What It Will Take To Ensure 5D BIM Sustainability In Malaysiaby Sr. Quek Jin Keat,Chair, Building Information Modelling Sub-Committee, QS Division, Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia;Project Director, KPK Quantity Surveyors Sdn. Bhd., an affiliate of Aecom AbstractBuilding Information Modelling (BIM) has been around for 18 years but in Malaysia it was only in the last 2 or 3 years that the construction industry has been become more aware of its existence and potential.Although Singapore has been quite advance in coming up with the standards and guide-lines for BIM spurred by the requirement of e-submissions, development in 5D BIM has been hampered by the lack of a standard 3D design object library which is needed to ensure linkage to the 5D descriptive library for uniformity of coding of measured items and costs. As Bills of Quantities are rare in Singapore where design and build is the norm, there has been little development in linking SMM items to the 3D design object library. Malaysia still places great importance in the Bills of Quantities and has to find its own way forward for sustainable 5D BIM development. In countries like the USA, 5D BIM has nothing to do with linking measured items and costs to the design object library. At most, 5D BIM there is at the level of detail for cost planning only, similar to the situation in Singapore currently. Therefore, the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia as custodian of the Standard Method of Measurement has to chart its own course in the way forward for 5D BIM and to ensure its sustainability.This paper will look at the requirements for sustainable 5D BIM for Malaysia.Keywords: Building Information Modeling, 5D BIM, measured items, costs, sustainability

1.0 Standardization Issues in BIMThe question of standards must be addressed whenever we try to adopt anything "new." Without the push for standards, every individual firm will pursue their own standards which will result in confusion as the way they identify things and processes will differ from one firm to another. Although some design firms may have BIM in place in their practices in the last few years, they are still unable to produce "correct" BIM models that are "standardized" for submissions or for other BIM users to use without difficulty [ 1 ]. Although 5D BIM has been much touted, very little has been achieved to ensure that the design object library can actually be linked with the way work items are measured and priced. Work items are basically described work and some may not even form part of the permanent works, e.g., formwork. Therefore, they may not even have a direct link or relationship with the object-oriented digital library. Even as to the question of standards, there are several facets to these, not just a few. Even some people may have got it wrong by thinking that if we adopt the standards set by BuildingSmart International, all our BIM problems will be solved. Unfortunately, this is not true. There are numerous protocols, procedures and frameworks required by this international organization that may appear to be incomprehensible and even unnecessary to "pure" practitioners who have little appetite for adding another layer of complexity to their tight date-lines to deliver the design. Aside from BuildingSmart International's standards, there are other "standards" to consider as well. Overall, these standards I am referring to can be broadly categorized as follow:1. Standard for data/information exchange or interoperability (which is what BuildingSmart International is all about)2. Standard for design object library (in Malaysia, PAM calls it the e-library) - e.g. Revit standard library, Archicad standard library, Bentley standard library, etc.3. Standardized naming convention for Project identification, building types, etc.4. Standardization of classes or elements for spatial, functional, cost analysis, etc.5. Standardization of Method of Measurement and Description of work items for BIM6. Standardized Schedule of Rates of work items for tender pricing 7. Standard format for embedding life cycle costs for operations and maintenance8. Standards to enable design modelling, whether BIM or CAD, and 5D BIM, that are software neutralHowever, the list above is not exhaustive and does not claim to cover everything conceivable about BIM standards.1.1 Standard for data/information exchange or interoperabilityBuildingSmart International, formerly, known as the International Alliance for Interoperability is the driving force behind the use of IFCs (Industry Foundation Classes) as the format for data/information exchange for BIM. However, you need the Industry Framework Dictionary (IFD) as a mapping framework for IFCs to understand the context and relationships to multiple concepts so that a ground level object such as a door can be "instantiated". In other words, IFD are the templates for you to fill them with IFCs [ 2 ]. This is complicated and looks like gobbledegook for those who have no interest in understanding data structures. In essence, the design modeller has to have an understanding of how data/information is mapped in order to come up with the correct naming. The design modeller is thus, not a typical CAD modeller of the 2D design era.IFD's so-called Global Unique Object Identifier (GUID) has a 22 character string to represent a concept. The door set concept looks something like this: 3vHRQ8oT0Hsm00051Mm008. The identifier is generated using an algorithm such as that published