Digital Modelling Guidelines Review

Review of the National Guidelines for Digital Modelling

The intention of the Guidelines is to initiate discussion and involvement across the Australian construction industry on the collaborative use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in order to encourage the development and adoption of common national standards of practice. The emphasis is less on the technological aspects of collaborative working methods and more on process and policy issues that can help realise its full potential.

 There is a wealth of information available on BIM in general, but the key thing the Guidelines do is bring together material most relevant to stakeholders wanting to know its likely impact on their professions and how to go about effectively incorporating it into their work practices.

In addition to the information content, one of the most valuable aspects of the Guidelines is that they offer a framework and common language to assist those collaborating on a digitally modelled project to formulate their needs and expectations and effectively communicate them to others. When practices are in the early stages of development and a community of practice is not well established, the absence of even rudimentary common points of reference inevitably increases the chances of people talking at cross-purposes. The implications of ineffective communication are not just technical – they impact on the formulation of scopes of works, project planning, resource allocation, fee proposals, contracts and legal liabilities.

The Guidelines are accompanied by a Case Studies document which features six recent projects employing collaborative digital modelling practices. Each project is illustrated with drawings and photographs. Aspects of the projects covered include the project brief, stakeholder perspectives, reasons for adopting BIM techniques, details of the applications used, modelling practices (data levels, etc), workflow summaries, collaboration processes, training requirements, problems encountered and solutions employed, and an assessment of BIM’s contribution to the project. The Case Studies complement the Guidelines by illustrating the difficulties, challenges and advantages of these new working methods encountered on real projects by local practitioners.

Overall, the depth of coverage seems appropriate to the stated intention of the Guidelines. There is sufficient material of substance to form the basis of a dialogue on BIM leading to the development of national standards, but it is not so resolved to pre-determine solutions. The Guidelines have been developed to the level of detail one might reasonably expect, given the embryonic nature of model-based practices.

The first sections of the Guidelines provide a good overview for readers new to the subject including the types and uses of models. They introduce key concepts such as model quality, model development phases and object data levels which are explored in more detail in later sections. Reference lists of books, articles and web-based resources offer direction to those who want to expand their knowledge further.

Of particular interest to people making executive level strategic decisions – client bodies, industry organisations and practice managers – will be sections on the range of BIM implementation options available, the challenges associated with the wider adoption of BIM and emerging developments in BIM.

The remaining sections will probably be of most interest to project team leaders, BIM/CAD managers and digital modellers. They offer tips on modelling techniques, including what to (and not to) model, the appropriate amount of data to incorporate in the model at various stages of the project, and when to stop modelling. Advice is given on setting up project models and establishing protocols for team members, plus directions on the practical implementation of BIM including recommended workflows and checklists of what should be considered during the modelling process. Individually tailored checklists are provided for architects, structural engineers, services engineers, quantity surveyors, builders and facility managers at each stage of the project. They consist of instructions about what should be done by who, and when.

 Most of the tips outline general principles that should be applied rather than detailed step-by-step instructions for any given task. The Case Studies provide practical examples of how these principles can be applied to real projects. Together, both documents help address a significant gap in locally relevant information, and represent a valuable and useful resource for practitioners moving towards a broader adoption of modelling based processes.

The Guidelines and Case Studies can be downloaded free at http://buildingsmart.org.au/

Printed copies can be ordered by contacting Construction Innovation at enquiries@construction-innovation.info

Feedback on the Guidelines and Case Studies can be sent to Scott Beasley at sfbeaz@gmail.com

16 Mar 2010