overview of 5d bim project 1st edition 2014

RICS information paper

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RICS Information Paper, UK

Overview of a 5D BIM project1st edition

Overview of a 5D BIM projectRICS information paper, UK

1st edition

This information paper is independent of Autodesk, Inc., and is notauthorised by, endorsed by, sponsored by, affiliated with, or otherwiseapproved by Autodesk, Inc.Autodesk, the Autodesk logo and Revit are registered trademarks ortrademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in theUSA and/or other countries.

Published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3AD, UKwww.rics.orgNo responsibility for loss or damage caused to any person acting orrefraining from action as a result of the material included in thispublication can be accepted by the authors or RICS.Produced by the Commercial Property working group of the RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors.

ISBN 978 1 78321 067 1

© Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) August 2014. Copyrightin all or part of this publication rests with RICS. No part of this work maybe reproduced or used in any form or by any means including graphic,electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping orweb distribution, without the written permission of RICS or in line with therules of an existing licence.

Typeset in Great Britain by Columns Design XML Ltd, Reading, Berks

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Contents

RICS information papers 1

Acknowledgments 2

1 Introduction 3

2 Project details 4

3 Key problems identified, process and solution pre-tender 53.1 Understanding the role of the quantity surveyor

in relation to 5D BIM...................................................... 53.2 Lack of 5D case studies ............................................... 63.3 Level of detail and level of information.................... 63.4 Agreeing on an execution plan ................................... 63.5 Naming protocols........................................................... 73.6 Agreement of data drops with the design team.... 73.7 Objects and naming conventions .............................. 83.8 Use of NRM ...................................................................... 83.9 Automatic quantification and understanding of

costing software............................................................. 93.10 Object detail versus cost detail .................................. 93.11 Coordination and benchmarking with the client’s

existing cost model ....................................................... 103.12 Coordination of design detail...................................... 103.13 Importance of quality assurance ............................... 103.14 Tender inclusions ........................................................... 11

4 Post-tender review 124.1 Mid-tender interview feedback................................... 124.2 Tender analysis and contractor engagement......... 124.3 Contractor feedback...................................................... 124.4 Issues encountered ....................................................... 13

5 Lessons learnt 145.1 Starting a BIM journey .................................................. 145.2 Use of NRM in a BIM environment............................. 145.3 Tender period: next steps ............................................ 155.4 Information (BIM) Manager and next steps for

the quantity surveyor .................................................... 15

Glossary 16

Bibliography 17

Overview of a 5D BIM project

ii RICS information paper, UK

RICS information papers

International standards

RICS is at the forefront of developing internationalstandards, working in coalitions with organisationsaround the globe, acting in the public interest to raisestandards and increase transparency within markets.International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS –ipmsc.org), International Construction MeasurementStandards (ICMS), International Ethics Standards (IES)and others will be published and will be mandatory forRICS members. This information paper links directly toand underpins these standards and RICS members areadvised to make themselves aware of the internationalstandards (see www.rics.org) and the overarchingprinciples with which this information paper complies.Members of RICS are uniquely placed in the market bybeing trained, qualified and regulated by working tointernational standards and complying with thisinformation paper.

RICS information papers

This is an information paper. Information papers areintended to provide information and explanation toRICS members on specific topics of relevance to theprofession.

The function of this paper is not to recommend oradvise on professional procedure to be followed bymembers. It is, however, relevant to professionalcompetence to the extent that members should be upto date and have knowledge of information paperswithin a reasonable time of their coming into effect.

Members should note that when an allegation ofprofessional negligence is made against a surveyor, acourt or tribunal may take account of any relevantinformation papers published by RICS in decidingwhether or not the member has acted with reasonablecompetence.

This information paper is believed to reflect case lawand legislation applicable at its date of publication. It isthe member’s responsibility to establish if any changesin case law or legislation after the publication datehave an impact on the guidance or information in thisdocument.

Document status defined

RICS produce a range of professional guidance andstandards products. These have been defined in thetable below. This document is an information paper.

Type of document Definition StatusStandardInternational standard An international high level principle based standard

developed in collaboration with other relevant bodiesMandatory

Practice statementRICS practice statement Document that provides members with mandatory

requirements under Rule 4 of the Rules of Conduct formembers

Mandatory

GuidanceRICS code of practice Document approved by RICS, and endorsed by another

professional body / stakeholder, that provides userswith recommendations for accepted good practice asfollowed by conscientious practitioners

Mandatory or recommendedgood practice (will beconfirmed in the documentitself)

RICS guidance note (GN) Document that provides users with recommendationsfor accepted good practice as followed by competentand conscientious practitioners

Recommended good practice

RICS information paper (IP) Practice based information that provides users with thelatest information and/or research

Information and/orexplanatory commentary

RICS information paper, UK 1

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Acknowledgments

RICS would like to thank the following for their contributions to this information paper:

Authors (from Henry Riley LLP):

Andrew Turner MRICS

Joe Edwards

Contributors (from Henry Riley LLP):

Rob Cox

Paul Curran MRICS

Chris Donachie MRICS

Matt Haines MRICS

Steve Hodson

Gil Newby MRICS

Emma Sellick MRICS

Working group:

Dawn Smith, E C Harris LLP

Steve Pittard, London South Bank University

Nick Blenkarn, Severn Partnership

Owen Pottle, Trident Building Consultancy Limited

Paul Watkins, Masterbill Micro Systems Limited

Cos Kamasho, RICS

Alan Muse, RICS

2 RICS information paper, UK


1 Introduction

Through consultation with RICS, Henry Riley LLP wasinvited to write an information paper based on itsexperience of 5D building information modelling (BIM)throughout 2012 and 2013, with particular focus on aproject in which an RICS new rules of measurement:Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capitalbuilding works (NRM 1) pricing document based onquantification from a BIM model was issued for tender.

