Even when not actively involved in their project teams’ use of it, BIM accrues powerful bene¬fits to the owners. They can realize significant benefits on projects by using BIM processes and tools to streamline the delivery of higher quality and better performing buildings. BIM facilitates collaboration between project participants, reducing errors and field changes and leading to a more efficient and reliable delivery process that reduces project time and cost. Owners can use BIM model to-
1. Reduce the financial risk associated with the project
Before owners engage an architect, it is necessary to determine whether a building of a given size, quality level, and desired program can be built within a given cost and time budget. If the question ‘can a given building meet the financial requirements?’ is answered with relative certainty, owners can then proceed with the expectation that their goals are achievable. Finding out that a particular design is significantly over budget after a considerable amount of time and effort has been invested is wasteful. An approximate macro building modeled and linked to a cost database can be of tremendous value and assistance to the owner.
2. Save significant time and cost and get superior quality work on site
Conventionally, the design stage of any building project can be lengthy and complicated. Utilizing traditional CAD based workflow involving dozens of disconnected drawings can only add up to the existing complexity. Poorly coordinated drawings can cause significant site errors resulting in wastage of time and money and poor quality work eventually leading to building owner’s dissatisfaction. With BIM however it is possible to create a single building model that is simply displayed as a plan, elevation, section, schedule or 3D where a change to one view is a change to all. Views cannot get out of sync resulting in accurately coordinated drawings.
3. Achieve predictable building performance with respect to sustainability
Early evaluation of design alternatives by using analysis and simulation tools can increase overall quality of the building. For example, BIM based energy calculations and lighting design analysis can greatly improve overall building performance. Developing a schematic model prior to generating a detailed building model allows for a more careful evaluation of the proposed scheme to determine whether it meets the building’s functional and sustainable requirements.
4. Obtain reliable and accurate cost estimates
By using a building information model instead of drawings, the takeoffs, counts, and measurements can be generated directly from the underlying model. Therefore the information is always consistent with the design. And when a change is made in the design the change automatically ripples to all related construction documentation and schedules, as well as all the takeoffs, counts, and measurements. This computable information held within a building information model can be used to obtain accurate and reliable cost estimates and can help owners in providing important feedback earlier in a project when decisions will have the greatest impacts.
5. Achieve greater ROI with collaborative and integrated approach to project delivery
BIM is a collaboration tool that provides a common platform for owners, designers, contractors and consultants from which everyone can work as opposed to maintaining separate information, ideas and drawings. Because the model is a central information resource, it leads naturally to intensive communication and interdependence. With BIM based process, the owner can potentially realize a greater return on investment as a result of the improved integrated design process, optimized project results and greater efficiency for design team.
Above benefits are available to owners on almost all types of projects. Most owners that have initiated and/or participated in BIM efforts are reaping advantages in the marketplace through the delivery of higher value facilities and reduced operational costs. To reap these benefits, owners can ensure that the service provider working on their project are conversant in BIM and its related processes. At Iceboat Studio we will be happy to answer any queries you might have regarding adoption of BIM in your future projects.
In our next blog in this series we will discuss about benefits of BIM to architects.
References:
1. Chuck, E., Paul, T., Rafael, S., Kathleen, L. (2011). BIM Handbook A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. John Wiley & Son.
2. The Business Value of BIM for Owners. McGraw Hill Construction SmartMarket Reports.
3. http://images.autodesk.com/apac_grtrchina_main/files/aec_customer_story_en_v9.pdf
4. http://www.millsoakley.com.au/ipd-and-bim-a-new-dimension-to-collaboration/
5. http://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/www/solutions/bim/BIM_for_Owners.pdf