Two questions quickly arise from this title: What is BIM? And, what does it have to do with green construction or sustainability? Once again, Richard Szecsy, provides us with the answers. And once again, a copy of his presentation can be found at his company web site and downloaded for free. http://www.lattimorematerials.com
It is hard to read many construction publications without coming across the acronym, BIM. It stands for building information modeling, but that is almost as cryptic as the acronym. Briefly, it is a computerized means of 3D designing that takes into account everything in the building to ensure constructability, in other words, make sure it all fits together. But it is even more than that, or at least can be, and that is where BIM meets green. With BIM cost information and physical characteristics, including such things as CO2 emissions and recycled content, can be included in the model. This makes it possible to quickly assess the many tradeoffs inevitably involved in any design process.
For example, maybe the owner is considering a compacted earth wall in lieu of a concrete wall. The earthen wall is thicker and more costly, but it earns an owner many extra points for onsite content, low CO2 emissions, and innovation, whereas the traditional concrete wall will be less massive and cheaper at the cost of some LEED points, which may be more easily scored elsewhere in the building. BIM is the platform that can easily weigh these tradeoffs and quickly see how different choices affect the overall design.
Like Green, BIM seems to be the wave of the future. We have yet to participate in the BIM process as a company, but when we do I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes.
It is only fitting that tow marvels of concrete construction should be so easily accessible from the World of Concrete in Las Vegas. In case you are wondering what these two marvels are (you must at least have already guessed Hoover Dam), they are the eponymous dam and its related bypass bridge. The bridge, not slated for completion until the end of this year, is far enough along to really see the phenomenal challenge that the contractor, a joint venture of Obayashi Corporation and PSM Construction USA, Inc.,
David Prizio has over 35 years experience in the fields of general contracting, concrete subcontracting, and civil engineering. He functioned in the capacity of carpenter at Prizio & Prizio while attending college. After graduating from Cal Poly, Pomona in 1975, David Prizio began working as a project manager at the firm. He was responsible for design coordination, cost estimation, construction coordination and administration of commercial general contracting projects. He consulted with clients regarding design, marketing, and financing of building and construction projects.