Henry Riley LLP has been active in the BIMenvironment since 2011 and has continued to furtherits understanding of BIM, with a particular focus oncost management. For Henry Riley the journey wasslow-going due to various factors which are reviewedwithin this information paper, but through perseverancetoward its goal to be able to automate a quantified BIMmodel in conjunction with cost databases, Henry Rileymanaged to develop its learnings and produce its firstNRM BIM tender pricing document.

This information paper overviews a Henry Riley 5D BIMproject delivered during the procurement stage, asdescribed in PAS 1192-2:2013 Specification forinformation management for the capital/delivery phaseof construction projects using building informationmodelling (BSI, 2013) (Figure 2: The informationdelivery cycle). This information paper is split looselyinto chronological sections documenting the projectfrom outset to issue of an NRM BIM tender and tenderanalysis stage.

Note that this information paper has been written tohelp small to medium enterprises (SMEs) starting orhaving recently started their BIM journey (please referto www.bim4sme.org for more information). Thisinformation paper tries to minimise BIM jargon wherepossible to help new BIM adopters. However, wheretechnical terms have been used please see theglossary for definitions and for further details on BIMterminology refer to PAS 1192:2 (a free downloadablecopy can be found on www.bimtaskgroup.org).


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2 Project details

Henry Riley was appointed as the project quantitysurveyor on this project by a key client and workedclosely with them over 18 months to contribute to thedevelopment of their BIM strategy. As such it was alearning experience for all involved, with the skills andexpertise of those involved developing along the way.

Key details of the project:

• mixed-use new build

• brownfield site

• JCT Design and Build contract

• client standard amendments

• client Employers Information Requirements (EIRs)

• Construction Industry Council (CIC) BIM Protocol

• design and build procurement

• tendering on stage 3/4 of 2013 RIBA digital Plan ofWork

• design team included:

– architect

– structural engineer

– mechanical and electrical designer/contractor;and

– sprinkler designer

• pricing document: NRM 1 formal cost plan 2(FCP 2)

– For the purposes of this exercise the intentionwas to issue a pricing document includingquantities extracted from the design model.The rationale behind this was to enable theresulting tenders to be compared directlyagainst the client’s standard cost model.



3 Key problems identified, process andsolution pre-tender

Based on the experiences Henry Riley LLP gained overan 18-month period, the company was invited to bepart of a BIM trial, working to a client standard BIMprocedure, alongside other disciplines. Henry Riley’srole was to produce a pricing document for detailedtender analysis, but using a design and buildprocurement method. Prior to commencing this projecta number of issues had been noted when workingwithin a BIM environment. The issues concernedincluded:

• understanding the role of the quantity surveyor inrelation to 5D BIM

• a lack of 5D case studies

• the level of detail and information

• agreeing on an execution plan

• naming protocols

• agreement of data drops with the design team

• objects and naming conventions

• use of NRM

• automatic quantification and understanding ofcosting software

• object detail versus cost detail

• coordination and benchmarking with the client’sexisting cost model

• coordination of design detail

• the importance of quality assurance; and

• tender inclusions.

Each of the issues identified posed their own risks andneeded to be overcome in order for a successfultender pricing document to be produced.

3.1 Understanding the role of the quantitysurveyor in relation to 5D BIM

It is important to understand how the role of thequantity surveyor could change or adapt in the future;this is because the direction of the industry is stillbeing defined and developed in line with level 2 and 3principles of BIM.

Henry Riley took the approach to develop a number ofthemes associated with 5D BIM:

• quantification from models, including automaticupdated quantification once rules for sectors,clients and pricing methods have been established

• using NRM standards in conjunction with BIMmodels (noting client-specific requirements wherenecessary)

• library management:

– applying rate libraries to the quantifiedinformation; and

– creating cost databases per sector or client

• the ability to file share with design team andcontractors alike; and

• improved benchmarking capability

– moving away from detailed measurement andspending more time on improving value; and

– understanding where value can be improvedand understanding this earlier in the projecttimeline, ensuring savings can be achievedthrough the design development.

If these points can be achieved, it enables a seriousdiscussion about the Government ConstructionStrategy efficiency stretch of 20 per cent. It is clear that20 per cent of waste can be saved during constructionif the designs used do not contain inherent clashes thatcould be prevented. Moreover, the opportunity existsfor a more coordinated/integrated approach to thedesign work at pre-tender stage resulting in potentialsavings due to efficiencies in the design/fewer designrevisions etc.

It appears that the future of quantity surveying in theshort to medium term will be, much as it is now, with aquantity surveyor providing detailed estimates andpricing documents based on design information. Therecould be a shift away from detailed measurement byhand but this, at least in the short term, will bereplaced by detailed quality assurance procedures toensure the information is being interpreted correctly.Furthermore, the quality assurance role will becomevital to the project team, as the quantity surveyor willbe the first to use the information rather than calculateit and initially this will be a time-consuming role. Finally,


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a bigger expectation for the quantity surveyor is todrive the value decisions within the design teams andclient because, with better benchmarking and analysis,the quantity surveyor will have the data to lead theseconversations.

Key learningUnderstand what 5D means to you and your clients.Understand how you can use the data available toimprove your service level agreements.

