Posted by Holly Allison on Mon, Aug 23, 2010 @ 12:09 PM
Contributing to this week's Guest Blog is David Wilkinson, one of the preconstruction specialists at Vico. David is responsible for helping construction managers and general contractors embrace 5D BIM as a core competency. He developed and delivers the Vico program, BIM for Executives, to help construction leaders learn where BIM fits into their corporate strategy. He also teaches similar courses in lean construction at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. With over 20 years of industry experience including superintendent, project manager, estimator, subcontractor, and industry lobbyist, David brings real world experience to every situation. He is the consummate proud father and husband, passionate basketball coach, and avid cyclist.
We write a lot in the Vico Blogs about process change and how difficult it can be to motivate individual employees, whole departments, and even entire organizations to take the leap to BIM.
Most CM firms view themselves as risk managers as much as builders; they have to if they want to succeed. Most that continue to weather the storm are able to do so because they have built effective processes over many years which enable them to control projects. Their reluctance to embrace technology-based solutions is well-founded as they have been assaulted by software vendors for everything from marketing programs to get work, construction programs to execute work, and facilities programs to manage completed projects and everything in between!
It is not a surprise, therefore, that they do not simply rush to BIM as a solution for all that ails them. As a client recently told me: “We have managed to be profitable for 25 years without BIM and think we can continue that trend until BIM becomes the new standard.” What he was saying was that his company does not have to be the Guinea Pig for BIM but can afford to wait until it proves itself.
One area which can now be said to be “proven” is that of MEP coordination using BIM technology. It is VERY important to understand this is NOT simple collision detection to detect clashes within a model. In fact, traditional methods still apply such as System – Priority – Structure which CMs and Subs have used for years to determine how to coordinate MEP systems.
Vico has pioneered a process called Coordination by Location which centralizes the MEP coordination process while still allowing for critical subcontractor input in the process. Coordination by Location, as practiced by Vico on hundreds of projects, takes advantage of BIM technology but also requires strict adherence to process, much as traditional methods require.
To many, coordination means using a collision detection program, generating a report identifying all of the clashes, and sending the report to the subs. In practice, this may actually increase coordination cost and time.
Depending upon the software program and how it identifies clashes, the report may include hundreds of clashes that are not, in fact, clashes. In addition, simply reporting clashes without a process to prioritize them forces the subs to track down all clashes in the report, when, in fact, most of them are not critical, but since the owner/CM provided a report with every clash they have to identify and resolve all of them!
Vico’s Constructability Manager is designed to identify clashes on an element basis as opposed to a geometric basis which significantly reduces the clash count. In addition, the process for reporting is built into Constructability Manager enabling the user to identify, prioritize, and recommend resolution. The report can also be combined with an existing RFI system to link the two together (includes an extra field for RFI number from client’s contract management program). Finally, construction documentation of the coordinated MEP systems is critical. The subs still need drawings to build by!
BIM is a great tool, but without proven process the garbage-in/garbage-out adage still applies. Most construction CMs, as well as MEP subs, use similar System – Priority – Structure methodology when coordinating MEP systems. While it is true that some clashes cannot be resolved by a simple System – Priority – Structure process, our experience has been that approximately 80% of the clashes can be resolved.
A typical System – Priority – Structure looks something like this:
Generally the concept is to move the cheapest and easiest things to move first…and difficult and expensive elements last. A large duct is something you would prefer not to move if you can avoid it. Simply resizing the duct may change the engineered standards of the system and, therefore, should be avoided. Sloped pipe is a priority because it has to maintain slope within local code requirements, etc.
Any program or process of coordination which does not recognize and allow for the Subs’ expertise and input will fail; their experience is just too important. Vico’s Construction Services Team members (or your staff taught by us) are trained to make coordination adjustments as they are modeling. However, some coordination decisions require modeling all components of MEP systems in a given location before effective re-routing can be accomplished.
The reporting requirements established by the Vico process show the system as modeled from the design, identifies the clash, includes a narrative about the change, and 3D images of before and after.
Showing the before and after images AND the design documentation enables the subs to review what was done, where it was done, why it was done, enabling them to give effective and precise feedback. In every project there will be clashes that cannot, or should not, be fixed as they require professional expertise and not a simple SPS. The reporting process must identify and prioritize these, as well, and enable the subs and/or project engineer to recommend an effective solution.
Integrated construction software like Vico Office takes what we did in 2D and puts it into 3D -- that’s the easy part. The hard part is documentation and reporting to ensure that the Subs’ input is included, that the SPS is followed, that modeling accuracy can be confirmed, as well as decision making in coordination, and finally, never letting good deeds go unnoticed. An effective analysis, coordination, and reporting process enables us to show our client what we are doing for them. Coordination by Location centralizes the coordination process AND includes the expertise of the subs.
