What are BIM Capabilities? BIM Capability Statement

What are BIM capabilities?

Building information modeling is a complicated process of generating 3D models of structures which are filled with a lot of relevant information about every single element of the project. These models are the cornerstone of BIM, and they offer a massive number of advantages to modern AEC professionals and to the construction industry as a whole.

BIM has been around for about two decades now, enough to show practically everyone in the industry how advantageous it can be in the right hands. At this point, certain levels of BIM are already mandated on a government level, making them a requirement and not a recommendation. A well-known example of this is the UK government, which has required Level 2 BIM for every public infrastructure project for several years now.

The market of BIM software is quite vast and varied, and plenty of solutions have dedicated user bases with thousands of companies. At the same time, interoperability is a significant concern for this market, since much of the software uses proprietary file formats that most competitors are not able to open or use to its fullest.

The multi-faceted nature of BIM allows it to affect every single stage of construction in different ways. This is the source of the term “BIM capabilities,” representing the range of features and functions that this approach can bring to the average AEC professional or any other participant in a construction project.

Key advantages of BIM

The issue of BIM capabilities will be explained in detail later, but first, it is important to discuss the key advantages that the implementation of BIM can provide to most users. The exact list of benefits may differ drastically depending on the area of expertise, discipline, and many other factors, but it is possible to list a few of the primary groups of advantages that are applicable to practically everyone involved:

• Improved efficiency is possible because BIM solutions are able to consolidate all project information in a single location: the BIM model. This model can be accessed by all project participants at any time, dramatically reducing the chances of miscommunication and conflicts between stakeholders.
• Simplified collaboration is facilitated by BIM’s ability to access any project information at any time. Long gone are the days of drawn-out email chains and conflicting versions of the project model. The single BIM model acts as a great middle-ground for all project participants to communicate and share information in.
• Optimized workflows also take advantage of the same feature of centralization so that plans and schedules can be calculated far closer to reality than ever before, making it significantly easier to avoid budget overruns and missed deadlines.
• Better error prevention capabilities stem from the sheer amount of information the single BIM model gathers in the same place. The accuracy and richness of such information make all of the predictive or analytical features far more accurate. Clash detection is one such feature. It is often used alongside BIM solutions, and it makes it easy to solve many problems with the structure long before the on-site construction process begins.

Primary capabilities of BIM environments

Following the same idea as with the advantages of BIM, it would be fair to mention that the actual capabilities of BIM software differ quite a lot from one software application to another. “BIM” is a very broad term that includes dozens of features and capabilities, so the software market for it is rather diverse. However, it is still possible to discern a number of primary BIM capabilities that most solutions come with by default, as presented in the list below:

Drawing and visualization

Traditional drawing using pen and paper is extremely slow, inefficient, and prone to various errors. The fact that many BIM solutions include either basic or extensive CAD capabilities makes them extremely versatile, since the software can be used to create 2D drawings and 3D models and also turn 3D models into BIM models. This method, while difficult to learn, is also significantly faster than traditional drawing and offers plenty of other advantages, such as the ability to modify specific elements without recreating the entire model from scratch.

Issue tracking and clash detection

Clash detection is an invaluable tool that can automatically detect conflicts between different objects in the same model. Most clash detection tools are deeply customizable, and there are plenty of BIM solutions that make clash detection one of their primary capabilities due to its importance. The systems can recognize three commonly accepted types of clash: “hard clashes,” “soft clashes,” and “workflow clashes.”

A hard clash occurs when two or more objects are physically located in the same space. It is the most obvious clash type. A soft clash involves extremely close proximity between two or more objects. This proximity might prevent one of the elements from being used properly after construction, such as lack of space for a control panel or a furnace when necessary. A workflow clash is more about errors that are not physical in nature, such as delivery dates not matching the rest of the project’s schedule and leaving a lot of other processes on standby.

Project management

While there are plenty of dedicated project management solutions for the construction industry specifically, a lot of BIM software also provides a number of interesting capabilities in the field, offering a number of convenient features, such as resource management via GPS tracking and IoT, a variety of automation capabilities, customizable scheduling features, and even the ability to access the model from the web or using a mobile app.

Model aggregation

A BIM solution should not only be able to incorporate information into the 3D model of a structure. It should also be capable of merging multiple models together. This process was practically impossible before (and has caused plenty of miscommunication and conflicts in different phases of project realization), but it can now be performed with relative ease by any trained professional.

If the model was originally created with the same dimensions in mind as the “primary” model, then it can be safely merged to offer more information using a single model instead of multiple ones. This is a great way to incorporate information from different specialists into a BIM model, such as electrical systems, plumbing elements, and other parts of the MEP specialization.

The ability to store practically any project information also makes it possible for a BIM model to be a centralized source of information for material prices, labor cost estimates, completion time estimates, and even notes left by specialists about specific tasks or elements.

Document management

Since BIM is as good for information storage as any cloud environment, it can also be used to store valuable documents, such as change orders, contracts, and many others. Most solutions also offer extensive filtering capabilities to simplify the process of finding necessary documents. Additionally, one single location for all documents creates an obvious and easily discoverable “paper trail” for auditing and other purposes.

Interoperability

While interoperability is a significant issue for the entire BIM industry to this day, there has been quite a lot of progress made in recent years. Open standards such as IFC and COBie are getting more and more support from software providers as time goes on, and a lot of smaller solutions start off supporting a number of popular BIM file formats for better compatibility with other solutions.