3.2 Lack of 5D case studies

Throughout the BIM journey to date there have notbeen many case studies available to read and reviewwith either a 5D bias, or that contain clear quantitysurveyor outputs. The various examples that do existprovide only a brief overview of what 5D could be but,for example, just being able to measure steelworkwithin a model is only part of a solution. For 5Dpractices to become the norm for quantity surveyors,the quantity surveyor role needs to be undertaken in itsentirety within a BIM environment, and the industryneeds case studies to demonstrate this.

Through Henry Riley’s BIM journey at the time ofwriting, the following projects had been undertaken:

• re-creating client cost models into a BIM costdatabase

• measuring and estimating project costs from BIMmodels

• agreeing negotiated contract sums based ondesign model output, incorporated within thechosen BIM cost software; and

• the issue of Henry Riley’s first NRM BIM tender.

In subsection 3, Level of detail and level of information,the experiences of Henry Riley to date are outlined,and the issues and problems faced are discussed inmore detail, confirming what was achieved in trying touse NRM in a BIM environment.

Key learningKeep sharing and collaborating experiences. BIM inisolation will not help the industry to learn and progressand as such it will only hold back your own ability tokeep developing. Also note that BIM4SME wants toshowcase SME case studies on their website; as suchSMEs should look to collaborate with this resource.

3.3 Level of detail and level of information

Designing to the correct level of detail (LOD) is acommon problem that can be encountered consistently

in BIM projects. Although LOD outputs to a specifiedgraphical representation, it has a direct effect on thelevel of information provided (data), as the greater thenumber of graphical items, the more data are availablewhen viewed within costing software. Prior tocommencing any design the team should agree on akey set of principles. Understanding the relationshipbetween the RIBA digital Plan of Work stages and NRMclassification requirements is important whenconfirming what LOD is required. For example, at anearly RIBA stage basic design and object parametersare required to produce a visualisation of a buildingand its associated cost, therefore a high LOD modelcould over-complicate matters as this would showelements of the building as too numerous and detailedfor that specific design stage.

LOD takes on more significant importance for a designand build tender, as the level of information designedshould be such that it can be developed by thetendering parties. For example, should a concrete slabbe represented as a composite item (graphically andspatially) or with all associated elements shownseparately – concrete slab, floor finish, insulation, dampproof membrane, reinforcement and so on? Of course,it is possible to determine a lot of these quantities froma composite item, but if detail is required for eachelement then it should be modelled individually, but atthe correct stage of the plan of work.

It is therefore important to discuss what information isdue to be produced with the design team and runthrough the structure and elements of the pricingdocument that is to be issued, so it is clear what LODis required, based on the specifics of the project.

Key learningAgree the procurement method and RIBA Plan of Workstage(s) and ensure a model is not designed beyondthis point at each stage you are working to. Theappropriate level of NRM formal cost plan can then beused consistently throughout the matching RIBA stage.

3.4 Agreeing on an execution plan

Building on the LOD example in subsection 3.3, Levelof detail and level of information, what is important ishow this is defined within the execution plan. Theexecution plan is just as important to the quantitysurveyor as it is to the other disciplines. From the pointof view of a quantity surveyor it has been noted thatthe following key points are required within anexecution plan:

• naming protocols: particular costing software willuse the name of the objects to group like items for



quantification; therefore, standard namingprotocols must be agreed prior to commencementsuch that object names can be understood in plainlanguage. Additionally they cannot change afterthis point, as it would make redundant the workthe quantity surveyor will have put into theestimate/pricing document up to this point

• LOD versus RIBA Plan of Work versus NRM (seesubsection 3.3, Level of detail and level ofinformation)

• definition of a common data environment: in thisproject it was agreed that the transfer of modeldata between the team would take place via theclient’s own internet-based information portal

• definition of file format: consider which systemsare used and which files can be opened.Expenditure on design licenses should be avoidedwhere possible, particularly when the appointmentis for a quantity surveyor only

• file-exporting instructions: software vendors haveguides on how files should be saved from designfiles to those that a quantity surveyor can openand use. Issue these documents and include themwithin the execution plan appendices; and

• amalgamated files and ‘by discipline’ files: it isusually important that the designers understandthat the quantity surveyor needs both of these filetypes and that, when 3D models are issued, theyhave checked all of the information included. Fartoo frequently files are issued with incompleteinformation (where layers are turned off etc.). (Thelead designer or nominated person within theexecution plan should ensure the amalgamated fileis fully updated prior to issue.)

Key learningUnderstand what information you require and in whatformat. Clearly state this and ensure it is capturedwithin the execution plan.

3.5 Naming protocols

Previous experience with other projects of considerablylower complexity and cost had highlighted theimportance of setting up a robust naming protocol asearly as possible and retaining it throughout theduration of the project. This is important for a numberof reasons, not least to make analysing the model asstraightforward as possible.

Initially, upon receipt of 3D models that were notspecifically optimised for costing, there wasconsiderable difficulty in understanding what objects

within the model were meant to represent. It is notalways practicable, or necessary, to have a high levelof visual detail within a model, as long as all therelevant information is present and clear. However, itwas found that, where designers had used defaultnames for objects from when they were originallycreated (not necessarily from the design softwarepackages), they were totally incoherent, andinterrogation of the model itself proved difficult. Thismade identification time consuming and, in manycases, almost impossible. As such a standard namingprotocol including plain language descriptions wasagreed.

