Uptake of BIM and IPD within the UK AEC Industry: the evolving role of the architectural technologist

Building Information Modelling is not only a tool, but also the process of creation, maintenance, distribution and co-ordination of an integrated database that collaboratively stores 2D and 3D information, with embedded physical and functional data within a project-building model. The uptake of BIM within the UK Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry has been slow since the 1980’s, but over recent years, adoptions have increased. The increased collaborative nature of BIM, external data sharing techniques and progressively complex building design, promotes requirements for design teams to coordinate and communicate more effectively to achieve project goals. To manage this collaboration, new or evolved job roles may emerge. This research examined the current use of BIM, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and collaborative working in the UK AEC industry and job roles that have evolved or been created to cater for them. Using semi-structured interviews the interviewees indicated while several of the key enablers of IPD were being used, IPD itself had not been fully adopted. BIM was being used with some success but improvements could be made. New job roles such as the BIM Engineer and BIM Coordinator had been seen in the industry and evidence that the Architectural Technologist (AT) role is evolving into a more multidisciplinary role; this reflects similar findings of recent research

Target Value Design: The Challenge of Value Generation

Target Value Design (TVD) is a management approach that aims to maximize value in the framework of a pre-established cost target. TVD views AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) as a complex system and transforms the current design practice upside down. In spite of the existing studies, applying TVD in the context of AEC still represents a major challenge. Creating a structure that enables and measures value generation to the client is part of this challenge. However, despite the contributions already made by TVD, the results and implications related to value generation remain poorly documented. To throw light on value generation in the TVD context, it is useful to understand how the TVD and lean construction literature considers the concept of value. Thus, this study uses a literature review to understand the TVD background, as well as the main contributions made by studies carried out using this approach. The TFV (Transformation, Flow, Value) theory is considered as a baseline to understand the value generation. This paper reports a study that seeks to contribute to the challenge of adjusting the method of TVD to make value generation more explicit

Design of flexible and adaptable healthcare buildings of the future: a BIM approach

The UK's Government Construction adviser announced that all the public construction will be implemented with BIM in the coming years. This decision affects dramatically the design phase of healthcare facilities as by 2016, BIM is mandatory in the implementation of the design process. Moreover, The UK Construction Strategy plan does not offer for investigating the multidisciplinary design space of possible solutions. The uncertainty that impacts on healthcare (demographic trends, changing patterns of disease, technological advances and clinical knowledge) has led healthcare policy makers to take action to manage demand for healthcare services and the supply enabled by healthcare infrastructure. A state of the art review of literature identified that healthcare facilities are not designed to be change-ready and that owners of such facilities have dynamic requirements. To future-proof healthcare facilities a design process is required to offer a collaborative, parametric lean construction practice that enables the design team to generate and analyse flexible healthcare building design spaces based on multi-stakeholder requirements. BIM and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) offer dynamic decisions early in the design process. Here, IPD, the RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2012 and the BIM Guide from the Computer Integrated Construction Research Program were used to define the exact information exchange between the parties in a BIM-based construction process for change-ready healthcare facilities. A generic process map is derived from the literature for future testing and is presented in respect to the principles and philosophies of process protocol

Design of flexible and adaptable healthcare buildings of the future: a BIM approach

The UK's Government Construction adviser announced that all the public construction will be implemented with BIM in the coming years. This decision affects dramatically the design phase of healthcare facilities as by 2016, BIM is mandatory in the implementation of the design process. Moreover, The UK Construction Strategy plan does not offer for investigating the multidisciplinary design space of possible solutions. The uncertainty that impacts on healthcare (demographic trends, changing patterns of disease, technological advances and clinical knowledge) has led healthcare policy makers to take action to manage demand for healthcare services and the supply enabled by healthcare infrastructure. A state of the art review of literature identified that healthcare facilities are not designed to be change-ready and that owners of such facilities have dynamic requirements. To future-proof healthcare facilities a design process is required to offer a collaborative, parametric lean construction practice that enables the design team to generate and analyse flexible healthcare building design spaces based on multi-stakeholder requirements. BIM and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) offer dynamic decisions early in the design process. Here, IPD, the RIBA Outline Plan of Work 2012 and the BIM Guide from the Computer Integrated Construction Research Program were used to define the exact information exchange between the parties in a BIM-based construction process for change-ready healthcare facilities. A generic process map is derived from the literature for future testing and is presented in respect to the principles and philosophies of process protocol

Industry Perceptions on Public Sector Construction Delivery Methods

The public construction sector in the United States has predominantly used the traditional delivery method, also known as design-bid-build, to obtain and deliver projects. Accurately assessing the direction of the public construction sector must include analysis of the emergence of Public-Private Partnerships (P3) and alternative delivery methods. P3 projects in the United States are relatively new, an emerging trend from the late 2000s as an innovative way to utilize private capital to finance public projects, beyond a typical bond sale. Alternative delivery methods refer to any project award or management arrangement other than the typical design-bid-build, lump sum, competitive bidding process typical of public sector construction projects. The emergence of these trends are an attempt to improve upon the traditional process of public sector construction projects by improving financing options and project delivery issues including but not limited to overall cost, time to completion, and project quality. Construction companies engaging in these types of projects assume a large amount of risk in satisfaction of their contract with the public entity. Their perspective is important to improving the process of public construction. Contractors favor design-bid-build on traditionally financed public projects, but favor Integrated Project Delivery on P3 projects

Demystifying Collaboration in BIM-Based Projects Under Design-Build Procurement

Building information modelling (BIM) tools and workflows, new procurements methods, and emerging management practices are being adopted on projects to overcome collaboration barriers and improve project performance within the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AECO) sector. Academic literature and industry reports recommend the use of collaborative procurement methods such as design and build (DB) procurement and integrated project delivery (IPD) when adopting BIM workflows. However, to date there are little operationalization and empirical evidence of the value realization potential when using BIM in conjunction to these procurement methods. This chapter draws upon five case studies of BIM-based DB projects to analyze and quantify the potential of value realization using clash detection as a use value. The results reveal potential hurdles inhibiting BIM from reaching its full potential. Accordingly, recommended changes to the current processes are suggested to facilitate BIM in enhancing value on DB projects