Building Information Modelling

Introduction
Design tools in the Architectural Engineering and Construction industry have improved from 2D
modelling to 3D modelling in the last decade, changing the designs and relationship between the
structural engineer and architectural designer. This paradigm shift has also changed the visualisation of
building designs (Yan and Demian, 2008).

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has emerged as a powerful technology that has greatly benefited
the construction industry, providing solutions for project delivery and making construction more
effective and productive. It integrates and collaborates with project information tools, helping industry
experts to build project data models incorporated with diversities of project-related information. This
information is then used to support the project's design, construction, and operations ( Yu, Li. and Luo,
2016). This is an improvement from the traditional 2CAD, where participants wait for each other's design
completion and data piled up before they can be exchanged with the team.

BIM is broadly defined as a collaborative platform that efficiently exchanges and shares information
among different disciplines in design, construction, and maintenance. According to ( Juszczyk, Tomana,
and Bartoszek, (2016), the "I" in BIM, which stands for "information", is the key to understanding,
implementing, and using BIM platforms.
Bui, Merschbrock, and Munkvold (2016) listed key areas where BIM is advantageous, including
scheduling, design, implementation, and facility management. BIM also helps project owners, designers,
contractors, and management teams to collaborate, visualise and manage construction work better. BIM
is implemented in construction mainly to reduce design errors.

BIM Dimensions

BIM dimensions help stakeholders understand building projects by improving the model data. They can
be utilised for specific purposes, also known as a use-case. Typical parameters are included in pre-
existing information domiciled in the BIM according to project complexity and project stage
requirement. These additions are described as BIM dimensions. Logothetis, Delinasiou, and Stylianidis
(2015) explained that BIM dimensions have evolved from the fundamental 3D BIM and 4D BIM
dimensions to the more sophisticated 5D BIM, 6D BIM, and 7D BIM dimensions that are changing the
outlook of Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry .

3rd BIM Dimension: The 3rd BIM dimension encompasses all the geographical (Geometry) dimensions of
building structures. It is the most common way of sharing information and helps stakeholders to
visualise structures of building in three dimensions of X, Y, and Z even before the start of the project. 3D
dimension streamlines communication and sharing of design expectations and helps to make it easier
for multiple teams to collaborate regardless of their area of expertise. It enhances the visualisation of
the entire project in 3D, increases the whole project's transparency from the initial stage, and reduces
issues of rework and revisions.

4th BIM Dimension: 4th BIM dimension brings time information into the project mix. The information
ranges from installation time to curation of material time or time until the project becomes operational.
The information assists project planners in creating and shaping proposals from an earlier stage in the
project. It also allows stakeholders to visualise the project at different stages of progress, positively
impacting the project's timeline and ensuring project planners see feedback and sequential coming
together of assets to resolve any issue before the project kicks off. This process creates a safer working
environment for workers at the site and enables projects to meet timelines and deadlines.

4th BIM dimension ensures better preparedness for the next steps during every construction stage,
enhances scheduling optimisation and site planning, and ensures seamless coordination among on-site
teams, architects, and contractors by enhancing sharing or related timeline expectations to avoid costly
delays

5th BIM Dimension: Cost is one of the most important aspects of any project. Therefore, stakeholders
always look at cost analysis for the entire project. 5 th BIM dimension contains information about cost
such as the cost of purchasing a component, changes in cost data over time, and extraction of accurate
cost data from the model. This cost information helps in budget tracking, cost analysis, and cost
estimation accuracy for the entire project. 5 th BIM Dimension helps in regular cost reporting and budget
management, minimising budgetary overshoots. It also presents a simplified cost and budget analysis,
predicting actual expenditure over time.