Robust naming protocols did not only makeidentification of objects much simpler but are also keyin creating a standard name for like objects, which isimportant to how quantities are taken off in a BIMenvironment. Within the software used by Henry Riley,links are created to the names of objects; this isanalysed in more depth in subsection 3.7, Objects andnaming conventions; however, the key point is thatnames must be kept the same for like objects so asnot to quantify objects in the wrong sections of theestimate/pricing document and unnecessarily increasethe time taken to audit the cost document.

Key learningIt is imperative that naming protocols be introduced andagreed upon as early as possible, so as to avoid abortivework. It is also important that protocols are followed asdeviation can be costly to the programme – in particularto the quantity surveyor.

3.6 Agreement of data drops with thedesign team

Prior to commencing the project the client had alreadyagreed a set of data drops against key milestoneswithin their design and construction phases. Theseclosely followed those identified within the CIC BIMProtocol document. This project was started withoutany BIM inputs and as such had already progressedbeyond a number of data-drop stages.

The design team therefore agreed to work to the lastdata drop stage prior to issuing the tender information.The drop required the design to be complete to RIBAdigital Plan of Work (dPOW) 2013 stage 3; however, asthe client was quite advanced in understanding itsdesign requirements, what resulted was a design thatwas at minimum RIBA stage 3, but in areas such asengineering services design it contained more detail.As noted in subsection 3.3, Level of detail and level ofinformation, for a quantity surveyor this poses a


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potential problem. Should the additional detail beignored and measured and priced to the appropriateNRM stage or should the additional detail be included,such that part of the pricing document provides detailbeyond the required level of information? For example,should all external walls be measured together andtherefore rated together as one item, or should thevarious wall types be clearly identified and separaterates entered against each one?

As Henry Riley was part of a trial and as both the clientand contractor base were familiar with thespecifications, the team decided to include all of thedetail that was available. The belief was that the moredetail provided to a contracting party, the more theyare empowered to understand the information and passon their most competitive tender prices.

Key learningUnderstanding of client/CIC BIM Protocol data drops iscritical to aligning both RIBA Plan of Work and NRMpricing documents.

3.7 Objects and naming conventionsRather than permitting object naming to follow thetypical conventions of the particular design practiceresponsible, or even to follow the standard namingconventions found in design packages such asAutodesk® Revit® software products, it is important toagree at project inception how model objects will benamed to allow them to be used most effectively bythe whole design team. For the quantity surveyor this isparticularly important as one of their key roles is in thecollation and sorting of the data to form meaningfulcost plans.

From the quantity surveyor’s perspective, agreeing toincorporate NRM descriptors into the BIM objectparametrics at the BIM execution plan stage allowssuccessive developments in the model to align costcomparisons through the cost plan stages as well as tobenchmark costs across projects against data held inhouse.

It has been noted that individual clients often requirecost outputs to be presented in accordance with theirown modelling preferences; object naming conventionsshould be agreed and adopted from the outset toenable this to happen.

Once implemented successfully the process ofextracting useable quantities is greatly simplified andcost models can be almost entirely automated. Thequantity surveyor’s value can then be maximised ininterrogating the efficiency of the design with referenceto the client’s requirements.

Key learningObjects should be created with all of the data users inmind, and the correct LOD and level of informationshould be understood and included to ensure thatobjects have maximum usability.

3.8 Use of NRM

Previous work undertaken for this client had used aclient-specific costing document. However, thisdocument had a very high level of detail in a number ofsections, similar to the level of detail required for theNRM formal cost plan 3, and a far lower level of detailin other sections. In particular issues were encounteredwith the mechanical and electrical services cost plan,as the mechanical and electrical documentation washighly detailed, and had each work package split byphysical location. The issue of its detail became aproblem when trying to incorporate it into the widercost plan, which only allowed for a line item for eachwork package (see NRM 1). Furthermore, the issue ofcosts being split by location caused a problem withnaming objects within the models, which in turn wouldhave resulted in a cost plan that was too detailed.

The aim was to work with industry standards and bestpractice and initially NRM formal cost plan 3 (FCP 3)was to be incorporated to form the basis of thestandard cost documentation. However, the lowerdetail of certain sections of the client’s existing costplan was prohibitive to a certain extent, particularly dueto the fact that the client did not want BIM to have aneffect on project timelines, and also because a numberof existing objects would require significant alterationfor use with FCP 3 (increasing LOD and level ofinformation). The decision was made to use NRMformal cost plan 2 (FCP 2) in order to meet the timeconstraints, the requirements of dPOW 2013 and totest out the principles of putting together an NRM BIMtender. Where further detail was available, this wascaptured by creating an optional extra ‘level’ to thecost plan, so that developed design could bequantified, and yet all of the NRM elemental detail wasincluded as intended.

An additional consideration in using an NRM cost planwas the ability to benchmark back to the client-specificcost plan. The client had a system of coding costs sothat each aspect of a project could be benchmarkedback to a ‘standard layout’ model cost. Therefore,moving to an industry standard cost plan meantincorporating these benchmarking codes. This becamea key driver in adding extra detail to the NRM FCP 2template. Where a line item in FCP 2 fell within two ofthe benchmarking codes, another level of detail was



created below the line item in order to properly allocatecosts and give a real reflection of the expenditurewithin each section.

Key learningUnderstanding the ‘object’ relationship with existing 2Dcost model measurement techniques is key todeveloping a workable 3D cost model.