Of course, this is more about compatibility than interoperability, but it is still a viable option for BIM users who are not ready to wait until there is a commonly accepted unified BIM standard that every solution supports right out of the gate without significant feature limitations (a common complaint for the IFC file format).

BIM Capability Statement

Now that we know the primary capabilities of BIM, it is important to note that a BIM Capability Statement is not simply a collection of BIM features. It is a detailed document that showcases the entire feature set of an organization when it comes to using and implementing BIM elements.

A BIM Capability Statement is often used as a tool of information and marketing, offering AEC companies the ability to overview the entire range of capabilities when it comes to using BIM for industry-specific tasks.

An average BIM Capability Statement might look like this:

1. Company overview from the standpoint of BIM experience and capabilities

A BIM Capability Statement should begin with a comprehensive overview of the company’s history with BIM. It should be clear and concise while also offering plenty of important information and maybe highlighting unique experiences or advantages in the process.

Some of the most common talking points for this segment are the date of the company’s initial adoption of BIM and the general approach when it comes to BIM in different types of projects. Various BIM-related specializations and major milestones should also be highlighted in the highest possible position in the statement.

2. BIM software used in the company

The software the company works with should also be explained early on. Not only is it recommended to mention the primary BIM solution the company is working with, but going over supplementary software is also recommended. Collaboration software, simulation tools, custom plugins, and solutions developed in-house can be used as a great showcase of the company’s commitment to BIM.

3. Industry standards and protocols that the company follows

Standardization has been a rather serious issue for the BIM software industry for a long time, and the problem has still not been fully resolved. However, there are plenty of regulations that companies must follow to be able to both acquire clients and be allowed to operate in specific areas.

The UK is one of the first examples of this. It has introduced a mandate for Level 2 BIM across the industry, although it applies only to public infrastructure projects. A number of other countries have followed suit since then, so mentioning the national or international BIM standards your company follows is a great idea.

The same logic applies to industry-specific guidelines, as well. For example, companies that use BIM software for facility management should also follow COBie for the best possible results. It is also recommended to highlight all of the control and quality assurance processes in your BIM models, as well as internal BIM workflows or execution plans.

4. Detailed list of BIM capabilities provided

Now that you have an outline of the general BIM capabilities, it is time to list every single BIM-related feature you can offer. This list might include:

• BIM consulting
• Training with specific BIM software
• 3D modeling capabilities
• Collaborative features
• Data security capabilities
• Facility management options
• Cost estimating and scheduling, etc.

Of course, this list is far from conclusive, but it should be a clear indication of how thorough and detailed you should be at this step.

5. Capabilities of BIM team

The next logical step is to outline the experience and capabilities of the people who perform the BIM features listed above. This is where you can highlight the general expertise of the employees who work on the BIM team, including the qualifications of key personnel, relevant certifications from the BIM industry, and even the overall structure of the BIM department and its total employee count.

6. Training and development for your BIM capabilities

As a somewhat rapidly developing industry, BIM capabilities change and evolve on a regular basis. This segment should demonstrate your commitment to keeping up with the industry when it comes to development and employee training.

Internal training programs are incredibly important at this stage, but mentioning external sources of information is also a great option. Established partnerships with BIM software vendors for training purposes, mentorship programs for new team members, and active participation in conferences or industry workshops can all be used to showcase the company’s general commitment to learning and improving capabilities in the eyes of the customer.

7. Advantages of BIM use

This section should explain your company’s value proposition in terms of BIM-centric projects. In most cases, it should revolve around the primary advantages of your company, including:

• Improved facility management capabilities
• Enhanced accuracy of clash detection and coordination
• Boosted scheduling capabilities
• Better project visualization
• Seamless stakeholder communication, and so on.

8. Data sharing and collaboration capabilities

It is important to elaborate on your data sharing and collaborative capabilities in a separate section, since communication is one of the biggest cornerstones of BIM environments. The company can go into plenty of detail when it comes to explaining its stance on collaboration, including the range of exchange protocols supported, the data formats supported for interoperability purposes, and even the cloud-based collaboration platforms that are used in communication, if there are any.

9. Success stories and case studies

A verifiable library of successful BIM implementations is one of the most significant proofs of your company’s competence, which is why it is highly recommended to spare no details when going over your success stories and case studies. Every example in this section should include:

• BIM strategies used
• Client’s challenges and the general background of the project
• The outcome of the implementation and the advantages acquired
• If possible, client testimonials on the subject

It should be noted that none of these sections are mandatory. They can all be changed and only serve to showcase what kind of information should be presented in each part of the statement. Following all of the recommendations above will allow you to create a thorough and detailed BIM Capability Statement with your technical proficiencies, detailed experience in the field, and plenty of other information, which will make it significantly easier to attract customers looking for BIM services.

Conclusion

Building information modeling is a sophisticated process with a wide range of use cases. It offers its users plenty of advantages, but it can also be rather challenging to implement for a number of reasons.

Most BIM systems have six primary capabilities: visualization, issue tracking, project management, information centralization, document management, and interoperability. Each of these capabilities plays a distinct part in the BIM management process, and they are present in the majority of the BIM software on the market.

A BIM Capability Statement, on the other hand, is a long and thorough document used in certain situations to show potential clients your (the company’s) capabilities when it comes to implementing and using BIM in the construction industry. It is an extremely valuable marketing tool that might serve as a valuable source of information for potential clients, considering how conservative and change-resistant the construction industry is.

This article offers plenty of information on the topic of BIM capabilities and BIM Capability Statements. It is our hope that the information presented in this article has been valuable to you, especially when it comes to a detailed plan of how to create a BIM Capability Statement.