Autodesk backs its BIM techology to make a difference

Leading engineering and entertainment software provider Autodesk last week introduced its Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology at Hanoi’s Vietconstech 2012. Phan Trung Hieu, Vietnam country manager for Autodesk, tells VIR’s Hoang Anh that the application of the intelligent model-based process for creating and managing building and infrastructure projects would be a big boost to Vietnam’s rapidly growing infrastructure and construction industry.

What are overall values of BIM and the technology benefits?

BIM helps architecture, engineering, and construction service providers apply the same approach to building and infrastructure projects. Unlike CAD, which uses software tools to generate digital 2D and/or 3D drawings, BIM facilitates a new way of working. It creates designs with intelligent objects. Regardless of how many times the design changes, or who changes it, the data remains consistent, coordinated, and more accurate across all stakeholders.

Cross-functional project teams in the building and infrastructure industries use these model-based designs as the basis for new, more efficient collaborative workflows that give all stakeholders a clearer vision of the project and increase their ability to make more informed decisions faster. Models created using software for BIM are intelligent because of the relationships and information that are automatically built into the model.

Components within the model know how to act and interact with one another. A room, for example, is more than an abstract concept. With BIM, the model is actually a complex database and the room is a database element that contains both geometric information and nongraphic data. Drawings, views, schedules, and so on are live views of the underlying building database.

If designers change a model element, the BIM software automatically coordinates the change in all views that display that element, including 2D views, such as drawings, and informational views, such as schedules because they are all views of the same underlying information.

Stanford University Center for Integrated Facilities Engineering (CIFE) published figures based on 32 major projects using BIM worldwide that indicate the technology benefits such as up to 40 per cent elimination of unbudgeted change, up to 80 per cent reduction in time taken to generate a cost estimate, cost estimation accuracy within 3 per cent, savings of up to 10 per cent of the contract value through clash detections and up to 7 per cent reduction in project time.

How has this technology been adopted in the world and in Vietnam?

Autodesk BIM technology has been used for over a decade in developed countries. For example, 121 story - Shanghai Tower, which will be the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world once it is completed in 2014 and Marriot International hotels have used Autodesk BIM.
In Vietnam, both small architectural companies and large consulting and construction companies have adopted Autodesk BIM technology in the past few years.

Some of our Vietnamese customers have successfully implemented BIM and are reaping the benefits, including time and cost savings, clash detections and reductions in change orders. These trailblazers are showing their commitment to changing working process – from upper management to designers, accelerating adoption with intensive training on BIM software, and planning for their workforces to adopt 3D models to be used across a project’s life span.

I can take BinhThienAn as a typical case to share. BinhThienAn is a key player in Vietnam’s infrastructure and construction industry and they have embraced Autodesk BIM software in building the Diamond Island project, which is expected to be a new architectural symbol of green design in Ho Chi Minh City.

What are key considerations for local players when moving to BIM?

BIM is actually a process that relies on information-rich models to help owners and architecture, engineering, and construction service providers to more efficiently plan, design, construct and manage building and infrastructure projects. Implementing BIM will impact firms’ business and processes as well as technology tool sets.

As businesses move to BIM they should be aware of how their business, processes and technology might change so they can better position themselves to reap the benefits of BIM.