3.9 Automatic quantification andunderstanding of costing softwareThe role of the quantity surveyor will adapt within theBIM environment. The largest difference will be thevolume of detailed measurement by hand that is nolonger required and will be replaced by automaticquantity take off. There are a number of softwaresolutions that can be used for this; however, in thisproject it was considered shrewd to opt for softwarethat not only had automatic take off, but also the abilityto produce and link to costing documents within thesame application.

The chosen costing software groups quantities by theobject’s name and type. For example, if two doors ortwo lengths of wall are named exactly the same thenthe quantities or dimensions of those objects will begrouped in the same ‘dimension group’. This is why itis so important for robust naming protocols to beagreed, so that each object should be in its correctdimension group. Furthermore, the required parametersof each object should be included within that object, asagreed within the execution plan, so that, for example,each wall will have the wall area identifiable and notjust the length of wall. This is also a key point for thequality assurance check: a quick review of thedimensions will show up any obvious errors.

Another important factor is to be able to create acosting document within the software and import thequantities from the model and the rates from adatabase. In order to do this a library of cost items wascreated along with associated rates so that a priceddocument could be built. This links in with the costdetail and LODs agreed on in the execution plan. Thecosting software has provision to further interrogate(‘drill down’) levels of a cost plan, revealing increasingdetail. What this creates is an elemental breakdown ofitems with detailed measurement, rates and costs in alevel beneath that breakdown. This also allows extradetail to be included that was not included within NRMformal cost plan 2, but was modelled for detailedrequirements.

Once the cost plans have been established they allowfor a quick update to the project costs, subject to a

thorough quality assurance check. Quantities from themodel and rates from the rate library are ‘live linked’ tothe costing document; as such, whenever the drawingsare revised, so long as the naming protocol has beenfollowed, the cost will automatically update. However, itshould be noted that, as this was a tender document,and was issued with all zero rate values, actual tenderfigures are added back once they have been receivedas part of the return.

Key learningReview multiple cost software platforms against yourrole as a quantity surveyor in conjunction with yourpractice and client requirements.

3.10 Object detail versus cost detail

An important aspect to consider is how the designedobjects integrate with the required cost detail. Takingthe example of a concrete slab, if the costingdocument being used simply provides a line item for aslab there is little point in modelling a detailed build-upof all associated elements. However, planning for thisrequires collaboration to potentially save time in boththe modelling and costing phase. Continuing with theslab example, if there is a detailed breakdown of all theelements specified combining the known depth and thearea of the slab, one can calculate the volume of theslab and the other elements using the same object.

Including more designed objects and detail than thecosting document requires, possibly due to therequirements of other applications of the model, willalmost certainly be less of an issue than not producingenough detail within the model to complete therequired cost plan. These issues were noted withregard to internal doors; for example, where there aredifferent specifications of doors there are not alwaysenough different objects created to cover all of thedifferent variances and associated costs. Whereinternal doors have been grouped into one object type,including both single and double doors, these cannotbe separately identified and therefore specific ratescannot be applied to these objects. The model thenneeds to be updated to reflect the difference in detail,which adds time to the overall process.

This demonstrates the importance of getting the initialexecution plan – specifically the LOD and level ofinformation – correct in conjunction with the namingprotocols agreed before the start of any design toavoid unnecessary delays, and particularly to let thedesign team have an understanding of the requiredcosting detail before developing further objects.


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When the NRM formal cost plans become more widelyused and object libraries become more developed thiswill be less of an issue, but while this process developsit will be key for the project team to be proactive.

Key learningDecide the detail your pricing document will reflect at anearly stage. It will be difficult to change this after designhas begun, as it may require new objects to be created.

3.11 Coordination and benchmarking withthe client’s existing cost model

The client Henry Riley was appointed by uses‘standard layout’ principles for design and cost, so theycan benchmark and drive efficiencies within theirbusiness. Therefore, an added complication of workingwith this existing data had to be dealt with. Due to thedetail of the existing cost model, it was felt that it wasnot appropriate to use the same detailed document forcontractor pricing on a design and build procuredproject, where the existing contractor base was morefamiliar with producing simple cost tender returns.

It was agreed that using NRM as a standard was asuitable way to proceed for pricing, despite thecontractor base not being familiar with it. Setting upthe NRM database was straightforward within thecosting software; however, there was the additionalrequirement of being able to benchmark back to theexisting ‘2D cost database’.

The costing software has the ability to add extra detailagainst each cost line as required. Therefore, anadditional column was added to the client’s specificcoding system. Once data were exported from the costsoftware to the external spreadsheet software, it waspossible to sort the information and benchmark back tothe client’s existing cost database.

Key learningUnderstand how you can utilise existing cost data withNRM and understand what capabilities your BIM costsoftware has to assist you with this to avoid manualbenchmarking.

3.12 Coordination of design detail

During the process of the design it is important that allof the designers collaborate towards an amalgamateddesign in order to avoid abortive work and to minimiseclashes within the final model.

As BIM is a collaborative process it is imperative thatregular design coordination meetings take place, out of

which an updated, clash-free, amalgamated modelshould be produced. The quantity surveyor, if they feelit beneficial, will carry out a quantity measure of eachupdated model and undertake a quality assurancecheck. It is important to run a quality assurance reportthat checks how the data have been used. This allowsthe quantity surveyor to provide specific feedback onnaming protocols, LOD, level of information and anymissing objects prior to the following coordinationmeeting, for incorporation within the designers’ models.This prevents delays towards the end of the designperiod as problems are identified earlier.

Key learningBIM is a collaborative process, but due care andattention is required when amalgamating models andinterpreting data.

