BIM and its Envisioned Use in Engineering Infrastructure
Graduation Thesis
Author Jan-Peter Ter Maaten Date September 1, 2015 Version 1.0 Status Final
‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there’
Quote derived from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland
Figure 1 | Corporate Vision E2CS (E2CS Partners LLC., 2007)
© Copyright 2015 by J. Ter Maaten, TU Delft and Grontmij Nederland B.V.
All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilised in any way or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior permission from the proprietors.
Research Title BIM’s Horizon Research Sub Title BIM and its Envisioned Use in Engineering Infrastructure
Document Type Graduation Thesis Date of Completion September 1, 2015 Date of Presentation September 16, 2015
Author Jan-Peter Ter Maaten Hoofdweg 115 6744 WJ Ederveen 06-57240749 [email protected] [email protected] Student number 4098951
University Delft University of Technology Faculty Civil Engineering and Geosciences Master Track Construction Management and Engineering
Graduation Committee Prof.dr.ir. M.J.C.M. Hertogh CEG, TU Delft Dr.ir. G.A. van Nederveen CEG, TU Delft Dr. S.G. Lukosch TBM, TU Delft Ing. M.B.J. de Kroon Grontmij, Nederland
Grontmij Nederland B.V. De Holle Bilt 22 3732 HM, De Bilt
Delft University of Technology Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences Stevinweg 1 2628, CN, Delft
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Writing a report often ends with the first textual part of it, and so it does in this case as well. Finishing the master Construction Management and Engineering at the Technical University of Delft, this master thesis report is the cap stone. In order to graduate every master student needs to write his thesis report after analysing and researching his subject at his internship organisation.
The subject of my graduation thesis is BIM on a very strategic level. During my internship at Grontmij in De Bilt, I researched BIM and conducted many interviews. This information was used to define a corporate vision on BIM. This vision is the goal towards which Grontmij should head in order to get the most out of BIM.
In this preface I’d like to thank everybody who helped me during my graduation internship. My gratitude goes out to Maurice for being my main supervisor, for helping me formulating the research set-up, for introducing me to BIMing Grontmij, for answering many questions, and for helping me whenever necessary.
Furthermore, I’m thankful to my graduation committee. Sander, as my primary supervisor and mentor, thanks very much for your advice, knowledge and expertise, and for answering many questions, both on BIM and on graduation processes. Also thanks to Marcel and Stephan for your time, critiques, and constructive input.
I conducted ten interviews during my research project. These were very helpful and certainly necessary to develop a sound and consistent corporate vision on BIM. Therefore I want to thank everybody I interviewed – Arjen, Dik, Renzo, Bart and Frans outside Grontmij and Martijn, Martijn, Patrick, John and Hans within the organisation – and everybody who had input in another way.
Finally I’d like to thank Sandra for helping me scheduling all meetings in Delft; family, friends, and colleagues for talking about and thinking along my graduation subject; and Lianne for your support, improvements, ideas, and – not the least important – love.
Jan-Peter Ter Maaten Ederveen, September 2015
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Preface ...... v Summary ...... xi Samenvatting – Translation into Dutch ...... xiii Glossary ...... xv
1 Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Problem Analysis ...... 1 1.2 Problem Statement ...... 2 1.3 Research Objective ...... 2 1.4 Research Approach ...... 2 1.5 Research Questions ...... 3 1.6 Report Structure ...... 4
2 Research Methodology ...... 5 2.1 Research Design ...... 5 2.2 Vision – Definition, Purpose, Criteria, Processes, and Application ...... 6 2.2.1 Definitions and Purpose ...... 6 2.2.2 Criteria for Assessing a Vision ...... 8 2.2.3 Vision Creation Processes ...... 8 2.2.4 Applying Vision Development Theories to Building Information Modelling ...... 9 2.3 Interviews ...... 9 2.4 Scope and Limitations ...... 10
3 Building Information Modelling ...... 11 3.1 Defining BIM – Perception and Misperception ...... 11 3.1.1 BIM is not Precisely Delimited – Several Definitions ...... 11 3.1.2 BIM is not Strictly Limited either ...... 12 3.1.3 A Working Definition of BIM ...... 13 3.2 BIM’s Roots and Development ...... 14 3.2.1 The Explosive Development of Computer Aided Design ...... 14 3.2.2 How BIM could have become Reality much Earlier ...... 15 3.2.3 BIM in its Rapids – Promoting Revit and Onwards ...... 16 3.2.4 BIM in Infrastructure was Underexposed ...... 17 3.2.5 So Why BIM? ...... 18 3.3 General Notions – What is anyone talking about? ...... 20 3.3.1 Object-oriented Modelling ...... 20 3.3.2 Interoperability – Standards, Libraries, and Languages ...... 20 3.3.3 Level of Development ...... 21 3.3.4 Maturity Levels ...... 22 3.3.5 BIG BIM versus little bim ...... 22 3.4 BIM Essentials – The Most Essential Data Sources to Connect ...... 23
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3.4.1 Essential 1 | Technical Details ...... 24 3.4.2 Essential 2 | Requirements ...... 24 3.4.3 Essential 3 | Geospatial Information ...... 25 3.4.4 Essential 4 | Time ...... 26 3.4.5 Essential 5 | Finances ...... 27 3.4.6 Essential 6 | Condition of Assets ...... 28 3.4.7 Essential 7 | Risks ...... 30 3.4.8 Essential 8 | Documentation ...... 32 3.5 Evaluating BIM ...... 33 3.5.1 BIM’s Beneficial Elements ...... 33 3.5.2 BIM’s Main Disadvantages ...... 36 3.5.3 BIM’s Challenges ...... 37 3.6 Conclusions ...... 38
4 What BIM will Become ...... 41 4.1 BIM’s Direct Context...... 41 4.1.1 Integrated project delivery ...... 42 4.1.2 Lean Construction ...... 43 4.1.3 Sustainability ...... 44 4.1.4 The Information Age – A.K.A. Big Data ...... 45 4.1.5 The Internet of Things ...... 46 4.1.6 Robotising and 3D Printing ...... 47 4.1.7 Concluding BIM’s Neighbouring Trends ...... 48 4.2 Interview’s Vision Elements ...... 49 4.2.1 Different mindset ...... 49 4.2.2 Better communication ...... 50 4.2.3 Information sharing, integration of information sources, COINS ...... 51 4.2.4 Harmonised libraries, CB-NL ...... 52 4.2.5 Real-time information, sensors, Internet of Things ...... 52 4.2.6 Virtual Reality, kinetics, holograms, voice control, domotics ...... 52 4.2.7 Integration with living environment, Smart Cities ...... 53 4.2.8 Systems Engineering ...... 53 4.2.9 Process improvement ...... 54 4.2.10 Computerising and automation, 3D printing ...... 54 4.2.11 Project transcending working, business analyses, multi-BIM ...... 54 4.2.12 Big Data, analyses and testing, Structured Open Linked Data ...... 55 4.2.13 Asset Management-focussed...... 55 4.2.14 Balance between craft and automation ...... 56 4.2.15 Change of engineering services ...... 56 4.3 Elements the Vision Will Contain ...... 57 4.3.1 Vision Content: Literature ...... 57 4.3.2 Vision Content: Broader Trends ...... 57 4.3.3 Vision Content: Interviews ...... 57 4.3.4 Developing the First Vision ...... 57 4.4 The Proposal: A Long-Term Vision on BIM ...... 59 4.4.1 Definition and Acceptance of BIM ...... 59 4.4.2 The Role and Influence of Information ...... 59 4.4.3 Interaction with the Living Environment ...... 60 4.4.4 The Engineering Work Spectrum Changes ...... 61 viii J. Ter Maaten
4.5 Conclusions ...... 63
5 Evaluating the Vision Proposal ...... 65 5.1 Methodology – Workshop Design ...... 65 5.2 Remarks to the Vision Proposal ...... 65 5.2.1 Additions ...... 66 5.2.2 Improvements ...... 66 5.2.3 Other remarks ...... 67 5.2.4 Changes to the Vision – Concluding on the Workshop Remarks ...... 67 5.3 The Final Vision Proposal ...... 68 5.3.1 Definition and Acceptance of BIM ...... 68 5.3.2 The Role and Influence of Information ...... 68 5.3.3 Interaction with the Living Environment ...... 69 5.3.4 The Engineering Work Spectrum Changes ...... 70 5.4 Discussion of this Final Vision Proposal ...... 72 5.4.1 Why should Grontmij BIM? ...... 72 5.4.2 Marketability of the Vision ...... 73 5.4.3 Assessing the Vision ...... 74 5.4.4 How to Get to that Point at the Horizon? ...... 74 5.5 Conclusions ...... 75
6 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 77 6.1 Conclusions ...... 77 6.2 Recommendations...... 82 6.3 Further Research ...... 84
7 Reflection ...... 85 7.1 Reflection on BIM ...... 85 7.2 Reflection on Graduation Research Project ...... 85
References ...... 87 List of Figures ...... 97 List of Tables ...... 97 Appendices ...... 99 1 Interviews...... 101 2 Vision – Dutch Version ...... 103 3 Workshop set-up ...... 113 4 Workshop PowerPoint Presentation ...... 117
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Introduction Building Information Modelling is the purposeful management of information As every organisation in the building industry, through the whole life cycle of a built engineering consultant Grontmij is also environment asset by creating a digital dealing with Building Information Modelling representation of physical and functional (BIM). It is an industry-wide public debate to characteristics, using components that consist implement BIM and to harvest its benefits. of computable graphic and data attributes and Grontmij, also wanting to adopt BIM, wants to parametric rules. Thus, BIM is a managed develop a vision concerning BIM approach to the collection and exploitation of implementation, because it is important to consistent, non-redundant, and coordinated know where you are going in order to choose information across the life cycle of a built the right way. environment asset. This research project fills this gap by Characteristics of BIM consists of 1) its object- proposing such a vision. In order to develop oriented approach; 2) its need of information this vision the next question is answered in exchange; 3) the level of information this report. In which way should a corporate development; 4) the level of maturity, defining vision concerning BIM be defined for large the level of implementation; and 5) internal engineering companies in the infrastructure and external BIM, described as little and Big sector? BIM.
Methodology Though nearly every information source can This research project has three information be linked within the context of BIM, the sources at its basis. Based on information following eight are the most important: about 1) BIM itself, 2) important neighbouring Technical details Finances trends to BIM, and on 3) interviews, a Requirements Condition of assets corporate vision on BIM is developed. This Geospatial Risks first version of a vision is discussed in a Time Documentation workshop. In that workshop, in which Grontmij BIM experts participate, a second BIM increases efficiency, quality and version of the vision is developed. That second information consistency, and enables version is the end result of this research analyses. Challenging to BIM are quality of project and of this report. information, interoperability, and information requirements and availability. Building Information Modelling Broader Trends Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a working and thinking method in which all Developments in the building industry relevant information of an object or asset is relevant to BIM are Integrated Project connected digitally throughout the life cycle: Delivery (IPD) and Lean Construction. The first being a collaboration contract form and the latter being a working method to increase
J. Ter Maaten xi efficiency, both supplement BIM perfectly. analyses can be conducted, because BIM, IPD and Lean Construction stimulate information is interconnected. Based on sustainability improvement. geographical information, assets are connected and business and object- Though Big Data and BIM have a different transcending analyses and optimisations approach of processing information, the first can be performed. might become really important to BIM. The combination with the Internet of Things Living Environment. Objects are makes it a powerful development. intelligent and communicate pro-actively. The building site of an asset is fully 3D printing and robotising control the building controlled, minimising waste and site to a large extent. Increasing efficiency, maximising quality and speed by using quality and safety, this fits well with Lean robotising and 3D-printing. BIM has been Construction. a driver for developments and Interviews sustainability.
The interviews resulted in a list of fifteen Engineering changes. The new aspects the vision should contain, consisting generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’. of issues and changes in society, technology, Engineering practice changed from and social behaviour. delivering products to delivering services. Integrated contracts and Systems Vision Engineering are fully integrated in engineering practice. Because of BIM and The vision is based on the three information due to BIM many processes have sources described before. It consists of four changed. main subjects, in which as many elements as possible and reasonable are included. Conclusions
Definition. BIM is fully defined and The answer on the research question cannot accepted, and roots in intrinsic be given by a single statement, because the motivation. BIM concerns communication full text of the vision is the answer. A and collaboration and has information summary of the vision and also the answer to exchange as its core concept. the research question can be defined as follows: Information. The information need is fully defined. Because information needs A corporate vision concerning BIM for large to be purposeful, the information engineering companies in the infrastructure collecting principles of Big Data are not sector includes an in-depth understanding of used. Information supply by engineering BIM and of social and technical companies is in line with the information developments. In 2030, BIM as collaboration need. Information should be accurate, and communication method is fully accepted; consistent, useful, non-redundant, information can be exchanged and analyses unambiguous and reliable. Information can be done using that information; and BIM exchange is possible and safe via is Asset Management focused and maximises internationally accepted standards. Many efficiency.
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Introductie gedurende de hele levenscyclus van een object uit de bebouwde omgeving door een digitale Evenals elke organisatie in de bouw heeft ook vertegenwoordiging van fysieke en functionele ingenieursbureau Grontmij te maken met karakteristieken te maken, gebruikmakende Building Information Modelling (BIM). Het van componenten die uit berekenbare publieke debat concentreert zich om de grafische eigenschappen, data en implementatie en de voordelen van BIM. parametrische regels bestaan. Dit maakt BIM Omdat Grontmij ook BIM wil invoeren, wil ze een managementbenadering om consistente, een visie op BIM ontwikkelen, want het is niet-overbodige en gecoördineerde informatie belangrijk te weten waar je heen gaat om de over de hele levenscyclus van een object uit de goede weg te kunnen kiezen. bebouwde omgeving te verzamelen en te Dit onderzoeksproject vult deze impasse door gebruiken. zo’n visie voor te stellen. Om deze visie te BIM wordt gekarakteriseerd door 1) de object- kunnen ontwikkelen, is de volgende vraag in georiënteerde benadering, 2) de behoefte aan dit rapport beantwoord. Op welke manier informatie-uitwisseling, 3) de informatie- moet een bedrijfsvisie op BIM gedefinieerd diepte, 4) het niveau van volwassenheid, wat worden voor grote ingenieursbureaus in de het implementatieniveau weergeeft en 5) infrastructuursector? intern en extern BIM, ook wel omschreven als Methode little BIM en Big BIM.
Dit onderzoeksproject gebruikt drie Hoewel bijna elke informatiebron gelinkt kan informatiebronnen. Gebaseerd op informatie worden in de context van BIM, zijn de over 1) BIM en 2) voor BIM relevante trends volgende acht de meest belangrijke: en op 3) interviews een bedrijfsvisie op BIM is Technische details Financiën ontwikkeld. Deze eerste versie van de visie is Eisen Toestand van assets geëvalueerd in een workshop. In deze Geografisch Risico’s workshop, waaraan BIM-experts van Grontmij Tijd Documentatie deelnemen, wordt de tweede versie van de visie ontwikkeld. Deze tweede versie is het BIM verhoogt de effectiviteit, kwaliteit en eindresultaat van dit onderzoeksproject en consistentie van informatie en maakt analyses van dit rapport mogelijk. De uitdagingen bestaan uit kwaliteit van informatie, interoperabiliteit, informatie- Building Information Modelling behoefte en beschikbaarheid van informatie.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is een Bredere Trends werk- en denkwijze waarin alle relevante informatie over een object of asset digital De huidige ontwikkelingen in de bouw die verbonden wordt voor de hele levenscyclus. relevant zijn met betrekking tot BIM zijn Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) en Lean Building Information Modelling is het Construction. De eerste is een contractvorm doelbewust managen van informatie en de laatste is een werkwijze waarin
J. Ter Maaten xiii efficiëntie vergroot wordt, waardoor ze beide geaccepteerde standaarden. Veel BIM perfect aanvullen. Zowel BIM, IPD als analyses zijn mogelijk doordat informatie Lean Construction bevorderen duurzaamheid. gekoppeld is. Door de koppeling met geografische informatie zijn assets met Hoewel Big Data en BIM een verschillende elkaar verbonden en kunnen aanpak hebben in het verwerken van objectoverstijgende analyses en informatie, kan de eerste een grote invloed optimalisaties uitgevoerd worden. hebben op BIM. De combinatie met de Internet of Things maakt het een krachtige Leefomgeving. Objecten communiceren ontwikkeling. proactief en zijn intelligent. De bouwplaats van een object is volledig 3D printen en robotisering beheersen de gecontroleerd, waardoor afval bouwplaats behoorlijk. Omdat ze efficiëntie, geminimaliseerd wordt en kwaliteit en kwaliteit en veiligheid vergroten, passen ze snelheid verhoogd worden door ook goed in de Lean Construction principes. robotisering en 3D-printen. BIM is een Interviews aanjager geweest voor ontwikkelingen en duurzaamheid. De interviews resulteerden in een lijst van veertien punten die in de visie opgenomen Ingenieurs veranderen. Een nieuwe zouden moeten worden. Deze punten bestaan generatie ingenieurs ‘denkt BIM’. Het uit sociale, technologische en ingenieurswerk is veranderd van het maatschappelijke veranderingen. leveren van producten naar het verlenen van services. Geïntegreerde contracten Visie en Systems Engineering zijn volledig geïntegreerd in het ingenieurswerk. Voor De visie is gebaseerd op de drie databronnen en door BIM zijn veel processen zoals hierboven beschreven en bestaat uit vier veranderd. onderwerpen. Hierin zijn zoveel mogelijk logische elementen opgenomen. Conclusies
Definitie. BIM is volledig gedefinieerd en Het antwoord op de onderzoeksvraag kan niet geaccepteerd en komt voort uit gegeven worden in een enkele zin, omdat de intrinsieke motivatie. BIM gaat over volledige visie het antwoord is. Als communicatie en samenwerking en heeft samenvatting van de visie, en als antwoord op informatie-uitwisseling als kerngedachte. de onderzoeksvraag, is het volgende gedefinieerd: Informatie. De informatiebehoefte is volledig gedefinieerd. Omdat informatie Een bedrijfsvisie op BIM voor grote doelgericht moet zijn, wordt het niet ingenieursbureaus in de infrastructuursector ingezameld volgende principes van Big geeft blijk van een diepgaand begrip van BIM Data. Informatie-aanbod door en van maatschappelijke en technologische ingenieursbureaus komt overeen met de ontwikkelingen. In 2030 is BIM als informatiebehoefte. Informatie moet samenwerkings- en communicatiemethode accuraat, consistent, nuttig, niet- wordt geaccepteerd, wordt informatie overbodig, niet-dubbelzinnig en uitgewisseld en worden analyses daarmee betrouwbaar zijn. Informatie-uitwisseling uitgevoerd, is BIM gericht op Asset is mogelijk en veilig via internationaal Management en vergroot het efficiëntie. xiv J. Ter Maaten
All relevant abbreviations are listed in this chapter, extended by their full meaning.
AEC Architecture, Engineering, Construction BDS Building Description Systems BIM Building Information Modelling/Management CAD Computer Aided Design CAM Computer Aided Machining GIS Geographic Information System IFC International Foundation Class IoT Internet of Things IPD Integrated Project Delivery NGO Non-Governmental Organisation VDC Virtual Design Construction WBS Work Breakdown Structure
Other acronyms
3D BIM Geographical model 4D BIM 3D BIM + timing features 5D BIM 4D BIM + costing features 6D BIM 5D BIM + sustainability features 7D BIM 6D BIM + facility management features
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Sketching the problem first, the problem definition is given in section 1.1. This is translated into a research objective. Next, the research approach, as summary of the methodology used, is described. Section 1.5 presents the research questions that are answered in the content of this report. This chapter is concluded with an overview of the structure of this report.
BIM is inevitable (Adriaanse, 2014; Institution of Civil Engineers, 2012a; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2010, 2012; Memoori Business Intelligence, 2015; Samuelson & Björk, 2014; J. Williams, 2015). The question no longer is whether BIM should be adopted, but in what way it should be done. Though much research has been done on the benefits of BIM or on its business value (Aranda-Mena, Crawford, Chevez, & Froese, 2009; Azhar, 2011; Bryde, Broquetas, & Volm, 2013; Lu, Fung, Peng, Liang, & Rowlinson, 2014; Vass, 2014; Vass & Gustavsson, 2014), it still is difficult for a company that does not use BIM to estimate its profitability, to know whether it will be advantageous, and to know for which projects BIM should be used.
At engineering company Grontmij no corporate-wide vision concerning BIM has been developed. BIM is more and more valued as increasingly important by mostly everybody, but only a few know BIM in its essence. On individual level some attempts were made to apply BIM in a project, but this project-focused approach has never been lifted to a higher level. The connection of GeoWeb and Relatics, i.e. coupling of requirements with geographical data, exemplifies this.
Research has been done by Panaitescu (2014) on how to implement BIM. His work is the predecessor of this research project. Though his work explains how to implement BIM, it doesn’t provide the necessary need to actually implement it. In other words: Grontmij does know how to implement BIM, but does not know why it should do it and to what extent.
According to Panaitescu (2014) the general feeling at Grontmij is positive towards BIM in the sense ‘they’ expect BIM to become important in the future of the construction sector. At Grontmij BIM will “become an important focus for further development intentions, but there is not yet a clear plan in this direction” (Panaitescu, 2014). Considering it is not the question if BIM will be adopted, but when it will be implemented, he stresses that it is important to develop a vision. Without a vision, useful resources will be wasted and the process will be difficult. “The vision should be sufficiently aspirational to unite the various views within the organization. It should be further supported by the steps necessary to achieve.” (Panaitescu, 2014, p. 87) Panaitescu stresses the necessity of developing a vision and road that leads towards it.
A large survey conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction shows that 71% (62 companies) of engineering companies that do not use BIM (54% non-BIM using of 35% engineering companies of 466 respondents is 88 engineering companies that do not use BIM) has a positive attitude towards BIM (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). Though engineering companies are the most conservative respondents (among owners, contractors and engineers), this still is a large number of positive non- users. Considering that BIM is increasingly popular in the building industry, a large engineering
J. Ter Maaten 1 company as Grontmij cannot fall back by ignoring this development. On the other hand it is not advisable to just embrace it without questioning, debating, considering and without any in-depth knowledge. Therefore a sound vision has to be developed at Grontmij company level to apply BIM wisely. Until now no specific BIM vision is drawn and BIM has not been beneficial on a large scale.
The report by McGraw-Hill Construction (2012) shows that the infrastructure sector started adoption a few years later than the rest of the construction industry in its BIM usage. “Half of the companies using BIM for infrastructure have only one or two years of experience doing so, versus only 28% with that limited track record working on all project types. While 43% have five or more years of BIM experience on all project types, only about half that number (23%) have an equivalent length of experience using it on infrastructure work.” (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012, p. 8) The same report states that BIM usage in de infrastructure sector will grow dramatically, which stresses the importance of developing a clear and realistic vision on how to use and how to deal with BIM.
The problem context can be summarised in one problem definition, which is defined as follows:
This research project is meant to produce good answers and solutions to the problem sketched. In order to make that possible, the following research objective is derived from the problem definition.
This research project aims at providing ready answers for an engineering company in the infrastructure sector on dealing with BIM properly. It starts with mapping BIM thoroughly by analysing its most essential characteristics and identifying which information sources can be connected best. Researching the state of the art and current developments, advantages and disadvantages, possibilities, limitations, and challenges will be brought into the limelight. The purpose of this analysis is to create a thorough and accurate picture of BIM.
After analysing BIM thoroughly, a first version of the BIM corporate vision will be developed. Firstly, several actual trends are researched, thus drawing BIM’s context. Next, all information that is
2 J. Ter Maaten needed to write the first version of the vision is summarised. This information builds on three sources: literature research, BIM’s context, and interviews. Finally the vision itself is created.
This first version of the vision is evaluated in a workshop. In the workshop the vision is discussed and evaluated with 10-15 Grontmij BIM experts. This process is necessary to refine and shape the vision into its second version.
The second version of the BIM vision is the result of this research project. It is meant to be used in a larger BIM vision development process, in which the second version of the vision is proposed as the first step.
This research project answers the following core question. In order to perform a good and consistent research project the following research questions should be answered in the several chapters.
1. What are the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of BIM to large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector now and in the future? 1.1. In what way can BIM be defined? 1.2. What are the most essential characteristics of BIM? 1.3. What is the state of the art of BIM and what developments are taking place? 1.4. What advantages and disadvantages can be recognized for BIM? 1.5. What are current challenges for BIM?
2. In which way should a corporate vision concerning BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector be defined? 2.1. What are relevant developments to BIM? 2.2. What does the expected future of BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector look like?
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This report has a clear structure. After introducing the research project and defining its research methodology, BIM is elaborated extensively in chapter 3. Based on chapter 3 and the interviews (appendix 1), chapter 4 defines the first version of the corporate vision on BIM. Chapter 5 consists of the evaluation of that first version and gives the second version of the vision. Finally the report is concluded with conclusions and recommendations.
The research questions are discussed and answered throughout the report. Table 1 gives an overview of the chapters in which the several research questions are discussed.
Table 1 | Relations between research questions, methodology and thesis chapters
Question Methodology Chapter What are the advantages, disadvantages, possibilities, and limitations of BIM to large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector now and in the future? 1.1 Literature, interviews 3.1 1.2 Literature, interviews, choice 3.3, 3.4 1.3 Literature, interviews 3.4 1.4 Literature, interviews 3.5 1.5 Literature, interviews 3.5 In which way should a corporate vision concerning BIM be defined? 2.1 Literature, interviews 4.1 2.2 Design, expert review 5.3
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Chapter 2 describes the research methodology of this project in detail. The first section gives a detailed overview of the research methodology. Secondly, the concept of vision is discussed in detail. Furthermore, the relation between the research questions and the chapters of this report is elaborated upon. This chapter is finalised with a definition of the scope and limitations.
The first part is solely theoretical. The background of BIM in the infrastructure industry will be researched by recent literature and with information gained through interviews with people of Grontmij and of other Dutch engineering companies. This is quite important, because the field of BIM is developing rapidly. Literature of more than five years ago can be outdated. The focus of this research project on BIM in the infrastructure sector stresses the importance of using recent literature even more, because this sector is a few years behind and developing as fast as the rest of the construction industry. To research BIM in a relevant and thorough way, essential characteristics of BIM are researched and five to eight information sources to be connected to BIM are chosen to elaborate on, based on interviews and literature. These aspects will be defined by identifying connections between two focus areas within BIM. The following example explains this: the connection between scheduling and 3D-modelling can be viewed as one of the essentials of BIM. This connection will be elaborated upon in order to analyse BIM thoroughly.
During this research project, approximately ten interviews are conducted, both within and outside Grontmij. These interviews provide useful insights in the state of the art of BIM, in current developments, in BIM’s context and in the future of BIM. Interviews are a main source of the vision.
This graduation thesis project report is concluded with the development of the corporate vision, which has been defined as the main purpose. A vision is written in its context, which often goes far beyond the subject it discusses, envisioning social changes, etc. To provide sufficient context without being to elaborated, a few trends relevant to BIM will be analysed. The next step is the development of the vision itself, which will be applicable to Grontmij only.
A vision often describes a very generic situation or is written in the “we want to” style. These kinds of
J. Ter Maaten 5 pitfalls will not be made in this research project. The vision will describe the situation as envisioned, not as we want it, and it will be BIM-specific. Often exchanging the key word with another, e.g. BIM with Systems Engineering, delivers the same vision. Therefore it is important to be specific to BIM. The vision will be discussed within a workshop, evaluating it with Grontmij BIM experts.
It is important to know what a vision is. This section describes the concept of vision extensively by first defining vision and its purpose. Next, several criteria for assessing a vision are defined. How to create a vision is subject of the third sub section. Finally, using a vision for a specific subject is discussed.
Throughout de 1980s and 1990s the concept of mission, vision, and strategy has gained much attention (Van der Helm, 2009). According to Holstius and Malaska (2004), who performed and literature review on the term vision, many researchers have tried to illuminate the subject from various viewpoints, resulting in many, and sometimes very diverse, definitions.
Holstius and Malaska (2004) cite various definitions of vision by several authors, including “vision is an ideal and unique image of the future”, “vision is an over-arching concept that embraces the organization’s values, guiding principles and tangible image”. They further identify that vision is strongly related to mission (Campbell & Yeung, 1991; Normann, 2001; Rampersad, 2001; Wilson, 1992) and strategy (Kaplan & Norton, 2001; Mirvis, Googins, & Kinnicutt, 2010; Wilson, 1992). According to Miller (2001) a vision is “an aim for the future at any level, such as team, department or organization level” (Holstius & Malaska, 2004).
