BIM and AI: A Call for Open Discussion and Collaboration

The AECO industry is facing a new wave of technological advancements, particularly in BIM, GIS, and AI. To navigate these changes effectively, open communication and community are more crucial than ever. I recently returned to social media and was reminded of the power of connection, prompting me to reflect on the history of BIM user groups.

Early Revit users connected in online forums and later in in-person gatherings, often supported by vendors. This collaborative spirit fueled the growth and success of BIM. But as the market matured and search engines became readily available, participation in these groups waned. Now, as we face the complexities of incorporating AI, this same spirit of collaboration is needed more than ever.

How can we make informed decisions about AI without open dialogue? We need to hear from users, not just vendors. (No offense, vendors, you're doing a great job!) Whether your outlook is optimistic or cautious, sharing your experiences—successes and failures—is essential. This prevents others from repeating mistakes and sparks new ideas. We need to foster personal, local connections. If in-person meetings aren't feasible, virtual gatherings will do. But let's talk to our colleagues, contemporaries, even our competitors. Let's not repeat the mistakes of vintage CAD firms, guarding their "secret sauce."

I'm committed to contributing to this conversation by continuing to share my thoughts on BIM, GIS, and AI. I'm also reaching out to my colleagues at the South Coast Revit Users Group (SCRUG) to explore how we can revitalize local engagement. I encourage you to join local groups, participate in online discussions, and share your own experiences. Let's find out what's really going on.

#BIM #AECO #DigitalConstruction #BuildingInformationModeling #GIS #AIinConstruction #BIMCommunity #Revit

BIM is not Dying - Part 2

During my time in Qatar, I discovered Tim Urban's unique Wait But Why blog and his 2-part article on Artificial Intelligence that I recommend for everyone to view. 

"When it comes to history, we think in straight lines. It’s most intuitive for us to think linearly, when we should be thinking exponentially. In order to think about the future correctly, you need to imagine things moving at a much faster rate than they’re moving now."

Authored in 2016, The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence explores every aspect of AI, focusing on its impact and its many potential benefits and risks. ChatGPT4 and Large Language Models, which weren’t specifically envisioned then, are just one building block of the Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that is described.

Tim Urban’s ‘Wait but Why’ blog is entertaining, insightful, and inspirational. What I like to share from his AI article is the understanding of where we currently stand on the Human Progress timeline above and why we can be certain that progress will exceed our loftiest expectations.

We are experiencing this already…

On the design side, the potential uses of AI in AEC and BIM present us with an already overwhelming array of choices. There are a growing number of BIM enhancements and generative AI platforms, ensuring that agreement on a single concept is both impossible and undesirable.

The aspect of BIM in which I see amazing potential is its convergence with GIS technology and spatial data in Digital Twin platforms. The emergence of this technology returns the owner to their place as the primary beneficiary of advancements in building technology. They have always had the most to gain and suffered from upstream AEC’s inability to deliver it.

Digital Twin BIM, powered by AI, has the potential to transform how building owners operate and maintain their assets. By providing real-time insights, enabling predictive maintenance, and optimizing building performance, it will significantly enhance building value and improve the overall occupant experience.

"Using BIM within GIS, any structure can be put into a larger, real-world context allowing for deeper analysis by using GIS tools. The highly detailed information in a BIM model contributes to analysis and planning, improving decision-making processes. Combined with GIS data and its location intelligence, deeper analysis can be performed at any stage of the lifecycle, whether it is an early or fully detailed version of the given BIM model."

AI may perfect the BIM process for Design and also provide the framework for information consumption during Operations. Builders’ AI must transform design data and geometry from design to trade hierarchy. Everyone involved in the process must now be stewards for its reliability, so that the outcome desired by the owner can be achieved. There can be no substitute for this. No excuse that allows it to fail.

The pragmatic courage mentioned by Luke Johnson will be needed by BIM Managers to create and enforce the model delivery standards defined in their BIM Execution Plans, via AI or traditional means, including:

• Models must become the Designer’s primary deliverable, taking precedence over 2D drawings.
• Models must be delivered at each planned submittal, at the same time as other contract deliverables.
• A process for Concurrent Record Modeling must be created and enforced, assuring that all changes to the original design are incorporated as they are made.