3.13 Importance of quality assurance

Quality assurance is likely to become even moreimportant to the role of the quantity surveyor. Thequantity surveyor now receives information, wherepreviously they would collect the data themselves; thisrequires a robust quality assurance procedure forchecking data accuracy, as information can very easilybe miscommunicated within a model, as demonstratedat the RICS BIM Conference 2014.

If the correct naming protocols and design standardshave been met, then the quantity surveyor shouldreceive a clash-free, coordinated and amalgamatedmodel with no quantification errors. However, therehave been examples of duplication of the same objectby different disciplines, so the quantity surveyor shouldhave a procedure in place to undertake somemeasurement checks, probably using the software’sinbuilt measurement tools, as well as comparing keyindicators such as roof area with floor area. A visualinspection of the module is key.

Good quantity surveyor software should have inbuiltreports that enable quality assurance checks to becarried out. Different software vendors have differentlevels of reporting capability from non-existent todetailed line-by-line reports. All quantity surveyorsshould try to work with the software vendors tocontinually improve these tools, as the quantitysurveyor is the end user.

The costing software used by Henry Riley included afeature called a references report. This gave a line-by-line report of how the data had been used, detailing:

• where objects were modelled, but not used withinthe estimate/pricing document



• where objects were modelled and used within theestimate/pricing document and against what line ofthe report

• what lines within the estimate/pricing documenthad quantity information included against them;and

• what lines within the estimate/pricing documentdid not have quantity information against them.

Once it has been checked that the information hasbeen utilised correctly, the final quality assurancecheck should be the same procedure that a quantitysurveyor would undertake in a non-BIM environment.Using the quantity surveyor’s knowledge, expertise andbenchmarking experience, the quantities, rates andproject values should be analysed to ensure they areas expected.

On the project in question, estimates had already beenproduced through the early stages of the project andas such Henry Riley was able to cross-check thequantities and outturn cost against these estimates toensure the cost model was aligned. Where it was notaligned, it could be checked whether the BIM modelhad developed or contained any errors. Generally, itwas noted that the model produced the information asexpected.

With this project, it was fortunate that existing cost anddesign information was available; however, it did nottest the quality assurance procedures fully, as a BIMmodel had not been used from inception and a safetynet of 2D designs and cost was in place.

Key learningReview in-house quality assurance procedures andensure they can work within model data outputs andassociated cost software.

3.14 Tender inclusions

Within the tender documents issued, additional BIMoutputs from the various models produced wereincluded. While it did not seem prudent to burden thecontractors with additional expense during a tenderperiod where they were already required to interpretinformation in a form that they had not previouslyreceived, it was important to obtain as much benefitfrom the trial as possible.

As with most cost software, the software used in thisproject was able to export to other file types. Therefore,information was exported to external spreadsheetsoftware so that amendments, additional informationand rates could be applied by the contractors in a form

familiar to them. In addition, a ‘free viewer’ version ofthe project-specific pricing document that showed therelationship with the design model and the pricingschedule with quantities was issued. This file could notbe edited by the contractor, but various layers withinthe model could be switched on and off, giving thecontractor clear identification of how the variousmeasurements had been built up when read inconjunction with the measurement descriptions. Thismeant that queries from the measurement could beresolved by the contractors themselves in the firstinstance.

By providing both the spreadsheet document and thefree version of the pricing document, more detaileddata were provided to the contractor, but without theexpense of purchasing additional software or training.

Other notable tender inclusions were:

• CIC BIM Protocol

• 3D models in design software format

• client-specific contract amendments, includingspecific BIM requirements; and

• client-specific BIM protocols and procedures usingEIRS.

Key learningPrior to starting the tender period, undertake a pre-qualification process with the potential tenderers tounderstand their capabilities and what softwareinterfaces they can work with.


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4 Post-tender review

4.1 Mid-tender interview feedback

Two clear themes were identified during the mid-tenderinterviews:

• use of the BIM model; and

• having the correct tools and technologies.

During the interviews with the various contractors itbecame evident that the contractor base wasstruggling to view and understand the 3D models.Requests for PDFs and hard-copy print outs werefrequent; however, this was something that the projectteam were not prepared to issue, as it would defeat thepurpose and intended outputs of this BIM tender trial.It should be noted that the contractors were pre-qualified and their BIM capability assessed. Based onthe client’s requirement to complete the build fourmonths earlier than originally planned, the tenderperiod was reduced to accommodate an earlier on-sitestart date. The reduced tender period put pressure onthe contractors’ supply chains that were not in aposition to view and interpret BIM data, hence therequests for the more traditional transfer of information.

It was also clear during the mid-tender interviews thatthe various contactors did not possess the correcttools and technologies. An inability to use the varioussystems required proved a delay to understanding thedata that was available to them. This, coupled withonly basic in-house usability and expertise, meant thecontractors found it difficult to fully understand andprogress during the initial tender period.

4.2 Tender analysis and contractorengagement

Three out of the five tenderers submitted a pricingdocument that broadly matched the document thatwas derived from the costing software and included inthe tender documents. One of the other tendererssubmitted only the summary sheet provided and onlyon request provided back up in the required form. Thefinal contractor submitted the summary sheet providedwith their own pricing document as back up.

