us. It was quick, they can be involved in the design at using an IFC viewer, such as Solibri or accurate and extremely time efficient an early stage. Not all clients want BIMsight, or spreadsheets, each of for all of us, not least the client, who that, but for those that do, BIM is a which requires a better grasp of immediately understood and reacted key differentiator which helps us win technology than some clients have. to the design. The model was used to work. explain various options for the layout We don’t charge our clients extra for of the space and the type of furniture Most clients generally understand the BIM, but it is reflected in our fees, that might work for their needs. It concept and value of designing in 3D, which aren’t the cheapest. We give was reviewed by phone and the final not least because it helps them clients BIM whether they like it or not updates issued immediately by email. visualise the building much better because we know it helps them to than traditional 2D drawings can. understand the design and consider We are starting to present projects to What they struggle to see is the value their options and reduces the number planners using BIM but the of the information embedded in the of misunderstandings on-site. technology they have available to model and that of course is the ‘I’ in them is very restricted. So, we’ve For example, we recently helped a BIM. At Stage 3 we use BIMX (a started to create videos of our great London charity, The Bromley-By- model file type that can be viewed planning submissions because they Bow Centre, to re-plan two areas of either on their computer or tablet to are accessible to everyone. their building, using BIM to explain the give them easy access to their 3D different layout options. model).

BIM also paid dividends at the Secondly, the full colour elevations and support, which was particularly planning stage. Firstly, we knew our 3D perspectives of the building we important given the pool’s location in design worked correctly and that we submitted helped sell the scheme to the garden of a listed building within a could build it, without having to go the Local Authority, as did our photo conservation area. back and deal with changes resulting montage of how the building would After planning, we modelled the roof from the working drawing stages. This look when viewed from the centre of structure accurately in 3D, which was particularly important as the the village. Generated from the model, allowed us to coordinate the design design was very challenging in terms these realistic external views helped much more easily with the structural of the 3D geometry, particularly of the the planners and the local community engineers. Although they were unable roof structure. to visualise our intent and gained their to work in 3D, the model helped them to think about the design in 3D. Figure 3.8 We used BIM on the project because it was challenging We drew the structural design in draft in terms of the three-dimensional geometry and then updated the member sizes based upon their calculations. We did not detail the junctions and we really should have done. The junctions in some areas were very complex and the 2D structural sketches were difficult for the suppliers to understand. Next time we will do those as well. Using BIM meant that once we had created the 2D elevations of all the roof truss details, we could generate schedules of the sizes and quantities of all the timbers needed at the touch of a button, saving time, money and potential delays and errors.

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Figure 3.10 “...the fewer misunderstandings there are.”

Figure 3.9 “The better we explain it.....”

We also modelled the below-ground client could visualise the fitting and we spent learning how to create the structures to ensure there were no could work out the correct location and models as a long-term investment in clashes between foundations, drainage height to fit into the space. improving productivity. Now that we and the ducting both for the air are good at it, using BIM takes no In the early days, this level of detail handling system and the pool water longer than conventional drawing and meant that the time we spent at treatment system. our aspiration is to reduce the time working drawing stage occasionally spent as we get better at it. The use of BIM also helped with the went over budget, but the time on-site design and location of a sculptural reduced so, as long as the project got The fact that our chosen contractor had pendant light fitting. We were able to built, the overall fee time remained not used BIM before was a potential import the 3DS file created by the under control. We didn’t try to recover challenge, but their enthusiasm and designers directly into our model so the these costs, as we viewed the time willingness to work collaboratively meant that they learnt quickly. They Figure 3.11 used Dropbox to access all the latest BIM helped us with the design and location of a versions of the drawings and had the sculptural pendant light fitting 3D model on an iPad on-site. This meant they could really understand the design intent and detail of every aspect of the building, including difficult junctions. As a result, they delivered the project to a high-quality and there were fewer potential costly errors and misunderstandings. To sum up, using BIM on this project really helped the client, planners and the contractor fully understand the building. We learned the value of getting the model right and using it to create 3D details which we had not done before. Everyone on the project was complimentary about this way of working, including the Building Control Officer who put the building forward for an LABC award.

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CONCLUSIONS AND We are also now in a position to help – by charging the client more for contractors working collaboratively on effectively doing some of the structural FUTURE PLANS design and build projects to create engineer’s work, but with a reduction models of their work packages. The in the structural fee so that the overall BIM means we can take on more BIM can then be exchanged with a cost remains the same. The structural complex and larger projects without main contractor who is responsible for engineers, however, remain responsible having to expand our staff. It has maintaining the full model of the for checking our structural layouts and allowed us confidently to accept more building. This not only gives us schedules for accuracy against their work because it is equivalent to a full- additional work, but also introduces us design. The real benefit to the architect time assistant. Because of the to larger contractors and new business of doing this is the full integration of advantages of easier and more opportunities via them. the structure into the building model and the consequential improvement in accurate coordination, we have not Unfortunately we have not found other accuracy and reduction in site increased our fees. In a sense the BIM consultants such as structural problems that result. You may do more investment pays for itself. It allows us engineers, QS or M&E taking up the 3D work, but it saves you time and to offer it as a key point of difference to model idea sufficiently, so we have to aggravation later. both clients and contractors. do some of their work for them. Our However it can be a challenge structural engineers routinely now give In the future we will hopefully find persuading clients to buy into the us sketch plans of the structural layouts more engineers who work in 3D and we technological approach as many still only and then we create the structure can then exchange 3D information with feel that they struggle with email! in our 3D model. We are then certain them. Most of the steelwork suppliers that it all fits and can also schedule the are already creating their fabrication It also affects the way we work in terms structural members for easy costing. drawings in 3D so that would ‘join up of workflow. It puts pressure on the the dots’. I’m sure other engineers will This additional work can, however, be earlier stages of the project for accuracy follow suit. both dimensionally and in selection of reflected in the fee allocation construction techniques. As a result we may need to create, for instance, a wall type at the early design stage, based upon likely construction and thickness, and then update the wall type as the design progresses. We have tended to work with the software rather than customise it. The exception is the creation of bespoke template files that structure the complex array of 2D and 3D views as well as the building materials we commonly use. The templates ‘out of Figure 3.12 the box’ are very generic and need Combining 3D and 2D output from BIM helps explain work packages to thought to facilitate efficient creation of contractors the type of buildings we design.

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Plan a year-long programme of ƒ Use online video training rather than ƒ Stay involved with the software getting to know the software. That face to face. It’s cheaper (some is community and take part in can be challenging financially, but actually free!) and just as effective. It discussions to keep learning and will pay dividends after that initial can also be accessed when you have challenging the way you do things time investment. the time. – don’t be afraid of asking simple questions.

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 03: BIM and Clients | 25

TRADITIONAL AND MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION USING BIM

Practice: Employees: Founded: 1984 Axis Design 2 directors, Directors: Architects Ltd 1 qualified Rob Annable and architect, Location: Mike Menzies 1 Part 2 Birmingham architectural Technology: 04 assistant and Graphisoft’s 1 admin support ArchiCAD and Rob Annable role Tekla BIMsight

The case studies described here THE PRACTICE in the office, across all stages of work. explore two different types of Our journey to full BIM adoption was a housing project of different scales slow one, thanks to familiar concerns and complexity. Each sought to e are based in Birmingham regarding cost and training causing us capitalise on the opportunity for city centre and have to hesitate. However we have now sharing more informative Wrecently completed our 30th made the transition and are reaping the construction information with year in practice. Formed originally by benefits of production improvements in other design team members and four lecturers and teachers who met both quality and quantity. With the each brought challenges during their time at Birmingham benefit of hindsight we now wish we’d regarding file type, presentation, School of Architecture, the practice is made the leap years earlier! drawing and data format. now run by myself, Rob Annable, and the founding director Mike Menzies. Access to BIM was available and The first is a design and build, encouraged at Birmingham School of public sector housing project on Our client base primarily consists of Architecture in the mid-1990s (some behalf of a local authority local authorities and housing time before the acronym was invented) developed by the team at Axis associations and we have a reputation thanks to a particularly foresighted Design; the second is a personal in the affordable housing sector for our tutor. The experience I gained during self-build project by Rob Annable. design-led projects around the West my time there as an undergraduate led They have been chosen to Midlands, as well as our public to the practice experimenting with demonstrate how BIM can consultation experience and dedication basic visualisation techniques and the improve both traditional and to sustainable design development. early adoption of a single licence of modern methods of construction Exploring ways to use digital ArchiCAD in the office at a very early and be an asset to varying scales technology to improve our service both stage compared to much of the UK of practice. publicly and privately is also an market. Implementation was sporadic important aspect of our work. and simplistic, however, and much of During the last decade we have the full potential of the tool went developed numerous techniques for unused for the first few years, with the communication and information mix of software and protocols in the sharing in the built environment with office at times becoming a hindrance. our clients and we see BIM as a natural The practice finally chose to commit to part of that business ethos. office-wide adoption and genuine use We use Graphisoft’s ArchiCAD for our of BIM in 2010, deciding that an almost BIM production and it has now become overnight implementation and the primary tool for all drawing output intensive training strategy was the best

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of Construction using BIM | 27 way forward. This involved joint Better coordination between drawings clients’ experience. As our confidence training sessions with all the staff and greater confidence in the accuracy grew we were able to provide new attending a four-day course at the of the information allowed all members types of information and experiences as vendor’s office and additional work of staff to undertake larger quantities of a standard part of our service and this using online tutorials and guidebooks work and responsibility, resulting in in turn assisted us in winning more in the office. more cost-effective labour. Investing work and sustaining our ability to time agreeing drawing formats, pen provide a service in all work stages We were able to spread investment weights, schedule styles and data against competition from larger offices costs over a 2-year period thanks to the protocols proved crucial and took with more staff. purchase choices made available by several iterations before file templates Graphisoft and no additional machines This, in turn, has allowed us to push became fully successful. Collaboration were required in the first year thanks to the boundaries of our BIM usage and within the office was also improved the robust performance provided by the find new ways for the whole thanks to the use of joint working tools software even on mid-range performing construction team to benefit. For the available in ArchiCAD such as machines – both important factors in client this benefit begins with the ‘Teamwork Server’, with staff working choosing to continue with ArchiCAD, increased clarity of information and simultaneously on the same file both alongside the director’s ability to lead improved dialogue, not only between within the office and, when necessary, from the front and train in-house with a them and the designer but also remotely from home. familiar tool. between the project team and the Teamwork uses a change tracking public. For example, using the same A modest upgrade to RAM and video database on an easy to install central workflow to deliver public consultation cards in existing machines was later server that allows portions of a model information managed and developed required following the commission for a to be locked or released to particular by the same team responsible for large, neighbourhood-wide model for members of the team, preventing the planning applications and construction public consultation. The latest version danger of conflicts. Ownership of areas is of great financial and political value. of ArchiCAD (17) now requires 64-bit of the BIM content can be exchanged For only modest additional fees we are machines, however, and this will result quickly between team members using able to provide live visualisations that in the need to invest in new a request and approval system across can be controlled and interrogated by workstations in the coming year. Whilst all aspects of the software, from model the public and promise their future the first six months of use were to schedules and drawing layout delivery with confidence. predictably challenging, with many design. lessons learnt regarding workflow, file protocols and output quality, it was also Initially the benefits of our investment easy to recognise that the capacity of in BIM were predominantly felt the office was quickly improving. internally, with modest changes to our

THE PROJECTS live file) into a larger site model traditional artist’s illustration towards a allowing us to model in great detail more democratic, informative depiction within the individual house design of the scheme using a live 3D model X BIRMINGHAM MUNICIPAL whilst simultaneously developing the that can be viewed freely in the same HOUSING TRUST site strategy. This also allows us the fashion as first person gaming ƒ Design development: planning opportunity to benefit from other technology. associated BIM techniques such as the applications and consultation This is possible thanks to a importing of survey data text files to complimentary piece of software Axis Design are one of several practices automatically generate a 3D mesh to available from Graphisoft called BIMx. responsible for designing Birmingham accurately model the existing ground The ArchiCAD file can be exported in a City Council’s new-build affordable level. housing projects. Our initial role fixed format for anyone to view on their requires us to submit a planning During the design development own computer without the need for any application on behalf of the City meetings with the client we have used investment in additional software. Council following a cross-departmental BIM as a live design tool to help with During an afternoon consultation collaboration with various stakeholders decision making on particularly event, for example, we provided access in the local authority. We used BIM to complex sites, demonstrating to the public and clients on laptops and prepare the application, drawing from a immediately the impacts of the projectors in a community centre and pool of house types that have been proposal on the surrounding the simplicity of the interface meant developed with the client over the last neighbourhood. On larger projects we that anyone could view the proposed 5 years. They are referenced, or have also provided a model of the buildings quickly and easily on their ‘hotlinked’ (the ArchiCAD term for a proposal for use in public consultation own terms. linked external reference to another exercises, moving beyond the

28 | CaseCase Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of CConstructiononstruction using BIM | BIMBIM in SmallSmall Practices

The latest version of this tool is designed for use on hand-held tablets and available to the public as a smartphone ‘app’. The critical benefit here for both consultant and client is the ability to efficiently provide all these outputs in a single workflow, thus avoiding additional costs and time for duplication in alternative software tools or external skills required from other organisations. Whilst some additional work must be undertaken to model the development to a degree of detail appropriate for public use, the core drawing activity is simultaneously delivering planning application drawing information in traditional plan, section and illustration form. Figure 4.1 Furthermore, when undertaking the Three-storey flats modelled initial building design we embed to show each floor information into the model regarding likely construction principles and this The approved planning drawings were Funding deadlines driven by public begins to form the basis of our work for then used by the client to inform a sector spending targets created the later construction information design and build tender with local pressure to commence on site as stages. contractors, again proving the value in quickly as possible and we were able to testing the building layout in three assist with a short timescale for initial The example offered here is our dimensions at the earliest stage and information thanks to the degree of recently completed scheme for flats reducing the risk for tenderers. information embedded in our initial and houses called Meon Grove, BIM package prepared for planning situated in the south of Birmingham. ƒ Construction information application stage. Standard house type Comprising 19 houses and 12 flats, we including structures and services drawings were provided swiftly and completed the design development We were appointed to complete the efficiently, allowing us to focus on the process with the client team during the construction information for the more complicated flats. early stages of our BIM adoption successful contractor. process. Site constraints such as protected trees and services put the hoped-for housing density under pressure and creative accommodation typologies were required to meet the brief in terms of both economic viability and space standards. Our response included a three-storey block of flats positioned over the area of the site with the greatest level change, allowing us to raise the living accommodation over an undercroft parking area. Achieving this resulted in some complex geometry to coordinate through the circulation spaces and testing the proposal in BIM gave us full confidence in the proposal. Depicting this to the client with an accurate 3D model also ensured there was support from all stakeholders and the planning approval was secured with no concerns Figure 4.2 or objections raised. Steel frame design test

BIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of ConstructionConstruction using BIBIMM | 29

The BIM output benefits for both design team and client were numerous on this part of the scheme, ranging from complex spatial tests to schedule outputs that automated the counting of building elements. Following input from the engineer the contractor decided to alter the intended construction method from masonry to steel frame. This necessitated intensive collaboration over the design of the steel section sizes to avoid clashes between beams and intrusion into designated service zones. To assist the engineer and the client we provided additional modelling of the steel frame, creating a visual model of all elements and a written schedule of steel quantities. The model was viewed during meetings and also provided in IFC format and BIMx to the engineer to Figure 4.3 compare with their own 2D Services schematics tested in model information. Annotated versions of the model were also provided using Tekla We are firm believers that BIM adoption BIM strategy, and the first example of BIMsight, allowing them to make full should be seen as the natural use right through to construction use of the visual information and progression of a traditional architect’s stages, we were able to generate a level embedded data in each steel element. role and offer its use as part of our of BIM detail that radically altered the Whilst final responsibility for standard services. The profession way key parts of the building were construction information remained should offer clients increased value by discussed and designed. This avoided with the engineer, the use of the BIM improving service levels rather than errors on site, simplified areas of the information during design prevented cutting fees. However early adopters construction and assisted the entire several instances of clashes between will likely find themselves negotiating team in interpreting the problems and parts of the building fabric and helped complicated overlaps with other challenges on the project clearly to the rationalise the number of different size professionals. In this example the levels client, allowing them to make sections being used in the building. of information provided on structural well-informed decisions. and M&E information were offered at A similar method was applied to X A SELF-BUILD PROJECT no additional fee in order to improve mechanical and electrical coordination. the communication for all involved and As a demonstration of what is possible Axis Design provided additional test our BIM capability. We hope that for the micro practice or sole trader information to the design team thanks future projects will see greater input when using BIM, our second case study to the use of a dedicated services from other consultants so that time and is a self-build home for my own family. design tool for ArchiCAD called MEP. responsibility for this type of The experiences described here are all This allowed us to detail pipe and cable information is fair. examples of drawing outputs and runs throughout the model, including design interrogations undertaken connections and appliances. Although Similar restrictions were experienced single-handedly during weekends and no scheduling information was utilised on site, with minimal access to a laptop evenings, alongside the larger-scale in this instance – with drawings for viewing digital information. projects described previously. provided being effectively schematic However it should be noted that the for discussion – we were able to provide value of informative 3D drawings on One of the many agendas for the informative, richly detailed drawings paper should not be underestimated. project is the exploration and and also use a live demonstration of the The site manager commented on how experimentation in new building model during meetings again. useful they were to assist in orientating techniques that could inform future Unfortunately, unlike the structural himself through complicated areas of projects for my clients, using the house information, no additional file sharing the building. as research and development for the of IFC data was possible in this practice. The scheme tests off-site In summary, despite being one of our instance as the M&E subcontractor was timber frame manufacturing against earliest challenges with the office-wide unable to utilise digital information. on-site masonry techniques, creating

30 | CaseCase Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of CConstructiononstruction using BIM | BIMBIM in SmallSmall Practices alternative methods of construction and finished environment. The final design of the house was arrived at after many iterations that were all tested extensively using ArchiCAD’s numerous tools. Two key issues are common to most of the experiments undertaken: energy performance and manufacturing processes. ƒ Energy assessment: Whole house performance The overall performance of the building envelope was tested with the use of Graphisoft’s EcoDesigner tool. By using local climate data and entering information regarding material Figure 4.4 performances, use patterns and energy Prefabricated timber frame model for manufacturer supply, a whole house assessment was completed in the early stages whilst the final specification was still fabrication process of this build, both The timber frame element of the house undecided. This was used to set on and off-site, has been carried out as was modelled in collaboration with the benchmarks against which minor planned. manufacturer to test for complicated junctions that might hinder progress on alterations to aspects such as window By collaborating with a timber frame site and undermine the airtightness locations and size could be tested. For construction company and an engineer strategy. The same information was example a range of comparisons who were both enthusiastic about the simultaneously used to provide the demonstrating the impact on net losses outputs from BIM, we were able to gain structural engineer with IFC or gains of solar energy was quickly the maximum benefit from the time information that could be imported into tested as the design evolved. In later invested in a fully detailed model. With their software. stages this was also used to provide a greater support from the whole team head start to the detailed calculations came improved communication and Once adapted this was then placed by exporting the building envelope sharing of responsibility. Time was back into the architect’s model for the data into other tools such as the Passive used more effectively thanks to final iterations before manufacture. House Planning Package (PHPP). discussion over a single drawing format Third party software solutions such as The latest version of this software – and the successful use of online tools Tekla BIMsight were also used to EcoDesigner STAR – has just been reduced the need for meetings or travel. provide the communication channel launched at the time of writing, but we were able to take part in early beta tests of the product, which also allowed building details to be tested for thermal bridge problems directly from the model. This is a service usually requiring specialist input and additional software. Although the tool is an additional cost beyond the basic licence, EcoDesigner is embedded in the ArchiCAD interface meaning no other third party software is required and any issues of interoperability are avoided. ƒ Manufacturing: Fabrication testing Having confidence in this energy prediction requires confidence in the construction quality, and the use of Figure 4.5 BIM has also ensured that the Shared IFC file in collaboration software

BIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of ConstructionConstruction using BIBIMM | 3131 between all parties, avoiding any issue Whilst the drawing and modelling of interoperability. By importing the process for this project was similar to BIM data in IFC format into the Tekla the techniques utilised in the previous software consultants were able to case study, this project demonstrated communicate with each other in a during construction the benefits of separate platform that allowed them to combining BIM with MMC. continue with their own chosen The increased accuracy of the workflow/software alongside the production information was commented file, which was updated subsequently maintained in and shared via the project management manufacture under more controlled web site – basecamp.com. The finished conditions and only one minor error product has recently been erected and occurred, resulting in a ventilation duct the construction process was being misaligned by approximately completed cost-effectively in under 20mm after a late decision to vary a three weeks, demonstrating the value beam size wasn’t included in the of full design testing in the model. model. Figure 4.7 Joist schedule output from model In addition to the manufacturing and energy performance benefits, the BIM The ability of the architect to create strategy has also allowed a complex this information within the same project to be successfully project workflow as the tool which helps managed thanks to the ability to visualise the aesthetic of the building measure material quantities and – examining poetic qualities as well as control procurement. The automated practical quantities – provides an production of schedules ranging from opportunity to create more complex, traditional information such as window better performing architecture thanks and door data, through to joist lengths to more informed decision making. and primary construction material volumes/areas, has successfully brought all the design decisions together to create the data needed to construct the house as fully intended in Figure 4.6 the earliest sketches. Prefabricated timber frame wall panel being lowered by crane

CONCLUSIONS AND Value created from better service begets value across the whole FUTURE PLANS discipline. The comparisons offered here Although the initial capital cost of BIM demonstrate the benefits that BIM can software, hardware and training had to offer the architect working on both be carefully planned for, we have traditional construction and realised the benefit of that investment prefabricated MMC techniques. Similar quickly by being better equipped to win methods of modelling and information more work and improve our were utilised but at different times of productivity without additional the contract, indicating that the investment in further staff or hardware. approach to service levels, fees and Since adopting BIM within our office resources should be considered ‘In difficult economic times we have been able to improve the carefully. A greater investment in service we provide to clients across all extensive pre-construction testing for the profession we have aspects of our work. In difficult allowed the full potential of the off-site provided greater value by economic times for the profession we method to be realised, consequently have provided greater value by raising drawing other consultants and raising our game rather our game rather than cutting our fees. manufacturers into the process much than cutting our fees.’ earlier as well. 32 | Case Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of Construction using BIM | BIM in Small Practices

In the case of the traditional The benefits of combining BIM BIM can be the glue that binds a team construction project the BIM exercise production skills with MMC are clear. together from beginning to end. We and outputs were more responsive to However our ability to deliver this should promote its use to support better particular situations arising on site, degree of coordination is often communication and continuous, resulting in a higher resources demand hampered in the UK by the habit of split longer-term responsibility. during the mobilisation stages. procurement strategies before and after Although the service provided by the planning consent. It is not unusual for a architect ultimately resulted in consultant team in the housing sector comparable outcomes, the difference in to be commissioned for initial design collaboration and dialogue with other stages but then have no guarantee of team members was notable and shared also completing the construction ownership of the project was at times information stages. Without this the lacking. It’s important to realise that levels of coordination described here the most valuable outcome of a BIM are impossible to deliver and MMC less process is the communication it fosters, likely. rather than the model itself.