Some researchers try to define mission and vision, resulting in confusion; for instance Normann (2001) by saying a vision can be stated in terms of mission. Cummings and Davies (1994) intentionally blend the terms, stating: “It is the authors’ view that corporations need not choose between mission and vision. Rather, a corporation’s mission and vision should be developed in tandem to take advantage of a potential for complementarism, for reinforcing one another. […] Mission and vision should be fused, brought together, in order to capture the attention of, and motivate, a larger slice of the corporation’s members.” (Cummings & Davies, 1994)
Some authors use the term strategic intent as synonym for what others state as vision. Prahalad and Hamel (1990) introduce the term officially, while i.a. Campbell and Yeung (1991), Wilson (1992), and Mintzberg (1994) use or extent that view.
Though much confusion exists on the term vision, it is always future-oriented (Raynor, 1998). The following definitions contain, mostly explicitly, the element of a desired future:
“A vision is a mental image of a possible and desirable future state of the organization. […] [A] vision articulates a view of a realistic, credible, attractive future for the organization, a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists.” (Bennis & Nanus, 1985) “[A vision] could also be a ‘concept for a new and desirable future reality that can be communicated throughout the organization’.” (Rowe, Mason, Dickel, & Snijder, 1986)
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“In corporate terms, I define strategic vision as: ‘A coherent and powerful statement of what the business can and should be (ten) years hence’ (the time horizon varies, of course, with the nature of the business).” (Wilson, 1992) “[A] Vision could be described as a concept of the kind of future an individual, or an organization, aspires to create within a broad time horizon and the underlying conditions for the realization of this concept.”(El-Namaki, 1992) “Taken literally, vision delineates a certain perspective of the world, a perspective of a future desired reality. So visions move in the area of tension between utopia and a continuation of the present track that is devoid of any fantasy.” (Rüegg-Stürm & Gomez, 1994) “Vision refers to a picture of the future with some implicit or explicit commentary on why people should strive to create that future.” (Kotter, 1996) “A statement of the desired future state of the organization within the arena of competition defined in the mission.” (Raynor, 1998) “[A strategic vision is] the shared understanding of a realistic, credible, attractive future for the company and how it must change. In addition, a good vision will consider the past and the future, will attend to the big picture but also understand the details of the company, will reflect creative as well as discontinuous possibilities, and will be something that top management can implement.” (Olk, Rainsford, & Chung, 2010) “A vision articulates a desired future for a company. […] [I]n its detailing, a vision provides an intellectual framework for company strategy” (Mirvis et al., 2010) While the vision should describe a desirable future, it is not enough to just describe it, for “[Collins and Porras (1991, 1994)] found that the most obvious and memorable part of the vision was what they called the 'Vivid Description'.” (Thornberry, 1997) This is the same concept as the art of ‘picturing and painting the future entity’, defined by Bennis and Goldsmith (1994). Olk et al. (2010) support this idea, saying “[the mission] statement is […]translated into a vivid description. This may be a colorful phrase, a powerful image, or a metaphorical story that conveys the company’s passion, emotion, and conviction for its vision to stakeholders.”
Talking about the function and purpose of a vision, Rüegg-Stürm and Gomez (1994) say: “Visions are supposed to function as a “genetic code” pre-determining all possible ways of behaviour (Collins & Porras, 1991).” The ‘genetic code’-element in this quote is supported by the framework Raynor (1998) develops. He states the vision can be derived from the mission, which in turn has the corporate values as its input, as visualised in Figure 2; a vision supported by (Olk et al., 2010) as well. According to Kotter (1996) a vision “helps clarifying the direction of change; […] serves to facilitate major changes by motivating action that is not necessarily in people’s short-term self-interests; [and] helps align individuals, thus coordinating the actions of motivated people in a remarkably efficient way.”
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Market forces Core comptencies Vision Mission Values
Figure 2 | Creating the mission and vision (derived from Raynor (1998))
Wilson (1992) defines five characteristics of a successful vision: clarity, coherence, communications power, consistency, and flexibility. According to Kotter (1996) a good vision should be imaginable, desirable, feasible, focused, flexible, and communicable. Thornberry (1997) derives seven criteria a vision should meet: “First, visions is neither rhetoric nor platitude; second, a vision must give guidance; third, the visioning process requires that senior management get in touch with their leadership responsibilities; fourth, visions are crafted; fifth, do not wait for perfection; sixth, have fortitude; and finally, the ability to develop a vision is not the sacred territory for senior management alone.”
According to El-Namaki (1992) a “vision has to embody a whole set of qualitative criteria.” The vision should satisfy the following criteria to provide a good foundation for strategy and goal formulation; the vision should (El-Namaki, 1992):
be realistic and feasible; simple and clear; provide a challenge for the whole organization; mirror the goals and aspirations of the constituents; [be] far but close, in terms of time span and organizational commitment; [be] able to focus the attention with respect to scope and time; [be] translatable into goals and strategies; [be] endorsed and frequently articulated by top management; [be] derived from a sense of direction.
Kotter (1996) defines a process to create an effective vision, describing both consecutive steps and process characteristics. He states the process often starts with the idea of a single person. That draft vision is modelled by a so-called guiding coalition, which needs to work in an effective teamwork environment. In the vision creation process, which is iterative, both analytical thinking and dreaming are important. Furthermore, creating a vision takes time, sometimes even years. The process delivers “a direction for the future that is desirable, feasible, focused, flexible, and is conveyable in five minutes or less.” (Kotter, 1996) A much more chronological and concrete process of eight steps is defined by Wilson (1992) to develop a vision:
1. Analyse the company’s future environment. 2. Analyse the company’s resources and capabilities. 3. Clarify management values.
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4. Develop (or revise) a mission statement. 5. Identify strategic objectives and goals. 6. Generate and select strategic options 7. Develop the vision statement. 8. Conduct ‘sanity checks’.
Wilson (1992) further derives a few ‘pitfalls and pratfalls’ from his experience: executive impatience; failure of imagination; failure to build consensus; failure to solve short-term problems; ‘obsolescence through success’; lack of flexibility; and failure to implement.
Based on the literature research on vision theories, we define vision as a vivid description of a desired, realistic, credible, attractive, focused, and flexible future for the company, that can be communicated in five minutes (Bennis & Nanus, 1985; Collins & Porras, 1991; Kotter, 1996; Mirvis et al., 2010; Olk et al., 2010; Raynor, 1998; Rowe et al., 1986).
The vision should be derived from the corporate mission and from market forces (Olk et al., 2010; Raynor, 1998). One of these market forces certainly is Building Information Modelling. Furthermore, the vision serves the change process of tuning business to BIM-thinking (Kotter, 1996).
The vision should be clear, coherent and consistent, imaginable, communicable, focused, flexible, realistic and feasible, challenging, and translatable into strategy (El-Namaki, 1992; Kotter, 1996; Thornberry, 1997; Wilson, 1992). Visions that do not meet these criteria will likely be vague, generic and ineffective (Collins & Porras, 1991; Kotter, 1996; Olk et al., 2010).
The process of the vision development starts with the draft version, written by the author. This version will be discussed within one workshop with BIM experts of Grontmij, using i.a. the BIM2ONE network. The process consecutive to these first steps will be designed throughout the author’s research project. This process is in line with the process Kotter (1996) proposes and with the methodology Construct I.T. (2003) used in developing a vision of 2D-enabled construction.
The use of interviews serves two goals. Firstly, many factual characteristics and current developments can be derived from the interviews. This information is going to be used in Chapter 3, in which BIM is described thoroughly. The interviews are used in particular in sections 3.4 and 3.5, in which BIM is described in several focus areas and advantages, disadvantages and challenges are described respectively. Every aspect derived from the interviews is validated through literature, thus valuing the interviews mainly as source of inspiration.
Secondly, the interviews are used to define the vision. Each interview contains a question in which the interviewee’s view on BIM’s future is questioned. The answers on this question and other visionary aspects spoken of during the interview are analysed in chapter 4.2.2. These aspects can be categorised into fifteen groups. Each category contains per interview the visionary elements the interviewee elaborated upon in the interviews.
A total of ten interviews will be conducted, half of which are held within Grontmij. Each interview is designed as a normal conversation, though for each interview a specific set of question is prepared.
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This list of question is included in Appendix 1. Most of the interviews will take an hour to conduct; some may have a longer duration due to interesting input and at least one interview will be shorter. The latter interview is an interview with the purpose of getting a deeper understanding of Systems Engineering and thus it is expected to be shorter.
In this report, every statement derived from an interview is validated by mentioning from which interview it is derived. Referring to the interviews is done by mentioning a number, because the interviews are confidential. This number does NOT correspond to the order the interviewees are shown in Appendix 1. The list in Appendix 1 is in alphabetical order, while the interviews are referred to in chronological order. To emphasize this further:
2.4 Analysing BIM will be done for BIM in general. The main reason for this consideration is the global development of BIM. The research field is internationally focused and not very restricted to one country only, and BIM solutions can be used worldwide. Not only is it BIM that is internationally oriented, its applications are global as well. Many large projects have an international character because of the many parties involved from different countries. This analysis of BIM will be restricted to a selection of aspects. These aspects characterise BIM and they will therefore be stated as BIM essentials. By analysing these essentials, the research will be thorough and not too broad.
The vision developed for Grontmij is not meant for other organisations in the construction industry or even for other engineering companies. These organisations can use the information provided in this report, but a non-nuanced and one-to-one copy of the information is not advisable, for it is based on and tailored to Grontmij’s needs and characteristics.
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The third chapter contains the analysis on BIM. In several subchapters BIM is sketched thoroughly and extensively. It starts with defining BIM and with its history. With this development in mind, the reader will easily understand the next subchapter, in which several general notions of BIM are discussed. The chapter is completed by elaborating on the eight most essential information sources to BIM, summarising them in advantages, disadvantages and challenges.
The first five research sub questions are answered in chapter 3. Research question 1.1 is answered in section 3.1, while question 1.2 is answered in sections 3.3 and 3.4. In this last section question 1.3 is answered as well. The last section answers research questions 1.4 and 1.5.
It is striking that each player in the BIM market has, and is encouraged to have, its own definition. This can be explained by the fact that BIM is no feature or software package, but a working method. Because no one works in exactly the same way, everyone can have his own definition of BIM.
One of the most well-known and most-used definitions is developed by the National Building Information Modeling Standard: “A Building Information Model (Model) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. As such, it serves as a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle from inception onward.” (D. K. Smith & Edgar, 2006)
Others keep it short and simple: “BIM is the process of design, construction and use of the building or facility infrastructure using information about virtual objects” (British Standard Institution, 2013), “Technologies and processes integrating building information through attributed 3D geometry” (Ashcraft & Shelden, 2008), and “BIM is a technology that allows relevant graphical and topical information related to the built environment.” (Weygant, 2011)
The BIM Handbook is more elaborated in its definition. Eastman, Teicholz, Sacks, and Liston (2011) describe BIM as “a modeling technology and associated set of processes to produce, communicate, and analyze building models. Building models are characterized by:
Building components that are represented with digital representations (objects) that carry computable graphic and data attributes that identify them to software applications, as well as parametric rules that allow them to be manipulated in an intelligent fashion; Components that include data that describe how they behave, as needed for analyses and work processes, for example, takeoff, specification, and energy analyses; Consistent and nonredundant data such that changes to component data are represented in all views of the component and the assemblies of which it is a part; Coordinated data such that all views of a model are represented in a coordinated way.”
The last definition to mention in this context is developed by the Institution of Civil Engineers: “BIM is the purposeful management of information through the whole life cycle of an infrastructure asset.
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Thus, BIM is a managed approach to the collection and exploitation of information across the life cycle of a built environment asset – which keeps the needs and overall purpose of the asset at the fore. At its heart are computer-generated models connecting all graphical and tabular information about the design, construction and operation of the asset and associated documents.” (Institution of Civil Engineers, 2012b)
The several different definitions can cause confusion, and that is why the BIM Task Group (n.d.) put it in a different perspective by stating that it is sometimes “easier to say what BIM isn’t”:
It’s not just 3D CAD It’s not just a new technology application It’s not next generation, it[’s] here and now
This way of putting it is particularly important because BIM is often misunderstood and interpreted incorrectly. As Gavin (2011) shows, citing Marcelli, BIM is sometimes mistaken as software. Another common misperception is BIM as visualisation tool (Gavin, 2011; Jones, 2009). It is evident BIM is a good way of visualising the model, but it is certainly not limited to that. Eastman et al. (2011) name another aspect that is often perceived wrongly by the market: the thought that BIM is meant for younger and unexperienced employees to enhance their productivity. Mobilis Modeling (2010) claims that the industry is merely focussed on the modelling-part of the BIM-acronym, while the focus should be on information. In short should be said BIM is not unambiguously known in its market.
On the other hand, more recent literature and all interviewees state that the perception of BIM becomes more realistic. “The original emphasis on technology has been replaced and put into the context of better management of information in the construction industry and the wider cultural implications of producing a better information asset for the end user; something which should create benefit for all.” (Race, 2013) Both Interview 4 and Interview 5 think BIM-thinking in the building industry still is mainly focussed on 3D-modelling, while the infrastructure sector has adopted, or is adopting, BIM in a fundamental better way. The other interviewees do not consider 3D-modelling the most important aspect of BIM as well.
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BIM is defined in many ways, as shown in the previous sections. While the definition of the British Standard Institution (2013) covers the most essential elements of BIM (virtual, objects, information), it is too vague to be of practical use. Weygant’s definition (2011) is even less useful, because of its passive formulation, which does not show anything of BIM’s purposes. Another aspect is his preference for graphical information. In BIM graphical information is of great importance, but there are more types of information, which are underexposed in this definition. Using the definition of (Weygant, 2011) incorporates the risk of supporting the misapprehension of BIM as 3D designing tool.
Both D. K. Smith and Edgar (2006) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (2012b) developed good definitions, presenting a sound vision on BIM. One aspect though, visible in the BIM Handbook’s definition (Eastman et al., 2011), is the use of components and their parametric nature, which is not clearly outlined.
Based on the three definitions mentioned in the previous paragraph, the following made-up definition will be used throughout this report:
In simple words can be said that BIM is a way of thinking in which all relevant information of a physical system is connected digitally throughout the life cycle, while using objects as the base line.
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Now BIM has been defined, this section goes back in time and describes its history, following initial ideas, the rise of the computer, the development of CAD systems, and the explosion of BIM. It concludes with the role of BIM in the infrastructure.
BIM has become a widespread notion in the construction industry during the last ten years. Its roots, however, lie back in the mid-twentieth century. Back in the 1960s Ivan Sutherland built the Sketchpad. It was the first commercial Computer Aided Design (CAD) software system, which used a light pen to draw on the monitor (Sutherland, 1963). Though Hanratty became known as “the father of CAD CAM” because of his development of CAM (Computer Aided Machining) system PRONTO in 1957 for General Electric, Sketchpad is the earliest innovative breaking point in CAD history (Weisberg, 2008).
These years are the foundation of CAD and BIM developments. It was in 1962 Engelbart (1962) presented his vision of what turned out to become reality in half a century. Graphic limitations – it was the very beginning of the computer revolution – hampered the application and further development of these frameworks and ideas, developed by i.a. Engelbart, Simon, Negroponte, McHarg and Alexander (Bergin, 2012).
“Ignoring the representation on the display, the architect next begins to enter a series of specifications and data – a six-inch slab floor, twelve-inch concrete walls eight feet high within the excavation, and so on. When he has finished, the revised scene appears on the screen. A structure is taking shape. He examines it, adjusts it, pauses long enough to ask for handbook or catalog information from the “clerk” at various points, and readjusts accordingly. He often recalls from the “clerk” his working lists of specifications and considerations to refer to them, modify them, or add to them. These lists grow into an ever-more-detailed, interlinked structure, which represents the maturing thought behind the actual design.” (Engelbart, 1962, p. 5)
In those years many companies in the aviation and automotive industry started to develop their own, in-house drawing systems. This trend can be explained by the high investing costs and the need to design ever-increasing complex designs. Companies as Ford, Renault, General Motors, Mercedes- Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Lockheed, Northrop and McDonell-Douglas released their software in the mid- 1960s (CADAZZ, 2004; Weisberg, 2008). Research on 3D surface modelling also started, with one of its key blocks the Ph.D. thesis publication of Versprille (1975).
While the idea of BIM existed, albeit not using this term, graphical and computer hardware limitations in particular were severe constraints to develop it into a mature expertise. Throughout the next decades it became clear that the industry was focused on developing and researching these limitations. The computer’s computational power, as well as graphical abilities, increased at a staggering rate. Several breakthroughs in the last quarter of the twentieth century characterise the CAD market, including the introduction of UNIX workstations in the early ‘80s and the rise of the Personal Computer in the last decennium. The introduction of Pro/Engineer in 1987 marks another stepping stone in CAD history, for it “changed users' expectations of CAD software's user interface functionality, ease-of-use and most especially of the speed of solid modeling” (CADAZZ, 2004).
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Changes followed in rapid succession, which did not stay unnoticed at the time as well. John Walker, founder of Autodesk, shows this in his famous Information Letter 14: “Whenever I read something written between 1982 and 1988, or reflect upon those years, they seem increasingly distant, foreign, almost quaint.” (Walker, 1991) One of the most exciting turning points was the introduction of Windows NT, which marked the start of the rise of cheap CAD systems. Though performance decreased only slightly, prices were much lower, which improved the price/quality ratio dramatically. SolidWorks 95 was introduced – “80% of Pro/Engineer’s functionality at 20% of the price” (Hanan, 2011). It had an impact comparable to Pro/Engineer’s introduction (CADAZZ, 2004).
The CAD industry had seen many and large turning points, but once SolidWorks was introduced, mainly settlement took place. No more fundamental changes occurred. A few trends, however, are noteworthy. Internet began its rush upwards. It did not have a shocking impact, though Ford was in the news with designing its Mondeo series entirely over the internet. Another trend, worth mentioning as well, especially considering BIM, is the use of and research on Product Life-Cycle Management. CAD developers realised the change and were fast to anticipate: “…; ‘blistering 3D modelling speed’, ‘faster than lightning rendering’ and ‘graphics so real you can feel it’ were out and ‘value propositions’, ‘portfolio management’ and ‘life cycle analysis’ were in.” (CADAZZ, 2004)
While the development of CAD systems started in the automotive and aerospace industry, the rise of BIM roots in the architecture branch. Not only was it Engelbart who presented his clear vision on the future of design in architecture, but the first steps in BIM’s development ladder show that architecture is the main focus.
Charles “Chuck” Eastman, by many named as the ‘father of BIM’ (Laiserin, Foreword of BIM Handbook, 2008), developed in the mid-‘70s the ‘Building Description System’ (BDS). It involved a library of elements, which can be used to add elements to a model (Eastman, 1976). The database “allows the user to retrieve information categorically by attributes including material type and supplier” (Bergin, 2012).
Eastman et al. (1974) criticise the use of drawings as the only way of construction information communication. Firstly, drawings must be kept consistent when changes occur, which is very time- consuming and inefficient. Secondly, numerical information, which is used for most analyses, must be taken manually from drawings, which is extremely error prone. Lastly, the final set of drawings will decay over time as the building ages. To handle these problems, BDS was developed: “BDS was initiated to show that a computer-based description of a building could replicate or improve on all current strengths of drawings as a medium for building design, construction and operation as well as eliminate most of their current weaknesses.” (Eastman et al., 1974) BDS has not been commercially used and was mainly an experiment, which sought to tackle some of the most fundamental problems in architectural design.
GLIDE (Graphical Language for Interactive Design), Eastman’s next project (Eastman & Henrion, 1977), was much more serious and showcases most characteristics of a modern day BIM system. Loading attributes from a library and manipulating them by adjusting the parameters, he was able to produce good designs, as shown in Figure 3, retrieved from Bergin (2012)
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Figure 3 | “GLIDE code (…) generat[ing] the staircase shown” (Eastman & Henrion, 1977)
In 1986 the RUCAPS software was developed, which was used for the phased construction of Heathrow Airport’s third terminal. It was the first use of temporal phasing in a construction project (Laiserin, Foreword of BIM Handbook, 2008). Other features included 3D modelling, parametric components, automatic drawing production, and relational databases (Aish, 1986). Research on four dimensional building models was boosted by the founding of Teicholz’s ‘Center for Integrated Facility Engineering’ (CIFE) (Bergin, 2012).
The term ‘Building Information Modelling’ was not used until 1992, when Van Nederveen and Tolman (1992) used the term in their paper, though it took another decennium for the concept to be used widely. In other languages considers Laiserin (Foreword of BIM Handbook, 2008) the Dutch “gebouwmodel” the first term that expresses the meaning of what BIM proposes.
Gábor Bojár developed Radar CH in 1984, quickly after rebranded into ArchiCAD, which was the first BIM software in the world for a personal computer. Leonid Raiz and Irwin Jungreis wanted to develop a more powerful architectural software that could handle more complex designs than ArchiCAD. This resulted in 2000 in the publication of Revit. Autodesk bought Revit in 2002 and began to promote it extensively (Bergin, 2012; Construct I.T., 2003).
These developments show that the idea of BIM was available and ready to develop further in the mid-‘80s, but it took fifteen years for BIM to break through. The development of BIM was split, and thus hindered, in two aspects: the rise of specialised CAD systems to increase efficiency and the use of BIM as a model to simulate and test (Bergin, 2012).
It is remarkable that once the development curve of CAD systems flattened, BIM’s boom started. CAD systems still improved, but major innovative turning points did not occur anymore (CADAZZ, 2004). No further development was necessary, which turned research focus to other fields, i.a. BIM.
Collaboration efforts increased significantly, which was made much easier by Revit in 2004 (Bergin, 2012). As architectural files and engineering files should be consistent, Revit developed its feature of
16 J. Ter Maaten a central file in which ownership is linked to objects. Large groups of designers were enabled to work on one integrated model.
A software producer is almost never alone in developing and innovating, which is applicable in this case as well. Other vendors incorporated collaboration features into their software packages. This brought along the need of interoperability solutions. Different BIM solutions should be able to read and possibly work with files of other BIM software users. The introduction of the International Foundation Class (IFC) in 1995 was one of the good efforts to solve the interoperability problem (Autodesk Inc., 1995; Bazjanac & Crawley, 1997; Laakso & Kiviniemi, 2012).
In the last decennium to date many developments have taken place. Simulation and testing are booming and the connection of the three-dimensional model with all types of other studies has increased at a large scale. These simulations and tests include i.a. solar and energy studies, sustainability studies, and construction phasing and logistics (Bergin, 2012). The link between theory and practice, or between model and reality, is becoming stronger and stronger, because of the increasing use and development of augmented reality and monitoring (Han & Golparvar-Fard, 2014; X. Wang et al., 2013; G. Williams, Gheisari, & Irizarry, 2014) and measuring methods as laser- scanning (Liu, Eybpoosh, & Akinci, 2012). Even the use of mobile devices is an interesting and much- studied research field (Davies & Harty, 2013; Gheisari, Goodman, Schmidt, Williams, & Irizarry, 2014; Lin & Su, 2013; G. Williams et al., 2014).
Some smaller BIM platforms have inspired “something of a revolution in design as the power to iterate and transform has resulted in especially complex and provocative architectural forms” (Bergin, 2012). Patrick Schumacher pointed this movement in his ‘Parametricist Manifesto’.
The current stage of advancement within parametricism relates as much to the continuous advancement of the attendant computational design technologies as it is due to the designer’s realization of the unique formal and organizational opportunities that are afforded. Parametricism can only exist via sophisticated parametric techniques. Finally, computationally advanced design techniques like scripting (in Mel-script or Rhino-script) and parametric modeling (with tools like GC or DP) are becoming a pervasive reality. Today it is impossible to compete within the contemporary avant-garde scene without mastering these techniques. (Schumacher, 2008)
Strafaci (2008) expresses the doubts in the infrastructure sector in 2008 perfectly by his experience. “A few weeks ago, I was on the phone with a civil engineer who needed help with a question he was asked by an architecture firm: "Are you BIM ready?" (…) [H]e wasn’t sure how to answer the question. Did BIM even apply to civil engineers? And if it did, would he have to use new software to be "BIM ready?" What if he wasn’t working on projects that involved buildings? Could he still do BIM?” (Strafaci, 2008) By that time the infrastructure sector began to develop interest in the buzzword of the AEC industry. Reservation and doubts were characterising the general opinion.
The nomenclature of BIM for infrastructure has been confusing. First of all the B of BIM, which was subject of discussion whether it was a noun or a verb. The latter case would enable the infrastructure industry to adopt the term without changing, while building as a noun would hamper the adoption process of BIM by the infrastructure sector (Ng, 2012). AGI has adopted the use of I-BIM
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(Infrastructure BIM) (Kemp, 2011), as well as Ng (2012), while terms as CIM (Civil Information Modelling), CEIM (Civil Engineering Information Modelling) or InfraBIM are used as well (Henttinen, 2014). While some consider VDC (Virtual Design Construction) and BIM synonymous (Gilligan & Kunz, 2007; Inguva, Clevenger, & Ozbek, 2014; Khanzode, Fischer, & Reed, 2008), others claim these differ in meaning (LaNear, 2008; Tobin, 2013).
Autodesk introduced its AutoCAD Civil 3D first version in 2004, which was quite deficient, but its 2008 release had become a stable and reliable design tool (Gladfelter, 2007). Gladfelter gives a preview of the system, in which he envisions the rise of AutoCAD Civil 3D: “Working as a CAD Manager I can’t help but be excited at the possibilities Civil 3D begins opening up for us. Only time will tell if my first impression of Civil 3D 2008 is correct, but after testing it for a number of months now I can’t see any reason for it not to continue dethroning its predecessor: Land Development Desktop.” (Gladfelter, 2007) AutoCAD Civil 3D marked the start of increasing interest of the infrastructure sector in BIM.
Though infrastructure engineers are adopting BIM fast (Henttinen, 2014), the sector still lags behind a few years, as the McGraw-Hill Construction (2012) report clearly shows. “Half of the companies using BIM for infrastructure have only one or two years of experience doing so, versus only 28% with that limited track record working on all project types. While 43% have five or more years of BIM experience on all project types, only about half that number (23%) have an equivalent length of experience using it on infrastructure work.” (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012) The same report states that BIM usage in de infrastructure sector will grow dramatically.
Many problems in the building industry have been identified throughout the years. Eastman et al. (1974) criticised, as described in the history of BIM above, the use of drawings, because they must be kept consistent, because they contain manually added numerical information, and because the final set of drawings will decay over time. The NIST found that more than US$15.8 billion per year is lost in the United States only because of interoperability problems (Gallaher, O’Connor, Dettbarn Jr., & Gilday, 2004).
According to Azhar (2011), lower project costs, increased productivity, higher quality and reduced project delivery time are the main goals of improvement for the AEC industry. Furthermore, the high amount of stakeholders and phases of a construction process together with unique aspects as “long period, complicated process, abominable environment, financial intensity and dynamic organization structures” (Hammad, Rishi, & Yahaya, 2012) result in fragmentation (Nitithamyong & Skibniewski, 2004), which in turn result in low productivity (Hammad et al., 2012). These problems result, according to Eastman et al. (2011), in friction, higher expenses and delays.
“Recent studies highlight a number of key barriers to growth and the efficient operation of the construction market. There is broad consensus, spread both across the industry and its customers, that construction under-performs in terms of its capacity to deliver value and that there has been a lack of investment in construction efficiency and growth opportunities. In addition poor and inconsistent procurement practices, particularly in the public sector (which accounts for nearly 40% of the industry’s workload), are leading to waste and inefficiency.” (Cabinet Office, 2011)
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A lack of communication and collaboration hampers the building industry extremely. Evbuomwan and Anumba (1998) recognise the ‘over the wall’ syndrome in the building industry, pictured in Figure 4, and identify five disadvantages.
the fragmentation of the different participants in the construction project; the fragmentation of design and construction data; the occurrence of costly design changes and unnecessary liability claims; the lack of true life-cycle analysis of the project; lack of communication of design rationale and intent.
Figure 4 | Over the wall – Traditional design and construction process (Evbuomwan & Anumba)
Though BIM tries to lower the walls between the parties, there is still the danger of separated work and fragmentation. The essence of BIM is communication (Interview 5) and when that is not shaped properly, the high walls keep intact, as stated and depicted by Spekkink (2014b) in Figure 5.
Figure 5 | You can throw both drawings and models over the wall… it is all about making arrangements (Spekkink, 2014b)
This subchapter described the historical context of BIM, summarising it in the last section with the underlying problems.
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The previous subchapters contain an elaboration on the background of BIM and of its definition. This definition mentions the coupling of information. Before elaborating on what types of information should be linked, several notions characterising BIM have to be explained. In this subchapter these general notions are described, including communication, object-oriented modelling, and maturity levels.
One of the most essential aspects of BIM is object-oriented modelling. While in the CAD era several lines and curves made planes and several planes made 3D shapes, BIM has a different approach. In BIM objects are used. These objects can contain much information, including the geometric information, the relation with and dependence on other objects and material information (Eastman et al., 2011).