Coordination drawings must be part of any deliverable, we still don’t see MEP subs working on projects using laptops for layout and installation! Once the MEP systems are coordinated, final issues resolved, adjustments made by the subs, 2D coordination drawings need to be generated. The Vico process includes generating all critical annotations including: elevations, distance to structural (columns for example), systems ID, etc.
Contract type can dictate how and when you use Coordination by Location. A preconstruction relationship within a GMP contract is ideal, but in today’s market the clients may want to hard bid or at least wait to bring subs in until late in the process to ensure competitive bidding. The alternatives don’t eliminate Coordination by Location, but do change how/when it is applied. Vico has used Coordination by Location in hard bids, as well as GMP environments, and been successful in all engagements. Hard bid is more difficult because of the shorter time period to build the model and perform the coordination and it eliminates sub input until post award. But resolving 80 – 90% of the coordination issues and providing a detailed report still drives significant savings on the Subs’ pricing.
In summary, there is often more smoke than fire when it comes to ROI claims for BIM, but one aspect of BIM, if performed correctly, has clear and significant benefit to the owner, CM, and subs: Coordination by Location. Learn more about the topic by watching the recorded webinar: The New Preconstruction.
We have a highlight reel from that webinar here where we discuss the MPS and its role in preconstruction. The model progression specification serves as the language of preconstruction planning with BIM. As long as modelers, schedulers, and estimators speak with the proper level of detail, the coordinated model can be used for quantity takeoff, 4D scheduling, and 5D cost planning.
Posted by Holly Allison on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 @ 04:50 PM
We know that most GCs don’t have a problem with scheduling and estimating. These are two disciplines that can always be trusted on bid day. These departments run smoothly because of their experience and problem-solving skills.
But what changes need to be made to estimating processes when a BIM model is introduced to the project? BIM-based estimating is the next wave of adoption – and 5D BIM is certainly one powerful way to differentiate your firm to Owners.
After working on 350 BIM projects around the world, we can offer some advice and point out some roadblocks that we’ve experienced:
• You’re going to want to access historic project data so your model has relevant material and labor costing per project type and geography;
• You’re going to want to organize and evaluate Subs based on their productivity rates on past projects of similar scope;
• You’re going to want to see the BIM model color-coded according to your estimate so that you know that no scope or trade has been accidentally omitted;
• You’re going to want to maintain, then compare and update versions of your estimate as soon as you receive new details – this will help you identify scope creep and/or out-of-budget choices.
• You will benefit from a visual connection between model, quantity, estimate and price changes – this will help you explain the evolution of the cost plan to your Owner and others connected to the project.
Prepared for The Building Exchange Network and the American Society of Professional Estimators, we want to make sure your estimating team has access to this webinar.
What: An Introduction to Model-Based Estimating
When: Archived for your convenience
Where: A free online webinar
How: Watch it today!
This webinar is for your estimating team if
1.) You’re interested in a tool that derives precise, construction-caliber quantities, based on the geometry from Tekla, Revit, and ArchiCAD models.
2.) If you are interested in learning how to use model based estimating systems very early in the design process, even when there is no model, only sketches and a narrative.
3.) You’re interested in quickly accessing the multiple quantity types in the model and customizing their specific calculations to account for consumption rates, waste factors, and conditions.
4.) You’re interested in working smarter with subcontractors, negotiating mutually-beneficial contracts when the scope is clear.
5.) You’re interested in learning how you can convert and utilize your Timberline, MC2, or RIB estimating data with a model-based estimate.
This course offers a thorough review of 5D BIM, including quantity takeoff, cost planning, estimating, and budgeting, all from a BIM model. We also demonstrate how to import current data from Timberline and other estimating software and tie it to a BIM model. Whether you team works with Tekla, ArchiCAD, or Revit models, this webinar demonstrates how to derive construction-caliber quantities from the model geometry and how to edit formulas for model-based and non-model-based quantities.
Watch the webinar at your desk or just use a projector and organize a “lunch and learn” for your team in the conference room. If your questions aren’t addressed in the Q&A session, pick up the phone and give us a call. We would love to hear your thoughts and get a discussion going.
Contrary to industry musings, BIM does not mean that estimators are out of a job or that with one click on a 5D BIM model you can produce an estimate. Learn what changes in the estimating workflow when a BIM model is introduced to the project; learn how the cost plan evolves as the model level of detail is refined; learn how to handle model-based and non-model based elements.
Here is a 10-minute clip from the webinar...
Posted by Holly Allison on Tue, Jun 29, 2010 @ 09:24 AM
Dr. Rafael Sacks of Israel's Technion University invites all general contractors to attend the 18th annual international lean construction conference in Haifa.
