In the article “3D building models help bring sustainability
into construction”, (Jenkins, 2015) discusses the effectiveness of building
information modelling (BIM) as well as the challenges faced when implementing
it. The introduction of BIM has revolutionized the building construction
industry. According to Monswhite (as quoted in Jenkins, 2015), the
change of use from two to three-dimensional design with BIM allows the industry
to reduce construction cost and optimise space management. While BIM boast of its
advantages, Jenkins asserts that BIM is yet to be widely accepted in the
building construction industry. This is supported by Charlton, chief of
consultancy Space Group, who argues that majority of the key players in the
project lack of collaboration and refuse to embrace
change, preferring to stick to conventional methods. In addition,
Smithson, Coventry’s University sustainability director, states that these key
players are unwilling to even give BIM a try. Therefore, Smithson and her team
are operating an immersive simulation centre to showcase the benefits of BIM to
industry professionals to convince them to implement BIM. However, if
BIM is really the key to revolutionizing the build construction
industry, there must be deeper concerns halting professionals to implement
it in their work of practice.
One main reason is due to the hefty price of BIM. This is
supported by Than, Singapore-listed Lian Beng Group
construction director who stated in an article that it is a challenge for
everyone to implement BIM in their practice as it is
expensive. It is true indeed as according to the Autodesk official
website, the software itself costs a few thousand dollars, exclusive of the hardware cost
and training fee. In Singapore, the government highly encourages the
usage of BIM in projects. To show their support, the BIM fund was launched
to help defray some of the incurred fees. However, according to the
Build Construction Authority (2017), getting subsidized is not
as straightforward as there are several requirements to be met before funding
can be approved and received.
Apart from the
heavy financial burdens, another concern would be that in
order for BIM to be implemented, the work process need to be changed
as well. This is because BIM requires the collaborative work of
all the various departments. In conventional practice, each department
would just have to focus on submitting their own plans. With BIM, the various
departments need to interact and develop the collaborative model
together. In this case, the role of the project coordinator becomes
chiefly critical to ensure that the various departments get the same
information to avoid miscommunication, which ultimately leads to the smooth progression
of the BIM project from department to department. This
may yet be another issue if the project coordinator is not
BIM-trained.
In
conclusion, although there are many concerns that are holding firms back from
implementing BIM, but the main concern still lies with the heavy price to
pay. In addition, smaller firms that are unable to afford this software are
facing more pressure with the increasing government contracts requiring BIM’s
implementation. To conclude, as the government is encouraging BIM’s
implementation, they should do a better review and inspection as to why not
everyone is using it even with the funding and incentives.
References:
Jenkins.
(2015, April 13). 3D building models help bring sustainability into
construction. Retrieved from theguardian: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/apr/13/bim-technology-design-business-sustainability-construction
Rundell,
R. (2004, December 14). Implementing BIM, Part 2: Planning for Process and
Staffing Changes. Retrieved from Cadalyst: http://www.cadalyst.com/aec/implementing-bim-part-2-planning-process-and-staffing-changes-2898
Wong
Siew Ying, N. J. (2017, June 19). The Straits Times. Retrieved from The
Straits Time: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/construction-industry-faces-tough-times
Burger,
R. (2014, August 12). How to Integrate BIM into Small Practices. Retrieved
from Capterra: https://blog.capterra.com/integrate-bim-small-practices/
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