The Birth of a 

Curtainwall

A Design‐Assist Case Study onBlue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island

02.10.11

Rebecca McWilliams, AIA, LEED AP Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates

The foremost expert on SMMA’s in‐house BIM team

Supports Revit projects ranging from 50,000 to 400,000 square feet. She has led the firm in implementing the Revit platform across disciplines on 21 projects, encompassing 60+ individual models.

Skilled national BIM presenter, educator,  and leader in the training, support, and technical design efforts for all projects requiring BIM–based building design.

In the past two years, has implemented Autodesk® Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, and Revit MEP, supporting over 80 architects and engineers.

Active member of: 

• BSA/AGC/ABC  IPD Committee• BSA BIM Roundtable • Boston Revit Managers – BLUR Group • Boston Revit Users Group

SMMASYMMES MAINI & McKEE ASSOCIATES

Design and planning firm with integrated engineering disciplines

Founded in 1955

180+ employees

Cambridge, MA and Providence, RI

70+ LEED Accredited ProfessionalsMarkets: advanced technology, college + university,

corporate, commercial, education

Mark Imse is a Senior Project Manager at Dimeo Construction Company, with over twenty-five years of experience in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island markets.

He is a graduate of Marquette University with a degree in Civil Engineering. Mark has managed a wide variety of projects such as: high-rise office, retail, hospitality, aviation, healthcare, educational, and pharmaceutical.

His extensive experience covers both CM-at-risk and owner representative roles. Mark was the Senior Project Manager for the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island Corporate headquarters building.

DIMEO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Builders and Construction ManagersFounded in 1930175+ employees

Offices in Boston, Providence, and New Haven22+ LEED Accredited/Trained Professionals

Serving College & University, Healthcare, Commercial, Multi-Unit Residential, Public and Private Clients

DIMEO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

• PROVIDENCE, RI• 327,000 SF• 14 STORIES (INCLUDING PENTHOUSE)

• CORPORATE HQ

BCBS OF RI

• BUILT ON EXISTING GARAGE SHARED BY 2 RESIDENCE TOWERS

• STRUCTURAL TIE‐IN TO THE GARAGE

• SHARED BUILDING SERVICES

• AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE

• CONSTRAINED SITE LOGISTICS

INTRODUCTION

BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF RI

• CITY EVENTS

TRAIN STATION

STATE HOUSE

PROVIDENCE PLACE MALL

APARTMENT COMPLEX

OFFICE

CONDO TOWERS

PROVIDENCE WATERFIRE

BIM CURTAINWALL DESIGN PROCESS• DESIGN STUDIES• COORDINATION• ANALYSIS

DESIGN PROCESS• SMMA’S 2ND BIM PROJECT• BEGAN SD 2007, COMPLETED CDs 2008 

• DESIGN ELEMENTS– ARCHITECTURAL BIM– STRUCTURAL BIM ATTEMPT

• BIM VERSUS CAD TOOLS• VISUALIZATION AND COORDINATION TOOLS

• S/M/E/P/FP 

BCBS OF RI

BCBS CURTAINWALLS• NORTH & SOUTH UNITIZED CURTAINWALLS• EAST & WEST: PRECAST PANELS & 2‐STORY STICKBUILT CURTAINWALLS

• 3 STORIES BENEATH NORTH LOGGIA ‐ STICK BUILT

CURTAINWALL GLASS• U45 • SHGC 39• LOW E• DOUBLE INSULATED

BIM CURTAINWALL DESIGN PROCESS

BIM CURTAINWALL SITE ANALYSIS

BIM FOR ANALYSIS

• SUSTAINABLE ANALYSIS

TOOLSDAYLIGHT STUDIES, GREEN ROOFADJUSTING CONCEPT FOR LEED –EAST FACADE

• PROCESSDESIGN STUDIESCOORDINATION

2007 2008 2009

J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A

Basis of Design through GMP Document Development (DD Set)

Procurement of Early Release Subcontractors (Steel, Envelope, Elevators)

Design Assist Phase

Construction Document Development

Construction

PROJECT SCHEDULE

DESIGN ASSIST: WHAT?• EARLY DESIGN INVOLVEMENT OF KEY MANUFACTURERS 

STRUCTURAL STEELELEVATORSPRECAST PANELSCURTAINWALL SYSTEMS

FITNESS CENTER WING WALLSSAILS

DESIGN ASSIST: WHY & WHEN?• IMPROVE EFFICIENCY• LONG LEAD ITEMS START SOONER

• BEGINNING IN DESIGN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CONSTRUCTION 

• BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER 2007

DESIGN ASSIST: WHO?• CORESLAB: PRECAST PANELS 

& OPENINGS• CAPCO STEEL: MODELED 

ENTIRE STRUCTURE & COORDINATED BENT PLATES ON SLAB

• MASSEY GLASS: SUBCONTRACTOR & INSTALLER GLASS & METAL PANELS

• UNITED ARCHITECTURAL METALS: CURTAINWALL MANUFACTURER DETAILED CURTAINWALL ANCHORS

• AXIS FACADES: SMMA CURTAINWALL CONSULTANT

DESIGN ASSIST: HOW• SHOP DRAWING DRIVEN PROCESS

• USED MODEL TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM AREAS

• LOGISTICS WITH BIM• NO ADVANCEMENT BEYOND ARCH SKIN MODEL

• CAD FILES, 2D, MOSTLY HAND SKETCHES AND EXCHANGES

FITNESS CENTER CURTAINWALL• UNITIZED CURTAINWALL• SMMA DELEGATED TO UNITED ARCH METALS

• TUBE STEEL WAS COVERED WITH METAL PANELS, VE’D OUT TO INTUMESCENT PAINT

• BIG CLIPS HANGING OUT IN PUBLIC HAD TO COVER THEM UP

• HIDING STEEL PROCESS

FIND PHOTO OF FINISHED FITNESS CENTER

CURTAINWALL SAILS• 2.5 STORIES ABOVE BUILDING 

• WIND ON BOTH SIDES

• ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING FOR WIND AND ROCKING

FIND PHOTO OF FINISHED FITNESS CENTER

CURTAINWALL WINGS• WING WALLS

– BIG TUBE, PENETRATION CHALLENGE

– SECOND CW SYSTEM CREATES WINGS

– HEAT TRANSFER STUDIES ON CONDENSATION FROM SMMA ENGINEERS

– BEHIND WINGS – METAL PANEL AND PRECAST COME TOGETHER, MODEL WOULD HAVE HELPED WITH UNDERSTANDING CONDITION

FIND PHOTO OF FINISHED FITNESS CENTER

FIND PHOTO OF METAL PANEL AND PRECAST BEHIND THE WINGS –CHIMNEY SPACE

EMBED GEOMETRY• DESIGN INTENT TO CONSTRUCTABILITY EARLIER THAN TYPICAL

• TOLERANCE ISSUES:  ½” ALL DIRECTIONS ACCURACY

• TRIPLE CHECKED EVERY CLIP!

EMBED GEOMETRY • SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AT FITNESS CENTER EXTENDED OFF TUBE STEEL

• V. CONC. SLAB• V. SETBACK OFF CONC CURB

ENVELOPE TRADE COORDINATION & BIM

• DIMEO & VBL MEP COORDINATION PROCESS• COMPARISON TO CAD ON CURTAINWALL

BIM CURTAINWALL CONSTRUCTION

ENVELOPE TRADE COORDINATION• PRECAST PANELS

– INSTALLATION TIME– COORDINATION OF 3 VERTICAL PLANES & TRADES

– METAL PANEL CONDITIONS

TIME LAPSE VIDEO OF BLDG

FIND FROM GAB OR MS OR TONY DIAS

CUT VIDEO TO JUST THE INSTALL OF REVERSED PANELS, TAKEOFF AND REINSTALL

ENVELOPE TRADE COORDINATIONCOMPLEX CONDITIONS:

– STEPBACKS ON SOUTH – CONCAVE/CONVEX CURVE STEPPED BACK AND WENT TO A SIMPLE CURVE AT FL 10

– NORTH WENT FROM SQUARE CW TO A RADIUS ON 11 & 12

– WOULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM BIM COORDINATION!!

CONCAVE AND RADIUS PHOTOS

• UNITIZED CURTAINWALL• FASTER TO INSTALL• ENVELOPE IS CLOSED IN AS SOON AS IT IS IN PLACE

• COORD BETWEEN STEEL TOLERANCES AND MUCH MORE EXACT CW TOLEARNCES

UNITIZED CURTAINWALL

STICK BUILT CURTAINWALL• PREFABRICATION INCREASES INSTALLATION SPEED

• QUALITY CONTROL IN THE SHOP OF PRECAST PANELS

• JUST INSTALLATION• COORDINATE OPENINGS FOR EACH WINDOW BECAUSE  PRECAST PANELS ARE SET INDIVIDUALLY

BIM CURTAINWALL CONSTRUCTION• HURRICANE IKE

– REVERSED INSULATED GLASS UNITS

– DELAYED COMPLETION A MONTH – TRYING FOR DEC, ENDED IN JAN

TIME LAPSE VIDEO OF BLDG

FIND FROM GAB OR MS OR TONY DIAS

CUT VIDEO TO JUST THE INSTALL OF REVERSED PANELS, TAKEOFF AND REINSTALL

CURTAINWALL LESSONS LEARNEDFROM UNITED ARCHITECTURAL METALS:

“The largest issue is assembling a complete building model that contains the current set of shop drawings from all trades.”

“99% of the time the architects only use the 3D BIM for their design model to illustrate design‐intent and then go back to 2D when reviewing shop drawings. [There are] still too many mistakes due to lack of coordination between trades.”

CURTAINWALL LESSONS LEARNEDFROM MASSEY GLASS:

“Because we had time due to the early buy‐out of the curtainwall design‐assist package, we could go through every condition where the curtainwall & panels interfaced with the numerous details in the design  of the building.” 

“We had good chemistry starting with the Architect. If the Architect does not buy into the design‐assist concept then it is doomed from the beginning. From the very beginning of the process we all wanted the project to succeed.”

CURTAINWALL LESSONS LEARNED

• BENEFIT FROM CURTAINWALL FABRICATION MODEL 

• IDENTIFY POTENTIAL DESIGN/ASSIST SYSTEMS EARLY IN THE PROCESS

• SEPARATE DIMENSIONED EMBED PLAN

• SUBS REALLY LIKED THE DESIGN/ASSIST PROCESS 

LESSONS LEARNEDEFFICIENCIES WHEN ALL DISCIPLINES USE BIM• TRANSLATION PROCESS• INFORMATION DELAYS

• LIVE SCHEDULES• INTELLIGENT TAKEOFFS

• ARCHITECTURE IN BIM• STRUCTURE/MEP IN CAD

BCBS STATISTICS• All 2500 anchor embeds set prior to concrete pour, 3X checked ‐ ½” tolerance. 

• 77,077 sf of panels = 1,236 individual units

• 35,000 sf of stick curtainwall

• 2,500 tons of steel• Approx 4,500 pieces of steel

BCBS AWARDS• LEED‐NC GOLD• AIA RI 2010 Design Excellence Merit Award 

• Engineering Design and Construction Magazine 2010 Design Excellence Award

• CoreNet Global New England 2010 Best New Workplace

QUESTIONS?Rebecca McWilliams - rmcwilliams@smma.comMark Imse - mimse@dimeo.com