6th BIM Dimension: The 6th BIM dimension is characterised by sustainable development and energy
efficiency of a new or existing building. It looks at the environment for its ability to reproduce natural
resources, its financial opportunity in generating income and employment, and the social impact on
human well-being. Energy performance analysis in the design stage provides technical solutions to be
adopted to reduce energy consumption while improving comfort to guarantee project sustainability. 6 th
BIM dimension, in the long run, reduces energy consumption and ensures more accurate decision-
making in the area of component installations during the design process. It also provides detailed
analysis and the impact of a decision on economic and operational aspects over the entire lifecycle

7th BIM Dimension: 7th BIM Dimension deals with the management and operations of buildings by
managers and owners. It tracks crucial asset data such as building status, operation/maintenance
manuals, technical information, and warranty information that will be used at a later stage. It provides a
unique approach where everything involving facility management processes is gathered in a single point
with the building's information model. It helps to improve the quality of service delivery in the project's
lifecycle and also ensures that projects stay in the best shape from start to demolition date.

Stages of BIM implementation

The BIM stage is the minimum BIM requirement or the major milestone that must be reached by the
organisation in the implementation of the organisational BIM technologies and concepts. Succar (2010)
listed the BIM implementation stages to include pre-BIM, a fixed starting point representing industry
status before BIM implementation; BIM Stage 1, which represents the object-based modelling; BIM
Stage 2, which represents the object-based modelling model-based collaboration and BIM Stage 3 which
represents the network-based integration. Arayici, Egbu and Coates (2012) provided more details in
their evaluation of the stages of BIM implementation by including the activities to be carried out in each
stage. According to them, the steps of BIM implementation include:
Stage 1 which represents a detailed review and analysis of current practice and identification of
Efficiency gains from BIM implementation. This state contains activities such as the production of
current process flowcharts, an evaluation of overall ICT systems in the company, stakeholder review,
and analysis; identification of competitive advantages from BIM implementation; a review of BIM tools
for the company, and efficiency gains from the BIM adoption Stage.

State 2 represents the design of new business processes and technology adoption paths. Activities in this
stage include the production of detailed strategies; documentation of lean processes and procedures;
Development of the Knowledge Management system; documentation of the BIM implementation plan

Stage 3 represents the implementation & rollout of BIM. Activities in this stage include piloting BIM on
three different projects (past, current, and future), training the JMA staff and stakeholders, and devising
and improving companywide capabilities, documentation, and integration of processes and procedures.

Stage 4 represents the project review/evaluation. Activities in this stage include sustaining new products
and processing offerings.

UK processes and standards

The UK Cabinet Office published the BIM strategy in 2011, which contained the mobilisation and
implementation plans for BIM, thus empowering local government construction clients to adopt BIM
due to its data-enabled ways of working benefits. The cabinet office also expanded the country's
capabilities in BIM-enabled design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) and 'lean' construction
processes to raise the bar for process/product efficiencies and emulate the approaches used by
advanced manufacturing sectors.

A UK National BIM Framework survey showed that 39% of respondents used BM in the UK. The survey
showed that year after year, the usage of BIM in the construction industry increases. The United
Kingdom's BIM standard is domiciled in ISO 19650-4 parts 1-3, which mandates sharing project and
asset information as part of collaborative and concurrent processes. This provides the governance and
strategy for the execution of both the delivery phase and operational phase of information management.
International Standard Organisation explained further that ISO 19650-4 complements parts 1-3 & 5 by
providing the exact process and criteria for individual information exchange. The goal was to "secure the
benefits of collaborative and interoperable Building Information Modelling (BIM) and choosing 'open'
schemas and data formats and conventions while defining when alternatives may be appropriate".
ISO19650-4 applies to buildings of all sizes, irrespective of their levels of complexity, such as campuses,
infrastructure networks, individual facilities, and pieces of infrastructure.

The processes dictate that every information exchange, whether it was executed during or at the end of
a stage or event, "shall be executed as specified in ISO 19650-2 5.6 and 5.7 or ISO 19650-3 5.6 and the
associated governance arrangements."

The process steps include:

1. Production of information and mobilisation: This need states that "during operational events and
delivery stages, information providers shall produce information and develop information containers as
Work In Progress.

2. Mobilisation and testing before information exchange: According to the law, "methods and
procedures of performing an information exchange shall be tested to assure information flow, before
finalising requirements and exchanging deliverables. When mobilising, the information supplier must
assess and approve the authoring software choices (ISO 19650-2 and ISO 19650-3 5.4).

