Why identifying the right data at the start is critical for effective BIM

As the management of design and construction become more digitalised, the data quality we gather at the start of the asset lifecycle is crucial to realising value over decades into the future.

However, in practice, the detail needed at the start is often overlooked, making Building Information Modelling (BIM) less effective and causing a ripple effect throughout the asset’s lifecycle.

BIM is a process for creating and managing data, but if time isn’t taken at the start of the process to specify exactly what data is required, BIM cannot live up to its potential and future opportunities to put that data to use will be lost.

So, how can we avoid these pitfalls? The answer is in ensuring the data collection process is robust at the start of any asset’s development.

Caption: The survey data we gather at the start of the asset lifecycle is crucial to its longevity and efficiency.

What happens when data integrity is overlooked

Given that most of an asset’s costs are associated with the operations and maintenance stages (approximately 70 percent over its lifetime), it’s imperative that all stakeholders collaborate to get this right at the outset of a project. All it takes is one missed pit, one incorrect level, or one misunderstood drawing for the data to be misinterpreted and cause serious problems down the line. This can include costly rework to fix incorrectly built assets and budget blowouts due to process inefficiencies over time.

On the flipside, when the data is comprehensive and reliable, BIM creates greater safety, cost efficiencies, and asset longevity long after a building or structure has been constructed. The asset data can be then combined and continually updated creating a digital twin.

Gathering the right data

Surveying is critical in the initial stages of asset development. Although surveyors use the latest technologies such as laser scanning, photogrammetry and simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) to name a few, these tools rely on the skill and accuracy of the surveyor as well as the datasets the project owner requests.

The datasets that capture and document our built environment are becoming increasingly complex and valuable as digital assets, so it is vital that the data collection process is understood by all parties.

It's common for project owners to need support in knowing how to ask the right questions to get the information they require. This is where the process often falls over. Costly mistakes are most likely to happen when the task of data collection is siloed.

Early collaboration is key in data collection

Caption: Early collaboration is essential to ensure data integrity and usability over an asset’s lifetime.

While there are strict quality standards in place for information management, such as the ISO19650, all stakeholders must be engaged to establish the correct parameters and decide what information should be gathered for each stage of the asset lifecycle.

The three primary ways of establishing this data:

1.     Exchange Information Requirements (EIR)

It’s critical to understand how information will be exchanged between all relevant parties throughout an assets or project’s lifecycle. The EIR sets out clear instructions about how a project will be executed. It provides a foundation for how the information is exchanged within the project owner’s organisation and between other parties such as contractor, designer or constructor.

2.    Asset Information Model (AIM)         

AIM serves as a sole source of validated and approved information that relates to a built asset. It is used during the operational and maintenance phase of an asset. It may relate to:

• A single asset
• A system of combined assets
• An organisation's entire portfolio of assets.

3.     Project Information Model (PIM)       

PIM provides the historical development of all the project information from all stakeholders throughout all stages during the capital delivery phase. It is important to keep all this information for future reference in case there is a problem or issue later.

When all stages of the asset lifecycle have been considered in the data collection and production process, the risk of incorrect or missing information is reduced.

Metadata matters in data collection

Stakeholders need to decide not only what metadata is required in their BIM but also what naming conventions are going to be applied to their information, drawings, reports, models and spreadsheets. While this can be tedious at the outset, it is essential to avoid mistakes and to be able to effectively use BIM to meet sustainability and cost-efficiency goals going forward.

Strengthening data collection at the start

At GHD Digital, we standardise all third-party information and ensure information requirements are being met throughout the surveying, design and development process. This adds value to the asset’s lifecycle and helps realise the full potential of BIM.

We also run maturity assessment workshops with project owners to gain a deeper understanding of their pain points. This helps identify what information they consume and distribute and creates the foundations for more effective BIM.

When BIM is set up for success from the outset, our infrastructure will positively impact our people, communities, and environment.