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BIM in Building Lifecycle
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BIM in Building Lifecycle

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2015) | Viewed by 89996

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tanyel Bulbul

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Construction, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Interests: facility information tracking; building information modeling (BIM); ontology and object modeling; information and communication technologies in design, construction and operation of buildings

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

An information model provides the formalism and organized structure for specific domain knowledge. Building Information Modeling, or BIM, refers to the abstract representation of building related concepts, relationships, constraints and operations. Information related to the building geometry, spatial relationships, location, and quantities and properties of building components can easily be identified and traced throughout the building lifecycle. In comparison to the early Computer Aided Design tools which only keep the geometric information of points, lines, poly-lines and arches, BIM-based software is useful for identifying building components, materials, relationships, quantities, etc. This new generation of software works as a non-redundant information repository that supports a broad range of activities by the capability of producing an intelligent building description. Although the BIM concept is not new, latest advances in technology have recently made it commercially viable.

Apart from the recent proliferation of BIM and the magnitude of the impact it has on the design and construction of buildings, how BIM affects the building’s lifecycle requires serious consideration. The main benefit of using BIM is being able to capture all building related information in one model. However, this benefit is also the biggest challenge since it requires long term provisions for maintaining and updating the model. Many of the tools that used to create BIM are specifically designed to address the needs of designers, constructers and manufacturers. There is a big gap in the facility operation side for effective strategies and methods to utilize these models. Coupled with the large amounts of data produced during the operation phase from building operation systems and other special equipment housed in buildings, the ability of supporting a building’s lifecycle through BIM becomes a challenging problem.

In order to get the full scope of the role of BIM in building lifecycle, Buildings will dedicate a full issue on this topic. We invite original papers that explore the following areas, among others:

  • New methods and technologies on creating, storing and tracking lifecycle information during the design and construction phases;
  • New approaches for building handover operations including, commissioning, test/adjust/balance, submittal tracking, facility maintenance group training, etc. using BIM;
  • Updating contractual requirements and liability issues, new descriptions for level of development (LOD) and BIM manager for building operations;
  • Addressing specific challenges for specialized building types such as healthcare facilities, data centers, laboratory buildings, etc.;
  • New approaches on using BIM for reducing building operations’ carbon footprint, and providing feedback to users.

Papers will be published after acceptance following a full peer-review process.

Dr. Tanyel Bulbul
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • facility information tracking
  • building information modeling (BIM)
  • ontology and object modeling, information and communication technologies

