Over the years architectural visualization techniques have changed drastically

When it comes to Architectural Engineering and Construction industry, the application of architectural visualization techniques have always remained persistent. Design and construction professionals have always utilized architectural visualization techniques for communicating design intent to clients but there was a vast difference the way it used to be performed earlier. Prior to the emergence and integration of digital technology in AEC industry, the methods implemented by design and construction professionals for communicating BIM Drafting Services were completely different from the one that are used today.

Hand-made drawings, sketches and dummy models used to be optimized by architects and engineers for representing the design of the building to owners and potential clients. But the fact remains that manual sketches, drawings and dummy models are not that advantageous when it comes to representing distinct attributes of the building design. But even though, architects and engineers used to develop handmade sketches for the purpose of showing the design to government authorities, building owners and potential clients.

But with the passage of time, as digital technology got introduced to construction industry, design and construction professionals replaced the development of handmade sketches with realistic digital images and models. After which the demand for handmade sketches and drawings started to fall down, as life-like digital images started to be optimized both AEC professionals and their clients. Photorealistic architectural images and models developed with computers have tremendous advantages for architects, engineers, contractors, clients and owners etc, as they can be communicated to different people and organizations too fast. 

Home builders, owners and other important building stakeholders can use these photorealistic images for evaluating the design of the upcoming building. That means life-like architectural images as well as models are discussed by design and construction professionals when it comes to finding out pitfalls in design.  In AEC industry, these images are also very helpful when it comes to obtaining local permits and government approvals for the upcoming building. Apart from photorealistic images and models, AEC professionals also develop architectural animation videos (walkthrough and flythrough videos) for providing explicit information about the building to clients. 

There is a great necessity to identify clashes before final construction

I don’t think so that anyone would disagree with me if I say identification of clashes is immensely cardinal before final on-site construction. This is because, if architects and engineers start the construction on the basis of 3D models which include design errors in them, then they are sure to meet rework scenarios during on-site construction. If change orders are confronted in the middle of ongoing construction, it tremendously disturbs architects and engineers as they have to dedicate addition time to rectify the problem. They cannot go ahead with the process until and unless they resolve the identified design collisions and problems. If rework begins at actual location it affects a lot of things such as schedules, cost of the project and its delivery.

And all these situations are explicit indicative of unfavorable project productivity which is highly depressing for building owners and general contractors who have to provide required answers to owners for such ambiguous construction situations. So to avoid such unproductive construction situations architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers and BIM modelers take effective precautions during preconstruction such as they execute high quality clash detection and coordination services once development of 3D parametric models is completed.

Navisworks Mange which plays a highly supreme part in performing project review and in the development of 4D simulations is also optimized by design and construction professionals in clash detection, wherein its clash detective tool identifies complete errors. The design discrepancies are identified   between the elements of 3D parametric models which are generated in Revit architecture, Revit Structure and Revit MEP by AEC professionals. In other words Navisworks Mange can recognize and remove all the design errors from architectural, structural and MEP models which are developed in digital environment of multiple Revit disciplines.

Clash Detection Services tool that allow conducting clash tests can successfully manage their results which contain the identified element collisions. For the appropriate management of clash test results they are grouped by AEC professionals and then saved into folders which can be effectively accessed by modelers when they want to resolve them. In this way all these clashes can be resolved before actual construction.  

Loadable Revit families and their importance in creating 3D parametric models

Loadable families which are developed by design and construction professionals in the Family Editor tool of 3D building design software Revit are highly essential for the victorious or successful accomplishment of multidiscipline parametric models. Loadable families are those essential building components and elements which are created by Revit modelers and other design and construction professionals in Revit’s Family Editor Tool, which can be elucidated as a graphical editing mode in the software. 

Loadable Revit Family Creation Services  may include components such as door and window etc, which are extensively created in Family Editor and once they are completed they are placed by design and construction professionals into their Revit projects for finishing or accomplishing them. For example architects and BIM modelers are working on a 3D architectural model then for accomplishing the parametric model effectively they need to complete the design by adding windows and doors in the walls. Until and unless the model is not incorporated with these important building components it doesn’t look authentic and complete.

When a loadable family is created in Family Editor, it becomes mandatory for design and construction professionals to pick or select a family template which can help them in creating the geometry and defining the size of the family. Family templates work as the basic units which are required by design and construction professionals for building the family. For making it clearer let me explain that family templates convey essential information about the families or building components which are created in the graphical editing mode of Revit.

For developing a loadable family, Revit users are required to choose a family template, then create family framework with the help of Reference Lines and Reference planes. Once the framework for the loadable family is fully developed by Revit users they should then create its geometry. While creating family geometry permanent dimensions are provided by modelers to the building component which is getting created by them in Family Editor. After this it is also important for Revit users to determine family type variations.

Once the family framework and family geometry is effectively developed the family can be saved by users as an individual Revit file which can later on be added in the project. 

BIM Services: What is their necessity in construction?

As BIM has becomes the life blood of Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry today it is really important for readers to understand its significance and necessity along with the way it is applied in building process. BIM gets introduced in the construction project right from the preconstruction phase as variety of BIM services are hired by general contractors for providing high end architectural and engineering solutions to architects, structural engineers and MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineers.

As soon as initial building sketches are generated by architects, structural engineers and MEP engineers, they are provided to engineering service providing companies which deal with BIM services for developing high end 3D models. For the purpose of constructing high performing buildings it is imperative for general contractors to hire Revit modeling services for all the significant building disciplines such as architecture, structure and MEP. When it comes to flawless construction, they also have to hire clash detection, BIM coordination, energy modeling and 3D rendering services etc from the service providing company.

