Technology in Architectural Practice

David,

I think you face two great obstacles:

1. The format for native BIM data (most often Revit) is highly unstable.  It changes every year.  Unless you are willing to keep up to date, and I've seen few institutions have the budget for that, your consultants will not be able to supply BIM models in a format you can read after only a few years.

2. Architects have a tremendous investment in their own BIM standards, family libraries, templates, and especially training.  Your ability to impose your standards on them for work on your buildings will be much more limited than in the CAD days.  I know I at least would easily double my fee if I were forced to use someone else's imposed standards and libraries. Knowing that my fee would therefore be uncompetitive, I would simply pass on your work.  Using intermediate formats such as IFC is not really a viable solution at this point in time.

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Kevin A. TenBrook AIA
PhiloWilke Partnership
Houston TX

David,

This is not really about BIM, as most people understand it today. This is about using the data to do our work better and more effectively over the facility lifecycle; not just the design and construction process.

The data about our facilities is more valuable than the physical facilities themselves…—Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant, USCG Ret.

I hesitated to dive into your question, for you are asking about the ultimate wicked problem in the building industry. The solutions exist outside of the realm of legacy vendors and well outside the scope of most AE firms today, where too many are welded to last century's tools and processes. Current file-based tools and processes can not handle the issues you describe.

That said, there are large and well-known organizations implementing data-driven BIG BIM ecosystems that are resilient and sustainable and; they are doing it today.

Start by connecting with those that have large numbers of facility assets and have been working on this for many years. The US Coast Guard blazed the trail in this area, integrating mission and facilities by connecting facility condition with business metrics within a geospatial construct. The California Community College System, the Department of Defense Healthcare System and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs are integrating GiS, BIM and FM + owner standards + owner requirements + vendor product data to build BIG BIM ecosystems. The State of Wisconsin created the first BIM delivery standard that overcomes many of the issues that Kevin's item 2 discusses.

All are (and have been) doing this on shoestring budgets, in compliance with international standards. 

Contact me offline and I will get you the contact information for the people working on this for these organizations.

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Finith E. Jernigan, FAIA
President, Design Atlantic Ltd | Architecture-Planning-Management
Publisher, 4Site Press | Content for a Resilient Built Environment
Author of BIG BIM little bim and Makers of the Environment

Salisbury MD