LESSONS LEARNT

Key lessons learnt are primarily ƒ Whilst large practices may be able to ƒ With regard to drawing techniques around the area of internal office justify a full-time formal BIM themselves, we have found that working methods: management role, we would one of the most difficult issues to recommend at least the nomination decide upon is when to stop. With of a BIM champion responsible for every project there is a point at directing and shaping office policy which the continued modelling of on documentation and model some of the finer details in 3D can construction. in fact hinder progress. Deciding when to freeze the BIM and ƒ Although we successfully set up complete remaining details basic templates both within the through annotation and/or more software and our file server, with traditional 2D techniques is an hindsight we would have benefitted important skill. from a more regular review and adjustment as we learnt from each ƒ Finally, our advice would be to project. With many aspects of press every button. The number of drawing production able to be functions and tools available in automated, capitalising fully on this most BIM packages can be function should be taken seriously. daunting, but until you’ve tried everything you won’t be sure you’re getting the full benefit from the technology you’ve invested in.

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 04: Traditional and Modern Methods of Construction using BIM | 33

WINNING RESEARCH FUNDING WITH BIM

Practice: Employees: Directors: Constructive 2 architects, Jon Moorhouse, Thinking Studio 1 managing Hannah Ltd director and Moorhouse, 1 architectural Stuart Clark Location: assistant 05 Liverpool Technology: Founded: ArchiCAD; 2002 BIM Server; BIMx; Stuart Clark Jon Moorhouse Eco Designer; Cigraph Architools

On this project, BIM was used THE PRACTICE basis. We regularly work with user both for coordination and as a groups and attend annual conferences design and assessment tool, to and workshops to extend our abilities form the basis for a funding bid onstructive Thinking Studio and showcase our techniques. Together from the Technology Strategy was formed in Liverpool in we have developed workarounds for our Board. C2003 by Jon and Hannah requirements and over the years, Moorhouse. Jon had used and taught through feedback to the software This UK public body operates at ArchiCAD since 1992, as a sole developer, these have become new arm’s length from the practitioner. Stuart joined the features in subsequent versions. government, reporting to the practice in 2006. With both having Department for Business, used ArchiCAD since the 1990s it As the practice has grown and the Innovation and Skills and is was only natural to continue using it hardware and software have improved, responsible for awarding grants within the practice. At the time we have yet to find a competing to test, implement and develop ArchiCAD was one of the few stable software solution good enough for us to technological solutions as software solutions facilitating the consider moving from ArchiCAD, now directed by central government. Virtual Building or BIM. in its 17th iteration. (We have used this software since Version 3 so may have a For this funding the Technology Our work is currently centred on slight positive bias). We work towards Strategy Board was looking to test housing (bespoke and social), leisure interoperability wherever possible, with solutions for retrofitting the and some commercial, with an equal all our models ready to be published as country’s vast existing housing mix of refurbishment and new-build. IFC with minimal additional tweaking. stock with different technological Key current areas for BIM collaboration measures to improve their energy are within the social housing sector From when we first started working performance by a significant 60%. and individual housing designs with with computers, we saw their ability to The programme was called complex or bespoke construction facilitate automation as being a great Retrofit for the Future. elements. asset, beyond architecture and construction. Given that we were both early advocates of a BIM workflow and that As architects we model, then build ArchiCAD facilitated collaboration and from our models and we saw adopting teamwork from relatively early on, we BIM as the best way to model better: were keen to develop our skills beyond build the model correctly and the normal practice expectations. information taken from it will be correct and coordinated, it’s as simple as that. Training was informal – usually through trial and error – or on an ad hoc

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 05: Winning Research Funding with BIM | 35

Over the years things have become BIM SUPPORTS THE REALITIES OF COORDINATING OUR more sophisticated and the information OUR WORK INFORMATION WITH OTHER more complicated, but this core CONSULTANTS The architect’s role as a designer is the principle remains the same. We were one most people recognise. It’s cool, it’s Coordination always begins with our always aware that the limitations of sexy and it’s easy to understand. It also own information, in terms of traditional software could create limits to our glosses over the mundane day-to-day drawing issues, but as the projects architecture and have therefore sought reality of architectural practice, which progress, we incorporate that of ways of modelling exactly what we largely consists of preparing, collating suppliers and other consultants as well. want, through third party add-ons and and coordinating all of the information Sometimes this is done directly into our own programming where necessary. required to procure a building ArchiCAD though IFC but more often, We use BIM across all of our projects – accurately, on time and within budget. it will involve some level of additional from house extensions through to work on our part. Additional Traditionally, this coordination would 80-bedroom hotels, on both new and information from other consultants is be through the use of drawings (printed existing buildings – using a range of always segregated, whether modelled or digital) and a keen set of eyes. survey techniques, depending upon the by them or not, in order to avoid However the process is laborious and project size and complexity. On micro confusion. This coordination has time-consuming and prone to projects, this remains profitable always been a key part of the inconsistency, particularly during through standardisation of our architect’s role. Over the years, the way updates, often where sets of plans/ template and an almost automated we do this has evolved from overlaying elevations/sections from other output – we can fully model detail and third party drawings and modelling consultants don’t match. This does not schedule a bespoke single-storey their contributions if necessary, to the happen if you’re using BIM correctly. extension in a few hours and amend it point where it is now possible, through They’re always consistent by default! rapidly from there. IFC, to reference models into ours and With all the talk about 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D… coordinate our information in a much On medium-sized projects the benefits and COBie drops, the fundamental more direct manner, as well as track from modelling everything first are advantage of BIM seems to get lost in changes between the different myriad, from accurate take-off to the noise. The real benefit is from the versions. resolving the awkward part of that coordination method used to ensure the detail you just can’t see and very This feature within ArchiCAD is great information is consistent. This means efficient amendment processes. On for picking up alterations which may less time, energy and materials are large projects, coordination of have been missed from a revision note used and misused on-site. Benefits information and server-based and is part of our internal checking such as visualisation, energy modelling collaboration are key to the efficient mechanism when issuing models to and facilities management are in delivery of our projects. We can also third parties as either WIP or published addition to this. provide (limitless) additional information. information in terms of sections and To begin with we find that a In reality, however, things are rarely details (to suit the needs of the coordinated model allows us to spend that simple. For years we have been contractor) very quickly as it’s just a more time on design, allowing us to working in an environment where we matter of adding annotation and assess, document and present a wider are the only consultants working in this dimensions. range of options in a shorter period of way, but this situation is improving. time, giving us a robust information set The project discussed below will deal Whenever we work with other for persuading clients and stakeholders with how using BIM has enabled us to consultants and suppliers, we ask of the benefits of the final solution. It’s win funding and more generally how whether they work with BIM and like presenting your working out as part coordination using BIM aids our request an IFC as well as the drawings. of an answer. practice in our everyday work. Normally the answer is ‘what’s an When a client asks why we have IFC?’, or that their software doesn’t proposed a certain solution it’s always support it, but adoption is becoming helpful to be able to show them. Using more widespread. BIM we only have to model each option There are other formats that can be once to have a full range of information, used to transfer 3D geometry such as rather than drawing our plans, .gbxml, .kzml, .dwg, .3ds etc., which sections, elevations or sketches for are usually good enough for each one. The benefit of the coordination, so we’ll often obtain that combination of software we use is that as well as the drawings. We generally not only can we do this for design, but offer to help our partners with BIM. also for structure, programme, cost and energy performance options.

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COORDINATION BREEDS ACCURACY; BREEDS CONFIDENCE

Coordination of information in this foundations and setting of the pad A site visit confirmed immediately that way has given us great confidence stones. We knew this to be a risk. this was the case and the problem was when it comes to manufacturing remedied via the groundwork However, we overlaid their fabrication information. We won a proposal to contractor, without any blame model on our steel frame model and it extend, alter and refurbish an existing apportioned to the design architect or fitted perfectly. Minor finish hotel. Our plans included the supplier. Whilst we always prefer adjustments were made to our demolition of an existing timber- involvement beyond Stage 4, where architectural model but no major work framed conservatory along the front commissions restrict such was required. Coordination was of the building and its replacement involvement, a coordinated BIM achieved with the Existing Building, with a new entrance and glass- approach makes for ‘better’ information, the Proposed Extension, the fronted link with breakout space and allows construction errors to be easily Foundations and the Fabrication reception accommodation. This new identified and reduces risk from the model. So we signed off the steel for link was to incorporate five different designer’s point of view. Moreover, fabrication subject to the contractor level connections and work with three when the inevitable requests for taking responsibility for the rest of the main level changes across the front of additional schedules, sections and building being constructed as per the the hotel. The foundations for this details arise, they can be generated. information provided. building were stepped across the site and the steel frame also needed to accommodate these steps as well as head clearance heights to a tolerance of 20mm when finished. Our appointment incorporated coordination of all information. Given the crucial nature of getting the levels correct across the building, we worked closely with the structural engineer to provide a coordinated set of (modelled) information to the contractor. He provided us with drawings and we modelled everything. Once the project started on-site, our involvement was limited to coordination; a project manager was overseeing the build. Figure 5.1 This shows how the fabrication model The coordinated drawings were sent mapped into our BIM software for out to tender and a local steel reference into our model fabricator was appointed. The steel fabricator used CAD-CAM (StruCAD…Steel fabricators were the When we received a call from site For this project we were also interior first people we managed to stating that the steel frame ‘did not fit’. designers, working closely with the collaborate with in 3D). They therefore we knew that the frame was correct, client and fit-out contractor, prepared a full fabrication model of the survey was correct and the scheduling everything from case goods the proposed steel frame based on the information provided for the to wallpaper. Given we already had the coordinated information including all foundations was correct. What had model, we were able to add the connection details, bolts, thermal actually happened was that the necessary detail and use ArchiCAD’s breaks etc.,which they sent us to sign groundwork contractor had set out the inbuilt scheduling feature in off prior to manufacture. The fast- foundation pad heights incorrectly. conjunction with ArchiSuite’s track nature of the project, however, ArchiQuant add-on to do all the meant that this necessarily had to necessary take-offs too. take place prior to the casting of the

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Initially this began as a way to extract During this process, they mentioned a ‘From our point of view we their information in the best possible number of projects they were involved way for us to coordinate. More recently with where they were contractually have developed a series of we have found that empowering our obliged to deliver their information retrofit solutions within collaborators makes for a stronger team through BIM, but were not confident and long-term relationship. enough in their skills to undertake it. our BIM software, refining and adjusting things... to For example, whilst working on a They invited us to work as sub- project with a local firm of consultants, consultants on a number of projects, enable even more accurate we instigated a meeting at our offices representing them at meetings, simulations on future to run through the critical parts of their checking their models on an ad hoc information that we had modelled basis and generally aiding in their projects.’ ourselves for coordination purposes. transition to a BIM workflow.

THE PROJECT Figure 5.2 The two completed houses X TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY BOARD RETROFIT FOR THE FUTURE PROJECT This project came about as part of an initiative to assist registered social landlords to test and monitor differing retrofit solutions to their existing housing stock. The resulting information became part of a larger database that can be used to inform future roll-out initiatives across the country. We already had an interest in retrofit through our normal practice with more forward-looking clients. We saw this competition as an opportunity to further research our interest in this field, implementing some of the more expensive and intrusive measures which a great deal of our client base constructional elements are modelled The properties we worked on were a didn’t have the budget for. We are also in the manner in which they are pair of three-storey Victorian terraces particularly interested in retrofit ultimately put together in construction, previously converted into six one- solutions for buildings with a together with imbuing each element bedroom flats utilising a shared conservation aspect, which can often with parametric materiality – lends staircase in one of the houses. They be cost prohibitive and this competition itself to relatively accurate energy had been unoccupied for some time seemed to have scope to expand more modelling. Whilst this modelling is time and were uninhabitable when we came into this area. intensive at the outset, we were able to to the project. The proposal was to amend retrofit measures and reassess convert them back into two single- The programme comprised a two-stage the results on the fly. family dwellings, one of which would competition. For the first stage entrants be detailed to current UK building were to propose a range of measures to One of our first-stage submissions was regulations standard and the other to enable existing house types to achieve judged to be unique enough for our enhanced specification the 60% reduction in energy use. We prototyping and TSB selected us along incorporating a number of low-energy were successful in two first-stage with a broad range of interesting and measures. projects. innovative projects that would give them a wide range of comparable During the design process, we used Using BIM and Eco-Designer, we were results. Successful projects at Stage 2 ArchiCAD with an integrated add-on able to rapidly and accurately model a were therefore awarded funding called Eco Designer to analyse the variety of retrofit and energy usage towards the measures being installed. thermal performance of the existing scenarios. Our approach to modelling structure (as amended to reflect the (rather than drawing) – whereby all updated layout).

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Once the baseline had been whether it would fit; how difficult it and there was no waste and no delay established the software produced a would be and how much time it would whilst any additional parts were detailed report for the existing house take to install; and of course, how ordered. In short we were saved the based on the occupation profile we had much it would cost. During the design three week lead-time on-site, a created. Taking the existing report as a process, we also looked at things like potential cost increase and a couple of baseline we then tested a range of heat pumps and alternative methods of night’s sleep. We were able to convey, options on the property and were able achieving the required airtightness in great detail, the mechanics of the to determine the proposed effects of the targets. Given this information, we project to both client and contractor, measures on the fly using the software. were able to come to a valued optimising costs at tender stage, This not only gave us immediate judgement far more efficiently than streamlining scheduling and feedback on the options in terms of would have been the case which, given minimising site waste. energy performance, but also allowed this was a competition and the work On this project the BIM workflow us to assess the full impact from a was – initially at least – at risk, was allowed us to win funding for the design point of view in terms of, for probably the difference between us project but it also helped us at every example, the loss in floor area to entering the competition or not. stage with our design, energy internal insulation, as well as the The most critical area for coordination assessment, specification, visual impact each of the measures had of the above was the MVHR system communication, promotion, on the building. Throughout the within the existing chimneys. We had coordination, listing and process we were able to produce a an incredibly accurate model of the documentation and with minimising number of different reports detailing existing building and were sure the waste on-site. the effect each measure had, as well as ductwork would fit in the space the combined reduction of proposed allocated. We issued the energy use for each of the options. The documentation for tender with an ability to use this work method to back indicative layout, a full set of plans/ up our whole house approach, together sections/elevations and an IFC file. So with the detailed information it when one of the suppliers sent us a provided us with, was key to our competitive quotation with 3D successful bid for funding on this drawings of the system overlaid on our project. drawings, we were heartened. Our final proposals were to install a We obtained the model from them (dwg range of technologies to the test house format) and referenced the geometry to achieve the 60% reduction in energy into our BIM. It didn’t fit and the use. component list was short by about 40% These included: of the materials required to complete • internal insulation to the front the installation. elevation The point to take from this is that all of • external insulation to the rear this was picked up prior to the order ‘We use BIM across all of elevation being placed and prior to work • super-insulating the roof and our projects – from house commencing on-site. Resolution of this ground floor issue was simple enough. We amended extensions through to • solar hot water their 3D model, sent it back and had • photovoltaic roof slates 80-bedroom hotels on both them prepare an amended quotation • high-performance double glazed based on the new information. When new and existing sash windows the equipment arrived on-site it fitted buildings’ • airtightness improvements • MVHR to be fitted within the existing chimney flues. All of these measures were designed and incorporated within our BIM (as described above) prior to tender stage to allow manufacturers as much information as possible, to keep the prices as accurate as possible. By using BIM to assess the different options, we were able to assess the measures not Figure 5.3 only in terms of how it would perform, FigureEco-Designer 4.5 strip but also in terms of how it would look; Eco-Designer Strip

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CONCLUSIONS AND the correct solution as efficiently as At the beginning of the chapter we possible. alluded to the architect’s traditional FUTURE PLANS role being that of coordination. Using BIM within the practice has However over the years this has been enabled us to develop a very reliable, eroded by other professions as the The lessons learnt from this project are robust and consistent workflow. It’s not caricature of the ego-driven architect wider than the narrow sphere of our perfect yet (and will even evolve, we who makes things expensive and practice and BIM. As discussed above, suspect), but we feel our BIM approach delivers projects late has been allowed the project is being monitored to test gives us the freedom and peace of mind to take over. Part of this has been the the effectiveness of the technology to operate with confidence. installed under the scheme. From our inability to fully embrace the more own point of view we have developed a Where possible we will always try to responsible and profitable role of series of retrofit solutions within our work with other consultants coordinator over the more recognisably BIM software, refining and adjusting collaboratively and have in the past cool role of designer. done so successfully using both native things like cost and installation time BIM should be seen as an opportunity file formats and IFC. However, many and efficacy further to enable even to bring some of these responsibilities other consultants for smaller projects more accurate simulations on future back into our profession, bringing us have a lot of catching up to do. There projects. neatly to a new role that is emerging: are many technical and economic the BIM coordinator responsible for All of this information is stored on our benefits for smaller consultants to get putting everything together and various templates within the office and on board and we encourage others ensuring nothing conflicts. Wouldn’t it can be harnessed where appropriate on wherever possible. future projects just as it was on this be great if architects could take on this one. Like all models the information We’re in the position now where we’ve role and make sure not only that it you put in has to be as accurate as started to get a reputation as experts in works, but also that it’s the most possible to get a realistic comparable this field and have even been asked to elegant and efficient solution possible? result. However, the main benefit to our take on work as subcontractors to practice through this process has been larger organisations, but on the projects in terms of proving the validity of our we work on for ourselves, our BIM is approach and the benefits of using BIM largely a lonely activity! at every stage of the process to arrive at

‘A coordinated model allows us to spend more time on design, allowing us to assess, document and present a wider range of options in a shorter period of time’

Figure 5.4 This shows the manufacturer’s proposals in red with our amended design overlaid in green/blue for comparison

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Our practice is actively seeking opportunities to work on larger Figure 5.5 This is one of the first projects where we used BIM to collaborative projects where BIM coordinate information. It was completed in 2005. We still experience is required. We don’t see use it to illustrate the power of the approach collaborative BIM work as drawing other people’s projects; rather the early involvement that BIM requires encourages collaboration. This is one area where BIM can work for smaller practices. Implementation for a large organisation is a massive outlay in terms of training, licensing and hardware, whereas a sole practitioner with enough experience and around £10k outlay can set up as a BIM coordinator in addition to their current services. Architects are already good at this, they just need to make the jump. Perhaps then we can take back some of the more profitable parts of our role which seem to be carried out by other consultants, but which architects should be uniquely placed to perform.