These objects are parametrical. This means objects carry parameters like width, depth and height, as well as weight, relation to other objects, and manufacturers (Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry, 2009). “This way, when you are constructing the building virtually, you are building it with fully defined, intelligent objects that know where they belong, how they relate to other objects and what they consist of.” (Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry, 2009)
Eastman et al. (2008) say parametric objects have geometric information and associated data and rules, have non-redundant – and thus consistent – geometry, adjust automatically to neighbouring objects according to parametric rules, can be placed on different aggregation levels, and can handle sets of attributes.
Interview 5 considers increased communication the main goal of BIM. One of the problems to enhance communication though is communication between software programs. Each program uses its own language, which makes it difficult to collaborate with other programs. This problem, the interoperability problem, is considered one of the major problems of BIM (Eastman et al., 2011).
To tackle interoperability problems, several ways can be defined. Firstly, two software vendors can collaborate in enabling mutual understanding between their software. Another option is the use of open standards (Hamil, 2012). Several open standards for divergent purposes and disciplines have been developed, but one of the most common and most used standards are the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) (Choy, Stuhlmacher, & Rooney, 2015). Many software packages allow the user to export the data to the IFC extension.
Standards are developed on different levels. IFC is a standard which allows software to exchange data (International Organization for Standardization, 2013). Another type of standards are the object libraries. Many organisations and companies have developed their own object type library, in order to standardise their processes (Choy et al., 2015). Often the problem exists these libraries are not interoperable. That is why concept libraries are developed.
CB-NL is the Dutch concept library for the built environment, which functions as mediator system between object libraries. Spekkink (2014a) illustrates its function with the example of a door. While one object library might define a door as the door itself and its frame, another object library might
20 J. Ter Maaten define the door just as door and calls the door and its frame a door set. CB-NL knows that the door in the first library is the same as the door set in the latter library.
COINS is another Dutch initiative. This standard provides a core structure to which multiple information sources can be linked (Interview 2, 3, 4, 7). Developed for the infrastructure sector in particular, this standard promises to be useful in the future, because it provides interoperability. It has gained international attention as the next step in BIM (Interview 4).
The notion of Level of Development is one of the most well-known in the BIM society. The American Institute of Architects (2013) defines the several levels in its Building Information Modeling Protocol Form:
“LOD 100 The Model Element may be graphically represented in the Model with a symbol or other generic representation, but does not satisfy the requirements for LOD 200. Information related to the Model Element (i.e. cost per square foot, tonnage of HVAC, etc.) can be derived from other Model Elements. LOD 200 The Model Element is graphically represented within the Model as a generic system, object, or assembly with approximate quantities, size, shape, location, and orientation. Non- graphic information may also be attached to the Model Element. LOD 300 The Model Element is graphically represented within the Model as a specific system, object or assembly in terms of quantity, size, shape, location, and orientation. Non- graphic information may also be attached to the Model Element. LOD 350 The Model Element is graphically represented within the Model as a specific system, object, or assembly in terms of quantity, size, shape, orientation, and interfaces with other building systems. Non-graphic information may also be attached to the Model Element. LOD 400 The Model Element is graphically represented within the Model as a specific system, object or assembly in terms of size, shape, location, quantity, and orientation with detailing, fabrication, assembly, and installation information. Non-graphic information may also be attached to the Model Element. LOD 500 The Model Element is a field verified representation in terms of size, shape, location, quantity, and orientation. Non-graphic information may also be attached to the Model Elements.”
Level of Development and level of detail are both in use as description of the abbreviation LOD (American Institute of Architects (2013); BIM Acceleration Committee (2014); BIMForum (2013) versus Choi, Kim, and Kim (2015); Mignard and Nicolle (2014); Spekkink (2012); Succar (2009)). The New Zealand BIM Handbook clearly states the difference: “In essence, level of detail can be thought of as input to the element, while Level of Development is reliable output.” (BIM Acceleration Committee, 2014, Appendix C, p. 2) In the handbook, the authors propose to identify four different aspects of the concept. Level of detail “[d]efines the level of geometric precision relative to the real object”, while the level of accuracy concerns the issue of tolerances. Thirdly, the level of information, or level of data is defined as one of the aspects of the LOD. This level defines “what information is to be supplied with each element.” The last level is the level of coordination, which describes the coordination with other elements. (BIM Acceleration Committee, 2014)
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From March 2016 the British Government requires BIM Maturity level 2. “Government will require fully collaborative 3D BIM (with all project and asset information, documentation and data being electronic) as a minimum by 2016.” (Cabinet Office, 2011) The four maturity levels showcased in Figure 6 (derived from (Bew & Richards, 2008)) are defined and explained by the BIM Industry Working Group (2011):
0. “Unmanaged CAD probably 2D, with paper (or electronic paper) as the most likely data exchange mechanism. 1. Managed CAD in 2 or 3D format using BS1192:2007 with a collaboration tool providing a common data environment, possibly some standard data structures and formats. Commercial data managed by standalone finance and cost management packages with no integration. 2. Managed 3D environment held in separate discipline “BIM” tools with attached data. Commercial data managed by an ERP. Integration on the basis of proprietary interfaces or bespoke middleware could be regarded as “pBIM” (proprietary). The approach may utilise 4D and 5D cost elements as well as feed operational systems. 3. Fully open process and data integration enabled by “web services” compliant with the emerging IFC / IFD standards, managed by a collaborative model server. Could be regarded as iBIM or integrated BIM potentially employing concurrent engineering processes.”
Figure 6 | BIM Maturity Levels (BIM Industry Working Group, 2011)
One reason for the confusion about BIM, is the scale of it. Some define BIM as the technical description of buildings or infrastructure objects, while others take the whole of information management for BIM (Interview 2).
One way to deal with that confusion is the difference between little bim and BIG BIM. Jernigan (2008) proposed this in his book; little bim is the process of using BIM software within the company, while BIG BIM is the exchange of BIM models and BIM data between the concerning parties (Van Berlo, 2012). Van Berlo (2012) says little bim focusses on improving internal processes and BIG BIM tries to improve efficiency between all parties.
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It is advised to manage little bim first, before trying to master BIG BIM processes. Van der Geest (2014) stresses you need to master your internal BIM processes in order to be able to BIM with external parties.
This section elaborates on the most essential data sources to connect for BIM. Researching, analysing and describing these essentials results in a thorough analysis of BIM, described in this subchapter.
These information sources are found by interviews (See Table 2), literature research and logical thinking. Each source is an aspect of the construction work spectrum, which is connected in BIM to the physical model, because BIM can be viewed as a method to integrate different information and data streams. The next aspects have been identified and will be elaborated in this subchapter.
Essential 1: Technical details Essential 5: Finances Essential 2: Requirements Essential 6: Condition of assets Essential 3: Geospatial information Essential 7: Risks Essential 4: Time Essential 8: Documentation These eight sources form the data sources to be connected in BIM. In each section of this chapter, one of these data sources is described thoroughly, using recent literature and information gained from the interviews.
Table 2 shows per interview what aspects of BIM the interviewee considers important to connect with one another. Because interview 6 had the purpose to understand Systems Engineering and its relation with BIM, the question on which information sources should be connected was not asked.
Table 2 | BIM Essentials per interview
Interview 1 Interview 2 Interview 3 Int Interview 5 Interview 6 Interview 7 Interview 8 Interview 9 Interview 10
erview 4
Technical Details Requirements Geospatial Information Time Finances Condition of Assets Risks Documentation
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According to Ahmad “[o]ne of the key advantages of BIM when designing change-ready healthcare facilities is the ability to generate, analyse and evaluate different flexible design options or scenarios” (Ahmad, 2014, p. 72). Designing in a BIM project can be done much more efficient than in the traditional way. Different layouts can be created and they can be analysed and optimised easily, leading higher sustainability and a better adapted and suitable design (Ahmad, 2014). Higher sustainability can be achieved because BIM helps with energy analyses.
“The performance outcome of each design option generated can be analysed and considered during the selection of the most appropriate design to progress with. As a result, BIM modelling can help with optimisation of cost, improving project productivity” (Ahmad, 2014, pp. 272-273).
Three-dimensional designing in BIM was in the early days the core business of BIM, and as Interview 4 states, largely still is the core of BIM in the AEC industry. This was the most obvious and most easy aspect of BIM that parties undertook. Design was done by using three-dimensional objects, including material information, dimensions, weight, etc. For this aspect, as Interview 1 says, BIM is extremely suitable, and it must certainly be mastered. But when BIM is limited to just improved designing, many chances are missed, because BIM is much more.
When many technical details are available, then they can be used in analyses and computations. It is therefore important to incorporate correct and consisted data in the model, for these technical data are the very basis of other applications within BIM. In short: the quality of technical information needs to be high-class.
Sacks, Koskela, Dave, and Owen (2010) mention the automated creation of drawings and documents as an important benefit of BIM. When technical details are imported properly, these drawings will show consistent and non-redundant information.
All interviewees indicate that the coupling of stakeholders’ requirements to the physical model is most essential to BIM. As data source to BIM, requirements are mentioned most by the several interviewees, which indicates its relevance.
The underlying reason to couple client’s and others’ requirements to the model is the need for verification and validation. Object-oriented requirements can easily be tested in the digital model. Both Interview 1 and Interview 5 show Grontmij has linked the requirements with the geographical model, thus visualising these requirements. This turns out to be extremely helpful in the validation process.
In Dutch infrastructure projects, requirements are almost always managed with the Systems Engineering approach. In this method, the client specifies his requirements and wishes without providing solutions. Not only are the client’s requirements managed, all requirements, wishes and limitations are incorporated (Interview 4). The method is meant to work explicitly, what means that everything must be documented in order to reduce inefficiency and to stimulate the learning curve (Interview 3). Though Systems Engineering is not necessary to BIM, it is very helpful and it complements and strengthen BIM extremely (Interview 1).
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The need for GIS-information (Geographical Information System) differs between BIM for the building industry and BIM for the infrastructure sector. While internal interfaces make designing and constructing a building difficult to manage, the infrastructure industry is made complex by external interfaces (Ng, 2012). Interview 5 says a road is embedded in its natural and organic environment, which results in a very different data set.
Geospatial information is managed in GIS, which models the total of spatial information (Interview 5). Interview 2 states BIM and GIS will not blend together to one new concept, but they will complement each other. This statement is supported by Ward, Butler, Khan, and Coyle (2014) as well, as they say “that this has shown how relevant BIM, combined with a GIS, is to large infrastructure projects”. BIM and GIS are separated by Van den Berg (2011) as well, as he says BIM considers project-specific information and GIS processes environment-specific information.
“The interoperability between BIM and 3D GIS can enhance the functionality of both domains. BIM can serve as an information source for 3D GIS, while 3D GIS could provide neighboring information for BIM to perform view analysis, sustainable design and simulations.” (Cheng, Deng, & Anumba, 2015) The authors show in their research BIM and GIS can amplify each other’s capabilities, but the two need to understand each other, to which purpose the authors propose a framework (Cheng et al., 2015).
More developments in the world of Infrastructure BIM are taking place, as BuildingSMART International (2015) opened the review process of their new IFC Infrastructure Alignment Conceptual Model and the Candidate Standard for IFC Alignment. Nearing from the other side, the GIS-side, the Open Geospatial Consortium (2014) are open for feedback “on the first draft of the InfraGML conceptual model for land parcels and the built environment.” (Zeiss, 2015)
Considering geographical information and building information, several viewpoints have been taken. Mignard and Nicolle (2014) seek to combine Building Information Modelling and Geographical Information Systems in Urban Information Modelling, thus focussing on management of urban networks. Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch Operational Body of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, places BIM objects in their geographical context, thus combining GIS and BIM (Rijkswaterstaat, 2014). Esri extends this view in its whitepaper, showing the power of the combination of GIS and BIM, as shown in Figure 7 (De Zoeten, 2015). Via Drupsteen, a Dutch company, produces spherical visualisations of projects, mostly for communication purposes.
Figure 7 | Sight analysis “First” Rotterdam (De Zoeten, 2015)
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Scheduling and BIM is subject of an elaborated debate. The time-aspect of BIM is considered the fourth dimension: “4D models (…) include information that can inform and analyze project phasing, tenant sequencing, and construction scheduling” (The National 3D-4D-BIM Program, 2007). As an obvious improvement, scheduling was one of the first aspects of BIM, added to geometrical models. A 4D model can be used to simulate the project at any given time, as is shown in Figure 8. This enables the user to simulate construction, recognise clashes, and organise the building site at every construction phase (Razavialavi, Abourizk, & Alanjari, 2014). Another important aspect is the marketability and communicability of the 4D model, because it can be used as communication tool to stakeholders (Harris & Alves, 2013). Bhatla and Leite (2012) used a 4D BIM model, in collaboration with scheduling software, to set and monitor milestones, to produce a preview of the next four weeks, and to extract weekly plans from quality assignments.
Based on quantity take-offs of required materials, scheduling can be automated for an large part (W.- C. Wang, Weng, Wang, & Chen, 2014). This method increases accuracy and consistency extremely, while mapping uncertainties at the same time. It is even possible to generate schedule variants by simulating construction (Shen, Orr, Choi, Kim, & Kim, 2014).
Figure 8 | Example of a view on a building site at a given time (Mr. As Built Inc., 2015)
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The cost aspect of BIM is often called the fifth dimension (Eastman et al., 2011; P. Smith, 2014). “Integrating the 5th dimension ‘cost’ to the BIM model generates the 5D model, which enables the instant generation of cost budgets and genetic financial representations of the model against time.” (Kamardeen, 2010) Figure 9 gives an example of a 5D BIM project.
In the RICS Information Paper Overview of a 5D BIM project a 5D BIM project executed by Henry Riley is reviewed. It contains an enumeration of the elements of 5D BIM Henry Riley defined (RICS, 2014):
quantification from models, including automatic updated quantification once rules for sectors, clients and pricing methods have been established using NRM standards in conjunction with BIM models library management: o applying rate libraries to the quantified information; o creating cost databases per sector or client the ability to file share with design team and contractors alike; improved benchmarking capability o moving away from detailed measurement and spending more time on improving value; o understanding where value can be improved and understanding this earlier in the project timeline, ensuring savings can be achieved through the design development.
Figure 9 | Example of visual cost planning in Vico software (Henrich, 2012)
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The use of tablets is increasing. Though tablets do not exist for a long time yet – it was 2010 Apple introduced its iPad – the building industry has been quick to adopt them. Tekla introduced its Tekla BIMsight for mobile and tablet in 2012 (Tekla, 2012). Lijbers (2013) argues in favour of the use of tablets by stating it will improve the error-prone process of processing deviations back into the BIM model. Davies and Harty (2013) visualise this process by reviewing the case of the construction of a large hospital in which tablets were used. “[It] allows a user with a tablet PC inspecting for progress, compliance or defects to select a building object via the 3D floor-plan generated from the BIM and complete a form to enter the data.” (Davies & Harty, 2013)
While on-site management tasks are sometimes executed with the aid of tablets or mobiles, construction workers still use traditional drawings on site to produce what needs to be produced. These drawings often contain the same information as drawings produced in the period before BIM (Van Berlo & Natrop, 2015). Generic and often redundant information causes many failures and lack of specific information. Van Berlo and Natrop (2015) suggest a method “to dynamically generate drawings fit for a specific task or purpose. The main purpose of this concept is to provide site workers with all the information they need for the task, but nothing more”. These specific drawings are generated on request and show the needed information only on an A3 piece of paper.
This concept is useful for providing the necessary information to them who need it. Another advantage is the adjusting-to-reality possibility. Deviations in reality can be processed in the BIM model and are thus visible on the drawings (Van Berlo & Natrop, 2015). In the traditional approach, all existing drawings had to be edited or reprinted. Figure 10 shows an example of this feature. Furthermore, the difference between constructed and to-be-constructed parts can be shown as well.
Figure 10 | A deviation in the foundation was altered in the BIM to generate new drawings on site (Van Berlo & Natrop, 2015)
Monitoring these deviations is important, because further construction can be adjusted to these deviations. Another reason is to update the BIM model for future use in facilities management or even for the demolition phase (Becerik-Gerber, Jazizadeh, Li, & Callis, 2012; Volk, Stengel, & Schultmann, 2014; Y. Wang, Wang, Wang, Yung, & Jun, 2013).
Measuring and capturing as-built data is often done by laser scanning, which has increased accuracy extremely. Processing these measurements, however, is mostly done manually, or semi-manually. Mill, Alt, and Liias (2013) report their case study of mapping the main building of the Tallinna
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Tehnikakõrgkool/University of Applied Sciences (TTK/UAS) located in the capital city of Estonia. Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning and a Total Station, they were able to create an external point cloud and internal Total Station data. Processing the first in Revit and the latter in AutoCAD, a BIM model was created. An unexpected additional possibility was the identification of façade damage, adding information to the BIM model.
Though this way of monitoring is satisfactory, it is labour-intensive and error-prone as well. Therefore automatic monitoring techniques are under development. Bosché, Ahmed, Turkan, Haas, and Haas (2015) executed some initial tests with their method of automatic recognition of BIM elements. By matching the as-built model and the calculated as-planned model, they were able to detect pipes automatically. Though this research field is in its earliest stage, it shows that automatic detection is possible, which will reduce measuring errors in the future.
Another attempt of automating measurements is undertaken by Brilakis et al. (2010). They tried to automate the manual process of processing measured data by using artificial intelligence techniques and artificial neural networks to identify measurements. The concrete detection in Figure 11 illustrates this perfectly.
Figure 11 | An example of concrete region detection (Brilakis et al., 2010)
Braun, Tuttas, Borrmann, and Stilla (2015) tried to monitor the construction process by comparing as-planned and as-built on geometry only. “For the determination of the actual state, a dense point cloud is calculated from images of a calibrated camera. To determine the scale, control points are used, which requires manual intervention during orientation. The evaluation measure introduced for component verification detects built parts correctly but misses a larger number of them because of occlusion, noisy points or insufficient input data. Thus there is the need to extend this geometrical analysis by additional information and visibility constraints.” (Braun et al., 2015) Additional information retrieved from the BIM model, e.g. colour, can stimulate the process of automatic recognition. This way BIM model – reality interaction is of optimal use. The better the BIM model, the better the monitoring process can be executed, the better the BIM model will be improved.
Laser scanning methods themselves are developed quite well, but the integration with BIM is not perfect yet. Page (2012) identifies problems with cloud point extraction, data compression and dimensioning, but thinks laser scanning will be very useful when these problems are tackled.
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Risk Management is one of the many important management aspects of a project. It is mostly done by following a professional risk management method, like the RISMAN method or the ATOM methodology (Vrancken, 2014). For increasing project size and complexity, risk management becomes more and more abstract and complex; it becomes increasingly difficult to perform the risk management job properly (Hartmann, Van Meerveld, Vossebeld, & Adriaanse, 2012).
As Hartmann et al. (2012) show in a case study, BIM can help the risk management process by visualising the risks. In particular when the BIM model contains the fourth dimension of time, risks can be made visible easily. Several features can be of help, i.a. viewpoints, text overlay and risk specific objects. Text overlay is less efficient, though it can be used to show general project risks. Risk specific objects can be highlighted and smart-tags can pop up when the pointer moves over. These objects are a very strong feature in visualising risks.
Viewpoints show at a given time a specified part of the project, which can be used to visualise risks. To be able to define these viewpoints though, the risks themselves have to be identified. Simulating the construction process helps in identifying these risks, after which the viewpoint can be set (H. Kim, Ahn, & Kim, 2011).
Ding, Zhou, and Akinci (2014) suggest to display a safety risk evolvement pattern on the 4D model, as shown in Figure 12. This method visualises risks to assist site workers in their “real-time, on-the-spot decision making” (Ding et al., 2014). Per risk the chance per activity can be identified, what results in an elaborated risk table. Combining risk analysis and the BIM model results in an easy way of displaying risks
Figure 12 | Dashboard for safety control during foundation pit excavation (Ding et al., 2014)
Benefits of BIM are said to be positive risks. A few very strong benefits are meant to prevent or mitigate risks, for example the clash detection features. The benefits of BIM are further elaborated in 3.5.1 BIM’s Beneficial Elements.
Health and Safety as a project management aspect attracts significant media attention, though it is often downplayed by constructing parties. BIM can fill this gap by offering automatic safety checking of construction models. Zhang, Teizer, Lee, Eastman, and Venugopal (2013) developed algorithms that check the model on its safety level. As fall hazards are one of the most frequent fatalities, they focused on fall protection. The algorithms detect potential fall possibilities as holes and window
30 J. Ter Maaten openings, check whether these holes should be covered or blocked, and finally implement fall arrest systems or covers, as shown in Figure 13.
Figure 13 | Closer views of guardrails and covers for complex geometries (Zhang et al., 2013)
Other research stresses the need of incorporating temporary facilities, like scaffolding, in the model (H. Kim et al., 2011). The authors propose a new methodology “so that a construction manager could create falsework models imbedded with safety regulations and guidelines containing the safety related requirements of a building in the planning/assessment phase.” (H. Kim et al., 2011) This methodology uses the 4D BIM model to identify the locations of the necessary falseworks, because one of the most important reasons for accidents is the lack of knowledge of the locations. Combining the identified locations, construction schedule and regulations check, scaffolding is incorporated in the BIM model automatically.
K. Kim and Teizer (2014) developed a similar method for the automatic design and planning of scaffolding. It visualises the scaffolding itself and the required work space. Furthermore they stress that this tool helps create understanding. “Such visualization can increase a project stakeholder’s awareness about work tasks and spaces that occur concurrently and are likely to cause time or space conflicts among competing crews.” (K. Kim & Teizer, 2014)
Barista (2015) suggests five ways of using BIM to promote safety: prefabrication, safety hazards analysis, site coordination, facilities O&M planning, and day-to-day safety coordination. Figure 14 is an example of how Turner Construction Company implements safety checking into its solutions. By using the Solibri Model Checker they are able to identify possible safety problems (Barista, 2015).
Figure 14 | Using Solibri Model Checker to search for safety-related problem areas (Barista, 2015)
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Documentation of a project is often an undervalued job that is executed poorly. For Asset Management in particular, though, it is really important (Worrell, 2015). Interview 9 stresses the possibilities BIM offers regarding documentation. In his view documentation and reporting should be almost completely automated. At any time should be clear which information is available to whom. Every stakeholder can subtract a status update form the BIM-model with the information he is interested in.
One of the most persistent triggers for delays, cost overruns or other typical project management problems, is the process of change requests and change orders (Verbraeck, 2014). Changes of any kind hamper the engineering and construction processes to a large extent. To constrain the change order stream change management is developed, in which every change is approved or rejected.
Though change management is a useful tool, lack of communication and not making clear the consequences often limit its use. That is why both Bentley (2013) and Autodesk Inc. (n.d.), market leaders in BIM software, incorporated change management in their solutions. Integrating BIM and Change Management creates insight, or as Autodesk puts it: “[it] enabl[es] (…) stakeholders across the organization to fully understand what that change will affect” (Autodesk Inc., 2013b). Bentley (2013) stresses change management cannot be effective without managing the relations between relevant information, because only then impact can be estimated properly.
Written Communication is essential in project management processes. Mailings, letters, reports and logs reflect decisions and contain explanations. In law suits these documents form the burden of proof. It is therefore important to keep track of these communication documents and to manage them properly. Vault and Buzzsaw, and ProjectWise are developed by Autodesk and Bentley respectively. As general project data management tools, these software solutions are designed to store and manage project data. Information Management, in the sense of written communication, certainly is part of this (Autodesk Inc., 2013a).
Most important element is the integration BIM offers. Communication can be linked to whatever is relevant. For instance clicking on the one of the main cables of a bridge shows all relevant communication efforts. Another example is connecting a client’s mail about design changes to the designer’s work tasks, while creating a Change Order (Autodesk Inc., 2014).
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The final section of Chapter 3 consists of elaborating on BIM’s benefits, disadvantages and challenges. As final section, it gives a concise overview of these aspect, providing insights in the pros and cons of BIM. This is important to understand BIM fully and to understand the several aspects of the corporate vision, which is developed in the next chapter.
Most benefits are derived from literature research and basic knowledge, partly based on interviews. Most negative sides of BIM are grounded on the interviews, for literature doesn’t provide much insights in the disadvantages of BIM. During each interview, the negative sides of BIM were questioned and some useful insights were given. Challenges, finally, are based on both interviews and literature.
Many authors claim BIM changed the risks substantially. Back in 2007 Lowe said: “Ultimately, the question will morph into whether team leaders actually increase risks by not using 3D modeling” (Lowe, 2007). This statement is strongly supported by many authors (Eastman et al., 2011) by addressing the benefits of BIM, because benefits can be framed as (positive) risks. One of the strongest benefits is the clash detection option. This feature identifies clashes in the virtual model and thus prevents them from being executed (Eastman et al., 2011). Eastman et al. (2011) stress the risk-mitigation function of BIM further by stating BIM can “reduce the financial risk”, “reduce schedule-related risks” and “decrease the risk for errors and omissions.”
Kreider, Messner, and Dubler (2010) researched 25 BIM uses, which were all found to be beneficial and to be used to some extent. Though their research does not state each aspect is always beneficial when used, the authors say their research “can assist future teams when prioritizing appropriate uses for BIM on their projects” (Kreider et al., 2010). The next 25 elements have been studied (CICRP, 2009):
3D Coordination Cost Estimation Design Reviews Sustainability LEED Evaluation Design Authoring Building System Analysis Construction System Design Space Management / Tracking Existing Conditions Modeling Mechanical Analysis 3D Control and Planning Code Validation Programming Lighting Analysis Phase Planning (4D Modeling) Other Engineering Analysis Record Modeling Digital Fabrication Site Utilization Planning Asset Management Site Analysis Building Maintenance Scheduling Structural Analysis Disaster Planning Energy Analysis
As these BIM uses show, BIM can be used to improve almost anything in the building industry. In all branches of the building industry, BIM results in better collaboration and communication (Azhar, 2011; De Boer, Kranenburg, Fokkelman, & Zeijlemaker, 2015; Fazli, Fathi, Enferadi, Fazli, & Farhi, 2014; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010). Using online object-based
J. Ter Maaten 33 communication (Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010), information consistency can be guaranteed and stimulated (Azhar, 2011; Chen & Luo, 2014; Eastman et al., 2011; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010).
Improved information consistency is realised by reduced errors, spatial coordination, geometrical precision, resulting in fewer claims and litigations and less time of documentation needed (McGraw- Hill Construction, 2012). The automated generation of drawings and documents needs to be mentioned in relation to this aspects as well (Azhar, 2011; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010).
Quality can be controlled much better by using BIM processes (Chen & Luo, 2014; Ding et al., 2014), resulting in better-performing completed infrastructure (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). One of the most important quality controlling benefits of BIM is the use of clash, conflict, and collision detection (Azhar, 2011; Czmoch & Pekala, 2014; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). This results in overall better project outcomes (De Boer et al., 2015; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). Because quality is higher, long-term maintenance can be executed much more efficiently (Azhar, 2011; De Boer et al., 2015; Eastman et al., 2011).
Using simulation (Eastman et al., 2008; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012) and visualisation (Azhar, 2011; Fazli et al., 2014; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010) for communication and analyses purposes, many analyses can be done (Czmoch & Pekala, 2014; Eastman et al., 2011; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010). These analyses include energy and carbon emission analyses (Ding et al., 2014; Eastman et al., 2011), structural analysis (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012) and rapid generation of multiple design alternatives (Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010). Also quantity take-off can be done, resulting in accurate quantity information (Eastman et al., 2011; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012).
Because BIM manages information much better than previous efforts, quality can be controlled much more. That results in reduced total project costs (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012) and reduced construction costs (Ding et al., 2014; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). It is also possible to conduct more efficient costing estimation (Azhar, 2011; De Boer et al., 2015; Eastman et al., 2011).
Not only is it possible to improve quality and efficiency, time too is an important aspect that can be improved. Project scheduling goes much better with BIM and there is more insight in project delivery (Azhar, 2011; De Boer et al., 2015; Ding et al., 2014; Eastman et al., 2011; Shen et al., 2014; W.-C. Wang et al., 2014). Reducing workflow cycle times (Azhar, 2011; De Boer et al., 2015; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012) results in a reduced project duration (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012).
Rapid generation and evaluation of construction plan alternatives result in smart and efficient construction (De Boer et al., 2015; Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010). This reduces rework extremely, because everything can be predicted to a very large extent (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012), reduces conflicts and changes during construction and improves productivity (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). Based on this analysis of construction plan alternatives and extended analyses, risk and safety management can be conducted very efficiently (Azhar, 2011; Ding et al., 2014), resulting in lower risk and better predictability of outcomes (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). This enables to improve review and approval cycles (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012). This extends to earthquake analyses and post-earthquake information management (Birely & Pereira, 2014).
