BIM and Green Building: a Perfect Match

By Charlie Popeck

Building information modeling and collaborative project delivery methods like CM@R can help construction teams create sustainable high-performance buildings.

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I feel like I’ve been preaching the benefits of using green building and the integrated design process with collaborative project delivery methods like construction manager at risk for years.  But now there’s a new kid on the block that has the potential to take both concepts to the next level…building information modeling, or BIM.

Project teams that have been using the CM@R delivery method for LEED projects have experienced distinct benefits of using the two in tandem; mainly lower first costs, compressed schedules, higher quality sustainable buildings that perform as they were designed to perform and...fewer change orders! When I first started getting educated about BIM a few months ago, I realized that teams using BIM were touting the same exact benefits. It only made sense to find out more about this topic that seems to be popping up in virtually every trade publication that I pick up these days, so I decided to do just that.

BIM was originally developed by Autodesk to describe “3D, object-oriented, AEC-specific CAD” and is a digital representation of the building process to facilitate exchange and interoperability of information in digital format. Although in the early phases of development, BIM offers the potential for a virtual information model to be passed from design team members (architects, surveyors, engineers) to contractors and other field personnel and then ultimately to the owner, offering each the ability to add their own expertise along the way. Changes can be precisely tracked back to a single model, resulting in greatly reduced information loss that typically occurs when new teams take ownership of a project through the various stages of design and construction.

BIM is also useful for providing a complete package of information to the building owner that is way beyond anything used in the past. For complex buildings, the information that BIM can provide could potentially save many dollars searching for information needed to make repairs or provide needed maintenance.

BIM contributes to high-performance, sustainable green buildings in many ways, as the model created with BIM greatly reduces the ambiguity between the design intent and construction reality. In addition to supporting strong teaming environments (an essential for an integrated design process), BIM can also help to accomplish many of the design concepts that earn points toward LEED project certification like simulating interior daylighting and view scenarios and helping to establish the criteria for light pollution reduction strategies.

From the contractor’s perspective, BIM provides the ability to analyze site conditions and plan ahead to facilitate movement of material and workers on the site, reducing the number of workers needed. By comparing different “what-if” scenarios regarding jobsite logistics, sequencing and hoisting requirements, detailed plans can be developed for equipment placement, moving and storage. Fewer workers and activities equal less accidents and will create a safer on-site work environment. In addition to the obvious liability reduction benefits, BIM further helps to reduce the Contractor’s liability by clearly defining liabilities like design coordination, conflicts and code compliance in the design phase-instead of during the construction phase.

The shifting of project planning and coordination to earlier in the cycle is congruent with both CM@R and green building principles and facilitates just-in-time material delivery and construction and permits more construction components and assemblies to be prefabricated off-site in a controlled environment. The reduction or elimination of re-work caused by site conditions and field interferences will reduce callbacks and warranty costs.

Another sustainable benefit of BIM is the reduction of waste generated onsite due to off-site fabrication. Jobsite waste is virtually eliminated when prefabricated components are incorporated, which could lead to more points earned towards LEED certification under the construction waste management credits.

Being a construction person, my initial interest in the BIM/green building relationship was integration of design, construction and sustainability, but as I became more aware of the powerful capabilities of this dynamic duo my thoughts immediately turned to the real benefit; the downstream uses of the database elements built into the BIM model-namely enhanced facility management and operations. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that those most involved with BIM were also touting that using BIM creates better health and safety in projects, which is really what green building is all about.

From a facility management perspective, BIM can be used early-on to analyze energy profiles, compare material specifications and help to ensure proper and safe building operations through proper layout of MEP, fire and other building systems. Of course, these are also design benefits of BIM, but by considering how these downstream elements are affected by the “clash detection” or “conflict resolution” capabilities of BIM, proper clearances can be held between various utilities within a facility, eliminating future problems and optimizing equipment accessibility and maintenance considerations.

These benefits of BIM will boost project sustainability, energy efficiency and overall building performance.

The use of BIM and collaborative project delivery methods like CM@R is one of the best ways I’ve seen to apply integrated design and construction concepts to create of a truly sustainable high-performance building. The combination of these three technologies has the potential to deliver enormous triple bottom-line benefits for project owners in a way never seen before.

Charlie Popeck is the president of Green Ideas, specializing in helping design, construction and facility management teams to understand and implement effective sustainable construction strategies (including the LEED system) into their businesses. He can be reached at 602-512-0557 or Charlie@Egreenideas.com. 

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