By Steve Rizer
There is some “exciting” news emerging that involves building information modeling (BIM) levels of development (LOD), Rebecca McWilliams, an architect with Donavan Hatem LLP, told professionals attending a webinar that WPL Publishing held last month.
One such development that McWilliams reported relates to new BIM documents from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) that are expected to build upon the organization’s E202 Building Information Modeling Protocol Exhibit. She revealed to webinar attendees that the documents are expected to be released at the next AIA Convention, which is scheduled to take place June 20-22 in Denver.
“We’re going to be seeing [AIA Document] E203 [Building Information Modeling and Digital Data Exhibit], which is an evolution of the E202, which contains more information than we’ve been seeing in the BIM Execution Plan, such as expectations for the model’s use, defining who the model manager is, and giving a checklist of expected uses,” McWilliams said. “In addition, we’re going to see [AIA Document] G201 [Project Digital Data Protocol Form], which is brand new. That contains the familiar Model Element Table … and AIA Document G202 [Project Building Information Modeling Protocol Form], which includes collaboration protocols for online sharing and some of the information that has traditionally been in the BIM Execution Plan.”
The E203, G201, and G202 digital practice documents are intended to create a project-wide process and related protocols for working with BIM and for the exchange and management of other digital data. They will also help prompt project participants to discuss and address many issues that may arise throughout a project and thereby reduce barriers that often hinder BIM adoption, according to AIA.
McWilliams also reported on a development involving BIMForum, a group that has been working to create some changes to the way LODs are defined in AIA’s E202 Building Information Modeling Protocol Exhibit. “The effort [has been] to better define LODs, but the product is turning out to be heavily narrative with graphic examples as illustrations, so you’re not just reading text describing what an LOD 300 duct would look like, but you’re actually getting a visual to show what an LOD 300 duct actually is. And much of the effort [has been] toward grouping characteristics of specific LODs so [that] the extent of the information contained in the model at a particular LOD meets the needs of the activity it is being prepared for or is likely to be used in. The first general publication of the BIMForum draft is due out in the next month or so, so I think [it] will actually be very helpful to see the graphic expectations for what an LOD 300 or LOD 400 really looks like.”
LODs are key to an effective BIM execution plan, McWilliams said. “What I’ve been seeing is that typically, teams are using the E202 in conjunction with their BIM execution plan setup.”
During the webinar, entitled “Facilitating the BIM Process: Contract Documents, IPD and Applying BIM in Traditional Delivery Methods,” McWilliams, Carl Roberts of Ballard Spahr LLP, Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Leah Rochwarg, and Morris Architects’ Christof Spieler addressed a target audience of owners, contractors, construction managers, and owner representatives seeking to gain a working knowledge of BIM and related information technologies to help their organizations begin realizing near-term and future benefits of BIM opportunities and productivity gains. The program was the last of four sessions comprising WPL’s annual “BIM Roadmap” webinar series.
The speakers additionally reported new developments involving clash detection, the sharing of models, the “big room,” contractor models, computer-driven fabrication, “BIM Wizard,” and other areas. Also provided was an introduction to BIM, BIM execution plans, and the ConsensusDocs 301 BIM Addendum.
To purchase a recording of the “Facilitating the BIM Process” webinar session or the entire BIM Roadmap series, click here: http://constructionpronet.com/Products/1067.aspx.
