Architects and engineers no longer can forgo Building Information Modeling on state projects.

This year, Wisconsin became the first state to require the use of BIM by architects and engineers on major state projects. The requirement means more investment early with the possibility of larger payoffs in building efficiency and quality.

For some business owners, however, the new technology tools can be a hard sell, said Jeff Madden, construction executive in M.A. Mortenson Co.’s Madison office.

Because of that, Madden said, the company now tracks the savings in time and money that result from using virtual design and construction technology, which includes BIM.

“We track metrics to prove to owners they will get a return on investment,” he said. “It’s important to be able to prove to the owner that there will be savings and a better-coordinated building, which will operate more efficiently over 10, 20 or 50 years.

“There’s a savings beyond construction.”

Madden said Mortenson links BIM with scheduling and planning tools so any change on a print will coordinate with changes to the schedule, allowing for smoother progression once actual construction begins.

Dan Stephans, an architect and project manager with the Wisconsin Department of Administration, said he saw right away the benefits of BIM for all stages of construction projects, from bidding through completion.

“It’s a powerful tool,” he said. “I’ve recommended it early and often. There are less conflicts and more accuracy.”

Contractors throughout the state have led the way in embracing the new technology, Stephans said. According to a recent study by McGraw Hill Construction, use of BIM tools is increasing annually, with nearly half of the construction industry already using the technology.

“The first things clients notice is that we’re way more involved a lot earlier in the project,” Madden said. “Preferably, during the design phase. We have more resources dedicated early. We design, coordinate and build in virtual reality before ever setting foot in the field.”

Training Essentials

Training is an important and ongoing part of effectively using technology in construction, said M.A. Mortenson Co.’s Jeff Madden and CG Schmidt’s Emilio Ramirez. Here are some tips they offered to make the most of continuing technological education:

Training shouldn’t be one size fits all, Madden said. Mortenson offers a robust training program, he said, but certain team members already have a virtual construction skill set, and others effectively learn on their own through experience or courses. For other employees, mentors and intensive training ensure all players are up to speed.

Some tools should be used across the board, Ramirez said. CG Schmidt is a big proponent of document-management technology, he said. The software is only one aspect of building information modeling, Ramirez said, but it’s one that will have a big effect on organization and productivity with companywide use.

Matching projects with the technology that fits best also is important, Ramirez said. It doesn’t make sense, he said, to have a working knowledge of every piece of software, so choices have to be made.

“There’s no Holy Grail of software that addresses everything,” he said.

Q&A

Emilio Ramirez, virtual construction coordinator at Milwaukee-based CG Schmidt Inc. and a lecturer on Building Information Modeling at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, talked with Wisconsin Builder about BIM and new technologies on the horizon.

Wisconsin Builder: What is meant by Building Information Modeling?

Ramirez: BIM means a lot of things. It confuses even those in the industry. If you talk about BIM, you could be talking about the software used to make a model, or you could be referring to the actual models created. People say, ‘We’re going to use BIM on that job,’ but it’s an amorphous word. A better term to describe it might be virtual design.

WB: As more firms use BIM tools, what are some of the challenges in implementing the technology?

Ramirez: Some people are hesitant to embrace technology, or maybe they’re not as computer literate as they should be. Some people learn better on paper and may not be comfortable working on a computer. Other people are just stubborn.

WB: How do you overcome those barriers?

Ramirez: You can talk about BIM all day, but when it comes down to it: How is this going to make my project better? We have these awesome tools, but how does it make us a better builder? Where does the rubber meet the road? You need to demonstrate that, and, even then, some people can see value much sooner than others. When they do realize the advantages, they usually wonder why they hadn’t been on board sooner.

WB: What’s the next big thing in construction technology?

Ramirez: At CG Schmidt, we talk about super coordination. While some tools, like trade coordination software, have a return on investment, to really become a better builder and improve productivity we have to think about methodology and how we’ve been doing things for the last 50 years and how we want to do them for the next 50 years. By having all interested parties housed in the same (virtual) environment, you can integrate different ideas and tools to establish a new methodology on how to put buildings together.

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