LESSONS LEARNT

We would offer the following three ƒ Select your software carefully and try ƒ Don’t forget to account for some of tips for other practices beginning to to work towards Open BIM where the more hidden costs of adoption. use BIM: possible. Accept that no one Time spent learning BIM, where it software provider can fulfil the needs is not related to a specific project, ƒ Without a decent understanding of of the entire construction industry is research and development and construction BIM is next to useless. and that other stakeholders – be they should be accounted for as such by Knowledge of design and building clients, contractors, engineers, the company. Additionally, in the construction is much more useful surveyors, whatever – may need to spirit of our case study, look out for to us when recruiting than being use something different. Specifically, funding streams to support the able to use any particular software whichever software you use to transition period. Whilst there may package – the former takes five implement BIM, adopt the AEC (UK) not always be specific money for years at university and two years of BIM Protocols as soon as possible. training, there is often match practical training as a minimum, That way when you do start to funding for some of the related the basics of the latter can be collaborate, it should be a much activities, which can be accessed if taught in a matter of weeks. For smoother process. People who have you are prepared to look and think this reason the training of staff been doing it for years have written constructively. should begin with project them and the documents are free. architects rather than Stage 1 Use them! Architectural Assistants.

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MOVING TOWARDS BIM IN THE CLOUD

Practice: Employees: Director: Niven Architects 4 architects, Simon Crowe 10 technicians, Location: Technology: 3 admin staff, Darlington Revit; including a Navisworks; practice manager 06 Tekla; Autodesk and PR/marketing Showcase; officer AutoCAD; Johnathan Founded: ArchiCAD; Munkley 1984 Vue Xstream

This case study focuses on using THE PRACTICE In the future this will expand, the increasing number of BIM inevitably, as an increasing number of tools that provide access to tools stakeholders, such as those in the in the cloud. Cloud computing, have been working for Simon at second tier of the supply chain – which is already prevalent in Niven Architects for six years, manufacturers and part suppliers – other fields –notably visualisation I having started after completing become involved with the BIM process where scenes are uploaded and my Architectural Part 1 on a 1-year and more BIM technologies emerge. processed cheaply using massive placement. I had some knowledge of Practices need to be able to solve issues computing power – is starting to BIM from my first few weeks at relating to multi-vendor projects and make an impact on the world of university in 2005, where we began keep up to date with emerging BIM with solutions for online using ArchiCAD after a very inspiring technologies to ensure the success of collaboration, analysis and live lecture. As a firm we operate in many any given project. modelling. This case study centres sectors but particularly education, We actually started using 3D in around a Technology Strategy retail, commercial, industrial and AutoCAD and moved to SketchUp in Board funded programme to leisure. 2006, but we soon realised that BIM review the potential and develop It is vital for any firm implementing could bring much to our practice and protocols for cloud- based BIM to have a sector-wide also improve our bottom line working within the design team. understanding of various vendors’ performance and commercial outputs software tools and, more importantly, and so we decided to invest in basic the workflows that are enabled by the BIM in 2006. different technologies. The first task was to gain a thorough understanding We bought the first Revit licences and of all the available technologies, as well started the implementation and as understanding and developing our training processes. However, due to business strategy before committing to unstable software functionalities at a large capital outlay. Our decision was that time, a skills gap, the recession of made based on what we could afford 2008 and the lack of appreciation of the and what was technically best suited to full implications of BIM on the practice, us. One of the difficulties associated the implementation process took longer with this decision is that in any BIM than expected. project there is an array of tools utilised In 2009 I gained experience of working by various design team members, on collaborative live BIM projects in external consultants and contractors. Australia where I was employed to coordinate information from a design BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 06: Moving Towards BIM in the Cloud | 43 team after they fell out. It was a very We initially encouraged staff to processes and migrate from traditional strange situation but the benefit of fully undertake self-learning in their spare CAD paper and file-based sharing to a coordinating design teams’ information time, modelling projects they had done working, live modelling environment. was obvious from the outset. It became in the past to help develop skills. We For the former challenge, we advise an clear to me how much of an impact ran CPDs in house that BIM champions open, honest, incremental and BIM could have in our practice and were tasked to develop. Some of these collaborative approach with all of your supply chain and the potential benefits consisted of a basic software company stakeholders to help them we could obtain from thorough introduction (for example Autodesk appreciate the benefits and start to implementation. This would distinguish Showcase or Navisworks) whereas move to the next step on their BIM us from numerous small practices where some focused on BIM knowledge journey. For the latter challenge, BIM is utilised only for front end design. transfer so staff could gain a better seeking assistance from experts such understanding of BIM. This allowed for as academics that could be accessed In September 2010 we teamed up with skills to be transferred down our BIM through particular government- a research team at Teesside hierarchy. supported grants worked well. University’s Construction Innovation Department, composed of Professor Although our staff now have expertise Nashwan Dawood and Dr Mohamad in a range of tools our main authoring Kassem and under a Knowledge software is now Revit. Our internal Transfer Partnership scheme funded by review of available BIM technologies the Technology Strategy Board began revealed that Revit can meet most of working to transform our practice. our specifications. Due to our existing Through this partnership, which is still subscription to Autodesk, this meant it ongoing, we have established protocols would have been a financial burden to for an integrated BIM project delivery. go down any other route. This puts us in a good position for the We have developed our bespoke Government Maturity Targets workflows to share central building (file-based collaborative BIM sharing) information models, using various by 2016. After a year, despite several of collaborative online cloud-based our projects being started in a non- BIM systems such as Dropbox, four projects, environment before this full-scale Asite and Riverbed. All design team implementation project, more than 50% members including external of all our projects are now using consultants connect live to a project integrated BIM and more than 75% of database, giving them the ability to projects will be using it by the end of access live and up-to-date information. 2014. We felt that the integrated BIM Historically we have used Tekla for approach would bring the most return clash detection and model on investment for us and our project coordination. stakeholders. We believe this is a good option for ‘The first challenge was During this transformation to BIM, we firms starting out due to its simplicity our limited capacity and have appraised the commercially and solid outputs. We have now started available BIM technologies, reviewed to use Navisworks for model power to influence the the BIM protocols and workflows coordination and checking and various consultants and other developed for the UK (i.e. AEC (UK) BIM other tools as and when they are protocols, CIC BIM Protocols), required in projects. Each project may stakeholders of our supply developed our own protocols for require different BIM deliverables and chain. The second integrated BIM project delivery and processes and therefore necessitates a challenge was related to implemented CPD and training for our different set of tools to achieve this. staff. the limited resources and Being an SME, we faced two This consisted of all members of staff in challenges during our journey to an knowledge required to 2008 being given a three-day Introduction advanced level of BIM implementation. systematically implement to Revit course, to give them the basics The first challenge was our limited of how to author a building. However capacity and power to influence the BIM processes and migrate the course cost £3,000 and it was consultants and other stakeholders of from traditional CAD therefore obvious that this wasn’t our supply chain. The second challenge something we could run every time a was related to the ‘limited’ resources paper and file-based new member of staff joined us or when and knowledge required to sharing, to a working, live we wanted to develop skillsets. systematically implement BIM modelling system.’ 44 | Case Study 06: Moving Towards BIM in the Cloud | BIM in Small Practices

THE PROJECT apartments with communal living we have benefitted from the help of the spaces, internal landscaped courtyard University of Teesside, who have been areas and individual garden areas. fundamental to our success in The project we’ve chosen is the overcoming this first challenge. £1.4 million residential development for The first challenge on this project was the Camphill Trust at the Larchfield the implementation of live data sharing The second challenge was to convince Community, Hemlington, in the north technology and the development of the design team that it was the right east of England. The residence protocols. Most firms are not in such a approach to deliver the project and contains nine self-contained strong position as us regarding this, as potentially adopt it on future projects.

Figure 6.1 Initial concept image for Camphill Trust development

Being an SME working with groups of Figure 6.2 consultants, doing the hard sell on BIM Initial concept image for Camphill Trust development has become a part of our daily routine. We have spent considerable time trying to convince consultants to invest in BIM technologies and offered our support to help them understand the new processes. At the end, we would not be able to keep our working relationships with consultants who are not ‘BIM enabled’ as our processes would not be compatible. One final challenge is related to the investment in IT hardware of our stakeholders. We have invested heavily in IT infrastructure to implement BIM processes without being restricted by computer power. Figure 6.3 To cope with the limitations posed by Structural information inputted into collaborative work some underpowered computers utilised environment by some consultants, we had to develop protocols to give staff instruction on how to issue work to stakeholders with ‘slow’ computers. These ‘additional’ workflows are not needed and could be saved if the IT infrastructure of stakeholders is upgraded and is compatible.

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A multidisciplinary integrated model trained on the processes and protocols more traditionally architectural, such as was developed using the BIM live to tap into the live data. The ultimate producing planning and tender modelling system. This project was goal was to get all our design team, documentation. It was impressive to utilised as a pilot project to test the including the client, interacting with spot and flag design mistakes as processes and protocols we had the singular integrated model. Once the consultants’ information was appearing developed. The model was established live modelling system was up and via the cloud in the live model! in the cloud and consultants were running, subsequent processes were

LIVE MODELLING AND A DATA SHARING ENVIRONMENT

Central data sharing was vital to the After a few design team meetings, paradigm shift from their traditional success of BIM implementation using examples from pilot testing, the way of operating in company silos. within our practice. Some staff had advantages of central live modelling Some of our consulting design firms prior experience in Australian design were understood by most of our supply have been using BIM-based 3D teams using the ArchiCAD BIM chains. authoring platforms but they have server, so had seen the benefits of this As we watched the pipework appear not looked beyond their office implementation level. live in the ceiling, clashing with other boundaries for its use and benefits Despite the fact that they were building elements, we realised that the within the collaborative working dispersed geographically, using only M&E consultants had misinterpreted a environment. These reduced our ArchiCAD and Skype, they felt as if bulkhead design detail which we design lead-times and aborted works they were working in the same office. instantly flagged up and they amended and the initial results on RFIs are also We believed that working on a central the model. Without the live modelling good. We are looking at the cost shared model would suit the nature of this mistake may not have been savings for the overall project based our business, as our designs vary spotted until site or would have on BIM-based protocols, however this across projects and are based all resulted in aborted works and redesign. will take time and is difficult to around the country. We concluded project. Working with Teesside Even though design issues were that a live central data environment University Construction Innovation flagged very quickly it still took time for was the ultimate goal for us to get the Department allowed us to explore consultants to make any changes, as most out of the BIM approach. this externally to project work. they had generally moved onto different The suggestion to use a live modelling sections of the model. However, once Working in a BIM live central model is environment garnered mixed opinions. they received notification, mistakes were still suffering from challenges such as Some could not grasp it. Others felt it rectified and this still reduced the trust in other people, data and was a risky process, concerned that number of aborted works. information and intellectual property they would not be able to check work protection, especially in the absence Because our design teams work from before it was ‘issued’ if the live of clear legal frameworks that address various offices, issuing information and environment made designs these aspects. collating varying file formats had immediately available. The idea of always been an issue that caused People were concerned that the data instantaneous live modelling bypassed aborted works and redesign effort. So they were inputting could be all of the traditional quality assurance creating a collaborative working manipulated by other consultants systems, which was a problem for firms environment was vital to what we and therefore placed risk on them, that were ISO 9001 QA certified. wanted from BIM. The greatest impact however we remedied this by locking However once I explained that of this approach is its ability to information into sets so each drawings would still be formally issued compress design lead-times. Working consultant could only manipulate at specific stages to become legal in this environment according to their information and we robustly tender, the firms involved were open to predefined protocols, the traditional stated liability for information within the idea. It is understandable that they ‘sequential’ design sub-tasks tend to the BIM execution plan and the were nervous of using such a system, overlap and the whole project benefits single fact that only traditional as it represented a fundamental from a reduced duration. formally issued drawings at specific change to traditional workflow. stages would be legal tender. This was the most difficult aspect to Live modelling is just a small step in a communicate to consultants and other much bigger picture of BIM stakeholders, as it represents a implementation, so it was vital to us.

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It was the first project we used the BIM Figure 6.4 live modelling system on – a system Problem with the live nature of the collaborative which we developed that allows all of environment the design team stakeholders to input and extract data from one model direct from a cloud-based solution, with everyone producing architectural information in one place at the same time. It was an ideal case study as we were the lead consultants and the design team and consultants were open to the methods we were proposing. The size and scale of the project proposed do not entail a high level of risk for testing new processes. The design brief was not too complex and therefore we could focus on testing the processes, which is key at this early stage. Also despite the fact that BIM was not required by the client on this project, we felt it was a good project to introduce new processes to our teams and consultants without causing risks to any of the parties involved. The two main outcomes consisted mainly of a successful test of our BIM live modelling system and our Figure 6.5 consultants buying into the new Architectural, structural and processes of live modelling. However, mechanical information in one environment there was resistance from some parties as they were worried about inputting into a central mode and data set on a real time basis when information is still Figure 6.6 in progress and therefore has not yet Architectural information that has been inputted into the BIM been checked. While recognising these challenges, our practice intends to progress working with central live models as it fits our business model. On this particular project, its adoption was a success and we are currently using it on much more significant developments. We believe that BIM live modelling will become a vital aspect of any BIM project in future as emerging BIM technology and industry testing would allow an understanding of both benefits and processes.

‘Creating a collaborative working environment was vital to what we wanted from BIM. The greatest Figure 6.7 Checking mechanical impact of this approach is information against structural information the ability to compress design lead-times.’ BIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 06:06: Moving Towards BIM in the CCloudloud | 4747

CONCLUSIONS AND We have already gained international importantly, we interact virtually and recognition, winning an award at the more regularly with our consultants to FUTURE PLANS Open BIM Build Qatar Live and Build coordinate BIM information, which cut Sydney Live competitions, so we are down meeting times. The major benefit Our ultimate objective is to deliver hoping to transform this success into of this is having design team meetings buildings to clients on time, on budget new international project work. We also and inputs as and when we require and according to the agreed statement work on government-funded them rather than on set dates. of work. This is the main reason for our frameworks. firm’s existence. BIM does change the With BIM, once the initial models have methods for delivering projects and in been produced, it is much easier for particular the way and timing of smaller design teams to make producing data. We now have a longer amendments to massive projects, as and a more intensive front-end process, the parametric and integrated nature of which allows us to produce better BIM technology facilitates the design before moving to tender and execution of many tasks. We are being site. For example, our conceptual approached by large contractors design stages now receive input from looking for BIM-compliant architectural all project stakeholders from day one. practices to the extent that we had to This allows us to value-engineer at this reject work from contractors we had early design stage and save on aborted hoped to work for. work further into the project, therefore We have strived to select technologies creating efficiencies. Despite the that fit our ‘mapped’ business process benefits of this change on downstream requirements with their standard processes such as detailed design and off-the-shelf features. We have invited site, many of our existing clients are software vendors to give live still trying to request work to be demonstrations in workshops to our completed in short timeframes. This is design team. However, one size does obviously detrimental to our BIM not fit all and some customisation will workflows. be required. In many cases, the However, we expect that this will customisation does not necessarily change in future and clients entail modifying the technology itself, themselves will be asking for BIM instead it could be achieved through projects as they gain awareness of its developing tailored workflows or benefits to their projects. Moreover, protocols. there could in future be some shift of This was the case with our live central fee from construction stage to design modelling. We have utilised software stages to compensate the increased which included off-the-shelf authoring effort at the earlier design stages. In technologies and a web-based sharing some countries like Singapore they technology and designed our own IT have already pursued that direction. hardware infrastructure, and more We hope this will happen here in the importantly enabled such software and UK too, in the near future. hardware infrastructures to work The biggest impact of BIM has been on through the deployment of tailored our business model. We started to workflows and protocols (naming position the company during the very convention, saving location, etc).. In early days of the recession to be a other cases and for elaborated design technology and design-led decisions, a bespoke development ‘The biggest impact of BIM architectural practice. This has allowed might be required. has been on our business us to target projects that were Our day-to-day interactions with historically out of our reach. We have consultants have obviously changed model. We started to been able to move from small with these new BIM workflows. A position the company refurbishment projects towards simple example of change, which during the very early days targeting larger and more profitable resulted from the cloud-based projects and have plans to start technologies for central data storage, is of the recession to be a targeting BIM-driven projects in the saving of time spent on sending technology and design-led emerging economies. emails and data storage devices. More architectural practice.’ 48 | Case Study 06: Moving Towards BIM in the Cloud | BIM in Small Practices

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Business model first and ƒ Senior management support is the ƒ Appointment of an experienced technology second: one of the key to successful BIM adoption: the BIM champion: during the early mistakes SME firms can make lack of senior management support stages of BIM adoption an office when they consider adopting BIM for BIM adoption is the perfect recipe BIM champion is vital. He can be is that they buy an authoring BIM for failure. Senior management must the ‘go-to man’ for all technical technology and then think about provide the resources and tools, give queries of the practice BIM what they want to achieve with it. staff time to go through the learning production team, saving much The business model and curve on their first projects and time and improving work requirements must come first and tolerate mistakes during this efficiency. He will also be able to drive not only the selection of the transition period as part of the risks develop BIM protocols and technology but also the whole involved. workflow and train staff, allowing process of BIM implementation. your firm to get off to the right start. BIM adoption can be costly and the last thing a firm needs is to set off down the wrong route.

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USING EXISTING BUILDING BIM

Practice: Employees: Director: Studio Klaschka 1 designer, Robert Klaschka 1 architect and Location: Technology: 3 architectural Southwark, Bentley AECOsim technologists London Building Designer; 07 Founded: Bentley Pointools 2001 Robert Klaschka

Working in existing buildings has the software that was available was for a long time been outside the THE PRACTICE prohibitively expensive for a small intended scope of BIM. In this case hen Studio Klaschka was practice and commissioning scans also study the revolution of modern set up in 2001 my then had a high cost because it was not yet lower cost methods of surveying W business partner and I had widely used. The market was limited to and modelling is discussed in detail. just left David Morley Architects higher value work and was only Centred around two health projects (DMA) where I had, amongst other considered for specialist architectural in East London it discusses the things, advised on the direction the uses. process of laser scanning and practice should take with technology. This all started to change in 2010 when dealing with the massive amounts When we set up our own practice we Bentley initially licensed and of data that point cloud surveys had no legacy systems or staff subsequently bought Pointools, which represent and modelling buildings training issues and so decided that is considered one of the best and from the point cloud. Combining we would pick the best design fastest point cloud engines on the the point cloud and the model the software we could find. market. They incorporated the engine study shows the benefits and We had experience of Microstation at into their BIM authoring software, economies that come from this DMA and had started to look at which we use and so we effectively got workflow. Triforma – which was and still is the point cloud functionality inside our foundation of the Bentley BIM software for no more than our annual software products. Since then we subscription costs. Around the same have moved onto Bentley time Faro introduced the Focus3D. This Architecture and now use Bentley is a smaller, cheaper scanner than most AECOSIM. on the market and works well, especially for scanning the interiors of buildings This represents the evolution of the which often require between one and Bentley products over the last 12 three scans to capture a whole room. years. We began looking at point cloud ‘When we set up our own The price of the Focus3D has enabled survey information in 2007 because it practice we had no legacy lots of smaller surveying companies to provides much more complete start laser scanning and so the market systems or staff training information than a traditional 2D CAD has developed. issues and so decided that survey. At that point it was not practical for us to start using the Since the recession hit at the end of we would pick the best technology for several reasons. There 2008 every job we’ve had has involved design software we could was no simple way to integrate it with refurbishment or extension of an find.’ the BIM software that existed, existing building and as a result we BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 07: Using Existing Building BIM | 51 have had 15 projects scanned between City and Hackney, Tower Hamlets and commissioned and that was used to 2011 and 2013. These scans have Newham PCTs. Over the last three produce an existing building model as formed the basis for our models. They years of funding rounds our work has the starting point for our design and are referenced directly into our included aesthetic improvements, production information. software and then traced. replanning and refitting health centres and day patient wards. Recently we have been working on small health refurbishments for The projects in our case study are our East London and City Alliance (ELCA), most recent and both take advantage of which oversees the estates for point cloud survey data that we

THE PROJECTS These schemes include those below both spatial standards or infection and a roof that was scanned as part of a control. The exterior of the building is Initially we started working on these record-keeping analysis exercise on a in a poor state and has no architectural projects using supplied traditional large Grade 2 listed health centre, a coherence; it also suffers from survey information, but it quickly compliance checking exercise for a overheating in warm weather. became clear that the information was dental floor in a new health centre and Our initial studies confirmed that a not really detailed or accurate enough. a levels and gradient review of an small extension would be required to The main consequence of this was that access route across a hospital site to an make the GP rooms of an adequate size we had to return to site frequently to nearby bus stop. gather new information that was to meet the HBN guidance and we also missing from the survey. X SORSBY MEDICAL PRACTICE took advantage of the extra space to bring all the treatment spaces onto the This small building in the London Since then we have had five health ground floor to facilitate ease of access Borough of Hackney contains a little projects point cloud surveyed using two and remove the need for patients to go GP practice on the ground floor and different surveyors. In some cases the to the first floor. project architect has never had to administrative offices for the Homerton attend site because the dimensional Hospital Services, including health information from the point cloud visitors and district nurses. There is coupled with the picture panoramas also a single, small, undersized that are also captured and accessed treatment room on this floor. The through a web portal provide very building appeared to have been heavily complete information. modified, but had limited scrutiny for

Figure 7.1 Sorsby Medical Practice model including plans to extend the building and add solar shading

