BIM has been paying off for AE firm NELSON. “Once a team becomes proficient in the BIM process, we see better margins for projects completed in Revit,” says John “Ozzie” Nelson, Jr., President/CEO. “We see more RFPs that require Revit.” Creating Revit models opens up doors in analysis, data integration, facilities management, and advanced visualization, he says.
Perkins Eastman is starting to see results from its investment in BIM. “Our most recent in-house analysis of project labor costs on comparable CAD/BIM projects is showing an increase in BIM projects over CAD projects,” says Chair/CEO Bradford Perkins, FAIA, MRAIC, AICP. “Many of the other benefits of a BIM workflow are not so easily quantified, but they are real enough to give us confidence that BIM is paying off.”
SCROLL DOWN FOR GIANTS 300 BIM FIRM RANKINGS
Alex Ivanikiw, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Vice President at Barton Malow: “The real benefit is how the use of BIM enables collaboration, which in turn builds a real sense of trust and teamwork.” When subcontractors had trouble using the BIM model for submittal approval and materials fabrication, Barton Malow created a BIM 101 seminar to educate them in these processes, says Ivanikiw.
BIM projects have been profitable for Syska Hennessy Group, but there’s always room for improvement, says Co-president Gary Brennen, PE, LEED AP. SHG was “committed and fully invested in the early adoption of BIM,” but the MEP software still lags behind the architectural and structural components. “We were aware of that going into the process,” he says.
Structural engineering firm Magnusson Klemencic Associates is producing 100% of its projects as BIM models. “After many years of investment, we are finally turning the corner on implementing BIM in an efficient and thoughtful manner,” says MKA President Ron Klemencic, PE, SE.
The key to successful BIM implementation: “A project team with the experience and knowledge of what to model and how to model it,” says Klemencic.
“Allowing owners to better visualize the project has become an influencing factor during the presentation process,” says Doug Davidson, President, New South Construction. In 2011, over 45% of New South’s projects used BIM.
“There’s no question that BIM has paid off in our role as engineer of record producing construction drawings and as detailing engineer,” says Robert Otani, PE, LEED AP, Vice President of Thornton Tomasetti. The firm’s Construction Support Services practice uses BIM to produce digital fabrication drawings, connection engineering, and erection engineering for steel contractors. “The technology is constantly changing, and the engineers need to stay ahead of the curve,” says Otani.
KJWW Engineering recently standardized on Revit BIM in all 11 offices. President Paul VanDuyne, PE, says it was much more difficult to develop the MEP and technology components of the firm’s BIM platform than it was for structural engineering and medical equipment planning. “Now we are completing projects in close to the same time frame as previously with 3D, and in some cases faster,” he says.
EwingCole now uses an internal “cloud” for team members, who are now able to work on BIM through higher-end processors and central servers, says President Mark Hebden, AIA, LEED AP.
EYP Architecture & Engineering adopted BIM in 2006, and it has become a core competency. One unexpected benefit: “BIM integration has created more opportunities for younger tech-savvy staff to collaborate with senior technical team members,” says John Pocorobba, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Chief Operations Officer.
“It becomes apparent which market sectors are embracing BIM,” said Greg Lyon, Vice President and Director of Business Development at Nadel Architects, whose BIM work focuses on hospitality and retail clients.
“BIM implementation has been a long-term effort and a considerable one,” says Phil Harrison, FAIA, LEED AP, CEO of Perkins+Will. The firm has overcome the technical and training issues and is now “focusing on innovations and efficiencies,” he says.
Shepley Bulfinch has been using BIM since 2009 and now uses it for all projects. President Carole Wedge, FAIA, LEED AP, says BIM implementation has led to a “deeper exploration about how we approach our work, including how we draw and how we schedule our projects.”
According to Graef CEO John Kissinger, “We were early adopters. It was more difficult than we thought, but it is ingrained in all areas of our practice now.”
SmithGroupJJR began transitioning to Revit in 2005, and is now demonstrating a return on its BIM investment. On a daily basis, the firm peaks at around 310 concurrent users on Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, and Revit Structure.