Q: The Technion has been at the forefront of building sciences for many years. What is your goal for educating the construction industry on lean processes? A: Lean construction is fairly new to the Israeli construction industry so we plan to hold an industry day where we will have an introductory workshop to lean construction. In the broader sense, the Technion faculty has been involved in research of lean construction going on ten years now. We’ve tried to focus on a number of main areas and contribute in that way to the international understanding of lean construction. Our research is focused on working with buildings where there are a great deal of changes... where there is a great deal of variation in the design information... and so we’ve had collaborative projects with construction companies where we’ve tried to devise new ways of managing apartment construction.
We have a game which we call the “Lean-Con” game which allows companies practice using lean methods for apartment construction (especially where there are a number of client initiated design changes in each apartment). We’ve also done a good deal of theoretical work on the behavior of contractors and we’ve tried to develop a theory as to why contractors often find a lose-lose situation to keep stable equilibrium and find it very difficult in a project setting, where they’re working on unit price contracts, to move to a win-win cooperative style of working.
So in various projects and research of that kind we are also trying to do our bit to increase the general understanding of what lean construction is all about.
Q: Based on the papers that will be presented at the conference, what should attendees expect to hear? A: We have quite a wide range of papers in the conference this year. We have sixty-eight papers all together that will be presented by a range of academics and people from industry all from around twenty-five different countries. We have very strong papers this year on theory, on production system design, product development, and design itself, as well as safety quality. There are at least nine papers on information technology, as well.
I think what is unique about this year is that the editors have made a special effort to focus everyone’s writing and reporting on both what the hypothesis is and the ability to disprove hypothesis from empirical evidence. We pose the question in the title of the conference to be “Lean Construction - What do we think and what do we know?” So most of the papers have posed a hypothesis and set about to prove or disprove what they think by providing the evidence. Most of that evidence comes from trials or industry experience of applying lead principals on construction sites day by day.
Q: Are there any papers that stand out from the pack? A: Yes, there are a few. There are one or two papers in the theory section that begin the question of what brings value to owners and construction companies which I think are important steps forward. There are very good papers on the application of BIM in construction. There are papers on how we can integrate BIM with lean and indeed reports of application on very big projects which are very detailed and have a wealth of empirical evidence that really do show the impact. Those are both from the United States and Scandinavia and I think those will probably be the highlight of the conference.
Q: The worldwide economic climate for commercial construction is still depressed. Can Lean Construction still be deployed in this economy? What does it take to make Lean successful in a construction company? A: Those are obviously very interrelated issues. I think that when an economy is tough that it is exactly at that point that the benefits and the savings that one can accomplish by working lean become that much more important in assuring that a construction company can have a positive profit margin rather than a negative one.
We know that at the basis of application of lean we’re looking to reduce waste. I guess it’s not coincidental that the words coincide... In lean economic times we can’t afford the kinds of waste that we are use to in other economic times. So when the amount of work available is smaller, and owners are looking for a better product at a better value, then those construction companies that are able to deliver that and still be profitable are going to be much more competitive than those that do not.
It’s perhaps a time of opportunity and one where perhaps fear is an important motivator, unfortunately. It’s not easy to apply lean and does require a great deal of commitment and concerted effort on the part of a company. It is a question of education and of changing people’s mindset. That becomes I would guess a little easier to do when you feel that it is imperative to do it. It is also an opportunity to maintain people who are well trained and who can continue and to have fewer people who are not willing to change.
On what does it take to make lean construction successful in a company... Here the two important ingredients are openness of mind and commitment to learning. It does require a great deal of reading, it requires an understanding of the concepts so that not only can you apply the techniques like loss planner or design structure matrix, etc., but you can learn over time why they work and what aspects work best within your company your context and then apply them in creative ways.
So while it is not easy and it is stressful to make any kind of change (which is perhaps more difficult in lean economic times) It’s perhaps those companies that make that commitment and are able to undergo those changes that will survive and flourish not only in the lean times but when times improve.
Q: How can people learn more about the International Lean Construction Conference? A: The simplest way to do it is to go to our website -
http://iglc18.technion.ac.il/ You can also simply search on Google for IGLC18.
Posted by Holly Allison on Sat, May 15, 2010 @ 09:59 AM
This week's Guest Blogger is Dan Gonzales, the Corporate Manager of Virtual Design and Construction at Swinerton Builders. Our congratulations to Dan and his team - Swinerton Builders was just named the #1 Green Contractor in California by California Construction Magazine.
Q: When did Swinerton first become involved with BIM and what BIM capabilities does your firm have in house?
A: Five to six years ago we started doing 3D modeling using ArchiCAD. We trained our estimators to do the modeling because at that time it was harder to do modeling and took longer. We felt that by starting in preconstruction we'd have something available to us. Three and a half years ago I came on board Swinerton and my first task really was to help coordinate the modeling effort with the Graphisoft team (who then became the Vico team).
Today we've trained about fifteen people in the company to do modeling and we're doing the majority of it... Although on major projects (for example, Washington Hospital and Four Seasons Hotel project in Denver) we've used the Vico Construction Services, as well. So we're pretty familiar with that but we're bringing much more of it in house. In the past 3 ½ years we've done over 160 projects that range anywhere from a proposal to a full BIM coordination project. We've modeled internally about 47,000,000 sq. feet and those 160 projects have a construction value of over $9,000,000,000. So we've gotten a considerable amount of modeling done.
Q: What are some of the benefits you've experienced with Virtual Construction on the projects?
A: I really think that what we're getting with Virtual Construction is better communication among the team members, design teams, and owners. The thing I always talk about is everyone is looking at the same elephant. And we're able to discuss problems, get to issues quicker, and as a result, get better answers and decisions by the owners because they truly understand what the issue is. I think that there is a collaborative effort that happens among teams. Watching our superintendents, for example, look at a model and then go out and talk to our sub trades in terms of being able to communicate what needs to be done in the next week makes things a lot clearer for everyone. So I think communication and collaboration are the key benefits.
Obviously, I think that there are advantages that we get in being able to do continuous estimating so that we can actually see where the projects change over time. What was the issue or element that took something over budget if we're doing target costing? These are all real benefits to us.
Q: What are some of the benefits you are able to extend to owners when BIM is in the contract?
A: What we're beginning to explore internally is something that we're pretty excited about which is the idea of XD modeling. (Or being able to do analysis of the model.) Doing energy analysis for example or doing daylighting studies, etc. We're really big right now in solar and one of our major areas of development in the future is going to be developing solar projects. So we're finding that being able to model those and figure out daylight hitting the panels, etc., is extremely valuable.
The other area that we're really excited about is that we have a recent project under construction right now with NASA. And NASA is building what is going to be the most energy efficient building in the country right now at their Moffett Field Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA. We're part of the team there that's not only building it, but we're working with Berkeley Labs to actually sensor the building so that we'll be able to analyze not only the predictive side of it using energy plus, but we're going to then turn energy plus around and actually be able to monitor the building and see if it's working as it's designed to perform. And so we're pretty excited about that... We're sort of saying that construction has finally entered rocket science and I think it's going to be a fun project that we're working on!
I think we'll be offering many more services as well. Some people ask "well, who owns the model?" I don't think that's the question, I think the question is "who manages the model?" and I think we'll be able to have longer term relationships with some of our clients. So as we do future projects the work between construction and facilities management becomes more seamless.
Q: What advice would you give to owners who are looking to include BIM on their next project?
A: Well, I think we're at a point where you can't go any day now without people sort of saying they're doing BIM. I think the real thing now is to begin setting metrics. If a builder can't say "here are the direct benefits that we're getting in time and cost"... for example, we've done metrics on savings of RFI change orders. We now know that on a major project like a hotel that by avoiding a change order we're saving $17,000 because that's the average cost. We did some metrics where we found on ten major projects the average cost of the change order is $17,000.
On the Ritz-Carlton project we found over 450 change orders that we were able to avoid through the model. So, if you do the math, that's about $6.7 million that we saved. To learn more about this project, and three other Swinerton projects, please review the Swinerton Builders' Lessons Learned along the Path to 5D BIM Webinar.
The other savings that we're finding that we have metrics on is in terms of coordination efforts. We now know that we have saved over $185,000 on that same project just in reduced meeting time, travel and not printing all the paperwork we used to print in the coordination effort. Our average coordination meeting has gone from 5 hours down to 1 ½ hours. And very often with our sub trades we use GoToMeeting so people don't even go to the trailer anymore. So everyone stays in their office and coordinates virtually which has tremendous cost savings and is a much greener way of doing it by not having all those carbon emissions by driving around or flying to sites for meetings.
Q: Any closing thoughts?
A: I really think that for those owners that are anxious to start this the thing to do is to be able to just start on a project and really look and assess what you see as the risk in the project and then model to that and resolve that issue. And learn by experience... That's sort of what we did... As I said, we have 160 projects or so under our belt now and we really have the ability to do that but we started with one. And I think that's what owners need to understand is that they got to get involved with this stuff. And you've got to do it by either having Vico Construction Services do it for you and shadow them or start out really small and do a portion of the project but you've got to get started.
Learn more about Swinerton Builders' virtual design and construction group from their website, or hop over to the archived Fridays with Vico webinar, Swinerton Builders' Path to 5D BIM. To see what's possible for GCs to offer Owners in terms of VD&C services, please read The 5D BIM Checklist.
Posted by Holly Allison on Wed, May 05, 2010 @ 07:53 AM
As a result of the current economic recession, the building market has gotten much more competitive. Owners are working with tighter budgets and have more bids to choose from. They are looking for ways to save more money and accelerate project schedules with earlier completion dates. With more competitive bids for each deal, contractors will need to find ways to distinguish themselves.
BIM is exactly the tool that is needed in this rough economic climate. It provides the Owners the savings they need and gives the GC the competitive advantage they need. Many contractors claim that they do "BIM;" most contractors, however, only use it as a marketing tool or for 3D coordination.
It's getting more and more difficult to differentiate between BIM and a broader scope of using models for Virtual Design and Construction. As BIM adoption rises and the market tightens it will become more important that contractors show they are ahead of the technology curve and able to provide an Owner with the full benefits this technology offers ‐ by generating cost savings and providing the Owner the confidence that they will get the product they envision at the time that is promised.
The RFP is the opportunity to demonstrate this. The typical RFP process is broken down by the following categories:
Interview: 5% ‐ 25% of total
Plan, Pricing and Schedule: 25% ‐ 40% of total
Qualifications: 40% ‐ 70% of total
5D BIM in the Interview
Clients are interested in workflow and how it can help in completing a project successfully. Many
presentations use the model as a technical tool to "wow" the client. That's not enough anymore. With 5D BIM your firm can demonstrate the integrated workflow during the interview that will illustrate the approach to the project much more transparently. Your team can "talk to the model" and communicate to the client the schedule and opportunities for saving the client money.
Plan - Pricing and Schedule
Price - the lowest reasonable price by a qualified GC is often the strongest factor. But Owners are getting wise and identify contractors who low‐bid with the intention of using change orders to recover. With conceptual estimates, GCs hone in on a true cost based on quantities, locations, and past subcontractor efficiency rates.
And it's exactly this formula (quantities, locations, production rates), that lead to better subcontractor negotiations. Subcontractors can be more accurate when bidding if the GC is willing to share model data with them. This allows the subcontractor to reduce their contingency and thus reduce their overall price.
And when subcontractors work together with the GC to resolve constructability issues during virtual construction, instead of on‐site, there's less need for contingency. This leads directly to increased efficiency in labor production. With more efficient schedules and better logistics, there's no need for stops and starts and last minute rush towards completion.
And when your firm applies production control,you are able to track the target cost versus the actual cost much more frequently. This identifies budget overruns early and encourages a thoughtful resolution.
Schedule - the fastest reliable schedule is often the second most important factor in a bid. And in some cases, it is the most critical factor. But GCs can have difficulty explaining their schedules to a layperson, especially if they can't express it in an easy‐to‐understand graphical presentation.
There are many benefits to utilizing a 4D schedule in a bid. The combination of flowline theory and production control allows a smaller, more efficient team to stream through the site. And with more accurate planning, GCs can remove the typical stops and starts that simply waste labor.
Qualifications
Team - Owners know that a top‐notch team will deliver the best results. They look specifically for teams they want to work with - a team who communicates well and is trustworthy. Owners can quickly identify a poorly-structured or overly‐complicated presentation. They need to hear that a proposal is feasible and can be delivered as stated.
With a 5D BIM model driving your presentation, team members are able to more clearly illustrate the key points in the language that a layperson will understand. Even more compelling, though, is the ability to show the Owner exactly what is meant. Showing a 5D model to an Owner follows the old adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words."
In the words of a Northeast GC, "The 5D model made it possible to take what I saw so clearly in my head and let the Owner see it, too. This is one of the first benefits of BIM."
Techniques - Owners need to understand how the project will be planned and managed. This is so much easier to express with a 5D model, especially when the Owner is a layperson. Too often, construction companies try to communicate the building methodology with non‐integrated, non‐visual techniques, which only muddies the water.
Your firm's integrated construction methodology can be easily expressed with transparency through the 5D model. And Owners appreciate a well‐defined process for planning and
managing the job, especially when the plan includes objective measurements and reporting.
Conclusion
BIM is not a magic bullet. Being BIM‐capable does not mean showing walk‐through animations - it is an integrated construction environment rich with precise quantities, mean and methods, flowline scheduling, and powerful visualizations. Being committed to BIM means using the latest 5D virtual construction technology in conjunction with lean construction methodologies. You can't have one without the other. If you're committed to adding BIM to your portfolio, we're ready to help.
The BIM Master Class Series
BIM in a Hard Bid Series
Win the Deal with Vico Services
Posted by Holly Allison on Tue, May 04, 2010 @ 08:32 AM
What is it?
The Model Progression Specification is a language for owners, designers and builders that defines every element and task in a building construction process. Using the MPS the owner can standardize RFP's, budget reviews, and ensure that estimates of cost from conceptual to GMP are all consistent throughout the project team members.
The Model Progression Specification assumes the premise that as the level of detail increases during the Design Process, the budgeted cost (estimated) becomes more and more accurate.
The MPS defines the interaction between the Owner, Designer and Preconstruction Team as they migrate from the initial idea through the conceptual phase, on to the schematic, detail, and construction phases of a program. It provides the framework for an efficient written checklist evolving elements of the design from a very schematic level of detail to a high level of detail in terms of 3D geometry, cost, and time.
With MPS, the 5D BIM maps directly to the most efficient business process for achieving program goals. The MPS is standardized and repeatable, able to bring efficiencies into a project that can be redeployed on multiple projects. (We understand that while each component is unique, the progression of specificity remains the same.)
The MPS methodology provides transparency for the owner, along with a control system over the design, cost, and schedule. The Contractor receives streamlined internal processes and meaningful communication between the office and the field. The Architect receives a clean guideline of expectations which they can use to develop the design.
Another benefit involves receiving all the Preconstruction details from the Virtual Building Team and the Contractor's Operations Team. When the engineers, estimators (cost planners), schedulers, project engineers and superintendents are forced to explain to each other what they need in order to be successful, the entire project wins.
We have found, through our experience with over 350 commercial construction consulting engagements, that this streamlined process provides the most value during the preconstruction process. This includes more design iterations in the same time period and the flexibility to explore the resulting implications. This immediate feedback on the cost and time schedules improves design collaboration and results in a highly coordinated documentation set.
Caption: Moving from one project phase to the next is translated as increasing the level of detail in one or more sections of your model specification.
Have you had the experience of spending resources on a BIM only to find that it couldn't help you address owner questions regarding design, cost, and/or schedule? Learn more about the model progression specification with these resources:
Webinar: Webcor Builders and the MPS
Webinar: Understanding the Content Plan and MPS
Web Page: The Model Progression Specification
Whitepaper: Organizing the Development of a Building Information Model
Posted by Holly Allison on Wed, Apr 28, 2010 @ 02:50 PM
Did you ever wonder:
Team Vico did - and we wrote down our thoughts about it! Keep up with the latest opinions from Vico executives and product managers as they remark on all things BIM. And take the time to add your comments - this is a discussion that impacts us all.
Recently the team has been blogging about the “change” necessary to make BIM a part of your firm’s core competencies. These blogs are great discussion starters after you’ve watched the BIM for Executives webinar.
Or if you’re looking for a laugh in the middle of the day, try Don Henrich’s latest post about being stuck in Finland waiting for the volcanic ash to settle.
You can subscribe to the blogs by author and/or subject matter:
Mark Sawyer, Vico CEO and President, looks at construction industry trends and comments on them from his position as a software vendor. Mark’s blogs focus on the economics of the market, and how we as an industry can improve. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t stir the pot.
Don Henrich, Vico EVP of Sales and Marketing, takes his experiences from the road visiting customers and prospects. He works with BIM rockstars and companies just getting started and offers his advice and insights to both. Don is a champion’s champion, always going the extra mile for Vico customers.
Olli Seppanen, Ph.D., Vico VP of Services, is the guru behind Vico Control. Olli’s ground-breaking research on location-based management has fueled the content for his blog. Always insightful and chock-full of statistics and charts, Olli’s blog is always pushing model-based scheduling to go farther faster.
Marcel Broekmaat, Vico’s own Flying Dutchman, is the product manager for the new Vico Office product line. Marcel is an evangelist for model-based estimating and he is continuously introducing new topics such as the content plan and model progression specification to illustrate how the 5D process comes together.
And don’t forget the Vico Comics! Aviad Almagor, our Director of Product Design, turns out an hilarious spoof as Team Vico, our BIM super-heroes, save the day with BIM. Follow the antics as our crazy cast of characters helps the preconstruction team at New Horizons Construction learn how to use Vico to win the deal!
Over 800 construction professionals around the world read the Vico Blogs every week. Stay up to date with the latest industry trends, opinions, reactions to current events, and most importantly, best practices for your firm. And be sure to add your comments so we can keep the discussion rolling.
Posted by Holly Allison on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 @ 02:53 PM
Last week's AGC SmartBrief contained an article revealing the very stark reality of hard bids in the Las Vegas construction market. Las Vegas isn't the only market hit hard by the economic downturn, but it exemplifies the boom and bust of commercial construction.
