This document provides guidance on developing a BIM Project Execution Plan with 4 key steps: 1) Identifying BIM uses during project phases, 2) Designing the BIM execution process with process maps, 3) Defining information exchanges to facilitate sharing, and 4) Developing infrastructure like contracts and technology. The plan helps integrate BIM into the project delivery process and provides advantages like increased design quality, prefabrication, and facility management. It should be developed early and updated regularly with stakeholder input to clearly define goals, responsibilities, and resource needs for successful BIM implementation.
1. BIM Project Execution Planning Guide-
This reading focuses on developing a project strategy for effective execution of BIM. It provides a
structured procedure for creating and implementing BIM Project Execution Plan, and includes 4 steps-
- Identifying BIM uses during project planning, design, construction and operational phases
- Designing the BIM execution process by creating process maps
- Defining the BIM deliverables to facilitate information exchanges
- Developing the infrastructure in the form of contracts, communication procedures,
technology and quality control to support the implementation of BIM
Developing such structured procedure will help in efficient implementation of BIM as it will bring
together teams and enable direct communication among them from the early stages of project. BIM
implementation on a project has many aspects to it which require detailed planning and fundamental
process modifications for the project team members to successfully achieve the value from the available
model information. If implemented properly, it provides many advantages which benefit the project not
only in construction stages like increased design quality through effective analysis cycles; greater
prefabrication due to predictable field conditions; improved field efficiency by visualizing the planned
construction schedule; increased innovation through the use of digital design applications; and many
more, but also in operation and maintenance of the constructed facility as it can be used by the facility
operator for asset management, space planning, and maintenance scheduling to improve the overall
performance of the facility or a portfolio of facilities.
BIM plan is important to integrate BIM with project delivery process as it outlines the overall vision
along with implementation details for the team to follow throughout the project. BIM plan should be
developed in early stages of the project and should be updated regularly throughout the project
duration to include the needs of various stakeholders as they arise. Doing so provides various
advantages like-
- Stakeholders clearly understand the project goals, and their responsibilities in the project
- Inputs from various disciplines can be taken to benefit the project
- Progress measurement for the project can be done relatively well
- BIM is a new technology, so having a BIM plan will also help in underlining the requirements
for additional resources, trainings etc. so the people involved in it understand this
technology, and its successful implementation can be achieved
Identify BIM Goals and Uses: One of the most important steps in the planning process is to clearly define
the potential value of BIM on the project and for project team members through defining the overall
goals for BIM implementation. Once the team has defined measurable goals, both from a project
perspective and company perspective, then the specific BIM uses on the project can be identified.
Steps-
- At first, the project team should outline project goals related as to BIM which are specific to
project at hand
o Related to general performance like less duration and cost etc.
o Related to quality like energy improvement and sustainability etc.
o Related of efficiency like prefabrication
o And more
2. - Description of BIM uses should also be made to provide an overview for team members who
don’t have prior experience in BIM
- BIM model should be designed with end in mind - the project team should first consider the
later phases of a project to understand what information will be valuable to have during
that phase, and then, move back through all of the project phases in reverse order
Design the BIM Execution Process: Once the team has identified the BIM Uses, a process mapping
procedure for planning the BIM implementation needs to be performed. Steps in creating BIM Overview
Map-
- Place potential BIM Uses into a BIM Overview Map
- Arrange BIM Uses according to project sequence in the BIM Overview Map
- Identify the responsible parties for each process
- Determine the Information Exchanges required to implement each BIM Use
Next step is creating detailed BIM Use Map for each identified BIM Use to clearly define the sequence of
the various processes to be performed within that BIM Use. It includes 3 categories of information –
Reference Information, Process Information and Information Exchange.
Various symbols have also been developed to facilitate a standard for making such plans.
Develop Information Exchanges: Once the appropriate process maps have been developed, the
information exchanges which occur between the project participants should be clearly identified. It is
important for the team members, in particular the author and receiver for each information exchange
transaction, to clearly understand the information content.
Define Supporting Infrastructure for BIM Implementation: After the BIM uses for the project have been
identified, the project process maps are customized, and the BIM deliverables are defined, the team
must develop the infrastructure needed on the project to support the planned BIM process. This will
include the definition of the delivery structure and contract language; defining the communication
procedures; defining the technology infrastructure; and identifying quality control procedures to ensure
high quality information models.
After creating the BIM plan, the next step is its implementation. Four meetings are proposed for this
- Meeting 1 to identify BIM goals and uses - discussion of the overall goals for implementing
BIM
- Meeting to Design BIM Project Execution Process
- Meeting 3 to Develop Information Exchanges and Define Supporting Infrastructure for BIM
Implementation
- Meeting 4 for Review Final BIM Project Execution Plan
Conclusions and Recommendations:-
For effective implementation of BIM, the owner play a very crucial role. Owner is the one who creates
the team for BIM, and his skill in forming a good tea, and his dedication to using BIM on his project sets
grounds for successful implementation of BIM on the project. Collaboration among different
stakeholders is also important. BIM if implemented successfully on a project provides various
advantages which range from planning and construction to operation and management during facility
management