I
like that the assigned reading mentioned user interface as an important
part of an BIM model generating system. A good user interface goes a
long way in any type of software. When I started the BIM model project
for the class (which was my first experience with Revit) I was surprised
with how well the interface was. I felt at home since it had such a
similar layout to AutoCAD, which I think is a big plus for Revit. The
section also mentioned interoperability, which I am sure will have a
major impact in the widespread adoption of BIM as not compatible
software and files makes BIM usage difficult. I thought the last
discussion question was a very good way to wrap up the chapter. Trying
to chose which BIM model creation tool to use for your firm must be
difficult. Each has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, but
overall I think that share the same major disadvantage of no
interoperability. Even if you chose the software your firm felt most
comfortable using, there is no guarantee that that software will be
still be in use long term, possibly even short term, due to unification
of parametric modeling.
The first article I found during my own search called Building Information Modeling & Facility Management
used a case study of the Sydney Opera House to look at BIM from a
facility owner standpoint. BIM’s “digital repository of all building
components” allows for a seamless compilation of building information
needed for facility management and planning, making it much more useful
than traditional construction documents. The opera house studied did not
have accurate paper drawings so it was believed that the management of
the building would benefit greatly from BIM. Its management also relied
on multiple, incompatible systems for maintaining different aspects of
the facility. A BIM model was commissioned to incorporate all
maintenance, service and history records of all systems within the
building as well as information on the relationship between all systems.
The model was successfully constructed by designing a master model
composed of multiple discipline specific sub-models. They also used IFCs
to integrate information from facility management programs with Bentley
(used for the BIM model). There were many benefits seen as a result of
this model including the sharing of information between staff and
contractors for facility maintenance and better budget management.
I then found an article from Autodesk titled BIM and Facilities Management.
This article too looked at BIM from a facility owner’s view while
addressing how interoperability issues prevent it from being used at its
full potential. This article lays out how a facility owner can take
advantage of all the software packages offered by Autodesk, including
Revit, to make facility management as efficient as possible. The article
greatly focuses on how the coordination of information between
compatible programs allows for reliable and consistent data to be
maintained and used in facility management.
Using BIM in the commissioning of a building is something which has perhaps even greater potential than for the design and construction of buildings. In a society in which buildings account for almost 39% of the total U.S. energy consumption, being able to make drastic reductions in energy costs throughout the life cycle of the building would have a major impact on the nation's overall energy demand.
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