SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY
Leading With BIM
BY WOJCIECH BROŻYNA MD OF ALUPROF UK
Many people in the construction industry still believe that BIM is just a modern design tool , but BIM is much more than this . Whilst design is certainly an element of BIM , collaboration is a key element , from inception through to completion of a project , and beyond . Collaboration across the design team , particularly at the early design stages both reduces risk and maximises value . A detailed BIM design forms a ‘ single source of truth ’ which de-risks the entire construction programme .
According to MacLeamy ( 2004 ) who plotted a simple graph of project time and project effort , it can be seen that the influence on the project design is high at the early design stages , whilst project changes further down the project timeline entails more effort and cost . MacLeamy argued that completing the design earlier in the construction programme reduced risk and cost by negating design changes later in the programme . An early BIM model using high quality , virtual BIM objects assists final design sign off earlier in the construction cycle .
BIM has been with us for some years now , so it is far from a new concept , but helps us in developing new methodologies for construction , new methodologies which help us reduce carbon in construction . According to Transparency Market Research , in 2025 the Construction Industry will generate as much as 2.2 billion tons of waste annually which is about 50 % of all global solid waste . The Construction Industry has to move from this linear construction process to a circular construction process where buildings can be deconstructed and rebuilt using some or all of the same parts , or materials recycled back into buildings . A growing number of architectural practices globally are designing ‘ temporary ’ or
‘ deconstructable ’ buildings that fall into the circular construction methodology .
In the UK a recently completed project in London , the Forge , aspires to be the first commercial building constructed and operated in line with the UKGBC ’ s net zero definition and energy reduction targets . It comprises two new office buildings and a public courtyard . Located on Sumner Street , The Forge is a Landsec office development located just behind Tate Modern in London and utilising BIM at its core is one of the most innovative construction sites in London , pioneering several new construction methods fit for the decades ahead .
Breaking new ground , the project is be the world ’ s first large-scale office scheme built using a standardised “ kit of parts ”, in an approach known as ‘ platform design for manufacture and assembly ’ ( P-DfMA ), which applies the advances made by the Manufacturing Industry to construction , this would not be possible without BIM . Aluprof are delighted to have been invited to take an early design role in developing a unitised facade system that meets the P-DfMA specification pioneered by architects and engineers Bryden Wood . Construction is led by Sir Robert McAlpine and Mace , working together in an innovative joint venture ( JV ) partnership .
Working with BIM essentially creates a 3D ‘ digital twin ’ of the building project and it doesn ’ t stop there . There are a further four ‘ dimensions ’ that are added , ‘ 4D ’ Time , ‘ 5D ’ Costs , ‘ 6D ’ Sustainability and ‘ 7D ’ Facilities Management . In effect , the BIM model carries all the data for the building , from the building programme through to eventual deconstruction . Any one element , such as the facade , falls into each of the dimensions of BIM , so the more detailed BIM models that can be obtained from suppliers , the greater efficiency is realised .
Finally , automated construction would not be possible without BIM as some of our building methods become automated , built by , or checked by ‘ robots ’. Yes , this could be the dawn of the robotic ‘ Clerk of Works ’. During the construction phase of a building , robots are being utilised to laser scan and monitor what has been built offering dimensional accuracy as well as monitoring the programme of works . This ‘ real time ’ analysis ensures that any potential problems are highlighted at very early stages , saving both cost and time .
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64 FEBRUARY 2023 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM