Development of a building information modelling (BIM) migration path model for construction professionals

The construction professionals have the notion that by implementing Building Information Modelling (BIM) in construction could overcome problems such as delay, cost overrun, clashes in project design and undesirable quality in construction. However, they failed to take the advantages of the BIM benefit as they are still trying to find the best way to take on board the BIM into current practices. Most of the professionals do not know ‘when’ and ‘how’ to apply BIM throughout the construction lifecycle. Several research models related to BIM has been developed to improve and encourage BIM implementation. Nevertheless, the developed models have limitations in highlighting the steps involved that could assist the construction professionals in implementing BIM effectively in Malaysia. Therefore, this research is aimed to develop a model that would be able to assist Malaysian construction professionals in implementing BIM in a structured way. A semi-structured interview was carried out with respondents that have various experienced and currently involved in BIM projects in the Malaysian construction industry. Findings show that the construction professionals are lacking in knowledge and experience in using BIM in various stages of construction. Thus, they were unable to fully capitalise the benefit of 3D models. Migration path model was proposed and evaluated as a strategic approach for BIM implementation in the Malaysian construction industry. The identification of five (5) activities (BIM Awareness, Develop BIM Strategy, Implement BIM, Monitor BIM and Expand BIM Implementation) with the three (3) enablers (BIM work contract, BIM work process and BIM technology) in the model is expected to be able to assist construction professionals to implement BIM with the right BIM concept and later, the benefit could be obtained for improving construction project. The proposed model could be as a guideline for construction professionals in implementing BIM, specifically in countries that new in BIM. The model is also expected to be able to fill the gap in BIM implementation by supporting the initiatives by the Malaysian government for increasing productivity in construction projects by using new technology like BIM

Building information modelling project decision support framework

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an information technology [IT] enabled approach to managing design data in the AEC/FM (Architecture, Engineering and Construction/ Facilities Management) industry. BIM enables improved interdisciplinary collaboration across distributed teams, intelligent documentation and information retrieval, greater consistency in building data, better conflict detection and enhanced facilities management. Despite the apparent benefits the adoption of BIM in practice has been slow. Workshops with industry focus groups were conducted to identify the industry needs, concerns and expectations from participants who had implemented BIM or were BIM “ready”. Factors inhibiting BIM adoption include lack of training, low business incentives, perception of lack of rewards, technological concerns, industry fragmentation related to uneven ICT adoption practices, contractual matters and resistance to changing current work practice. Successful BIM usage depends on collective adoption of BIM across the different disciplines and support by the client. The relationship of current work practices to future BIM scenarios was identified as an important strategy as the participants believed that BIM cannot be efficiently used with traditional practices and methods. The key to successful implementation is to explore the extent to which current work practices must change. Currently there is a perception that all work practices and processes must adopt and change for effective usage of BIM. It is acknowledged that new roles and responsibilities are emerging and that different parties will lead BIM on different projects. A contingency based approach to the problem of implementation was taken which relies upon integration of BIM project champion, procurement strategy, team capability analysis, commercial software availability/applicability and phase decision making and event analysis. Organizations need to understand: (a) their own work processes and requirements; (b) the range of BIM applications available in the market and their capabilities (c) the potential benefits of different BIM applications and their roles in different phases of the project lifecycle, and (d) collective supply chain adoption capabilities. A framework is proposed to support organizations selection of BIM usage strategies that meet their project requirements. Case studies are being conducted to develop the framework. The results of the preliminary design management case study is presented for contractor led BIM specific to the design and construct procurement strategy

Adopting building information modeling (BIM) as collaboration platform in the design industry

This paper discusses the preliminary findings of an ongoing research project aimed at developing a technological, operational and strategic analysis of adopting BIM in AEC/FM (Architecture-Engineering-Construction/Facility Management) industry as a collaboration tool. Outcomes of the project will provide specifications and guidelines as well as establish industry standards for implementing BIM in practice. This research primarily focuses on BIM model servers as a collaboration platform, and hence the guidelines are aimed at enhancing collaboration capabilities. This paper reports on the findings from: (1) a critical review of latest BIM literature and commercial applications, and (2) workshops with focus groups on changing work-practice, role of technology, current perception and expectations of BIM. Layout for case studies being undertaken is presented. These findings provide a base to develop comprehensive software specifications and national guidelines for BIM with particular emphasis on BIM model servers as collaboration platforms

A technical review of BIM based cost estimating in UK quantity surveying practice, standards and tools

In light of recent technological advancements over the decades especially with Information Technology (IT), the ‘Building Information Modelling’ (BIM) is one of those advancements that have attracted significant attentions in UK construction industry. The UK government has acknowledged this trend and is joining the radical movement of adopting BIM by also making it a prerequisite for all those involved in public sector projects to have BIM ready by 2016. For Quantity Surveying (QS) profession, BIM presents huge challenges and opportunities, particularly in the area of cost estimating and quantity take-off. BIM offers the capability to automatically generate quantity take-offs and measurement directly from a digital model of a building, a process that traditionally is very time consuming for quantity surveyors. However, there is little evidence that BIM is systematically introduced in quantity surveying profession in UK largely due to majority of the BIM based cost estimating or take-off tools developed outside UK and adopted the different practice and rules in quantification. In this paper, we examine the cost estimating practice and procedure in UK and the impact of the use of BIM. A number of key challenges have been identified in term of information exchange, model quality and UK standards. It also reviews the existing BIM based cost estimating tools in the context of UK quantity surveying practice. A review methodology is developed to evaluate the ability of the existing BIM technology to support the UK QS practices. The methodology is applied to a number of leading BIM based estimating tools. The review assesses the technical and process approach of each tool and their ability of adapting to UK quantity surveying practice, particularly with the New Rules of Measurement (NRM), which is aimed to provide a holistic view of the technologies for the Quantity Surveying professions to make informed decisions

Technology adoption in the BIM implementation for lean architectural practice

Justification for Research: the construction companies are facing barriers and challenges in BIM adoption as there is no clear guidance or best practice studies from which they can learn and build up their capacity for BIM use in order to increase productivity, efficiency, quality, and to attain competitive advantages in the global market and to achieve the targets in environmental sustainability. Purpose: this paper aims to explain a comprehensive and systemic evaluation and assessment of the relevant BIM technologies as part of the BIM adoption and implementation to demonstrate how efficiency gains have been achieved towards a lean architectural practice. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research is undertaken through a KTP (Knowledge transfer Partnership) project between the University of Salford and the John McCall Architects based in Liverpool, which is an SME (Small Medium Enterprise). The overall aim of KTP is to develop Lean Design Practice through the BIM adoption and implementation. The overall BIM implementation approach uses a socio-technical view in which it does not only consider the implementation of technology but also considers the socio-cultural environment that provides the context for its implementation. The technology adoption methodology within the BIM implementation approach is the action research oriented qualitative and quantitative research for discovery, comparison, and experimentation as the KTP project with JMA provides an environment for “learning by doing” Findings: research has proved that BIM technology adoption should be undertaken with a bottom-up approach rather than top-down approach for successful change management and dealing with the resistance to change. As a result of the BIM technology adoption, efficiency gains are achieved through the piloting projects and the design process is improved through the elimination of wastes and value generation. Originality/Value: successful BIM adoption needs an implementation strategy. However, at operational level, it is imperative that professional guidelines are required as part of the implementation strategy. This paper introduces a systematic approach for BIM technology adoption based on a case study implementation and it demonstrates a guideline at operational level for other SME companies of architectural practices

Inhibition of glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis by targeting splice variants of \u3ci\u3eBIM\u3c/i\u3e mRNA with small interfering RNA and short hairpin RNA.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) induce apoptosis in lymphocytes and are effective agents for the treatment of leukemia. The activated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) initiates a transcriptional program leading to caspase activation and cell death, but the critical signaling intermediates in GC-induced apoptosis remain largely undefined. We have observed that GC induction of the three major protein products of the Bcl-2 relative Bim (BimEL, BimS and BimL) correlates with GC sensitivity in a panel of human pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines. To test the hypothesis that Bim facilitates GC-induced apoptosis, we reduced BIM mRNA levels and Bim protein levels by RNA interference (RNAi) in highly GC-sensitive pre-B ALL cells. Reducing Bim proteins by either electroporation of synthetic siRNA duplexes or lentiviral-mediated stable expression of shRNA inhibited activation of caspase-3 and increased cell viability following GC exposure. We also observed that the extent of GC resistance correlated with siRNA silencing potency. siRNA duplexes that reduced only BimEL or BimEL and BimL (but not BimS) exhibited less GC resistance than a potent siRNA that silenced all three major isoforms, implying that induction of all three Bim proteins contributes to cell death. Finally, the modulation of GC-induced apoptosis caused by Bim silencing was independent of Bcl-2 expression levels, negating the hypothesis that the ratio of Bim to Bcl-2 regulates apoptosis. These results offer evidence that induction of Bim by GC is a required event for the complete apoptotic response in pre-B ALL cells

Problem-based learning: enhancing students learning of building information modelling

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is an innovative collaborative process underpinned by digital technologies introduced to improve project performance in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Growth in industry demands has necessitated BIM inclusion into the Higher Education (HE) curricula as both a pedagogic and practical objective to prepare and develop aspiring Built Environment (BE) professionals with the required competence for contemporary practice. However, comprehension of BIM concepts and developing the skill set required for its application can be overwhelming for students and crucial to mitigating this challenge is the adoption of appropriate learner-centred strategies. Problem-based Learning (PBL) is becoming a widespread strategy to address such concern. This paper evaluates the impact of PBL strategy on students accelerated learning of BIM based on a case study of an undergraduate BIM module. Findings from the study show PBL benefits on students’ knowledge acquisition (cognitive and affective) of BIM concept and development of transferable skills (academic and disciplinary) equipping them with capabilities to become BIM competent and workplace ready for the AEC industry

BIM adoption and implementation for architectural practices

Severe issues about data acquisition and management arise during the design creation and development due to complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity. BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a tool for a team based lean design approach towards improved architectural practice across the supply chain. However, moving from a CAD (Computer Aided Design) approach to BIM (Building Information Modelling) represents a fundamental change for individual disciplines and the construction industry as a whole. Although BIM has been implemented by large practices, it is not widely used by SMEs (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises). Purpose: This paper aims to present a systematic approach for BIM implementation for Architectural SMEs at the organizational level Design/Methodology/Approach: The research is undertaken through a KTP (Knowledge transfer Partnership) project between the University of Salford and John McCall Architects (JMA) a SME based in Liverpool. The overall aim of the KTP is to develop lean design practice through BIM adoption. The BIM implementation approach uses a socio-technical view which does not only consider the implementation of technology but also considers the socio-cultural environment that provides the context for its implementation. The action research oriented qualitative and quantitative research is used for discovery, comparison, and experimentation as it provides �learning by doing�. Findings: The strategic approach to BIM adoption incorporated people, process and technology equally and led to capacity building through the improvements in process, technological infrastructure and upskilling of JMA staff to attain efficiency gains and competitive advantages. Originality/Value: This paper introduces a systematic approach for BIM adoption based on the action research philosophy and demonstrates a roadmap for BIM adoption at the operational level for SME companie

Achieving Level 2 BIM by 2016 in the UK

The growth and advantage of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has recently gained momentum in the expanding needs of the construction industry, one that varies across disciplines. The UK government is the largest public stakeholder client that has realized the benefits and advantages of BIM when used in procuring projects. The usage and adoption of BIM in all UK government-procured projects with a Level 2 BIM status will be mandatory by 2016. Will this target be achievable by 2016? This study investigates that possibility. A critical review of the BIM literature was carried out and the evidence based on the government target of 2016. At the current stage, it appears that Level 2 adoption is achievable by 2016 for large construction firms. However, the technology needs to be properly tailored to meet SMEs variables, if the Level 2 status is to be achieved for the entire industry

BIM semantic-enrichment for built heritage representation

In the built heritage context, BIM has shown difficulties in representing and managing the large and complex knowledge related to non-geometrical aspects of the heritage. Within this scope, this paper focuses on a domain-specific semantic-enrichment of BIM methodology, aimed at fulfilling semantic representation requirements of built heritage through Semantic Web technologies. To develop this semantic-enriched BIM approach, this research relies on the integration of a BIM environment with a knowledge base created through information ontologies. The result is knowledge base system - and a prototypal platform - that enhances semantic representation capabilities of BIM application to architectural heritage processes. It solves the issue of knowledge formalization in cultural heritage informative models, favouring a deeper comprehension and interpretation of all the building aspects. Its open structure allows future research to customize, scale and adapt the knowledge base different typologies of artefacts and heritage activities