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X WEST HAM LANE HEALTH ‘I’ve found that we, as CENTRE architects, are ideally This existing health centre building placed to economically in the London Borough of Newham model the existing BIM.’ has been the subject of three phases of work. Initially we brightened up the envelope. Then we did a series of technical fixes including replacement of the existing boiler and resolution of some roof access issues. The final and most significant phase focused on the ground floor where there Figure 7.2 were significant problems including West Ham Lane Health Centre poorly utilised space, duplicated after phase one waiting areas and lack of visual to refurbish the scrutiny of public areas. cladding There were also problems with the fire strategy, which related to the time that while the work took place and this the building had been constructed and introduced a requirement for complex so our design introduced protected phasing. lobbies to the main staircase. The building had to remain in full operation

X WHO SHOULD MODEL THE rapid nature of design programmes this able to use this to progress option EXISTING BIM? starts to cause real problems because it studies and initial discussions with the means that either the front end of the client while the detail was gradually I’ve found that we, as architects, are project is produced with inaccurate added to the model. At the point that ideally placed to economically model information or has to wait until the the layout was frozen the more detailed the existing BIM. Having often looked survey arrives. It is also difficult before a model had been completed. There were at going down the route of scheme design has progressed to know even situations in which the point cloud commissioning the existing building which parts of the building need to be becomes the main source of reference, model from a surveyor instead of modelled in detail. For example on West with only small local areas of modelling producing it ourselves, time has told Ham Lane, when we received the point or none at all being necessary. An that this isn’t the best route to take for a cloud survey we modelled in-house in a example of this was when we created a number of reasons. Scanning, much more parallel way and so cut new accessible route at St Leonard’s registering and then building a detailed down on the time required. We began Hospital. We modelled a new access existing building model is a lengthy by modelling massing and floor layouts ramp with all other checks being made process and can take 3 – 4 weeks even quickly and the design team was then against the point cloud alone. on a relatively simple project. Given the

Figure 7.3 Point cloud integration programme with surveyor model and architect’s model. Building the existing model in parallel with the design process has a significant time benefit

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X THE POINT CLOUD WORKFLOW the scheme and can be used to create The largest I have come across is 12m ON THESE PROJECTS animations and stills showing the full tall and may affect the cost of the detail of the building. surveying considerably if one can The point cloud surveying of the two survey from the ground where another health buildings had additional It is important to remember that laser needs to get on the roof itself. benefits above the normal capture of a scanning is a line-of-sight technology. very complete set of geometric and If you can’t see something it won’t be Line-of-sight also means that if a room photographic data. In this instance, captured. That could mean roof voids, is full of equipment then a lot of the because the buildings are both in risers or external roofs and surfaces room may be obscured. It is preferable occupation throughout the design that cannot be seen from the ground or to scan buildings when they are empty, process, access is more restricted. This perhaps cannot be captured during the but this was not possible for most of the reinforces the benefit that with a point initial survey. For example on West health schemes we’ve had scanned, cloud survey there is no requirement to Ham Lane the centre is in permanent because they are usually in use. revisit a site. use and the demountable ceiling could The other useful output that most not be taken down to reveal the Commissioning a point cloud is similar surveyors will provide is a web portal services above. to a traditional 2D survey. It is only the that displays the photographic deliverable that is different. The scan During the design the services engineer information that has been captured. itself will render with intensity. This made assumptions, which we planned This allows any member of the team, produces an image in which pale to follow up with a further localised even those without point cloud surfaces appear as lighter greys and survey at the beginning of construction software or hardware, to run it and see dark unreflective surfaces appear as to allow the design to be completed. It the surveyed data. These appear as darker greys. is important that you consider what panoramic images that can be rotated you need to know and discuss with the and zoomed at each scanning location. However in addition to this colour surveyor how roofs can be accessed or These are also useful for identifying photographs can be captured too. The if there are places that overlook roofs. smaller features such as switches and colour from these photographs can then There are some ways to get around this sockets that don’t appear as clearly in be mapped to the points by the surveyor with lower buildings. the point cloud data itself. using software. This enables a full colour rendition of the scan to be For example, surveying with the displayed. scanner mounted on a tall pole. These vary between surveyors. This is a very good medium for exploring

Figure 7.4 The scanner first captures intensity, which is similar to the reflectivity of the surfaces. It can then additionally take a dome of photographic information which can be mapped to the points to provide full colour.

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It’s also worth considering the privacy issues that high quality photographic data may contain. We had this issue when we had Sorsby medical practice scanned whilst it was in use. Patients’ faces had to be blurred out on the photographs to protect confidentiality.

‘This is a very good medium for exploring the scheme and can be used to create animations and Figure 7.5 The photographs captured during the scan can be hosted and viewed using a web browser stills showing the full detail of the building.’

X ANALYSING THE EXISTING We generally ask for our scans to be Referring back to the point cloud like BUILDINGS FROM POINT delivered offset on the XY plane to the this to examine areas in detail where CLOUD DATA nearest 10m from the file origin there is tight spatial coordination is a because this makes sharing common exercise. It is another example One of the most useful aspects of a information with other consultants on of where a designer’s judgement can point cloud survey is that it can be different packages easy. affect the level of detail of the model. located both in its plan location, orientation to north and its vertical One very quickly realises that existing A room that is being painted needs far height. This means that by inputting buildings aren’t as square or as flat as less accuracy and detail modelled than correct longitude and latitude it is you’d expect them to be from the very a space between two walls that a piece easy to review daylight and shadow orthogonal designs that architects of joinery must fit. We keep notes to be casting in a given situation. often draw. Construction tolerances, read with the model and visual aids subsistence of floors and inaccurate that explain the assumptions we have Furthermore the height location means setting out all lead the building to be a made. that drawing conclusions about floor much less predictable environment to levels for flood risk assessment is X USING THE POINT CLOUDS model than a new building. simply a case of taking measurements On both projects once the scan was of height above the file origin. Modelling packages, however, expect delivered it was simply referenced into walls to be straight and floors to be flat. In order to achieve this the surveyor our BIM package. At this point seeing We get around this by looking at the ties the survey positions to a series of the walls within the building is not point cloud and deciding on averages. control points called a total station that straightforward because the entire It is important that this decision is in turn are located in the real world building is visible, so we clip the cloud supported by all information about the coordinate system of your choosing. In until the section of wall and the floor it building. A good example of this is to the UK this is usually OS Datum. Doing stands upon is visible. In order to begin supplement a flat modelled floor with a this makes it very easy to tie the modelling we also need to define a floor colour by elevation rendition of the floor position of the other geo-coordinated plan on which to draw the base of the including some level points to give data such as OS superplan or walls. reference. proprietary 3D city model data for At this stage we clip the cloud further larger area context. It also makes On West Ham Lane when we converted and begin modelling the layout of the positioning the building as required in the first floor to an open plan area this building by tracing to the point cloud a BS1192 project space statement very revealed that the floor had been built and then widening the walls to their straightforward. up with a shallow ramp and had a level true widths. difference of over 50mm on either side of some walls that we were removing.

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Figure 7.6 West Ham Lane elevation hue. Colouring the points on a floor by their elevation reveals the high and low points which may require action during construction

Figure 7.7 At Sorsby Medical Practice we capture the building and its surrounding context because we needed information for a planning application. The model includes all the relevant surrounding context

The walls we draw are BIM objects and the spaces would work. In this drawing These supplement the normal drawing even at this stage we are adding view of the model the space areas are package in a way that makes the model attribute data indicating, for example, coloured by their space type more tangible. We also provided that they are existing construction, or if differentiating between clinical space, visualisations of the different types of it is evident that a wall is block work or circulation, admin and facilities. partitions illustrated by colour to clarify a partition. the requirements. Through detailed design the services At this stage, option studies start to be engineer provided a sketch scheme explored, and doors and windows with which we then worked up into coloured attribute data are also added. volumes to study the consequences of their proposals. We realised that there Sorsby Medical Practice required were some vertical coordination issues external volumetric modelling of the with their roof level drawing showing a surrounding buildings because we connection some 3m away from its needed to produce information for a arrival 500mm below into the ground planning application. The point cloud floor. We also discovered that they had is invaluable for this exercise because routed the main air handling supply there is no ambiguity at all. The same and return through a room that was clipping, tracing is employed with intended to remain untouched and so forms extruded by snapping to the proposed an alternative to this levels in the point cloud approach. Then windows are indicated in simple As already noted the phasing form by tracing, projecting and then requirements to keep the building in depressing into the volume of the operation while the work to the ground building. The planning proposals for floor took place were complex. To assist Sorsby Medical Practice were modelled the contractor and the management using this context and visualisations team in understanding what would be and drawings. demolished and where new partitions ‘The point cloud is On West Ham Lane, as the design of would be constructed we produced invaluable for this exercise the model progressed, we used further diagrammatic visualisations because there is no colouration by space type attribute as a highlighting these on the model. way of illustrating to the end users how ambiguity at all.’ 56 | CCasease Study 07: Using Existing Building BIMBIM | BIM in SmallSmall Practices

‘Through detailed design the services engineer provided a sketch scheme which we then worked up into coloured volumes to study the consequences of their proposals.’

Figure 7.8 The ground floor re-arrangement of West Ham Lane and the services coordination model we built to help the services engineer understand their design

Figure 7.9 The new proposed space layout for West Ham Lane Medical Centre provides a single large combined waiting area at the heart of the building where patients can move onwards to the services

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CONCLUSIONS AND The ability to produce accurate existing product design and the costs are higher building information now forms a core and so moving forwards with this is FUTURE PLANS part of our business plan, because so reliant on larger projects coming into On both West Ham Lane Health Centre few companies are able to and is the office. They are also more focused and Sorsby Medical Practice for the first proving to be a route to securing on meshing smooth continuous curved time we started to see greater client architectural work. surfaces such as car body panels or machine parts for which the geometry engagement with the point cloud and This, coupled with providing easy is reverse engineered. It is just not existing BIM process. Before these visual access to our information in the really tailored to use in buildings. projects we have taken the advantages form of 3D illustrations of the ourselves. With these we made an information in the model, makes our There are already good reasons to use active effort to show the technology to practice a much more integrated part of this software, for example automated others. the supply chain and provides a strong meshing of ground models and The client from the estates department incentive to contractors to give us specialist features in buildings like was very impressed with the detailed repeat work. historic detail. It is simply a question of having the demand for and the volume information that could be seen on the However we’re aware that at present of this type of work to justify the outlay. webshare browsing interface and we are ahead of the market. In order to Until that point we will continue using wanted to review having the building stay ahead in this field we’ve started to less automated workflows. captured again after completion. The look at whether there are parts of the project manager (who was initially process that we can automate more. sceptical) is now an advocate of using the technology and the services Unfortunately the meshing software engineer who still works in 2D has been that is currently available still comes using the webshare to review data. from industries such as automotive or

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Being small without legacy ƒ BIM has become an integral part of ƒ Understand the programme systems we are able to use the the way we get new business and implications of the technologies technology we want and trial new our access to new clients is almost you are using. Point cloud workflows as soon as they are totally related to technology. Whilst surveying is a rapid process but available. there may be a temptation to focus programming the modelling needs on your skills as a designer this may to be understood, managed and not differentiate you from other discussed with other parties who larger, more experienced, practices will rely on your information. that do not have your technology skills.

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BIM FOR PASSIVHAUS DESIGN

Practice: Employees: Founded: Technology: Architype Ltd 1 associate, London: 1984 Vectorworks 1 senior architect, Forest of Dean: Architect; Vasari; Location: 5 architects and 1996 SketchUp; Revit London and 6 architectural Relocated to Architecture; Hereford assistants Hereford: 2006 Parallels; Ecotect; Adobe Photoshop; Hereford director: Passive House Jonathan Hines Elrond Burrell Planning Package (PHPP)

The next two chapters focus on THE PRACTICE progressively moved towards the the use of BIM in Passivhaus majority of our work being delivered to projects. This case study discusses meet the Passivhaus Standard and to Architype’s use of Revit through e pride ourselves at include soft landings. Currently our some of the more conventional Architype on being a portfolio encompasses housing internal BIM workflows, Wdesign-led practice that developments, offices, schools, producing conventional works across many sectors, with the university facilities, an archive and architectural outputs. It then common thread that we always have records centre, churches, a hospice, a gives a detailed dialogue about social and environmental concerns at national park visitor centre, industrial the practice’s customisation of the heart of our work. facilities and private houses. Revit to provide semi-automated Our early projects were mainly Architype have been a Macintosh- numerical outputs from design community and housing projects based based practice from the very beginning models to feed into the Passive around the Water Segal self-build and traditionally used Vectorworks for House Planning Package. This method and innovative use of timber. 2D CAD work. In the early years some provides a good example of how From this starting point we expanded ambitious staff experimented with full small practices can build solutions to deliver projects in the health, 3D modelling but found that the on top of the out of the box workplace, community, public and hardware and software available at the product. private institution and education time wasn’t fully capable of supporting sectors. such a process. In recent years we have had a notable In 2006 when I joined the office, presence in the education sector, I brought with me several years’ particularly for children’s centres, experience of working exclusively in primary schools and special needs Revit from conception through to schools, whilst also gaining recognition completion on projects. At that time for our strength in sustainability and Architype was using a mixture of low carbon design. Over the years we Vectorworks for 2D work along with have also developed a deep SketchUp and Ecotect for 3D work and involvement in post-occupancy Photoshop for retouching evaluation and the wider soft landings visualisations. process. I could see from an outsider’s In 2009 we embarked on delivering perspective the inherent disadvantages three primary schools to the Passivhaus of switching between 2D and 3D in Standard and since then we have different software packages and by BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 08: BIM for Passivhaus Design | 59 different people – primarily in became fluent in BIM, they soon required without the additional coordination issues and work started championing BIM on their challenge of learning new software. duplication. I put forward a case to projects and didn’t want to go back to Alongside this, not everyone is experiment with using BIM on a project 2D CAD. interested in the broader picture and and proposed that Revit be trialled to some people would rather focus on the We have also incurred increased establish if it would be a feasible immediate task at hand, which is often hardware and software costs. We had undertaking. ‘producing a drawing’. BIM pushes to progressively upgrade our people to think beyond this and Our trial was successful (on our largest computers, perhaps more so than if we consider the whole package of project at the time!), even in the face of continued to use 2D CAD. As information required for a design and numerous cultural and technology mentioned earlier we are a Macintosh- how it is best captured and challenges, not least that Revit only based practice and remain committed communicated. We have managed this worked on Windows and so we began a to this. in particular by pushing people forward process of implementing BIM across Unfortunately the majority of BIM but aiming not to push them too far the office. We assessed each project to software is Windows-based, which beyond what they are comfortable establish if BIM was needed or limited our choices if we wanted our with. We allow and encourage people advantageous and if the staff BIM software to run native on the to use whatever software they are resourcing would support the use of Macintosh operating system. The comfortable with and is suitable for the BIM. alternative option, which is what we stage of the project. In parallel we continued with staff have followed, is to run a virtualisation training and development in using the of Microsoft Windows on the Macintosh software and understanding the BIM operating system and then run any processes. As we started designing to Windows-based software in the virtual the Passivhaus Standard we also operating system environment. This started using the required Passive means that in addition to the cost of the House Planning Package and exploring BIM software, which in itself is ways of moving useful data between considerably more expensive than 2D our different software packages. Now CAD software, we had the added costs our technology workflow involves of the virtualisation software, Parallels Vectorworks, Sketchup, Ecotect, Revit, and the Microsoft Windows operating Vasari, Photoshop and the Passive system for each workstation. It would House Planning Package. have been less expensive to go with Macintosh-based BIM software, but we THE CHALLENGES OF USING BIM chose the tools that suited our needs We have enjoyed considerable benefits and experience at the time. from our exploration and use of BIM, This set-up also means that the however we have also experienced a software has more demanding number of challenges along the way. hardware requirements than running There has been a notable learning BIM software native on Macintosh OS curve for some people. The change has would or 2D CAD software did. been particularly challenging for However, we have aimed to people with extensive 2D CAD skills progressively upgrade our computers ‘The change has been and expectations that have needed to anyway so we have just ensured that be unlearned to a certain degree. the hardware performance specifications particularly challenging People in this position are suddenly are suitable for our set-up as we did so. for people with extensive beginners again, except they know Along the way we also transitioned to what they want to achieve, just not iMacs rather than MacPros, which 2D CAD skills and immediately how to do so. reduced hardware costs slightly and expectations that have removed the need to purchase monitors At the early stages of our BIM adoption needed to be unlearned to separately. I would often hear ‘Why can’t I do ‘X’ a certain degree. People in that I can do so easily in 2D CAD?’ and There has also been resistance to ‘I could do this so much quicker in 2D change from some staff as not everyone this position are suddenly CAD.’ These issues took time to is enthusiastic about changing working beginners again, except overcome as skills increased, mindsets methods and learning new skills. shifted and the benefits became Architecture is arguably a tough they know what they want apparent. The flip side is that, once profession to learn and many people to achieve, just not people facing this particular challenge feel there is enough ongoing learning immediately how to do so.’ 60 | Case Study 08: BIM for Passivhaus Design | BIM in Small Practices

THE PROJECT rigorous energy standard in the world, considerable risk to the cost, so long as the standard available constructability and quality and the budget and tight timescale were not completed building must match the X BUSHBURY HILLS PRIMARY increased. As we had developed a very modelled details to pass the rigorous SCHOOL positive and collaborative relationship quality assurance requirements of The brief was for a standard one-form with Wolverhampton City Council over Passivhaus. Under these circumstances entry primary school (210 children), several projects they could see that it and with the skills of our internal team plus a 30-place nursery and facilities was a natural step forward from the on the project, it was a natural step for for a local ‘Multi Agency Support previous work we had completed with us to choose to progress the project Team’. A critical requirement was to them. with BIM. engage in a thorough consultation To achieve the rigorous technical The timetable and programme were process in order to develop a solution demands of Passivhaus within a tight to meet funding deadlines: design that met the educational needs and standard budget required that team appointment was made in expressed the ethos of the school in its Passivhaus be integrated into the December 2009, construction efforts to provide high-quality design from first principles, informing commenced in September 2010 and education for children from the tough and influencing every decision about handover achieved in October 2011. The estates surrounding the school. During form, design and detailing, together budget was a standard allocation within early consultations it was agreed that with a relentless focus on simplifying the Primary Capital Programme, which the environmental target would be set and optimising the design. Simplicity gave a total base construction budget of at achieving Passivhaus, the most plays a vital role as complexity poses £4,061,600 for a building of 1,900m2.

Figure 8.2 The central hub space with highly Figure 8.1 sustainable materials and finishes – The south elevation of timber, lino, rubber, mineral paints Bushbury Hills Primary School and organic stains

Figure 8.3 Figure 8.4 External cladding is a combination of The main staircase constructed from locally sourced brick and UK grown sustainable timber and plywood and timber cladding, with standing seam finished with organic stains metal roofs

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HOW WE USED BIM ON THIS Another application for BIM was in further attention. PROJECT checking coordination and quality • Checking and understanding the control of subcontractor drawings. We There were three key aspects of BIM on heat loss envelope in 3D. It is imported the 2D CAD files we were this project: the geometry model, the important to understand and sent into Revit and compared them to energy model and the flow of data minimise areas that the building our model, treating the geometry model between the two.In terms of the will lose heat through; even the as ‘the one source of truth’ for setting geometric model, we had been most elegant design is best out and coordination. encouraging the use of BIM with our understood in 3D to ensure soffits, design team partners for several years As this was our first project testing out protrusions, cantilevers, etc., aren’t already and so the Structural Engineer and developing how we use BIM for missed. joined us on the BIM journey. However, Passivhaus, a lot of our workflow was • Interdisciplinary coordination and the M&E Engineer still wasn’t ready to trial and error. We made every effort to integration. It is often where the do so. This meant we could carry out use the geometric model in ways that architecture and structure and full 3D coordination between the are simple, useful and productive to services are not coordinated, architecture and the structure using a ensure maximum benefit to the particularly in 3D, that unexpected federated model. Because we were Passivhaus design process. Over the heat loss, energy consumption, CO both using Revit, this was course of this project and subsequent 2 emissions, potential comfort issues straightforward without the need to projects we have refined our process and construction waste or repeat translate files and we used shared into two categories generally: visual work occurs. coordinates native within Revit. interrogation of the model and generating accurate live numerical While these visual checks allowed us to We used the geometric model for all of data. find and highlight issues, they did not our 3D views, General Arrangement solve the issues in themselves. There plan, section and elevation drawings, Visual interrogation is one of the are many functions of the Passivhaus internal elevation drawings and obvious uses in any BIM project design process that currently cannot be schedules. The model was also used to because you can see much more in a carried out within Revit (or other BIM set out and coordinate all the details, 3D geometric model than in a 2D authoring software). So having found but the majority of construction details drawing set. In terms of translating this an issue we then needed to work on the were still drawn in 2D CAD. This was to a useful process for Passivhaus we design further to resolve it or we due to our partnering relationship with focused on three particular areas: needed to remodel the issue in the WCC where they were producing the • Checking the thermal envelope appropriate software to solve the issue. initial construction details in-house continuity by cutting sections, plans (for example, thermal bridge modelling and weren’t set up to use BIM. It was and details through the 3D software). Once the issue was resolved expedient for us to develop the details geometric model and moving the we then went back to the Revit model further in 2D CAD rather than recreate cut-plane in real time to check the to update it. them linked to the model within Revit continuity of the thermal envelope and this suited the programmatic and identify any areas that need pressures on the project.