Ultimately, the success of AI-powered BIM hinges on the leadership and vision of BIM Managers. They must champion the adoption of these technologies, establish clear standards for data quality and exchange, and ensure that the benefits of AI are fully realized for building owners. By embracing these challenges and driving innovation, BIM Managers can maintain their relevance and continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the built environment.

BIM is not Dying...

Two recent posts on LinkedIn have caused me to return to my blog.

Luke Johnson wrote about the changes we have all seen in the role of the BIM Manager, and the challenge presented by AI. Phil Bernstein cited a Harvard design Magazine article about overall change in the AEC industry.

As one of the dwindling numbers of BIM professionals who started their career “on the boards,” and also having some global experience, I offer these thoughts.

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I never wanted to be a BIM Manager. Never saw it coming. I am a BIM leader and champion. I have been called “guru” but will never claim to be an expert if there is something new to learn. I liked the title Provocateur, but it was taken. I settled on BIM Aficionado. There are thousands of us. Just not enough.

BIM arose out of necessity and from the desire of (mostly) architects and designers to improve drawings (collaboration) and remove errors (risk) from drawings. And to eliminate boredom, as the mindless repetition of tasks often leads to errors.

BIM did not magically appear to replace manual methods. BIM evolved.

BIM was preceded by Composite & Overlay drafting aka “Systems Drafting,” pioneered by a forgotten hero, Fred A. Stitt. 2D & 3D CAD evolved together. There were many choices for 2D drafting, and “friendly” competition among the vendors vying for a share of the growing industry. Autodesk had the best business model: free software. While Macintosh-based 3D systems sold for thousands of dollars, the entrée to CAD was significantly less expensive. And so, 3D adoption languished. 2D CAD did not eliminate hand drawing. The process was slow and painful.

A few firms adopted BIM by Executive Caveat, but for most it was a gradual process, led by a member of the design staff who somehow became engaged with the technology. Those were exciting times! BIM implementation typically began with hybrid projects. But the lack of continuity between 2D and 3D forced BIM advocates to fully commit.

The Cosmopolitan Resort + Casino was my first large Revit project (2007). And this one was by caveat. We modeled from scratch, tracking the design as it evolved. We created our own structural model for coordination purposes.

Back then, it was easy to recognize the obstacles to adoption; they were all the same: resistance to change. So, to find courage for the effort, we speculated that all resistance would be gone in a generation. These “old fogies” who couldn’t do CAD, and couldn’t even conceive of BIM, would be retired. And replaced by professionals who would be rewarded for their leadership in BIM’s adoption.

How naïve. It just didn’t happen that way.

The evolution of BIM drove the complexity of building design in a symbiotic relationship, with each feeding from the other. That complexity led to increased specialization.

Graduate architects do not aspire to become BIM Managers. They want to design. To create. The satisfaction we get from a smoothly run project (having experienced the opposite) really has no appeal. Experience builds appreciation. Even Gratitude.

When BIM finally took off, there were not enough leaders and visionaries to go around. Some of these (eventually) found permanent homes. You will find them at the largest and most innovative design firms. But even that does not guarantee consistency throughout the projects they produce.

BIM became a specialty. As many have noted, decreasing profit margins for design firms who were lucky enough to survive the economic recession and recent pandemic, have had a significant effect. When the industry began to recover from the last decade’s recession, industry partners, who originally sold hardware, software, and training, began to offer BIM Services, which could be anything BIM-related. The driver for BIM adoption changed from the intangible and unmeasurable “improvement” to the bottom line.

Many BIM service providers and BIM technology consultants have flourished! Project Management in AEC has also became a specialty, and attracted those with different skills and different goals into the mix. The anticipated increase in computing power and the decentralization to the cloud of models and data in a Common Data Environment, unheard of just a few years ago, have contributed to advancement. Any progress is good.

I know most will agree that while drawings have not been eliminated, and wasteful practices still exist, we have made substantial gains, most notably in sustainable design practices and healthier buildings.

