Aligning IPD Approach with BIM for Efficient Construction Projects

It is expected that by year 2040, with an increase of 32% as compared to year 2012, commercial buildings will occupy more than 109 billion square feet of floor space. This includes commercial spaces like schools, hospital, churches, warehouses, offices etc. This rapidly increasing commercial construction projects are putting human life on the planet in harm’s way. Having said this, we cannot even imagine the amount of waste it will generate, the delays that will cost double than planned and above all, it will hit hard on suitability. You will need an approach that sets the terms right along with integration of BIM for commercial building construction.

Setting the goals straight apart, unlike any other project efforts, Integrated Project delivery (IPD) creates a unique bond from the very first day of planning stages, binding all major project stakeholders including architects, owners, managers, engineers, contractors and subcontractors. Professional associations like AIA and AGC have stepped up to create standards and guidelines to be used in the Integrated Project Delivery process. 

So let’s understand what exactly should be expected from IPD.

• Stakeholders come together to evaluate multiple solutions that can enhance the quality of the product. This will simplify the process thereby minimizing the errors and re-designing problems.
• All evaluations from stage one must be incorporated in the design process. Sustainability goals are clearly defined with incorporating code regulations in design phase itself. If you plan your project meticulously with the Integrated Project Delivery it will help in cutting down the waste and help save on budget.
• Prospects to use accelerated and lean construction methods on an end-to-end as well as on a per-phase basis (thus increasing overall cost and time savings). Parallel construction project scheduling is quite a chance compared to traditional project delivery.

In IPD; BIM is the essential platform for enabling 3D model integration and exchanging information among team members. In the IPD model BIM technologies sit above an intranet which serves as the project’s base IT infrastructure. It is then digital modelling which drives innovation in the project. To this end the IPD documents crafted by the AIACC mandate and promote the full scale implementation of digital technologies. 

For example, contract E 202 2008, the BIM Protocol Exhibit, explicitly encompasses a range of acceptable uses for BIM including: model ownership, model responsibilities and authorized uses including cost estimating, construction scheduling, documents, shop drawings and project adaptations.

Benefits of Integrated Project Delivery - IPD:

• Planned and predicted outcomes, risks and gains with help of open collaboration
• Planning of all relevant aspects of the construction process known as representation
• Assessment of construction results with help of detailed analysis
• Overall collaboration resulting in higher standards
• Rapid detection and resolution to fabrication procedure issues
• Precise Contract documentation for all stakeholders to avoid construction process pitfalls
• Overall collaboration resulting in better and more precise job estimates
• Diminished errors, omissions and disputes pacing up the construction process, resulting in cost efficiency

Model tenure is recognized in early stage workshops and is critical to the success of the project. Level of detailing- from LOD 100 to LOD 500, holds quite an importance depending on members capacity to detail it. The members with precise and strongest BIM capabilities are often the ‘Model Owner’ irrespective of their role in team or firm. Determining time and cost, schedule sequencing and cost estimating is linked to the 3D model and constantly updated to mirror the assessed cost of the planned design.

It will be fair to say that IPD can be looked upon as a procurement model with all parties equally responsible for any risk that falls upon. Risks are further coped up using contracts that mandate the BIM usage among all involved.