2/20/2017 BIM For Renovation Projects | Opinion | The BIM Hub

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Opinion (/en/opinion/)

BIM For Renovation Projects

Posted by Umberto Alesi (https://thebimhub.com/people/prole/umberto-alesi/)
56

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There is no insurmountable impediment to the application of BIM for renovation projects. However, despite all the benets it can bring, it must
be stressed that BIM for renovation projects necessitates specic procedures that are partially di쳷erent from those required for new
construction projects. 

If one googles the words 'BIM' and 'Renovation', one nds that around 99 percent of the results relate to 'Scan to BIM'. Nevertheless, 'Scan to
BIM' is just one component of the solution: it assists geometric modelling, but contributes little to the denition of the physical and mechanical
properties of building components, and to the identication of their constituent materials. Yet that information is as central to BIM as the letter
'I' is to that acronym. 

Speaking schematically and approximately, we could say that a building information model is a centralised electronic repository of information
pertaining to the physical and functional aspects of a project. This repository of computable information evolves over the life cycle of a project.
Essentially, BIM can be conceived of as a collection of ‘smart’ objects stored in an ‘intelligent’ database. BIM technology is object-oriented. 

Among the factors that have been fundamental to BIM’s success in the industry, such as data representation and exchange, is the availability of
BIM content in the form of (smart) objects that can be used by project stakeholders to develop project-specic models.

These objects have three primary sources:

1. BIM-authoring tools’ predened objects

2. In-house libraries of objects
3. Online libraries of objects

The e��ciency of a BIM model depends greatly on the quality and quantity of information that has been matched with the geometric model.
Object-oriented modelling allows for extensive use of the data provided by manufacturers, which has facilitated the success of online libraries of
BIM objects.

It is evident that this approach is unsuited to renovation projects – particularly those involving historic buildings – as information on the relevant
architectural elements can be obtained only ex post facto through diagnostic methods, such as endoscopic, thermographic, single and double
⟅�at-jack, sonic and ultrasonic investigations.

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For this reason, it is important that we consider a number of specic issues a쳷ecting the implementation of BIM procedures for obtaining real
BIM models – not just beautiful 3D models – for renovation projects:

https://thebimhub.com/2017/02/18/bim­for­renovation­projects/#.WKqsNG­GPIV 1/3
2/20/2017 BIM For Renovation Projects | Opinion | The BIM Hub
1. The BIM model should incorporate the diagnostic plan for the characterisation of building materials and related alterations.
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For each object, a structure or building system should be specied if the data associated with it were obtained through diagnostic
investigations performed on that specic element or on adjacent and/or similar elements. It would be appropriate to give a condence rating to
the BIM objects data.

3. LOD classication – that is, the specic resolution of graphical and non-graphical information required for a particular element at a particular
phase of the project – should include a classication dedicated to renovation projects. This already exists in the Italian BIM standard UNI 11337.
  

4. COBIe and other similar standards for BIM information management should be implemented with specic records that relate to the
diagnostic plan and to the method by which data on components materials were obtained, as well as indicators relating to the condence rating
of the data.

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Published 18th February 2017 17:57

  6D BIM (/6d-bim/) BIM Consultancy (/bim-consultancy/) BIM Contracts (/bim-contracts/) BIM for Renovation (/bim-for-renovation/)
BIM in Construction Management (/bim-in-construction-management/) BIM in Renovation (/bim-in-renovation/)
BIM in Renovation and Communication (/bim-in-renovation-communication/) BIM Service Provider (/bim-service-provider/) BIM Services (/bim-services/)
BIM Survey (/bim-survey/) Building Renovation (/building-renovation/) COBie (/cobie/) LOD Specication (/lod-specication/)
Renovation & Restoration (/renovation-restoration/)

56

Posted by

Umberto Alesi (/people/prole/umberto-alesi/)

Umberto is a RIBA chartered architect based in Italy, with over 20 years’ experience in both smaller and major projects. He is also a member of the
Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and an Italian registered architect. A pioneer in the adoption of digital technologies, Umberto is an
expert in building information modelling (BIM) and regularly takes part in the BIM working groups of both the Architects’ Council of Italy and the
Architects’ Council of Europe. Additionally, as part of RICS in Italy’s BIM advisory group, he edited the Italian edition of RICS’s ‘International BIM
implementation guide’. Learn more  (/people/prole/umberto-alesi/)

(/people/prole/umberto-alesi/)

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