Figure 8.5 Figure 8.6 The hall is one area where 3D Visual interrogation of the Revit model coordination of the architecture and using 3D sections is incredibly useful structure in the federated model was of for checking the continuity of the critical importance as the visible thermal envelope structure is part of the aesthetic

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Generating Accurate Live Data started ways to generate additional useful • Opening areas (typically windows, out as simply using the geometric data. We found that we could do this by ventilation grilles and doors), which model to schedule information as is including some factors and are critical for the overall energy typical on all BIM projects, however, we calculations in schedules within the performance of the building. focused on what we needed to enter geometric model. This had the added All of these methods involve data into the Passive House Planning advantage of eliminating a further derived from schedules in the Revit Package (PHPP). This is essentially a stage of manual effort. For example, model that are manually exported to a very detailed spreadsheet that is used floor areas are easy to schedule in the spreadsheet format and then manually for the comfort and energy modelling geometric model and previously we entered into the PHPP spreadsheet. We required for Passivhaus. Arguably had exported these out for manual looked at ways to automate the data PHPP is a building information model adjustment to the right format for PHPP. transfer process and considered some – although it is not a visual / geometric We found we could build factors into commercially available Revit add-ons. / production information model as most the schedule in the geometric model to However, we decided not to automate people tend to think of BIM, it is a get all the data in the right format the process any further as we wanted data-driven comfort and energy model before it was exported. In the same way specific steps in the process that based on rigorous building physics. we were able to use calculations to allowed for professional judgement and generate further useful data. The data We exported data from Revit schedules a quality assurance overview. It is an we specifically focused on was: to a spreadsheet format, manually ongoing consideration though, checked the data and then entered it • Treated floor areas (TFA), which especially since another BIM authoring manually into PHPP (or provided it to a measures the heated inhabited software tool, ArchiCAD now has consultant for the same purpose in spaces of the building and is built-in functionality to export data some instances). As PHPP is used required in PHPP. It also facilitates directly to PHPP. continually during the design process like for like comparison of In addition to these more to iterate the comfort and energy performance between different straightforward methods of generating performance to ensure required buildings. data, on later projects we also benchmarks are met, getting accurate • Ventilation volumes, which is a developed a method of generating heat data out of the geometric model at any measure of the inhabited / used air loss areas, which are critical for the point during the design process meant volume in the space. Indoor air overall energy performance of the that it was possible to iterate swiftly quality is an important aspect of building and need entering into PHPP. and accurately, rather than each Passivhaus and accurate calculation However, for this data we need to carry iteration taking a lot of time and of the volume of air that requires out further modelling as the geometric requiring time-consuming and ventilating is critical for this. model used for visualisations and potentially inaccurate manual take-offs production information in BIM from the drawings. • Internal building volumes, which authoring software does not are necessary for calculating how Once we saw how much benefit this automatically have the right areas. airtight the building is when a provided we looked at ways to make Even so, it is still a more efficient blower door test is carried out. the same data even more useful and method of generating the data accurately than manually measuring

Figure 8.7 off the 2D drawings with the added 3D first floor plan cut from advantage of being swift to update at Revit model any stage during the design. The methodology we developed has since proved so useful that we also use it on projects where we are Passivhaus consultants and don’t actually need to develop a geometric model ourselves. We use PHPP as a proactive design tool throughout the design process, iterating and optimising as the design develops. The methods described above all allow for rapid exporting of current (‘live’) accurate data, which is then manually entered into PHPP. At the same time, options and variations are explored in PHPP independent of the geometric model and also as a parallel check when options are being

BIMBIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 08:08: BIM for Passivhaus DesignDesign | 63 explored in the geometric model. PHPP WHAT WE LEARNED ON THIS We also noticed that even though the is an open and parametric model so PROJECT details were mostly in 2D CAD as changes and tweaks to explore options mentioned earlier, they were still The project was delivered successfully for one aspect of the design (e.g. considerably easier to coordinate and and certified to the Passivhaus glazing sizes, shading dimensions, ensure they were accurate. We were Standard and has since won several storey heights, building orientation able to use underlays exported from the awards. Using BIM in the process etc). result in instant updates geometric model to check and helped us in a number of ways. It was throughout the model including the coordinate everything, whereas on particularly noticeable that tasks and reported energy/comfort results. This is other jobs checks had to be carried out activities relating to the Passivhaus an important aspect of our design manually and coordination carried out design process were carried out faster, process and one of the keys to our across multiple drawings, all of which with more accuracy and more reliably. success in delivering award-winning is very time-consuming. Although this For example, generating volumes architecture with radical low-energy seems like a very basic benefit on one directly from the model saved a person performance at no additional cost. Too level, the knock-on benefit, which is a whole day of manual measuring and often energy performance is used as a key for us, is that we have more time similarly with TFA. This meant that we check and measure process once the available to devote to research and were able to iterate and explore more building is designed, or only at key innovation so we are able to keep design options with confidence stages, rather than an integral part of innovative projects within standard knowing the data was there and the design process. Or even worse it is budgets and time constraints. available for use at any time should it a tick-box exercise carried only for be needed. rating or compliance purposes. Data flow between the geometric model and the energy model is clearly critical in this process. Often people assume that the best solution is to automate data transfer as much as possible, but our approach is quite the opposite. As already discussed the process of generating the data in Revit is already fairly automated, however, we treat the data flow out of the geometric model as an opportunity to both carry out quality control checks and as an opportunity to exercise professional judgement. Our experience in designing sustainable architecture and our judgement plays just as important a role in the design process Figure 8.7 as the numbers and graphics from BIM! Ground floor plan So we specifically export data out of Revit and manually parse it and re-enter what we need to into PHPP to suit our current design process needs. We are aware that this does introduce an opportunity for human error. However, we feel that this risk is considerably lower than the risk of errors arising from assuming that an automated process is both accurate and precise. Computer-generated numbers, charts and graphics easily seduce too many people who don’t actually understand what they mean, if indeed they do actually mean anything useful! Figure 8.8 First floor plan

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As this was our first project to use BIM drawings, views, schedules and Engineer was not at that point using specifically for Passivhaus it gave us parameters that apply to Passivhaus BIM made the difference all the more many opportunities to learn and built in from the start. This means that noticeable. Happily they have since develop our methodology. We were when a new project is set up the started their own ‘BIM journey’ and on quite focused in our approach; information we want for the Passivhaus a more recent project the same design nevertheless, we didn’t know for design process is generated team was able to fully coordinate the certain what aspects of BIM we would automatically while the geometric architecture, structure and M&E in 3D. end up putting to good use for model is being built without any extra The advantages of this working method Passivhaus when we started the effort needed. Over the course of were immediately apparent when project. The techniques set out above several more projects we have modelling the plant room. Instead of were tried for the first time on this gradually developed and refined this ending up with an ill-conceived and project and have been considerably further, learning from what works best congested layout, the M&E Engineer’s refined over subsequent projects. and what is most useful. input into the model resulted in a well-coordinated design, with plant As part of our learning and refining Having the Structural Engineer also equipment placed in an accessible and process arising from this project, we set working in BIM was a considerable well thought out position. up a specific project template with advantage. The fact that the M&E

CONCLUSIONS AND environment so lessons are real and changing the design and production immediately applicable. When we first information modelling process. We FUTURE PLANS started using BIM we did undertake have now reached the point where we considerable classroon-based training are starting to adjust our modelling Working in BIM has changed our but found that the lessons were quickly processes to increase the value that workflows a little, but we have been forgotten and in many cases had a high BIM can provide to the Passivhaus conscious to use BIM to our advantage. proportion of redundant content. process. For example, previously we modelled windows for what suited We haven’t let the change in software Partly as a result of our capabilities drawings and schedules based mainly or processes dictate how we design. It with BIM the office has recently on the visual appearance and the has certainly given us considerable expanded quite considerably, growing procurement packages (production advantages and when Wolverhampton to 26 people at the time of writing. We information). In this approach a single City Council commissioned us to initially looked for staff that could use window component might include design another Passivhaus school on a Revit and had knowledge of the BIM several glazed panels and mullions / tighter budget and further reduced process but found that it wasn’t a transoms. However, for Passivhaus time frame we knew with confidence deciding factor in the end. Most people each window panel needs specific that we could deliver a Passivhaus pick up the new skills and knowledge performance and geometric data and certified school within the budget and needed when immersed in a project additional information about the time constraints. Not only this, we also environment quickly and the process shading and adjacency conditions. knew we could still afford to invest encourages peer-to-peer interaction Providing this in the BIM process considerable time in client and user and learning. consultation, something we feel is involves extra modelling work, either in absolutely crucial, knowing that our We continue to encourage consultants creating bespoke BIM components or BIM design process had production we work with to engage with BIM if in adding bespoke parameters to efficiencies built in that would allow us they haven’t already, as we feel there pre-existing BIM components. We don’t to meet the demanding time are so many clear advantages when have a conclusion to this particular constraints. working together in a BIM process. situation yet as we are still exploring what works best. We are currently in the process of We are actively improving and refining implementing BIM across the whole our BIM workflow for Passivhaus There are also a number of gaps in the office and at the time of writing design. Now that we have an useful information for Passivhaus that approximately 80% of our work includes established project template that BIM software and Revit in particular, BIM. We have employed a ‘just in time’ provides a lot of what is needed from makes accessible. For example, approach to training. We train relevant the outset of a project, we are testing it component or element orientation can’t staff as they begin on a project, right on different projects and with different be scheduled in the model. Because the when it is needed, rather than taking a in-house Certified Passivhaus model can be located and orientated broad-brush approach and providing Designers. At the start of our BIM and correctly in the ‘real-world’ location generic training for all staff. In the Passivhaus journey we specifically and orientation, clearly the information same vein we aim to have as much aimed to maximise the value we could is there in the model. There are a training carried out in a live project get for the Passivhaus process without number of commercially available Revit

BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 08: BIM for Passivhaus Design | 65 add-ons that do make this information Meanwhile we have observed that base where Passivhaus is well available (along with other equally ArchiCAD, one of the competitors to established in comparison to Revit’s inaccessible but potentially useful Revit for architectural BIM authoring, stronger US base where Passivhaus is information) and we may consider has invested considerably in improving still relatively new. Hopefully this kind investing in these tools at some point to integration with Passivhaus design and of healthy competition will result in all extend the capabilities of Revit. PHPP data requirements. This might be software providers continuing to due to ArchiCAD’s strong European improve their offering.

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Look for ways to automate your ƒ Use BIM to filter the available model ƒ It is important to tailor technical workflow as much as you can but data for what is actual useful support to an individual’s needs so not too much. Professional information. BIM software has the they can overcome the particular judgement and subjective quality potential to provide a huge amount challenges they face. control based on experience and of data from the model but only some knowledge still have important of it is actually useful. Having the roles to play. right data available at the right time is more important than having a vast quantity of data, particularly when designing to a rigorous energy standard such as Passivhaus.

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BUILDING PASSIVHAUS WITH BIM

Practice: Employees: Technology: Eurobuild 1 director, ArchiCAD; 1 architect, EcoDesigner Director: 1 architectural STAR; James Anwyl assistant, MEP Modeler; Location: 1 design engineer BIMx (Graphisoft); 09 Sussex and 1 finance TAS (EDSL); officer PHPP (Passive House Planning James Anwyl Founded: Package). 2006

In the second case study on the THE PRACTICE With the ability to work faster and with use of BIM in Passivhaus projects a reliably coordinated output it soon Eurobuild talk about the effect became apparent that there was no that BIM has had on the stablished in 2006, Eurobuild turning back from working in 3D. We construction phase and beyond. is an RIBA Chartered practice began by using the online tutorials and Like Architype the practice uses a Ebased in Sussex. We have a within two weeks we were up and wide range of software to produce core team encompassing a practice running and more importantly knew its information. This chapter manager, architect, architectural 80% of the functionality of ArchiCAD. discusses sequencing and assistant, design engineer and The programs we use include: coordination from the model and finance officer. We also work closely then elaborates on how the model with a wider team of associated ƒ ArchiCAD 17 can contribute to the post- engineers and further specialists. ƒ EcoDesigner STAR (Graphisoft) – construction phase of a project, Eurobuild specialise in the design of for early stage energy evaluation with a review of how it was used Passivhaus and low-energy ƒ MEP Modeler (Graphisoft) – for health and safety, O&M buildings. Passivhaus typically for integrated services design Manuals and the BREAAM achieves more than 80% reduction in ƒ BIMx (Graphisoft) – for presentation User Guide. energy consumption over existing and client walk-round of entire buildings, resulting in significant model reductions in operating costs and ƒ TAS (EDSL) – thermal analysis maintenance. simulation ƒ PHPP (Passive House Planning All our projects since 2007 have been Package). designed using BIM. We are advisors and beta-testers for Graphisoft. BIM is not just 3D design, nor is BIM Eurobuild was one of six architectural just software. BIM is at the core a ‘We began by using the practices advising the government on process and provides a way of BIM implementation through the rehearsing the construction of a online tutorials and within Technologies’ Alliance and have building virtually, element by element. two weeks we were up advised a number of main contractors Each element can be attributed with and running and more on how to make effective use of BIM. useful information like cost, size and We began using BIM because our weight, material type that can also be importantly knew 80% of existing software licence was coming located in the virtual building spatially the functionality of to an end and we were researching by storey, zone or room. other potential software. ArchiCAD.’ BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 09: Building Passivhaus with BIM | 67

The sustainability agenda is driving In the early days, we struggled a little but we are still wrestling with what architects to develop designs that look with how to classify an object, which level of detail to provide – because it’s beautiful and feel great but also reduce layer to put it in and to what level of becoming very easy to work at high energy consumption, carbon emissions detail we should be working. Our levels of detail, it’s very tempting to and operational costs. protocols are becoming more provide it. Then you have to manage established with each job and they also client expectations because they get Development of a project model using evolve each time so tracking the used to you over-delivering! BIM allows us to design to a high level changes is crucial. of complexity and the software can help to predict the energy use of the It was important to define a template building. so that we all work in the same way,

THE PROJECT Possibly more importantly, Hadlow’s X IN AREAS OF COMPLEXITY RRC cost 15% less to build than a This was where some parts of the old Completed in 2010, The Rural standard school at the time – £1742/m2 building needed to be added to, before Regeneration Centre at Hadlow College including all fees and landscaping, of joining to the new parts of the building. in Kent was the first certified which £1484/m2 were construction The build sequence was simulated for Passivhaus educational building in the costs. We could not have achieved this the contractor and the QS to make clear UK and is located on the college’s fully value for money without ArchiCAD. operational dairy farm. what was happening, so that costs could evolve accurately. This was a Eurobuild inherited the project from precursor to the renovation tool another architectural practice that developed by ArchiCAD, which we use failed to get planning approval. a lot now in refurbishments. The main purpose of the building is to enable seminar-based teaching, with a Figure 9.1 staff office and meeting space Virtual construction using a crane and lorry to plan erection of panel based alongside an exhibition area. building Technically a conversion, the building is 90% new-build but uses some block-built elements of a redundant cow shed for the plant room and wet working demonstration area. The project was shortlisted for BUILDING’s Sustainable Project of the Year 2010 and won Environmental Project of the Year 2011 in the Construction Computing Awards for innovative and comprehensive use of BIM. We now have two years of data from the energy monitoring system and this has been analysed to assess the performance. We compared the results with a survey of 834 schools built in the last ten years and compared to the mean averaged result from the survey (133 kWh/m2/yr), Hadlow’s RRC is using 80% less energy for heating and hot water and 70% less electricity. When compared to the best performing school in the survey, Hadlow’s RRC uses about 50% less heating energy and more than 50% less electricity.

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Figure 9.2 In BIM and as built: ArchiCAD’s accurate representation pre-construction

X METHODS STATEMENTS The cost associated with assembling The seminar room windows are time these documents in ‘analogue’ folder and temperature operated to enable The method statement for the crane format equated to the same amount as free cooling at night with effective schedule lift of components was in the creating a website for all the data. cross-ventilation. Individual window form of a visual plan. The project CDM Using hyperlinks to reduce document pergolas and a colonnade across the coordinator stated that this volume enables updates, etc. with no south façade prevent overheating in communicated more clearly than any chance of documents getting lost. summer – all solar modelled in 3D written statement could. It also allowed ArchiCAD, checked with TAS software for maintained access zones, for X CHALLENGES AND OUTCOMES and backed up by the PHPP analysis. example it defined where the lorry and In terms of challenges the building had the crane would be sited to avoid Constructed of super-insulated closed a full-height, north-facing window to clashes despite a high quantity of panels, the structure was planned and provide light to the main seminar room. material on a constrained site. assembled in just three days. The build This feature became an issue when process was communicated to the site X VALUE AND AFTERCARE running it through the Passive House operators with such clarity that the Planning Package (PHPP) and required In terms of aftercare, a website was result was seamless assembly of the increased performance in other areas of built to be used by the client team and 350m2 building. the building to counteract the hosted by Eurobuild that combined all heat loss. the information required for the Health and Safety, O&M (Operation and This included designing in solar gain to Maintenance) and the BREEAM User the south and south-west elevations Guide. This was more cost-effective and from skylights, as well as upping than creating the standard lever arch the wall insulation from the usual folders and resulted in a more 300mm to 400mm. These performance accessible and updateable facility. improvements were modelled in to ArchiCAD to assess their visual impact and thermal performance.

Figure 9.3b Figure 9.3a Clarifying to the QS and contractor Retained concrete block walls and retained, demolished and new walls new slab with foundations modelled before the ‘renovation tool’

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The structure was airtight to a very high standard of 0.34 h-1 in under ten Figure 9.4 Resin printed model of the days overall. Without ArchiCAD, this Hadlow College building level of prefabrication and subsequent time savings would not have been possible. Using BIM throughout the project, from planning to commissioning, has led us to introduce an in-house BIM standard to ensure consistent output across future projects. We carried out a detailed analysis of the benefits of MEP modelling the ventilation at Hadlow. We assessed who benefits from this exercise and why. For instance, main contractor benefits from there being less BWIC, whilst OS can generate more accurate quantities and the sub contractor can prefabricate more, reducing waste and time on-site. Against each of these benefits we calculated the cost saving and defined whether it was a material or a labour saving. Even with the additional cost (which More importantly perhaps, the greatest we had to absorb) of modelling from the benefit we see from using BIM is mechanical engineering drawings, the reducing risk, which is a lot harder to net benefit from this single line within monetise or assess from a financial the build programme, the net gain was perspective. over £3600.

CONCLUSIONS AND We are certain that we do now have thermal properties can again be more weight with our offer at the determined in the tool. FUTURE PLANS tipping point of securing projects. We We have also started to use customised are also now able to do virtual The efficiency of working in 3D has technologies to suit the way we work. prototyping which we could not before. revolutionised our process and project We have now coded a set of GDL The Hadlow College resin model was outputs. With minor changes there is scripted parametric objects that printed directly from an ArchiCAD .stl less checking and slick documentation. correlate precisely to our timber frame file at a scale of 1:100. This was the first Major changes are quick and real. It factory parameters, adhering to known time that an object has been printed has driven a far greater understanding engineering and transport limits. of buildings. directly from an ArchiCAD file. This was developed with our in-house In terms of the concrete benefits of the The risk is also far less for the same knowledge of the panels system we tools we use the big advantage of using effort, which as a result is import from Austria. When we build in EcoDesigner STAR in the design of demonstrating good value for less ArchiCAD using this system, we can low-energy buildings is that it can input. Thus a section that would schedule out cost, weight, volume and accurately assess energy performance normally take a day to provide can be carbon footprint data in real time, without exporting to another tool, so all done in less than an hour and be allowing us to assess the design the information built into the guaranteed to be error free – against these factors throughout the composite wall build-ups, etc. can or as good as the model at any rate! process. actually be used directly. Using BIM in this way has helped us to It has changed our environment In addition, it takes 2D details from develop new relationships and increase because we all work in ArchiCAD ArchiCAD and calculates psi-values in our profile considerably, although it ‘Teamwork’ now on one model (only) in order to assess thermal bridges. takes time for this to translate into the cloud – something we didn’t have Openings are recognised and their actual project work. on the Hadlow project.

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For Hadlow our mechanical and Figure 9.5 electrical engineers produced 2D data MEP model of ventilation to reduce which were imported as layers and 3D BWIC and waste on-site information was modelled by our team and confirmed as correct (to be issued) by the consultants. This was of course time intensive, but massively reduced risk and definitely improved overall design and execution. To give you an on-site example, our Hadlow project ductwork contractors had estimated four days of work on-site, but actually completed their works within 2.5 days. The 3D drawing allowed them to work considerably faster as they were far clearer on the work required.

Figure 9.6 2D version of ventilation with flow rates for Building Control

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LESSONS LEARNED

ƒ BIM is such a new tool, the breadth ƒ You can invest in a single licence for ƒ Go for it! and depth of it is vast which allows relatively small initial outlay and we practices to develop bespoke would say that you would see the processes to suit both their and payback very quickly, within a their clients needs. month.

