IFC-Based BIM: The Technology and Impacts Francois Grobler The Workplace Network 2005 Workshop Washington, DC 12 May 2005

Overview Fuel for your discussion on technology/human assets IFC-interoperable BIM Why BIM? Is there a problem? What is BIM? What is IFC? Thoughts on how BIM will affect the way you do business News at IAI around the world 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

What is the problem? Concept Design Detail Design Manufacture Construction O&M, FM Disconnected Processes > Profit driven sub-optimization Data, opportunity and creativity loss Time delay & errors in re-entering data Higher costs, lower quality, higher risk 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI Adapted from IFC-mBomb Project

“Think Value, not first cost” Facility owners can no longer afford to pay for optimization of individual processes … for the profit-driven benefit of the individual process participant) in the facility life-cycle. Owners demand optimization over the facility lifecycle, and should be willing to pay up-front to achieve the greater benefits/value 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Open Standard BIM Facility Life-cycle Value Flow Customer’s 250+ Fac. O&M Construction Design/Eng Development Business 250+ 200 5 Rational decisions across life cycle: IFC-based BIM Open Standard BIM 1 0.1 ? From presentation by Nick Terry, Chairman of Building Design Partners (Large design firm in the U.K.) ? 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Why BIM? Why open standard? Owners are beginning to: Rebel against being held captive by software vendors Understand the value of their data Realize that they are paying for the sub-optimization in industry stove pipes Understand the value of customer/occupant satisfaction Looking for more certainty (less risk & errors) in the construction lifecycle CURT wants to build virtually, test and perfect before physically building BIM is a repository for shared information 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Information sharing Point-to-point doesn’t work Civil Engineer Point-to-point doesn’t work Architect HVAC Life cycle Interoperability: Building Information Model “Official project/facility data” in one virtual place on internet, over life-cycle Building Owner Structural Engineer Facilities Manager Lighting Designer Construction Manager Energy, Env., Sustainability Commissioning Construction Contract Project Feasi- bility & Funding Portfolio & Asset Management Master planning Project Program Design & Constr. Documents Building Information Model (BIM) Repair & Refurbish Operations & Maintenance FM & Space 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Shared Information Life cycle Interoperability Building Information Model Energy, Env., Sustainability Commissioning Construction Contract Project Feasi- bility & Funding Portfolio & Asset Management Master planning Project Program Design & Constr. Documents Building Information Model (BIM) Repair & Refurbish Operations & Maintenance FM & Space 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Promises of IFC-BIM Facility owner owns and controls their valuable data; up-to-date, accurate, accessible Software is interchangeable; users in charge! Opportunities for process improvement for all participants Ability to gauge decisions in a life-cycle context Ability to do it virtually before you do it in reality Opportunity to integrate sensing and control with condition, operational information Evolving building brain -> “smart”, self-aware facilities 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) - “Virtual Building Pieces” Scale sensitive plan symbols Parametric 3D information Sectional information Also non-tangible information Manufacturers Specifications, Finish, Price Parametric Elevation information 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Object-oriented Modeling Building_part Spaces 4 2 6 frame Window_frame Door Window 7 glass S[1:?] Glass door windows S[0:?] relating 9 8 Room_id 3 identification Room_connection Room related International Open Standard = IFC model 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Generating information views from IFC-BIM Cost view Schedule 3-D CAD 2-D CAD Generate views Building_part Door 2 Window 6 Room 8 Room_connection 9 door relating related IFC BIM 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

IFC Model Server provides Versioning capability As-Required As-Designed As-Planned As-Built Courtesy John Mitchell As-Maintained 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

What is the impact of BIM? One trial project conclusions: Building owner may take ownership of decisions and all information in building life cycle. Neutral standard provides low friction information logistics. Higher information quality, lower risk Increase of reuse of information Increase in competitive edge - locally & internationally Better decisions through changes Courtesy John Mitchell 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

How will this technology Impact Real Estate & FM? Enable rational life-cycle value optimization of facilities – help improve standard of living Support seamless exchange between IFC-BIM and GIS (geospatial, GPS, RFID) Land use planning, master planning, environmental, security, etc. Better planning, reporting, management Empower workforce, increase span of control Enable improved business processes Spawn innovation Will lower cost and increase quality of facilities 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

What should facility owners do? Owners must demand IFC-BIM – it will not happen by itself – not quickly Chicken and Egg problem with software must be addressed Take leadership in changing the way industry does business – owners have most to benefit Create environment for less litigation, better teams Innovate in contracting/business procedures Help create training networks to ensure competent employee/consultant/contractor pool Support “smartBuilding” and branding of quality, IFC-BIM based facilities Facilitate creation/development of needed data and information infrastructure 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

News at IAI around the world Recent CHAPTERS: IBERIAN ITALIAN Forming CHAPTER No. 12 CHINA 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

Thank you Questions?

What is BIM? -- BIM Defined “A computable representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility and its related project/life-cycle information using open industry standards to inform business decision-making for realizing better value. BIM can integrate all the relevant aspects into a coherent organization of data that computer applications can access, modify and/or add to, if authorized to do so.”   Working definition by Facilities Information Council, 19 Nov 2004 and shared information 12 May 2005 Copyright IAI

IFC model – completeness (May 2005) (relative to capabilities used in current software) Architecture Building Services Electrical Eng. Structural Eng. Code Checking Construction Mgmt Facilities Mgmt Libraries Drafting GIS 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 12 May 2005 IFC1.5 Copyright IAI IFC2.0 IFC2x IFC2x2 IFC2x3