Additionally, it requires that the information provider "must select authoring software that supports: —
Import of the schemas and data formats of necessary reference information — Export of the requested
schemas and data formats" to speed up the information development process. — Interaction with any
agreed-upon problem, risk, and management tool registries. In addition, it stated that the recipients of
the information "shall take into account the need for information exchange using: — open schema and
data format standards that allow cross-party collaboration — proprietary or native data formats that do
not disadvantage any recipients of the information's immediate or future needs."

It also required the recipients of information to verify and check their selections of review and
integration software (ISO 19650-2 5.4 and ISO 19650-3 5.4) to ensure that they could handle information
exchanges properly, including: — Importing into persistent information container; — Federating using
applications to create a temporary information resource; and — Linking as information references or
semantic web linking.

Additionally, it required that the versions of open data formats and proprietary data formats to be used
be reviewed and confirmed by the information receivers and reviewers.

3. Implementation: This requires all information development and exchange activities to be carried out
in accordance with the relevant security management plan (see ISO 19650-5).

The requirement that the information provider "must generate information as a 'work in progress (using
other SHARED and PUBLISHED resources as background information). When the data is in a coherent
state, as described in ISO 19650-2 5.7; early in a delivery stage or operational event; and frequently,
when changes have been made, the information provider shall plan the exchange of information to
support collaborative working and the CDE process as described in ISO 19650-1 clause 12. They shall also
exchange the information in accordance with the agreed governance with appropriate status.

5D BIM

Despite being one of the most critical industries in the world, the construction industry has continued to
suffer from poor communication, low productivity, and time and cost overruns. To be successful,
building projects always need the collaboration of different disciplines that continuously share accurate
and real-time information among the team to overcome conflicts and keep the project on time and
within budget. The use of technology has saved the construction industry from losses, increasing the
productivity and quality of the project, Hasan and Rasheed (2019). Technology has also helped the
industry to reduce the cost of the projects and the project time. BIM contains collaborative data across
disciplines that help in project planning, designing, and management.

5D BIM, with its cost capabilities, has gained momentum in the construction industry, with leading-edge
project cost management firms deploying it for its competitive advantages, Smith, (2016).

According to Mitchell (2013), the objective of using 5D during design is to create a cost plan that
provides a transparent framework for making early cost decisions. The cost plan, Mitchell argued, must
be able to be revised and shared on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis using the current information
model. Providing a transparent framework for letting and administering construction contracts is also an
objective of the 5D BIM. Additionally, the 5D BIM creates a cost-integrated model which can be
synchronised to transfer cost replacements, base dates, and estimated running and maintenance costs.
According to Smith (2016)., The model map that designed the cost plan becomes more detailed as the
model Level of Development (LOD) progresses to become the basis for quantity take-off for letting and
tendering, the valuation of variations, change orders, and progress payments during construction and
replacement work during operation of the building.

5D BIM software

Choosing suitable BIM-oriented software for 5D cost management has revolutionised costing in the
construction industry, even though the cost of the software and proper installation has proved most
challenging for project managers. The project cost estimating process entails performing Quantity
Takeoff (QTO) and inputting the cost data into the QTO list. Tochukwu (2028)) explained that the
traditional QTO process was completed with CAD drawings which involved selecting individual elements
in CAD drawings and using the software to determine the dimensions for the take-off automatically and
inputting the quantities into the QTO. This process required that estimators must spend substantial time
generating the QTO of the entire drawing. According to Khemlani (2006), because the selecting and
measuring methods are all based on manual operations, substantial errors and omissions happen during
the QTO process.

The invention of BIM models has led to object-based model components with geometric information,
making it easier for estimators to capture the quantities of the objects in BIM and the QTO with the BIM
model in a more accurate way with fewer errors and omissions. The QTO process, which required 50%
to 80% of a cost estimator's time on a project, has been enhanced digitally with higher accuracy and less
time using the BIM process and other appropriate software tools. With bim software, model charting of
created item quantities is aligned to the cost database and later linked to BIM models or a standalone
external cost database. This allows estimators to generate more accurate and reliable building cost
estimates with minimal effort.

