The GSA s BIM Pilot Program

GSA PBS Office of the Chief Architect Presents The GSA s BIM Pilot Program Submission to the AIA TAP Knowledge Community First Annual BIM Awards Competition Presented By: Charles Matta, FAIA Acting Director, Center for Federal Buildings and Modernization Office of the Chief Architect Calvin Kam Visiting Fellow, Office of the Chief Architect Ph.D. Candidate, CIFE, Stanford University In Collaboration With: Thomas Graves, Project Systems Manager, OCA Stephen Hagan, FAIA, Project Knowledge Center, NCR Martin Fischer, PhD, Director, CIFE, Stanford Univ. copy right 2005, not for reproduction or dissemination.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Executive Summary [p.1 of 5] Background: The United States General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service (PBS) provides 330M s.f. of workspace to more than 100 federal agencies representing over one million federal workers in the country. Under its Design Excellence Program, GSA PBS Office of the Chief Architect (OCA) has attracted the nation s leading designers to create award-winning architecture. Challenge: Some recent GSA projects have started with inaccurate as-built documentation and inconsistent design quality. Project teams have dealt with many communication challenges with tenant agencies and the public due to project complexity, and as much as 30% cost overrun at bidding, all of which have impacted the on-time and on-budget objectives of PBS projects.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Executive Summary [p.2 of 5] Motivation: The private sector and government agencies abroad have experimented and benefited from BIM in mitigating the mentioned challenges. The OCA provides national leadership in advocating excellence in design, construction, and sustainability. Therefore, the OCA is poised to lead its 11 regions across the nation in leveraging 3D-based BIM to ensure better as-built documentation, communication, design delivery, and coordination that lead to improved cost predictability. Pilot Program: Since summer 2003, the OCA has launched a technology pilot program that has fostered the adoption of BIM s in ongoing GSA projects. Nine pilots (see thumbnails on the side bars) have been effectively launched across the nation, through a collective effort by the GSA and its partners in the design and construction industry.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Executive Summary [p.3 of 5] Technology: The pilot program strives to maintain a neutral attitude towards technology solutions and data standards. Since the projects involve different challenges, processes, and stakeholders, each pilot was aligned with different technologies and standards, e.g., 3d laser scanning, spatial data model, 4D phasing, energy simulation, and the IFC s, etc. Non-Technology Factors: The Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service has issued an internal memorandum mandating the use of interoperable BIM for cost-effective delivery of GSA projects. The OCA has initiated nation-wide exchange with the industry, its AE, CM, consultants, and other public/professional organizations (e.g., Federal Facility Council, CURT, AIA, ASCE, AGC, Stanford, NIBS, Fiatech, etc.)

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Executive Summary [p.4 of 5] Benefits: Examples of direct benefits to the pilot projects include: optimize construction schedule (e.g., reduce duration by 19% in 300 NLA Federal Bldg), improve as-built documentation (e.g., 26 Federal Plaza), uncover design errors and omissions (e.g., uncover envelope and coordination omissions in Houston Federal Office), and improve the means for communications through 3D-4D BIMs (e.g., with tenant agencies and during pre-bidding conferences). Furthermore, GSA s initiative has led other federal agencies in the adoption of BIM and has made a major impact on the industry (people, culture, and process), on peer owners, on the attitude towards open standard, and on the importance of establishing an owner s BIM and its requirements.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Executive Summary [p.5 of 5] Cost-Benefit Analysis: While specific contract value and project costs vary from pilot to pilot, the cost saving on one of the 9 pilot projects has already paid off for the cost of the 2-year pilot program, turning the direct benefits on the other 8 pilots and their positive impacts on the government and the industry as dividends. Outlook: Building upon the success of its pilot program, GSA Office of the Chief Architect is further expanding its BIM-based pilot program, adding BIM clauses in its facility and CADD standards, and engaging more of its regions, design consultants, contractors, and technology partners in the adoption of BIM-related technologies.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Nine pilot projects to date on large-scale ongoing projects across the nation Nine BIM pilots to date on different project types, across different project phases, and with different players: 1. 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 2. Office Building, Houston, TX 3. U.S. Courthouse, El Paso, TX 4. 300 NLA Federal Bldg, Los Angeles, CA 5. Eisenhower Exec. Office Bldg, Washington, DC 6. GSA Regional Office Building, Washington, DC 7. GSA Central Office Building, Washington, DC 8. Border Station Prototype, U.S.-Canada Border 9. U.S. Courthouse, Portland, OR

GSA s BIM Pilot Program The pilots involve contributions by the GSA team, its professional and technology consultants Owner: GSA Office of the Chief Architect and Regions 2, 7, 9, 10, and 11 Design Professionals: BPLW, Cannon Design, GGA/EEK, Leo A Daly/Page Southerland Page, LSM, SERA, and Smith Group Construction Professionals: Parsons Brinckerhoff, URS, U.S. Cost, and Shubnum Technology Consultants: Cyra, Olof Granlund Oy, Optira, Solibri Academic/Research Institution: CIFE/Stanford University

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Specific areas of explorations and BIM applications include the following data types and exchange: Data Types: architectural/structural geometry, operation schedule, tenant sequence, laser-scanning coordinates, structural dimension, energy data, construction schedule, sound transmission coefficients, MEP components, space/program info (ANSI-BOMA standard), efficiency ratio, and site location (longitude and latitude), etc. Data Exchange Formats: ifc, dwg, dxf, fmz, vfe, pln, mpp, raw, etc.

