The role of BIM in MEP

The broader application of BIM software will allow MEP engineers to effect major savings on overall project costs, speed up the total design process, and improve final build quality by reducing the possibility of mistakes.

The first large tenders in the UAE specifying that all design work must be done in a 3D format using BIM have already been published, says Timo Nurminen, country manager for MagiCAD in the UAE. MagiCAD is a BIM-compatible software package with modules for heating and piping, ventilation, electrical and sprinkler design.

“Here there have been massive, incredible projects, and it is even more impressive to think that everything concerning MEP design has been done in 2D, manually,” says Progman Oy export sales manager Ruggero Valsecchi. He adds that the Nordic countries and Singapore are more advanced than the UAE, as they already stipulate certain BIM formats for regulatory approvals on building projects.

MagiCAD was developed by the Finnish company Progman Oy, which has a 25-year history in this sector and a total of 60 employees. “During the last ten years, MagiCAD has captured the lion’s share of the Northern European market for MEP design software. It is now being introduced in the Middle East, where MEP design using BIM software is still a relatively new concept,” says Nurminen.

MagiCAD slashes design time by 50% to 70% compared to traditional 2D software. Given that a single piping licence retails for AED13 500, the total cost-savings are considerable. Nurminen explains that MagiCAD functions as an add-on to the well-known AutoCAD and Revit platforms. “It does most of the calculations automatically, including sizing, balancing and flow rate. Other features include automatic collision detection, automatic generation of bills of quantity, and easy co-ordination and cross-referencing.”

Advantage

Another advantage is that MagiCAD boasts Europe’s largest product database, with more than 200,000 product models in 3D. “All product models are designed according to real specifications. If the piping system works in MagiCAD simulations, then it will work in real-case scenarios,” says Nurminen.

“One of the most important selection criteria for any BIM software package is the large product library. This means you are able to spend less time and money on drafting and modeling new products to be used in the design process. With MagiCAD, almost all European- and US-based MEP products are included in the license and readily available on-line. We can also add local products if needed.”

“Now that the pace of new projects is beginning to taper off, overall competition is getting tighter, which means companies are looking to boost their productivity. It is the ideal time to look at alternatives such as BIM,” says Valsecchi. This is where a solution like MagiCAD comes into its own, offering significant savings on project resources in terms of bills of quantities and scheduling.

“Time-, energy- and cost-savings are inherent because you already have all the information in your model, and do not need to recalibrate manually,” says Valsecchi. The risk of iterative errors is also reduced markedly. In addition, MagiCAD “solves co-rodination problems in the project phase, and not on-site. This also reduces the total timeframe to completion because the project pipeline flows that much more smoothly.

Benefits

Not everyone is convinced about the benefits, or applicability, of BIM to the MEP sector, however. “It is impossible for MEP contractors to go beyond 3D modelling since the databases include broad aspects of electrical work such as lighting and junctions, but do not include specific pieces of conduits.

“Software vendors are working to improve the functionality of the BIM software, but have not given a specific timeframe for completion,” says Mace Group MEP project manager Mohammed Masadeh, who nevertheless acknowledges the impact that this technology will have on the sector.

“The application of BIM software will give MEP contractors/engineers a chance to reduce costs, save the time needed to complete the detailed design stage, and enhance the quality by improving the build ability and reducing mistakes.”

The use of sustainable design methodology has now become mandatory on all new construction in Abu Dhabi, for example. “As such, the MEP systems design has to be updated regularly to reduce the construction costs and time, to minimise the operational energy consumption, and to ensure full compliance with the latest regulations,” comments Masadeh.

Training

BIM user Sridhar Shetty from Doha, Qatar says that while the use of BIM has obvious benefits, it is equally important for companies to invest in the necessary training. “In the Middle East no one is prepared to invest in such training, which is the major problem confronting the introduction of BIM. BIM is good software, but it will dominate the market slowly.

Commenting on these benefits, Shetty points to material savings. “You can save a lot of material by using this software. Actual 3D services layouts will aid as supporting documentation for materials orders. By using this 3D software, proper co-ordination can be done before we commence working on-site.

“There are some minor problems with this software, but we hope that the BIM vendors will overcome these in their latest versions and add-ons. MEP companies in the Middle East may be reluctant to invest in new software and instead stick with what they have, but now is the time to change,” urges Shetty.

Commenting on the perceived deficiencies of BIM, user Djordje Grujic points out that “no software does anything; people do. Besides, the biggest problem with computers is they never do what you want; they always do what you tell them to do. So it is always up to us. BIM is bandied about as an acronym without a full understanding of what it actually means.

Synergy

“What it does not mean is just 3D modelling – that has been around for decades – but the synergy between the digital model and the data. You cannot expect the software vendor to create the database specific to your company. You have to do it in order to use any of the BIM tools out there. It also does matter which software you use.

“A lot of vendors say their software does everything. That is simply not true. No one vendor, however big, provides solutions for all the facets of the correct and full BIM implementation. For the MEP designers and contractors in the region, a huge step up would be to simply start using 3D modelling tools.

“However, the overall co-ordination with the structural and architectural design and clash detection is only possible if you have a BIM model, which will save a lot, and make life easier for all. There is a lot of smoke and mirrors, but not much understanding of the technology, which will raise the industry to new heights by helping it become more efficient and modern,” says Grujic.

Even major industry bodies like the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) are acknowledging the role of BIM. New research funded by ASHRAE aims to ensure that a common language of ‘energy efficiency’ is spoken by both BIM software used by architects and energy analysis and simulation software used by MEP engineers.

Reference models

The project will develop open-source reference models by which developers may test their solutions for interoperability between BIM and energy-simulation software. The project will focus on the most common thermal features in buildings assumed to have the greatest impact on energy use, and provide guidelines for describing thermal models extracted from BIM and the rules for extracting those models used in whole building energy analysis.

“This research will promote the inclusion of energy-efficiency measures in the early design,” said Mark Clayton, Ph.D., principal investigator for the project. “It will greatly increase the efficiency and accuracy of energy analysis.”

Studies have shown that problems related to exchanging information among various building-design software systems causes more than US$16 billion a year of unnecessary expense. Given that new computer technologies for representing buildings are expected to transform the processes for architectural engineering design services, it is imperative that standards be developed, said Clayton.