Here are the statistics revealed in the article:
• Bid value is down 40%
• 15-20 bidders per project
• Gap between high and low bids is 40%
• Bidders are coming in from out-of-state
In a hard bid scenario it's the lowest bid that wins. The Owner surely is getting a great price from the bidders: a price that can be as much as 30% below projected cost, or as this article about the Las Vegas market indicates, 40%. But experienced Owners know that these hard bids come with hidden costs including change orders, delays, and claims that end up costing them additional money. But even if those extra charges were to add 20% to the cost of the winning hard bid the owner has still realized a 10% saving over the original projected cost.
Vico Services, with over 350 successful 5D BIM projects around the world, has developed specific strategies for winning business in a hard bid. The four-part webinar series examines scheduling, estimating, and coordination strategies that can effectively set your company apart from the other bidders.
This archived webinar series is for you and your firm if:
>> Hard bids have become the de facto bidding process in your market;
>> You want to develop hard bid strategies quickly, but might not have time to develop a BIM;
>> You know you'll discover change orders during the project, but you want to find them sooner (and cost them competitively);
>> You understand that construction-caliber quantities drive a more precise schedule and estimate - you just haven't seen it in action;
>> You want to protect your fee and believe that 4D and 5D BIM done right will mitigate project risk.
Mastering the Schedule to Mitigate Risk and Keep Your Profit
In an environment where there are smaller projects with plenty of bidders , it's imperative that you remain competitive on your fees and general conditions. How so? At-risk General Conditions are typically 7-11% and getting skinnier in this economy. In a hard bid, if your schedule extends even just one month, you're bound to pay the whole expense. And that expense knocks up against the 7-11%.
It's counter-intuitive to think that a tighter schedule mitigates risk. But a quantities-driven, location-based, and resource-balanced scheduling solution can give you the competitive advantage.
Mastering 5D Cost Planning for a Hard Bid Project
In this webinar, we examine the difference that construction-caliber quantities bring to the cost plan and schedule. Cost planning allows you to build multiple iterations of the estimate linked to the model progression specification so that every change can be costed, not only in terms of dollar value but also schedule flux.
We demonstrate how you can calculate the cost of the project at a very high level of detail for the parts that are high risk, and leave it at a lower level of detail for those parts that you are subbing out. We'll also show how to use the model's visual feedback to determine whether you included everything in your cost plan. If an area or element is not highlighted, it's not in the cost plan!
Finally, you can communicate the calculated price to management, showing how the bid was developed from the baseline cost plan. This tactic is also useful if the owner allows an open book proposal.
Mastering 3D and 4D Constructability for a Hard Bid Project
It's easy to think that you're done with BIM after you've run a clash detection. But in actuality, the true BIM has just begun. Not only do you need to organize objects in space, but you also have to organize the project timeline. These RFIs turn into Change Orders which greatly impact the duration and cost of your project. We'll illustrate how to best manage the coordination process to iron out constructability and scheduling issues earlier rather than later.
The BIM Knowledge Base of Cost and Time Elements
There's a growing database of construction elements for BIM models, but did you know that best practices illustrate that you should also have a BIM database of cost and time elements? This knowledge base permits you to build resource-loaded schedules and cost-loaded estimates. But the question remains: Do you build it or buy it?
In the end, it's all about building trust with the Owner by working in concert, adding value every step of the way. Doing it right the first time yields untold value. Using BIM even in hard-bid situations permits and even encourages this collaborative approach. Let's work with the hand we've been dealt and make it win.
What is the situation like in your geography? Has the Owner reverted back to hard bids? Would you ever consider trying BIM on a hard bid? Why or why not?
Posted by Holly Allison on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 @ 02:47 PM
We all love the “easy button” commercials from Staples Office Supply Stores. Wouldn’t it be great if we could really just push a button when the copier is jammed, when we’re out of paper, or out of ink cartridges just as we’re getting ready to print ten copies of an important proposal!
That “easy button” thinking has made its way to virtual construction and 5D BIM. Especially when we’re in the university classroom, some students believe that “hitting the button” inside Vico Office Takeoff Manager means that it will spit out a precise itemization of Takeoff Items and their Quantities. Perhaps this thinking also spills out into commercial construction where we see a significant amount of push-back to BIM from estimators and schedulers.
Vico Office is the first BIM-neutral platform that analyzes, organizes, synthesizes, and augments ArchiCAD, Revit, and Tekla files. The first step in this process is a comprehensive quantity takeoff which results in construction-caliber quantities. But it’s not as simple as a button.
With Vico Office, the quantity takeoff algorithm looks at each piece of geometry within the 3D BIM, calculates their properties (such as surface area, volume, etc.). The model geometry analysis algorithms can even determine the sides of the elements (for example "top of slab") and use the boundaries to calculate quantities such as "net surface area. " This type of analysis is much more intuitive than simply counting windows and doors, floors, ceilings, and walls, and produces a much more detailed quantity takeoff.