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Because many analyses can be conducted, quality can be controlled to a large extent, and because of supplier and subcontractor integration (Eastman et al., 2011), prefabrication of large and more complex parts becomes reality (Azhar, 2011; McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012; Sacks, Kaner, Eastman, & Jeong, 2010).
Regarding social aspects of the construction industry, BIM improves learning for younger staff (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012), gives higher job satisfaction (De Boer et al., 2015), and results in marketing new businesses and offer new services (McGraw-Hill Construction, 2012).
In short, BIM can be said to:
improve collaboration and reduce workflow cycle times; communication; reduce project duration; improve quality control; make rapid generation and evaluation of result in overall better project outcomes; construction plan alternatives possible; result in higher quality and better- make long-term maintenance more performing completed infrastructure; efficient; improve information consistency by reduce rework; reducing errors and documenting time, makes automated quantity take-off automated generation of drawings and possible; documents, spatial coordination and improve safety management; geometrical precision, fewer claims and lower risks and improve predictability of litigations; outcomes; make clash, conflict, and collision improve review and approval cycles; detection possible; make prefabrication of larger and more make design analyses possible by energy complex parts possible; analyses, carbon emission calculations, make post-earthquake information structural analyses, and rapid generation management possible; of multiple design alternatives; integrate supplier and subcontractor; use simulation for evaluation purposes; market new business and offer new use visualisation for communication and services; evaluation purposes; improve learning for younger staff; make costing estimation more efficient; improve job satisfaction; reduce construction costs; reduce conflicts and changes during reduce total project costs; construction; improve project scheduling and insights improve productivity. in delivery;
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According to interview 2 and Interview 4, for many BIM users it is a stumbling stone BIM’s revenues do not always flow to those who invested in it. For new BIM users in particular, it can withhold them to implement BIM, because it will be very expensive. Interview 5 states it is therefore important to overcome this obstacle, for it involves a mind switch. Everybody needs to change into BIM in order to be beneficial. Interview 4 thinks these problems are transient in nature.
Another aspect of BIM being expensive consists of software and training costs (Fazli et al., 2014). BIM needs investment (Interview 7). Most software packages have to be bought at high costs and training needs to be given, which costs very much as well. For small organisations in particular, these costs can withhold them for a long time before implementing BIM in their organisation.
According to Ahmad (2014) many authors state BIM can block creativity, especially in the design phase, due to parametric limitations and interoperability. His own research, however, shows most correspondents disagree with this statement. He states it is important to “develop more understandings of BIM and its impact on design creativity”, because “[c]reativity is not necessarily directly affected by design tools, rather the ability of a designer to use the design tools for optimum creativity.” (Ahmad, 2014, p. 203)
Interview 10 says BIM can become too much. Loads of information are available, but you have to be able to keep track of the data you need. Interview 3 strongly agrees with this aspects as he says we, humans, need to be able to mentally follow the data flows. We should not do something we cannot reason about, because we cannot process that data.
Another aspect is the availability of information to whoever needs information. For all data needs to be made clear to whom it is available. Some parties need only specified information for a specific object; other parties do just need to see the overall picture, which requires a totally different information supply. This should be managed in order to not behave as a disadvantage (Interview 10). He thinks BIM can become too complex; you can be bogged down by the information overload. The boundaries of BIM should be defined properly.
Another disadvantage, or something you should get used to, is the need to know detailed information in preliminary stages (Ahmad, 2014), a statement supported by Interview 5 and Interview 9 as well.
Consequently to the previous point, engineers should be able to thing in concepts. Needing information in an early stage requires thinking without in-depth details. Interview 9 states not everybody can think in that way.
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P. Smith (2014) found the “quality of the BIM model was the major concern.” Processing information stresses the need of liability of that information. He stresses that the principle of rubbish in, rubbish out, certainly holds true for BIM. “The liability for the use of inadequate or incorrect information in the model is also a major concern.” (P. Smith, 2014)
Interoperability has long been a hot issue in the BIMing world (Anderson, Marsters, Sturts Dossick, & Neff, 2014). Because everybody wants to keep using his own software packages and because every branch of the building industry tree is specialised in its own profession, it is very difficult to let them speak one digital language (Fazli et al., 2014). But, according to P. Smith (2014), “[t]he scope for this currently remains limited.” His research shows this issue will improve over time, that it will take quite a time, and that it is essential for successful BIM implantation in the building industry.
In the interview 3, 4, and 9, they stressed the importance of harmonised libraries, interoperable information and international standards. Interview 5 and 9 say communication is the core of BIM, which stresses how important digital exchange of information is.
New ways of working always deliver some juridical problems, for all parties have to get used to it. This principle applies for BIM as well. Though BIM doesn’t change jurisdiction in the building industry fundamentally (Chao-Duivis, 2011, 2015), it has some implications. Liability and intellectual property are two of the major juridical issues, which should be managed properly (BIR, 2014; P. Smith, 2014). Another problem is the validity of models. In many juridical systems 2D drawings only have legal validity (Fazli et al., 2014).
Much literature states it is important to make arrangements on communication, liability, and interrelations (BIR, 2014; Chao-Duivis, 2011, 2015; De Lange, 2015; P. Smith, 2014). Mr. Mundt says the use of BIM has not been reason to go to court (De Lange, 2015). “Everyone has to get used to the BIM phenomenon. We all are going through the same learning curve, everyone still is forgiving. That certainly will change in the future. BIM will be used more often, which leads to more disputes.” (De Lange, 2015)
Newton (2015) analyses we do not need to explain BIM anymore. On the other hand, working practice has not changed very much. Design data is documented properly only occasionally and all other documentation is nearly never connected to is. He states workflow processes change or need to change in order to implement BIM rightly.
Interview 7 says BIM will change the building industry. Not only requires the implementation of BIM well-thought and organised processes – a statement supported by Interview 9 as well – but also the concept of BIM itself changes processes in the way the mobile telephone changed processes.
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Chapter three answers the first research sub question, which is divided into five sub questions. This section concludes Chapter 3 and answers the corresponding research questions.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a working and thinking method in which all relevant information of an object or asset is connected digitally throughout the life cycle. BIM can be defined as follows:
1.1. In what way can BIM be defined?
Building Information Modelling is the purposeful management of information through the whole life cycle of a built environment asset by creating a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics, using components that consist of computable graphic and data attributes and parametric rules. Thus, BIM is a managed approach to the collection and exploitation of consistent, non-redundant, and coordinated information across the life cycle of a built environment asset.
BIM’s roots lie in 3D and parametric modelling of objects with the purpose of automation, standardisation, cost and failure reduction and ease of work. Having had a dynamic development, BIM is now nearly common sense in the building industry, running through all branches: from MEP systems to large infrastructure projects.
1.2. What are the most essential characteristics of BIM?
Because BIM is object-oriented, all information regarding one object can be exchanged and used in analyses regarding that object. Exchange of information still is a hot issue, for it is not yet possible to exchange information without damage or loss of data. Level of Development is the measure of information depth. Varying between LOD100 and LOD500, BIM-models can be detailed to a very low or very high extent respectively. The level of BIM adoption and use is described by the maturity levels. Maturity levels can vary between level 0 and level 3, varying from no BIM adoption via 3D-modelling and little collaboration to integrated and interoperable BIM use. Little BIM and Big BIM are terms to describe internal and external BIM use. It is important to master your internal BIM processes before using BIM externally.
Based on literature research and interviews, eight characteristics of useful BIM have been identified. Each of these information sources adds a valuable subject to BIM. The following aspects have been defined: technical details; requirements; geospatial information; time; finances; condition of assets; risks; and documentation. Though many other information sources can be interconnected, these eight offer interesting possibilities.
1.3. What is the state of the art of BIM and what developments are taking place?
Many thought BIM was limited to extensive technical details and visualising them, and they still are important to BIM. Adding requirements to the model helps in verifying and validating the model. The combination of geospatial information and the model makes powerful geospatial analyses possible. The additions of time and finances are helpful in visualising the construction and transportation processes and the financial impact of decisions and time. Incorporating the condition of assets makes it possible to conduct Asset Management and to perform asset-
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transcending analyses. Risks, and consecutive health and safety, can be detected and made visible with BIM. Automated documentation helps in reporting, documenting, and archiving.
In the future, technical details can be derived from supplier’s information automatically and will be accurate, thus enabling realistic visualisations and virtual reality experiences. Requirements can be checked automatically, using and checking building codes, governmental regulations, environmental decrees and national and international law. For infrastructure in particular, geospatial information gives context and background to assets and is very useful with regard to requirements, conditions of assets and risks. The aspects of time and finances are also improved by geospatial information, because project-transcending optimisation is common sense in the future. Condition of assets is used to a large extent to minimise environmental hindrance and optimise improvement efforts concerning time and finances. Many risks can be found and prevented automatically, both within an asset’s boundary and outside the system boundaries; the latter is exemplified by minimising risks by optimising delivery patterns to several project sites and thus preventing traffic accidents. Documentation is automated to a large extent and juridical cases can be fought based on this extensive documentation.
1.4. What advantages and disadvantages can be recognized for BIM?
BIM has many benefits. The main goal BIM serves is improved collaboration and communication. This results in a higher quality of the deliveries and of concerning information. This higher quality made possible by simulation, visualisation, fault detection, and multiple analyses. The analyses include carbon, energy, structural and alternative analyses, as well as cost, time and risk analyses. These analyses result in shorter construction times, less expenses, less failure costs, less rework, and safer working conditions. Due to higher information accuracy, long-term maintenance and Asset Management can be approached integrally. Furthermore, BIM is said to be a catalyst for process improvements, project delivery, end-user satisfaction, and job satisfaction.
As disadvantages, BIM is said to be expensive, creativity blocking when you are not an advanced user of software, confusing, information assuming and difficult. BIM requires investments, both in software and in training. Additionally, some value it negative that they need to make expenses for other’s benefits, while others state they can save money because they use BIM. This paradoxically statements show BIM might be expensive at first, but will save money once implemented fully. For designers in particular, some authors think BIM blocks creativity, but this aspect is mainly true for designers with little experience with BIM software. This disadvantage will therefore become less prevailed over time.
Regarding information, a disadvantage of BIM is the overload of information. It is uncertain which information is needed by whom, who is allowed to access which information, and how much information can be processed by whom. Furthermore, BIM requires much information. Different from the past is the level of required certainty in very early project stages; in BIM processes much information needs to be known in the design phase already. In accordance, the last disadvantage is that BIM requires another mindset. Because much needs to be known at a project start, it is important to be able to think in concepts instead of details. Not everybody is able to do that.
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1.5. What are current challenges for BIM?
The quality of information and of the model, lack of standards, juridical issues and process changes still are challenging aspects of BIM. The essence of BIM is information, so to use BIM in a good way this information needs to be of high quality, accurate and consistent. Analyses are conducted and decisions are made using that information. The quality of information needs to be assured, verification and validation are important processes.
Until now, information cannot be exchanged perfectly. Though many developments are taking place, developing standards and meta-standards, it is not possible to exchange information one- to-one. This interoperability problem is a major challenge for the building industry and has been a problem for BIM since its rise started. In the future object libraries will be harmonised and proper standards can exchange information between software packages or other standards.
Though BIM does not create insuperable juridical problems, the juridical consequences of BIM have to be considered elaborately. BIM flourishes only in an environment of collaboration, communication and trust, but it is hard to secure that juridically. Intellectual property and liability are the two most important issues in BIM practices. Because many stakeholders interact and collaborate to create a product, it is uncertain who the owner is and who is liable for the product or incremental changes.
Implementing and using BIM requires well-thought operational and business processes. Processes need to be defined in workflow management and they need to be adapted to BIM. Furthermore, business processes will change due to BIM, because BIM improves many things in de building industry, thus stimulating innovation and process improvement.
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The fourth chapter firstly describes the direct context of BIM in order to create, secondly, a corporate vision about it. Grontmij does not have a written vision concerning BIM, though a good and useful implementation requires such a vision. The vision presented in this chapter is a proposal, which is considered the first step in the vision development process. This process is needed to create a good vision. Though this research project does not provide for a process design for the vision development process, it provides the first substantive step of that process.
This chapter answers the resulting research sub question. Research question 2.1 is answered in section 4.1 and question 2.2 is partly answered in section 4.4. Question 2.2 is answered in section 5.3 as well.
Besides Building Information Modelling three related industry trends can be recognised (NASFA, COAA, APPA, AGC, AIA, 2010): Integrated Project Delivery, Lean/Economic Pressures, and Sustainability, expressed in Figure 15 as well. “Lean, BIM, and IPD can all be utilized separately, but they are strongest when used together.” (NASFA et al., 2010) Sustainability is served by all of these three aspects (NASFA et al., 2010), so it is elaborated separately.
Integrated Project Delivery
Lean/ Building Economic Information Pressures Modelling
Sustainability
Figure 15 | Industry Convergence: Related Industry Trends (derived from (NASFA et al., 2010))
This section describes six developments that form the direct context of Building Information Modelling. It is important to recognise these developments and to know them in depth, because this will help in creating a useful, thorough and well-thought vision. The five developments consist of Integrated Project Delivery, Lean Project Management, Sustainability, the Information Age, the Internet of Things, and finally Robotising and 3D Printing.
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Integrated Project Delivery is “a project delivery method that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to reduce waste and optimize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication and construction.” (American Institute of Architects, 2014)
The basis of Integrated Project Delivery is collaboration, which has trust at its roots. Collaboration built on trust focuses on project outcomes. It is therefore important people’s mindset changes, in order to achieve the promised ‘better outcomes’. Project members should “embrace the following Principles of Integrated Project Delivery” (LaNear, 2008):
Mutual Respect and Trust Mutual Benefit and Reward Collaborative Innovation and Decision Making Early Involvement of Key Participants Early Goal Definition Intensified Planning Open Communication Appropriate Technology Organization and Leadership
Autodesk Inc. (2008) incorporates four benefits in its definition of Integrated Project Delivery – “optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction” – that are benefits of BIM as well. They state BIM enables IPD, “but the full potential of BIM will not be achieved without adopting structural changes to existing project delivery methods” (Autodesk Inc., 2008).
LaNear (2008) argues against the thought BIM and IPD are the same. He says IPD is a process and BIM is a tool. Though BIM and IPD do not necessarily require each other, “the full potential benefits of both IPD and BIM are achieved only when they are used together.” (LaNear, 2008)
While Kent and Becerik-Gerber (2010) define only three common principles of Integrated Project Delivery – “(1) multiparty agreement; (2) early involvement of all parties; and (3) shared risk and reward” – The American Institute of Architects (2014) defines five elements the Integrated Project Delivery method should contain at a minimum:
Continuous involvement of owner and key designers and builders from early design through project completion Business interests aligned through shared risk/reward, including financial gain at risk that is dependent upon project outcomes Joint project control by owner and key designers and builders A multi-party agreement or equal interlocking agreements Limited liability among owner and key designers and builders
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Sacks, Koskela, et al. (2010) researched the interaction between Lean Construction and Building Information Modelling. They found the following list of Lean Principles, consisting solely of principles relevant to BIM (Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010).
Reduce variability Design the production system for flow and Reduce cycle times value Reduce batch sizes Ensure comprehensive requirement capture Increase flexibility Focus on concept selection Select an appropriate production control Ensure requirement flow down approach Verify and validate Standardize Go and see for yourself Institute continuous improvement Decide by consensus, consider all options Use visual management Cultivate an extended network of partners Out of 56 interactions between Lean Principles and BIM Functionalities 48 are underpinned by scientific research. Only four of these 48 articles suggest that certain interactions are negative while the other 44 state BIM and Lean complement each other (Sacks, Koskela, et al., 2010). Though much research can and should be done to further map this research field, the conclusion can be drawn BIM and Lean fit perfectly together; a statement supported by the Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) and Mitchell (2013).
Sacks, Radosavljevic, and Barak (2010) propose the KanBIM concept. This concept is a combination of BIM platforms for construction and the Kanban system. The Kanban system, as part of Just-in-Time Management, is an authorisation system which “authorizes production and/or transfers parts from one work centre to another” (Finch & Cox, 1986) The KanBIM concept is promising though far from perfect, and it shows that the combination of Lean Construction and BIM is reasonable.
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Sustainability is one of the most debated subjects in recent years. For over 50 years sustainability has gained attention. In the Sustainability Development Timeline several turning points in this global debate can be recognised (Creech, 2012).
The 1962 book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is seen by many as the “turning point in our understanding of the interconnections among the environment, the economy and social well-being.” (Creech, 2012). In 1972 the UN Conference on the Human Environment and UNEP took place in Stockholm, resulting in “establishment of many national environmental protection agencies and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)” (Creech, 2012). 1987 is marked by the publication of the report Our Common Future by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This report popularised the term Sustainable Development. The first Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. At this UN event 172 governments participated and approximately 2400 representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGO) were present. This event resulted in many agreements, i.a. the action plan Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration, and the non-binding Forest Principles.
The aforementioned report Our Common Future contains a definition of sustainability that has become common sense and has been used to a very large extent. Sustainable Development, according to this report, is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations General Assembly, 1987).
Mirvis et al. (2010) state over 75% of executives worldwide thinks sustainability is important to their companies’ financial success. They also found more than 50% of big US companies continue to invest in sustainability efforts, back then already two years in the economic crisis, which started in 2008.
KPMG (2013) shows attention for sustainability and reporting on Corporate Responsibility increased significantly during the last two decades. Their last report (2013) shows 93% of G250 companies and an average of 71% of the 100 largest companies in 41 countries reports on Corporate Responsibility.
The building industry has a disproportional impact on the environment. De Ridder (2011) clarifies this by giving the example of the Netherlands, mentioning percentages regarding energy consumption, CO2 emission, waste production, road transport and failure costs, which “are rather bad when compared with the 11% contribution of the construction industry to the GNP.” (De Ridder, 2011)
Furthermore, many authors show the building industry is not as sustainable or environment-friendly as it should be. Yuan (2013) includes environmental degradation, land depletion, energy consumption, waste generation, dust and gas emission, noise pollution and consumption of natural resources.
Regarding BIM, sustainability is important: “Recent emphasis on sustainability has raised the profile of building life cycle management. […] BIM provides value in managing relevant data about current building conditions and facilitates the analysis of alternatives.” (Schley, 2015)
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Interview 9 states that while storing and gathering information was powerful, sharing of information will become real power. These two opposite sides of handling information clearly show that information is important. It is information that will have great impact in the information age.
Stating that the amount of transistors on a chip will double every year, Moore’s Law is incorporated in his 1965 quote: “The complexity for minimum component costs has increased at a rate of roughly a factor of two per year” (Moore, 1965). Though Moore expected his statement to be valid for at least ten years and had to change the doubling rate to every two years, it turned out to be accurate for the next fifty years (Adriaanse, 2014; ASML, 2012; Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014), as is supported by Figure 16.
Figure 16 | Development of Transistors according to Moore’s Law (ASML, 2012)
This development shows that computational power of computers has increased extremely over the last fifty years. The production and consumption of data and information has increased significantly, enabling data analysts to perform all kinds of analyses. This trend is evolving into the field of Big Data. Mayer-Schönberger and Cukier (2013) argue in their book ‘Big data: a revolution that will transform how we live, work, and think’ mankind has produced more information in the last two years (before publication date) than in the last two thousand years.
Big Data refers to “ways of handling data sets so large, dynamic and complex that traditional techniques are insufficient to analyse their content. One approach to meeting the Big Data challenge is through high performance computing” (HM Government, 2013b). In another document HM Government (2015) emphasises the role of information in and the possibility of using that information for the benefit of society: “City leaders around the world are turning to integrated and intelligent smart systems and associated big-data concepts to deliver vital public services.”
The International Data Corporation (IDC) defines Big Data as “a new generation of technologies and architectures designed to extract value economically from very large volumes of a wide variety of data by enabling high-velocity capture, discovery, and/or analysis” (International Data Corporation, 2012). IDC predicts the Big Data market to expand rapidly, stating it is a “fast-growing, multibillion- dollar worldwide market” (IDC, 2014). Quantifying its market analysis results, IDC “expects the Big Data technology and services market to grow at a 26.24% compound annual growth rate through 2018 to reach $41.52 billion.” (IDC, 2014)
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According to the HM Government (2015) Strategy Plan ‘Digital Built Britain’, the Information Economy strategy (HM Government, 2013b) encourages the use of “Internet of Things (IoT) in the form of automated sensors and actuators to automate processes.” The strategy plan states: “the “Internet of Things” […] capture[s] in-use performance data. […] In service performance data will transform the way we manage and deliver our assets.” (HM Government, 2015) Atzori, Iera, and Morabito (2011) add: “The basic idea of this concept is the pervasive presence around us of a variety of things or objects […] which […] are able to interact with each other and cooperate with their neighbors to reach common goals.”
The concept of The Internet of Things has been discussed broadly and is defined from various viewpoints. Atzori et al. (2011) researched the research field of the concept and found three main visions: the things-, the internet-, and the semantic-oriented vision. In Figure 17 they distinguish these three visions and divide several main concepts, technologies and standards (Atzori et al., 2011). Miorandi, Sicari, De Pellegrini, and Chlamtac (2012) basically say the same, speaking of smart objects that are identifiable (things), communicating (internet) and interacting (semantic).
Figure 17 | “Internet of Things” paradigm as a result of the convergence of different visions (Atzori et al., 2011)
Smart objects are an important aspect of the Internet of Things. They produce and consume information, thus creating a dynamic and distributed network (Miorandi et al., 2012). To have a clear understanding of smart objects, Miorandi et al. (2012) define smart objects as entities that are physical, can communicate, can identify themselves, “are associated to at least one name and one address”, can compute something, and can sense physical phenomena.
The key benefit of the Internet of Things matches BIM’s core fundamentally: “the enablement of informed manufacturing where all products, people, processes and infrastructure involved in the organisation can work seamlessly together, sharing information in real-time to create more automated, intelligent and streamlined processes.” (Gupta, 2015)
According to Longbottom (2015) BIM, GIS and the Internet of Things supplement one another perfectly. Combining building information and geographical information with semantic and project- transcending information, results in very intelligent systems, creating business value.
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Robotising at the construction site is gaining attention (Philp & Thomson, 2014; Teaman & Hsu, 2015). A good example of robotising is the SAM100 (Semi-Automated Mason) Robot (see Figure 18), which “is designed to work with the mason, assisting with the repetitive and strenuous task of lifting and placing each brick.” (Construction Robotics, 2013) Construction Robotics not only wants to improve efficiency, but also to attract a younger generation of masons, as the median age of masons goes up (Construction Robotics, 2015a). The newest development in this field is the introduction of bricklaying robot Hadrian, who can build a house in two days (L. Wang, 2015).
Another example is the use of demolition robots. Several developments have taken place in recent years, resulting in inter alia the Swedish Ero. Ero uses water jets to “erase concrete into aggregate and leave behind pristine, recyclable rebar”, as can be seen in Figure 20 (Sullivan & Sullivan, 2014).
Figure 18 | SAM placing a brick (Construction Robotics, 2015b)
Figure 20 | Demolition robot ERO to erase concrete in Figure 19 | 3D-printed walls at 3D Print Canal House (DUS teams (Haciomeroglu, 2014) Architects, 2015)
Whereas 3D printing is common sense already in the sense of small objects, it has potential for the larger scale as well. On the north side of the IJ in Amsterdam a canal house is 3D-printed (DUS Architects, 2015). Though this project is meant as an open and live pilot project, it clearly shows the potential of 3D printing. The wide media attention gained world-which, is still increasing (Heijmans, 2014). Elements up to three meters in height were printed, see Figure 19 (DUS Architects, 2015). In China a 3D printer can print up to ten houses per day, delivering them hull (Off Grid World, 2014).
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This section summarises five trends that have an impact on and are important to BIM, as elaborated in the previous sections.
Integrated Project Delivery is a project delivery method in which collaboration and integration are keywords. BIM can be applied perfectly in a project in which IPD is used. IPD, as well as other, similar contract forms, provides a basis for BIM implementation per project. Respect and trust, openness and transparency, communication and collaboration are important notions of both IPD and BIM. Several authors say BIM doesn’t necessarily need IPD, but they will amplify each other once used together.
Lean Construction is a promising concept which supplements BIM in the construction phase. Though the connection of Lean and BIM has yet been explored little, they seem to fit together perfectly, sharing many common characteristics. Because BIM offers nearly unlimited digital control, Lean’s principles can be put in practice to a much larger extent than usual.
Sustainability has gained much attention throughout the last decades and still is one of the most debated subjects worldwide. The building industry is a relatively major contributor to sustainability problems. Through the use of BIM, sustainability issues can handled much better than in previous processes.
The use of Big Data in a BIM environment is a much-debated subject. A BIM expert manages information and tries to combine as much available information as possible for the good of the system and its users. The concept of Big Data implies the gathering of as much information as possible in order to i.a. recognise patterns. The difference is that BIM collects the data needed and that Big Data collects all data without predefined purpose. That said, Big Data can offer BIM probably offer many and still unknown possibilities. The combination of walking patterns, lighting patterns, light reflection, air quality, and the height of buildings might provide an understanding of human subconscious behaviour in a crowded city.
If objects can identify themselves, can sense some physical phenomenon, and can interact with other objects or communication platforms, then that is called The Internet of Things. This concept will have great impact on BIM. In the ideal situation a project manager has, for example, at any time an accurate summary of the current state of the bridges he is managing, based on the information each bridge provides. Each bridge alarms its manager in case of concrete decay or when asphalt renovation is necessary. This situation exemplifies the use of The Internet of Things related to BIM.
Robotising and 3D-printing are on the rise. They provide high-quality parts and automated construction. These concepts result in a higher manageability of the building site and less waste. From that point of view, robotising and 3D-printing fit within Lean Construction as well. Speaking in terms of safety, robots can be used to easily construct in situations with potential danger for humans.
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Table 3 gives an overview of all elements mentioned in the interviews. These elements are derived from answers interviewees gave on the question what they expect BIM to become in the future.
During each interview the interviewee’s opinion on BIM’s future was questioned, resulting in different, divergent, and also non-contradictory answers. These answers are summarised in concise terms and Table 3 gives an overview of these terms. The table indicates per column whether an interviewee mentions one or more terms in his answers. The terms are put together if possible.
Table 3 | Visionary views of interviewees
Interview 1 Interview 2 Interview 3 Interview 4 Interview 5 Interview 6 Interview 7 Interview 8 Interview 9 Interview 10 Total
Different mindset 6 Better communication 5 Information sharing, integration of information sources, COINS 6 Harmonised libraries, CB-NL 4 Real-time information, sensors, Internet of Things 3 Virtual Reality, kinetics, holograms, voice control, domotics 3 Integration with living environment, Smart Cities 2 Systems Engineering 6 Process improvement 5 Computerising and automation, 3D printing 2 Project transcending working, business analyses, multi-BIM 3 Big Data, analyses and testing, Structured Open Linked Data 3 Asset Management-focussed 3 Balance between craft and automation 1 Change of engineering services 2
The keywords used in Table 3 are derived from and consist of terms derived from the interviews. They summarise the underlying concepts, elaborated and explained by the interviewees. The rest of this section elaborates on the concepts, thus expressing the ideas of the interviewees per concept.
According to Interview 2, BIM is not very difficult. BIM’s foundation is storing of information in such a way everybody can use it. The idea that everybody can use it is a fundamentally new idea. It is another way of thinking about processes. This way of thinking goes along with the integral approach of the life cycle. Several stages of an asset’s life cycle will be integrated and information will be exchanged. Integral thinking and information exchange amplify each other.
Interview 3 thinks BIM starts with awareness of information management. Information needs to be stored correctly and passed on to next phases. Everybody should prevent information from being reprocessed and resaved again and again. Information has to be consistent and therefore less human interferences should be taking place. Store useful information and share it with parties that need it.
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Furthermore, a mind switch to object-oriented thinking is taking place (Interview 3). Where CAD- systems use the graphic representation of an object, BIM considers the object itself as its core. Interview 3 thinks the building industry is now under full development to change to this object- oriented way of thinking.
According to Interview 4 BIM demands totally different working and thinking patterns. Processes change, contracts change, software changes. The core of these changes is collaboration. BIM is not a software tool that can be bought, but everybody working with BIM, has to adapt to it. These changes are intensive; the interactive aspects of BIM in particular ask much energy. Not everybody can get used to or are suited for integral working methods.
Interview 7 states BIM demands a different mindset, a different way of working. Transparency and high-frequency communication are essential to BIM and when parties do not behave according these principles, they need to get used to it to have a fair chance in the market. Interview 7 thinks everybody should keep doing his job instead of doing a BIM job. The need for an Information Manager will increase dramatically, while a BIM Manager is nog a good option.
BIM is a different way of working (Interview 9). Not only integration of information, but also integration of disciplines is important. He is convinced the latter is more important and more difficult than the technical coupling of information sources. Typical to BIM are an open and transparent way of communicating. Previously, collecting information was power; nowadays sharing information is power.