Of the three who followed the pricing document, onlyone used the majority of the quantities taken from thecosting software and this, incidentally, was thecontractor who offered the lowest price and was

eventually appointed. As well as offering the lowestprice and engaging most readily with BIM processesoverall, the work packages that were modelled werewhere the winning contractor had the most competitiveprices. Items of risk, which neither the BIM model orsurvey information could detail, were also priced morecompetitively by the winning contractor which had acontributory effect on the overall competitiveness ofthese work packages. At the time of writing there wasnot enough information to analyse how much of animpact the BIM aspect had on these prices, although itis anticipated that this analysis will be able to becarried out at the end of the project when all risks havebeen realised and all subcontract packages let.

In terms of analysis of the tenders themselves, it wasconsidered by the quantity surveyors that using theNRM pricing document made analysing the tenderssimpler and more accurate. Furthermore, adding clientcost codes throughout the document allowed easybenchmarking back to the client’s previous pricingdocuments.

4.3 Contractor feedback

The tender was met with mixed responses from thecontractors. Generally speaking, those who had thehighest price did not engage well with the BIM tenderprocess. Specifically, these contractors did not want towork solely with a 3D model, and without the provisionof 2D drawings they struggled to effectivelydisseminate the information through their supply chain.This meant that an already tight tender period waseffectively made shorter with delays in gettinginformation out to the supply chain.

In contrast, the feedback from the winning tendererwas far more positive. They fed back that they hadused the same costing software to drive efficiency inthe tender process. They were clearly the most heavilyengaged with BIM, and therefore reaped more of thebenefits it can afford. They were also the only tendererto provide their own model or mention the costingsoftware during the post-tender interview.



4.4 Issues encountered

While the NRM format worked well for the analysis oftenders, it was noted that the extra detail entered intoformal cost plan 2 (FCP 2) may not be best suited to adesign and build (D&B) procurement route. It wasconsidered that, while FCP 2 works well for D&B, thedetail closer to formal cost plan 3 (FCP 3) is moreappropriate for a traditional contract. As mentioned insubsection 4.2, Tender analysis and contractorengagement, only one contractor properly used theNRM template and quantities and even then extra lineswere added where descriptions were not adequate,although this was expected to a degree.

Another issue that was encountered was the timeconstraint that was placed on the tenderers. The tenderperiod was already considered to be short, particularlyfor a BIM trial, but this was exacerbated by a numberof changes throughout the tender period and, as aresult of this, the work-in-progress design. In addition,the client changes meant that the previous library ofinformation did not adequately cover the scope of theproject and as such time was devoted to objectcreation and naming as opposed to designdevelopment. Therefore, it was found by thecontractors that there were also a number of clashes inthe models along with the unfinished design.


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5 Lessons learnt

5.1 Starting a BIM journey

The experience that Henry Riley gained through its BIMjourney, and in particular in connection with this casestudy project, enabled the identification of some initialsteps that it is believed allow a BIM novice to starttheir own BIM journey.

1 Working with BIM should be seen as undertakingthe usual role of the quantity surveyor, but withbetter data. Therefore, the key to removing anyfear of BIM is to gain experience in it. Quantitysurveyors should begin to learn how to work withthe new systems and data and undertake the tasksthemselves. By learning and doing, a BIM novicewill gain the experience they require. One methodthat was used to gain experience was to run a 5Dexercise at the same time as a more traditionalroute, therefore avoiding making any mistakesalong the way and being able to benchmark theprogress in BIM.

2 Once the experience has been gained, this willbring confidence to both the individual and thewider organisation. With a greater degree ofconfidence the quantity surveyor will be able toask questions of others, integrate with othersystems and challenge methods of working andrequired outputs. Only by challenging what theyare told, in conjunction with understanding theirexisting role, will they be able to maximise the BIMbenefits that can be achieved

3 Once an organisation has the confidence todiscuss and debate their BIM involvement the nextsteps are to work with others and engage theirown supply chain. A key theme associated withworking with BIM is collaboration, but if the supplychain used is not aligned with business objectives,then it will also prevent the business from fullyrealising its BIM benefits.

4 With a supply chain in place and increasing BIMknowledge within an organisation, the next step isto tell clients what is known, what can be doneand how the organisation can help them on theirBIM journey and ultimately save them time andmoney. Once these discussions are engaged in,progress can be benchmarked and the BIMjourney can be analysed to see if it has achievedwhat it set out to do, and a return on investmentcan be evaluated.

5.2 Use of NRM in a BIM environment

The use of NRM on this project was not without itsdifficulties. This project followed the design and buildprocurement method and, as such, a form of NRM 1was utilised as a pricing document. It was felt this wasa good way to proceed as it enabled quantities to beproduced for the benefit of the contractor. Theproduction of accurate quantities reduces the overalleffort required of the bidding contractors, so theywould potentially engage more sub-contractors in thebidding process, therefore making tender returnsanalysis more productive and less prone to errors incontractors’ quantities which they would seek torecover from other areas or through claims. There canalso be conflicts in the object nature of BIM designsversus the NRM structure that exists where like itemscan appear within different sections and not begrouped as objects.

By working through the detail of this project andunderstanding what is possible, a more traditionalmethod of procurement seems to lend itself to a BIMproject. The design team could complete their fulldesign package and a full NRM 2 quantity take-offcould then be achieved. A review of the procurementmethod and level of NRM structure and quantitymeasure is clearly a debate that quantity surveyors anddesign teams need to engage with in today’s BIMconversations and at the beginning of every newproject. BIM has the opportunity to deliver moreaccurate quantities in less time; however, coordinationof the information and accuracy of what is designed isa factor, and for the short to medium term adopting anapproach of using NRM 1 for pricing documents maysuit the current market place.

