Building Information Modeling in Support of Space Planning and Renovations in Colleges and Universities
The construction industry is responsible for approximately $1 trillion in work annually. A large percentage of this work is tied to the renovation of older structures. Due to increases in sustainable initiatives and the growing lack of green field development sites, the renovation of older buildings...
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Digital WPI
2010
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| Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/etd-theses/1180 https://digitalcommons.wpi.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2179&context=etd-theses |
| Summary: | The construction industry is responsible for approximately $1 trillion in work annually. A large percentage of this work is tied to the renovation of older structures. Due to increases in sustainable initiatives and the growing lack of green field development sites, the renovation of older buildings is becoming an even more substantial portion of construction work. Old, or urban based, college and university campuses require renovation of their buildings to sustain an efficient and comfortable campus. Renovations on a college or university campus are often the effect of a change in space requirements, and the planning of the space in a building is a major driver for renovations. The renovation of an older structure on a college or university campus has many inherent issues associated with it. Included among these is the likelihood of unknown existing conditions, constantly evolving needs of the campus, cost implications of minor changes, and scheduling and phasing conflicts. Improvements in technology have the potential to increase the efficiency of the renovation and space planning process. One particular technology that could be of particular benefit is Building Information Modeling (BIM), a technology based collaborative process utilizing 3-Dimensional visualization software as its tool. It was the objective of this research project to explore the benefits of using Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the delivery of renovation projects as well as its possible utilization in space utilization management. This study attempted to identify opportunities for BIM to improve upon the process that universities and institutions, in particular, currently use for their renovations and space utilization management. This research project collected information from the WPI facilities management department specifically and from surveys of other institutions to better understand the current issues associated with renovations and space planning and to attempt to validate the use of BIM as a viable solution. A case study was performed on a building on the WPI campus, Salisbury Laboratories as part of this research study. The case study utilized 3-Dimensional Building Information Model to validate the possible use of the platform to streamline the delivery of renovation projects as well as its ability to benefit space planning process. The study was able to identify several benefits of utilizing BIM in the delivery of renovation projects, including increased efficiency in the design phase and generation of conceptual estimates and phasing plans for the owner. The principal benefit found by the study in the utilization of BIM was the ability for spatial visualizations and the ease of modifying the design in a consistent and efficient fashion. There were several observed barriers to the utilization of BIM in this regard, namely the lack of knowledge of the software and the cost of implementing and updating the system. |
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