3-D Design & Building Information Modeling:
How to Best Apply These Tools to Your Construction Project
At the close of the Labs21 Introductory Course held
in Bethesda, Maryland, on September 4, 2007, representatives from
Gilbane Building
Company  will
present a 30-45 minute presentation on the up-and-coming topic of
Building Information Modeling (BIM).
Three dimensional (3-D) design and BIM is being used more and more
in sophisticated building design, and is being considered more frequently
as the primary design platform for new facilities. The two tools
are often spoken about synonymously, but in fact are quite different
from one another. Computer aided 3-D design allows the owner, architect,
and builder to "see" the project from all angles. But
all the time, effort, and money spent to produce these documents
often go out the window during the shop drawing and field coordination
process if the builders are not intimately involved in helping to
shape and build the models. That is because 3-D design tells only
half the story—the other half is the input needed to get scheduling,
quantity take-offs, conflict resolutions, shop drawing, and cost
analysis integrated with the design documentation.
BIM takes 3-D design to the next logical level. That is because
BIM is not just 3-D modeling—it is a complete process that
melds the design process with the construction process to achieve
better documentation that can be used by the team to better manage
design, cost, and schedule. Done correctly, BIM involves the contractors
in the design and coordination process during the design phase,
integrates cost and schedule with the design documents, and significantly
reduces or eliminates the need for redesigning the facility during
the shop drawing and coordination phase of construction.
For a number of years, 3-D models have been built by the contractors
after two dimensional construction documents were completed, and
used to perform detailed coordination within the building. The recent
design for the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures
Center (NBACC) biosafety level-4 (BSL-4) facility was done in 3-D,
with the intent that this information could be picked up by the
contractors and used to short-cut the detailed coordination process
that they must perform. Both of these approaches have inherent pros
and cons.
This presentation will discuss lessons learned from the 3-D coordination
process used on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases and NBACC BSL-4 laboratories; the challenges faced by the
NBACC team in translating the 3-D design into field coordination
drawings; the differences between 3-D design and BIM; how to (and
how not to) apply 3-D design and BIM to your project; and the legal
and contractual hurdles that must be considered before applying
BIM.
This presentation is brought to attendees by the workshop host,
the National Institutes
of Health ;
the Labs21 workshop co-sponsor, the International
Institutes for Sustainable Laboratories ;
and Gilbane
Building Company .
Registration
To register for the Introductory Course and BIM presentation, download
and complete the registration form (2 pp, 44 KB) and fax to
(703) 373-0080. Onsite registration will be available only if space
allows. Register soon to ensure a spot in the course!
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