Table Tennis playing robot

First they beat us at chess, now they can beat us at table tennis...

The NBS BIM Ecosystem

This week I spoke at ecobuild about BIM through the RIBA Plan of Work. Our marketing material was around the phrase The NBS BIM Ecosystem. In this blog post I give a summary of what this means and what my presentation demonstrated.

What is the 'NBS BIM eco-system'?

1. Preparation and Brief
Stage 1 of the RIBA Plan of Work is Preparation and Brief. The associated RIBA guidance details a number of key tasks that should be undertaken at this stage prior to the design commencing. One key task is that the ‘Project lead’ begins to develop the ‘Design Responsibility Matrix including Information Exchanges’ with the ‘Lead designer’.

This matrix details WHAT needs to be designed by WHO and WHEN the information is required. In the example below, City Centre Architects have been given the responsibility to design the rooflight systems for a project at RIBA stage 3 ‘Developed Design’. The level of development of this design is defined as a ‘performance specification’ and 1:100 drawings as exported from a model.

User the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 to collaborate and prepare for the project

Developing this matrix across all of the disciplines on the project gives a firm foundation for the design stages of the project to commence. Each party understands what they have responsibility for and how these designs must develop.

Note – The RIBA Plan of Work and associated ‘Toolbox’ may be downloaded for free at:
- http://www.ribaplanofwork.com
The associated guidance publications may be bought from:
- http://www.ribabookshops.com

2. Specification
The NBS Create specification software can then be used to develop your specification through the design stages of a project. It can be used to develop the right level of information as detailed in the Design Responsibility Matrix. For each system the user may specify (a) an outline description, (b) the system in terms of its performance, (c) generic specifications for the products that make up the system and (d) proprietary specifications for the products that make up the system.

Libraries are available for architecture, structural engineering, service engineering and landscape architecture. So all disciplines can work on their specifications and provide information in a constant standard format as described previously in the preparation and brief stage. Some screenshots below demonstrate the development of specification information:

A. A simple description of design intent for a system

B. A specification covering the performance of the system

C. A generic specification covering the products that form the system (no manufacturer specified)

D. A specification where the manufacturer, product reference and product options are specified

Note – For more information on purchasing NBS Create, please see below. Not shown in the screenshots are the clauses for execution, system completion and project management/contract prelims:

- http://www.theNBS.com/Create  

3. Drawings and schedules

When generating coordinated drawings and schedules from a modelling tool the National BIM Library can be used as a free resource of standardised BIM objects.

The National BIM Library objects come with different levels of detail in terms of geometry, standardised property sets (IFC, COBie, etc…) and functional parametric behaviour.

So in parallel to the specification development, the design model can be developed using the appropriate objects for the appropriate stage of the design. Some screenshots below demonstrate this:

Low level of information - but a indication of  typical clearance zones to help with space planning.

Generic objects with empty properties that can be used for scheduling and analysis

Manufacturer objects with properties with values - example shown Assa Abloy

Drag and drop objects directly into the model - examples shown Dyson and Dolphin

Note – to download BIM objects for free please visit:
- http://www.nationalBIMlibrary.com

4. Coordination of project information
Drawings and schedules may be coordinated using a BIM design tool. Between the disciplines, individual models may be federated to eliminate clashes and help programme the work. In addition to this, the specification information and the information in the model may be coordinated using the free NBS plug-ins.

NBS plug-ins are available for ArchiCAD, Revit and Vectorworks. The screenshots below show some of the coordination functionality for the NBS Plug-in for Revit.

Generate an outline specification in NBS Create directly from Autodesk Revit

Annotate and view clauses directly from the linked specification

Generate a report that shows coordination issues and provides support in correcting these

Note – to find out more about the free plug-ins for ArchiCAD, Revit and Vectorworks visit:

- http://www.nationalbimlibrary.com/NBSPlugins

So hopefully that explains a little more about the ‘NBS BIM ecosystem’. For more information see:

- http://www.theNBS.com/Create

- http://www.nationalBIMlibrary.com

...and a more formal article from myself on NBS Create and Level-2 BIM

- https://www.thenbs.com/topics/designSpecification/articles/nbsCreateAndLevel2BIM.asp

The Brits Who Built The Modern World - RIBA Exhibition

Today I was at the RIBA and I took the chance to look around the exhibition 'The Brits Who Built The Modern World'. I include a few photographs below of some of the original protoype design models, Also below is the trailer to the accompanying BBC Four documentary (search on youtube and you will be able to watch the full episodes).

- http://www.architecture.com/Explore/The-Brits-Who-Built-The-Modern-World.aspx

Free entry at 66 Portland Place London W1B 1AD

1. Hotel Lagos, Nigeria
An original visualisation by Seifert + Partners of the hotel..

2. Centre Pompidou
Richard Rogers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Georges_Pompidou

3. Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank
Foster and Partners - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC_Main_Building,_Hong_Kong

4. Reichstag, New German Parliament

Foster and Partners - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_(building)

5. Lunar habitation modelling

Fosters and Partners - http://www.fosterandpartners.com/news/foster-+-partners-works-with-european-space-agency-to-3d-print-structures-on-the-moon/

6. Wuxi Shopping Mall

BDP - http://www.bdp.com/en/Projects/By-Name/P-Z/Wuxi-Ikea-Shopping-Mall/

7. MCA Pune Cricket Stadium model 
Hopkins Architects - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtra_Cricket_Association_Cricket_Stadium,_Pune

8. Fisht Olympic Stadium, Russia

Populous - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisht_Olympic_Stadium

9. Torre de Collserola, Spain

Foster and Partners - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torre_de_Collserola

BIM at ecobuild 2014

NBS will have an advice pod in the "Building Performance and BIM" content zone at ecobuild 2014 this week. Find our stand at N140/239.