It is clear to Interview 10 that BIM demands a different mindset. Both internally and externally, the way of thinking has to change. When one party needs information from another party, the demanding party needs to know what he needs and the supplying party needs to know that as well. It is important that the information supplier is open to collect and share the data other parties need instead of just following the specifications and conditions scrupulously and rigidly.
Communication is improved by using BIM. Interview 1 says parties can be informed in an early stage and they can be encouraged to object as early as possible. This makes the design phase not much faster, but reduces iteration times and improves the quality delivered extremely, because in later stages fewer adjustments need to be conducted.
Interview 3 is convinced that BIM improves communication. Due to high information consistency and digital models, much less faults are made and miscommunication is decreased dramatically, which leads automatically to better communication.
Interview 5 thinks a disadvantage of BIM is the load of different definitions of BIM. Because there are many different definitions, no concrete and radical steps can be taken. If everybody keeps talking at cross purposes, the goal cannot be reached. And that goal is better communication (Interview 5).
According to Interview 9, most important to BIM is making arrangements. From that viewpoint BIM in its smallest form does not even need to be digital.
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BIM provides a large communication body, Interview 10 says. Aspects as using the right software, using specific processes, etc. are useful and necessary, but the core of BIM is how do we communicate and interact with each other and how do deliver a good product?
In Interview 1 is mentioned a central BIM platform should be used per project. All information should be available to whoever needs it. It is not necessary to use specific software packages, but rather the opposite: you should be BIMing by using the software you already have. Interview 1 thinks information regarding an infrastructure asset should be connected via a geographical information platform.
According to Interview 1, not every information source should be elaborated completely. When you want to know the soil structure, for example, you do not need to have a full 3D-model of it. It is important to think this through and to be cost efficient.
Interview 2 argues every party is just interested in the information it needs, though he thinks it still is important to couple different information sources. For collaboration purposes and Asset Management these sources should be connected. Though one party might not want a specific type of information, it is important to store and transfer it to another party, because that party might want to use.
Information can be exchanged by coupling different sources. Everyone should not work in the same model or use the same software, but each piece of information can be coupled to another. According to Interview 2, COINS is the Dutch standard that works and thinks that way. This standard will evolve to semantically linked files, using the Cloud.
Interview 3 believes in a hybrid way of information sharing: only useful information should be shared. Everybody has his own scrapbook and delivers products or information. These deliveries only should be shared with others and the ‘scrapbook information’ will be kept personal or within the team.
COINS is a BIM standard which acts as coat rack, based on objects. This standard enables the linking of several types of information, varying from 3D models to documentation. Interview 3 thinks COINS can be used perfectly in projects in which Systems Engineering is used as well.
Interview 4 thinks as well COINS is a powerful development, being an independent data structure, using a standard. Though COINS is still under development and has a very technological approach, it gains international attention already. According to Interview 4, COINS has a fundamental correct approach of processes information, because it has the data structure itself as basis, on the basis of which several expressions originate, like 3D representation, geographical information, requirements and documentation.
According to Interview 7, BIM develops strongly to the coupling of information worlds. Based on the object structure, many different types of information can be linked to these objects. COINS is the current Dutch development to arrange this technically. The old vision on BIM as a fancy 3D design tool is outdated; to the object tree every type of information can be connected, including requirements, geographical and geometrical information and many more. Interview 7 thinks GIS and BIM, now sometimes competing, will evolve into one development.
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In Interview 9, the interviewee explains the way his organisation developed BIM. Using a message broker, many databases are connected. The message broker translates an information request from one program or databases to another program or database and translates the answer back.
According to Interview 2, CB-NL is the Dutch standard that enables semantically linked structures, because it leaves every working field intact and only connects them. CB-NL links the core model to the involved ‘worlds’ of information. Though this standard is still under development and its future is unsure, Interview 2 thinks CB-NL is a promising concept.
Interview 4 thinks the Dutch CB-NL initiative is viable. Whereas many standards are in use or under development, CB-NL is the mediator standard enabling these standards to understand one another. This development answers the long-existing problem of interoperability. When several systems understand each other, much miscommunication and unnecessary communication can be diminished.
Several standards will grow closer or even overlap one another (Interview 4). Standards are developed by different industries and because these industries will grow closer, the standards will as well.
According to Interview 8, uniformity is important. Everybody should use the same codes. When everybody uses the same codes and nomenclature, it is possible to speak about the same objects without confusion.
Interview 9 does support the development of the CB-NL library, but questions the way it is developed. This mediator library should connect several other libraries by harmonising definitions. However, CB-NL has moved the harmonisation task to the other standards themselves. Though Interview 9 supports the development, future has to show the benefit of CB-NL.
In order to increase efficiency and cost efficiency, Interview 1 argues it is important to include real- time information on the condition of assets. For example, when designing a new road it is efficient to consider the adjacent assets. If the sewerage needs to be renewed one year later, it is much better to do it right now.
Interview 7 is convinced the integration of building information and real-time and sensor information will intensify extremely. In his view, real-time information can and will have influence in all life cycle phases.
Interview 10 thinks The Internet of Things will be very powerful in relation to BIM. Objects will not only be able to communicate, but also to do that intelligently and autonomously. A bridge not only communicates the top layer shows cracks, but it knows also when these cracks are dangerous on a short or long term and when to communicate it.
According to Interview 1, Virtual Reality goes beyond BIM in its approach to model reality; BIM models reality, but Virtual Reality almost is reality. In his view Virtual Reality focusses much more on soft, social aspects like experiencing and customer satisfaction.
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Interview 5 thinks information can be exchanged perfectly in twenty years and visualisation methods have increased significantly. Every stakeholder can be informed easily using holograms, voice control and kinetics.
Interview 8 thinks domotics will become more and more important. For building in particular, every piece of information regarding the building is connected and can be accessed digitally, except confidential information.
According to Interview 8 the digital model and the living environment will integrate to a large extent. Building control systems, sun hindrance, and many aspects more can be linked and analysed because the living environment is nearly perfectly modelled.
It should be possible to interact with the environment by means of the digital and intelligent models (Interview 10). Grass cutting patterns in your own neighbourhood should be available and easily accessible.
Interview 1 values the use of Systems Engineering in combination with BIM. Systems Engineering gives a main structure which rig BIM with. Though he thinks Systems Engineering is not a necessity in BIM processes, it is very valuable to do use it.
According to Interview 3, Systems Engineering, still being in its development phase, will be common sense in twenty years. In his view, Systems Engineering, thinking in objects, provides in capturing information unambiguously. Interview 3 also thinks Systems Engineering is not necessary to BIM, but supplements it perfectly and enhances possibilities.
Interview 4 says BIM and Systems Engineering are in line with each other. BIM provides the structure in which Systems Engineering can be applied perfectly and in which everything can be verified and validated.
Interview 5 thinks Systems Engineering can be part of BIM. Systems Engineering provides much information, as well as other information sources like GIS and CAD data, that can be used to the higher purpose, the more abstract thinking of BIM, i.e. information management.
Systems Engineering as a concept is not necessary in BIM, according to Interview 6, but the underlying principles are. Other concepts can be used as well to serve the goals Systems Engineering serves. Processes have to be arranged and structure has to be provided. Interview 6 thinks Systems Engineering can be very useful in the way BIM is used nowadays, but he also thinks BIM should be approached from an Asset Management viewpoint, because BIM considers the whole life cycle of assets.
Interview 9 says Systems Engineering is used to define objects, manage requirements, and identify and manage risks. In his view Systems Engineering can be used to integrate these types of information to other BIM-information. Because Systems Engineering defines processes and definitions in-depth, it complements BIM extremely. Interview 9 thinks Systems Engineering can be of high added value and helps with working and making arrangements explicitly.
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Interview 1 explains BIM supports the process of verification and validation. Previously, verification and validation was done manually. Drawings were individually processed and verified and, once all drawings were final, the end product was validated. BIM, in combination with Systems Engineering, stimulates and requires thinking the process of verification and validation through beforehand. In short, BIM makes verification and validation easier and requires a deliberate approach.
Furthermore, Interview 1 sees workflow management as important to BIM. Previously defined processes can be activated in relation to the data available. Workflow management is not common sense in the building industry, but it can be of great help by providing defined processes, standardisation and defined information needs.
According to Interview 6, BIM requires to arrange several processes. Just technology makes no BIM, but many adjacent aspects have to be settled in order to reap the full benefits of BIM. Project processes, contract processes, supporting business processes, and technical processes all need to be arranged properly.
Interview 7 believes BIM can be driver for process improvement. Not only supports BIM the current processes, but it will stimulate process improvement developments as well. According to Interview 7, the BIM debate says BIM should not be technology push, but it should be following current processes. Though this is true, BIM will stimulate process improvement as well, the same way the cell phone improved many processes. The building industry should be open to welcome chances that change processes fundamentally.
According to Interview 8, improvement of internal processes is essential to BIM. To be able to do BIM in a good way, it is important to tune internal processes. They need to be adapted to allow every party and every department to collaborate.
Interview 10 states it is important to adjust and adapt internal processes to one another to be able exchange information and work together fluently. Because the core of BIM lies in communication, it is important processes are adapted to support fluent and effective communication.
3D printing is, according to Interview 5, not a very far future. It is important, though, to have correct and sufficient information, which shows 3D printing can be used perfectly in a BIM-environment. And furthermore: when 3D printing is possible, what will be printed?
According to Interview 7, the effects of computerising will be extreme. He says recent literature and research show the consequences of computerisation on society. Computers will conduct semi- automated tasks and powerful analyses become possible.
Interview 2 wonders whether the possibilities of BIM are limitless. He thinks BIM will evolve towards information management. This information can be used to conduct nearly unlimited analyses, because every piece of information can be connected to another information source. Transcending the level of assets, meta-asset analyses provide very useful insights.
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Interview 7 envisions the thought of multi-BIM. Multi-BIM is the concept of coupling different BIM- models. By doing so, asset-transcending analyses can be conducted. This concept enables parties to conduct business analyses like delivery patterns in cities, based on project scheduling, and integral project scheduling for different projects. Also integrated city analyses can be conducted, like sunshine hours per inhabitant and spatial planning.
According to Interview 9, BIM can be used to conduct object-transcending analyses once it is technically possible to connect data sources and libraries are harmonised. It should become possible to compare several projects or to use materials jointly.
Interview 1 strongly argues against the use of Big Data. According to him, using Big Data says you do not know what you want to know. It shows you have not defined what information you need throughout the project or throughout the asset’s life cycle. The interviewee argues in favour of reasoning backwards from goals: “What information do I need to reach the goals and which data do I need to generate this information?” (Interview 1, translated)
Combining different information sources enables powerful analyses (Interview 2). Combining for instance traffic flows and intensities, environmental data, condition of infrastructural and built environment assets, and demographic changes of the last decennia, can result in useful insights in necessary renovation and revitalisation of neighbourhoods. Interview 2 thinks this development transcends BIM and becomes Information Management.
According to Interview 2, information needs to be maintained and to be kept up-to-date. Somebody needs to be responsible for the information. This open data should be structured, which results in the term Structured Open Linked Data, with the particular asset as its core. With Structured Open Linked Data, every information source can be disclosed and accessed easily, making Data Mining possible. Like Google’s technology, Data Mining should result in striking insights and powerful analyses. From that viewpoint, Interview 2 thinks as much data as possible should be stored, because you never know where and when it can be used. These data should be semantically linked; it should make sense to store data.
Interview 7 thinks the benefits of the coupling of information sources will be enormous. Many analyses can be conducted, varying from clash control to verification and validation of requirements, verification to building codes and many analyses more. Though using very much information, information should be collected and maintained purposefully (Interview 7).
According to Interview 1, BIM is strongly related to Asset Management. In his view BIM should serve Asset Management purposes. Over 70% of the costs of an asset are spent in its operation phase. That makes Asset Management important. Proper Asset Management requires information about the managed asset, implying Asset Management needs to be thought of in the initial phases of an asset. BIM fills the gap between construction and Asset Management. Often much information is lost or not transferred to the Asset Manager or Asset Owner or not even collected by the constructing parties. From this viewpoint, BIM is very important, nearly essential to Asset Management, because it manages the required information.
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Interview 1 says a recent study by the UK Institute of Asset Management shows Asset Managers and Asset Owners value information management as most important out of five aspects. This shows the significance of (reliable) information. BIM provides in this information, starting in the initial phases.
To an Asset Owner BIM is concerned with providing correct information to the asset producing parties in order to get correct and enriched information back in such a way the Asset Owner can manage his assets (Interview 3).
Interview 6 states it is important to work with the purpose in mind. Everything constructed is meant to function as it is designed for. BIM is concerned with the total life cycle of an asset and that is why every asset should start with Asset Management, because the scope of Asset Management is the total life cycle.
For infrastructure applications in particular, Interview 6 thinks BIM and craft need to go together. BIM is very flexible, everything is possible; but practice is much more unruly. The outside world is no clean room, but every environment has its own conditions and limitations. The infrastructure sector is a world of large tolerances, while BIM thinks exact. These differences need to be balanced in the future. Theory needs to get used to theory.
Interview 8 thinks the engineering work spectrum will move towards higher advising. While contractors and MEP engineers will elaborate on detail engineering, engineering consultancies focus on more general and higher subjects.
According to Interview 8, the tight link between the living environment and its digital model result in a change in engineering services. Engineering consultancies will offer services instead of products. A future engineer does not design a building, but designs optimal working conditions, for example. The engineer will try to find added value to the client.
Interview 10 thinks engineering consultancies will transform to project companies. Currently, engineering companies are categorised in focus areas. Each department has its own specific subject. This will change to a company in which a project is integrally handled by a BIM group.
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The vision is designed on the basis of three different sources: literature research on BIM (chapter 3), broader trends (chapter 4.1) and interviews with several BIM users and experts (chapter 4.2). This section summarises all elements that will be incorporated into the vision proposal.
Connection of BIM models (Adriaanse, 2014) Sustainability (HM Government, 2013a; Nilsson, 2015) Which information combinations are useful at what time? (Adriaanse, 2014) International ‘Open Data’ standards (HM Government, 2015) Cloud to share large files (Nilsson, 2015) Data is interoperable, accurate and trustworthy (Kemp, 2014) Better communication (Dufvenberg, 2015)
Integrated Project Delivery Lean Construction Big Data The Internet of Things Robotising and 3D Printing
Different mindset Better communication Information sharing, integration of information sources, COINS Harmonised libraries, CB-NL Real-time information, sensors, Internet of Things Virtual Reality, kinetics, holograms, voice control, domotics Integration with living environment, Smart Cities Systems Engineering Process improvement Computerising and automation, 3D printing Project transcending working, business analyses, multi-BIM Big Data, analyses and testing, Structured Open Linked Data Asset Management-focussed Balance between craft and automation Change of engineering services
Based on the elements mentioned in the three previous subsections, each aspect is described telegraphically. This draft version can be found in Appendix 2, Section 2.1. Defining and structuring the relations between all aspects, the vision is divided into four categories. The structuring process is depicted in Figure 21. This figure shows every aspect of the vision and the relations between them. A line shows the relation between two aspects when they are interconnected. By sorting and organising all aspects, four main groups can be recognised. This process has been gone through to enhance consistency and to create a logical storyline.
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Figure 21 | Ordering and Structuring the Vision Elements
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This section contains the first version of the vision. The vision is built on the three foundation blocks as mentioned in the previous section. Every aspect of the vision is referring to literature or statements by interviewees, as indicated with endnotes. The vision is written from the author’s perspective and from a future viewpoint, in which 2030 is the present day. The Dutch translation of this chapter can be found in Appendix 2.
BIM has been a buzzword with great impact in the building industry. Starting as 3D-oriented design with benefits in sales and failure minimisation, BIM soon transformed into an integral approach of building projects in the infrastructure sector, as well as the civil and utility sector. Various disciplines started to collaborate within projects to achieve better results, to avoid failures, and to keep information up-to-date. It took quite a while before managers were promoting and implementing BIM, which is now fully integrated within their working methods.1
Working with BIM is mainly promoted by contractors, because not all clients recognise the potential of BIM.2 Because service-providing parties have intertwined their processes with BIM, BIM is supply- driven.
The term BIM evolved from Building Information Model via Building Information Modelling to Building Information Management. With that, the story did not end. Concepts like Project Information Management and discipline-specific notions like Civil Information Management were used, but today everybody just uses Information Management. The concept does not need a buzzword or fancy name3, because it is completely integrated into thinking patterns and it is much broader than the building and infrastructure sector. The thought of BIM as a process change and a communication improvement effort is generally accepted4; nobody thinks of BIM as a fancy design tool anymore.
In BIM’s pioneering years BIM manager was a new job, but its relevance is low nowadays. The BIM manager is not the only one who is BIMing; it has become a way of thinking. The new job of information manager increases in relevance every day.5
It is possible to gather as much data as possible, but the previous decennia have shown it is impractical to do so. Data has to become information, it has to have purpose, to have added value. That’s why the information needs are defined at the start of every project, considering the whole life cycle of the object.6 Every participating party collects and manages the necessary information actively, while parties in need of other information – information not mentioned in the defined information needs – collect and manage on their own initiative. The principles of Big Data are not applied, but information is collected and managed purposefully.7
Several engineering consultants – knowledge delivering organisations – aim at supplying the best information as possible. A true race has been run to reach the goal of 100% reliable information to belong to the high-end engineering consultancies. Information needs to useful, consistent, reliable, unambiguous and non-redundant. The information supply has to match the demand and need for information.
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Non-redundant as a notion fits into the bigger picture. Because information should be reusable, it often is too much for one party to process, but exactly enough for all parties in the corresponding process.8
Information has long been one of the most valuable goods. Information exchange – in BIMs pioneering days a hot issue – is of great importance. Information is being exchanged in the cloud nowadays.9 Many questioned the safety of information flows, but that is no problem anymore.10 Information transfer not only has become much safer, but it is also possible to do that in an intelligent and semantic way; systems do understand other systems.11 This has been made possible by the development of international standards, which understand one another. These standards are developed for their own interest group and are leading in their respective areas. As standards can interchange information, all information is transferable. In the Netherlands this has been made reality by the CB-NL initiative, which later evolved into an international standard.
It’s not only possible to connect information, it’s actually done. Energy performance indexes are calculated automatically, based on the available information12; risk and safety analyses are common practice; Asset Management is the goal of a project and an asset, and information is collected keeping that goal in mind.13 Also, interaction with governments is standardised, which is clearly exemplified by the automatic granting of permits.14
The connection with geographical information adds important value.15 Free space is getting more and more scarce and nearly all objects are built at sites where something had been built previously. The environment is entirely modelled in three dimensions.16 Non-confidential information regarding the environment is shared as open data, to the benefit of whoever needs it.17 Every new asset is digitally positioned in its environment immediately18, creating the possibility to conduct analyses transcending the particular object.19 A clear example is tuning staffing to the several projects and optimising delivery patterns of materials and equipment.
Sensors are interwoven with almost anything. They produce useful information on the condition of assets and on that basis action can be taken, whether or not automatically.20 The influence of The Internet of Things on the building industry is major.21 A bridge, for example, indicates by itself if concrete decay occurs or if the new top layer shows cracks.22 The integration of the living environment and intelligent digital models is nearly perfected.23
BIM not only has a major influence in the operation and maintenance phase of assets, but also in the construction phase. At the building site, everything is fully under control and every delivery is on time.24 Robotising and automation have resulted in decreasing numbers of incidents, failures and waste during the last decennia.25 Prefabrication and 3D printing are used to minimise deviations in geometry and quality and to prevent waste and storage.26 3D printing boomed in the second decennium of the 21st century; entire bridges and houses were printed27. These developments have stabilised. Many components are 3D-printed nowadays, but it’s often limited to transportable and complex parts. The housing and utilities industry, where 3D printing has huge applications.
Because of the ever-increasing computational and graphical abilities of computers, a trend of increasing complexity is visible. Designs are increasingly complex.28 This has resulted in several
60 J. Ter Maaten developments in materials sciences and mechanics.29 All materials can be reused30, and several materials are self-healing.31
The past decades have shown many challenges had to be dealt with to use BIM effectively. One of the major problems was the difficulty of conceptual thinking.32 Many engineers had to get used to that way of thinking and some were never able to master it. A new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’ and thinks conceptually.
In addition, engineering has been given a different purpose. Previously, designing a building or road was the main purpose, but now the main goal is offering services. The engineer offers a service, like optimal working conditions, and performs the necessary activities.33
This service-oriented mindset arises partly from the rise of integrated contracts. These contracts, which influence the whole life cycle of assets, are in terms of background idea in line with BIM; having both the whole life cycle approach, the attitude of trust and corporation, and a service- oriented mindset.34 Systems Engineering is incorporated in the current thinking and working practice too, because the combination of Systems Engineering and BIM appears to be a perfect match.35
1 Interview 10. 2 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 3 Interview 2, 4, 7. 4 Dufvenberg (2015); Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009). Interview 3, 4, 5, 8 10. 5 Edwards and Corbett (2015). Interview 7. 6 Adriaanse (2014). Interview 1, 7. 7 Interview 1, 4, 5, 7. 8 BouwQuest (2013) 9 Nilsson (2015) 10 Kemp (2014). Interview 7, 9. 11 HM Government (2015). Interview 2, 3, 4, 7, 9. 12 Interview 1, 3, 4, 7. 13 Adriaanse (2014); Miettinen and Paavola (2014); (Schley, 2015). Interview 1, 2, 4, 7. 14 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 15 Interview 3, 5, 7. 16 Stoter (2014) 17 Interview 2, 3, 4, 10. 18 Interview 1, 2, 5, 7. 19 Adriaanse (2014); De Boer et al. (2015); HM Government (2015). Interview 4, 7, 8, 9. 20 Interview 5, 7, 8, 10. 21 Atzori et al. (2011); Giusto, Iera, Morabito, and Atzori (2010); HM Government (2013b, 2015). Interview 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10. 22 Interview 10. 23 HM Government (2015). Interview 8, 10. 24 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009); Mitchell (2013); Sacks, Koskela, et al. (2010); Sacks, Radosavljevic, et al. (2010) 25 Philp and Thomson (2014). Interview 5, 7. 26 Heijmans (2014). Interview 5. 27 Heijmans (2015)
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28 Schumacher (2008). Interview 2. 29 HM Government (2015) 30 HM Government (2015); National Association of State Facilities Administrators et al. (2010) 31 De Kostera et al. (2015); Stewart (2015) 32 HM Government (2015). Interview 3, 4, 8. 33 Interview 8. 34 Interview 4, 7, 9, 10. 35 Interview 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10.
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Chapter 4 answers the second research question, which is divided into two sub questions. This section summarises Chapter 4 and answers the first sub question. The second sub question, though partly answered, is not answered in this chapter. Because the second sub question answers the content of the vision, which is refined and sculpted in Chapter 0, the answer on the question is defined in the conclusions of that chapter.
2.1. What are relevant developments to BIM?
BIM is not a trend on its own. In the building industry several other developments can be recognised. These include Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), or broader: integrated contracts, and Lean Construction. IPD is a collaborating contract form, which needs transparency, openness, collaboration and communication. That is why it supplements BIM perfectly. Constructing lean aims at enlarging efficiency, one of the goals of BIM. In short: both IPD and Lean fit perfectly together with BIM. All three can stimulate the much needed improvement of sustainability in the building industry.
Big Data is a hot issue. Loads of data can be used to whatever purpose. Many analyses can be conducted in order to recognise trends and structures. Though BIM tries to use information purposefully and Big Data does not, Big Data might become really important to BIM; especially considering the combination with The Internet of Things (IoT). Objects will be able to identify themselves and communicate with other objects or structures. Its applications in BIM are tremendous.
The last important contextual trend to BIM is robotising and 3D printing. This issue tries to manage the building site to a larger extent and fits within Lean Construction as well. Designs become much more complex in the future, which causes 3D printing and robotising to become more and more important.
The interviews resulted in fifteen aspects that are important to incorporate in the final vision. During the ten interviews, no contradictory statements were made, which stresses the credibility of the frequently mentioned aspects. The list consists of:
Different mindset Process improvement Better communication Automation, 3D printing Information sharing and combination Project transcending analyses Harmonised libraries Big Data, analyses and testing Real-time information, sensors, IoT Asset Management-focussed Virtual Reality, domotics Balance craft and automation Integration with living environment Change of engineering services Systems Engineering
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The vision itself consists of many important aspects that can be brought down to several main topics: definition; information; living environment; engineering changes.
Definition. BIM is fully defined and accepted. BIM concerns communication and collaboration and has information exchange as its core concept.
Information. The information need is fully defined. Information supply by engineering companies is in line with the information need. Information should be accurate, consistent, useful, non-redundant, unambiguous and reliable. Information exchange is possible and safe via internationally accepted standards.
Living Environment. Objects are intelligent and communicate. The building site of an asset is fully controlled, minimising waste and maximising quality and speed.
Engineering changes. The new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’. Engineering changed from delivering products to delivering services. Integrated contracts and Systems Engineering are fully integrated in engineering practice.
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The first vision proposal, as presented in chapter 0, is created on the basis of literature research and interviews with BIM experts. That first version should be evaluated in order to gain scientific credibility. This chapter contains the evaluation of the first version, resulting in a second version of the vision on BIM.
This chapter contains firstly the methodology of the evaluation, which is the design of a workshop in which the first vision proposal will be discussed. Secondly, the results of that workshop are discussed. The second version of the vision is included in the third section of this chapter. Finally, the second vision proposal is discussed, including the connection between the vision on BIM’s future and Grontmij’s corporate vision. Several conclusions mark the end of the chapter.
In order to improve the first vision proposal, it is discussed and evaluated in a workshop. The workshop is designed as a one-hour meeting with approximately ten BIM experts of Grontmij. The workshop participants prepare themselves by reading the vision – which is sent in advance of the workshop – and make remarks individually, consisting of both improvements and additions. At the start of the workshop, the author presents his graduation project and the progress made to that point, concluding with a summary of the vision proposal.
After the presentation, the workshop participants gather in two or three groups, in which they discuss their remarks and define a Top 3 of improvements and a Top 3 of additions. After 25 minutes each group values the two Top 3’s of the other groups, prioritising the items, which takes ten minutes. The next step is a plenary discussion, in which the results of the previous round are evaluated, which takes fifteen minutes. Finally, the author summarises the findings of the workshop.
The program of the workshop is designed as follows:
12.00-12.05: introduction workshop 12.05-12.30: discussion in three groups of 3-5 persons 12.30-12.40: prioritising the results of other groups 12.40-12.55: plenary discussion on Top 3 improvements and Top 3 additions. 12.55-13.00: summary and conclusions
The goal of this workshop is to develop a widely supported and sound vision, which can be implemented Grontmij-wide. This vision can be used to implement BIM all over the organisation. The document which was sent in advance of the workshop to each participant is included in Appendix 1, while the presentation held as first step of the workshop is included in Appendix 3.
The workshop resulted in both additions and improvements. Two groups were formed consisting of four persons, based on only eight participants. Each group defined its Top 3 of additions and improvements and the other group prioritised these Top 3’s. This resulted in the following aspects, including the prioritising between brackets.
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1. (Temporary) revenue model (1) 2. Actual risks versus virtual risks (1) 3. Quality of information (2) 4. Relation with failure costs (2) 5. Thinking and acting circular (3)
1. The addition of the revenue model considers the marketability of BIM. Some participants stated Grontmij should be able to sell its use of BIM, while others refuted this statement by saying BIM will become common sense, which decreases its marketability. 2. Actual risks versus virtual risks is considered an interesting addition as well. Building and visualising a digital model and analysing risks and safety digitally contain the risk of losing a sense of reality. Just recognising and analysing risks does not mean they will not occur. 3. The reliability of information is also valued important. Because BIM is an information managing approach, the managed information should be of high quality, so BIM makes sense. 4. Knowing BIM increases efficiency and thus reduces failure costs, the vision should contain something in relation to failure costs. Because BIM enables digital clash control, failure costs can be minimised. On the other hand, probably other types of failure costs will occur. 5. Thinking and acting circular has to do with life cycle management and the current trend of sustainability. Though the vision already mentions all materials are reusable, the sustainability issue should be stressed to a larger extent.
