from email to bim: 20 years of construction collaboration technologies

pwcom.co.uk

Constructing Excellence – Herts & Beds: May 2012

Construction collaboration technologies: from email to BIM

Paul WilkinsonBA PHD DipPR(CAM) MCIPR

director, pwcom.co.uk Ltd

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• who am I?

• from paper to email to extranet

• from 2D to nD

• what is BIM?

• why is it important now?

• what's happening now?

• what can we deliver with BIM?

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Who am I?• B2B PR since 1987

–in-house: Halcrow,Tarmac, BIW

–consultancy clients include:4Projects, AEngD, BIW,CodeBook, Unit4, Sypro

• writer, technology consultant• collaborative working champion

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1982 – first SMTP email standard

the first MIME email attachment was sent by Nathaniel Borenstein on 11 March 1992

On 30 April 1993, CERN announced that the World Wide Web would be free to anyone

1997 – first release of Microsoft Outlook

Google incorporated on 4 September 1998

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SpecsDrawingsMinutesProgrammesCost plansetc

EmailCourierPostFax

Traditional AEC collaboration (c. 1990s)

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Online file management Single central repository Fewer interoperability issues Less paper Latest information Complete project record Full information audit trail Greater re-use of information

But ... nearly all still 2D email often used instead

Online AEC collaboration (c. 2000s)

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ICT once overlooked in construction initiatives

Then…

“Accelerating Change” (2002): first industry report to mention IT explicitly

“2012 Construction Commitments” (2006) said:

"IT-based collaborative tools and communication technologies will be exploited."

But…

just two sentences on ICT in “Strategy for Sustainable Construction’ (2008)

No meaningful mention of ICT in “Construction Matters” (July 2008)

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Key research agenda (2008)Collaborative prototyping to define and

deliver client requirements

Efficient, seamless sharing of information across the built environment stakeholders

Ability to interact with real-time information regardless of physical location or timezone

Mass adoption and application of off-site manufacturing, automation and mechanisation processes

Well trained, well qualified workforce able to use the latest best practice technologies

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BIM is not CAD

“CAD helps people to draw. BIM helps people to construct.” (Richard Saxon, Ecobuild, February 2009)

“BIM is not CAD. BIM was never meant to be CAD. CAD is a replacement for pen and paper, a documentation tool. By comparison, BIM programs are design applications in which the documentation flows from and is a derivative of the process, from schematic design to construction to facility management.” (Pete Zyskowski, Cadalyst)

“Drawing is Dead – Long Live Modelling” (CPIC)

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BIM is not ...

BIM is not … new … just an IT issue... or just software … 3D … something designers do … just about project delivery … a short-lived fad … irrelevant to small projects … “the silver bullet” or “Holy Grail” … optional?

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What is BIM?

Building Information Modelling is digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility creating a shared knowledge resource for information about it forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle, from earliest conception to demolition.

(definition: CPIC)

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What is BIM?

Building Information Modelling Building Information Model Building Information Management

Hence BIM(M)

(definitions courtesy: Dave Jellings, SmartBIM Solutions)

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What is BIM?

Building Information Modelling is

… a business process for generating and leveraging building data to design, construct and operate the building during its lifecycle.

(NB: not just buildings, infrastructure, etc too)

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What is BIM?

A Building Information Model is

... the output of the business process resulting in a digital prototype, a virtual computer model of a project which holds selected structured data about the asset (design, quantity, time, cost, as-built, etc).

3D + time (4D) + cost (5D) + .... (nD)

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What is BIM?

Building Information Management is

... the organisation and control of the business process using the digital prototype to effect the sharing of information over the entire lifecycle of an asset.

(NB: whole life approach)

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Why is BIM important now?

2009

“... I need no persuading [of] the enormous potential that lies in more intelligent use of ICT...”

“... on my agenda … to encourage the take-up of existing and future ICT tools...”

(ExtranetEvolution, December 2009)

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Why is BIM important now?

Nov 2010

Spring 2011

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Why is BIM important now?

www.bimtaskgroup.org/

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Why is BIM important now?2016

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Why is BIM important now?

2016

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COBie UK 2012 (revised 5 April 2012)

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Not just technology. People and process too

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Not just technology. People and process too

Spring 2012

Spring 2011

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Not just technology. People and process too

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OPEN BIM

launched March 2012 collaborative design, realisation and operation of

buildings based on open standards and workflows founding partners

buildingSMART International (bSI) vendors (eg: Tekla, Nemetschek, Graphisoft); backed in UK by Constructing Excellence

using the open buildingSMART Data Model, IFCs

Poor interoperability cost US AEC industry $15.8bn per annum (NIST, 2004) – mainly borne by owners!

www.graphisoft.com/openbim/

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BIM libraries

(some offering IFC objects)

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What can we deliver with BIM?

UK Government aspiration:

“... reducing capital cost and the carbon burden from the construction and operation of the built environment by 20% ...

… the adoption of … technologies, process and collaborative behaviours that will unlock new more efficient ways of working at all stages of the project life-cycle.”

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What can we deliver with BIM?

Higher quality, more reliable design information greater client certainty/predictability (time, cost,

quality) earlier better visualisation better multi-disciplinary collaboration quicker, more consistent and easier coordination of

design documentation earlier, accurate, complete procurement data

('smart' BoQs); elimination of waste and rework better construction and project management ('build it

once virtually, then build it for real') better 'as-built', whole-life information for O&M

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What can we deliver with BIM?

Fully computable, reliable information no checking or re-keying of data automated compliance checking (Singapore)

“The end-to-end stream of BIM data will help unify the industry's supply chains, freeing construction from its craft origins, transforming it into a modern, sophisticated branch of the manufacturing industry.”

Ray Crotty (2011) The Impact of Building Information Modelling

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Beware “BIM-wash”

Avoid inflated or deceptive claims of using or delivering BIM services or products, eg:

BIM competency (individual, team, organisation) as designers or contractors

BIM knowledge among IT implementation or consultants and/or trainers

functionality/interoperability in BIM software speed/capacity of hardware/comms used for BIM quality of BIM library objects BIM capabilities/needs as owner/operator

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It’s time for new…

technologies (Web 2.0, Web 3.0, BIM) hard/software (mobile, SaaS)

workflows (model-based, rich media, personal, ‘pull’)

supply-chains (joined-up, integrated, inclusive, end-to-end)

attitudes (collaborative, sharing, value focus) mindsets (open, ‘social’)

time-frames (long-term) mentalities (build if necessary and sustainable)

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How will we get there? …technologies – object libraries, BIMaaS, semantic web, GPS

hard/software – virtual desktops, SaaS, mobile

workflows – model-sharing, rich media, sharing IP

supply-chains – end-user engagement, off-site fabrication, “connected environments”

attitudes – “democratic design”, open source, Creative Commons

mindsets – Gen Y (+ Gen Z) more open, ‘social’

time-frames – climate change

mentality – 1 : 5 : 200, focus on life-time cost

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Q&AThank you

Contact: Paul WilkinsonWebsite: www.pwcom.co.uk

Tech blog: www.extranetevolution.comPR blog: www.blog.pwcom.co.uk

Email: paul.wilkinson@pwcom.co.ukTel: +44 (0)20 8858 1104

mob: 07788 445920Twitter: @EEPaul

http://www.google.com/profiles/paul.wilkinson19