@ecobuild_now

We also have speakers each day at the BIM Tech Theatre (N132). The full schedule for the BIM Tech Theatre is on the NBS website.
- BIM Tech Theatre Programme

Glancing through the schedule, three sessions from each day that have caught my eye below...

Tuesday 4th March

• 11.00am - John Tebbit from the Construction Products Association - BIM for the Terrified
• 2.30pm - Drew Wiggett NBS - BIM 2016 and beyond
• 3.00pm - Rob Charlton CEO _space group - Pre-fab housing utilising BIM

Wednesday 5th March

• 3.00pm - Casey Rutland Arup Associates - Project OVE
• 3.30pm - John Gelder NBS - BIM data structures - Uniclass 2
• 4.00pm - Robert Klashka - BIM for small practice

Thursday 6th March

• 11.30am - Stephen Hamil NBS - BIM through the RIBA Plan of Work (edit - time swap to 2.30pm)
• 1.00pm - Lee Townend Kingspan - BIM there done that?
• 1.30pm - Ian Chapman NBS - Integrating building information in the supply chain
• 2.30pm - Stephen Hamil NBS - BIM through the RIBA Plan of Work

I'll be at the NBS stand all day Thursday - please come over and say hello. I'll have my lap top and will be happy to show our latest developments to NBS Create, National BIM Library, RIBA Plan of Work, RIBA Product Selector and any other NBS developments.

- Full BIM Tech Theatre Programme

International BIM Report Infographic

As with some of our previous surveys, we've produced an infographic that nicely summarises the findings from our recent NBS International BIM Survey.

Click on the image below to see the report summary and download the free infographic (or indeed the full report).

- http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/articles/Failure-to-adopt-BIM-could-affect-consultants-ability-to-work-internationally.asp

The NBS International BIM Report 2013

The first ever NBS International BIM Report is now available to download for free from our website:
- http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/reports/

At NBS we are in the process of putting together our fourth annual national BIM report for the UK. However, this report pulls together BIM trends from Finland, New Zealand and Canada based on exactly the same questions asked in 2013.

As members of the International Construction Information Society (http://www.icis.org/) we have worked with other partner organisations to put this survey together. The intention is to do the same each year with the number of countries growing.

Please download the report to see the findings and the analysis. An example finding is shown below.

And some words from Adrian Malleson our Head of Research, Analysis and Forecasting,
"...we lack impartial, reliable data about the state of BIM in different countries and continents. 
We are also unclear on the future of international BIM. This report is a first step towards providing that clarity. In it we examine attitudes towards BIM  across countries to see how each compares. We uncover adoption rates, beliefs about the future of BIM, as well as attitudes towards BIM"
- http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/reports/

BIM Show Live 2014 - Preview

Most of the details about BIM Show Live 2014 were issued this week.

Overview:

• A two day conference - Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th April 2014
• It's in the north this year - The main event at Manchester Central
• There will also be a free preview event at Live Theatre Newcastle on Thursday 6th February
• The call for papers is out now and submissions are encouraged particularly around the topics of infrastructure, whole life-cycle, manufacturing, return on investment and BIM adoption.
• 40 speakers, 30 breakout sessions, practical demonstrations, exhibition hall and networking on the evening of day one.

At NBS, we are proud to be one of the Gold Sponsors of the event. We are also teaming up with fellow BIM-Geordies 4Projects to support the preview event in Newcastle. 4Projects are sponsoring the lunch and NBS are sponsoring the drinks networking session. The seminars will be from Mott MacDonald, Arup and BIM Technologies. Rob Charlton and James Austin will open and conclude the event.

I'll be at both the preview event and the main event in Manchester - I look forward to seeing many new and familiar faces. To book tickets - visit the link below:

- http://www.eventbooking.uk.com/bim/

To learn more about what BIM Show Live is all about please check out a few of the reviews from previous years:

BIM Show Live 2013 - Park Plaza London

- Read my review from last year

BIM Show Live 2013

Storm trooper, Han Solo and Chewbacca

BIM Show Live 2012 - Business Design Centre London

- Read my 2012 day one review

- Read my 2012 day two review

Expert speakers

Morph at the Graphisoft stand

BIM Show Live 2011 - Building Design Centre London

- Review from Darryl Store

- Review from Paul Munford

One of the BIM Show Live founders James Austin 

Seven cool things about BIM

Last November I chaired the IMechE BIM conference.

I followed the BIM Task Group Dave Philp's key note speech that looked at BIM from a strategic point of view with a presentation that simply looked at some of the key benefits from an introductory point of view.

The video of this is below:
- http://www.thenbs.com/topics/BIM/videos/BIM-in-action-presentation.asp


To find out more - please visit the BIM hub on our website:
- theNBS.com/BIM