London Shard - Laser Show Launch

Cool video below from the RIBA Journal's video website - put your headphones on too as there is some music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Shard Laser Show from RIBAJournal.com on Vimeo.

I personally cannot wait to get a viewing from the platform at the top when it opens to the public.

NBS Construction Contracts and Law Survey 2012

Following the National BIM Survey 2011, the National Specification Survey 2011 and National BIM Survey 2012, today the National Construction Contracts and Law Survey 2012 was published. The report is completely free to download from the URL below:
- http://www.thenbs.com/topics/ContractsLaw/articles/nbsNationalConstructionContractsLawSurvey2012.asp

NBS Construction Contracts and Law Survey 2012

A number of organisations helped NBS by circulating the survey to their members. This helped us get over 1,000 respondents which helps give real substance to the findings.

Organisations that supported the research

Some of the headline findings as reported by the NBS Research and Analysis Manager Adrian Malleson are as follows:

• “Our findings suggest that the time when ‘pen gets put to paper’ [with respect to signing the contract] is a real cause for concern… Most alarmingly yet, 4 per cent either never sign a contract or only do so after completion. This can’t be best practice.”
• "Of the two most popular contracts, as we would expect, the JCT suite is more commonly used for lower value projects, whilst the NEC suite is more commonly used for higher value ones."
• "In some responses, we can see a real desire for construction to be a collaborative, team-based enterprise where extra value is generated through co-operation. But for others, Latham’s words still ring true, and the industry is still far from the team-based ideal.”

In addition to Adrian's analysis and an introduction from RIBA Enterprises Chief Executive Richard Waterhouse there are also a number of articles from construction industry experts:

• Nick Deeming, Partner, Faulkner Browns Architects asks "Why is collaboration so hard?"
• Ann O'Connell, Partner, bto solicitors asks for "A bit of common sense"
• Matthew Molloy and Jonathan Cope, Directors, MCMS look at current trends and practical tips for UK construction adjudication
• Koko Udom and Roland Finch, Contracts and Law team, NBS go "Back to the basics"

Koko pictured recently, Roland pictured circa 1982 :)

As with all of the surveys, it is our intention to repeat them each year so that trends can be analysed.

On a related subject, check out our new Contracts and Law blog at:

- http://www.thenbs.com/blogs/contracts-and-law/

This follows on from our recently published Sustainability blog:
- http://www.thenbs.com/blogs/sustainability/

First North East Revit User Group Meeting

NBS were asked to speak at the first North East Revit User Group (NERUG) Meeting on Thursday 5th July. I unfortunately could not attend, but Stefan Mordue from NBS has written a few notes about the event in a guest blog below...

Stefan writes...

I was delighted to be part of the first North East Revit User Group that took place on Thursday. The evening which was held at the Toffee Factory in Newcastle had a fantastic turn out and only highlights the interest and passion that the North east region has for the developments in technologies, workflows and best practice in Revit.

Up first was Dr John Henderson and I representing the NBS, show casing the National BIM Library and the developments we have been making to link the specification to the BIM. Other speakers included George Mokhtar from the BIM Academy and Ben  Bennett of eBIM.


Following on from the BIM Academy’s recent win at the 48 hour build London live competition, George gave a fascinating insight into the team’s submission and use of a multi-disciplinary BIM and use of interoperability.  Not wanting to simply pay ‘lip service’ to processes a great emphasis was placed on the IFC file as a way of exchanging data.  Another important point made was the importance to maintain a steady stream of information. By using a BIM Execution Plan, the team were able to agree guidance, share an understanding of processes and structure data paths and exchange gates. The document also mapped out the teams technology strategy, formats for information exchange and also 'who' will receive 'what', from 'whom' and 'when'.  Although only a competition and not a real life situation, BIM in this instance proved just how much can actually be achieved in such a short space of time.

George Mokhtar - no sleep for 48 hours

The final speaker of the night, was Ben Benett of eBIM. Digital Surveys have been working on scan to BIM workflows for the last 2 years but last year launched their eBIM (Existing Building Information Modelling) service.  The presentation looked at point cloud modelling and illustrated the constraints of modelling existing buildings within Revit. Using the Timet Titanium Factory in Birmingham as a case study, Ben showed how they completed the survey without disruption to the plant. 

Timet Titanium Factory

The completed 3D as built model was then created to allow the engineers to virtually carry out design work and simulation of the installation of 2 new furnaces.  Ben also showcased the technologies currently being used within existing building surveying. Their survey of The UWE Bristol Conference centre and its piping and ductwork could simply not have been achieved with conventional surveying methods.

UWE Bristol Conference Centre survey. eBIM

The evening was rounded off by some BIM beers across the road in the Tyne pub in which is hoping to be a bi-monthly event. 

Stefan is an Architect and Technical author at the NBS. stefan.mordue@thenbs.com

Join Stefans LinkedIn network: http://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanmordue

The End Of Babel - IFC promotional video

I managed to get a copy of the first ever IFC promotional video "The End of Babel" from 1994 *. Fascinating to watch it nearly twenty years on. The Tower of Babel biblical story states that the building failed as those working on it could no longer communicate properly. This theme is developed into the need for a single object orientated database language in the AEC industry...

