Iva Kovacic

The “BIM-sustain” experiment – simulation of BIM-supported multi-disciplinary design

BackgroundThe AEC practice using BIM technology in Central European (CE) context is still very young; the previous experiences demonstrated a number of upcoming problems with BIM implementation on technical- (heterogonous data, interfaces, large data volumes) but even more so on process-level (question of responsibilities and work-load distribution, lacking standards or conventions on building-representation and in general lack of experience and knowledge on integrated practice).The optimal data management, transfer and synchronization within inhomogeneous software context, as is often the case within inter-firm construction projects, require enormous organization, coordination and communication effort in the earliest design-phases. The BIM implementation implies therefore necessity of fundamental rethinking of the conventional design process, which in CE context is still predominantly based on sequential, segmented practice.MethodsAt the Vienna University of Technology a BIM-supported multi-disciplinary planning process with students of architecture, structural engineering and building physics, using several BIM-software tools was simulated. From the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of this BIM-supported multi-disciplinary collaboration will enable the compilation of guidelines for efficient use of BIM in design and planning process for the planners and standardization bodies.ResultsFirst insights on process-quality, such as team-, process- and technology satisfaction, as well as conflict- and stress levels will be presented in this paper. We were able to identify numerous technical problems related to the data transfer and inconsistencies in translation, which resulted in participant dissatisfaction and significant increasing of work-loads.ConclusionThe first results imply at the importance of process-organization techniques such as face-to face communication, coordination and work-load allocation between the team-members in order to conduct the efficient BIM-supported process; as well as at urgent need for advancement of the tools in terms of data transfer and exchange. In the next step, using mandatory protocols and timesheets, a detailed statistical analysis of the people-process-technology issues will be conducted, as well as comparison of „Open-Platform-BIM“ to „One-Platform-BIM” model.

Key success factors of collaborative planning processes

Building design and planning is a typical instance of coordination and collaboration processes, where experts work together in fulfilling their own distinct planning tasks that build the basis for the realization of the joint building project. Increasing requirements on building performance, like resources and energy efficiency, resulting in growing project complexity call for a holistic view of the project rather than a fragmented one, as strengths in one domain cannot easily offset weaknesses in others. Traditional sequential planning processes fall short in fulfilling this requirement. This study compares sequential and integrated building design in a large laboratory experiment with student participants. The focus of the study was to examine the impact of personality traits on team performance in different planning procedures in a building planning experiment. We identified that the success of design processes relies on both skills and the personality traits of the team members. In the integrated plan...

Designing and evaluation procedures for interdisciplinary building information modelling use—an explorative study

Building information modelling (BIM) tools are increasingly present in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. This software tool chain requires not only new knowledge on the level of technology, but also people with knowledge related to skills and re-configuration of the process. There is hope that BIM tools will increase the degree of process integration and support the multidisciplinary planning practice. In order to test this assumption and gain first insights in multidisciplinary collaborative planning process using various BIM tools, an experimental study in a university course on multidisciplinary design was carried out. The results of our analyses indicate that BIM software is perceived as highly useful but not interoperable. The lack of interoperability and resulting problems are also the main topic of focus group discussions conducted after the course. Architects are less satisfied with the interdisciplinary planning process. Early coordination, concerning organization and softw...

Designing the planning process for sustainable buildings: from experiment towards implementation

Buildings play a crucial role in the achievement of sustainability aims, due to the large energy consumption for operation and the related CO2 production rate. Generally prescriptive-normative strategies are being used for the increase of building performance in terms of energy efficiency. The focus is mainly upon the development and implementation of new technologies for energy-efficient building services and hull together with the improvement of calculation methods. Little effort has been invested into the rethinking of the design and planning process for sustainable buildings which are still planned in a traditional manner, where planning tasks are broken down into sequenced, highly specialized disciplines. The practitioners are aware of the need for a paradigm change in the planning culture and are asking for methods towards a more integrated, collaborative planning practice. We argue that for the achievement of sustainability aims more than energy-efficient technologies coupled with a prescriptive st...

