BIM for FM

A presentation for the course Facility Management (AI2119) last month forced me to put together my results so far. The initial part was as usual a short summary on Building Information Modelling (BIM), its definitions and common applications. This was followed by an introduction to the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) contract method as a business enabler in building industry. The necessity of BIM for this approach by underpinning informed work flows was then demonstrated in a couple of slides. The third  and last episode of this first part was a clarification of the need for a vendor-neutral all-inclusive implementation of BIM if it is truly aimed to be used for promoting an integrated approach. This is, as you may guess, the buildingSMART's initiative termed as open BIM.

The first part was a prelude to the second and the main part of the presentation on FM:BIM - BIM for facilities management. This was initiated with basics of facilities management with regard to the knowledge management tools and systems that are used in the field. Subsequently, problematic areas namely work flows, contracts and IT tools, a number of available standards (e.g. IFC and COBie) and tools (such as FMDesktop, ArchiFM and Bentley Facilities) were shortly introduced. The presentation was rounded off by some words on what I tend to call FM:BIM:BAS. Actually, not so many applications support simultaneous integration of the BIM model and the Building Automation Systems (BAS) into the FM application of the client. Onuma Systems and EcoDomus are two prominent examples.

BIM Collaboration Lab

KTH BIM Collaboration Lab is located at Stockholm, KTH main campus, Brinellvägen 1, 1st floor. Here are the initial sketches for the lab that I made according to Väino's drafts and how it looks like at the time. The interior will be completed in near future and the number of seats will be increased to ten during workshops. The lab will be transferred to a more spacious room when the basic activities are practiced for a while and further requirements for an ideal functionality are determined.

The lab will be a meeting place for all interested actors in ACE/FM industry and BIM experts for sharing their points of view and experiences on application of BIM, gains and losses, opportunities and hinders also for contributing to discussions on standardization of data formats used within the wide variety of ACE/FM branches.

SUCH -, the Sustainable Urban Collaboration Hub - will be developed here based on empirical requirements for an integrated, standardized and neutral information system that facilitates smooth and steady flow of information through different phases of program, design, construction, administration and recycling of the building also among the variety of participating groups. To explain the aim of such a platform in a clear and concise way: SUCH is expected to help optimizing planning and design procedure, minimizing loss of information and redundant work, increasing the profit, reducing design and construction time and promoting an integrated and environmental-friendly approach towards planning and design.


The aforementioned are in fact often mentioned as advantages for use of BIM - Building Information Modelling in general. Nonetheless, those objective would have never been fulfilled unless ubiquitous adoption and seamless application of BIM  is realised. This is in fact the main inducement of the escalating tradition of establishment of BIM labs by schools and ACE firms.