Part 1 of 2 - the first ten minutes

Part 2 of 2 the last seven minutes

Some selected quotes...

"The Tower of Babel, one of the biggest construction projects undertaken. Designed to reach the heavens. But the engineers couldn't finish the job. Halfway through everybody working on the job was stricken with inability to understand what the other fella was saying. They were all still talking...

...but they weren't communicating.
That incident was supposed to have taken place in around 5,000 BC. And we've been trying to understand each other ever since."

Patrick MacLeamey
HOK

"The important thing about the alliance [AT&T, HOK, Honeywell, Carrier, Tishman and others] is that it represents a cross section of companies that deal across the cycle of the building industry. People who design. People who engineer buildings. People who build, manage, maintain and then recycle buildings...

...in order for this to be successful, we all have to be participants.

If you really think about buildings, and things in buildings, furniture, equipment and so forth. You are really talking about objects not lines on paper."

Jeol Koppelman
Primavera Systems

"For our customers, interoperability means that they'll be able to take information and expand and enlarge on that information as the process moves forward. So as information is derived from design that moves into detailed design then that information can be moved forward... as changes are made along the way then those changes can be incorporated, quantified, schedules adjusted and everybody informed as to what is going on."


Further reading:
- buildingSMART website - http://www.buildingsmart.com/
- IFC Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_Foundation_Classes

* Thanks to Keith Snook from BRE who made me aware of this video. I was really impressed with the activities that BRE are working on and at NBS we hope to continue to work closely with them.

Seven key slides to include in every BIM presentation

1000 tweets

Over the last two or three years I have been to a number of BIM presentations. To celebrate 1,000 tweets I have written a short sketch taking a light-hearted look at the slides that are required to make a truly great BIM presentation.

1. The wedge diagram
Every presentation needs this. It shows the BIM maturity development process from Level-0 to the holy grail "Level-3 BIM".  Never mind the UK Gov mandating BIM on projects, all events should mandate the inclusion of this diagram in every presentation. Imagine eight presentations in one conference? - you'd get to see this slide eight times - and it gets better each time as the day goes on.

Slide 1 - Bew-Richards diagram

2. Clash detection illustration
This must show a clash between a structural and services element. Bonus points are given if the colour "Ceefax-Magenta" can be used.

Slide 2 - Clash detection

3. The BIM circle of life
The Disney film The Lion King introduced the "circle of life" - but BIM fans have their own diagram showing the "BIM circle of life". Right click "save as..." and remember to include this one.

Slide 3 - The circle of BIM

4. 3D? No way! How high can you go?
Everyone knows that BIM is more than just 3D. It's 4D - cost. It's 5D - schedule. It's 6D - carbon. But wait, it's 7D - labour, can we go 8D and maybe 9D. Reminds me of the seven day abs idea the hitchhiker has in the film Something About Mary.

Slide 4 - BIM is nD

5. BIM model
The actual content of what you are saying will be lost on half the audience if you ever are naïve enough to say the phrase "BIM Model" as they'll spend the next 20 minutes on Twitter poking fun discussing #fluffykittens.
Think “ATM Machine”. Think “PIN Number”. Think “NUFC Football Club”. Think “BIM Model”.

Slide 5 - BIM Model

6. The COBie man
This is the bloke from the USA who was once pictured next to a few boxes of drawings and manuals in a basement. Now he features worldwide in every presentation as an illustration of what clients don't want. They don't want this bloke standing next to big boxes of paper. They want COBie! *
* Update - @liccle_em reliably informs me that this chap is called COBie Carl

Fig 6 - The COBie Man

7. Quite literally BIM-believable
Finally, nobody even gets off the starting block unless there is a truly terrible BIM pun used in the title.

• To BIM-finity and beyond
• To BIM or not to BIM?
• It's BIM up north
• From builders BIM to builders BUM
• Living in BIM
• Ring-a-ding-BIM
• Tim nice but BIM

Fig 7 - Nothing is BIM-possible

...So next time you put a BIM presentation together, remember the seven golden tips above. See how many of the seven you can get in.

(and I am sure I have managed to do seven out of seven a few times).

And remember - always be passionate about BIM.

Update 23/06/12 - 17:15
Shame to stop at seven - let's go for a nice round ten...

8. Comparison with automotive and aerospace industries
The process for designing, constructing and testing in the building industry is not as advanced as in the automotive and aerospace industries. A slide therefore is necessary showing how many parts go into a car and how that industry manages the process.
Don't however mention that producing 13million identical Nissan Micra's has a slightly different dynamic to it than refurbishing a huge 1960s office block with six fellow consultants from different companies that all detest each other.

Fig 8 - Cars are built using digital models

9. The complex chart proving the benefit
Curves going down, curves going up, arrows, areas under humped lines.
That's that BIM is proven without doubt. Fact. Next slide...