President Steven Straus says Glumac made “an enormous investment” in BIM training and software development. “BIM is a new technology that is improving coordination,” he says, “but the software is not ready for prime time.”
“Not all contractors we work with are leveraging BIM. This means we have to spend more time preparing drawings in BIM than we normally would,” says BRPH President/CEO Brad Harmsen, AIA.
The chief conclusion from this survey: BIM is here to stay, but be prepared to invest staff time and money to perfect it. +
TOP 25 BIM ARCHITECTURE FIRMS
| Rank | Company | 2011 BIM Revenue ($) |
| 1 | HOK | 398,217,301 |
| 2 | HDR Architecture | 327,690,000 |
| 3 | Perkins+Will | 274,336,000 |
| 4 | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | 204,000,000 |
| 5 | HKS | 200,000,000 |
| 6 | Cannon Design | 173,000,000 |
| 7 | SmithGroupJJR | 150,540,000 |
| 8 | RTKL Associates | 140,000,000 |
| 9 | Hammel, Green and Abrahamson | 76,740,000 |
| 10 | EYP Architecture & Engineering | 72,681,105 |
| 11 | Corgan Associates | 67,575,000 |
| 12 | Flad Architects | 65,100,000 |
| 13 | HNTB Architecture | 63,244,852 |
| 14 | Fentress Architects | 58,824,000 |
| 15 | DLR Group | 49,500,000 |
| 16 | BSA LifeStructures | 45,316,495 |
| 17 | PageSoutherlandPage | 44,918,630 |
| 18 | ZGF Architects | 40,352,152 |
| 19 | Ennead Architects | 39,341,000 |
| 20 | KMD Architects | 35,143,453 |
| 21 | Cooper Carry | 34,000,000 |
| 22 | Perkins Eastman | 32,500,000 |
| 23 | LS3P Associates | 32,211,134 |
| 24 | FKP Architects | 30,000,000 |
| 25 | Harley Ellis Devereaux | 28,740,000 |
TOP 25 BIM ENGINEERING FIRMS
| Rank | Company | 2011 BIM Revenue ($) |
| 1 | Jacobs | 355,021,036 |
| 2 | URS Corp. | 275,000,000 |
| 3 | Stantec | 181,300,000 |
| 4 | SSOE Group | 103,506,950 |
| 5 | Science Applications International Corp. | 92,695,000 |
| 6 | Thornton Tomasetti | 83,314,632 |
| 7 | KPFF Consulting Engineers | 60,000,000 |
| 8 | Burns & McDonnell | 50,000,000 |
| 9 | KJWW Engineering Consultants | 43,784,892 |
| 10 | Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers | 32,000,000 |
| 11 | H&A Architects & Engineers | 29,883,975 |
| 12 | TLC Engineering for Architecture | 27,290,274 |
| 13 | STV | 26,646,000 |
| 14 | Glumac | 26,408,740 |
| 15 | Magnusson Klemencic Associates | 25,845,578 |
| 16 | Middough | 25,000,000 |
| 17 | R.G. Vanderweil Engineers | 24,912,000 |
| 18 | Michael Baker Jr., Inc | 24,000,000 |
| 19 | Syska Hennessy Group | 23,500,000 |
| 20 | Smith Seckman Reid | 21,360,000 |
| 21 | Bergmann Associates | 18,420,000 |
| 22 | ccrd partners | 16,700,000 |
| 23 | Rutherford & Chekene | 16,568,000 |
| 24 | Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor | 15,500,000 |
| 25 | L.R. Kimball | 14,200,000 |
TOP 25 BIM CONSTRUCTION FIRMS
| Rank | Company | 2011 BIM Revenue ($) |
| 1 | Turner Corporation, The | 5,458,100,812 |
| 2 | URS Corp. | 4,150,000,000 |
| 3 | Hensel Phelps Construction | 2,230,890,000 |
| 4 | Mortenson | 2,220,000,000 |
| 5 | Balfour Beatty US | 2,070,776,637 |
| 6 | McCarthy Holdings | 1,897,000,000 |
| 7 | Holder Construction | 1,651,000,000 |
| 8 | Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., The | 1,282,424,019 |
| 9 | Lend Lease | 1,264,115,151 |
| 10 | Hoffman Corp. | 1,165,887,387 |
| 11 | Walsh Group, The | 1,128,436,530 |
| 12 | PCL Construction Enterprises | 1,100,346,901 |
| 13 | JE Dunn Construction | 1,097,865,953 |
| 14 | Clayco | 820,000,000 |
| 15 | DPR Construction | 691,319,178 |
| 16 | Swinerton | 653,859,000 |
| 17 | Gilbane Building Co. | 622,414,000 |
| 18 | Suffolk Construction | 621,498,214 |
| 19 | Structure Tone | 606,850,000 |
| 20 | Pepper Construction Group | 566,300,000 |
| 21 | Weitz Co., The | 560,000,000 |
| 22 | Manhattan Construction Group | 549,029,000 |
| 23 | Austin Industries | 547,065,203 |