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BIM AND WORKING WITH CONSULTANTS

Practice: Employees: Technology: Metz Architects 4 architects, Autodesk Revit 1 senior Building Design Location: technologist / Suite Premium; Leicester BIM manager, Autodesk Directors: 2 BIM Navisworks; 10 Nick Allen technologists and Quarter1; 1 office manager Tekla BIMSight; Nick Allen Solibri Model Founded: Viewer; 1998 SketchUp

This case study focuses on the THE PRACTICE The economic chill of autumn of 2008 transition from ‘lonely BIM’ was a seminal moment for Metz. We (maturity Level 1) to working had just completed the pre-contract with other consultants (maturity etz was formed in 1998 design and production work on our Level 2). between myself and (then) largest ever single project; a £38 million Mbusiness partner, an college of further education, possibly Moving beyond simply taking the architect from commercial practice. the last procured before the collapse of internal productivity benefits of I had been a sole practitioner for ten the Learning and Skills Council’s BIM to working with others is a years, having set up shop in the late ‘Building Colleges of the Future’ capital very significant step that requires 1980’s construction boom. In 1998 we expenditure programme. The delay and the use of new tools and had recently won a major national then cancellation of this single management processes. design competition (the programme laid waste to dozens of The greater level of awareness of redevelopment of Smithills Hall and architectural practices both large and your fellow consultants and their Estate in Lancashire into a regional small. This was bad enough, but the information requirements and visitor attraction) and had secured a decision by the government in 2010 to timings is key to the success of a stream of work delivering shop fitting abandon significant investment in project. The case study delves into production information packages public sector projects wholesale would the detail of making these across Europe for the sportswear devastate the profession and push the processes work and the retailer, Nike. construction industry into freefall. management tools, including a Previously we were predominantly At the height of the ‘boom’, Metz BIM execution plan, that are drawing board based, but in 1998 we employed 16 staff, had taken a lease on required to do so successfully. dabbled with MiniCAD (now sizeable offices and had ambitious Vectorworks) on Macintosh on a project plans for expansion. In November 2008, or two. Nike mandated that we used we surveyed the rows of empty AutoCAD for their projects so that we workstations at which, a few months could deliver their works packages earlier, work colleagues sat, many of electronically by the newfangled them friends. ‘email’. At a stroke then we abandoned MiniCAD and Macs and went over to In 2009 myself and my fellow director PC and AutoCAD. made a board decision for fundamental change. On viewing our finances it So by demand rather than design, the became clear that big is sometimes far predominant legacy supplier of software less than beautiful. to the practice has been Autodesk.

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We had haemorrhaged resources and ‘Revit’ on the promise of a discount if SMALL AND FLEXIBLE BEATS BIG therefore money on our ‘big break’ we bought anything. The rest is BIM AND BULKY project, leading to a significant loss. history (not that we called anything Small practice is the ideal springboard BIM in 2009). We had taken on expensive offices and into the new age of BIM. We are much been exploited by staffing agencies. Our team was convinced that better placed to adopt BIM because Fees had been undercut for years in implementing Revit (or something small practices are more adaptable and spite of the boom. Experience told us similar) would offer us significant flexible than large practices when it that twice as many employees did not productivity improvements as we could comes to managing change. The translate into twice as much profit (or generate any plan or section that we adoption costs are comparatively low. even any profit sometimes). It was cared to, at any location in the building, For the large architectural practice, a apparent that the practice of if we constructed a single boardroom decision on a new venue for architecture, in the traditional sense, comprehensive 3D model. the Christmas party is akin to turning was marginal at best. With our major around a super-tanker. We could automatically schedule off workflow gone and the prospect of a (doors or windows for example) which Imagine then the logistical and downturn lasting for up to a decade, we would eliminate mistakes if there were financial dynamic of a fundamental either fundamentally changed the way revisions, as there would be a single change like adopting BIM now that the we worked, or went out of business. point of maintenance for the tidal wave has breached the horizon. We had some luck. We exploited a information. Better still, if we changed Perhaps one of the biggest assets of break clause in our lease and moved to something such as a floor to floor level running a small practice is to be at the new offices half the size (our workforce for example, we could revise potentially helm of a jet ski. We can make instant was half the size by now after all). We hundreds of section and plan drawings decisions and then just do it! also had a decent project in progress (a in hours instead of days (or even remnant from the college building weeks). programme without any government At a stroke, we added a tier of delivery funding). Finally, the Autodesk efficiency to our technical production marketing machine had cajoled a and removed a raft of risk. This led to couple of our team to a re-seller an immediate improvement in presentation flogging something called profitability.

DO YOUR RESEARCH!

All the mainstream BIM authoring Costs for software vary wildly. There with better functionality every year tools have their strengths and are always deals to be done and offers. and if you skip a couple of releases, weaknesses. The origins of Revit are Get several prices from different you will soon find yourself out of date derived from a product called Pro resellers. Upgrading from 2D packages and could have compatibility issues. Engineer. It’s completely different is a cheaper option, as is swapping Remember to research the hardware from AutoCAD so previous experience from one vendor to another, as they are too. Big models are very memory with Revit won’t necessarily mean all keen for new customers. intensive and different BIM authoring you’re ahead of the curve. Some software products and model tools have different memory It might be better to start learning a viewers are actually free! You can requirements so you may find that your BIM authoring tool that you have no federate and clash detect models in existing machines will not cope with previous experience of rather than Tekla BIMsight without lashing out your chosen software. Some products relying on an entrenched existing thousands on Navisworks for example. will only run on 64 bit machines and skill set. You can share and comment on models you need two big monitors for with your clients for nothing, using maximum productivity as well as a Get demonstrations from all the some of the mainstream products like decent graphics card. vendors and think carefully about Navisworks Freedom. what you expect from the software. Do you just want a 3D modelling tool, You should also consider a subscription or a serious collaborative BIM tool service rather than a one-off purchase. which will integrate with another It seems more expensive but all of the consultant’s software? major vendors update their software

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The decision to adopt BIM was an However, imagine you had 50 or 100 a quite complex college building obvious one although we rather naïvely staff to train. The costs in cash and containing an auditorium, fly tower, did not investigate the other options to time are enormous for larger practices. sports centre, music and arts facilities, Revit. We had some spare cash to buy So much so it’s holding many of them traditional classrooms and workshops, two seats of the software and three back. part refurb but predominantly days of training for two of our new-build. Having downsized Our next decision was how to technologists. Our existing hardware considerably from our peak, we had implement. Some people suggest could just about cope. In all the initial neither the available resources nor the running a parallel project in 3D investment was about £9,000. This may spare cash to twin track a project. So alongside a project in 2D (Revit versus seem significant. If you also add in new rather ambitiously, we decided to go for AutoCAD for example). The project we hardware costs you are looking at the it – head first into the deep end. had in mind for our first attempt was a thick end of £5,000 to £6,000 a seat. good sized one at £16 to £17 million;

THE PROJECTS X PHASE 2, DUDLEY EVOLVE This first project was not really BIM at all. It was 3D modelling with bells on. Dudley Evolve is a purpose-built BIM is about a collaborative working resource for students over 16 housing X DUDLEY LEARNING QUARTER environment with others. This project learning facilities for business, PHASES 2 AND 3 was a classic example of what we now information technology, travel and call ‘lonely BIM’, which is basically 3D These two projects form part of a major tourism, sport, public services, architectural modelling with Further Education campus performing arts, hair and beauty, productivity benefits. In 2009 there redevelopment and demonstrate our media, graphics, art and design, along were few Structural or Building journey from lonely to collaborative with a new stage school for performing Services Consultants using BIM BIM. arts, dance and music. collaboratively. Indeed, there were few credible mainstream BIM products for Figure 10.1 Building Services until 2012. We didn’t Dudley College: ‘Evolve’ actually think much about creating a collaborative model. The other consultants we were working with weren’t interested and had neither the software nor the inclination amongst the staff to change their skill sets. You need a collaborative model to really tease out some of the fundamental issues in construction regarding miscommunication and misunderstanding between consultants. This project worked really well for us. True, there is significantly more work to do ‘front end’ to produce the initial model, but once you have you can greatly step up the productivity. The resource to deliver the tender and production information was significantly reduced to a core team of two technologists working on the model as multiple drawings could be produced at the same instant with related scheduling cross-referenced automatically produced. There was no requirement for a BIM deliverable from the client group. Figure 10.2 However, it enabled us to produce 3D ‘Evolve’: cutaway perspective Figure 10.3 plan from the BIM ‘Evolve’: atrium visual from the BIM views on demand and at an early stage in the design process which meant that BIM in SmallSmall Practices | CCasease Study 10: BIM and Working with CConsultantsonsultants | 75

Figure 10.4 Dudley College ‘Advance’: artists impression (CGI)

the client and stakeholders could X PHASE 3, DUDLEY ADVANCE ‘BIM technology could herald the visualise the design and spaces return of architects to the role of Dudley Advance is a four-storey Further straight away. Subsequently they were ‘master builder.’ Architects could Education building also within the much more engaged within the design choose to become ‘integrators’ of Dudley Learning Quarter designed to process, which improved decision projects ‘striving to return to the role deliver advanced engineering and making. It was only when we actually that many still romantically profess manufacturing skills. At a contract built the building and moved onto an ambition for’’ value of £6 million, it contains Phase 3 that we realised what the true workshops, laboratories, virtual This was Metz ambition for our next potential of collaborative BIM was. prototyping facilities, CAD studios and building. After Evolve, we decided our next traditional classrooms. Its design project would be the full collaborative reflects the engineering aesthetic. To BIM experience and with the backing paraphrase the government’s former of the client, we would force the other chief construction advisor Paul consultants to engage. Morrell…

Figure 10.5 ‘Advance’: Cutaway Perspective Plan from the BIM

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UNDERSTANDING WHAT EVERYONE DOES

‘Coordination of building Two common issues are: This invariably leads to significant coordination clashes between building ƒ The lack of understanding within elements on-site can be a services, structure and architecture. design teams (and I include The result is huge cost on-site and real problem – and this is architects here) as to what the other compromise on design (often leaving consultant members actually design where BIM can come into architects wondering why buildings and produce and a lack of proper sprout this and that appendage, its own if used properly. It coordination of those team members’ mystery bulkhead and inconvenient outputs. This has become known as has the potential to ‘boxing in’ as their building nears the ‘silo mentality’. support successful completion). ƒ The associated lack (under Design collaboration amongst With BIM, once you understand the and Build) of pre-contract detailed concept of reviewing complete consultants and design information leads to the buildings proactively in real time as bizarre situation where the design contractors.’ 3D models during design, rather than and selection of large elements of a reactively when the problems arrive building and by implication the on-site, consultant teams can finally associated coordination issues, is understand the implications of their passed over to subcontractors and collective design decisions. fabricators (post-tender) and in particular within the realm of Everyone’s work is defined visually building services. and is therefore completely transparent to everyone else. Really, once everyone gets out of their silos and joins in, life gets much easier.

Figure 10.6 ‘Advance’: Building, Structure, Civils and Building Services federated into the ‘Virtual Prototype’

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Figure 10.7 ‘Advance’: Principal Risers and Plant Rooms. Building Services modelled to RIBA Stage E and Ductwork to DW144

‘For the first time on a Design and Build project we now had a fully coordinated design for architecture, structure and building services, before going out to tender, eliminating potential issues on-site’

Adopting BIM has allowed us to BSRIA Pro-Forma 4: Technical Design This process does mean that more mitigate coordination issues almost to fully coordinated ‘virtual prototype’ design work is required on building entirely by the development of what we using a software product called services pre-contract than that which have termed the coordinated ‘virtual CADduct (now an Autodesk product has become the norm under Design prototype’ designing the building pre- CADmep) using specified equipment and Build. The cost to the client in this tender to BSRIA Pro-Forma 4: Technical levels and to ductwork standard DW144 case (at about 25k) is about the same as Design for building services and RIBA for ventilation systems. This is a a handful of mistakes on your average Stage 4, Technical Design, for building process usually reserved for post- building site! The real savings are thus and structure. Defining the building contract detailed design and in time and money, by stripping out the services design to Stage 4 at the outset fabrication. risks of poor coordination. gives a clearly identified set of design For the first time on a Design and Build X DEVELOPING THE ‘VIRTUAL deliverables (which even an architect project we now had a fully coordinated PROGRAMME’ can understand) which can be design for architecture, structure and modelled almost to fabrication level to The further development of the model building services, before going out to deliver a fully coordinated design at through the construction phase ‘as tender, eliminating potential issues tender stage. This gives the client and built’ (by linking it to the construction on-site. design team confidence that what is programme via a simulation package designed actually fits together and Apart from the obvious benefit of clash such as Synchro), allows the client and gives the contractor enough confidence detection to resolve pre-construction design team to see, in three in the design to reduce his risk register conflicts predominantly between dimensions, the actual progress of the and subsequent tender. structure and building services, there is project at a given moment in time, scope for supply chain efficiencies rather than the spurious progress often After a number of projects where because the building services were identified on a contractor’s bar chart. building services coordination proved modelled in a tool like CADduct, the Added benefits include a physical to be a real issue, we persuaded our manufacture of the ductwork (for record of progress at given points in client Dudley College to model the example) can be driven directly out of time which can be used for reference if building services design from the the model without the fabricator having later disputes arise. consultant designed proposals at to produce their own drawings.

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And, in terms of stakeholder engagement the benefit is the ability to make design changes before things are built, rather than changing something that doesn’t work once it’s in place, with the inherent redesign and rectification costs. It is now possible with cost estimating software products to link the simulation to the ‘earned value’ at a given moment in time to assist in monthly valuations.

Figure 10.9 ‘Advance’: extract for the ‘virtual programme’ in Synchro

CONCLUSIONS AND fundamentally change the way it designing with the supply chain, delivers buildings under Design and designing to a target cost and sharing FUTURE PLANS Build. If the design is delivered to full any residual funds at the end of the virtual prototype pre-contract with project. Any overspend on the project is We believe there has always been a input from specialists, there is very shared by the collaborative but capped conflict of interest in a client’s little design work left to do after the by a single insurance policy for the consultants being novated to contract has been awarded. In this case whole project rather than by individuals contractors under Design and Build. the architect could stay ‘client side’ PI cover. This eliminates the ‘blame Whilst the process offers some post-contract and monitor the culture’ inherent in design and continuity, once the paymaster moves contractor’s construction of the design, construction as it is in everyone’s from client to contractor, by necessity leaving the contractor to deliver his interests for the project to succeed, so do the elegancies. In terms of the own ‘construction’ drawings. So it offering true working efficiencies and value consultants can deliver to clients, could be possible to have both the guaranteed maximum price and low this no longer exists as they become benefits of BIM and the benefits of risk for the client. Design and Build. You could call it just another subcontractor service. BIM has opened up opportunities and ‘Virtual Design and Build’. Two of the perceived great benefits of changed the way we do business and Design and Build are ‘guaranteed We plan to develop the concept of in dark times has arguably been its maximum price’ and ‘passing of all pre-contract virtual prototyping into a saviour. For small practices, seize the risks to the contractor’. Certainly with ‘client side’ integrated professional opportunity and get on that jet ski! And complex buildings, our experience of service including architecture, calling all clients... if you are getting to Design and Build delivers neither. structure, building services and cost grips with BIM, would you rather There are always changes and where planning. BIM can put ‘new age’ thumb a lift on the jet ski or wallow in there are changes there is additional architects back, not as master builders, the wake of the super-tanker? cost. On the question of risk, but as master builders of the virtual contractors ‘price’ risk as part of their prototype. Back with the client and ‘We plan to develop the tenders. The weaker the design and back in control. concept of pre-contract tender information, the higher the risk There are also new ways of working and the higher the price. If the risk together which we are now actively virtual prototyping into a doesn’t manifest itself, the contractor engaged with. The government “client side” integrated keeps the money. So on both counts, acknowledges the deficiencies in the guaranteed maximum price and risk, old forms of procurement and is rapidly professional service... BIM the client ends up paying more! promoting new collaborative ways of can put “new age” In terms of procurement, arguably BIM working such as Integrated Project architects back, not as works well with traditional contracts, Insurance (IPI). Embracing BIM, IPI is a design teams and processes. Equally delivery mechanism whereby all master builders, but as though, BIM now offers the parties to the construction of a building master builders of the embrace the project as a collaborative, construction industry the potential to virtual prototype.’ BIM in Small Practices | Case Study 10: BIM and Working with Consultants | 79

LESSONS LEARNT

ƒ Make a decision: Small practices ƒ Prepare to change the way you ƒ Adopt PAS 1192 and learn about are adaptable and can react work: You need to learn new BIM Execution Plans (BEPs) and quickly. Remember, you are at the protocols and procedures for Employers Information helm of a jet ski. There is an 18 collaborative working so everyone in Requirements (EIRs). and change month learning curve to get to the project team is singing off the your preferred sub-consultants if grips with BIM so get on with it. same hymn sheet. Unlike 2D CAD, they are not interested in joining Don’t wait for a client to tell you to there is NO margin for error. If the the party. do it. You’ll never catch up in time. modelling isn’t ‘spot on’ the whole ƒ Don’t worry too much about the project can fall apart. capital cost. If cash is tight, think about financing the capital costs over two or three years. There is no shortage of providers who want to lend to professionals.

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Part B: Contextual Chapters

01 Why BIM? 83 Ray Crotty

02 Getting Started with BIM 87 David Miller

03 Tapping into the BIM community 89 Stefan Mordue and Rebecca De Cicco

04 BIM and Diversification 91 Robert Klaschka

BIM glossary 93 Rob Jackson

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WHY BIM? Ray Crotty 01

The versatility of small practices ƒ You depend on the person at the apparently self-aware components, in a makes the opportunity to other end of the conversation to powerful, computerised, 3D environment. transform the construction complete the picture, to read your These components can be as detailed industry to integrated digital drawing correctly and to understand and as accurate as you like. They workflows more accessible than it fully. (appear to) behave just like building ever before. The new roles, new ƒ And no matter how much effort you components in the real world. Doors, processes, better, more put into it, drawings will never be windows, walls, beams, pumps, customised manufacturing and unambiguously clear, fully complete, luminaires, all display properties in the the huge markets of the correct, internally consistent and modelling system which correspond developing world are there for the coordinated with other people’s exactly with those of their counterparts small practitioner to play a part related documentation. With in the real world. (That is actually a in. This chapter discusses the drawings this is simply not possible. deceptively slippery idea). Individual fundamental changes that BIM So huge numbers of people throughout models or parts of models created in will make to the way we design the industry spend inordinate amounts this way are inherently accurate and and make buildings and explores of their time checking information, complete. the opportunities that are open to guessing the true intent, getting it a forward-looking and ambitious They can contain extremely high- wrong, correcting things, making small practitioner. quality information, rich with embodied mistakes, cutting stuff out… kango intelligence and other forms of hammers. All because the only way we programmed behaviour. have of designing buildings is with The immediate practice scale benefits drawings – drawings that produce X Interoperability of BIM are if anything clearer and more inherently untrustworthy, unintelligent, easily achieved within a small practice, The second part of the BIM concept un-computable information but the wider strategic consequences concerns the idea of interoperability: and opportunities can be missed by the X BIM how to make sure that this wonderfully smaller practitioner. high-quality information can be shared BIM – the combination of parametric between modelling systems and X The Problem with Drawings 3D modelling systems, with rigorous between models and other types of communications standards and ƒ With drawings, no matter how industry applications, such as building effective business-to-business detailed you get, you can only say performance analysis and project protocols – changes all that. Very approximately what you mean or management systems, without simply, BIM can involve the creation of intend. becoming degraded in the process. one or more 3D models of a building using, not lines, but complex, fully specified, apparently intelligent, BIM in Small Practices | Context 01: Why BIM? | 83

This issue has two parts: 1. EFFECTIVE COMPETITION Instead they subcontract and sub- subcontract, right down the supply ƒ First, there must exist an agreed data The single greatest problem with our chain, to the point where subsistence exchange mechanism by means of dependence on drawings lies in their level, labour only subcontractors, which information can be reliably use as the basis for the procurement of working in gang-size firms, actually imported and exported between construction contracts. perform the bulk of the industry’s work. interfacing systems. ƒ And second, in a world of multiple, Effective competition, in any market, These organisations have neither the discipline-specific models or part requires that the customer can specify vision nor the wherewithal to invest in models, there needs to be clear his or her requirements accurately and improving project delivery processes. agreement as to who should provide in such a manner that competing As a result, effective competition exists what information, to whom, at what suppliers’ proposals can be compared only at the top and bottom ends of the level of development, at any given and evaluated transparently, on a true construction industry: competition of point in the project life cycle. and accurate, like-for-like basis. ideas amongst designers; and product competition amongst BIM is the term we apply to the whole X Drawings and procurement manufacturers. Everyone in between combination: modelling systems, data This is, almost inherently, impossible to competes to win projects – they do not exchange standards and information achieve using drawing-based compete to deliver them. This is a interchange protocols. documentation. crucial, crippling distinction. What would happen if, instead of the Using this type of material, the scope of X New opportunities poor-quality information generated work can be interpreted to mean almost by drawings, the information used in For the small practitioner new anything a bidder can plausibly claim it construction were fully trustworthy – opportunities will emerge through means – which means that there is no needing no checking before use – and alliances with larger slow-moving definitive definition of the scope of were readily computable, as the BIM corporates who need the investment in work of the contract. This in turn vision promises? innovation that small firms can make. means that it is impossible to eliminate How will this change the landscape of predatory bidders from the contracting Trustworthy, computable tender the construction industry and process. All of the bidders for a given documents will transform this furthermore will small practices be able contract know this and know that one situation. to take advantage or do they risk being of their competitors may adopt a ‘bid ƒ With correct, coordinated, complete snuffed out? The following discussion low, claim high’ strategy. scope definition, bidders are of three key areas which will undergo They must all therefore bid as low as compelled to compete on the basis of fundamental change should provide they dare and hope to make their profit their ability to perform the strategic focus for a small practice on re-interpreted work, claims and construction work. business plan. other extras. This behaviour eliminates ƒ Every scope line item can be linked the possibility of effective competition directly with a component in the for the operations components of model and must therefore be priced construction contracts. explicitly. ƒ Every price can be compared X Competition amongst automatically and challenged as contractors appropriate. There are no claims ‘The small practitioner Competition amongst contractors today opportunities, so bidders must get it is mainly about the marketing and right going in. who is able to embrace estimating skills and commercial nerve The small practitioner who is able to required to win work and the claims change quickly should find embrace change quickly should find management skills required to make themselves in a position to themselves in a position to compete money from projects won at cost, or less. compete strongly with strongly with much larger practices, Skills in construction operations may because of the staff training and much larger practices, give project teams a sense of pride and structuring issues and because of their because of the staff achievement, but are largely irrelevant speed and cost at which they can adopt to the survival of the firms they work new ways of working. training and structuring for. ƒ Predatory bidding will be eliminated. issues and because of their So contractors, with no existential ƒ Contractors will be compelled to speed and cost at which imperative to innovate, avoid compete directly with each other on they can adopt new ways innovation risk and avoid investing in the basis of the efficiency and improved production methods. productivity of their project delivery of working.’ techniques. 84 | Context 01: Why BIM? | BIM in Small Practices

ƒ As in other efficient markets, This has many advantages including ƒ They already know how product competition will force contractors to competitive sourcing from whatever design, component sourcing and improve these continuously. part of the world is most appropriate. It assembly processes work, as this is ƒ Efficient firms will profit greatly also hugely compresses the time how they currently deal with their – they’re no longer going to be required for site construction. mainstream products: lifts, cladding undercut by claims-hunting systems, switchgear, mechanical X Long guarantees predators. Profit will no longer be equipment, etc. squeezed out of the industry. Just as long guarantees are an ƒ Some of these firms will surely ƒ Construction as a whole will become important attraction to buyers of motor extend the range of their activities, wealthier, able at last to invest cars and other complex products, so perhaps by acquiring construction seriously in people, methods and long guarantees are likely to drive the firms, to include the production and physical capital. market for buildings of the future. servicing of guaranteed buildings.