Fig 9 - The complex chart

10. The visualisation of the skyscraper
Nothing will convince the sceptics of the benefits of BIM more than a visualisation or two of a skyscraper. This helps people visualise how BIM can work for them on their next attic conversion project that is starting later that month.

Fig 10 - The power of visualisations

Update 31/10/12
Due to *incredible* demand - an accompanying free #BIMBingo resource pack is now available:

Download your BIMBingo pack now!

- http://constructioncode.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/bim-bingo-free-essential-resource-pack.html

ICE BIM Conference 2012

The programme for the Institution of Civil Engineer's annual BIM conference was published today.

I'm really pleased to be one of the speakers and to be talking about the importance of the information that flows through the BIM process. When people talk about BIM they often discuss technology. Others discuss educating the industry or the fact that BIM is a process. But one key thing that underpins technology, people and process is information.

Other speakers include:

• Paul Morrell and Mark Bew from the UK Government Working Group.
• Terry Stocks from Ministry of Justice
• Gary Furphy and Chris Cann from Jacobs
• Malcolm Taylor, Crossrail
• Abelardo Tolentino, Aidea
• Pete Baxter, Autodesk
• Richard Shennan, Mott MacDonald

17th October is the date for the diary. Over 300 delegates are expected and the event is targeted at engineers, contractors, architects, quantity surveyors, clients, owner/operators.

http://www.ice-conferences.com/Upcoming-events/ICE-BIM-2012

Managing your Buildings using BIM

I managed to get up to Northumbria University today for one of the BIM Seminars that BIM Academy are currently running:

- http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/bne/collaboration/enterprise/bimacademy/bimseminars/

I attended a fascinating presentation from Iwan Peverett and two of my former NBS colleagues Dr Jane Matthews and Prof Steve Lockley.

Iwan Peverett looks at visualisation techniques for City Planners

Iwan started by presenting some of his work from the Newcastle-Gateshead project to model the city. Iwan had previously worked on the modelling of Glasgow city centre. The initial aim of the project had been to help with the planning process in terms of visualisation. But it was was interesting to see how this had progressed to look at additional issues such as street lighting and tree preservation. The huge 3D model was being seen as an "anchor" to place business information against.

One of the key considerations was said to be "level of detail". Make sure you can maintain what you model, else confidence will be ruined as items go out of date pretty quickly.

Dr Jane Matthews looks at the model of Northumbria University Campus

Jane then looked at how detail had been added to the Northumbria University Campus area of the Newcastle-Gateshead model. This had three main uses:

1. To assist with the FM tasks carried out by Northumbria Uni Estates Dept.
2. To be a catalyst for further research projects
3. To be a starting point for student projects

This model was actually being used and updated for the new university nursery building. In addition, one building "The Ellison Building" had been modelled to greater detail - all rooms and FF&E including fire equipment. Fantastic to see how you can go from an area the size of Newcastle-Gateshead to a university campus to a building, to a room, to a fire extinguisher.

Prof Steve Lockley demonstrates some of BIM Academy's big projects to date

Steve then talked about some of the unexpected benefits such as asbestos and carcinogenic material registers. He also discussed how Google had now sold SketchUp as they were automating the creation of buildings on Google Earth.

A beautiful visualisation of Newcastle upon Tyne generated from the City Model

Other fantastic projects mentioned were

1. http://www.openbim.org/ - the xBIM toolkit that works around IFC.
2. The National BIM Library that NBS have launched with the help of BIM Academy
3. The iCIM TSB project
4. The 4BIM TSB project

And then finally, plenty of good discussion on standards and software for BIM.

Also good to see many familiar faces such as Clare from Leeds Met, Catriona from CENE, Adam from BIM Technologies, Ed from kykloud and of course all of the BIM Academy gang.

More seminars are coming up in July - check out the schedule at:

- http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/sd/academic/bne/collaboration/enterprise/bimacademy/bimseminars/

In Praise of: Bridge Constructor iPhone/iPad App

I like little daft puzzle games for my iPhone - Cut the Rope and Angry Birds probably being the best so far.

But as far as I am concerned, there is a new king in town. I downloaded Bridge Constructor a few days ago and I have been playing on it every spare second I have had.

Anyone who has built bridges out of straw and pins at university or school will love this game. You are presented with a gap in the road, then using building materials provided you must make a bridge. You must stay within a budget to ensure you don't over-engineer the solution. Finally, you test the bridge by firstly sending two cars across - then for the big test, two trucks.

Island 1 Bridge 4 - Problems - Trucks about to go in the water

If your bridge is badly designed then the trucks (or the cars) will load test it to destruction. The members under the most load turn red then fail and the vehicles go into the water.

Island 1 Bridge 4 - Problems fixed. Success at 13% under budget

 If your bridge works then trucks drive off into the sunset beeping their horns to confirm success.

Island 3 Bridge 5 - What is this steel and concrete monster? But it works!

After the first few levels the gaps get much larger - but you get more building materials and a bigger budget to solve the challenge. Concrete, steel cables, steel beams and timber beams are at your finger tips ready for you turn into the ideal solution.