GSA s BIM Pilot Program Modeling support included the following software applications as used by the pilot program teams: Software Applications Used: Architectural Desktop, AutoDesk ArchiCAD, Graphisoft CFD, CFX Cloudworx, Cyra Cyclone, Cyra Decision Dashboard, CIFE Form.Z, Auto-des-sys Project 4D, CommonPoint 4D Project, Microsoft RIUSKA, Olof Granlund Oy Solibri Model Checker, Solibri, and other office and graphics software applications

26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY Spatial study led to major savings with project planning and HVAC ductwork design & distribution Laser Scanning Courtesy of Optira an addition to a federal office tower in Manhattan, NY as-built 3D model based on laser scanning data at ¼ accuracy was compared against the design 3D model based on the the architectural, structural, and MEP design a major error of structural wall location was discovered; laser scan gave a true interstitial dimension that translated to a major saving

Office Building, Houston, TX Design intent omissions uncovered and coordinated before construction bidding a new office building with innovative façade system building information modeling enabled early detection of design errors and omissions pertaining to the façade system the designer team was able to incorporate the findings, correct the drawings, and avoided costly change orders and RFI s that would impact the project schedule

U.S. Courthouse, El Paso, TX Automated 3D-based design review, conflicts detection, and resolution IFC data exchange with spatial information enables model checker to assess whether the design meets the GSA program informative quantitative data about building efficiency, fenestration ratio, volume ratio, rentable area, etc. according to GSA design guideline and the ANSI-BOMA standard can be obtained and automated with the BIM

300 NLA Federal Bldg, Los Angeles, CA Model-based tenant phasing enables schedule reduction and improved cost predictability a fully occupied federal building will go through a 16- phase seismic upgrade and modernization data integration, 4D-modeling, and the Decision Dashboard enable the team to reduce overall schedule by 19% while uncovering major errors in cost assumptions 4D-modeling provides an effective means for communication with the tenant agencies

Eisenhower Executive Off Bldg, Wash D.C. A balance between security requirements and historical preservations a BIM and a Quicktime movie were constructed based on fabricator s shop drawings, at 1/48 accuracy daylight and shadow were cast based on city s longitude, latitude perspective of a pedestrian was simulated based on elevation and site dimensions

GSA Regional Off Bldg, Wash D.C. Integration of spatial, organization, schedule, and cost information; simulate alternatives tenant phasing in a 2-phase modernization project information discrepancy was uncovered pertaining to existing tenant locations and sizes 4D models and the Decision Dashboard communicate the phasing plans and their cost/time implications across different alternatives

GSA Central Off Bldg, Wash D.C. Energy analysis and computational fluid dynamic simulation of an existing office building 70 Space: 089 NC1st_ Courtesy of Olof Granlund Oy BIM and IFC enabled direct model exchange with an energy consultant for a simulation of the thermal condition and energy usage of an existing facility thermal zones, construction materials, insulation types, and window properties are analyzed by a DOE-2 based program, which simulated energy consumption based on the occupancy activities across a typical work day. 60 50 40 30 20 10 0-10 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24

Border Station Prototype, US-Canada Border BIM-based design in support of project planning and alternative analysis site orientation, vehicular flow, structural alternatives, material choices, and construction means and methods were studied during the early programming phase visual animation, orientation trade-off, and prefabrication studies were carried out with the building information model

U.S. Courthouse, Portland, OR Improving the means of communications with the public, tenants, and bidding contractors a historical landmark undergoes a seismic upgrade with the installation of base isolators 4D modeling integrates design intent, structural engineers specifications, and a construction schedule into a single model the model and the animation fostered GSA s communications with the public, tenants, and GC bidders

GSA PBS Office of the Chief Architect Presents The GSA s BIM Pilot Program Special Thanks To: BPLW, CommonPoint, CYRA, GSA Regions, Jim Kane, Olof Granlund Oy, Optira, Senate Properties, Solibri, and Stanford University/CIFE Please direct questions or comments about this submission to: Charles Matta Calvin Kam charles.matta @gsa.gov calvin.kam @gsa.gov Address: GSA Office of the Chief Architect 1800 F Street NW Room 3341 Washington, DC 20405