Introduction
Working for Micrographics, a Gold Autodesk reseller, places me in the privileged position of having a technical overview of the general principles of BIM within the context of the Autodesk ecosystem (the uncontested global leader in BIM solutions). I am sometimes made aware of decisions exercised by the supply chain that make me question whether the owner/operator was made aware of the impact of the decision on the built asset (and their bottom line). Having compartmentalized information throughout my career (as befits my position), It is not my place to take this up with the owner/operator but rather concentrate on the technical advice and training I may offer on a consultative basis to whichever party contracts us. Every now and then I’ll air my views on the advantages of all roll players to understand their roles and responsibilities within the project. It is then that I point out that the Owner/Operator too often cede their responsibility to the supply chain, when they should be retaining their own council (BIM Advisor) to act in their interest alone. This specialist then ensures that the owner is aware of the impact of decisions (be that on the side of the supply chain or the owner/operator) without getting entangled in the nuances of the technical details.
Because buildings and infrastructure have such a long life, it serves to think of the built assets as living entities. From Strategic Definition through Preparation and Briefing, Concept Design, Spatial Coordination, Technical Design, Manufacturing and Construction, Handover, Use, and finally – Deconstruction or Demolition, the Digital Twin serves as the tool to unlock the advantages of Operations and Maintenance. This digital twin is hosted on Autodesk Tandem and is usually paired with one of two solutions for operations management: Eptura and Datum 360.
The owner/operator needs to buy into the required outcome at the very beginning. This is where the BIM Consultant plays a critical role. The capability, track record and impeachability of character will play into the trust the owner/operator places in their judgement to invest their money.
Future Resilience and Relevance
Software evolves. The format of your model today might not be available in the future. Having a behemoth like Autodesk providing the BIM authoring solutions is not a bad idea. The chances that Autodesk will be around 5 years from now are better than, perhaps, a smaller player.
Establishing the models for buildings such as Revit cloud models on the Autodesk Construction Cloud which are hosted on Amazon Web Servers affords us the same future resilience and relevance.
For South Africans, establishing our models on the European Server (as opposed to the currently available options of the USA, the EU or Australia) is a good idea (they are more conservative regarding data security than us). It is not possible to re-establish a database that was created using cloud services on a different geographic server.
Maintaining a hub with one project to host an asset that might be sold is a good idea. You stand a chance then to hand over the entire digital twin as opposed to some deconstructed deliverable. Depending on the value of the asset, the subscription is a drop in the ocean by comparison.
ISO 19650
Following the ISO 19650 standard is a great idea. Many companies are audited by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and now that the ISO 19650 BIM Standard has been established, everybody around the world is basing their designs on that. It is no longer the case that this should be a surprise.
Data Driven Design
Autodesk Dynamo can be used to query and instruct BIM models questions. These could be multiple input multiple output queries or instructions. This can include Python scripts to leverage the Revit API in case where Dynamo nodes are not available and have not yet been created in publicly available packages as custom nodes or zero touch nodes.
Autodesk Generative Design can be used to optimize the multiple input multiple output queries and instructions to generate a machine learned solution that outperforms and most probably outperforms human analysis. This is generally not an easy task and takes investment in considerable intellect to execute.
Autodesk Forma democratizes the machine learning and artificial intelligence discussed above in a user interface that interacts with the Revit model on the Autodesk construction cloud. There are various studies available to the user including: Area Analysis; Sun hours analysis; Daylight potential analysis; Wind analysis; Microclimate analysis; Rapid Operational Energy analysis (Beta); Noise analysis (Beta); Solar Energy analysis (Beta); Embodied Carbon analysis (In tech preview); Analysis Extensions (3rd Party Extensions).
Machine Learning and AI (evolution of the McCleamy Curve)
The above conversation leads to a graphical understanding of the impact and cost of technology on a BIM Project.
In this first image the clear benefit of using BIM (Revit) over traditional CAD (AutoCAD) is evident. Think of the area under the graphs as when work is done.
The other important consideration is that the owner/operator should say what they want from the project as soon as they can and then get out of the way. If they do that, they maximize not only their returns, but also those of all the stakeholders on a project. The client representative (BIM Consultant) is there to oversee the processes and ensure the client gets value for their money. These roles and responsibilities are clearly stipulated in BIM Standards and are easily employed.
Now consider the evolving impact of artificial intelligence on the McCleamy curve. With forma democratizing complex machine learning and artificial intelligence as applying to the design, this is becoming a reality. Clearly, superior solutions are attained at lower cost, but it depends on a larger initial monetary investment and decision engagement by the owner/operator.
Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable Design using Insight Carbon Analysis and Forma
While there is an increasing engagement by supply chains in the USA to report embedded carbon and avail Autodesk of the data, that is not yet a reality in South Africa. That said, if compensation is made for misalignments between the regions, the USA could be used as guidance in this respect, and possibly in developing the respective supply chains. However, we know that climate and weather do impact building styles, so careful consideration must be given to analytic results for embedded carbon. The same could potentially be done for embedded water, but this is not yet a reality on the global stage. If I were to future-proof my designs (especially when contracted by clients around the world) I would seriously consider that there might be embedded carbon taxes and embedded water taxes to come. These might be employed in the form of trade tariffs or according to some other mechanism.
Reality Capture for As-Built Clash Detection
Point clouds can now be transformed into mesh files and classified according to the user specified layers. These can then be exported from ReCap Pro to a variety of formats, including Autodesk Navisworks (NWC and NWD) and which can be clash detected with models. This would be relevant in many scenarios. In buildings, for as-built models that need to be evaluated for accuracy and whether redesigning is necessary. In mining, for clash detecting mining shafts with equipment.
Conclusion
If you are an owner/operator, follow best international practice as much as you can within the South African environment. Employ BIM Consultants to look after your interests according to the ISO 19650 standard. Contact Micrographics if you need further guidance.
If you need help adopting the AEC Collection or the Autodesk Construction Cloud in your practice or if you are looking to invest in hardware, please contact Micrographics so that we may be of assistance.
Still looking for answers? Start a discussion with other professionals in your industry!