2. MANUFACTURED BUILDINGS ƒ Suppliers will emerge who will offer, Some of the opportunities of this new say, 20 year guarantees. These will world of manufactured buildings are The precision and computability of cover all of the performance alluded to by Rob Annable in the case model-based designs enable physical characteristics of a building that can study by Axis Architects to achieve components of buildings to be be simulated and tested in a BIM performance and speed of build. environment. machine-made directly, using the data The potential advantages even on ƒ This will include the maintenance contained in the modelling systems. smaller projects, where the architect performance of the fabric of the fills the role of designer and project ƒ The idea of ¼” and greater building and of the equipment within manager, to form alliances with construction ‘tolerance’ will disappear. it, the building’s energy performance manufacturers of superstructure and ƒ Individual objects will be and even the ease with which it can cladding systems is plain. manufactured with effectively perfect be reconfigured for new uses during precision (where this is appropriate) its lifetime. As Rob demonstrated, to a large extent and will be pre-assembled, equally ƒ The suppliers of these buildings, these possibilities already exist, even if precisely, in the factory, before being such as Rolls Royce with its aero they are currently for building systems shipped to site. engines, or closer to home, the Otis instead of whole buildings. ƒ There, individual components and Elevator Company, will aim to derive sub-assemblies will be dropped, or as much of their revenues from 3. CHANGING ROLES IN clipped, or slotted into place, perhaps servicing the product in its life in CONSTRUCTION using the sort of ‘click-lock’ coupling use, as from the initial sale. techniques used in electronics and In the scenario envisaged here, other areas of manufacturing. This mode of operation will ensure that buildings become products; huge, buildings of the future will be designed complex products admittedly, but The key point is that no manufacturing and built to optimise their whole life products nonetheless. And the market from raw materials and no shaping costs. It will also require that for buildings will be characterised by operations – no pouring, cutting, performance feedback loops become an powerful, effective competitive forces routing, drilling, bending, folding of integral part of the operation and which will compel their suppliers to components – will take place on-site. maintenance of future buildings, innovate continuously. The site becomes an assembly plant ensuring that their suppliers become – comparable to a car assembly plant; real learning organisations, with an In the wider economy, it is expected the need for large numbers of skilled inescapable commitment to the that all three of the classic factors of craftsmen and their helpers will ongoing maintenance and operation of production: land, labour and capital, disappear. their products. will continue to be critically scarce. The survival of firms using them will require X Super-fast-track industry X Specialist subcontractors that they be combined with the finest It will also be a super-fast-track industry. ƒ Specialist subcontractors may possible judgement. Knowing that the other elements of the continue, but only as part of larger However, the new factor of production building have been (can only be) contracting organisations, or as – computing power – will become assembled exactly as designed, means licensed, thus guaranteed, installers dominant; and as computers are that, instead of having to wait to check of manufactured equipment or expected to continue to follow Moore’s whether earlier elements have been systems. law for the foreseeable future, so they built correctly, the manufacture of all ƒ Major equipment and building will continue to become cheaper and components could, if required, commence systems manufacturers (GE, United cheaper over time. The future we face simultaneously and proceed in parallel, Technologies, Siemens, is one of effectively perfect information, as soon as the model has been completed. Permasteelisa…) will perhaps become together with effectively unlimited main contractors or assemblers. computing power.

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X Programming designed and constructed and it’s 4. CONCLUSION largely how Frank Gehry’s studio has One result is that anything that can be worked for the past 20 years. In conclusion, notice that each of programmed, will be programmed. A the issues discussed here combines huge range of human activities will be Construction is the largest remaining threats and opportunities in ways subjected to this treatment and will source of employment for very large that have never been seen before. become embedded as code in the numbers of men of low levels of Remember too, that we tend to hardware or software of computerised education: craftsmen and labourers. It over-stress the short-term impacts systems. also employs large numbers of people of new technologies and to greatly who carry out routine, rules-based Most other engineering-based, under-stress their long-term work: code engineers and rules-based, industries have already effects. administrators and, of course, the been changed out of recognition by this armies of checkers, man-for-man To survive in this world SMEs will process. Construction will undergo a markers and so on. need to become and continue to be, similar transformation. aware of global developments in X Digitisation of construction For example, highly ‘intelligent’ the construction industry but also programmable parametric components The digitisation of construction will to look outside construction and in modelling systems will embed their follow the same general pattern as was keep abreast of information-driven own engineering rules, so that pretty experienced in other engineering innovation in other industries. well all of the performance analysis – industries – and massive structural Peoples’ firms and their jobs will structural, thermal, acoustic, etc. – of reductions in employment levels will still be changed beyond their almost all components, assemblies and follow. The timing of the transition from wildest expectations, but if they building spaces will be carried out in analogue to digital in construction is stay alert, at least they’ll have a BIM, as part of the architectural design difficult to predict accurately, but when chance of riding the wave rather of the building. Very little conventional it happens, it will be brutal and sudden. than being swamped by it. building engineering will be required. This is part of the process described by For the small practice with low risk The benefit of this type of working the American economist David Autor1, aversion the list of opportunities is environment to a small practice is amongst others, as the progressive long and the future bright for those huge, because the same resource is ‘hollowing out; polarisation of society’ who can transform themselves. You available as to the larger practices, but that has been observed in the USA and could argue that the changes that without the risk of implementation other developed economies since the are to come are well suited to the across a large workforce. 1980s. architect’s mindset, with the obsession for reinvention, Building design will divide into two However, bear in mind what Albert exploration, complexity and main areas of activity: conventional Einstein said (it’s always worth bearing discovery. One thing is for sure – ‘architectural’ design, essentially the in mind what Einstein said): there will be winners and losers in product design of complete buildings, a ‘Imagination is more important than this bright future. large part of which will involve the knowledge. For knowledge is limited to selection of existing components from all we now know and understand, product manufacturers’ websites. while imagination embraces the entire world and all there ever will be to know X Design of new components and understand.’ A second part of the role will involve Thus, knowledge can be codified, but the design of particular new imagination cannot. Human attributes components, in collaboration with such as empathy, courage, leadership appropriate manufacturers. and the thing we call vision are all Designers will have to become as fundamentally like imagination; it is familiar with products, their interfaces difficult to imagine how they might be with each other and their construction computerised. These human requirements as classical architects characteristics are now and will used to be with the materials that were remain, central to the genius of great available to them; a new profession of design and construction. digital master builders (archi-tecton), perhaps. This may seem a far-fetched and unlikely development of the architect’s role. But it’s essentially how many [1] For a summary of his ideas see: http://opinionator. blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/how-technology-wrecks- modern stadium buildings are the-middle-class/?_r=0 [Retrieved 26 September 2013] 86 | Context 01: Why BIM? | BIM in Small Practices

GETTING STARTED WITH BIM David Miller 02

As a small practice, there is clear We know that as designers we add support that is now available. Being evidence that BIM adoption has considerable value through our ideas; able to start out on smaller projects is underpinned the year on year however the time spent developing another advantage for small practices. growth that David Miller Architects these ideas eats away at our fee. What We had the safety net of knowing that (DMA) has achieved in the past five we quickly realised was that BIM tools we could have easily reversed out of our years. This chapter describes were offering us speed, accuracy, early projects into CAD if we had got practical steps to help newcomers improved coordination and quality into difficulty. get started and explains why new control – all helping to protect our fee. However the most important moment technology, a difficult economic We also realised that as a small is making the commitment and for us environment and the clear focus practice we had it easy when it came to this was appointing a BIM Champion from UK government have created rolling out BIM, because the real barrier to lead the process. Our BIM Champion an opportunity for small practices isn’t cost, but change management. As developed a six-day training schedule to change the odds through BIM. a smaller organisation we were able to broken down into 40-minute modules spot the opportunity and make the so it was easier for the team to find time change very quickly. We were able to to do a module. She then introduced 1. WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION FOR act on experience and instinct, without BIM Boot Camp for new starters, which ADOPTING BIM? having to convince boards or middle involves full immersion in their first managers. Larger organisations simply week in the office before there are any We believe that there are currently two don’t have this agility, therefore BIM is project distractions. drivers for BIM adoption, both of which a real opportunity for small practices to Once BIM is embedded into your office will work, but that adopting BIM ‘just capture market share. because you have to’ is missing the real culture you will find that individual opportunity. 2. THE ADOPTION PROCESS members of the team start to take responsibility to explore different parts ƒ We are all aware of HM Government’s Roll-out is incremental as there is a of the process and share their mandate and we are beginning to see learning curve. At DMA we have been experiences. This led us to broaden the BIM included in PQQs. getting steadily more sophisticated services we are able to offer to include ƒ But having been through the process over the last four years. However I wish rapid energy modelling, rapid cost we believe there are opportunities that we were starting now, as this is the modelling and logistics planning. We’re that make BIM adoption much more optimal moment. The process that we currently exploring opportunities attractive to small practices. These have been through can now be around facilities management. include increased efficiency and collapsed into just months given the profitability and a better way of clarity of the government mandation working. and the wealth of information and

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3. COST CONSIDERATIONS For BIM to work we do need to be have reduced the drudgery of doing certain things at the same production of information, enabling the For DMA it’s been around £10,000 per time. team to punch above their weight, workstation, so BIM is a big investment. ƒ And there is clarification and which again has improved morale. This figure includes hardware, software examples of COBie outputs and Importantly, stakeholders can see and training. Remember though that the implications on Government Soft exactly what they are going to get, costs for bigger practices are the same, Landings, also mandated for 2016. which is managing their expectations just scaled. ƒ Hugely useful is PAS 1192 Part 2. and smoothing the projects through the This gives a standard for sharing We have been spending around £30k a review and approval process. This is information between disciplines year over the last four years. Whilst this happening at every level of the project during the Design and Construct felt like a lot early on when there were from concept design through to safety phase of a project. Part 3 is due to only four of us, now it is far less painful on-site. follow, which will cover the to add on new workstations as we go Operation phase. As a bonus we found that our new along and this confirms that there is a workflow has simplified design financial push at the beginning. There are also links to sector-related management and allowed us to build groups including BIM4SMEs. These It’s important to note though, that half our internal processes around the BIM. groups are there to support the industry of that cost is training. When you view All of our external accreditations by disseminating information around cost in relation to salaries and fee including ISO9001 Quality Management the government’s mandate and, income it looks far less alarming and it and ISO14001 Environmental equally importantly, to act as a is easy to see why we view BIM as an Management have been positively feedback mechanism to the Task investment in our team and working affected by BIM. Group, so industry can be heard. This is methods rather than in technology. further supported geographically by the 6. CONCLUSION 4. SUPPORT Construction Industry Council’s BIM regional hubs whose role is similar, but In terms of the bottom line, not sector specific. The framework that brings everything reviewing fee income against together and which has given the UK The best thing is that all of this is free! technical costs, the impact on construction industry such a clear So if you read the Construction Strategy business is clear. There is a period focus is the government construction and make the BIM Task Group website of adjustment, but once embedded strategy. This has been elaborated and your home page, you are off to a good there are real efficiencies to be built upon by the BIM Task Group and start! gained. Some of this could be a it’s fair to say that the Task Group consequence of a small practice website (www.bimtaskgroup.org) is the 5. WHAT IS THE BENEFIT? growing and taking on larger ‘go to’ location for reliable information. projects, but that in itself could be a If the model is the single source of truth From our point of view, BIM has made consequence of using BIM tools. in a project, then the BIM Task Group us more efficient and we’re sure it has We believe BIM has allowed us to website could be seen as the single given us a competitive advantage. grow in a difficult market and to source of truth for BIM adoption. Being able to offer additional services take on bigger and more has differentiated us in a difficult The site provides: challenging projects. This is why market. We are also confident that the we firmly believe that BIM is a ƒ Contract documentation: such as the consistency in our output has great opportunity for small BIM Protocol which defines the generated repeat business, not least practices! contractual arrangements for a because we have been able to drive BIM project, making collaborative efficiencies from project to project as working a contractual requirement our database of components has and therefore realistically possible. become richer and more refined. ƒ It answers the commonly asked The new processes are encouraging questions around copyright and collaboration at every level and intellectual property, especially with re-focusing the team on the end product regard to sharing model data. rather than just project trackers and ƒ There are Employer’s Information compliance reports. The virtual building Requirements which clarifies to the is on our monitors and the office team what to include in the model projector screens constantly, so it’s a and to what level of detail. much more satisfying way to work. ƒ There is the new Plan of Work, which will give consistency across The quality controlled output has also disciplines. given our team confidence; BIM tools

88 | Context 02: Getting Started with BIM | BIM in Small Practices

TAPPING INTO THE BIM COMMUNITY Stefan Mordue and Rebecca de Cicco 03

With much focus on the public ideas through differing levels of regional BIM Hubs, whose aims are to sector and large-scale projects, it is management. up the skillset of the industry and be often a misconception that BIM is present and vocal across the country. It is here that there is an opportunity for only the reserve of cash-rich the SME to gain an online presence The Task Group brings expertise from organisations undertaking vast and within the BIM environment as an industry, government, public sector, complex schemes. agent of change. institutes and academia and produces On the contrary, it is perhaps the a monthly newsletter outlining X Community ideology small, nimble and adaptable forthcoming events and developments practice that has much to gain from Whether it’s a link to a document, a across the UK. As well as providing a what BIM has to offer. The real discussion on best practice or organising a good clear set of frequently asked barrier is change management and tweet, the online community provides a questions the site offers information on how we, as humans, adapt. It is vast untapped free resource of information a series of BIM processes, as well as here that the small practice gains and comradeship. This ideology has lessons learnt from the government the upper hand. been helped by various leading industry trial projects. figures showcasing and sharing their X Partner organisations knowledge to those around them. 1. COMMUNICATION Events such as BIM Show Live only began Central to the BIM Task Group are a as small entities within the community number of partner organisations, As we progress in this digital age, and have now grown and expanded to including the BIM4 groups which communication and interaction via social become industry leading events. represent various areas of the industry. networks such as Twitter, Facebook and X Communicating and networking A specific BIM4SMEs group is made up LinkedIn is on the increase. Through the of individual organisations from Online communication must be power of tweets, status updates, blog different sector backgrounds including accompanied by physical meetings and posts and online forums the small specialist subcontractors, architects, it is important to recognise that the aim practice has the ability to tap into a FM providers and construction bodies. of these incentives is to meet others world of online communities where All these organisations are SMEs or involved in the field to share knowledge. there is a real sense of passion and have a key interest in ensuring SMEs enthusiasm and an environment of Networking is hugely important, are well informed and recognised for collaboration and knowledge sharing. allowing those interested in BIM to their advancing of BIM. Individuals should be able to access meet regularly to discuss themes and this information easily and influence a the progression of BIM in the industry. team without having to focus on practice It is here that we have seen the success strategies or needing to force their of the Construction Industry Council’s

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2. KEY RESOURCES X Twitter X ThinkBIM ƒ #ukbimcrew ƒ www.ckehub.org The resources below outline current ƒ various BIM related Tweeters ƒ @thinkbim industry thinking. They include events, The #ukbimcrew has become a legacy ThinkBIM is a multidisciplinary group online communities and individuals to the early adopters in the UK seeking from Leeds Metropolitan University influencing BIM. These resources are out and sharing knowledge amongst passionate about industry change, growing by the day as more BIM users each other on an open platform. The collaboration and sharing knowledge. create their own voices. group is not exclusive, nor does it focus The team consists of a variety of X BIM Task Group on one area of BIM implementation or industry professionals all passionately process. It is rather a search mechanism involved in aiding the industry in its ƒ www.bimtaskgroup.co.uk for the industry to seek out an exhaustive development of BIM-enabled ƒ @BIMgcs array of discussions, debates, questions processes. They regularly host events The group’s aim is to support the and information all relating to the UK and ensure all disciplines are government construction strategy’s BIM community. It is a collection based addressed. main objective of achieving Level 2 on multiple users experiences and has BIM by 2016. The site provides support, X Software User Group Events been collated from late 2011. access to all BIM4 Groups and lessons ƒ www.gbrugs.co.uk, learnt documents. It highlights the X National BIM Library ƒ www.benteyuser.org latest news and quick industry updates. ƒ www.nationalbimlibrary.com Most software vendors support user The website also contains the latest The National BIM Library, in conjunction groups globally and both Autodesk and links to the government projects. with the NBS, has developed a library of Bentley have a series of user groups X Construction Industry Council BIM-based components for the industry. spread across the country and indeed and Regional BIM Hubs across the world. The groups help to For those on their early BIM journey the develop technical solutions for a ƒ www.cic.org.uk NBL helps to support BIM-enabled cross-disciplinary approach to learning ƒ www.bimtaskgroup.co.uk processes and provides for both generic and the events enable sharing of real ƒ @BIMHubs and manufacturer’s specific content for life solutions when it comes to BIM ƒ @CICtweet building information models. The NBS authoring software solutions. ƒ @CICCEO (Graham Watts) also supports Dr Stephen Hamil’s blog ƒ @BIM2050 (Director of Design and Innovation at X BIM Small Practice Perspective The CIC set up the Regional BIM Hubs RIBA Enterprises) which is a useful Events with the BIM Task Group to encourage resource for up and coming information RIBA hosted a series of events in 2013 the industry in BIM adoption. They are relating to BIM: and 2014, as an introduction to BIM authors of the CIC BIM protocol, at the www.constructioncode.blogspot.co.uk implementation from the viewpoint of heart of the legal framework of the 1192 @StephenHamilNBS the SME, focusing on sharing suite of standards. The Hubs run free X BIM Show Live knowledge for architects in the UK. events across the UK and their primary Future events will be a good resource aim is to share knowledge throughout ƒ www.bimshowlive.co.uk for SMEs to make connections to those the industry and disseminate information ƒ @BIM_UBM early adopters pushing forward in generated by the BIM Task Group around This is an annual event that draws in technological solutions for building and its incentives and goals leading to 2016. all industry leading figures to discuss design. their project experiences in relation to X BuildingSMART UK BIM. It is an important event to not 3. CONCLUSION ƒ www.buildingsmart.org.uk only learn from those leading the BuildingSMART’s primary aim is to industry, but also to network. The UK community is moving improve process and training across X The Construction Project incredibly quickly in its adoption of the UK. They work with leading figures Information Committee (CPIC) BIM-enabled processes and it is across differing sectors to define important for the SME to remain standards. BuildingSMART events and ƒ www.cpic.co.uk agile and open to developments. workshops are worthwhile to those CPIC are the focus of a number of well wanting to adapt to new technologies and known BIM related projects including The resources will continue to ideals relating to BIM implementation. Uniclass 1.4 and the energing evolve and change as we become Uniclass 2 standards for classification increasingly more sophisticated X BIM Diary of information. They also provide a and therefore it is important to stay ƒ www.bimopedia.com number of useful documents that are informed and keep abreast of new ƒ @BIMdiary used in the pre-qualification process for updates and individuals involved in Follow for the calendar-listed entries of Level 2 BIM projects. BIM. most BIM events in the UK.

