BIM Coordination: The Secret to Success Isn't a Secret

Building Information Modeling, or BIM, gives us a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility from conception through completion, and a resource to form a reliable basis for decisions during its lifecycle. BIM is certainly an extremely useful tool for complex, multidisciplinary projects, and for nearly two decades, Epstein has maintained a BIM Implementation Team, provided BIM training courses for all disciplines and added new workstations to support program applications. Each Epstein project utilizes BIM and includes a BIM Execution Plan (BEP).

A notable program in which Epstein provides DesignBuild services, Wholestone Farms, is a fantastic example of successful BIM coordination. The entirety of the program includes projects such as the pork processing facility, wastewater pre-treatment facility, cut floor, snap chill and trim blend, EQ expansion, and rendering.

The Agreement

Our team, along with our trade partners, establishes extensive coordination at the beginning of a project, saving time during construction. Epstein provides effective coordination in this way, compared to our competitors and build-only firms. This agreement is especially critical on a complex renovation project such as Wholestone.

Reality Capture

Technical work begins with the right foundation. Epstein routinely utilizes reality capture technology to deeply understand the conditions of the project site and mitigate major risks of unknown or incorrect existing conditions. Through a reality capture, we are able to acquire site data and create 3D models. This information is built upon throughout the long phased design approach to Wholestone and lives within the active model.

The Design

Our in-house design team coordinates their work from the earliest design stages within 3D models. Epstein will always pursue trade partner and equipment vendor input early in the process, eliminating waste and miscommunication during design. Throughout the Wholestone Cut Floor design process, weekly internal and external collaboration efforts are organized to maintain a constant state of design coordination.

The Program

Epstein generates and integrates models from different sources to maintain the latest and greatest information utilizing Navisworks and other BIM-based technologies. With this ability, we communicate the development of the design using models and virtual reality with our clients, rather than 2D plans. This allows us to visualize industrial process equipment and complex systems from an early point in the design.

Construction

Epstein works tirelessly with our trade partners to work through conflicts, and provide immediate constructible solutions. The sooner we make strategic trade awards, the sooner we coordinate. This content becomes the agreement amongst the trades and allows highly effective planning to take place well ahead of traditional methods, eliminating surprises and fire drills. This is where the efforts of design coordination are realized.

Construction Administration

By using a coordinated model, the design and construction management teams can verify work in place, and easily identify missing work or work that is installed inaccurately. Epstein provides a single expert source to our clients, eliminating delays and mistakes traditional firms experience. Rather than manage multiple external consultants, we are able to coordinate project details under one roof.