Singular Models With Integrated Project Delivery

BIM technology has become a perceptive design process that adds worth across the entire building lifecycle. It can handle each and every aspect of the project lifecycle, right from design, documentation to manufacturing and field support. A Building Information Model (BIM) can develop a holistic 3D model to design, construct and maintain a building project. It also uses a 4D, 5D and 6D information structure, to handle the construction schedule (4D), track projects (5D), as well as facility management (6D).

Creating Digital Models

A normal workflow would include the designing of multiple models which are completed, the need of a single digital model is required for the physical representation of a building. All the elements need to be an ensemble for Integrated Project Delivery. The projects that are handed over with a classical model in terms of design-bid-build methodology require the design of multiple models, one would be for design and the other would be for construction purposes.

3D Digital Models

Integrated Project Delivery

The principal ability of Integrated Project Delivery incorporates the involvement of all the parties to address the issues between the design and the construction phase. Pre-Involvement in the Integrated Project Delivery Process can prevent the problem of miscommunication or fragmentation in the design and the construction phase. IPD has issues in terms of new contracts, but they have  not been under testing or proved as yet.

Integrated Project Delivery has its cons as well as information is flooded from many sources,  if a single model is to be created then who takes accountability if there are anomalies in the design phase, if the model is included in the contract documents then the contractor needs to perform the work that is mentioned in the model. As the process progresses, there would be changes in the model, and the contractor as well as the parties would have to act accordingly. Learn More…

Integrated Project Delivery

Risk Management in BIM construction

Design Risk Management would involve the process health and safety in construction. In accordance with CDM regulations it is preferred that drawings should be annotated for further reference and communication, as all the information is collated in one place it reduces the risks. There should be a free movement of data so that it can be incorporated in the final model. In this case the contracts need to evolve as the integrated design process evolves so that responsibility can be shared and allocated.

The concept of inter-dependency or interoperability creates a bundle of anomalies across the complete BIM process. The creation of a single model saves time, money, and creates synchronicity as well. BIM models need to be visualized and setup accurately. Design co-ordination requires sharing of information with the rest of the team and thus collaboration needs to happen in the form of CAD file formats such as DWG, DXF, and DGN,   bidirectional linking of various architectural models,etc.

Legacy platforms are inconsistent

Classical 2D or 3D drawings prove to be insufficient as they are inconsistent and they do not include critical issues such as contract documents, bids, bill of material, timelines, installations, and a plethora of other important information. The thought process behind BIM is changing from efficient collaboration between architects, engineers and managers to transcending into a brainstorming session to make the process itself faster and more effluent.

Autodesk to the rescue

An example can be taken in terms of Autodesk-One market, San Francisco California, this was a complete commercial interior renovation consisting of a time bound 22 week schedule. Autodesk used IPD as an experience to demonstrate the power of Integrated Delivery Model as well as improve their software features. Autodesk called on the owner, design consultants, general contractors, subcontractors, architects in the early stages of the design process. The risk and reward was shared by all the parties through incentive compensation, wherein cost of construction and overhead are assured to each party. A score of zero would indicate the design expectation were met, and a negative or positive number indicated a increase or decrease in the incentive to be rewarded.

In the end….

Thus, a singular model renders designers to leverage data, use parametric elements, and improve co-ordination, improved cost as well as technology analysis, various operational aspects and lots more.