by the Object Management Group which is based on the IP address of the computer that generates the identifier. Is this complicated or what? A steep learning curve is to be expected! It should be noted that GUID uses alphanumeric code unlike Omniclass or Uniformat which uses numeric codes, discussed below. In practice, the IFC file is unwieldy and large compared to a Revit or Archicad native file. If computing resources are inadequate, the large file will be slow to work with and will hang frequently [ 3 ]. In addition, there is significant data loss when exporting from say Revit or Archicad to IFC. A model checker software such as Solibri is required to check the integrity of the object model and this adds complexity and costs to the design. Are we ready for this?1.2 Standard for design object libraryBIM is meant to be a collaborative platform to circumvent the "silo" approach often seen in traditional construction design and procurement. This seems to work in cultures where communications and high trust is evident. In the UK, reform in the construction industry only took place after the Latham and Egan Reports were commissioned by the UK Government in the 1990s to make the industry more productive and less litigious. Unfortunately, construction practices in Malaysia are still very much "adversarial" in nature. Unless there is a cultural change in the Malaysian construction sector, coupled with clear BIM Guidelines and Agreements, BIM designers are unlikely to provide their object libraries free of charge to supply chain players for fear of these being diverted to another competing design firm. The concerns on Intellectual Property rights are real and have to be addressed.Although Singapore is ahead of many countries in many respects on BIM, it was only in July this year that the Building Construction Authority of Singapore (BCA) decided to come into the picture to standardize the design object library by launching IDOL, "Intelligent Design Object Library" using the Social Network platform for downloading, creation, collaboration and sharing of BIM design objects. This came about as property developers found out that many designers had misgivings about sharing their object libraries freely. The initiative by BCA took a long time coming but is a breakthrough. We in Malaysia should take a leaf from this latest development and start thinking about creating and implementing something similar without having to go through the difficult experiences.There is no such thing as a ready-made standard design object library that will fit all. For example, the UK may have design objects for cavity walls and double-glazed windows but these are unlikely to be incorporated in Malaysia as these are not commonplace items over here. Even in South Korea, there are three competing BIM Standards [ 4 ].During a recent BIM Steering Committee initiated by the CIDB of Malaysia in July 2013, it was suggested that the JKR (Public Works Department), being the largest client in the country, take the lead in the standard design object library. This will ensure that designers make use of a common library without the need to build their own e-library of objects. This will ensure standardization of the BIM objects for the construction industry and see a faster BIM adoption rate amongst design consultants, quantity surveyors and contractors. 1.3 Standardized naming convention for project identification, building types, etc.Even the naming convention and coding system for project identification, building types, etc. varies from one authority to another. The Hong Kong Housing Authority uses a 24 digit alphanumeric season for project identification system which defines the following:Project NumberPhase NumberBuilding TypeDisciplineReference (file types indicator - link, model, template file)Code (brief description for the content of file - block, floor level, roof, etc.)RevisionModification No.For Malaysia, it proposed that the naming convention being considered by JKR be studied to see whether it is suitable for private sector development use where the majority of projects being of mixed use and commercial development types. Ideally, this should also be eventually part of the standard template for all local authorities evaluating development and building plan approvals to ensure uniformity. Of all the standards mentioned, the standardized naming convention for project identification would perhaps, be the easiest to resolve.1.4 Standardization of classes or elements for spatial, functional, cost analysis, etc.The formats that are currently available under this categorization are:a. Omniclassb. Uniformatc. Masterformatd. Uniclasse. BCIC (Building Cost Information Centre, Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia)f. BCIS (Building Cost Information Services, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, UK)Omniclass is the newest format to be introduced in the USA. It aims to combine multiple existing classification systems for many subjects into a single unifying system based on ISO 12006-2, Organization of Information About Construction WorksPart 2: Framework for Classification of Information [ 5 ] and is actually three standards, i.e., Uniformat, Masterformat and Electronic Product Information Co-operation combined.Uniformat is a standard method of arranging construction information by organizing round the physical parts of the facility called systems and assemblies [ 6 ] while Masterformat deals with work sections or trades [ 7 ]. In the USA, work