| 24 | Power Construction | 530,000,000 |
| 25 | Brasfield & Gorrie | 504,676,926 |
Related Stories
Mass Timber | May 31, 2024
Mass timber a big part of Western Washington University’s net-zero ambitions
Western Washington University, in Bellingham, Wash., 90 miles from Seattle, is in the process of expanding its ABET-accredited programs for electrical engineering, computer engineering and science, and energy science. As part of that process, the university is building Kaiser Borsari Hall, the 54,000-sf new home for those academic disciplines that will include teaching labs, research labs, classrooms, collaborative spaces, and administrative offices.
Construction Costs | May 31, 2024
Despite challenges, 2024 construction material prices continue to stabilize
Gordian’s Q2 2024 Quarterly Construction Cost Insights Report indicates that supply chain issues notwithstanding, many commodities are exhibiting price normalization.
University Buildings | May 30, 2024
Washington University School of Medicine opens one of the world’s largest neuroscience research buildings
In St. Louis’ Cortex Innovation District, Washington University School of Medicine recently opened its new Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building. Designed by CannonDesign and Perkins&Will, the 11-story, 609,000-sf facility is one of the largest neuroscience buildings in the world.
Architects | May 30, 2024
AE firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood merges with Southland Engineering
Architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is further expanding its services through a strategic merger with engineering firm Southland Engineering in Cartersville, Ga.
K-12 Schools | May 30, 2024
Inclusive design strategies to transform learning spaces
Students with disabilities and those experiencing mental health and behavioral conditions represent a group of the most vulnerable students at risk for failing to connect educationally and socially. Educators and school districts are struggling to accommodate all of these nuanced and, at times, overlapping conditions.
MFPRO+ New Projects | May 29, 2024
Two San Francisco multifamily high rises install onsite water recycling systems
Two high-rise apartment buildings in San Francisco have installed onsite water recycling systems that will reuse a total of 3.9 million gallons of wastewater annually. The recycled water will be used for toilet flushing, cooling towers, and landscape irrigation to significantly reduce water usage in both buildings.
Healthcare Facilities | May 28, 2024
Healthcare design: How to improve the parking experience for patients and families
Parking is likely a patient’s—and their families—first and last touch with a healthcare facility. As such, the arrival and departure parking experience can have a profound impact on their experience with the healthcare facility, writes Beth Bryan, PE, PTOE, PTP, STP2, Principal, Project Manager, Walter P Moore.
Urban Planning | May 28, 2024
‘Flowing’ design emphasizes interaction at Bellevue, Wash., development
The three-tower 1,030,000-sf office and retail development designed by Graphite Design Group in collaboration with Compton Design Office for Vulcan Real Estate is attracting some of the world’s largest names in tech and hospitality.
MFPRO+ News | May 28, 2024
ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings. The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release.
Women in Design+Construction | May 28, 2024
Commerce Department launches Million Women in Construction Community Pledge
The U.S. Department of Commerce launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge this month to boost the ranks of women in construction companies. Federal investments are creating a construction boom that is increasing job opportunities for construction and trade workers.