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BIM AND DIVERSIFICATION Robert Klaschka 04

Many small practices who have that architects find they can offer when with if there wasn’t assistance. Her taken the plunge with BIM and they have started to master BIM in their subsequent success in providing Revit prioritised investment in own offices. In many instances this training and modelling demonstrates technology find that their initial may have sprung from the desire to get the need for professional services from ideas, motivated by improving other consultants working someone who really understands what internal productivity or client collaboratively so that all can benefit. is important in a BIM workflow. engagement, actually open up X Vectorworks Little BIM has capitalised on both the entirely new streams of skills shortage and the considerable business. Jonathan Reeves Architects, as you hardware and software costs required can see from Case Study 02, has gone to work using BIM software. Having down the route of providing worked with several practices who had In this book, five of the authors refer to consultancy to other architects to help invested in software but were using old new business opportunities that have them develop their processes and hardware she was surprised to find just sprung from embracing new technologies. understand what will be asked of them. how slow operations could be on SMEs are ideally placed to take This has led onto providing training outdated machines. For example it could advantage of these because many of resources for Vectorworks, an entry- take 30 seconds renaming a sheet and the opportunities exist as a result of the level, low-cost BIM package, to the as long as six minutes to open a file. catch up that the industry in general is same practices. Focusing on the playing with the implementation of By initially helping with technology software JRA use has meant that the BIM. issues she has developed a symbiotic architects and engineers he is relationship with the practices she is Thus, for example, many architectural providing training and advice for are working with that has expanded to practices who are trying to get to grips working on similar sized projects. advising about the significant changes with BIM need to outsource these tasks X Revit to programme expectations and or need training and advice in how to workflows that a design practice will get started themselves. For some BIM- Similar to JRA in many ways Kara de need to make to fully embrace BIM. ready SMEs this has changed the way los Reyes from Little BIM Studio Ltd, a they do business and, in some cases, Bristol-based micro practice started in X Existing BIM Services the focus of their work has moved 2011, started out providing In my case study I discuss how we have beyond the boundaries of architecture. architectural consultancy work but become specialists in the use of point soon recognised a gap in the market. X Consultancy and training clouds to capture existing buildings The ambitious government target of that we were refurbishing. This has led Consultancy and training are two of the achieving Level 2 BIM maturity by 2016 onto our own businesses diversification first and most straightforward was a path that some would struggle to provide models of existing projects opportunities for extending the services BIM in Small Practices | Context 04: BIM and Diversification | 91 for other design teams, mainly there was not only going to be a supply Clients need advice on the BIM process contractors. Compared to architectural shortage for BIM ‘objects’, or Content as well as establishing and projects the work is relatively as it is now known, but also a documenting their own standards and predictable because it has a clear knowledge shortage of what BIM is all deliverables. For example what should procedure and a defined scope and about within the supply chain. be modelled at each stage of a project can’t be delayed by some of the more and what data should be attached to it. They have formed a joint venture subjective issues that can hit the company SparkIFC to deliver cross- Small innovative practices who are design process when a client doesn’t platform content to product suppliers ahead of the game are ideally placed to like the appearance of what you have and manufacturers. provide these and other emerging designed, or the brief changes. services. Diversification offers the X Software design Also because there are currently opportunity to insulate your business relatively few companies providing Other architects have found that, in from some of the vagaries of the existing BIM in an environment with a embracing technology, they have architectural profession such as high demand it’s possible to negotiate branched out into software design and aggressive fee competition and reliance cost. The effect of this is that the development. That is exactly what upon unstable work pipelines. practice has a much more predictable architects Michael Kohn and Renee Often providing the type of services baseline cash-flow than architectural Puseep did with their company Slider discussed in this chapter is more work alone can provide. Studio. predictable and, in many instances, is Another benefit of this model is that it BIM is fundamentally a data-based perceived as higher value than design allows us to demonstrate our ability to process. The difference with Slider work. You are also likely to have a work on larger projects without the risk Studio was that the data they wanted much smaller pool of competitors, who of a first time design opportunity. For to share was not handled by the market are likely to approach problems example, we recently delivered a leading BIM software applications. They differently than a designer would. building information model of an have understandably tried to distance X Not for the faint-hearted existing school to a main contractor, themselves from the term BIM because which has enabled the practice to of its association with the small However diversification is not for the demonstrate its ability as a high- number of software applications that faint-hearted. Moving into unknown quality information provider and has we have come to think of as defining it. territory has its hazards and needs established us as a potential designer careful consideration. What are the Nevertheless, Slider Studio develops its for future projects. contractual consequences of data you own software for managing both are providing? Are the additional They want to have the quality of spatial and non-graphical information. services you are providing covered by information we are providing on These are mainly focused on the front your professional indemnity insurance? new-build work. end of the design process and often facilitate community engagement with X Content creation for CONCLUSION design to encourage integration of user manufacturers feedback. Young practices with their One of the biggest issues in BIM is For example, Stickyworld is a networks and savvy social media where to source the components to community-facing web-based tool campaigning are ideally placed to build your models from. designed to provide information to the have both the vision and the BIM applications are delivered with community on local building contacts to make unique offerings generic objects (walls, doors, windows, developments and collect their as the examples above etc.), but there is a demand for feedback. demonstrate. To diversify you will manufacturer specific objects. need resilience, perseverance, While this may seem far from the scope skilled assistance, self-belief and A number of companies have started to of most BIM applications there is no possibly some luck. provide a service to create content for question that what they do facilitates manufacturers but often they are the mass dissemination, collection and Yet consider what makes a platform specific. Metz (Case Study 10) aggregation of information about both successful young practice above in addition to providing conventional buildings and projects. I’d call that design ability and also consider architectural services, have a long- BIM. that the broad nature of the standing relationship with architectural education and X Other methods of diversification Howitt Consulting, a company mindset has historically led to specialising in relationships and Beyond these examples there are an architects working across a much development offerings for construction increasing number of other roles that wider field. The architectural product suppliers. an architect could move into. Projects mindset is one that naturally lends need BIM managers or coordinators itself to diversification. Working together they had realised that and validation of data.

92 | Context 04: BIM and Diversification | BIM in Small Practices

BIM glossary

This glossary is abridged and edited Asset Information Requirements OR from bimblog.bondbryan.com (AIR) data and information structured asset information for the produced by Bond Bryan and requirements of the organisation in commissioning, operation and maintained by Rob Jackson relation to the asset(s) ** maintenance of an asset often in a neutral spreadsheet format that will be Attribute a piece of data forming a All terms marked * are as defined by used to supply data to the owner or partial description of an object or entity * PAS 1192-2:2013 operator to populate decision-making Author the originator of model files, tools and asset management systems ** All terms marked ** are as defined by drawings or documents * Common coordinates a way of DRAFT PAS 1192-3:2014 Bill of Quantities (BQ) a list of items identifying the location of the model(s) giving detail identifying descriptions or building(s) in relation to a specific and firm quantities of the work agreed point. This point could be to Analysis the action or process of comprised in a contract global or local coordinates and this analysing the model(s) for different should be identified as to which has purposes or a table or statement of the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) a plan been used results of analysis of the model(s) prepared by the suppliers to explain how the information modelling aspects Common Data Environment (CDE) Assembly a composition or collection of a project will be carried out * a single source of information for any of components and/or modelled given project, used to collect, manage elements arranged to define part or all ‘BIM wash’ a term describing the and disseminate all relevant approved of a building, model, structure or site. inflated – and sometimes deceptive – project documents for multidisciplinary An assembly typically contains claim of using or delivering BIM teams in a managed process * information that can be referenced products or services OR without repositioning a group of CIC scope of services a single source of information for the components or types to enable the multidisciplinary scope of services project which collects, manages and reuse of standardised design or published by the Construction Industry disseminates relevant approved specification elements improving Council (CIC) for use by members of the documents relating to the project (as productivity of design and delivery as project team on major projects * defined by the CIC Outline Scope of well as providing a location to hold Services for the Role of Information specifications and lessons learnt in a Clash detection detecting possible Management) simple and useable way. They may hold collisions between elements in a OR benchmark data for cost and carbon building information model which a single source of information for any impacts. The contents of assemblies would not otherwise be desired or given project or asset, used to collect, may themselves have attributes and buildable on site manage and disseminate all relevant classifications. These properties may Classification a systematic approved project documents for include key data which is attached (to arrangement of headings and sub- multidisciplinary teams in a managed the object) for use once it is placed into headings for aspects of construction process ** a model and may include cost, CO , 2 work including the nature of assets, programme, maintenance and other Component an individual building construction elements, systems and key information * element that can be reused. Examples products * include doors, stair cores, furniture or Asset Information Model (AIM) a COBie (Construction Operation internal room layouts, facade panels, maintained information model used to Building information exchange) etc. Components are typically inserted manage, maintain and operate the structured facility information for the and moved/rotated into the required asset * commissioning, operation and position, a synonym for ‘occurrence’ * OR maintenance of a project, often in a structured and unstructured data and Computer-Aided Facilities neutral spreadsheet format that will be information that relates to assets to a Management (CAFM) the support of used to supply data to the employer or level required to support an facility management by information operator to populate decision-making organisation’s asset management technology tools, facilities management and asset system. An AIM can relate to a single management systems * asset, a system of assets or the entire asset portfolio of an organisation **

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Constraint a mathematical OR Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) expression, often algebraic, defining static, printed, graphical representation is a neutral and open specification that equalities (=) or inequalities (>,<) of part or all of a project or asset * is not controlled by a single vendor or across various parameters. Constraint group of vendors. It is an object-based Employer the individual or may be geometrical, such as file format with a data model developed organisation named in an appointment parallelism, or a specified angle by BuildingSMART to facilitate or building contract as the employer * relation interoperability in the building industry OR Container named persistent set of the person appointing the project team Information management measures data within a file system or application member pursuant to the agreement that protect and defend information data storage hierarchy including, but and any valid assignee of the and information systems with respect not limited to, directory, sub-directory, employer’s rights and obligations to their availability, integrity, data file, or distinct sub-set of a data under this protocol subject to the terms authentication, confidentiality, and file, such as a chapter or section, layers of such assignment nonrepudiation. These measures or symbol (as defined by include providing for restoration of Employer’s Information BS1192:2007 - 3.2) information systems by incorporating Requirements (EIR) a document protection, detection, and reaction Data capture putting information into setting out the information to be capabilities are tasks and procedures a form that can be fed directly into a delivered, and the standards and applied to inputting, processing and computer processes to be adopted by the supplier generation activities to ensure as part of the project delivery process * Deliverables the specific requirements accuracy and integrity of information * for the project which may be generated Element a construction entity part Instance an occurrence of an entity at directly from the model or from other which, in itself or in combination with a particular location and orientation sources. They may include the building other such parts, fulfils a within a model (as defined by information model, drawings, fly- predominating function of the BS1192:2007 - 3.7) throughs, images, data, schedules or construction entity (as defined by reports ISO 12006-2:2001 - 2.7) Interoperability the ability of two or more systems or components to Design intent model the initial Energy analysis the action or process exchange information and to the use version of the Project Information of analysing the model(s) from an the information that has been Model (PIM) developed by the design energy point of view or a table or exchanged suppliers * statement of the results of analysis of the model(s) Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Design team the architect(s), a collaborative alliance of people, engineer(s) and technology specialists Facility management management systems, business structures and responsible for the conceptual design during the operational phase of a practices into a process that harnesses aspects of a building, structure or facility or building’s life cycle, which the talents and insights of all facility and their development into normally extends over many decades. participants to optimise project results, models, drawings, specifications and It represents a continuous process of increase value to the owner, reduce instructions required for construction service provision to support the client’s waste, and maximise efficiency and associated processes. The design core business and one where through all phases of design, team is part of the project team improvement is sought on a continuous fabrication and construction basis Document a container for persistent Laser scanning controlled steering of information that can be managed and Federated model a model consisting laser beams followed by a distance interchanged as a unit (as defined by of linked but distinct component measurement at every pointing BS1192:2007 - 3.4) models. These can be drawings that do direction used to rapidly capture OR not lose their identity or integrity by shapes of objects, structures, buildings information for the use in the briefing, being linked, so that a change to one and landscapes design, construction, operation, component model does not create a maintenance or decommissioning of a change in another component model Layer a container comprising selected construction project, including but not entities, typically used to group for Field part of a container name limited to correspondence, drawings, purposes of selective display, printing reserved for meta-data (as defined by schedules, specifications, calculations, and management operations (as BS1192:2007 - 3.6) spreadsheets * defined by BS1192:2007 - 3.8) Graphical data data conveyed using Drawing a document used to present shape and arrangement in space * graphic information (as defined by BS1192:2007 - 3.5)

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Lean principles understanding value Object any part of the perceivable or Project information plan the plan for from a client’s perspective, identifying conceivable world (as defined by the structure and management and the value stream, establishing a ISO 12006-2:2001 - 2.1) exchange of information from the balanced flow of work, in which the OR Project team in the information model demand for product is pulled from the an item having state, behaviour and and the related processes and next customer, with a constant drive for unique identity – for example, a wall procedures continuous improvement and object * Project Implementation Plan (PIP) perfection (based on ‘Lean Thinking’, Open BIM a unique approach to a statement relating to the suppliers’ IT Womack & Jones, 2003 edition) * collaborative design and realisation of and human resources capability to Levels of definition the collective buildings allowing project members to deliver the EIR * term used for and including ‘level of participate regardless of the tools they Published information refers to model detail’ and the ‘level of use documents and other data from shared information detail’ * Origin a setting out point for a project information. Typically this will include Level of detail the level of detail or programme using co-ordinate exported data, contract drawings, required for a Model (CIC BIM Protocol, geometry or related to the OS or reports and specifications (reference first edition, 2013) geospatial reference * BS1192:2007) or a component of the CDE for drawing renditions that have ‘Lonely BIM’ a non-collaborative 3D Originator the agent responsible for been approved as suitable for a specific model produced by a single designer production of a container (as defined by purpose – for example, suitable for BS1192:2007 - 3.11) Life cycle assessment the construction * OR methodology used to establish a life the author of models, drawings and RACI indicator an abbreviation used cycle costing for a material or a product documents * to identify which of a group of Master Information Delivery Plan participants or stakeholders are Parameters variables used in a (MIDP) the primary plan for when responsible for (‘R’), authorize (‘A’), function or equation to assign values: project information is to be prepared, contribute to (‘C’) or are kept informed coordinate, dimension, material, by whom and using what protocols and about (‘I’) a project activity * distance, angle, colour, unit price, procedures, incorporating all relevant energy coefficient, and so forth Requirements the documented task information delivery plans * expectations of facility owners/ Placeholder simplified or generic Meta-data data used for the commissioners for sharable structured representation of a 3D object * description and management of information. These are also referred to documents and other containers of Plain language questions questions as the Employer’s Information information (as defined by asked of the supply chain by the Requirements (EIR) (alternatively, the BS1192:2007 - 3.9) employer to inform decision-making at Client’s Information Requirements) * key stages of an asset life cycle or Metrics acceptability of the deliverable Revision used to identify revisions of project ** may be assessed against the documents, drawing and model files * requirements shown in the examples Point cloud a set of vertices in a Shared information that has been and/or against indicative ratios and three-dimensional coordinate system. checked and approved and made counts based on the information These vertices are usually defined by X, available across the project team such provided * Y and Z coordinates, and typically are as information for data exchange intended to be representative of the Model a collection of containers between BIM software, like gbXML, external surface of an object. Point organised to represent the physical CIS/2 and IFC files clouds are most often created by 3D parts of objects, for example a building OR scanners. These devices measure in an or a mechanical device (as defined by a component of the CDE. The shared automatic way a large number of points BS1192:2007 - 3.10) section of the CDE where information on the surface of an object, and often OR can be made available to others in a output a point cloud as a data file. The a three-dimensional representation in ‘safe’ environment. The early release of point cloud represents the set of points electronic format of building elements information assists in the rapid that the device has measured representing solid objects with development of the design solution. To true-to-scale spatial relationships and Project BIM protocol the project- allow this to be achieved, the concept dimensions. A model may include specific BIM protocol setting out the of information ‘status/suitability’ has additional information or data that obligations of the principal members of been adopted * reflects the physical and/or functional the project team in respect of the use of characteristics of the project BIM on the project

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Soft landings graduated handover of a Supplier Information Technology e.g. if a version is named P1.1, P1 is the built asset from the design and Assessment Form a form conveying revision number and the .1 is the construction team to allow structured the capability and IT resources of a version to that revision * familiarisation of systems and supplier for exchanging information in Work In Progress (WIP) each components and fine-tuning of controls a collaborative environment * individual company or discipline’s own and other building management Task Information Delivery Plan work. This is information that has not systems * (TIDP) federated lists of information been approved or verified as fit to share Status defines the ‘suitability’ of deliverables by each task, including across the project team (reference information in a model, drawing or format, date and responsibilities * BS1192:2007) document. Not to be confused with the Uniclass (Unified Classification for status in architectural documentation the Construction Industry) as ‘new-build’,’retain’ or ‘demolish’ * published by the Construction Project

Supplier Information Modelling Information Committee (CPIC), this is a

Assessment Form a form conveying UK standard for classification the capability and experience of a Version sub-indexing to revision as supplier to carry out information used in the common data environment modelling in a collaborative http://bimblog.bondbryan.com/ to show the development of environment * wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ information and information models, 30004-BIM-dictionary.pdf

Image credits Architype Ltd 59, 61–64 Axis Design Architects 27, 29–32 Chris Hodson 75: top Constructive Thinking Studio Ltd 35, 37–41 David Miller 87 Dudley College 76: top Eurobuild 67–71 Fulcro 79 jhd Architects 19, 21–25 Jonathan Reeves Architecture 11–17 Metz Architects 73, 75: bottom left and right 76: bottom, 77, 78 Niven Architects 43, 45, 47 Poulter Architects 3–9 Ray Crotty 83 Rebecca de Cicco 89: right Stefan Mordue 89: left Studio Klaschka 51–57, 91

96 | Glossary | BIM in Small Practices

BIM in Small Practices Illustrated Case Studies

BIM is revolutionising architecture and construction, as experts who identify and explore the important issues for more and more practices are realising the benefits it brings small practices including how to get your practice started to design, sustainability and construction. There is a with BIM, the opportunities it offers for diversification and perception that BIM is a process best left to large practices what support networks and guidance are available to help – requiring significant resources and the ability to invest you. heavily in IT. This book overturns that misconception: This landmark publication will motivate small practices who introducing a selection of inspirational BIM-enabled are considering taking those first steps towards projects by small architectural practices. implementing BIM, and share innovative ideas and best These fully-illustrated case studies show BIM in action – practice with those who are already BIM-enabled. often on a shoestring, and on a range of project sizes, from Robert Klaschka has over 15 years experience working in small domestic builds to large-scale public-client projects. It the UK and Europe in architecture and design and is provides architects with insight into real-world examples; founding director of Studio Klaschka, a small architecture exploring how the project ran, how BIM was set up, and the practice specialising in retrofitting and refurbishment. He technical specs, as well as the challenges and pragmatic has close links with the development team at Bentley solutions encountered along the way. Most importantly they Systems and was elected as chair of The Bentley demonstrate how BIM can utilise a small practice’s strengths Community UK and Ireland in 2010 and 2014. As an and quickly improve quality, efficiency and profitability. Advisory Panel member for NBS he has advised on the Full of practical tips and hard-won experience, BIM in Small development of the data exchange between NBS Building Practices also includes pithy contributions from industry and Bentley Architecture.

Praise for BIM in Small Practices

‘Very useful for small practices...diverse, well- ‘These case studies from hands on practices written with a good range of experiences and topics. illustrate and explain the use of BIM right at the The case studies are all interesting in their own grass roots, providing practical examples and plain right.’ speaking advice for any practitioner at whatever Rachael Davidson, point on your BIM journey.’ HÛT John Eynon, Chartered Architect, Vice Chair of BIM4SME and ‘As you will see through the case studies in this book Director of Open Water Consulting BIM is helping design practices and their customers... Hopefully this book will inspire you to make change in your organisation. To either start doing BIM or perhaps accelerate your implementation.’ Professor David Philp, ribapublishing.com Head of BIM, UK BIM Task Group ribabookshops.com

ISBN 978-1-85946-499-1 FSC to go here

7818599 464991