sections are referred to as work results.In the UK, the Uniclass format is the standard adopted by the various professional building disciplines under their Common Arrangement of Work Sections. It is UK's equivalent to the USA's Omniclass. It is similar in most respects to Omniclass but differentiates itself by having a classification for civil engineering works also. The Uniformat, Uniclass, BCIC and BCIS formats can be used for a similar purpose by representing costs by way of building elements or elemental groups to facilitate cost planning and cost analysis. It would be difficult for instance to prepare cost plans based on trades alone because they may not directly correspond to a unique phase of completion of the building facility. It is easier to visualize costs in terms of elements rather than trades. The relationship between design and building elements is close as both are determined by form whereas the relationship between design and trades is a tenuous one as form may only be nominally related to materials, work sections, etc.It should be noted that the Singapore BM Guide already defines elements and space according to Architectural, Structural, Civil, ACMV, Plumbing & Sanitary, Fire Protection & Electrical BIM Elements. But there is no coding system here unlike in Omniclass or Uniclass which have coding systems. This may remove the complexity of coding for the individual firm in Singapore but it also means there is no industry standard for coding the elements. As a result, embedding information into a particular design object and referencing it will be made that much more difficult without a coding system.Where Omniclass, Uniclass, Uniformat, Masterformat, etc. is used, the question of code compatibility with the International Framework Dictionary is bound to arise. How do you harmonize a numeric code structure with an alphanumeric code structure?1.5 Standardization of Method of Measurement and Description of work items for BIMSingapore has the C.P. 80 (2004) Construction Electronic Standard Method of Measurement which is essentially Masterformat for measurements in BIM. This is not unlike the traditional Standard Method of Measurement documents such as SMM7 (UK) or SMM2 (Malaysia) except that it has been tabulated and formatted for BIM.The New Rules of Measurement (UK) is expected to be formatted for BIM in the very near future and the RISM is currently adapting the tabulated SMM2 for BIM purposes. Where required, some measurement rules will need to be simplified to suit BIM purposes. However, we are well aware that modelling objects for the SMM can be a tedious process as well. For instance, it is easy for a QS to measure painting in m2 but it is quite tedious for a BIM Modeller to model painting to every surface of walls, sides and soffit of beams and ceilings.If the method of measurement is simplified to make it possible for the modeller to model an object for BQ without much difficulty, then that method of measurement is sustainable for 5D BIM. There is always this cynical comment of QSs being put out of work if modellers can also model and measure. But which modeller wants to produce a thick Bill of Quantities with technical descriptions, preamble notes and all, not forgetting that the quantities have to be systematically arranged according to an acceptable format that allows for ease of pricing and tender comparisons? Furthermore, would a modeller have pricing knowledge in the first place to prepare an accurate tender estimate? Most unlikely. The demand for QSs especially in construction firms is more likely to increase rather than decrease with the advent of BIM. More so for design and build contracts. It is in the interest of QSs to collaborate with designers to further the BIM agenda, especially for 5D BIM. 1.6 Standardized Schedule of Rates of work items for tender pricingPerhaps the most challenging of tasks in 5D BIM is the standardization of items of work so that a schedule of rates can be prepared for pricing and tendering purposes. This schedule has to be linked to the SMM2 library and the Uniformat residing in Revit, if this format is used rather than Omniclass. On top of that, there can be more than 30,000 plus items in a schedule of rates that a contracting organization needs for estimating and tendering purposes. Imagine coming up with codes for 30,000 plus cost items that are BIM-able. This is not child's play. But a local Malaysian developer-contractor group with 9 years experience in BIM implementation has done it. 1.7 Standard format for embedding life cycle costs for operations and maintenanceBIM for operations and maintenance is sometimes associated with "Big" BIM. COBIE which is the acronym for Construction Operations Building Information Exchange is the stripped down text version of IFC that has become the de facto standard for facilities management use. It is most suitable for locating and embedding information for equipment, parts and components. How this will be linked to our SMM2 or UK's NRM3 (the yet to be released facility management part of the NRM) is still unknown. We are not certain whether a COBIE file can work with the coding for SMM or be used for coding the SMM library. Big BIM has not taken off in a big way in Singapore yet as the priority is for e-submission for development and building plan approvals. Some government agencies in Malaysia have started to look at BIM for facilities management (FM) but this is more at the end of the construction phase and after handing over