It was noted that, when using NRM for the basis oftender, the object naming did not always line up withthe NRM categorisation for measurement. In order tomake best use of the NRM method of measuring it wasfelt that naming protocols should have been workedthrough in line with NRM. By naming objects in thisway the 3D models would have required moreconsideration for how objects were used and in turnresult in fewer clashes. Any future naming of objectsshould be reviewed with the quantity surveyor prior tobeing created to ensure the data could be used toeveryone’s benefit.



At the time of writing, level 2 BIM was still beingfinalised. It is therefore important that quantitysurveyors are focused on the current requirements oflevel 2 BIM and provide feedback to help define itsrequirements once a final level 2 definition has beenagreed upon. Currently level 2 is very design focusedand quantity surveyors need to work with RICS toensure cost-management processes are on theagenda.

5.3 Tender period: next steps

Due to this being an early BIM trial, more time isneeded for contractors to understand the processesrequired to submit a BIM tender. Despite the fact that aBIM prequalification questionnaire was sent out, thetenderers were not familiar with the specificrequirements of this client. Furthermore, theprequalifying questionnaire did not ask about thetenderer’s supply chain. In the future, all BIMprequalification questionnaires should ask if the supplychain is able to use BIM data; or, failing that, if thecontractor has the capability to change the 3D modelsinto 2D information for smaller suppliers.

Additionally, more time and preparation needs to beallowed for the designers. It is imperative that theinformation is well developed when the tenders areissued. This means that, even if there are changes,objects are already available in the library rather thanhaving to be created from 2D information. In time, moreobjects will be created from other schemes and thelibrary content will improve; however, until this hasbeen achieved, more time needs to be afforded for thedesign process. This extra time should also result inmore detail being put into the models as well as fewererrors from a short modelling period and more time forbetter coordination, improving use of objects andreducing clashes.

5.4 Information (BIM) manager and nextsteps for the quantity surveyor

Within the industry there is a lot discussion aboutinformation/BIM managers, including who shouldundertake this role, and what it involves. As highlightedin subsection 3.1, Understanding the role of thequantity surveyor in relation to 5D BIM, the projectquantity surveyor on a BIM project becomes the firstuser of all of the data, which includes a requirement toaudit the information. The quantity surveyor is thereforebest placed to order the data in such a way that theinformation can be interpreted and used correctly.

Although the lead designers have often taken on therole of the information manager, it is the quantitysurveyors who find themselves in a position to reviewall of the disciplines’ output and provide feedback onthe information produced, and additionally a review ofthe data will be from a functionality and usabilityperspective rather than a design perspective. As suchthe quantity surveyors are best positioned to undertakethe role of information manager, including an audit rolefor quality assurance. As BIM develops further, as doesthe RICS BIM Management qualification, it is expectedover the coming years that the quantity surveyor willhave a prominent role to play across all BIM projects,providing the knowledge and value to support bothclients and design teams alike, which in turn willsupport Peter Hansford’s 2025 vision goals and targetsof:

‘• PEOPLE An industry that is known for its talentedand diverse workforce

• SMART An industry that is efficient andtechnologically advanced

• SUSTAINABLE An industry that leads the world inlow-carbon and green construction exports

• GROWTH An industry that drives growth acrossthe entire economy

• LEADERSHIP An industry with clear leadershipfrom a Construction Leadership Council.’

(Construction 2025, HM Government, 2013)

Crown copyright material is reproduced under theOpen Government Licence v2.0 for public sectorinformation: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/


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Glossary

Autodesk® Revit®software products

Widely used 3D design packages.

CIC BIM Protocol Construction Information Council Building Information Management (BIM) Protocol 2013

Common dataenvironment

Defined within PAS 1192-2:2013 as a ‘single source of information for any given project, used tocollect, manage and disseminate all relevant approved project documents for multi-disciplinaryteams in a managed process’ (PAS 1192-2:2013, BSI, 2013).

Data drops Predefined stages of the project where design information at predefined levels of information isshared between disciplines.

dPOW Digital Plan of Work.

EIRS Employers Information Requirements (defined within PAS 1192-2:2013).

FCP Formal cost plan: stages of cost planning re-defined within the RICS new rules of measurement.

Level of information Defined within PAS 1192-2:2013 as ‘the description of non-graphical content of models at each ofthe stages defined, for example, in the CIC Scope of Services’ (PAS 1192-2:2013, BSI, 2013).

LOD Defined within PAS 1192-2:2013: ‘Describes the “granularity” of graphical and parametric contentcontained within the Building Information Model’.

NRM 1 RICS new rules of measurement 1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital buildingworks.

NRM 2 RICS new rules of measurement 2: Detailed measurement for building works.

SME Small to medium enterprises.



Bibliography

Building Information Model (BIM) Protocol: Standard Protocol for Use in Projects Using Building Information Models(1st edition), CIC, 2013

PAS 1192.2: Specification for information management for the capital/delivery phase of construction projects usingbuilding information modelling, BSI, 2013

RICS new rules of measurement 1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works (2nd edition),RICS guidance note, RICS, 2012

RICS new rules of measurement 2: Detailed measurement for building works (1st edition), RICS guidance note, RICS,2012

Websites

BIM4SME: www.bim4sme.org

BIM Forum: https://bimforum.org

BIM Task Group: www.bimtaskgroup.org

RIBA Plan of Work 2013: www.ribaplanofwork.com

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: www.rics.org


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AUGUST 2014/RICS/19958/INFORMATION PAPER rics.org

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overview of 5d bim project 1st edition 2014

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