1. Autonomous assets / Asset 2. Further elaborate on goals (minimise failure costs Management / Life Cycle by clash detection) of BIM within life cycle. (costs, Management (1) risks, schedules more clear) Instead of, for example, prefabrication (1) 3. Who is owner / liable for the 4. Better demarcation of vision. Which part is about correctness of information? (2) which process phase? (2) 5. Define Big Data (3) 6. BIM managers are needed to manage processes. Information manager is new job needed. (3) 1. The vision should be clear which part is written in the context of which project phase. For now, the vision contains many elements, resulting in a non-coherent story. Autonomous assets deals with The Internet of Things, which is included in the vision already. 2. It should be made clear to a larger extent what goal BIM serves. The vision itself contains many elements, but the necessity of using BIM is not made clear enough. 3. In addition to addition 3 it is important to define the owner of information. When a party is responsible for the data, it has the liability to guarantee its quality. On the other hand, it is difficult to define an owner when everything is stored in ‘the Cloud’. 4. See improvement 1. 5. When you mention the principles of Big Data will not be used in the future – because Big Data gathers as much data as possible – it is very important to define Big Data. During the workshop it is stated we can use data from the Big Data bulb for very specific purposes, without gathering information according to Big Data principles. 6. While this aspect is defined as being important, the prioritising group rejected this item. The function of BIM manager might be important in the near future to manage processes. On the other hand, managing processes implies they need to be managed, which means process users are not used to them. This in turn means BIM manager is a temporary job. Information manager is less of a process job and more of a substantial job.
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Two main remarks have been given during the workshop. Firstly, the vision should be recognisable as being written for Grontmij. Advice was given to present the vision or an elevator pitch version to somebody outside the organisation and ask him to recognise the organisation it is written for.
Secondly, the vision should be presented interactively. Grontmij developed some interactive presentation forms that can be used to present the vision. Not only the plain text should be inspiring, it should also be made attractive with clear figures.
The final version of the vision proposal should be more coherent and logical, using the phases of life cycle management. It should also be clear it is written for Grontmij and it should be more appealing.
1. Derived from the first addition is the goal Grontmij should have implementing BIM. With the use of BIM Grontmij can improve the information they produce and provide. The use of BIM itself will not be marketable in the future, but ‘offering 100% relevant, accurate, consistent, reliable, non-redundant, and unambiguous information’ is. 2. The second addition has to do with the old conflict between theory and practice. Though the vision states the living environment is almost perfectly integrated with intelligent models, there is always this conflict. This addition will be added to the vision, expressed as ‘BIM users know how to translate digital analyses and their results to reality’, using the example of actual risks versus virtual risks. 3. The quality of information is an important addition to the vision. It can be added to the vision, based on two aspects. The first is the fully defined information needs and the second is market forces. The quality of information is improved by these points, because it is always clear what information is necessary at what time and because market forces eliminate underperforming parties. 4. Adding failure costs to the vision would say something about the purpose of BIM, see improvement 2. 5. The sustainability issue can be derived from the last addition. This aspect will certainly be added to the vision, especially because Grontmij’s corporate vision mentions ‘Sustainability by Design’ as its leading principle.
1. It is prioritised at number one to improve the vision by defining which part concerns which life cycle phase. 2. The vision in its first vision has no clear roots. The necessity and purpose of using BIM should be made clear. This aspect will be processed together with the first addition. 3. While partly referring to the third addition, this improvement is going to be processed by adding a part on the ownership of information, including its relationship with ‘the Cloud’. 4. See improvement 1. 5. Every term in the vision will be explained concise. Not only Big Data, but other notions as well will be explained before used, thus clarifying their meaning and minimising confusion. 6. The last improvement is included already and still under discussion.
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This section contains the final version of the vision. This final version is made by editing the first version based on the workshop results. In this section the English translation is included, while the Dutch version can be found in Appendix 2, Section 2.3. To understand the vision clearly, the reader should acknowledge the vision is written from a future viewpoint, in which 2030 is the present day.
BIM has been a buzzword with great impact in the building industry.1 Starting as 3D-oriented design with benefits in sales and failure minimisation, BIM soon transformed into an integral approach of building projects in the infrastructure sector, as well as the civil and utility sector. Various disciplines started to collaborate within projects to achieve better results, to avoid failures, and to keep information up-to-date. It took quite a while before managers were promoting and implementing BIM, which is now fully integrated within their working methods.2
Working with BIM is mainly promoted by contractors, because not all clients recognise the potential of BIM.3 Because service-providing parties have intertwined their processes with BIM, BIM is supply- driven.
The term BIM evolved from Building Information Model via Building Information Modelling to Building Information Management. With that, the story did not end. Concepts like Project Information Management and discipline-specific notions like Civil Information Management were used, but today everybody just uses Information Management. The concept does not need a buzzword or fancy name4, because it is completely integrated into thinking patterns and it is much broader than the building and infrastructure sector. The thought of BIM as a process change and a communication improvement effort is generally accepted5; nobody thinks of BIM as a fancy design tool anymore.
In BIM’s pioneering years BIM manager was a new job, active from the first ideas until the design phase; but its relevance is low nowadays. The BIM manager is not the only one who is BIMing; it has become a way of thinking. The new job of information manager increases in relevance every day6, being important in all life cycle phase of an object.
It is possible to gather as much data as possible, but the previous decennia have shown it is impractical to do so. Data has to become information, it has to have purpose, to have added value. That’s why the information needs are defined at the start of every project, considering the whole life cycle of the object.7 Every participating party collects and manages the necessary information actively, while parties in need of other information – information not mentioned in the defined information needs – collect and manage it on their own initiative. Though Big Data can be used to conduct multiple analyses, building information is collected and managed purposefully.8
Several engineering consultants – knowledge delivering organisations – aim at supplying the best information as possible. A true race has been run to reach the goal of 100% reliable information to belong to the high-end engineering consultancies. Information needs to useful, consistent, reliable, unambiguous and non-redundant. The information supply has to match the demand and need for information. Non-redundant means the total amount of information cannot be larger than all parties together can process.9
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Information has long been one of the most valuable goods. Information exchange – in BIMs pioneering days a hot issue – is of great importance. Information is being exchanged in the cloud nowadays.10 Many questioned the safety of information flows, but that is no problem anymore11, due to the massive international fight against cybercrime. Information transfer not only has become much safer, but it is also possible to do that in an intelligent and semantic way; systems do understand other systems.12 This has been made possible by the development of international standards, which understand one another. These standards are developed for their own interest group and are leading in their respective areas. As standards can interchange information, all information is transferable. In the Netherlands this has been made reality by the CB-NL initiative.
It’s not only possible to connect information, it’s actually done. Energy performance indexes are calculated automatically, based on the available information13; risk and safety analyses are common practice; Asset Management is the goal of a project and an asset, and information is collected keeping that goal in mind.14 Also, interaction with governments is standardised, which is clearly exemplified by the automatic granting of permits.15
The connection with geographical information adds important value.16 In the Netherlands, free space is getting more and more scarce and nearly all objects are built at sites where something had been built previously. The built environment is therefore entirely modelled in three dimensions, while the natural environment is modelled when needed only.17 Non-confidential information regarding the environment is shared as open data, to the benefit of whoever needs it.18 Every new asset is digitally positioned in its environment immediately19, creating the possibility to conduct analyses transcending the particular object.20 A clear example is tuning staffing to the several projects and optimising delivery patterns of materials and equipment.
Sensors are interwoven with almost anything. They produce useful information on the condition of assets – starting in the construction phase already – and on that basis action can be taken, whether or not automatically.21 The influence of the principles of The Internet of Things on the building industry is major.22 A bridge, for example, indicates by itself if concrete decay occurs or if the new top layer shows cracks.23 The integration of the living environment and intelligent digital models is nearly perfected.24 BIM users know how to translate digital analyses into reality.25
BIM not only has a major influence in the operation and maintenance phase of assets, but also in the construction phase. At the building site, everything is fully under control and every delivery is on time.26 Robotising and automation have resulted in decreasing numbers of incidents, failures and waste during the last decennia.27 Prefabrication and 3D printing are used to minimise deviations in geometry and quality and to prevent waste and storage.28 3D printing boomed in the second decennium of the 21st century; entire bridges and houses were printed29. These developments have stabilised. Many components are 3D-printed nowadays, but it’s often limited to transportable and complex parts. The housing and utilities industry, where 3D printing has huge applications.
Because of the ever-increasing computational and graphical abilities of computers and the use of BIM, a trend of increasing complexity is visible. Designs are increasingly complex.30 This has resulted in several developments in materials sciences and mechanics.31 All materials can be reused32, and several materials are self-healing.33 Besides more complex, designs can be generated automatically. BIM has been driver for multiple developments and contributed indirectly to further sustainability.
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The past decades have shown many challenges had to be dealt with to use BIM effectively. One of the major problems was the difficulty of conceptual thinking, instead of concrete and detailed thinking.34 Many engineers had to get used to that way of thinking and some were never able to master it. A new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’ and thinks conceptually.35 This aspect met quite a bit of resistance, because the older generation in particular had to be retrained in order to keep being useful.
In addition, engineering has been given a different purpose. Previously, designing a building or road was the main purpose, but now the main goal is offering services. The engineer offers a service, like optimal working conditions, and performs the necessary activities.36 This development is a consequence of a major trend in the building industry, in which contract forms and tender procedures changed. Fifty years ago, the major part of contracts granted to the lowest bidder, but that changed to awarding on the basis of highest value or best performance; clients took more and more a directing role.37
This service-oriented mindset arises partly from the rise of integrated contracts, which are now fully implemented. These contracts, which influence the whole life cycle of assets, are in terms of background idea in line with BIM; having both the whole life cycle approach, the attitude of trust and corporation, and a service-oriented mindset.38 Systems Engineering is incorporated in the current thinking and working practice too, because the combination of Systems Engineering and BIM appears to be a perfect match.39 Though Systems Engineering as a concept name is not in use anymore, many processes are incorporated into the normal BIM working methods; working explicitly has become very important in BIM.
BIM changed many processes. Like the mobile phone changed the way communication was done, BIM changed communication too, because information could be exchanged much more efficiently.40 To apply BIM effectively, many processes have been changed and are defined purposefully.41 Processes are optimised and integrated in terms of communication, agreements, and technical and project management aspects.42 Verification and validation are automated43, risk analyses have become more effective because BIM connects information, and communication shaped result- oriented.
1 Adriaanse (2014); Institution of Civil Engineers (2012a); McGraw-Hill Construction (2010, 2012); Memoori Business Intelligence (2015); Samuelson and Björk (2014); J. Williams (2015) 2 Interview 10. 3 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 4 Interview 2, 4, 7. 5 Dufvenberg (2015); Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009). Interview 3, 4, 5, 8 10. 6 Edwards and Corbett (2015). Interview 7. 7 Adriaanse (2014). Interview 1, 7. 8 Interview 1, 4, 5, 7. 9 BouwQuest (2013) 10 Nilsson (2015) 11 Kemp (2014). Interview 7, 9. 12 HM Government (2015). Interview 2, 3, 4, 7, 9.
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13 Interview 1, 3, 4, 7. 14 Adriaanse (2014); Miettinen and Paavola (2014); (Schley, 2015). Interview 1, 2, 4, 7. 15 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 16 Interview 3, 5, 7. 17 Stoter (2014) 18 Interview 2, 3, 4, 10. 19 Interview 1, 2, 5, 7. 20 Adriaanse (2014); De Boer et al. (2015); HM Government (2015). Interview 4, 7, 8, 9. 21 Interview 5, 7, 8, 10. 22 Atzori et al. (2011); Giusto et al. (2010); HM Government (2013b, 2015). Interview 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10. 23 Interview 10. 24 HM Government (2015). Interview 8, 10. 25 Addition 2. 26 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009); Mitchell (2013); Sacks, Koskela, et al. (2010); Sacks, Radosavljevic, et al. (2010) 27 Philp and Thomson (2014). Interview 5, 7. 28 Heijmans (2014). Interview 5. 29 Heijmans (2015) 30 Schumacher (2008). Interview 2. 31 HM Government (2015) 32 HM Government (2015); National Association of State Facilities Administrators et al. (2010) 33 De Kostera et al. (2015); Stewart (2015) 34 HM Government (2015). Interview 3, 4, 8. 35 Kemp (2014) 36 Interview 8. 37 Hughes and Kabiri (2013); Rijkswaterstaat (2013) 38 Interview 4, 7, 9, 10. 39 Interview 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10. 40 Interview 7, 8, 10 41 Interview 1 42 Interview 6, 8, 10 43 Interview 1
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This section discusses the final vision proposal as included in the previous section. The vision has been updated and edited from the first version into the second version. This section reasons with Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle (Sinek, 2009) as backbone.
Sinek (2009) argues every company is able to answer the question what it produces or provides. How they do it is a question not every organisation can answer and it is only a very limited amount of organisations that knows why “they do what they do” (Sinek, 2015). Sinek presents this line of reasoning in his Golden Circle (Figure 22). Though most people tend to think from the outside-in, he thinks it is essential to think from the inside-out (Sinek, 2009).
Figure 22 | Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle (Sinek, 2015)
According to the Golden Circle, the most important question is ‘Why?’ Most companies have defined an answer on this question by defining their mission. Grontmij (n.d.) defines its fundamental reason of existence as "We enable our clients to make informed decisions and well-considered investments as they develop our natural and built environment." Both informed and built environment are important aspects of BIM. Building on the analyses of BIM in this report, the conclusion can be drawn BIM matches perfectly with Grontmij.
The How aspect of the Golden Circle is answered by Grontmij’s corporate vision. This vision is comprised in four main aspects and as they are defined as the envisioned future of Grontmij, BIM will help reach that future. The first two aspects in particular are stimulated by the use of BIM, because BIM increases overall quality and stimulates sustainability efforts. Grontmij’s vision (Grontmij, n.d.) consists of:
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Recognised by our clients for market leadership and quality of delivery. ‘Sustainability by Design’ is our leading principle. Preferred company for talented professionals and offering ample opportunity for development. Among the best on financial performance in the Consulting & Engineering industry.
It is clear BIM stimulates quality and increases efficiency in many ways. With that in mind, it is safe to say BIM definitely serves Grontmij’s first corporate vision aspect. Many elements in the vision show BIM supports the second aspect as well. BIM enables multiple analyses to increase sustainability, such as energy consumption and carbon emission analyses. Also, BIM will be a stimulus for improvements in materials sciences and other adjacent fields. Furthermore, BIM’s focus on Asset Management stimulates sustainability efforts as well, because this focus requires to consider everything beforehand. Though sustainability is not improved once and for all by BIM, BIM certainly improves sustainability and thus serves Grontmij’s vision on sustainability.
From Grontmij’s point of view, BIM should be recognised as being essential, because BIM is in line with the mission and serves two of the four aspects of the corporate’s vision. Answering Sinek’s three question of Grontmij’s use of BIM, the following can be said, in which BIM can be either a verb or a noun:
Why should Grontmij BIM? Because BIM serves Grontmij in fulfilling its mission and serving its corporate vision.
How should Grontmij BIM? Grontmij should use BIM in line with its mission and vision.
To be able to make this answer reality, Grontmij should know what BIM is, what it is not, what it can and will become, and which place it has in the future. In short: the vision developed in this report is essential to answer the What?-question of the Golden Circle.
What should Grontmij do to BIM? Grontmij should translate the BIM vision into a strategy.
The vision as it is defined in the previous section contains many elements of the future. Therefore it is hard to explain the vision in a few minutes. It is possible to mention the four groups the vision is categorised in, but they contain many elements as well. The use of a one-liner to explain the vision has a few benefits to serve the communicability and marketability of the vision. First of all, such a slogan is easy to remember and makes the vision and Grontmij’s view on BIM recognisable. Secondly, the one-liner does not need to represent the total of the vision, but can focus on a few main elements only. Thirdly, the slogan can be used as a ‘BIM Mission’, verbalising the answer on Why will we use BIM? Lastly, the one-liner can be a working title in the process of translating the vision to a strategy and to implement that strategy.
The one-liner used to express and summarise the vision, is defined as follows:
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According to Wilson (1992) a vision should meet five characteristics to be successful: clarity, coherence, communications power, consistency, and flexibility. Though some aspects may be hard to understand at first sight, the vision overall is clear. Coherence is created by grouping all aspects into four categories. Communications power is essential to a vision and that is elaborated in the previous section, section 5.4.2. Flexibility is not a difficult point in the BIM vision, because the vision describes BIM’s future, which means it is uncertain by definition.
Consistency means the vision contains no contradictory elements, but rather the opposite: supplementing and each other enhancing aspects. Integrated contracts is a good example hereof. Integrated contracts fit with BIM, because of their very nature. They do fit with BIM as well because BIM considers the whole life cycle of an asset and information is exchanged throughout the life cycle. In short: if aspects fit together from multiple viewpoints, it is consistent.
Realising the vision consists of two parts. Firstly, the vision as it is defined has had one iteration round and cannot be considered final. Secondly, the vision should be made reality and the way it is done needs to be defined; the vision should be translated into a strategy.
Concerning the vision development process, the vision is built on the basis provided in this report and has seen one iteration round. In order to gain further recognition within the organisation, higher management layers should get in touch with the vision and learn about BIM and its benefits to daily practice and the organisation itself. Furthermore, the vision development process should contain an international workshop with BIM experts with the aim of improving, adding and updating BIM aspects in-depth. Another large-scale workshop should be arranged, not necessarily international, to envision further on the results of the international workshop. Finally, a small committee should finalise the vision, in consultation with both management and lower hierarchical levels.
While the vision development process may take quite a while, it is important to implement BIM right now, because many things can be done already. BIM is a large development and it is therefore an “ideal catalyst to improve project delivery and end user satisfaction” (J. Williams, 2015). He argues organisations should use the opportunity to exploit BIM’s benefits. Van Berlo (2015) states management of many Dutch firms recognise the need of BIM and start thinking about it. He also sees BIM is built bottom-up, starting with easy aspects, based on common practice. He argues these two developments need to meet each other in the middle, which emphasises again the need of the vision developed in this report. Concluding: Grontmij should start BIMing with aspects already possible and the vision should be translated into a clear and effective strategy.
Furthermore, reflecting on the previous comments, BIM’s processes side should not be forgotten. Throughout this report, processes and process changes are mentioned multiple times. It is stated BIM is likely to be a driver for process change. Concluding and reflecting on that, it should be said it is not easy to implement, embrace and incorporate BIM in every day’s practice. Many processes really do change due to the use of BIM. Communication and collaboration change, ways of thinking change, forms of contracts change, client expectations change. And the list can be made longer and longer.
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Chapter 5 is the final substantive chapter of this report. It is dedicated to the improvement of the first vision as presented in the previous chapter. The first vision proposal is evaluated in a workshop. The set-up of that workshop and the results from the workshop are described and the second vision proposal is defined in this chapter. Based on this second version, research question 2.2 can be answered.
In order to improve the first version of the vision, a workshop has been held within Grontmij. Its purpose was to collect improvements and additions to the vision. Consisting of a discussion round in small groups and a plenary discussion, useful results were created. More general comments said the vision should be recognisable as being written to Grontmij or similar engineering consultancies and the vision should be interactive, using figures, slogans and communicable and marketable language.
Additions to the vision include the goal Grontmij should have to implement BIM, the interaction between reality and its digital representation, quality of information, and sustainability. The workshop encouraged to improve or to make clear the division of life cycle phases, the goal of the vision, the ownership of information, and the use of the names of current developments.
2.2. What does the expected future of BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector look like?
Definition. BIM is fully defined and accepted, and roots in intrinsic motivation. BIM concerns communication and collaboration and has information exchange as its core concept.
Information. The information need is fully defined. Because information needs to be purposeful, the information collecting principles of Big Data are not used. Information supply by engineering companies is in line with the information need. Information should be accurate, consistent, useful, non-redundant, unambiguous and reliable. Information exchange is possible and safe via internationally accepted standards. Many analyses can be conducted, because information is interconnected. Based on geographical information, assets are connected and business and object-transcending analyses can be performed.
Living Environment. Objects are intelligent and communicate pro-actively. The building site of an asset is fully controlled, minimising waste and maximising quality and speed by using robotising and 3D-printing. BIM has been a driver for developments and sustainability.
Engineering changes. The new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’. Engineering practice changed from delivering products to delivering services. Integrated contracts and Systems Engineering are fully integrated in engineering practice. Because of BIM and due to BIM many processes have changed.
Using Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, the necessity of the BIM vision becomes clear. Why should Grontmij BIM? Because BIM serves Grontmij in fulfilling its mission and serving its corporate vision. How should Grontmij BIM? Grontmij should use BIM in line with its mission and vision. What should Grontmij do to BIM? Grontmij should translate the BIM vision into a strategy.
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The vision as a whole is not very marketable, because it consists of many elements and because it is a story, which should be told coherently. In order to fill this gap, a one-liner is defined to express the background idea of the BIM vision. This slogan is defined as follows:
The vision meets the five characteristics of a successful vision, as defined by Wilson (1992), because the vision is clear, coherent, communicable, consistent, and flexibility. The development process of the vision consists of at least three more steps. These include an international workshop with BIM experts, a large-scale workshop and a small-size committee to finalise the vision. Furthermore, Grontmij should start BIMing with aspects already possible and the vision should be translated into a clear and effective strategy.
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This final chapter concludes the thesis report. Concluding every chapter and the research described in it, it aims to answer the main research question. Furthermore recommendations and ideas for further research are given.
This research report aims to answer the research question. This question is defined as: In which way should a corporate vision concerning BIM be defined for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector?
The answer on the research question cannot be given by a single statement, because the full text of the vision is the answer. A summary of the vision and also the answer to the research question is defined as follows:
A corporate vision concerning BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector includes an in-depth understanding of BIM and of social and technical developments. In 2030, BIM as collaboration and communication method is fully accepted; information can be exchanged and analyses can be done using that information; and BIM is Asset Management focused and maximises efficiency.
Building on a heritage of 3D-oriented design and some connected information sources, BIM develops into a way of thinking and working in which all relevant information of a physical system is connected digitally throughout the life cycle, using objects as the base line. Using many different types of information, BIM can increase efficiency and quality of the managed objects and makes digital analyses possible, thus minimising failures, waste and inefficiency.
BIM as an important trend in the building industry does not stand alone. Integrated Project Delivery, Lean Construction, Big Data, Internet of Things, and Robotising and 3D-printing are all relevant issues, which have and will have influence and impact on BIM.
These trends, in combination with information retrieved from interviews and literature, resulted in a long list of aspects that are important to incorporate into the vision. These aspects are grouped into four categories: definition, information, living environment and engineering changes.
In 2030 BIM is fully defined and accepted. Information is accurate, consistent, useful, non- redundant, unambiguous and reliably and safely exchangeable. BIM is focused on Asset Management. Regarding the interaction with the living environment, objects are intelligent and communicate and the building site of an asset is fully controlled, minimising waste and maximising quality and speed. Engineering changes: a new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’, engineering has changed from delivering products to delivering services, integrated contracts and Systems Engineering are fully integrated, and processes are adapted to and inspired by BIM.
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The answer on the main research question is created by using two sub questions. These sub questions are each divided into several questions. Chapter three answered the questions of the first sub question and chapters four and five give answer to the second sub question.
1.1. In what way can BIM be defined?
Building Information Modelling is the purposeful management of information through the whole life cycle of a built environment asset by creating a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics, using components that consist of computable graphic and data attributes and parametric rules. Thus, BIM is a managed approach to the collection and exploitation of consistent, non-redundant, and coordinated information across the life cycle of a built environment asset.
1.2. What are the most essential characteristics of BIM?
Because BIM is object-oriented, all information regarding one object can be exchanged and used in analyses regarding that object. Exchange of information still is a hot issue, for it is not yet possible to exchange information without damage or loss of data. Level of Development is the measure of information depth. Varying between LOD100 and LOD500, BIM-models can be detailed to a very low or very high extent respectively. The level of BIM adoption and use is described by the maturity levels. Maturity levels can vary between level 0 and level 3, varying from no BIM adoption via 3D-modelling and little collaboration to integrated and interoperable BIM use. Little BIM and Big BIM are terms to describe internal and external BIM use. It is important to master your internal BIM processes before using BIM externally.
Based on literature research and interviews, eight characteristics of useful BIM have been identified. Each of these information sources adds a valuable subject to BIM. The following aspects have been defined: technical details; requirements; geospatial information; time; finances; condition of assets; risks; and documentation. Though many other information sources can be interconnected, these eight offer interesting possibilities.
1.3. What is the state of the art of BIM and what developments are taking place?
Many thought BIM was limited to extensive technical details and visualising them, and they still are important to BIM. Adding requirements to the model helps in verifying and validating the model. The combination of geospatial information and the model makes powerful geospatial analyses possible. The additions of time and finances are helpful in visualising the construction and transportation processes and the financial impact of decisions and time. Incorporating the condition of assets makes it possible to conduct Asset Management and to perform asset- transcending analyses. Risks, and consecutive health and safety, can be detected and made visible with BIM. Automated documentation helps in reporting, documenting, and archiving.
In the future, technical details can be derived from supplier’s information automatically and will be accurate, thus enabling realistic visualisations and virtual reality experiences. Requirements can be checked automatically, using and checking building codes, governmental regulations, environmental decrees and national and international law. For infrastructure in particular, geospatial information gives context and background to assets and is very useful with regard to requirements, conditions of assets and risks. The aspects of time and finances are also improved
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by geospatial information, because project-transcending optimisation is common sense in the future. Condition of assets is used to a large extent to minimise environmental hindrance and optimise improvement efforts concerning time and finances. Many risks can be found and prevented automatically, both within an asset’s boundary and outside the system boundaries; the latter is exemplified by minimising risks by optimising delivery patterns to several project sites and thus preventing traffic accidents. Documentation is automated to a large extent and juridical cases can be fought based on this extensive documentation.
1.4. What advantages and disadvantages can be recognized for BIM?
BIM has many benefits. The main goal BIM serves is improved collaboration and communication. This results in a higher quality of the deliveries and of concerning information. This higher quality made possible by simulation, visualisation, fault detection, and multiple analyses. The analyses include carbon, energy, structural and alternative analyses, as well as cost, time and risk analyses. These analyses result in shorter construction times, less expenses, less failure costs, less rework, and safer working conditions. Due to higher information accuracy, long-term maintenance and Asset Management can be approached integrally. Furthermore, BIM is said to be a catalyst for process improvements, project delivery, end-user satisfaction, and job satisfaction.
As disadvantages, BIM is said to be expensive, creativity blocking when you are not an advanced user of software, confusing, information assuming and difficult. BIM requires investments, both in software and in training. Additionally, some value it negative that they need to make expenses for other’s benefits, while others state they can save money because they use BIM. This paradoxically statements show BIM might be expensive at first, but will save money once implemented fully. For designers in particular, some authors think BIM blocks creativity, but this aspect is mainly true for designers with little experience with BIM software. This disadvantage will therefore become less prevailed over time.
Regarding information, a disadvantage of BIM is the overload of information. It is uncertain which information is needed by whom, who is allowed to access which information, and how much information can be processed by whom. Furthermore, BIM requires much information. Different from the past is the level of required certainty in very early project stages; in BIM processes much information needs to be known in the design phase already. In accordance, the last disadvantage is that BIM requires another mindset. Because much needs to be known at a project start, it is important to be able to think in concepts instead of details. Not everybody is able to do that.
1.5. What are current challenges for BIM?
The quality of information and of the model, lack of standards, juridical issues and process changes still are challenging aspects of BIM. The essence of BIM is information, so to use BIM in a good way, this information needs to be of high quality, accurate and consistent. Analyses are conducted and decisions are made using that information. The quality of information needs to be assured, verification and validation are important processes.
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Until now, information cannot be exchanged perfectly. Though many developments are taking place, developing standards and meta-standards, it is not possible to exchange information one- to-one. This interoperability problem is a major challenge for the building industry and has been a problem for BIM since its rise started. In the future object libraries will be harmonised and proper standards can exchange information between software packages or other standards.
Though BIM does not create insuperable juridical problems, the juridical consequences of BIM have to be considered elaborately. BIM flourishes only in an environment of collaboration, communication and trust, but it is hard to secure that juridically. Intellectual property and liability are the two most important issues in BIM practices. Because many stakeholders interact and collaborate to create a product, it is uncertain who the owner is and who is liable for the product or incremental changes.
Implementing and using BIM requires well-thought operational and business processes. Processes need to be defined in workflow management and they need to be adapted to BIM. Furthermore, business processes will change due to BIM, because BIM improves many things in de building industry, thus stimulating innovation and process improvement.
These five sub questions answer the first sub question. The first sub question and its answer are defined as follows.
1. What are the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of BIM to large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector now and in the future?
BIM is a way of thinking in which all relevant information of a physical system is connected digitally throughout the life cycle, using objects as the base line. To its largest benefits belong increased efficiency, increased information consistency, enabling of analyses, and improved quality. Concerning disadvantages, BIM is said to be expensive, creativity blocking when you are not an advanced user of software, confusing, information assuming and difficult. The quality of information and of the model, lack of standards, juridical issues and process changes are challenging aspects of BIM.
Chapter four answers sub question 2.1 and chapter five gives answer to sub question 2.2. Both answers provide a basis for answering sub question 2.