Using coupled simulation for planning of energy efficient production facilities

To meet the increasing requirements of sustainable production and to assure economic competitiveness, novel strategic approaches are necessary in designing production systems and to increase energy efficiency in the manufacturing industry. Individual areas within production facilities (e.g. production system, energy system, building hull) can be analyzed individually by using simulation-based methods. In order to access additional optimization potential, it is necessary to expand the boundaries of such simulations and to consider dynamic interactions between individual optimization fields. This work presents an approach for an interdisciplinary co-simulation, in which, for an overall integrated simulation, several simulation environments are coupled that periodically exchange data quasi-parallel at runtime. This allows not only to combine different model descriptions, but also multiple calculation algorithms, each specifically tailored to the individual needs of the respective field of engineering. A case study of a metal-cutting production facility presents an application example. The goal is to provide a decision-support tool for the early planning stages of production facilities that allows making qualified predictions about the effect and financial impact of different energy saving measures.

Proof of Concept for a BIM-Based Material Passport

Building stocks and infrastructures are representing the largest material stock of industrial economies. In order to minimize the use of primary resources and the dependency on imports, “Urban Mining” strategy aims to recycle these urban stocks. For enabling of higher recycling rates detailed knowledge about the composition of building stocks in needed. Recyclability is also determined through design and is depending on constructive criteria defining accessibility and separability of building components, whereby the early design-stage plays an important role. In order to optimize the recycling potential and material composition of buildings, new design-centric tools and methods are required. The so called Material Passports represent such tools, which next to the design optimization would enable circular economy in the building industry. In this paper we will present the results of funded research project BIMaterial: Process design for BIM-based, Material passport. The main aim of this research is to create a BIM-based Material Passport for the optimization of the building design regarding resources use and documentation of materials, thereby using Building Information Modelling as knowledge base for geometry and material properties and coupling to further databases for assessment of ecologic footprint and recycling potentials. Thereby a framework for modelling and methodology for semi-automated Material Passport assessment will be proposed. As the methods and structured data that would allow an automated creation of a Material Passport are still lacking, therefore the current research has an innovative character and closes a research gap in this field.

From BIM Models to Integrated Energy Efficiency Applications for Industrial Facilities

Raised interest in efficient use of available resources in industrial facilities prompts for software-tools to predict and manage energy demand of the whole system. An integrated approach considering all energy consumption contributors, classified into building, energy system, production and logistics, is developed within the research project Balanced Manufacturing (BaMa). Thereby BIM models of industrial spaces containing valuable information are used for creating a comprehensive representation of building-related aspects in a hybrid simulation environment, able to assess manufacturing and auxiliary energy demands.For testing the applicability of this integrated hybrid approach, a prototype is developed based on an actual use case. The simplification procedure is presented and the energy performance results are compared with that of an established building energy modelling software, discussing advantages and limitations. Essential information that needs to be transferred from the BIM model is clarified and prioritised.

Experimentelle Analyse und Optimierung IT-gestützter interdisziplinärer Planungsprozesse

Die jungsten Entwicklungen in der Bauplanungs- und Bauindustrie zeichnen sich durch zunehmende Komplexitat von und steigende Anforderungen an Bauprojekte aus. Steigende Anforderungen und erhohte Komplexitat ergeben sich vor allem aus Nachhaltigkeit- und Energieeffizienzuberlegungen fur Gebaude und die erhohte Berucksichtigung der Lebenszyklusgesamtkosten von Gebauden. So lasst sich Solarenergie fur Beheizung oder Energiegewinnung beispielsweise nur bei geeigneter Ausrichtung des Gebaudes nutzen, eine Entluftung – und damit geringere Kuhlkosten – ist nur moglich wenn geeignete archetektonische Masnahmen, wie etwa ein Atrium, schon im Architekturmodel vorgesehen werden, das Verhaltnis von Gebaudeausenflache zu Gebaudevolumen das in der Architektur festgelegt wird hat, neben anderen Faktoren wie Nutzung, Oberflachenmaterialien, Isolierung, etc., betrachtliche Auswirkungen auf Temperaturaufnahme und –abgabe des Gebaudes und damit auf dessen Energieeffizienz, etc.

Development of BIM-supported integrated design processes for teaching and practice

Building Information Modelling (BIM) promises to integrate the fragmented disciplines of architecture, engineering and construction, and to optimize the life cycle performance of buildings. BIM cas...