NUI Galway – UL Alliance First Annual ENGINEERING AND - ARAN ...

Building Information Modelling during the Operational Phase of the Building
Lifecycle
Edward Corry, Marcus Keane
NUI Galway, Civil Engineering Department, Informatics Research Unit for Sustainable
Engineering (IRUSE)
e.corry1@nuigalway.ie
Abstract
The growth of Building Information Modelling
(BIM) in the past few years has been exceptional. The
majority of firms in the AEC industry are either using
BIM in some form or are developing skills in this area.
Up to now, the focus has largely been on the design and
construction phases of the Building Lifecycle (BLC)[1].
Building owners and operators are keen to optimize
their building operation and to reduce costs where
appropriate. The capture and utilization of operational
data is a primary concern. Standards and guides are
now emerging into the area of operational data and the
transformation of this data into meaningful information
on building performance [2] [3].
This research is concerned with investigating the
role of BIM within the operational phase of the BLC
and the integration of the BIM with operational data to
provide greater levels of performance information for
the building operator.
1. Introduction
Modern buildings tend to be highly complex and
unique structures and building projects tend to bring
disparate groups of experts, including architects,
contractors, sub-contractors, project managers and
operators together, on what is often a once off basis, in
order to construct a building in often inhospitable
conditions.
Communication methods between the various
domains and throughout the Building Life Cycle (BLC)
tend to be paper based and interoperability is a
recognised problem [4].
The pattern of building operation is often far
removed from that envisaged at design time. The
commissioning process often produces MEP systems
different to what was designed.
2. Research Problem and Proposed Solution
This research seeks to establish direct links between
design intent and actual performance. The role of the
Building Information Model is crucial in this regard as
it serves as a repository for all information relating to
the building [5]. By seeking to integrate the BIM with
operational data, the author hopes to demonstrate
efficiencies in building operation.
The type of information stored within an as-built
BIM should provide a significant informational aid for
facility managers in the realm of building operation,
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building maintenance and asset management. The
definition and presentation of building operational data
is also an important part of this research and seeks to
build on efforts already made in this regard.
The proposed solution to the research problem will
include:
An investigation into the role of operational
data in building optimization;
The use of Building Information Modelling in
the operational phase of the Building
Lifecycle;
The integration of BIM with existing facility
management practices to promote
interoperability and efficiencies.
3. Conclusions
This research is focused primarily on the operational
phase of the Building Lifecycle. It specifies practices
that will promote efficiencies in building operation and
seeks to further define the role of BIM in the
operational phase further away from an asset
management and scheduling resource towards a tool for
the interrogation of operational data.
4. References
[1] S. Jones, The Business Value of BIM: Getting
Building Information Modelling to the Bottom
Line, Penn Plaza, New Yok: McGraw-Hill
Construction, 2009.
[2] K.L. Gillespie, Jr., P. Haves, R.J. Hitchcock, J.J.
Deringer, and K. Kinney, “A Specifications Guide
for Performance Monitoring Systems,” 2007.
[3] K. Fowler, A. Solana, and K. Spees, Building Cost
and Performance
Metrics: Data Collection Protocol Revision 1.1,
Richland, Washington: Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, operated for the U.S. Department of
Energy by Battelle, 2005.
[4] C. Eastman, BIM handbook : a guide to building
information modeling for owners, managers,
designers, engineers, and contractors, Hoboken
N.J.: Wiley, 2008.
[5] D.A. Jordani, “BIM and FM: The Portal to
Lifecycle Facility Management,” Journal of
Building Information Modeling, vol. Spring 2010,
2010, pp. 13-16.