We are working to enhance the algorithms with each release so that all polygons in a model will be automatically assigned. For example, each wall should contain a reference line which Vico Office uses to automate the quantity calculation. If there is a problem with this line, it will trigger a warning in Vico Office that this calculation should be checked. So reference lines (or more often than not, a lack of reference lines) can impede a proper polygon assignment and calculation.
Vico Office assumes that users will validate the Takeoff Items and Takeoff Quantity assignments and use the painting tool to correct issues. The algorithm and Takeoff Item creation options are designed to greatly reduce the need for manual painting. The algorithms are not designed to eliminate the need for validation and we anticipate some corrections will always be required, especially on sloped, organic, or non rectilinear objects in the model or objects missing required meta data like reference lines. On every release, we’ll continue to increase the algorithm’s ability to deal with problematic conditions.
Caption: It’s important to recognize that the estimator and scheduler play a vital role in correctly assigning quantities. After reviewing the automatic assignment of polygons from the Vico Office Takeoff Manager algorithm, the estimator or scheduler can use the model to identify and correct any discrepancies. This image illustrates the Paint Tool – a way to manually add elements in the model to a quantity takeoff item.
This further highlights one of the many benefits of model-based cost planning and scheduling. Users can quickly toggle back and forth between their familiar spreadsheet view and a color-coded model. If an element is not properly color-coded in the model, it is not properly quantified for the estimate and schedule. By selecting a Takeoff Item in the Takeoff Manager view, the user can visually identify which 3D elements are assigned to the specific Takeoff Item and use the Paint Tool to add/remove 3D elements from it.
We wish there was an “easy button” to automatically extract construction-caliber quantities from the model - and we are working towards that end goal. But the painting tool allows modelers, estimators, and schedulers to work around the current limitations of modeling and get to a more precise quantity count – and construction-caliber quantities in turn drive more precise model-based schedules and model-based estimates.
Vico has several webinars and papers to help you learn more about construction-caliber quantities to power your schedules and estimates.
Paper: Construction-Caliber Quantities
FAQs: Model-Based Cost Planning with Vico Office
Webinar: Model-Based Estimating
Webinar: Model-Based Scheduling
Webinar: Vico Office for Preconstruction and Estimating Teams
Webinar: Connecting the Conceptual Estimate to the Model Progression Specification
Posted by Holly Allison on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 12:42 PM
One of my first experiences with the AGC BIM Forum was a breakout session on interoperability. The goal of the session was to line up all the vendors on stage and frankly answer audience questions about our product roadmap goals.
What we all realized after the session was the poor job we were doing at letting the AEC/O Market know about our partnerships and work to make BIM an easier technology to digest.
For example, did you know that Vico Office reads Tekla, Revit, and ArchiCAD BIMs? With the next release, we'll be able to import CAD-Duct, IFC files, and sbxml formats important to our Nordic customers. CAD-Duct is a very important platform for MEP subcontractors; and IFC compatibility will allow us to work with Bentley files.
Creating this BIM-neutral platform has been job #1 for Vico since we became our own company. After we spun out of Graphisoft's construction division in 2007, we knew that we would need to be CAD-agnostic in order to succeed in the market.
That has been our goal with Vico Office. We want to accept as many BIM file formats as possible so that our users can take BIM to the next level: constructability, scheduling, estimating, and production control. It's one thing to have a BIM model for visualization, but it's quite another ROI proposition to use that same BIM to derive quantities, schedules, estimates, and then drive the play-by-play on the jobsite with production control.
What does this mean to the Owner? Very simply: the architectural BIM can be in Revit; the structural BIM can be in Tekla; the MEP can be in CAD-Duct. We want to get to the point where you can fill in the blank with the BIM authoring tool that you prefer. We make the transaction as simple as possible: modelers have a special "publish to Vico" menu option.
This has a special implication to the market, too. For the first time, creating a BIM-based schedule or estimate does not mean that your schedulers and estimators need to learn CAD. Everyone sticks to their knitting, but in a collaborative workspace. So if a model element gets modified or replaced, the schedulers' and estimators' calculations get updated. A change in one location is reflected across the workspace.
At the next AGC BIM Forum in June we'll be working on a matrix to help customers know which systems work with other vendors' systems. We hope to highlight the great partnerships that already exist in the industry and hear your suggestions for workflows that would make your BIM efforts flow more smoothly.
Read up on Vico's partnerships and how we're working to make 5D BIM a reality for project teams. And please take a moment to let us know which workflows are important to you. We're working on some very exciting connections with other software applications.