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Delivering international and multi- format data and objects for all Lessons learnt from manufacturer’s BIM coalface Alex Small BIM & Digital Platforms Manager
Delivering international and multi-format data and objects for all
Lessons learnt from manufacturer’s BIM coalface
Alex SmallBIM & Digital Platforms Manager
Well… because things had to change
Why bother with BIM?
The outcomes were not ideal…
Well… because things had to change
Why bother with BIM?
Well… because things had to change
Why bother with BIM?
Errors lead to:
• Delays on site• “Bodged” jobs/”quick” fixes• Unplanned work• Panic-driven quick decisions• Cover-ups• Large snagging lists• Unhappy clients• Inefficient building performance• “The Blame Game”
• “I did what the drawings showed”• And so on and so on….
COST
TIME
H&S
IN-USE
Information lost throughout the process
Why bother with BIM?
Design phase Construction & In-Use
Level of information
Information lost at handover
Reliant on 2D drawings and specifications
Why bother with BIM?
End of a project Facilities Manager headache:
Don’t be like Dave!
Why bother with BIM?
Sensible, Modern, Digital Construction BIMX
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Hard copy of output (photographs) - archived
Stand-alone – no integration
No information passed in photo
Errors only noticed too late
Costly and time consuming to amend/redo
Usable only by person who is sent them
Limited Functionality
Digital output (images) – stored/accessible
Can integrate in multiple formats
Information can be passed with the image
Errors noticed immediately
Minimal to no cost to amend/redo
Usable by anyone who can access them
Enormous functionality
What is the key part of BIM?
Building INFORMATION Modelling
3D CAD + Data + Collaboration
(AKA Better Information Management)
“STRUCTURED” data
“STRUCTURED” data
So… what does this mean for manufacturers?
What do we need to do?
• What data do we provide?• How do we structure our data?• What standards do we follow?• Who do we talk to?And critically…• Who do we believe??!?
Lesson 1: It’s complicated!!
Varies by countryNo published CEN or ISO standards yetOther manufacturers who have been burned is a good start!
So… what does this mean for manufacturers?
BIM from manufacturer’s perspective:
3D CAD + Data + Collaboration
3D object (optional)
Structured data
Make it available
Manufacturers can provide 3D objects – has some benefits and some challenges
Product data should be
provided. At least the DOP and info
to manage the asset
Make your information
available to the market in the
format / platforms they want
Lesson 2
So… what does this mean for manufacturers?
BIM from manufacturer’s perspective:
Lesson 2: Everybody wants something different!
Everybody wants something different!
Manufacturers do not know exactly what information a client wants for their project, let alone
the format they want it in
3D objects? PDFs? IFCs?
COBie?
How much of what data?
What format?
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So… what does this mean for manufacturers?
BIM from manufacturer’s perspective:
The result of this has been:1. Manufacturers turned to BIM hosting companies to
solve their problems
2. 3D data rich objects have been generated and made available to users through these platforms
3. 3D objects are in many different formats
4. Manufacturers have to ensure they keep their objects updated (a manual task)
5. …many don’t
So… what does this mean for manufacturers?
