Pilot project experience with BIM

At the event of the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association, the experience of the company “Eika” in working with the building information modeling BIM program was presented to the association members. Pdesigning an apartment building in Vilnius,The company’s specialists shared one of their first experiences working with the BIM system.

 

By designing buildings according to the declared principles of digital construction, the probability of errors is reduced, costs are saved and the construction process is shortened. The ability to access various data easily and quickly simplifies warranty maintenance, and information can be easily presented in various sections.

 

According to “Eika”  According to Robert Grigalis, Project Management Director, the BIM model, which was created from our usual 2D platform project, revealed many discrepancies that would have only become apparent once construction began. So the additional investment in creating the BIM model was truly beneficial:

 

“We were convinced that constructing a BIM model from prepared 2D projects is not something special – we can already do it today. During the construction of the BIM model, we also prepared working projects of the building’s internal engineering systems in 3D dimension. We also became convinced that we still do not know much – for example, how to manage the entire design process if it is carried out on the BIM platform from the very beginning. Also, in what scope, methods and detail we need to complete the preparation of such a project and transfer the BIM model information to contractors who do not have experience and/or software for working with projects on the BIM platform. In addition, the question arises of what type and level of detail the information from the BIM model will reach the contractor’s workers and how they will use it when carrying out construction work, etc.,” said R. Grigalis.

 

According to Rokas Ankudavičius, BIM coordinator at Eika, one of the shortcomings of conventional design is that it is carried out in separate parts: HVAC, structural, architectural and other parts are designed separately, so the overall result does not work as a single system. This raises questions in the work process, which part to trust, whether we are designing in the latest environment, etc. These problems are avoided by using BIM technology.

“With BIM, it is clear how each detail of the construction process should be done, but it is not yet known how specific information will be implemented in practice, what the accuracy of such implementation will be, and how it will need to be ensured. This must also involve additional work with contractors so that they are able to properly convey information. Some contractors are optimistic about BIM, others less so, but workers can still work as they are used to, and not as BIM is designed,” said R. Ankudavičius.

 

According to “Eika”  When BIM is constructed in this way, design work becomes about 20 percent more expensive, and design takes a fifth longer.

 

“However, it is believed that using BIM shortens construction time, and construction time is more expensive than design. Materials are also saved. We will see how much such a system will make the final product cheaper after the project is completed,” said R. Ankudavičius.

 

 

According to R. Grigalis, having a project prepared on the BIM platform meant that much less time was spent on analyzing and understanding project solutions at the construction site, which helped to assign tasks or provide instructions directly to construction participants much more accurately. To that end, we demonstrated and explained the BIM information available on a tablet at a relevant and specific construction site to both the contractor’s construction managers and their workers. However, we do not have an answer today as to when they will be able to do this independently.

 

According to the Eika team, which is currently working with BIM, the questions they mentioned are the primary ones, to which it is necessary to find specific answers and confirm these answers through practical application in the design, construction, and construction quality control processes.

 

The BIM pilot project is partly funded by EU support.