Building information modeling tools are great, but if you can't run efficient, productive coordination meetings, the Building Team will never realize the benefits of true BIM coordination. Here are some helpful tips for making the most of BIM coordination meetings based on my experience working on BIM/VDC-driven projects:
1. Practice and prepare. Yes, practice for a meeting. The more you do it the more productive your meetings can be. It takes some skill to be able to navigate the model and have the correct models loaded and visibility settings. Spending 15 minutes before loading models and opening views for the areas of focus will save you a lot of waiting and down time during the meeting.
2. Assign a "designated driver.” This person needs to be familiar with the model and savvy with the software platform. Models can be quite cumbersome, and it can slow down the meeting when a group of people have to watch someone poorly navigating the model. That will quickly kill your productivity.
SEE JARED KRIEGER AT THE 2013 AIA NATIONAL CONVENTION
Jared Krieger, Project Architect in Gensler’s Washington, D.C., office, will speak on “Maximizing BIM: How to Successfully Execute a Fully Integrated BIM Project,” at the AIA National Convention in Denver on Friday, June 21, 6:00-7:00 p.m. More information: http://convention.aia.org.
3. Use your team’s time wisely. You don’t always have to have the full team in the room at the same time. Consider splitting the meeting into structured trades. For example, meet with the structural engineer for the first portion of the meeting to review structural specific coordination. Then have some overlap time with MEP and structural for common coordination. Finish the meeting with MEP-specific coordination.
4. Use meeting notes to stay focused. Open action items and homework from the previous meeting should be the basis for discussion in your current meeting. Use this structure to keep yourself on track, and resolve open coordination issues before moving on to new items.
5. Talk about this process early in the project. For most people, using a collaboratively focused process leveraging technology will be a new process. It may sound like a large time commitment, but if done correctly it will save you time in the long run. Educate the team early on and set/manage expectations.
Jared Krieger, AIA, LEED AP, is a Project Architect and BIM/VDC expert based in Gensler's Washington, D.C., office. He can be reached at jared_krieger@gensler.com.
Related Stories
| Feb 23, 2011
Architecture Billings hold steady after two months of improving conditions
After showing positive momentum during the fourth quarter of 2010, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) slipped almost four points in January. The January ABI score was 50.0, which is down from a reading of 53.9 the previous month, but still reflects stable demand for design services. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.
| Feb 22, 2011
LEED Volume Program celebrates its 500th certified Pilot Project
More than 500 building projects have certified through the LEED Volume Program since the pilot launched in 2006, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED Volume Program streamlines the certification process for high-volume property owners and managers, from commercial real estate firms, national retailers and hospitality providers, to local, state and federal governments.
| Feb 22, 2011
HDR Architecture names four healthcare directors
Four senior professionals in HDR Architecture’s healthcare program have been named Healthcare directors.
| Feb 15, 2011
Iconic TWA terminal may reopen as a boutique hotel
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to squeeze a hotel with about 150 rooms in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new JetBlue building. The old TWA terminal would serve as an entry to the hotel and hotel lobby, which would also contain restaurants and shops.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Orleans' rebuilt public housing architecture gets mixed reviews
The architecture of New Orleans’ new public housing is awash with optimism about how urban-design will improve residents' lives—but the changes are based on the idealism of an earlier era that’s being erased and revised.
| Feb 15, 2011
LAUSD commissions innovative prefab prototypes for future building
The LA Unified School District, under the leadership of a new facilities director, reversed course regarding prototypes for its new schools and engaged architects to create compelling kit-of-parts schemes that are largely prefabricated.
| Feb 15, 2011
New 2030 Challenge to include carbon footprint of building materials and products
Architecture 2030 has just broadened the scope of its 2030 Challenge, issuing an additional challenge regarding the climate impact of building products. The 2030 Challenge for Products aims to reduce the embodied carbon (meaning the carbon emissions equivalent) of building products 50% by 2030.
| Feb 15, 2011
New Urbanist Andrés Duany: We need a LEED Brown rating
Andrés Duany advocates a "LEED Brown" rating that would give contractors credit for using traditional but low cost measures that are not easy to quantify or certify. He described these steps as "the original green," and "what we did when we didn't have money." Ostensibly, LEED Brown would be in addition to the current Silver, Gold and Platinum ratings.
