BIM
for Mechanical Electrical Plumbing
Of
late, the construction industry has been dealing with issues such as
over-budget projects, declining productivity and failing to meet delivery dates. As economies stall around the world, builders
continue to demand better buildings delivered within budget and on time. Architects, engineers and contractors are
thus constantly striving for newer ways to improve productivity, lower costs
and streamline the building design and delivery process. BIM which is an information-rich technology
that allows the digital representation of building projects simulating the
design, planning, construction and operation of a facility has instilled a hope
to minimize these issues to a large extent.
Regarded
as a promising, new technology, BIM has been widely adopted for MEP projects as
it has pre-construction, design and fabrication benefits. BIM provides MEP engineers with integrated,
highly coordinated and internally consistent computable information about the
Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing system for planning, managing,
decision-making and operating the facility.
Using these offerings, designing a complicated structure can be done
with ease, increased accuracy and efficiency.
Since BIM allows creation of a virtual 3D model, it gives a better idea
of the outcome of their systems before they are actually built.
The
space for MEP systems is typically reserved before the MEP system is
defined. Thus while designing a complex
and a bigger size building, squeezing the MEP system into the building can
sometimes become challenging. At such
times, the 3D BIM model helps in collision detection - reducing the risk of
construction cost overruns. A BIM model
is an intelligent computable model and hence the ducts, pipes, walls and beams
are actual defined entities and their functional relationships between building
elements and systems is clear. This
enables a holistic design approach which integrates not only the MEP
disciplines, but the process as well - featuring an integrated digital
environment for design, documentation and analysis.
BIM
creates a virtual MEP model comprising of heating and cooling system, ducts and
plant-room layout, electrical power and lightening layout, domestic water
plumbing and gas piping system layout and fire protection system layout, thus
offering a systematic and meticulous analysis of the system to be built. This analysis would help in increased
efficiency, accuracy and coordination of the system reducing the time and cost
involved in it.
BIM’s ability to digitally
represent a building before it is actually built also allows firms to create,
manage and share design information more effectively – resulting in increased
profitability, reduced potential errors and risks and fewer inefficiencies in
MEP building design. With the help of
BIM, detailed views of mechanical, electrical and plumbing system are possible
which will improve the quality of the overall project and ability to communicate
the design intent.
