A bright future with BIM
The concept of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has existed since the 1960s, but only now is the concept beginning to make a tangible impact on the way buildings are designed and constructed. Pete Mills of Bosch Commercial & Industrial, offers a manufacturer’s view of our BIM journey to date and how the concept could impact on the future of the building-services sector.
One of the best descriptions of BIM I’ve heard to date is that it is a large thing which lots of different people have a small contribution towards. While the term may be relatively abstract, what it illustrates is that BIM will mean something a little different to us depending on what our perspective is.
As a manufacturer, our primary concern is how we ensure our data is transferred into the model correctly and how this information is presented to those who need to use it. I am sure that for many manufacturers, BIM has been viewed as both a concern and an opportunity for some time.
Our particular journey on the pathway to BIM started some three years ago and merely involved looking into the possibilities and standards available. Like many, one of our main concerns was the availability of a standard format for presenting data and making sure our investment in BIM was not wasted. It was very clear from our early involvement in workshops and working groups that, like any responsible manufacturer, we needed to get behind our industry bodies and trade associations to support them, since only through the buy-in of all parties could we make the principle of consistent BIM modelling a reality — not to mention a success.
Our focus shifted to help support the ICOM BIM working group, which set about trying to get a clear picture of what was really required from us all. Again, this idea of your perspective of BIM being different depending on your point of view came to the fore. Advice to the industry seemed conflicting to begin with, but gradually the route became clearer. Working with ICOM and CIBSE, product data templates (PDTs) began to represent a solid foundation for how data could be presented consistently, and much of our work has been focused on generating PDTs — a representation of products right across the industry — which is no mean feat.
Most recently, PDTs have begun to be published with the intention of allowing manufacturers to produce their own product data sheets (PDS) for their individual product ranges. As those who have come across BIM up to now will know, these data sheets are now being positioned as a fundamental resource for those involved in the design, planning, and specification of new buildings.
We are reaching a point where the main demand from customers is for BIM models of a manufacturer’s products to be used within their day-to-day work on projects. With this demand comes a need for quality, and the key to producing these models is a partnership with a creator and distributor such as BIMstore, to produce models which can be relied upon consistently. In forming such a partnership, manufacturers are not only ensuring their models are produced to a high standard in the first instance, but also that they can be maintained and updated as their product, or range of products, evolves.
The models alone are not the only opportunity for manufacturers to be involved.
As the use of BIM starts to develop over time, so too will the format of the model provided. Much like the way in which a traditional site visit is used to check product suitability, space requirements, logistics and so on, BIM will give us a virtual environment in which we can make the same assessments. When this system is used effectively, the benefit will be quicker support and reduced costs for all.
Without question, it will take a cultural change to make this happen, but as confidence and familiarity starts to grow within the industry, these types of opportunities will present themselves — along with others we haven’t even yet thought of. Key to confidence, though, will be the consistency of the model data, which is why it was so important for us to focus on the standards.
Because BIM forms part of UK Government Construction Strategy, it is vital we help designers, planners and engineers embrace the technology and play our part in simplifying the commissioning process as well as the ongoing maintenance of facilities management.
As an industry we are just starting to take the first steps into what could be a true revolution in the way we work and transfer information. For sure, BIM will have to continue to evolve to suit the needs of this industry if the potential for savings is to be realised. In the meantime, it is essential that we all play our relatively small part in contributing to the bigger picture.
Pete Mills is commercial technical operations manager at Bosch Commercial & Industrial
Bosch offers a CIBSE-accredited course on the fundamentals of BIM. It is aimed at professionals — including consultants, architects, contractors and maintenance organisations — who are tasked with the design and build of physical infrastructure. Call 0300 123 0166 or e-mail training@uk.bosch.com