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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1116 KiB  
Article
An Analysis of BIM Web Service Requirements and Design to Support Energy Efficient Building Lifecycle
by Yufei Jiang, Xiao Liu, Fangxiao Liu, Dinghao Wu and Chimay J. Anumba
Buildings 2016, 6(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings6020020 - 29 Apr 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 9967
Abstract
Energy Efficient Building (EEB) design, construction, and operations require the development and sharing of building information among different individuals, organizations, and computer applications. The Representational State Transfer (RESTful) Building Information Modeling (BIM) web service is a solution to enable an effective exchange of [...] Read more.
Energy Efficient Building (EEB) design, construction, and operations require the development and sharing of building information among different individuals, organizations, and computer applications. The Representational State Transfer (RESTful) Building Information Modeling (BIM) web service is a solution to enable an effective exchange of data. This paper presents an investigation into the core RESTful web service requirements needed to effectively support the EEB project lifecycle. The requirements include information exchange requirements, distributed collaboration requirements, internal data storage requirements, and partial model query requirements. We also propose a RESTful web service design model on different abstraction layers to enhance the BIM lifecycle in energy efficient building design. We have implemented a RESTful Application Program Interface (API) prototype on a mock BIMserver to demonstrate our idea. We evaluate our design by conducting a user study based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The results show that our design can enhance the efficiency of data exchange in EEB design scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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3652 KiB  
Article
Development of BIM Execution Plan for BIM Model Management during the Pre-Operation Phase: A Case Study
by Yu-Cheng Lin, Yen-Pei Chen, Wan-Ting Huang and Chia-Chun Hong
Buildings 2016, 6(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings6010008 - 17 Feb 2016
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 14402
Abstract
Building information modeling (BIM) technologies use precise geometry and relevant data to enhance and improve the maintenance performance of facilities integrated with 3D object-oriented computer aided design (CAD). Although most owners agree on the potential benefits of integrating BIM technologies with facility management [...] Read more.
Building information modeling (BIM) technologies use precise geometry and relevant data to enhance and improve the maintenance performance of facilities integrated with 3D object-oriented computer aided design (CAD). Although most owners agree on the potential benefits of integrating BIM technologies with facility management (FM), they must overcome many problems to plan and develop effective BIM execution plans for FM implementation. This study proposes and develops a BIM execution plan for BIM model management for FM during the pre-operation phase. Through the application of the proposed BIM execution plan, BIM can be effectively implemented during the operation and maintenance phases. In order to verify the proposed methodology and demonstrate its effectiveness in practice, the BIM execution plan is then applied in a selected case study of a building project in Taiwan. The combined results demonstrate that the proposed BIM execution plan is an effective approach for operation and maintenance management. The advantage of the proposed BIM execution plan lies not only in improving the efficiency of maintenance management work when integrated with BIM technologies, but also in maximizing the value and benefits of BIM to support maintenance management. Finally, limitations, difficulties, and suggestions are summarized for further development of the BIM execution plan for BIM model management during the pre-operation phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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1477 KiB  
Article
Guidelines for Using Building Information Modeling for Energy Analysis of Buildings
by Thomas Reeves, Svetlana Olbina and Raja R. A. Issa
Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1361-1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041361 - 09 Dec 2015
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 13071
Abstract
Building energy modeling (BEM), a subset of building information modeling (BIM), integrates energy analysis into the design, construction, and operation and maintenance of buildings. As there are various existing BEM tools available, there is a need to evaluate the utility of these tools [...] Read more.
Building energy modeling (BEM), a subset of building information modeling (BIM), integrates energy analysis into the design, construction, and operation and maintenance of buildings. As there are various existing BEM tools available, there is a need to evaluate the utility of these tools in various phases of the building lifecycle. The goal of this research was to develop guidelines for evaluation and selection of BEM tools to be used in particular building lifecycle phases. The objectives of this research were to: (1) Evaluate existing BEM tools; (2) Illustrate the application of the three BEM tools; (3) Re-evaluate the three BEM tools; and (4) Develop guidelines for evaluation, selection and application of BEM tools in the design, construction and operation/maintenance phases of buildings. Twelve BEM tools were initially evaluated using four criteria: interoperability, usability, available inputs, and available outputs. Each of the top three BEM tools selected based on this initial evaluation was used in a case study to simulate and evaluate energy usage, daylighting performance, and natural ventilation for two academic buildings (LEED-certified and non-LEED-certified). The results of the case study were used to re-evaluate the three BEM tools using the initial criteria with addition of the two new criteria (speed and accuracy), and to develop guidelines for evaluating and selecting BEM tools to analyze building energy performance. The major contribution of this research is the development of these guidelines that can help potential BEM users to identify the most appropriate BEM tool for application in particular building lifecycle phases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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1669 KiB  
Article
BIM-Based Decision Support System for Material Selection Based on Supplier Rating
by Abiola Akanmu, Bushra Asfari and Oluwole Olatunji
Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1321-1345; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041321 - 05 Dec 2015
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7168
Abstract
Material selection is a delicate process, typically hinged on a number of factors which can be either cost or environmental related. This process becomes more complicated when designers are faced with several material options of building elements and each option can be supplied [...] Read more.
Material selection is a delicate process, typically hinged on a number of factors which can be either cost or environmental related. This process becomes more complicated when designers are faced with several material options of building elements and each option can be supplied by different suppliers whose selection criteria may affect the budgetary and environmental requirements of the project. This paper presents the development of a decision support system based on the integration of building information models, a modified harmony search algorithm and supplier performance rating. The system is capable of producing the cost and environmental implications of different material combinations or building designs. A case study is presented to illustrate the functionality of the developed system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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1646 KiB  
Article
Requirements of Integrated Design Teams While Evaluating Advanced Energy Retrofit Design Options in Immersive Virtual Environments
by Xue Yang, Semiha Ergan and Katie Knox
Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1302-1320; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041302 - 05 Dec 2015
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5205
Abstract
One of the significant ways to save energy use in buildings is to implement advanced energy retrofits in existing buildings. Improving energy performance of buildings through advanced energy retrofitting requires a clear understanding of the cost and energy implications of design alternatives from [...] Read more.