Primus IFC is a cost estimating software used by companies of all sizes with standard feature IFC BIM
model with an automatic update of Bill of Quantities. Noardo et al. (2019) listed other integration in
Primus IFC as Primus Take Off. The Primus IFC can only be deployed on windows platforms and cannot
be used on android, Mac, Iphones, Ipad, and other mobile platforms. The acceptable input format
includes Ifc, excel.xlsx, word.docx and primus.dcf Other features in the Primus IFC, according to Noardo
et al. include: Construction Estimating, Accounting Integration, Audit Trail, Bid Management, Billing and
Invoicing, Building Products, Database Calculators, Contract Management, Cost Database, Customer
Management, Customizable Templates, Electrical Estimating, HVAC Estimating, Historical Database, Job
Costing, Plumbing Estimating, Price/Data/Price Books, Project Management Quotes, Management
reporting/Analytics Scheduling, Subcontractor Management, Take-off, What-if, Analysis, and Job
Costing.
Primus is very cost-effective and costs a $7 monthly subscription with free trials.

Beck Technology (DProfiler). Tochukwu (2028)) distinguished Beck Technology software from others as
it gives more insight into the pre-construction data life cycle. Like Primus IFC, it is used by companies of
all sizes and also features an automatic update of the Bill of Quantities. While Primus can only be
deployed on windows platforms, Beck Technology is more versatile and can be deployed on SaaS,
iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Mac Linux. Beck input format varies a bit differently from Primus
and includes Ddb, ifc, google earth

Integrations in Beck include Contractor's Office, Google Calendar, Gusto, and Microsoft Outlook. The
pricing of Becks is $49.00 per month and is way costlier than Primus IFC. Other Product features include
Construction, Accounting Accounts, Payable Accounts, Receivable Billing & Invoicing, Budgeting &
Forecasting, Cash Management, Construction Breakdowns, General Ledger, Job Costing, Overrun
Projections, Payroll Management, Purchase Order Management, Quotes / Estimates, Construction Bid
Management, Construction CRM, Construction ERP, Construction Estimating, Construction
Management, Construction Scheduling, Contractor Management, EHS Management, Electrical
Contractor, Electrical Estimating, Home Builder, Job Costing, Plumbing Estimating, Punch List,
Remodeling Estimating, Residential Construction Estimating and Roofing.

Vico Software: This is another integrated construction management solution platform with 5D bim
integration. According to Bolpagni and Ciribini (2016) i ts input formats are different from Primus IFC and
Beck Technology as it runs on Ifc, revit, Tekla, ArchiCAD. Like Primus and Beck, it has an automated take-
off. Unlike Primus and Becks, it is also classified on the NRM classification. It also has BOQ classification
and is on the BCIS cost database like Primus and Beck.

Integrations in Vico Software include About Time, Contractor's Office, Google Calendar, Gusto,
Microsoft Outlook, Paychex Flex, PriMus TAKEOFF, and QuickBooks. It can also be deployed on
SaaS, iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, and Linux platforms. Other Product Features include
Civil Engineering, Construction Accounting, Construction Bid Management, Construction ERP,
Construction Estimating, Construction Management, Construction Scheduling, Contractor
Management, Field Service Management, Job Costing, Residential Construction Estimating,
Takeoff, and Tool Management.

Conclusion
BIM utilises digital techniques to create more energy-efficient buildings, homes, and
infrastructure, using the best practices to get the data right and secure by default, information
management. It has revolutionised information sharing in the Architecture, Engineering and
Construction industry by moving from the cumbersome data entry information management of
the 2CAD era to the sophisticated 3D,4D,5D,6 and 7D generation. BIM has also exploited
emerging digital construction and manufacturing technologies to improve building processes
and techniques. It has equally helped to secure shared information, enabling clients, design
teams, construction teams and the supply chain to work more closely together to improve
safety, quality and productivity during construction. It has also utilised real-time information to
transform the built environment's performance and social and economic infrastructure,
enabling intelligent asset management and digitalisation of existing assets and infrastructure to
predict and avoid disruption of services.
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