The new building of the Bio-Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein was one of Austria's first consistently evaluated openBIM pilot projects. It served to analyse the current possibilities of the openBIM way of working in technological, normative and legal terms. As part of the analysis, the team of the research unit Digital Building Process, in cooperation with buildingSMART Austria, examined the BIM-relevant processes in the pilot project, focusing on communication and collaboration between the project participants. On the one hand, the objectives were to document the collaboration in an openBIM project in construction practice and, on the other hand, to formulate recommendations for action for future projects.

BIM coordination model with multiple submodels

Models in the pilot project

Process flow

By analysing the data flows on the common project platform and working with the project stakeholders, the team identified the processes and the communication and presented them in process graphics. A distinction is made between the overall process, which represents the general flow of the project, and repetitive sub-processes. Due to their repeated occurrence, the sub-processes are of particular importance in the course of process optimisation. For example, at the end of each project phase, an overall coordination was carried out to ensure the quality of the models (see picture).

 

Architecture BIM planning process: schedule coordination, generate IFC file, specialist models provided, download TWP specialist models from CDE, overall coordination check

Sub-processes of BGK and BPS

Architecture BIM planning Overall coordination check: create coordination model in check software, check coordination model, create check report

Evaluation and recommendations for action

An adapted evaluation scheme for pilot projects is required to identify recommendations for action. During the transition phase from conventional 2D planning to planning with BIM, classic indicators such as costs are not necessarily target-oriented. Due to the new processes for the openBIM methodology, these are usually higher in the project team than when using familiar, well-worn processes. In the transition phase, on the other hand, the continuous use of BIM is crucial. In this way, an advanced implementation can be achieved as early as possible and the general advantages of openBIM can be exploited earlier. For this reason, the team of the research unit Digital Building Process determined indicators for the intensity of use of openBIM based on existing literature and the specifications of the pilot project.
Comparing the actual processes of the as-is process with these indicators allowed the identification of opportunities and challenges in implementing openBIM. This analysis formed the basis for formulating recommendations for action that should contribute to the rapid establishment of openBIM projects.

Publications

Bauingenieur Bd. 97 (2022), opens an external URL in a new window, Nr. 06, page 206-214:
Evaluation of openBIM projects: Indicators for the intensity of use of openBIM (pdf), opens a file in a new window

Digitalisation and standardisation of the real estate industry using BIM as an example of a new building: Bio-Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein - Final Report (pdf), opens a file in a new window in German

Digitalisation and standardisation of the real estate industry using BIM as an example of a new building: Bio-Institut der HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein - Annex: AIA & BAP (pdf), opens a file in a new window in German