BIMplementation: The here and now of putting Revit into use in your office

The new concept of Building Information Modeling has been on the street for a few years now, and specific BIM software applications such as Revit Architecture are starting to mature. While some architectural firms (and gradually some MEP and structural engineering firms) have already adopted this new platform, others are not yet on board. Some reasons for this hesitation include unfamiliarity with the actual software, fear of the large capital investment in software and newer computer hardware, reluctance to devote man-hours to training while sacrificing potential project-billable time in the process or simply a lack of conviction in the benefits of making such a move as manifested in the drawing product or against the firm’s bottom line. Firms considering making the move to BIM deserve the facts about why such a move can be beneficial, what challenges will be faced along the way, and what the recommended strategies are for reaping the benefit of increased productivity, connectivity, flexibility and an ability for clients and design team members alike to visualize and understand the building before, during and after construction.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) differs from Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CAD), in a few critical ways, which can be better explained with a bit of history in a nutshell. CAD, a software concept that has been around for over 25 years, took its early form as mainframe-based programs that were typically only available to larger firms such as SOM and HOK, who authored their own proprietary software. Over the years, the field competition for PC-based CAD systems that sprang up has narrowed down to just a few leading packages, with Autodesk’s flagship product, AutoCAD, becoming synonymous to some
users’ vocabularies with CAD itself, leading them to casually drop the “Auto” prefix from AutoCAD altogether. In different ways, these applications could be used as a versatile tool for drafting and presentation drawings, in both 2 and 3 dimensions. However, the software’s own vocabulary was limited to generic terms such as lines, polylines, polygons, figures, drawings, components, blocks, drawings and sheets. The bridge from drafting and simple modeling to architecture-specific elements was made by vertical add-on applications from 3rd party developers, such as Softdesk, an AutoCAD add-on that was later purchased by Autodesk and reformulated as Architectural Desktop.

True BIM packages started to sprout up in the mid to late 90’s, with Revit being hatched in 1997. In 2002, Autodesk purchased Revit, and has continued its development to this day. The primary difference in BIM from architectural CAD add-ons is that the former is built as a single complete 3D graphic and non-graphic database of information about a building project, while the latter is a disparate collection of links between 2D and 3D drawings that approximate such an accomplishment. Initially, the appeal of a
package like Autodesk’s Architectural Desktop (now AutoCAD Architecture 2009) was that established AutoCAD users hoped to more readily adapt to the additional tier of toolbars and procedures added on top of the familiar AutoCAD interface. However, to achieve the true level of automatic coordination and elimination of duplicate processes that make up creating a design and set of documents for a building, BIM provides a robust all-in-one tool that can achieve results productively.

What are some of the real reasons for your firm to adopt this new technology? First, the 3D model becomes not just an end all product for client presentations. Think of it instead as a tool for the entire design team to use in developing and understanding the design, and constructing a coordinated set of detailed documents. The benefits of having an up-to-date model to use in generating perspectives, renderings, and walk-throughs for the client really just come along for the ride. Second, this tool inherently produces fully coordinated drawings and schedules as you go. No more filling in or cross-checking detail references, enlargement bubbles or schedule entries at the end of the entire process. Third, Revit allows for a much smoother transition between design phases – schematics, design development, construction documents and contract administration. No longer do you have a set of drawings that have to be re-created, scrapped or reworked. The building model can be built and refined as you go, inserting generic placeholding elements early on, then constructing and swapping in more detailed and specific building elements as the game progresses. Ultimately, your firm recognizes increased productivity, effectiveness, and quicker and more complete cross-discipline coordination. Additional benefits beginning to surface include facilitation of sustainable design tracking, code review and specifications coordination, as well as direct and accurate input for material takeoffs and cost calculations.

What are some of the challenges that your firm will face in moving to the use of BIM? Management and project staffing strategies must take this shift into account. Project managers must not only understand the basics of using Revit, but more importantly, must have a keen insight into the workflow that BIM facilitates. This tends to make the process more front-loaded, especially in building existing conditions for renovation and addition projects. Content can take time to build, but it can then proliferate the model, while sheets can materialize quickly. Project Architects must be productive users, and architectural team staffers must become more knowledgeable about architectural issues, as they play a major role in “constructing” the Building Information Model. Despite the fact that there needs to be a Project BIM Leader and an office BIM Coordinator, professional job roles will gradually converge, as mentoring occurs in both directions in the form of architectural knowledge and computer expertise.

Another more obvious challenge involves the capital investments required for many firms to make the move to BIM. Since Revit does more of the work for you, it is leveraging more of the raw power of your computer hardware. Fully-equipped workstations and laptops will not come cheaply, but ultimately save man-hours a few seconds at a time. The money spent on software licenses must be measured against the larger chunks of time saved in operations as complex as assembling a series of drawing-laden sheets, made impressively simple through the tools built into Revit. After spending this measure of money on hardware and software, it only makes sense that training must be given its due in the budget. While in some cases book, DVD or online tutorials can be helpful, don’t underestimate the return on investment that can be reaped from in-person training by an expert. Classroom or custom training classes from Hagerman & Company pay back with immediate time saved from hours of isolated study and experimentation. Individual learning styles should be considered, but above all, a training strategy should take into account a ramped-up process to bring the office from zero to total, which will not happen overnight. A pilot project should be initiated as soon as possible after training occurs, and as follow-up training is scheduled, users should not be left to lose their new skills before being given a chance to apply them to an active project promptly.

Perhaps the most complex challenge to be met is the library of component families needed to populate building elements in Revit projects. Unfortunately, the feature-rich releases of Revit that more than justify the yearly subscription are not matched in the level of consistency and completeness of the content provided with those new releases. Some third-party sources are making content libraries available, but the burden still rests primarily on each firm to scrounge, adapt and build the content it needs to flesh out the type of elements appropriate for its projects. The more mileage that a firm puts on Revit, the more complete, consistent and constructive its library will become. When that happens, BIM will truly be an unstoppable tool for the architecture, engineering and construction industry.