2.1. What are relevant developments to BIM?
BIM is not a trend on its own. In the building industry several other developments can be recognised. These include Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), or broader: integrated contracts, and Lean Construction. IPD is a collaborating contract form, which needs transparency, openness, collaboration and communication. That is why it supplements BIM perfectly. Constructing lean aims at enlarging efficiency, one of the goals of BIM. In short: both IPD and Lean fit perfectly together with BIM. All three can stimulate the much needed improvement of sustainability in the building industry.
Big Data is a hot issue. Loads of data can be used to whatever purpose. Many analyses can be conducted in order to recognise trends and structures. Though BIM tries to use information purposefully and Big Data does not, Big Data might become really important to BIM; especially
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considering the combination with The Internet of Things (IoT). Objects will be able to identify themselves and communicate with other objects or structures. Its applications in BIM are tremendous.
The last important contextual trend to BIM is robotising and 3D printing. This issue tries to manage the building site to a larger extent and fits within Lean Construction as well. Designs become much more complex in the future, which causes 3D printing and robotising to become more and more important.
2.2. What does the expected future of BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector look like?
Definition. BIM is fully defined and accepted, and roots in intrinsic motivation. BIM concerns communication and collaboration and has information exchange as its core concept.
Information. The information need is fully defined. Because information needs to be purposeful, the information collecting principles of Big Data are not used. Information supply by engineering companies is in line with the information need. Information should be accurate, consistent, useful, non-redundant, unambiguous and reliable. Information exchange is possible and safe via internationally accepted standards. Many analyses can be conducted, because information is interconnected. Based on geographical information, assets are connected and business and object-transcending analyses can be performed.
Living Environment. Objects are intelligent and communicate pro-actively. The building site of an asset is fully controlled, minimising waste and maximising quality and speed by using robotising and 3D-printing. BIM has been a driver for developments and sustainability.
Engineering changes. The new generation of engineers ‘thinks BIM’. Engineering practice changed from delivering products to delivering services. Integrated contracts and Systems Engineering are fully integrated in engineering practice. Because of BIM and due to BIM many processes have changed.
The answers on these two sub questions answer the second main sub question, which has been defined as follows.
2. In which way should a corporate vision concerning BIM for large engineering companies in the infrastructure sector be defined?
A corporate vision concerning BIM for an organisation should contain a realistic and reliable image of BIM’s future. It should be applied to the organisation’s culture and working area. Furthermore, the vision should be based on relevant developments in sectors important to BIM, on recent literature on BIM and its future, and on visionary but realistic aspects.
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Several interviews mention you do not need to master every aspect of BIM in order to ‘do BIM’. Many elements are done already, or can be done easily. An organisation does not need to buy expensive software packages to implement BIM. It can start by connecting information sources with the software the organisation has in use. The implementation of BIM therefore has two sides. On the one hand, the organisation should just start BIMing. On the other hand, it is important, for large organisations in particular, to know what BIM is, to have a clear understanding of what the goal is of BIM implementation, and to tackle the challenges thoroughly.
Start BIMing from now on actively is certainly a recommendation. BIM requires a different mindset and that can be promoted from higher management levels. When colleagues ask your help, think along proactively, try to find what information they need, and try to really help them. For example, when somebody asks soil drillings, do not give him these manually, but send him, proactively, three- dimensional data digitally. It does not take much time and saves the one who need it much time. Another example is to use the combination of geospatial data and requirements management by using Geoweb and Relatics. This combination is powerful in managing requirements in their environment. In short: use BIM in everything it is possible already.
The vision presented in this report will become the corporate vision on BIM after a vision development process. Having had one iteration round, the content of the vision gives direction and context to the final Grontmij BIM vision. It needs to be handled by the departments of communication and word processing before publication, for the vision has to be appealing, imaginative, interactive, and flawless. Therefore many aspects of the vision should be visualised using photographs, drawings and figures. Not only plain text makes the vision recognisable as being written for Grontmij, but the form it is presented in contributes to this as well.
To implement BIM in Grontmij, this report and the report of Panaitescu need to be seen as diptych. This report providing the needed vision and Panaitescu’s report outlining the way to implement BIM, both point in the right direction of BIM adoption.
In the author’s view, BIM can be beneficial to Grontmij in three different ways.
First of all, BIM improves working methods and increases efficiency, and thus increases quality of work. Because quality of delivery is mentioned in Grontmij’s corporate vision, this aspect is important to Grontmij.
In combination with the first point can be said that BIM improves processes, both influencing and initiating process changes. The second point, therefore, concerns BIM being a driver for innovation. Implementing BIM requires effort, energy and money, and processes need to be defined. When processes are defined, they can be improved.
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The last aspect of BIM as a benefit to Grontmij has to do with its market position. BIM can serve the last three aspects of the corporate vision, because BIM improves sustainability, offers ample opportunity for development and can result in outstanding financial performances. Once Grontmij’s use of BIM is well-known, it will attract talented professionals and beautiful, large and complex projects.
BIM is not only a nice way of thinking to improve quality, speed, processes, etc.; it is not only necessary to Grontmij; but it is a necessity. Changes in the field of engineering cause anticipation by engineering consultancies. More work needs to be done with less people for less money. This makes BIM really important to the Grontmij business. Furthermore: other engineering companies will implement BIM in a fast pace too, which forces Grontmij to take steps to become or go ahead.
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In his inaugural speech, Adriaanse (2014) says: “In future years, the building industry will discover which information combinations should be utilized at what time” [translated]. Because BIM has numerous, almost innumerous, applications, the building industry should know what is necessary, what is useful and what is only fancy. This research subject is very important, because of the life cycle approach. At the very start of an object, when an idea is envisioned, it should be made clear which information is needed for the object to fulfil its function throughout the whole life cycle.
GIS, IoT and Big Data can all be beneficial to BIM. These combinations offer interesting applications, enabling valuable analyses and creating many possibilities. GIS processing geographical data, IoT enabling communication with and between objects, and Big Data making quantitative analyses based on large amounts of data possible, all three have large applications in BIM. To further explore these fields, much research has to be done.
The combination of GIS and BIM is a recent debate. The last two years have shown much development in this field and several conferences have been held on this subject. This area has been given its own name, which is GeoBIM. Especially for large infrastructure projects, GeoBIM can be extremely beneficial. This new field requires much research. GIS and BIM overlap partly, so research should be conducted to which extent GIS and BIM can be approached together. Furthermore, it should be researched how GIS and BIM can be connected optimally; does GIS need to be approached by BIM or the other way around?
The Internet of Things offers interesting possibilities to the construction sector. Though this development is mainly concerned with gadgets, equipment, machinery, mobile devices, etc., it is also possible to connect and communicate with construction objects and infrastructure assets. In the infrastructure sector many assets will be provided with sensors and other measuring and communication equipment. In the operation and maintenance phase in particular, this will result in very accurate status information, supporting proper Asset Management. Research has to be conducted to explore the possibilities of the combination of The Internet of Things and BIM, both in the operation and maintenance phase and the construction phase. These two phases should be approached separately, because the applications will be very diverse.
Big Data is a subject close to The Internet of Things. While The Internet of Things and sensor technology produce large amounts of data, Big Data uses that information for very specific purposes. Many analyses can be performed using much information, recognising patterns, deriving correlations, and much more. Big Data by nature seems to be contradictory to the way BIM uses information. It is therefore very important to research this subject. Do Big Data and BIM go together? And if they do fit together, it is important to know the possibilities, which is another research subject.
Systems Engineering and integrated contracts both have much in common with and supplement BIM. Systems Engineering is a method of working explicitly, of being object-oriented and of organising verification and validation. All three aspects are important to and enabled by BIM. Integrated contracts and BIM share the aspect of collaboration and communication, as well as the function delivering aspects, in contrast with the traditional product delivering. It is important to know if Systems Engineering does fit with BIM entirely, because it has several very strict and defined aspects. Furthermore, it is interesting to research whether integrated contracts are the most beneficial contract form to BIM or not.
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During the creation of this report, much literature has been used. It shows BIM is a very actual subject. The building industry thinks, acts, reasons, discusses, talks, and debates about BIM. Large percentages think BIM is a good development, but are somehow reticent too to implement and embrace it fast and thorough. Adding BIM is perceived in many different ways and a majority still thinks BIM has to do with digital 3D-design, it is not surprising BIM is not common sense already.
This research project has given me an in-depth understanding of BIM, starting from its roots more than fifty years ago through the CAD and computer development until thirteen years ago. From then, BIM began its rise on the building industry spectrum and nowadays it is implemented in the civil sector too. It has convinced me BIM is more than just designing in three dimensions in a digital shared environment. BIM’s potential is unlimited, because the boundaries are still unknown.
In my view, Asset Management will become really important to BIM. Or better: Asset Management will use BIM to improve itself dramatically. An object is designed, constructed, delivered and bought to fulfil its function in the operation and maintenance phase. Therefore the thought of BIM being a basis for Asset Management is justifiable.
Grontmij should definitely implement BIM, if only for information management. Information is the new gold and the amount of information produced and processes becomes more and more every day. This requires a proper way of managing information, for which BIM is perfectly suited. Furthermore, BIM has many benefits, as elaborated in this report, which will not be exploited in case BIM is not going to be implemented.
The implementation of BIM has a few challenges. Money is required to buy necessary software, to give trainings and demos, and to implement it throughout the whole organisation. This takes – expensive – time as well. Draftsmen need to be retrained to modellers and other functions need to change as well. Grontmij can choose to stay the shoe smith, but that function will become extinct. Choosing to transform from the shoe smith to the car garage gives Grontmij the benefit of going ahead of a pioneering development.
Performing my graduation research project was not too easy. It took over two months to define my research proposal, but once I got that straight, the research project itself took only six months, including a delay of one month. Looking backwards, I am grateful and satisfied, for it did go well. What I found useful was to have a clear view on the targeted results. Setting up the report structure beforehand helped me in keeping that structure and the research goal in mind. The structure did not change very much, which shows the usefulness of structuring at the start of the project.
Furthermore, I chose to work concentrated on my graduation work instead of being involved in the Grontmij activities. I still support that decision, for it kept me concentrated on graduating and I still learned very much regarding the work spectrum of ‘my’ team.
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Vass, S., & Gustavsson, T. K. (2014). The perceived business value of BIM. Paper presented at the eWork and eBusiness in Architecture, Engineering and Construction: ECPPM 2014. Verbraeck, A. (2014). [Project Controls during Execution, Project Success]. Versprille, K. J. (1975). Computer-Aided Design Applications of the Rational B-Spline Approximation Form. (Ph.D. thesis), Syracuse University, Syracuse. Volk, R., Stengel, J., & Schultmann, F. (2014). Building Information Modeling (BIM) for existing buildings—Literature review and future needs. Automation in Construction, 38, 109-127. Vrancken, J. (2014). [Project Risk Management]. Walker, J. (1991). The Final Days - Information Letter 14. In Autodesk Inc. (Ed.). Wang, L. (2015). Incredible bricklaying robot can build a house in just two days. Architecture. Retrieved July 6, 2015, from http://inhabitat.com/incredible-bricklaying-robot-can-build-a- house-in-just-two-days/ Wang, W.-C., Weng, S.-W., Wang, S.-H., & Chen, C.-Y. (2014). Integrating building information models with construction process simulations for project scheduling support. Automation in Construction, 37, 68-80. Wang, X., Love, P. E. D., Kim, M. J., Park, C.-S., Sing, C.-P., & Hou, L. (2013). A conceptual framework for integrating building information modeling with augmented reality. Automation in Construction, 34, 37-44. Wang, Y., Wang, X., Wang, J., Yung, P., & Jun, G. (2013). Engagement of Facilities Management in Design Stage through BIM: Framework and a Case Study. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2013. doi: 10.1155/2013/189105 Ward, D., Butler, C., Khan, S., & Coyle, B. (2014). Corrib onshore gas pipeline, Ireland - using BIM on a large infrastructure project. Civil Engineering, 167(CE3), 123-130. Weisberg, D. E. (Ed.). (2008). The Engineering Design Revolution: The People, Companies and Computer Systems That Changed Forever the Practice of Engineering: David E. Weisberg, http://www.cadhistory.net/. Weygant, R. S. (2011). BIM Content Development: Standards, Strategies, and Best Practices. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Williams, G., Gheisari, M., & Irizarry, J. (2014). Issues of Translating BIM for Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) Environments. Paper presented at the Construction Research Congress 2014@ sConstruction in a Global Network. ASCE, Atlanta Georgia, USA. Williams, J. (2015). BIM - One Size Fits No One! Retrieved July 21, 2015, from https://thebimhub.com/2015/07/18/bim-one-size-fits-no-one/#.Va4arPntmko Wilson, I. (1992). Realizing the Power of Strategic Vision. Long Range Planning, 25(5), 18-28. doi: 10.1016/0024-6301(92)90271-3 Worrell, L. L. (2015). Building Information Modeling (BIM): The Untapped Potential for Preservation Documentation and Management. In A. Leifeste, C. L. Hudgins & C. M. Bennet Jr. (Eds.), All Theses, Paper 2146. Yuan, H. (2013). Key indicators for assessing the effectiveness of waste management in construction projects. Ecological Indicators, 24, 476-484. Zeiss, G. (2015, January 23). Conceptual model for open infrastructure standard InfraGML released. Retrieved from http://geospatial.blogs.com/geospatial/2015/01/first-public-draft-of- conceptual-model-for-infragml-released.html Zhang, S., Teizer, J., Lee, J.-K., Eastman, C. M., & Venugopal, M. (2013). Building information modeling (BIM) and safety: Automatic safety checking of construction models and schedules. Automation in Construction, 29, 183-195.
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Figure 1 | Corporate Vision E2CS (E2CS Partners LLC., 2007) ...... 2 Figure 2 | Creating the mission and vision (derived from Raynor (1998)) ...... 8 Figure 3 | “GLIDE code (…) generat[ing] the staircase shown” (Eastman & Henrion, 1977) ...... 16 Figure 4 | Over the wall – Traditional design and construction process (Evbuomwan & Anumba) ..... 19 Figure 5 | You can throw both drawings and models over the wall… it is all about making arrangements (Spekkink, 2014b) ...... 19 Figure 6 | BIM Maturity Levels (BIM Industry Working Group, 2011) ...... 22 Figure 7 | Sight analysis “First” Rotterdam (De Zoeten, 2015) ...... 25 Figure 8 | Example of a view on a building site at a given time (Mr. As Built Inc., 2015) ...... 26 Figure 9 | Example of visual cost planning in Vico software (Henrich, 2012) ...... 27 Figure 10 | A deviation in the foundation was altered in the BIM to generate new drawings on site (Van Berlo & Natrop, 2015) ...... 28 Figure 11 | An example of concrete region detection (Brilakis et al., 2010) ...... 29 Figure 12 | Dashboard for safety control during foundation pit excavation (Ding et al., 2014) ...... 30 Figure 13 | Closer views of guardrails and covers for complex geometries (Zhang et al., 2013) ...... 31 Figure 14 | Using Solibri Model Checker to search for safety-related problem areas (Barista, 2015) . 31 Figure 15 | Industry Convergence: Related Industry Trends (derived from (NASFA et al., 2010)) ...... 41 Figure 16 | Development of Transistors according to Moore’s Law (ASML, 2012) ...... 45 Figure 17 | “Internet of Things” paradigm as a result of the convergence of different visions (Atzori et al., 2011) ...... 46 Figure 18 | SAM placing a brick (Construction Robotics, 2015b) ...... 47 Figure 19 | 3D-printed walls at 3D Print Canal House (DUS Architects, 2015) ...... 47 Figure 20 | Demolition robot ERO to erase concrete in teams (Haciomeroglu, 2014) ...... 47 Figure 21 | Ordering and Structuring the Vision Elements ...... 58 Figure 22 | Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle (Sinek, 2015)...... 72
Table 1 | Relations between research questions, methodology and thesis chapters ...... 4 Table 2 | BIM Essentials per interview ...... 23 Table 3 | Visionary views of interviewees ...... 49 Table 4 | Interview questions divided per interviewee ...... 101
J. Ter Maaten 97
1 Interviews...... 101 1.1 Interview Methodology ...... 101 1.1.1 Interviewees ...... 101 1.1.2 Interview Questions ...... 101
2 Vision – Dutch Version ...... 103 2.1 Summary of the Vision in Concise Sentences...... 103 2.2 First Version of the Vision in Dutch ...... 105 2.2.1 Definitie en Acceptatie van BIM ...... 105 2.2.2 De Rol en Invloed van Informatie ...... 105 2.2.3 Interactie met de Leefomgeving ...... 106 2.2.4 Het Ingenieurswerk Verandert ...... 106 2.3 Second Version of the Vision in Dutch ...... 108 2.3.1 Definitie en Acceptatie van BIM ...... 108 2.3.2 De Rol en Invloed van Informatie ...... 108 2.3.3 Interactie met de Leefomgeving ...... 109 2.3.4 Het Ingenieurswerk Verandert ...... 110
3 Workshop set-up ...... 113 3.1 BIM’s Stip aan de Horizon ...... 113 3.1.1 Doel en Resultaat van de Workshop ...... 113 3.1.2 Opzet van de Workshop ...... 113 3.1.3 Voorbereiding voor de Workshop ...... 114 3.1.4 Samenvatting van de Visie ...... 114 3.1.5 Visie ...... 114
4 Workshop PowerPoint Presentation ...... 117
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This appendix contains the names of those the author interviewed and the dates these interviews were conducted. Included too are the questions asked per interview. Only the first page of this appendix is not confidential, for the transcripted interviews are included in this appendix as well.
The interviewees are mentioned in alphabetical order, which is NOT the order in which they are mentioned and referred to throughout the report.
Arjen Adriaanse, University Twente Martijn van Kouwenhoven, Grontmij Hans Bruinsma, Grontmij Bart Luiten, TNO Patrick Clement, Grontmij John van Rijn, Grontmij Frans van Dam, Rijkswaterstaat Renzo van Rijswijk, Strukton Martijn van Drunen, Grontmij Dik Spekkink, Spekkink C&R
The interviews are held in Dutch and therefore Dutch questions are used. The following questions are asked during the interviews.
Table 4 | Interview questions divided per interviewee
Interview 1 Interview 2 Interview 3 Interview 4 Interview 5 Interview 6 Interview 7 Interview 8 Interview 9 Interview 10
What do you understand by BIM? Which five sources are essential to connect? What are disadvantages of BIM? What role is BIM going to play in the future? In which context should BIM be considered? Do you need to connect as much data as possible? Is the connection of BIM and GIS useful? Is Systems Engineering necessary for BIM? Are Integrated Contracts necessary for BIM? What processes is BIM going to change? How are you BIMing in practice? To what extent is BIM different to the several parties? What is the essence of Systems Engineering?
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This appendix contains the Dutch translation of the seperate versions of the vision. Firstly, the first vision in very concise sentences is added. The first version of the vision, which was evaluated in the workshop, is included in the second section. Finally, the final version of the vision is described in the last section. In short, this appendix shows the development of the vision clearly.
This section contains the summary of the first version of the vision in very concise sentences. These compendious notions contain all elements processed in the vision.
Gedachte dat BIM een procesverandering is en over communicatie gaat, is algemeen geaccepteerd. Onduidelijk is of BIM als term nog gebruikt wordt. De nieuwe rol van informatiemanager is in werking. Alle hiërarchische lagen zien nut en noodzaak van open communicatie en informatie-uitwisseling. BIM wordt vanuit opdrachtnemers aangeboden in plaats van door opdrachtgevers vereist. Alle overheidspartijen en grote private klanten eisen BIM. In projectontwikkeling is duidelijk welke informatie nodig is. Partijen die andere informatie nodig hebben, participeren op eigen initiatief. Big Data in projectontwikkeling wordt niet toegepast, maar informatie wordt doelgericht ingewonnen en onderhouden. Ingenieursbureaus streven naar 100% betrouwbare, niet-dubbelzinnige, niet-overbodige, nuttige en consistente informatielevering. Dat is een van de hoogste doelen. Informatie wordt effectief overgedragen en efficiënt hergebruikt. Informatie-uitwisseling gebeurt online. De veiligheid van informatiestromen is sterk verbeterd. Ook kan data makkelijk uitgewisseld worden, doordat systemen elkaar begrijpen. Er zijn verschillende internationale, accurate standaarden. Veel verschillende soorten informatiebronnen zijn semantisch gekoppeld, onder andere eisen, documentmanagement, GIS, ERP, Asset Management, sensoren, klanten, contracten. Vergunningen worden verleend met behulp van BIM. Duurzaamheids- en energieanalyses met BIM. BIM en GIS zijn sterk gekoppeld om toenemende ruimteschaarste. Omgeving is volledig 3D gemodelleerd. Informatie beschikbaar als open data, tenzij vertrouwelijk. Objecten staan in hun omgeving en zijn daardoor gekoppeld. Het is mogelijk om objectoverstijgende analyses te doen. Sensoren en accurate metingen leveren toestandsinformatie, waardoor actie geïnitieerd en ondernomen kan worden, al dan niet geautomatiseerd. De integratie van de leefomgeving en intelligente modellen is in hoge mate gerealiseerd. Materialen geven zelf aan als ze gesloopt of vervangen moet worden. Internet of Things. Robotisering, automatisering en volledige controle van de bouwplaats zijn praktijk. Prefabricatie en mobiel 3D-printen worden gebruikt om afwijkingen in geometrie en kwaliteit te minimaliseren en afval en opslag te voorkomen. Dit zal een grote rol spelen, volledige constructieonderdelen worden op locatie geprint (Heijmans stalen brug). Lean Production
103
wordt hierdoor gestimuleerd en Just-in-Time management wordt ondersteund door mogelijkheid van plannen. Ontwerpen worden veel complexer, wat werk van ingenieur ook complexer maakt. Dat stimuleert ontwikkelingen in materiaalkunde, mechanica en dynamica. Hergebruik van alle materialen. Materialen zijn ook zelfhelend. Het denken in concepten en het ver vooruit denken vragen een nieuwe generatie ingenieurs, waardoor de huidige vergrijzing opgevangen kan worden. Bouwen als doel verandert naar service als doel met bouwen als noodzakelijke activiteit. Ingenieur wordt aanbieder van services, zoals optimale werkomstandigheden. Huidige trend van geïntegreerde contracten wordt versterkt door BIM. Dit zorgt ervoor dat geïntegreerde contracten de standaardwerkwijze worden, wat het punt van de ‘service als doel’ ondersteunt. Systems Engineering is geïntegreerd in het BIM-denken, omdat het goed aansluit op het BIM-denken.
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BIM was een modewoord met grote invloed in de bouwwereld. Wat begon als 3D-georiënteerd ontwerpen voor verkoopdoeleinden en foutenminimalisatie, groeide al snel uit tot een integrale aanpak van bouwprojecten in zowel de infrastructuur- als de B&U-sector. De verschillende disciplines binnen een project gingen samenwerken om tot betere resultaten te komen, fouten te vermijden, en informatie up-to-date te houden. Het heeft vrij lang geduurd voordat managers BIM actief gingen promoten en implementeren. Inmiddels is BIM ook in het managementtakenpakket volledig opgenomen.1 De werkwijze waarin BIM toegepast wordt, wordt met name door opdrachtnemers aangeprezen en gestuurd, want nog niet alle klanten zien de potentie van BIM.2 Omdat de dienstverlenende partijen in de bouwketen BIM hebben verweven in hun werkwijze, is BIM aanbod-gestuurd. De term BIM evolueerde van bouwinformatiemodel via bouwinformatiemodellering naar bouwinformatiemanagement. En daar is het niet bij gebleven. Ook termen als projectinformatiemanagement en branche-specifieke termen als civiel informatiemanagement zijn gebruikt, maar nu spreekt iedereen van informatiemanagement. Het begrip heeft geen naam meer nodig3, omdat het volledig is opgenomen in de manier van denken en omdat het breder is dan de bouw- en infrastructuurwereld. De gedachte dat BIM een procesverandering is en over communicatie gaat, is algemeen geaccepteerd4; niemand spreekt meer van BIM als ontwerp-tool. In de beginjaren van BIM was BIM-manager een nieuwe functie. Inmiddels is die rol niet meer relevant. De BIM-manager is niet meer degene die alleen BIMt, want iedereen BIMt; het is een denkwijze. In plaats daarvan is de informatiemanager een nieuwe rol, die wel relevant is en ook nog steeds in relevantie stijgt.5
Het is mogelijk zoveel mogelijk data te verzamelen, maar de achterliggende decennia hebben ook aangetoond dat dit onpraktisch is. Data moet informatie worden, het moet nuttig gebruikt worden, want anders is het niet van toegevoegde waarde. Daarom wordt de informatiebehoefte per project vastgesteld, waarbij gekeken wordt naar de volledige levenscyclus van het object.6 Alle participerende partijen verzamelen en beheren de benodigde informatie actief; terwijl partijen die andere informatie nodig hebben – informatie die niet vermeld is in de gedefinieerde informatiebehoefte – dit op eigen initiatief (laten) verzamelen en beheren. Het principe van Big Data wordt dus niet toegepast, maar informatie wordt doelgericht ingewonnen en beheerd.7 Verschillende ingenieursbureaus – kennisleverende organisaties – streven naar het aanbieden van de beste informatie. Een ware wedloop om te komen tot 100% betrouwbare informatie is gelopen om tot het topsegment van de ingenieursbranche te behoren. Informatie moet nuttig zijn, consistent, betrouwbaar en ook niet-dubbelzinnig en niet-overbodig. Het informatieaanbod moet zo goed mogelijk aansluiten bij de informatievraag en -behoefte. Niet-overbodig is daarbij een term die in het grotere geheel past. Omdat informatie herbruikbaar moet zijn, is de informatie voor één partij meestal teveel om te verwerken, maar is het precies genoeg voor alle partijen in het betreffende proces.8 Informatie is al lange tijd een van de meest waardevolle goederen. Het uitwisselen daarvan – in BIM’s beginjaren een hot issue – is daarom van groot belang. Tegenwoordig wordt informatie online uitgewisseld.9 Waar velen twijfelden aan de veiligheid van online informatiestromen, is dat nu geen probleem meer.10 Informatieoverdracht is nu niet alleen veilig geworden, maar het is ook mogelijk
105 doordat data op een intelligente, semantische wijze uitgewisseld kan worden; systemen begrijpen elkaar.11 Dit is bereikt door de verschillende internationale standaarden, die elkaar begrijpen. Deze standaarden zijn elk bedoeld voor zijn eigen doelgroep en zijn per branche leidend. Doordat de standaarden ook onderling informatie kunnen uitwisselen, is alle informatie overdraagbaar. In Nederland is dit principe in praktijk gebracht door het CB-NL-initiatief, wat later is uitgegroeid tot een internationale standaard. Niet alleen is het mogelijk informatie te koppelen, het wordt ook daadwerkelijk gedaan. Zo worden energielabels automatisch toegekend op basis van de beschikbare informatie12; zijn risico- en veiligheidsanalyses praktijk; wordt Asset Management steeds als doel van een project gezien en wordt informatie voor dat doel ingewonnen.13 Ook interactie met overheden is gestandaardiseerd, met als duidelijk voorbeeld het automatisch verlenen van vergunningen.14 De koppeling met geografische informatie is van grote toegevoegde waarde.15 Ruimte wordt steeds schaarser en bijna alle objecten worden gebouwd op plaatsen waar al iets anders stond. De omgeving is daarom volledig driedimensionaal gemodelleerd.16 De informatie die daarbij niet vertrouwelijk is, is beschikbaar als open data, zodat elke partij er zijn voordeel mee kan doen.17 Alle nieuwe assets worden digitaal direct in hun omgeving geplaatst18, waardoor het mogelijk is om analyses te doen die het specifieke object overstijgen.19 Een duidelijk voorbeeld is het afstemmen van personeelsinzet aan de planningen van de verschillende projecten en het optimaliseren van leveringspatronen van materiaal en materieel.
