While the water sector has been slower to embrace building information modeling (BIM) than other sectors such as transportation, the industry is accelerating BIM implementation, a new report from Dodge Data & Analytics finds. The use of such information modeling is helping water and wastewater facilities to build more and better facilities while using less natural and financial resources, says Autodesk’s director of infrastructure industry and business strategy, Theo Agelopoulos. Audodesk partnered with Dodge Data & Analytics on the report.
Findings
—Improved operations and asset management: This is one area in which the water sector is showing leadership in BIM deployment compared to other infrastructure verticals. 3D modeling as used to improve operations and asset management has the potential to become a powerful driver of additional adoption, according to the report. In fact, 86% of respondents report that they are integrating the models with asset management, and the same percentage report using the models to support operations and maintenance (O&M) activities.
“As owners recognize BIM’s contribution across the facility lifecycle, it will provide them with a greater reason to mandate its use, and also be a competitive advantage for BIM-capable engineers and contractors who can not only enhance project delivery, but help owners conduct better operations and asset management for the long term,” says Steve Jones, senior director of industry insights research at Dodge Data & Analytics.
–Enhanced collaborations for reduced errors: Another critical finding about the value of BIM in the water sector is its ability to enhance multi-party collaboration on project teams, a benefit that numerous Dodge Data & Analytics research studies demonstrate is having positive impacts on all types of projects around the world. Among BIM users in the water sector, improved collaboration is the top-rated business benefit, resulting in reduced errors and omissions, reduced conflicts and coordination problems, better ability to maintain quality and better communication from 3D visualization.
—Leveraging data for long-term results: The use of data in the water and wastewater industry is an important element in helping the industry realize great execution efficiencies and improving long-term results for owners, and BIM is a tool that provides such capabilities. By transitioning to digital processes and gaining simplified access to complex data, owners will continue to reap long-term benefits from BIM through its capabilities in asset management and operation and maintenance, as well as the integration of projects, according to the report.
Black & Veatch, E-Builder and Pinnacle Infotech, Inc., offered additional support on the study.