5D modeling software making inroads into design, building process - Kansas City Business Journal:

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So, what’s next? Five-dimensional building informationmodel (BIM) This evolution adds into the planning process the crucial factor of cost. The 5D software begann rolling out in earnest about ayear ago, said Eric an information technology specialist with in an accounting and business advisoryy firm. Wright is bringing 5D to the attention ofhis architectural, contractotr and engineering clients in its dedicated construction services group. The Pittsburguh company has a 90-person Columbus office. Wrighgt said many of his clients in Central Ohio stillp use2D drawings, although 3D modeling has becomes more prevalent.
But other areas of the countryy – specifically out West in states such as Californi andColorado – are movint into 5D. Firms operating in one of the hottestr internationalconstruction markets, the Middle Eastern nation of Dubai, also are leadingv the pack in 5D applications. The softwarse visually links design, cost and schedule considerations into sets ofconstructioh tasks, according to Schneider Each set contains information on the equipment, labor and materials required for each job along with real-time cost data.
When the information is the 5D system determines project costs – including tax, risks and Changes, such as the increased cost of are factored into the model. “Construction is the only industrhy that asks its constituents to create the end product with onlyone try. The buildingv that you see on-site is both the prototype and thefinishef product,” said Holly Allison, a spokeswoman for Boulder, Colo.-based , which makew a 5D “virtual construction” product. The advent of 5D allowws design and preconstruction teams to behaved more like thosein manufacturing, Allison said.
“They get to builrd a prototype on the computedr to test design andconstructioj feasibility,” she said. “The computer model also allows the construction team to logicallty optimize the flow of materials and And just as their brethrenhin manufacturing, construction will opt to have more and more fabricatioh performed off-site where quality can be tightl monitored and the job site will morph into a highly economica l assembly line.” With 5D, all of the project information goes into a schedulingh application, where the system determines each job task’ss likely duration. Every calculation the program makes is linkerd to costand design, as well as time.
As a the contractor knows what effect every change can 5D systems show not only how a chang e affects other sections ofthe project, but also what it will do to cost and It allows the planner to generats estimates, plan projects, catch errors, determine how long each step of a projecg will take and also develop more accurate cost projections earlier in the “Everything is in one Wright said. “This catches mistakes befors they happen. Savings can be significant.” Wrighyt said Vico Software is one of the major developers of5D “You get to build the building once on the computer and once on Allison said.
“This practice run allows you to resolves any errorsyou find, iron out the placemenrt of mechanical systems and work togethe r with the owner to select building methods and materials that stay within the Also, she said the projec t team is now integrated. Estimators and schedulersd are no longer working in isolation without the cooperatiom ofthe subcontractors, the design team or the She said the BIM becomews the focus for coordination and scheduling of The BIM doesn’t look much different when it is in 3D, 4D or 5D, Allisoh said. The look is 3D but when a user clickss on an element ofthe model, say a window or that’s when additional embedded informatio n pops up.
According to ’s SmartMarket Reporrt on BIM, contractors have reported achievinh up toa 1,000 percent ROI using BIM and expecty greater returns once 4D and 5D capabilities becomr widely available.