Tuesday 25 June 2019

The core value of Building Information Modeling for owners


The core value of Building Information Modeling for owners



The value of BIM for owners focuses on their perspective to adopt Building Information Modeling for various projects. The level of engagement and involvement owners have with BIM is increasing by the day. With various services that BIM firms have to offer in terms of BIM Modeling, BIM for design, BIM for construction, BIM Facility Management, and Scan to BIM, it is quite obvious that the adoption of BIM will deliver exceptional results for owners.

Owners have or can leverage the greatest benefits of BIM Modeling or the complete BIM process. It has huge benefits in the long-run wherein it can constantly help owners garner higher Return on Investment (ROI), on-time project delivery, higher savings, less waste, fewer RFI’s, enhanced on-site safety, and more.

BIM modeling firms can generate greater positives through enhanced visualization, enhanced visualization, client engagement, design solutions and more.      Two of the most important aspects of Building Information Modeling would be 3D BIM spatial coordination and digital fabrication or prefabrication. These two components are key to delivering excellent project outcomes within budget and time. These outcomes can be stretched or even taken to 7D and 8D BIM that relates to facility management and decommissioning as well.

The present scenario looks at owners being directly involved in the complete BIM process; this makes them understand the nuances of this technology and the requirements that are required to generate high-quality deliverables and positive outcomes. Building Information Modeling uses specific goals to achieve project results, and aligns every stakeholder on the same platform to leverage the value of BIM for every trade.

More than 80% BIM users have reported positive values from their use of Building Information Modeling. Owners from various corners of the globe are starting to visualize the full power of BIM implementation. Some are still wondering on what the actual ROI is when BIM is implemented.

The adoption of BIM improves their overall process and the project outcomes through time and cost forecasting. BIM modeling firms can better visualize the entire project behind the desk and win more bids. 2019 has seen a great upsurge in the use of Building Information Modeling for transportation projects or infrastructure. According to Dodge 

Data and Analytics, BIM will be adopted on more than 60% of the transportation infrastructure by countries like US, UK, France and Germany.
Top business benefits of BIM include a capacity for firms to do better and deliver better through improved collaboration, talent retention, skill upgrades, faster designing, and the ability to offer services and win more projects as well.

Top ways BIM improves project outcomes for business owners

One of the topmost benefits of using BIM as a process would be the reduction of rework, reduced conflicts, reduced coordination problems, errors, etc.

Another benefit would be high predictability of cost and understanding the project better through multi-disciplinary communication and collaboration through high-quality 3D visualizations, scheduling, and cost-estimations. Reduced rework brings down the cost of the project through better understanding and execution.

Again, design optimization plays an important role in the overall success rate of the project. This, in turn improves schedule performance for projects as they grow. 

Final Words
Few recommendations and observations that are required to help owners implement Building Information Modeling on their projects would be –
§        actively adopting BIM
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      use BIM planning regardless of any delivery method
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      stay committed as it increases BIM benefits
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      identify organizational goals, and more

Friday 14 June 2019


The demand for 3D laser scanning continues to grow in the AEC industry. The adoption of Point Cloud Scanning by engineering firms for various new and existing projects has shown significant time savings and profits for owners and stakeholders. Designers and contractors continue to see the value for their ability to deliver exceptional accuracy and a data-driven approach towards “proactive project management”.  The construction sector has witnessed heavy pitfalls through the entire lifecycle of the project and greater ones upon completion as well. 


With Scan to BIM services, owners and stakeholders can leverage clear communication and visualization on what was required and what has been built on-site. BIM has proved to be a principal driver for the demand of Point Cloud Modeling. Most of the states in the US have seen a very high rate of adoption for Building Information Modeling.
Thanks to modern BIM software like Revit, designers and general contractors can evaluate clashes through virtual coordination. It’s always client perception of how much the entire process will cost. It’s better not to tell them the cost, but educate them about the entire process and the kind of profits Point Cloud Scanning would yield in the long run.
The steps would include – the explanation of field work, brief introduction on Point Clouds, analyzing the data, using point cloud data in BIM software, building a 3D model and the final process of 3D coordination.
Huge point clouds require BIM authoring software like Autodesk Revit and Navisworks to use Point Cloud data.
Point Cloud
3D Laser Scanning creates a raw data output in a point cloud format. Point clouds generated by the scanners create high-visualization for the purpose of reference for onsite workers and professionals. These point clouds are a set of points in the 3D coordinate system. The point cloud data needs to be converted into software adaptable data through direct, parametric modeling and mesh-based modeling.
How do you bring about Point Cloud data to Point Cloud Modeling in BIM?
Scanning is just one part of the process; it must be integrated into the BIM workflow as well to support the entire construction process. These 3D scans can be used for Quality Assurance in partially built infrastructure.          Engineers and designers need software like Revit and Navisworks to manage point cloud data and provide Scan to BIM services for clients and owners.  In terms of Proactive Project Management or QA, these point cloud scans help general contractors and QA engineers to actually go onsite and compare point-cloud data against intended design.
Point Cloud Modeling comprises of three crucial components viz. Scanning and surveying, registration, and the conversion of models to 3D systems. This raw format is then converted to various file formats viz.. pts, .rcs, etc. This raw data can be accessed by BIM authoring software like ArchiCAD, Revit, Navisworks, etc.
What’s the reason behind companies opting for Point Cloud Scanning?
Bigger time savings on surveying
Scan to BIM services can save on time and cost for surveying new and existing buildings. A single Point Cloud technician can handle complex projects with the help of good laser equipment, and this can reduce surveying cost and efforts by at least 35% in totality.
Precision results
It is highly imperative for owners and stakeholders to know what has been built and what are the actual requirements of the end-product or deliverables. The accuracy of a Point Cloud Scanning provides users with the power to analyze models and a partially existing structure to make sure all the elements are kept in place.
Easy Renovation
Design assessment for building renovations has become extremely effective whilst using Scan to BIM Services. For existing structures that need renovation, but are occupied, 3D laser scanning provides an easy solution to scan the entire building without disrupting the lifestyle of occupants inside the building or infrastructure. New models can be designed as an extension of the old design wherein old reference data can be compared to check clashes or problems in the new design.
Team Collaboration
Scan to BIM services are extremely useful in close team collaboration wherein people from various trades can assess the 3D model and understand design flaws based on old designs and the proposed design. BIM engineers can integrate models from all the trades viz. Architecture, Structure, MEP and FP and put it into a federated model to identify clashes, threats, and design faults in the building.
Reduced Costs 
Point Cloud Modeling reduces overall construction and surveying costs as legacy surveying methods and technology had proved to be extremely expensive elevating costs beyond normal margins for owners and stakeholders. The most crucial part of Scan to BIM services is its ability to detect errors early on in the project lifecycle that creates heavy project profits.
Final Words  
Building Information Modeling has pushed the limits of Point Cloud Scanning to another level wherein it has become extremely simple for designers, architects, general contractors, owners and stakeholders to visualize every piece of the puzzle with superior clarity to make informed-decisions based on 3D models.