Building Information Modeling (BIM) Primer. Report 1: Facility Life-Cycle Process and Technology Innovation

The architecture, engineering, and construction industries are pursuing process and technological innovations to save time and money and to enhance the quality of projects through the design, construction, and handover phases. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a new technology designed to improve this process. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is making an effort to implement BIM. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New York District (CENAN), requested assistance from the CAD/BIM Technology Center at ERDC s Information Technology Laboratory, Vicksburg, Mississippi, to research the benefits of BIM throughout the life-cycle process with the aim of improving the quality of its services and provide a competitive advantage. The Asymmetric Warfare Group Complex (AWG) at Fort Meade, Maryland, served as the pilot project, depicting the BIM process during the design, construction, and handover phases. ERDC, CENAN designers, Bentley Systems, and the Fort Meade Department of Public Works (DPW) joined together to capture and deliver realtime building information. This BIM Primer report documents changes in the building process and the supplemental software required to deliver accurate record drawings and data documentation. This report covers the initial parts of the project, including research of BIM products and the design phase of the AWG endeavor. During the early stages, Fort Meade DPW personnel outlined the data required for operations and maintenance, as well as facility management software they are using and would like to use. ERDC believes that including the end user in the design phase will result in the extension of BIM benefits in the latter phases of a building s life cycle. The original document contains color images.