Sensoren zijn verweven in vrijwel alles. Ze geven nuttige informatie over de toestand van een asset en op basis daarvan kan actie ondernomen worden, al dan niet geautomatiseerd.20 The Internet of Things heeft grote invloed op de bouwwereld.21 Een brug geeft nu, bijvoorbeeld, vanzelf aan of er sprake is van betonrot of dat de nieuwe toplaag al scheuren vertoont.22 De integratie van de leefomgeving en intelligente modellen is bijna volkomen gerealiseerd. 23 BIM heeft niet alleen grote invloed in de beheer- en onderhoudsfase van assets, maar ook in de productie ervan. Op de bouwplaats is alles volledig onder controle en komt alles precies op tijd aan.24 Robotisering en automatisering hebben in de achterliggende decennia gezorgd voor een grote terugloop van incidenten, afwijkingen en afval.25 Prefabricatie en mobiel 3D-printen worden gebruikt om afwijkingen in geometrie en kwaliteit te minimaliseren en afval en opslag te voorkomen.26 Met name in het tweede decennium van de 21e eeuw namen de ontwikkelingen van 3D-printen een hoge vlucht. Huizen en bruggen konden worden geprint.27 Die ontwikkelingen zijn inmiddels gestabiliseerd. Veel onderdelen worden tegenwoordig 3D-geprint, maar dit blijft meestal beperkt tot transporteerbare en complexe onderdelen, met uitzondering van de woning- en utiliteitsbouw, waar het wel zeer grote toepassingen heeft. Door de toenemende rekenkracht en mogelijkheden van computers is er een duidelijke trend zichtbaar van toenemende complexiteit. Ontwerpen worden steeds ingewikkelder.28 Dit heeft geresulteerd in verschillende ontwikkelingen in materiaalkunde en mechanica.29 Niet alleen is het nu mogelijk om alle materialen opnieuw te gebruiken30, ook zijn verschillende materialen zelfhelend.31
Dat voor een effectief gebruik van BIM veel uitdagingen aangegaan moesten worden, hebben de achterliggende decennia wel aangetoond. Een van de grotere problemen was het denken in concepten.32 Veel ingenieurs moesten daar erg aan wennen of konden het niet. Een nieuwe
106 generatie ingenieurs is inmiddels ingewerkt in het denken in BIM-termen en het conceptmatige denken. Daar komt bij dat het ingenieurswerk een ander doel heeft gekregen. Waar het bedenken van een gebouw of van een weg eerst het hoofddoel was, is dat nu het aanbieden van services. De ingenieur biedt een service aan, zoals optimale werkomstandigheden, en voert de daartoe noodzakelijke activiteiten uit.33 Deze service-gerichte instelling komt ook voort uit de opkomst van geïntegreerde contracten. Deze contracten, die meestal voor de hele levensduur van een asset gelden, liggen qua filosofie op één lijn met BIM; de lijn van levenscyclusbenadering, van vertrouwen en samenwerking, van service.34 Ook Systems Engineering is volledig opgenomen in de huidige denk- en werkwijze van ingenieurs, omdat ook de combinatie van Systems Engineering en BIM een perfecte match blijkt te zijn.35
1 Interview 10. 2 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 3 Interview 2, 4, 7. 4 Dufvenberg (2015); Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009). Interview 3, 4, 5, 8, 10. 5 Edwards and Corbett (2015). Interview 7. 6 Adriaanse (2014). Interview 1, 7. 7 Interview 1, 4, 5, 7. 8 BouwQuest (2013) 9 Nilsson (2015) 10 Kemp (2014). Interview 7, 9. 11 HM Government (2015). Interview 2, 3, 4, 7, 9. 12 Interview 1, 3, 4, 7. 13 Adriaanse (2014); Miettinen and Paavola (2014); (Schley, 2015). Interview 1, 2, 4, 7. 14 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 15 Interview 3, 5, 7. 16 Stoter (2014) 17 Interview 2, 3, 4, 10. 18 Interview 1, 3, 5, 7. 19 Adriaanse (2014); De Boer et al. (2015); HM Government (2015). Interview 4, 7, 8, 9. 20 Interview 5, 7, 8, 10. 21 Atzori et al. (2011); Giusto et al. (2010); HM Government (2013b, 2015). Interview 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10. 22 Interview 10. 23 HM Government (2015). Interview 8, 10. 24 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009); Mitchell (2013); Sacks, Koskela, et al. (2010); Sacks, Radosavljevic, et al. (2010) 25 Philp and Thomson (2014). Interview 5, 7. 26 Heijmans (2014). Interview 5. 27 Heijmans (2015) 28 Schumacher (2008). Interview 2. 29 HM Government (2015) 30 HM Government (2015); National Association of State Facilities Administrators et al. (2010) 31 De Kostera et al. (2015); Stewart (2015) 32 HM Government (2015). Interview 3, 4, 8. 33 Interview 8. 34 Interview 4, 7, 9, 10. 35 Interview 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10.
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BIM was een modewoord met grote invloed in de bouwwereld.1 Wat begon als 3D-georiënteerd ontwerpen voor verkoopdoeleinden en foutenminimalisatie, groeide al snel uit tot een integrale aanpak van bouwprojecten in zowel de infrastructuur- als de B&U-sector. De verschillende disciplines binnen een project gingen samenwerken om tot betere resultaten te komen, fouten te vermijden, en informatie up-to-date te houden. Het heeft vrij lang geduurd voordat managers BIM actief gingen promoten en implementeren. Inmiddels is BIM ook in het managementtakenpakket volledig opgenomen.2 De werkwijze waarin BIM toegepast wordt, wordt met name door opdrachtnemers aangeprezen en gestuurd, want nog niet alle klanten zien de potentie van BIM.3 Omdat de dienstverlenende partijen in de bouwketen BIM hebben verweven in hun werkwijze, is BIM aanbod-gestuurd. De term BIM evolueerde van bouwinformatiemodel via bouwinformatiemodellering naar bouwinformatiemanagement. En daar is het niet bij gebleven. Ook termen als projectinformatiemanagement en branche-specifieke termen als civiel informatiemanagement zijn gebruikt, maar nu spreekt iedereen van informatiemanagement. Het begrip heeft geen naam meer nodig4, omdat het volledig is opgenomen in de manier van denken en omdat het breder is dan de bouw- en infrastructuurwereld. De gedachte dat BIM een procesverandering is en over communicatie gaat, is algemeen geaccepteerd5; niemand spreekt meer van BIM als ontwerp-tool. In de beginjaren van BIM was BIM-manager een nieuwe functie, werkzaam vanaf het eerste idee tot en met de constructiefase. Inmiddels is die rol niet meer relevant. De BIM-manager is niet meer degene die alleen BIMt, want iedereen BIMt; het is een denkwijze. In plaats daarvan is de informatiemanager een nieuwe rol, die wel relevant is en ook nog steeds in relevantie stijgt.6 Deze rol spreidt zich uit over alle levenscyclusfasen van een object.
Het is mogelijk zoveel mogelijk data te verzamelen, maar de achterliggende decennia hebben ook aangetoond dat dit onpraktisch is. Data moet informatie worden, het moet nuttig gebruikt worden, want anders is het niet van toegevoegde waarde. Daarom wordt de informatiebehoefte per object vastgesteld, waarbij gekeken wordt naar de volledige levenscyclus van het object en alle benodigde partijen al vanaf het begin betrokken zijn.7 Alle participerende partijen verzamelen en beheren de benodigde informatie actief; terwijl partijen die andere informatie nodig hebben – informatie die niet vermeld is in de gedefinieerde informatiebehoefte – dit op eigen initiatief (laten) verzamelen en beheren. Hoewel Big Data wel gebruikt kan worden om allerlei analyses uit te voeren, wordt bouwinformatie doelgericht ingewonnen en beheerd.8 Verschillende ingenieursbureaus – kennisleverende organisaties – streven naar het aanbieden van de beste informatie. Een ware wedloop om te komen tot 100% betrouwbare informatie is gelopen om tot het topsegment van de ingenieursbranche te behoren. Informatie moet nuttig zijn, consistent, betrouwbaar en ook ondubbelzinnig en niet-overbodig. Het informatieaanbod moet zo goed mogelijk aansluiten bij de informatievraag en -behoefte. Niet-overbodig betekent dat de totale hoeveelheid informatie niet groter mag zijn dan alle partijen bij elkaar kunnen verwerken.9 Informatie is al lange tijd een van de meest waardevolle goederen. Het uitwisselen daarvan – in BIM’s beginjaren een hot issue – is daarom van groot belang. Tegenwoordig wordt informatie online uitgewisseld.10 Waar velen twijfelden aan de veiligheid van online informatiestromen, is dat nu geen
108 probleem meer11, als gevolg van de grootschalige internationale strijd tegen cybercriminaliteit. Informatieoverdracht is nu niet alleen veilig geworden, maar het is ook mogelijk doordat data op een intelligente, semantische wijze uitgewisseld kan worden; systemen begrijpen elkaar.12 Dit is bereikt door de verschillende internationale standaarden, die elkaar begrijpen. Deze standaarden zijn elk bedoeld voor zijn eigen doelgroep en zijn per branche leidend. Doordat de standaarden ook onderling informatie kunnen uitwisselen, is alle informatie overdraagbaar. In Nederland is dit principe in praktijk gebracht door het CB-NL-initiatief. Niet alleen is het mogelijk informatie te koppelen, het wordt ook daadwerkelijk gedaan. Zo worden energielabels automatisch toegekend op basis van de beschikbare informatie13; zijn risico- en veiligheidsanalyses praktijk; wordt Asset Management steeds als doel van een project gezien en wordt informatie voor dat doel ingewonnen.14 Ook interactie met overheden is gestandaardiseerd, met als duidelijk voorbeeld het automatisch verlenen van vergunningen.15 De koppeling met geografische informatie is van grote toegevoegde waarde.16 In Nederland wordt de ruimte steeds schaarser en bijna alle objecten worden gebouwd op plaatsen waar al iets anders stond. De bebouwde omgeving is daarom volledig driedimensionaal gemodelleerd, terwijl de natuurlijke omgeving alleen incidenteel gemodelleerd wordt17 De informatie die daarbij niet vertrouwelijk is, is beschikbaar als open data, zodat elke partij er zijn voordeel mee kan doen.18 Alle nieuwe assets worden digitaal direct in hun omgeving geplaatst19, waardoor het mogelijk is om analyses te doen die het specifieke object overstijgen.20 Een duidelijk voorbeeld is het afstemmen van personeelsinzet aan de planningen van de verschillende projecten en het optimaliseren van leveringspatronen van materiaal en materieel.
Sensoren zijn verweven in vrijwel alles. Ze geven nuttige informatie over de toestand van een asset – al beginnend in de constructiefase – en op basis daarvan kan actie ondernomen worden, al dan niet geautomatiseerd.21 De principes van The Internet of Things hebben grote invloed op de bouwwereld, objecten communiceren nu zelf en proactief.22 Een brug geeft nu, bijvoorbeeld, vanzelf aan of er sprake is van betonrot of dat de nieuwe toplaag al scheuren vertoont.23 De integratie van de leefomgeving en intelligente modellen is bijna volkomen gerealiseerd. 24 BIM-gebruikers weten hoe ze digitale analyses moeten vertalen naar de werkelijkheid.25 BIM heeft niet alleen grote invloed in de beheer- en onderhoudsfase van assets, maar ook in de productie ervan. Op de bouwplaats is alles volledig onder controle en komt alles precies op tijd aan.26 Robotisering en automatisering hebben in de achterliggende decennia gezorgd voor een grote terugloop van incidenten, afwijkingen en afval.27 Prefabricatie en mobiel 3D-printen worden gebruikt om afwijkingen in geometrie en kwaliteit te minimaliseren en afval en opslag te voorkomen.28 Met name in het tweede decennium van de 21e eeuw namen de ontwikkelingen van 3D-printen een hoge vlucht. Huizen en bruggen konden worden geprint.29 Die ontwikkelingen zijn inmiddels gestabiliseerd. Veel onderdelen worden tegenwoordig 3D-geprint, maar dit blijft meestal beperkt tot transporteerbare en complexe onderdelen, met uitzondering van de woning- en utiliteitsbouw, waar het wel zeer grote toepassingen heeft. Door de toenemende rekenkracht en mogelijkheden van computers en door het gebruik van BIM is er een duidelijke trend zichtbaar van toenemende complexiteit; ontwerpen worden steeds ingewikkelder.30 Dit heeft geresulteerd in verschillende ontwikkelingen in materiaalkunde en mechanica.31 Niet alleen is het nu mogelijk om alle materialen opnieuw te gebruiken32, ook zijn verschillende materialen zelfhelend.33 Naast toenemende complexiteit kunnen ontwerpen ook
109 automatisch gemaakt worden. BIM is dus aanjager geweest van allerlei ontwikkelingen en draagt in dit opzicht indirect bij aan verdere verduurzaming.
Dat voor een effectief gebruik van BIM veel uitdagingen aangegaan moesten worden, hebben de achterliggende decennia wel aangetoond. Een van de grotere problemen was het denken in concepten, in plaats van concreet en in detail.34 Veel ingenieurs moesten daar erg aan wennen of konden het er zelfs niet aan wennen. Een nieuwe generatie ingenieurs is inmiddels ingewerkt in het denken in BIM-termen en het conceptmatige denken.35 Dit punt heeft voor vrij veel weerstand gezorgd, omdat met name de oudere generatie moest bijgeschoold moest worden om nuttig te kunnen zijn. Daar komt bij dat het ingenieurswerk een ander doel heeft gekregen. Waar het bedenken van een gebouw of van een weg eerst het hoofddoel was, is dat nu het aanbieden van services. De ingenieur biedt een service aan, zoals optimale werkomstandigheden, en voert de daartoe noodzakelijke activiteiten uit.36 Deze ontwikkeling is gevolg van een brede trend in de bouwwereld, waarin contractvormen en aanbestedingsprocedures veranderden. Vijftig jaar geleden werd het grootste gedeelte van de contracten gegund op basis van de laagste prijs, maar dat veranderde naar gunning op basis van prestaties of waarde; opdrachtgevers kregen steeds meer een regisserende rol.37 Deze service-gerichte instelling komt ook voort uit de inmiddels volledig doorgevoerde opkomst van geïntegreerde contracten. Deze contracten, die meestal voor de hele levensduur van een asset gelden, liggen qua filosofie op één lijn met BIM; de lijn van levenscyclusbenadering, van vertrouwen en samenwerking, van service.38 Ook Systems Engineering is opgenomen in de huidige denk- en werkwijze van ingenieurs, omdat de combinatie van Systems Engineering en BIM een perfecte match blijkt te zijn.39 Hoewel Systems Engineering als conceptnaam niet meer gebruikt wordt, zijn veel principes overgenomen in de standaard BIM-werkwijze; in BIM is expliciet werken zelfs heel belangrijk geworden. Qua processen heeft BIM veel verandert. Zoals de introductie van de mobiele telefoon ervoor zorgde dat communicatie anders werd vormgegeven, zo zorgde BIM ervoor dat communicatie veel directer werd, omdat informatie gedeeld kon worden.40 Om BIM op een goede manier toe te kunnen passen, zijn veel processen aangepast en ook doelbewust vastgelegd.41 Zowel qua communicatie en afspraken als technische en projectmanagementaspecten zijn processen geoptimaliseerd en geïntegreerd.42 Verificatie en validatie is geautomatiseerd43, risicoanalyses zijn doeltreffender geworden doordat informatie door BIM bij elkaar komt en communicatie tussen partijen is resultaatgericht vormgegeven.
1 Adriaanse (2014); Institution of Civil Engineers (2012a); McGraw-Hill Construction (2010, 2012); Memoori Business Intelligence (2015); Samuelson and Björk (2014); J. Williams (2015) 2 Interview 10. 3 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 4 Interview 2, 4, 7. 5 Dufvenberg (2015); Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009). Interview 3, 4, 5, 8, 10. 6 Edwards and Corbett (2015). Interview 7. 7 Adriaanse (2014). Interview 1, 7. 8 Interview 1, 4, 5, 7. 9 BouwQuest (2013)
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10 Nilsson (2015) 11 Kemp (2014). Interview 7, 9. 12 HM Government (2015). Interview 2, 3, 4, 7, 9. 13 Interview 1, 3, 4, 7. 14 Adriaanse (2014); Miettinen and Paavola (2014); (Schley, 2015). Interview 1, 2, 4, 7. 15 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009) 16 Interview 3, 5, 7. 17 Stoter (2014) 18 Interview 2, 3, 4, 10. 19 Interview 1, 3, 5, 7. 20 Adriaanse (2014); De Boer et al. (2015); HM Government (2015). Interview 4, 7, 8, 9. 21 Interview 5, 7, 8, 10. 22 Atzori et al. (2011); Giusto et al. (2010); HM Government (2013b, 2015). Interview 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10. 23 Interview 10. 24 HM Government (2015). Interview 8, 10. 25 Addition 2. 26 Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (2009); Mitchell (2013); Sacks, Koskela, et al. (2010); Sacks, Radosavljevic, et al. (2010) 27 Philp and Thomson (2014). Interview 5, 7. 28 Heijmans (2014). Interview 5. 29 Heijmans (2015) 30 Schumacher (2008). Interview 2. 31 HM Government (2015) 32 HM Government (2015); National Association of State Facilities Administrators et al. (2010) 33 De Kostera et al. (2015); Stewart (2015) 34 HM Government (2015). Interview 3, 4, 8. 35 Kemp (2014) 36 Interview 8. 37 Hughes and Kabiri (2013); Rijkswaterstaat (2013) 38 Interview 4, 7, 9, 10. 39 Interview 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10. 40 Interview 7, 8, 10 41 Interview 1 42 Interview 6, 8, 10 43 Interview 1
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This appendix contains the document which was sent to each workshop participant, on the basis of which they had to prepare themselves and which gave them a proper introduction into the workshop.
Dat BIM belangrijk is, weten we allemaal. Dat het steeds belangrijker gaat worden, is ook evident. Dat we iets met BIM moeten doen, laat al helemaal geen twijfel bestaan. Maar waar willen we naartoe met BIM? Hoe is de stip aan de horizon gedefinieerd? Deze workshop geeft daar antwoord op!
Mijn afstudeerstage heeft ook deze vragen als onderwerp. We weten hoe we BIM moeten implementeren, maar we hebben nog geen doel voor ogen. En als je geen doel hebt, is elke richting goed. Daarom is een doel belangrijk.
De workshop heeft als doel met elkaar een brede en goede visie te ontwikkelen op BIM voor Grontmij. We gaan de stip aan de horizon definiëren voor Grontmij-breed. Het resultaat van de workshop is een visie die we kunnen gebruiken om BIM breedschalig te implementeren binnen Grontmij.
Bij deze uitleg van de workshop is een door mij geschreven eerste versie van een visie bijgevoegd. Eerst leid ik de workshop in met een korte presentatie van de visie en van de context waarin die ontstaan is. Aan de hand hiervan gaan we gestuurde visie evalueren en aanvullen. Als tweede gaan we uiteen in drie groepen van 3-5 personen om het voorbereide commentaar te bespreken, gedurende vijftien minuten. Hierbij zijn per groep twee resultaten belangrijk:
Wat zijn de drie belangrijkste verbeterpunten? Wat zijn de drie belangrijkste aanvullingen?
De derde stap is de belangrijkste. Hierin geeft iedereen bij de andere groepen aan wat hij of zij het belangrijkste punt vindt. Het doel hiervan is om op een eenvoudige manier een overkoepelende top drie van belangrijkste verbeterpunten en van belangrijkste aanvullingen te krijgen.
Hierna gaan we in discussie om deze belangrijkste punten te bespreken. Het doel van deze discussie is om plenair duidelijk te krijgen waarom de genoemde punten belangrijk zijn. De planning van de workshop is dan als volgt:
12.00-12.05: inleiding workshop 12.05-12.30: discussie in groepen van 3-5 personen 12.30-12.40: prioritering aangeven bij andere groepen 12.40-12.55: plenaire discussie van top drie verbeterpunten en top drie aanvullingen 12.55-13.00: samenvatting en afronding
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De punten die genoemd worden in de plenaire discussie, worden gebruikt om het eerste visievoorstel te verbeteren en aan te vullen. Deze tweede versie wordt aan de deelnemers verstuurd in de week na de workshop.
De deelnemers lezen vóór de workshop het visievoorstel van ruim twee pagina’s (tien minuten) en schrijven hun commentaar op (vijf minuten). De voorbereiding kost dus een kwartier. Je schrijft maximaal drie belangrijke verbeterpunten op en maximaal drie belangrijke aanvullingen.
De visie is samen te vatten in vier verschillende aspecten
Definitie. BIM is volledig geaccepteerd en gedefinieerd. BIM gaat over communicatie en samenwerking. Informatie-uitwisseling is de kern van BIM.
Informatie. Informatiebehoefte is volledig gedefinieerd. Informatieaanbod door ingenieurs komt overeen met informatiebehoefte. Informatie is accuraat, consistent, nuttig, niet-overbodig en niet- dubbelzinnig.
Asset Management. Objecten communiceren en zijn intelligent. De bouwplaats van een asset is volledig onder controle, waardoor afval geminimaliseerd wordt en kwaliteit en snelheid gemaximaliseerd wordt.
Ingenieurs veranderen. Nieuwe generatie ingenieurs ‘denkt BIM’. Ingenieurswerk verandert van productaanbod naar serviceaanbod. Geïntegreerde contracten en Systems Engineering zijn volledig geïntegreerd met ingenieurswerk.
Geschreven vanuit het toekomstperspectief
BIM was een modewoord met grote invloed in de bouwwereld. Wat begon als 3D-georiënteerd ontwerpen voor verkoopdoeleinden en foutenminimalisatie, groeide al snel uit tot een integrale aanpak van bouwprojecten in zowel de infrastructuur- als de B&U-sector. De verschillende disciplines binnen een project gingen samenwerken om tot betere resultaten te komen, fouten te vermijden, en informatie up-to-date te houden. Het heeft vrij lang geduurd voordat managers BIM actief gingen promoten en implementeren. Inmiddels is BIM ook in het managementtakenpakket volledig opgenomen. De werkwijze waarin BIM toegepast wordt, wordt met name door opdrachtnemers aangeprezen en gestuurd, want nog niet alle klanten zien de potentie van BIM. Omdat de dienstverlenende partijen in de bouwketen BIM hebben verweven in hun werkwijze, is BIM aanbod-gestuurd. De term BIM evolueerde van bouwinformatiemodel via bouwinformatiemodellering naar bouwinformatiemanagement. En daar is het niet bij gebleven. Ook termen als projectinformatiemanagement en branche-specifieke termen als civiel informatiemanagement zijn gebruikt, maar nu spreekt iedereen van informatiemanagement. Het begrip heeft geen naam meer nodig, omdat het volledig is opgenomen in de manier van denken en omdat het breder is dan de bouw- en infrastructuurwereld. De gedachte dat BIM een procesverandering is en over communicatie gaat, is algemeen geaccepteerd; niemand spreekt meer van BIM als ontwerp-tool.
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In de beginjaren van BIM was BIM-manager een nieuwe functie. Inmiddels is die rol niet meer relevant. De BIM-manager is niet meer degene die alleen BIMt, want iedereen BIMt; het is een denkwijze. In plaats daarvan is de informatiemanager een nieuwe rol, die wel relevant is en ook nog steeds in relevantie stijgt.
Het is mogelijk zoveel mogelijk data te verzamelen, maar de achterliggende decennia hebben ook aangetoond dat dit onpraktisch is. Data moet informatie worden, het moet nuttig gebruikt worden, want anders is het niet van toegevoegde waarde. Daarom wordt de informatiebehoefte per project vastgesteld, waarbij gekeken wordt naar de volledige levenscyclus van het object. Alle participerende partijen verzamelen en beheren de benodigde informatie actief; terwijl partijen die andere informatie nodig hebben – informatie die niet vermeld is in de gedefinieerde informatiebehoefte – dit op eigen initiatief (laten) verzamelen en beheren. Het principe van Big Data wordt dus niet toegepast, maar informatie wordt doelgericht ingewonnen en beheerd. Verschillende ingenieursbureaus – kennisleverende organisaties – streven naar het aanbieden van de beste informatie. Een ware wedloop om te komen tot 100% betrouwbare informatie is gelopen om tot het topsegment van de ingenieursbranche te behoren. Informatie moet nuttig zijn, consistent, betrouwbaar en ook niet-dubbelzinnig en niet-overbodig. Het informatieaanbod moet zo goed mogelijk aansluiten bij de informatievraag en -behoefte. Niet-overbodig is daarbij een term die in het grotere geheel past. Omdat informatie herbruikbaar moet zijn, is de informatie voor één partij meestal teveel om te verwerken, maar is het precies genoeg voor alle partijen in het betreffende proces. Informatie is al lange tijd een van de meest waardevolle goederen. Het uitwisselen daarvan – in BIM’s beginjaren een hot issue – is daarom van groot belang. Tegenwoordig wordt informatie online uitgewisseld. Waar velen twijfelden aan de veiligheid van online informatiestromen, is dat nu geen probleem meer. Informatieoverdracht is nu niet alleen veilig geworden, maar het is ook mogelijk doordat data op een intelligente, semantische wijze uitgewisseld kan worden; systemen begrijpen elkaar. Dit is bereikt door de verschillende internationale standaarden, die elkaar begrijpen. Deze standaarden zijn elk bedoeld voor zijn eigen doelgroep en zijn per branche leidend. Doordat de standaarden ook onderling informatie kunnen uitwisselen, is alle informatie overdraagbaar. In Nederland is dit principe in praktijk gebracht door het CB-NL-initiatief, wat later is uitgegroeid tot een internationale standaard. Niet alleen is het mogelijk informatie te koppelen, het wordt ook daadwerkelijk gedaan. Zo worden energielabels automatisch toegekend op basis van de beschikbare informatie; zijn risico- en veiligheidsanalyses praktijk; wordt Asset Management steeds als doel van een project gezien en wordt informatie voor dat doel ingewonnen. Ook interactie met overheden is gestandaardiseerd, met als duidelijk voorbeeld het automatisch verlenen van vergunningen. De koppeling met geografische informatie is van grote toegevoegde waarde. Ruimte wordt steeds schaarser en bijna alle objecten worden gebouwd op plaatsen waar al iets anders stond. De omgeving is daarom volledig driedimensionaal gemodelleerd. De informatie die daarbij niet vertrouwelijk is, is beschikbaar als open data, zodat elke partij er zijn voordeel mee kan doen. Alle nieuwe assets worden digitaal direct in hun omgeving geplaatst, waardoor het mogelijk is om analyses te doen die het specifieke object overstijgen. Een duidelijk voorbeeld is het afstemmen van personeelsinzet aan de planningen van de verschillende projecten en het optimaliseren van leveringspatronen van materiaal en materieel.
115
Sensoren zijn verweven in vrijwel alles. Ze geven nuttige informatie over de toestand van een asset en op basis daarvan kan actie ondernomen worden, al dan niet geautomatiseerd. The Internet of Things heeft grote invloed op de bouwwereld. Een brug geeft nu, bijvoorbeeld, vanzelf aan of er sprake is van betonrot of dat de nieuwe toplaag al scheuren vertoont. De integratie van de leefomgeving en intelligente modellen is bijna volkomen gerealiseerd. BIM heeft niet alleen grote invloed in de beheer- en onderhoudsfase van assets, maar ook in de productie ervan. Op de bouwplaats is alles volledig onder controle en komt alles precies op tijd aan. Robotisering en automatisering hebben in de achterliggende decennia gezorgd voor een grote terugloop van incidenten, afwijkingen en afval. Prefabricatie en mobiel 3D-printen worden gebruikt om afwijkingen in geometrie en kwaliteit te minimaliseren en afval en opslag te voorkomen. Met name in het tweede decennium van de 21e eeuw namen de ontwikkelingen van 3D-printen een hoge vlucht. Huizen en bruggen konden worden geprint. Die ontwikkelingen zijn inmiddels gestabiliseerd. Veel onderdelen worden tegenwoordig 3D-geprint, maar dit blijft meestal beperkt tot transporteerbare en complexe onderdelen, met uitzondering van de woning- en utiliteitsbouw, waar het wel zeer grote toepassingen heeft. Door de toenemende rekenkracht en mogelijkheden van computers is er een duidelijke trend zichtbaar van toenemende complexiteit. Ontwerpen worden steeds ingewikkelder. Dit heeft geresulteerd in verschillende ontwikkelingen in materiaalkunde en mechanica. Niet alleen is het nu mogelijk om alle materiaal opnieuw te gebruiken, ook zijn verschillende materialen zelfhelend.
Dat voor een effectief gebruik van BIM veel uitdagingen aangegaan moesten worden, hebben de achterliggende decennia wel aangetoond. Een van de grotere problemen was het denken in concepten. Veel ingenieurs moesten daar erg aan wennen of konden het niet. Een nieuwe generatie ingenieurs is inmiddels ingewerkt in het denken in BIM-termen en het conceptmatige denken. Daar komt bij dat het ingenieurswerk een ander doel heeft gekregen. Waar het bedenken van een gebouw of van een weg eerst het hoofddoel was, is dat nu het aanbieden van services. De ingenieur biedt een service aan, zoals optimale werkomstandigheden, en voert de daartoe noodzakelijke activiteiten uit. Deze service-gerichte instelling komt ook voort uit de opkomst van geïntegreerde contracten. Deze contracten, die meestal voor de hele levensduur van een asset gelden, liggen qua filosofie op één lijn met BIM; de lijn van levenscyclusbenadering, van vertrouwen en samenwerking, van service. Ook Systems Engineering is volledig opgenomen in de huidige denk- en werkwijze van ingenieurs, omdat ook de combinatie van Systems Engineering en BIM een perfecte match blijkt te zijn.
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This appendix contains the slides of the PowerPoint presentation held at the vision proposal evaluation workshop.
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