On the design side, the potential uses of AI in AEC and BIM present us with an already overwhelming array of choices. There are a growing number of BIM enhancements and generative AI platforms, ensuring that agreement on a single concept is both impossible and undesirable.

However, I disagree that BIM is dying, nor the courage to find a better way. With the rapid development of AI BIM, we once again are all facing a common challenge. A common opportunity.

A champion must believe in his success. A leader must project the qualities of that role. Our thoughts about the future will shape our future.

(Part Two to follow)

Allen Jay Holland

Boomer Values

As noted in my previous posts, at seventy-four years old I am still professionally active. Staying engaged and involved is my defense against aging. I refuse to grow old.

I was happy to get my last role because it presented an opportunity for learning. I went from the building design side to manufacturing. That company was launched (with Venture Capital funding) by two engineering graduates who are about thirty years younger than I.

In my usual style, I poured in dozens of extra hours for the salaried position. I worked nights and weekends to meet deadlines, because that’s what Boomers do. I was recognized (verbally) for that commitment. I received compliments from the company’s clients. But it took months to secure a well-deserved salary adjustment.

My final project, a massive student housing complex at my alma mater, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, took a bizarre turn. The company's CEO, in a classic case of micromanagement, insisted I fill out a spreadsheet detailing every potential obstacle to project completion. Instead of focusing on the actual work, I was expected to anticipate and document every possible issue. This seemingly trivial task escalated into a major conflict, culminating in my abrupt termination for "lack of performance."

The irony is that the company maintained an “Unlimited PTO” policy, under which there is no accrued benefit. I took three days off in fifteen months, and anticipated receiving two weeks pay for the unused time off. Instead I received a big, fat zero.

Lesson learned, I suppose.

#workplaceethics #generationaldifferences #worklife #lifelessons

"Fortune Passes Everywhere"

Colleagues,

I am pleased and excited to announce that I have joined KDG Construction Consulting, to serve as the BIM Manager for the Landside Access Modernization Program at LAX.

[Click to View Enlarged}

I am eager to join the talented team already in place. My role includes coordinating the use of Los Angeles World Airport BIM standards for all relevant LAMP projects, and evaluating Developer/contractor submittals for compliance with those standards.

The program includes two Intermodal Transportation Facilities, a Consolidated Rental Car Facility, a new Metro station, and improvements to the existing terminal, all connected by an Automated People Mover.

http://www.connectinglax.com/solution.html

KDGConstruction Consulting is a leading provider of program, project and construction management services, serving clients in a broad range of markets throughout Southern California, including aviation, utilities, government and affordable housing. KDG is a certified Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) and a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE) in the State of California.

Allen Jay Holland

P.S. Extra Credit if you are familiar with the source of the title quote.

Revit Protocol Manual

Colleagues,

The AEC (UK) CAD Standards Initiative was formed in 2000 to improve the process of design information production, management and exchange. Initially the initiative addressed CAD layering conventions as the primary concern for users of design data. As design needs and technology has developed, the initiative has expanded to cover other aspects of design data production and information exchange.

The committee was re-formed in 2009, including new members from companies and consultancies highly experienced in BIM software and implementation, to address the growing need within the UK AEC industry for a unified, practical & pragmatic BIM standard in a design environment.

The AEC (UK) BIM Standard was released in November 2009, and this document forms part of that body of work, as a Revit-specific standard which conforms with the platform-generic BIM standard.

Copyright Notice:

It is important to note that this standard will only become truly useful if as many companies adopt it as possible. To that extent, it may be freely distributed and used in any format necessary.

~~~

My current interest in the notion of BIM Standards was engendered during my work overseas, but I also learned that there are practical limits to what can be achieved, depending on the market in which one's design practice operates, along with many other factors.

Internationally, there is a wave of interest in standardization, prompted by the 2016 UK Level 2 BIM Mandate. There is also an overlay of academic interest in BIM, which can distort its practical implementation.

I have decided to release the Revit Protocol Manual in draft form, to receive feedback from any who wish to review its content. I have updated the manual to align with recent software enhancements and adapted it to U.S. terminology. You are, of course, free to use it (or the original documents) without restriction as noted above.

Download the 2017 Revit Protocol Manual [Draft]

Allen Jay Holland

Announcing Q-BIM

 

During the past year there has been a gradual increase in the maturity of Building Information Modeling and related technologies in Qatar and the region.

Qatar is very unique in that the value of having projects delivered in BIM is widely recognized. BIM delivery is required for the 2022 FIFA World Cup venues, for the Doha Metro projects, for the developments currently underway in Lusail City and Katara, and virtually every major new project.

Where in the past the RFPs for new work included vague references such as “delivery of the project must be in BIM” we are beginning to see more explicit definitions of client and owner expectations. Not all are realistic, but many have followed the protocols defined by the American Institute of Architects (USA) or the British Standards Institute publication of PAS 1192-2 (UK).

In the UK, BIM adoption has been driven by the “2016 BIM Level 2 Mandate” which requires the technology to be used for all centrally procured public sector projects. In addition, centrally funded government departments will be required to provide “clear and complete” Employer Information Requirements with all contracts. The mandate supports the UK’s 2025 Construction Strategy, which has four main goals: a 33% reduction in the initial cost of construction; a 50% reduction in the overall time; a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; and a 50% reduction in the trade gap between total exports and total imports for construction products and materials.

In the much broader USA market, where the term ‘BIM’ was coined, several government agencies and private owners have driven development forward, and builders have recently surpassed designers and architects in the rate of BIM adoption, achieving a 70% adoption rate in 2012.

A 2014 McGraw Hill report, The Business Value of BIM for Construction Major Global Markets, reports that “BIM usage is accelerating powerfully, driven by major private and government owners who want to institutionalize its benefits of faster, more certain projects delivery, and more reliable quality and cost.” It is further reported that “three-quarters of all contractors surveyed report a positive ROI on their investment in BIM.”

BIM diffusion in Qatar, as defined by Dr. Bilal Succar on his BIM ThinkSpace blog (www.bimthinkspace.com) seems to be a blend of “Top-Down” pressure by clients and owners coupled with “Middle-Out” encouragement by global and multi-national designers and constructors. In conjunction with a recent tender for multiple stations required for the new Doha Metro system, Qatar Rail issued a comprehensive set of guidance documents that advances the requirements for BIM delivery.

Virtually every major global design and engineering consultancy is doing business in Qatar. Familiar acronyms such as AECOM, HOK, WSP and well-known brands Jacobs, Atkins, Parsons, Arup, Gensler. These firms bring their technology advocacy to the region, along with many experienced professional staff.

Reviewing Dr. Succar’s “Eight Components of Market Maturity” there appears to be improvement in the definition of objectives, in the presence of champions and drivers as well as the availability of noteworthy publications (guides, protocols and mandates). There is also some improvement in the technological infrastructure available in the MENA region. Conversely, there has been little change in the regulatory framework, or in the presence of market-wide metrics for measurement of BIM diffusion. The development of market-specific BIM object libraries is not apparent, and the availability of education and training programs is limited.

BIM User Day 5, which was held in November 2015 at Qatar University, demonstrated a significant increase in the interest and demand for BIM knowledge. The conference was attended by 263 delegates from 16 countries including the MENA region, USA, Europe and China.

Following the inaugural Future BIM Implementation conference in May of last year, the awareness of the need for common and unified effort toward BIM development and delivery was recognized. An ad hoc organization, the Qatar BIM Guidelines Focus Group, was formed, and several meetings of the group have been held. The focus group eventually was joined by Professor Nashwan Dawood and other researchers affiliated with Qatar University, and whose research into Building Information Modeling is supported by the Qatar Foundation.

The group has adopted the name “Q-BIM”. Its mission is “to promote opportunities to support, connect and grow BIM standards, through lobbying, mentoring, networking, strategic alliances, and developing and recognizing excellence in BIM.”

A constitution has been adopted by its executive committee. Our new website, Q-BIM.org, has been launched. Individual, Corporate and Group memberships will be granted to anyone who is actively involved in any aspect of Building Information Modeling in Qatar.

I encourage everyone in those categories to join Q-BIM. Please visit www.q-bim.org.

~Allen Jay Holland