Lesson 3
BIM hosting company 1
BIM hosting company 2
BIM hosting company 3
Revit Object
v1
ArchiCADObject
v1
IFC v1Revit
Object v2
ArchiCADObject
v2
IFC v2Revit
Object v3
ArchiCADObject
v3
IFC v3
Manufacturer’s PDSs v1
Manufacturer’s PDSs v2
Manufacturer’s PDSs v3
Users
The importance of Version Control
The “Single source of the Truth”
Lesson 3: Version control (Single source of the truth)
Key learnings:
1. Manufacturers MUST be able to easily update their product data no matter where it is stored
2. Data held inside an object cannot be updated, the object needs to be updated (this cannot be automated)
3. Data therefore needs to be split from objects
4. Manufacturers need product databases
5. Those databases should be linked (by API) to all companies that
host data at parameter level
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The importance of Version Control
The “Single source of the Truth”
The importance of Version Control
BIM hosting company 1
Revit Object
v1
ArchiCADObject v1
IFC v1
Manufacturer’s Database
Users
3D object creation tool
Data
onl
y
BIM hosting company 2
Revit Object
v2
ArchiCADObject v2
IFC v2
3D object creation tool
Data
onl
y
BIM hosting company 3
Revit Object
v3
ArchiCADObject v3
IFC v3
3D object creation tool
Data
onl
y
BIM – DNA Profiler (Web tool for product data & 3D objects)
Product Database
hEN Standards Properties
National Standards
Properties
Market Requirement
Properties
Manufacturer’s Properties
Environmental (EPD)
Properties
Other (future) Properties
hE N S tandards P roperties
N ational S tandards
P roperties
M arket R equirem ent
P roperties
M anufacturer’s P roperties
Product data
3D Object creator
Selected Data Sets Selected 3D Object Selected Data + 3D Object
hE N S tandards P roperties
N ational S tandards
P roperties
M arket R equirem ent
P roperties
M anufacturer’s P roperties
DOWNLOAD
Multiple formats Multiple formats Multiple formats
Excel.xmlPDF
COBie
2D/3D AutoCADSketchUP
JPegSolid Works
RevitArchiCAD
TeklaAllPlan
White
labelled
Plug-in
available
Don’t stop at “BIM”
Develop wider systems/tools
Lesson 4: Don’t stop at BIMDevelop a process and/or tools that
benefit your business
Tata Steel’s Data Mind Map
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Product Database
(PIM)
BIM Data
EPD Data
BES 6001 DataPricing DataCustomer
Database
Production Data
“BIG” Performance
Data
Project-specific
Database
Smart Buildings
Functional Building
Efficiency
Operational Building
Efficiency
Client Portal
E-Commerce
CRM Tools
Materials Passports
C ircular Econom y /
BAM B
Autom ated BR EEAM /
LEED
C hain of
custody schem e
E-Specification
Customer
EDIs
Embedded
Supplier
Sustainability / Circular Economy focussed
4D / 5D BIM and Digital Reach and Interlock
IoT, Sensors, BIG data, Smart Cities
Step 1: Build a product databaseStep 2: Make data available to downloadStep 3: Link database to design platformsStep 4: Everything else…
Don’t stop at “BIM”
EnablerOur data available to
specifiers/users directly in their platforms
Permanent mark (eg. QR code) on finished products
Linked databasesinternally and externally
Incorporation of sensor technology in/on our
products
How?DNA Profiler plug-in to design tools/platforms
Business units & downstream customers
applying marks
Link production, commercial databases to product database + API links externally (single
source of truth)
Work with sensor companies to develop
“smart” products
Why?
Enables all our data to be used in models (Building LCAs, assemblies, spec.
confirmation, etc)
Key enabler for circular economy (re-use), product
provenance & asset tracking
Enables a “single source of the truth” and for any
data to be utilised in models or for asset
management
Monitor in-use performance of our products & the built
environment
Data accessibility Physical to digital
Database Integration Monitoring
In development In developmentNew concept New concept
Collaboration
Let’s all work together!
Lesson 5: CollaborationManufacturers should work together
to build value for their customers
1. Produce joint configuration tools
2. Form groups to produce generative design tools (making design
of buildings using our products easier)
3. Get involved: Drive standards and influence the data journey that
affects you
4. Manufacturers need to acknowledge the drive towards
“Manufacturer-led construction” and embrace it. But they cannot
do that alone!
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Collaboration
Let’s all work together!
Think BIG
How can you influence digital construction?
Lesson 6: Think BIGHow can you help to shape digital construction?
Think BIG
Artificial Intelligence
Robotics / AutomationConnected “things”
Trust, decentralisation