rather than being integrated during the design stage. This means that the benefit of early integration with design will not be realized and there may be much re-work or duplication when BIM for FM is done later after construction.1.8 Standards to enable design modelling, whether BIM or CAD, and 5D BIM, that are software neutralCurrently, Malaysia does not have standards even for CAD drawings. A look at our neighbour Singapore will reveal that they have put in place the required standards well before BIM really took off:Building Project Document Control System [ 8 ]Classification of Construction Cost Information [ 9 ]Construction Computer Aided Design [10]Construction Electronic Measurement Standards (Building Works) [11]Construction Electronic Measurement Standards (Mechanical & Electrical Works) [12]Information exchange and documentation at handing/taking-over of buildings upon completion [13]We do require certain basic documentary standards to be in place before we can talk about imposing any other standards for BIM. When we are in a hurry to play catch up, it is best we just adopt and adapt rather than re-invent the wheel. We should look at the best practices in the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia and adopt these with some modification. As for 5D BIM in Malaysia, we are starting with the tabulated SMM2 first before having a look at NRM. There is no precedent we can refer to for linking the SMM library to the design object library. Hopefully, by collaborating with those who have embarked on BIM such as the JKR and a leading private sector developer, we would be able to evolve our own 5D BIM standard eventually. 2.0 Policy, regulatory and legal framework 2.1 Policy for BIM implementationJKR launched its BIM roadmap in April 2013 and hopes to make BIM compulsory for all design and build projects and conventional projects above a certain contract value beginning the third quarter of 2014.Meanwhile, CIDB initiated and facilitated the first BIM Steering Committee meeting in July 2013, comprising of members from the public, private, institutional and academic sectors. The Chair of this Steering Committee is JKR and Working Committees will be formed with members coming from the Steering Committee. This represents the first coordinated effort amongst industry stake-holders to chart the course of BIM in Malaysia. It is a case of better late than never. The high take-up rate for BIM in Singapore is due to statutory requirements for e-submissions to be in BIM for buildability and constructability assessment. The other reason is that firms are given monetary incentives to purchase BIM software to increase productivity. The main adopters of BIM in Singapore are actually Contractors rather than Consultants and a majority of Developers are already making BIM mandatory for their projects.Although discounts are given by some training providers to participants of a Revit design modelling course, no incentives are given to firms by the Government of Malaysia who wish to buy BIM software. At the very least, public and private sector construction contracts should include the requirement for BIM for coordination and clash detection purposes, etc. and a way of pricing this into the contracts done to spur the take-off for BIM in Malaysia. When 3D BIM takes-off, it is a matter of time before 5D BIM follows suit.2.2 Regulatory enforcement It is not certain whether the regulatory route would be the best way to enforce BIM compliance as probably only 20% of consultancy of firms at most have used or at least considering the use of BIM in their work. Out of 60,000 or so contractors registered with CIDB, probably not more than a 100 of them are in a position to implement BIM in their projects.Before any regulation can be imposed, a minimum gestation period is required to instill awareness as well as to conduct structured BIM training programmes so that the industry can get ready when the time comes. There is a tendency by some trainers to market BIM as a software solution rather than a process. The emphasis seems to be on using Revit or some other software to produce design modellers. This may not be useful or relevant to others who need to manage and coordinate in BIM as users. The Building Construction Authority of Singapore has certified courses for BIM Modellers as well as BIM Managers. The Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia QS Division is considering introducing a 5D BIM certified course within the ambit of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors. For BIM to really take-off in Malaysia, the policy and regulatory framework must be in place with the structured training programmes, catering to all aspects of the BIM process. Critical to the industry is the use of standard coding system(s) for BIM. There must be a consensus as to the coding system to be eventually used even if it may not be made compulsory for the time being so that it is object-oriented and that the same code means the same thing whether referenced in the authoring software or the SMM measurement library. 