One of the significant ways to save energy use in buildings is to implement advanced energy retrofits in existing buildings. Improving energy performance of buildings through advanced energy retrofitting requires a clear understanding of the cost and energy implications of design alternatives from various engineering disciplines when different retrofit options are considered. The communication of retrofit design alternatives and their energy implications is essential in the decision-making process, as it affects the final retrofit selections and hence the energy efficiency of the retrofitted buildings. The objective of the research presented here was to identify a generic list of information requirements that are needed to be shared and collectively analyzed by integrated design teams during advanced energy retrofit design review meetings held in immersive settings. While identifying such requirements, the authors used an immersive environment based iterative requirements elicitation approach. The technology was used as a means to better identify the information requirements of integrated design teams to be analyzed as a group. This paper provides findings on information requirements of integrated design teams when evaluating retrofit options in immersive virtual environments. The information requirements were identified through interactions with sixteen experts in design and energy modeling domain, and validated with another group of participants consisting of six design experts who were experienced in integrated design processes. Industry practitioners can use the findings in deciding on what information to share with integrated design team members during design review meetings that utilize immersive virtual environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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5858 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Alignment of Organizational and Project Contexts for BIM Adoption: A Case Study of a Large Owner Organization
by Hasan Burak Cavka, Sheryl Staub-French and Rachel Pottinger
Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1265-1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041265 - 27 Nov 2015
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 9705
Abstract
Building information modeling (BIM) has been presented as a potential solution to current facilities management problems related to information exchange during handover, and facilities information management during operations. However, implementing BIM in an owner organization is a complex challenge that necessitates reconfiguration of [...] Read more.
Building information modeling (BIM) has been presented as a potential solution to current facilities management problems related to information exchange during handover, and facilities information management during operations. However, implementing BIM in an owner organization is a complex challenge that necessitates reconfiguration of work practices and internal structures to fully realize the benefits. Owners are often unsure about how or whether they should go through the challenges related to implementation. Although previous studies have documented the potential benefits of BIM adoption for owners, such as improvements in work order processing, very little research has specifically looked at the transition to BIM and the scale of the effort required for large and diverse owner organizations. This paper presents the results of a long-term embedded case study analysis of a large owner-operator institutional organization that investigated the alignment of facility management (FM) practices across organizational and project contexts. The research objective was to examine current organizational practices in order to understand the potential, as well as the challenges, of transitioning from a paper-based to a model-based approach in handover and operations. We describe the current state of handover, information management and facility management practices and developed a framework to characterize the alignment between organizational constructs, available technology, project artifacts and owner requirements. This investigation of the current state of practice enables us to understand the gap between available and required information, processes and technology, and to better understand the enormous challenges owners face when considering the transition to BIM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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1185 KiB  
Article
Assessing Embodied Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Infrastructure Projects
by Jan Krantz, Johan Larsson, Weizhuo Lu and Thomas Olofsson
Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1156-1170; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041156 - 16 Oct 2015
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6855
Abstract
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from construction processes are a serious concern globally. Of the several approaches taken to assess emissions, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based methods do not just take into account the construction phase, but consider all phases of the life cycle [...] Read more.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from construction processes are a serious concern globally. Of the several approaches taken to assess emissions, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based methods do not just take into account the construction phase, but consider all phases of the life cycle of the construction. However, many current LCA approaches make general assumptions regarding location and effects, which do not do justice to the inherent dynamics of normal construction projects. This study presents a model to assess the embodied energy and associated GHG emissions, which is specifically adapted to address the dynamics of infrastructure construction projects. The use of the model is demonstrated on the superstructure of a prefabricated bridge. The findings indicate that Building Information Models/Modeling (BIM) and Discrete Event Simulation (DES) can be used to efficiently generate project-specific data, which is needed for estimating the embodied energy and associated GHG emissions in construction settings. This study has implications for the advancement of LCA-based methods (as well as project management) as a way of assessing embodied energy and associated GHG emissions related to construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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3781 KiB  
Article
BIM Guidelines Inform Facilities Management Databases: A Case Study over Time
by Karen Kensek
Buildings 2015, 5(3), 899-916; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5030899 - 14 Aug 2015
Cited by 70 | Viewed by 15652
Abstract
A building information model (BIM) contains data that can be accessed and exported for other uses during the lifetime of the building especially for facilities management (FM) and operations. Working under the guidance of well-designed BIM guidelines to insure completeness and compatibility with [...] Read more.
A building information model (BIM) contains data that can be accessed and exported for other uses during the lifetime of the building especially for facilities management (FM) and operations. Working under the guidance of well-designed BIM guidelines to insure completeness and compatibility with FM software, architects and contractors can deliver an information rich data model that is valuable to the client. Large owners such as universities often provide these detailed guidelines and deliverable requirements to their building teams. Investigation of the University of Southern California (USC) Facilities Management Service’s (FMS) website showed a detailed plan including standards, file names, parameter lists, and other requirements of BIM data, which were specifically designated for facilities management use, as deliverables on new construction projects. Three critical details were also unearthed in the reading of these documents: Revit was the default BIM software; COBie was adapted to help meet facilities management goals; and EcoDomus provided a display of the collected data viewed through Navisworks. Published accounts about the Cinema Arts Complex developed with and under these guidelines reported positive results. Further examination with new projects underway reveal the rapidly changing relational database landscape evident in the new USC “Project Record Revit Requirement Execution Plan (PRxP)”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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Review

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2853 KiB  
Review
Exploring the Relationship between Research and BIM Standardization: A Systematic Mapping of Early Studies on the IFC Standard (1997–2007)
by Mikael Laakso and Linus Nyman
Buildings 2016, 6(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings6010007 - 06 Feb 2016
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6149
Abstract
It has long been argued that the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model standard is the key to unlocking the potential of interoperable Building Information Modeling (BIM). Despite a wealth of published research literature incorporating IFC, there have been no attempts at systematically [...] Read more.
It has long been argued that the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model standard is the key to unlocking the potential of interoperable Building Information Modeling (BIM). Despite a wealth of published research literature incorporating IFC, there have been no attempts at systematically summarizing the literature related to the standard. Targeting both summation and analysis of thematic developments over time, we performed a comprehensive systematic literature review of IFC‐related research published between 1997 and 2007: the first 11 years of research on the standard. Through a systematic web‐retrieval process, 170 unique publications were collected, read, and mapped to a custom framework. The results reveal that journals and conferences have been an integral part of the technical evaluation and development of the standard. The full classification data is provided as an appendix to facilitate future research on IFC and other standards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM in Building Lifecycle)
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