1. BIM for Construction
A BIM expert and friend of mine, (let’s call him Bob) leads the Virtual Design &
Construction (VDC) initiatives at a Midwest Mechanical Contracting company. Bob tells me
that less than 30% of the time spent in typical construction is spent on wrench turning or
hammer swinging. I trust Bob’s opinion, which is based on over 10 years of commercial
construction project management, followed by 10 years of using 3D tools and techniques in
the office, on the shop-floor and in the field.
Bob likes to talk about the obvious areas where he sees time wasted, including:
 Drawing Interpretation, Planning, Coordination and Layout
 Material Ordering and Handling
 Design / Conflict Resolution
 Looking up and scratching one’s head
Bob goes on to explain how his company is NOT typical because of their commitment to
BIM and VDC. He explains how his company builds a fully constructible “virtual model”
which becomes the centerpiece of all project pre-planning. This approach leads to
opportunities for higher quality, increased productivity, lower costs, reduced risk and
improved safety.
Bob and his company have become experts at the basics of BIM, such as clash detection and
improved coordination; and they have pushed themselves to do more with BIM than the
basics. They are connecting their BIM information to the field by downloading data directly
to their Robotic Laser Total Station. They are extracting quantity information from their
BIM model, automating many of the tedious estimating tasks resulting in a more accurate
buy-out phase. And perhaps most interesting to Bob, his company is generating spool
drawings and driving factory-floor automation from their fabrication quality BIM models.
Bob is lucky to work in an environment where technology has been embraced, and
continuous improvement is a key part of the company’s philosophy. This culture is more
than bragging rights about “being on the cutting edge”; this culture is based on delivering
higher quality at a lower cost with less waste and less on-site man-hours. Bob has helped
his company adopt this approach because together, they recognized BIM and VDC would
allow them to become more competitive, gain efficiencies, increase profits and acquire
repeat business.
While I myself don’t run or manage a construction company, I know if I did I would want
my company to be like Bob’s company, and I would be on the lookout for someone like Bob
to join my team.
Marc Goldman
Director of Strategy
BIM & Virtual Design&Construction
office: 303-482-2629
mobile: 303-842-1877
mail: mgoldman@mail.thebluebook.com

2. BIM for Construction