For executing all these BIM services, basic sketches developed by architects, structural engineers and MEP engineers are delivered to the company so that BIM modelers can get an explicit idea about  design of multiple building trades. Individual modeling teams are allotted by the service providing company for the development of 3D architectural, structural and MEP models, wherein the teams have to refer the sketches which are provided by the clients. Information related to dimensions is clearly contained in the sketches and specifications that are developed by architects and engineers, which make it easy for Revit modelers to construct BIM models.

Completion of Revit Modeling Services is followed by the execution of clash detection and coordination services wherein the errors in the design are pointed out through clash tests. Clash tests which are conducted in Clash Detective tool allow design and construction professionals in finding out the collisions among architectural, structural and MEP elements. Once collisions between elements discovered it is quite easy to sort them out by changing the design in the model.  In this way error-free design is delivered to clients if they hire BIM services. 

3D, 4D, 5D and 6D BIM provide exceptional results for building construction!

Meeting up clients’ (building owners) requirements in terms of building design, construction drawings and delivery is becoming highly challenges as they always demand high quality and timely construction of the buildings with minimum cost possible. Now delivering a project within deadlines with reduced project cost is certainly not that easy as it sounds until AEC professionals make best use of cutting edge tools and technology that is available in the market. Planning, design and construction are integral steps of any building process which results into the effective management of construction activities throughout project lifecycle.

Now to carry out the whole process efficiently and productively Building Information Modeling must be brought into picture by AEC professionals which allow them to successfully address all the hassles and inconveniences that come across in the process. BIM both as a process and as a technology has come a long way since its initial stages wherein only 3D models were common among design and construction professionals for executing building projects. The assistance provided by 3D BIM models was only related to building design as they contained all inclusive information about design elements and their relationships. Nothing apart from design information could be extracted from these digital models which are developed entirely in Revit. But the industry experts felt that only design related information is not enough for developing cost-effective buildings which can be delivered to facility owners as per their demands (within deadlines) and such concerns brought into picture 4D, 5D and 6D BIM.

4D, 5D and 6D BIM are nothing but the new dimensions which are added little by little to 3D models.  A highly indispensable dimension which is added to 3D and which ultimately gives birth to 4D is ‘Time.’ When time is added to 3D it helps building professionals (architects, engineers, and general contractors etc.) to create highly productive and practical construction schedules which make the entire process efficient. 4D BIM makes it possible for AEC professionals to figure out or recognize time and schedule based clashes which can eventually lead to chaotic situations which are very unproductive for construction process.

Similarly, 5D and 6D BIM also provide huge advantages to building professionals when it comes to estimating the cost of the project and describing in details about the sustainability attributes of the building. 

Flawless construction: Is it really practiced by architects and engineers?

Well, most of the people who have no clue about how construction takes place cannot even conceptualize what sort of complications are confronted by design and construction professionals during project lifecycle. Preconstruction problems are not that worrisome because no extra cost is involved for sorting out them but when it comes to complications of actual construction process high alarms are raised as their resolution may cost large amount of money.

But by applying BIM in construction, AEC professionals can resolve all kinds of problems that are faced by them throughout the process. For example BIM helps them in construction planning, creating accurate construction schedules, developing high end 4D simulations and generating bill of materials apart from developing error-free building design.

For practicing flawless construction architects and engineers must be available with the correct design of different building systems. BIM 3D Models for architecture, structure and MEP are developed by modelers of a service providing company with the assistance of the specifications provided by architects, structural engineers and MEP engineers. Design for different building discipline is actually created by architect, structural engineers and MEP engineers but for creating 3D models involvement of BIM experts is important. Design is developed in 3D for conceptualizing its validity or effectiveness in context of its actual implementation. With the application of Virtual Design and Construction in building projects, AEC professionals can develop immaculate or faultless building design.

Development of faultless design is the greatest achievement for architects and engineers when it comes to streamlining building process. Autodesk has played a tremendously important role in construction business as it manufactured crucial software for the utilization of construction professionals. Software manufactured by Autodesk includes AutoCAD, Revit, 3ds Max and Navisworks, all of which are used best to their abilities for simplifying building process.

For example, Revit is entirely building design software and is used for creating architectural, structural and MEP design whereas Navisworks which is project review software is used for clash detection.  The point I want to make here is that, application of high end software is important for developing error free design which finally supports in seamless construction.

Application of Building Information Modeling has positive consequences in construction

When Building Information Modeling is applied by AEC professionals for the simplification of the complications of building process they got remarkably positive or favorable results. BIM can be defined both as a process or technology which is useful in both the ways for design and construction professionals. As a process it is extremely important for construction professionals because its outcomes which are multidiscipline 3D models are used throughout the lifecycle of the project. On the other hand as a technology it can be defined as the application of BIM software Revit in the development of 3D models, which contain all the essential construction data.

Production of building models after the effective accomplishment of Revit Modeling Services allow design and construction professionals in enhancing the productivity of design and construction of buildings. 3D building modeling software Revit that is used in modeling facilitates the smooth flow of construction information from one design development team to another design development team. In other words construction information related to architectural design can be swiftly communicated to structural design team with the help of Revit. This can be done by either linking architectural model in structural or by visa versa. In this way both architectural and structural design teams can get enough information about each other’s design and can take necessary precautions in terms of developing the design for avoiding interferences between elements.

So in this way application of BIM helps in the creation of productive building design which ultimately helps in streamlining further construction process. For example application of BIM technology helps in predicting or identifying serious construction problems before they could be developed into expensive rework. When construction problems such as existence of clashes between elements of different models are identified with the implementation of clash detection services, design and construction professionals can effectively control project outcomes. Negative project outcomes such as rework can be completely controlled with the assistance of BIM, as design errors can be successfully removed with the implementation of changes in 3D models in preconstruction. 

So, effective execution of modeling services as well as clash detection services can help in streamlining construction process.