2.3 Legal frameworkIf current Conditions of Contract are to remain intact with minimal modifications for BIM, any addendum or supplementary agreement to incorporate BIM in the contract must be formalized so that it gives legal effect. In this regard, reference is made to the AIA Building Information Modelling Protocol [14] and ConsensusDOCS BIM Addendum [15], both from the USA, which formalizes the BIM collaborative processes so that the legal responsibilities and level of detail of deliverables in BIM are made clear. The UK also has something similar, the Construction Industry Council BIM Protocol, 2013 [16]. It uses the terminology "Information Manager" rather than "BIM Manager".Without the legal framework in place, the relevant parties in the BIM process are not compelled to deliver their part of the bargain such as ensuring sufficiency of design details, developing the design to greater detail after receiving basic details, performing clash detections, etc. As it may not be necessary to model everything in BIM, those that are modelled in 2D should be stated clearly. Model authors may provide models to model users with a disclaimer that they are provided without any legal responsibility in the event of faulty or inaccurate modelling.The legal framework is important for Quantity Surveyors, as model users, as they need sufficient levels of detail to perform the required measurements in order to produce cost plans, bill of quantities, etc. Just as the Articles of Agreement are important to the Conditions of Contract, the BIM Addendum or Protocol is important to ensure that the various parties fulfill their responsibilities in BIM.3.0 BIM Education & TrainingMention has already been made about BIM design modelling courses provided by training providers, which may not suit the needs of the vast majority of potential BIM users who do not have to produce the model but are required to manage and coordinate using the BIM model. Current shortcomings in BIM Education & Training should be addressed by academia and professional institutions rather than those affiliated with software vendors who may have vested commercial interests.Singapore runs annual BIM competitions for higher institutions of learning and also for the building industry attracting interest even from foreign professional firms. Participating teams come from multi-disciplinary backgrounds including quantity surveying and winners are judged from the completeness of their BIM design models, the amount of thermal, energy and cost information embedded and so on. The BCA as mentioned earlier also conducts courses in BIM Modelling and BIM Management. A Specialist Diploma in BIM is also available for those who need to develop their knowledge to the expert level.Malaysia could consider some of the best practices mentioned above and academic institutions should breakdown the "silo" mentality and be more multi-disciplinary in approach by teaching BIM management in universities. The Quantity Surveying Accreditation Council can play an active role in making BIM management compulsory in future for quantity surveying courses in Malaysia.Professional institutions such as the RISM should play a more pro-active role in making sure that their members are ready and proficient in BIM. As mentioned, a certified 5D BIM course is being considered. Hopefully, this can be a reality within the next 12-15 months.4.0 Affordability & AccessibilityAs BIM authoring software can cost RM16,000-RM20,000 upwards per seat, the investment cost is high even for a medium-sized firm. This does not even include the staff training and opportunity costs involved. Other costs like having to model to suit particular requirements of 5D BIM, BIM Manager, etc. also need to be taken into account, regardless of whether the Client pays for it or not. It is thus clear that BIM should be made more affordable and accessible to all, including smaller contractors and consulting firms. It is unfortunate that a good idea such as Affordable BIM has to be put in the back-burner due to some concerns. A pay-as-you-use model is certainly more affordable and accessible to most firms than a one-time heavy capital investment in a model authoring software. It is hope that CIDB will re-visit the Affordable BIM programme, perhaps, by inviting the Building Industry Presidents' Council comprising the various professional institutions and associations to take this up if CIDB decides not to do so because of concerns.As BIM software is not currently subsidized by the Government, the next best thing would probably be the pay-as-you-use model which ensures affordability and accessibility. Productivity levels could even be higher as users have to maximize their output to the time available to them when they have to pay for use. The issue of software may not be as critical for QSs as the BIM model can be viewed using relatively "free" BIM viewers such as Navisworks, Revit 3D Viewer, Nemetschek IFC Viewer, etc. Some of these also allow quantity take-offs to be performed. Nevertheless, if BIM is made affordable and accessible, most QSs I believe would prefer to use "real" authoring software to view information natively without the risk of incurring data loss or the alteration of modelled objects. 5.0 ConclusionIn order to ensure that 5D BIM becomes sustainable in Malaysia, the discussion in this paper highlighted the standards that should be in place, the policy, regulatory and legal framework required, the education & training needs and the issue of affordability and accessibility to be considered. The implementation of 5D BIM and its sustainability depends very much on the implementation of 3D BIM. It is hoped that the various stake-holders in the building industry will be engaged and achieve consensus on the implementation of 3D BIM in Malaysia. This will impact 4D, 5D, 6D and 7D BIM implementation further down the road.

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