The use of BIM technologies in the construction of state order objects will become mandatory in Russia already in 2019. The Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation Mikhail Men argued this decision by reducing the cost of design by 30% and the ability to control costs. BIM allows you to calculate the cost, risks, timing of work at an early stage, which is undoubtedly beneficial and convenient for the customer.
BIM implementation is a process of systemic change, whose super effect is delayed in time. It is necessary to purchase powerful computers, programs (Revit, Tekla, Allplan, Navisworks, Archicad), train qualified specialists to work in them. Far from all domestic universities teach this, but systematically - nowhere in the Russian Federation. In the experience of executives, the transition to BIM takes from six months to two years. To work in the information model, architects, designers, and designers must have developed bases - libraries of product families. Along the way, all this reveals many other problems in the organization of processes. Given the foreign roots of the software, not everything is adapted to the norms and GOSTs of Russia.
So what do market participants think about BIM implementation? We spoke with several of them. And the conclusions are at the end. ***
Sergey Gromov, SPEECH, head of the group of architects:
“Our bureau is one of the largest in Moscow, there are many workshops and teams in it, and, of course, not all of them use BIM technologies. But individual teams have been working with BIM for a long time and confidently, optimizing the process of working on a project and, in particular, significantly reducing the time for making changes to it. This is especially noticeable in the work of those SPEECH teams that support projects of foreign bureaus: building an information model allows you to quickly analyze the material developed by colleagues and adapt it to Russian realities, as well as explain to the authors the essence of the necessary changes. BIM technology is just as effective when working with subcontractors - data exchange in IFC: a universal, open format for transferring an information model - allows you to quickly integrate into the original project all constructive, technological and engineering solutions developed by third-party organizations.
Of course, working with BIM is not without complications. Perhaps the most acute moment is the different level of BIM implementation for all companies involved in the project. The lack of regulations for electronic document management and a common standard for the transfer of data on the project complicates the procedure for the exchange of information. Sometimes it comes to the point that from one of the subcontractors we can accept a section in the literal sense on tracing paper and have to manually transfer it to our model ourselves.
The realities of the Russian construction project are no less a headache. Often, even at the stage of project implementation, we have to conduct multivariate modeling and update several versions of the model at the same time. As a result, on very complex projects, we are faced with software and resource constraints.
To work with complex projects, our architects mainly use ArchiCAD, which allows them to work with different file and model formats and, without being tied to a specific vender, convert the initial data into our models and transfer tasks to subcontractors in the form in which it is convenient for them. In general, we are successfully finding solutions to bypass software and resource constraints and are gradually improving, although it is too early to talk about the 3rd level of BIM maturity - the highest, according to the Buu-Richards model”. ***
Vadim Kostyrin,
za bor, administrative director:
“At present, our entire design process is debugged and tied to 3D Max and ArchiCAD, we do not use other programs. This kit fully meets the needs of our company and allows us to solve all the tasks that the design process and the needs of our customers pose to us. For us, the capabilities of Revit are obvious (software for design in BIM - ed.), But we do not plan to change anything in our work, since any changes violate the schedule and cycle of work processes. In principle, it seems to us that modern design methods pay too much attention to software tools. Do not forget that architecture exists outside the digital environment, and also that it is also art. ***
Anton Nadtochy, Atrium, General Director:
Atrium has been using information modeling for six years. We are better at BIM than many Western companies that we have come across. Much depends on the experience and focus of the company to master the program. Naturally, individual positions such as BIM managers appear. And if you look at successful companies that work in BIM, then a BIM manager is a separate unit that does nothing more than coordinate work, creates the necessary bases for work, etc. The main problem is that bases, product families have not been developed yet, most of which had to be created from scratch at the initial stage. When these bases are developed, then, of course, the processes are accelerated and automated. In my opinion, BIM implementation takes several years, depending on the number of people in the company. This is the coordination of internal work in one environment, in one information model, and other rules of work. I would not say that there are problems with BIM in Russia - there are problems with its implementation. This requires discipline of all project participants, the formation of rather strict internal corporate standards for working with the program.
As for the transition of the state order to BIM, it is possible that some companies will win government contracts, while others - those who know how to work in BIM - will work for them as subcontractors. ***
Andrey Ushakov,
design organization GENPROEKT, development director:
“The implementation of BIM, the purchase of special software, and the restructuring of business processes are significant expenses for any design organization. Therefore, at the initial stage, we did not have to talk about saving. It was more about the quality of design work and the prospects for working on the market. But now, with the development of BIM, we see that the demand and understanding of the benefits of technology has grown significantly. After all, a BIM project is not just a beautiful three-dimensional visualization, where all the elements and systems of a building are visible. It is also a transparent business plan for all participants in the process. When you change one of the elements of the model, the program automatically makes edits to all tables and estimates. The owner can instantly receive the entire economic calculation.
The informatization of construction today allows us to solve problems that were previously impossible to solve. For example, a number of architectural supervision functions can now be performed remotely using software. Forecasting construction costs has become more accurate. BIM technologies make it possible to design more efficiently, better, and more accurately manage risks. ***
Arsentiy Sidorov, STC-Etalon, General Director:
“We in the Etalon group of companies have been using BIM technologies for more than four years. This simplifies the work of designers and improves the quality of project documentation. At the stage of construction planning, we can synchronize virtual models with the calendar schedule: each element of the three-dimensional model receives additional information about the time when it will be built. Thus, using BIM, the company's specialists create virtual general construction plans. The model allows you to analyze the generated graph and identify errors in their logical sequence. The development of such a scenario also makes it possible to obtain analytical information on the need for materials, on loading cranes and delivering resources to a construction site. During the construction phase, a virtual model is used to control the timing of work, in addition, labor protection specialists use a digital model to collect information and assess the level of safety of construction sites.
BIM model is a compact digital archive of object knowledge, with an unlimited storage period and the ability to reuse design documentation for the operation object. The technology creates a tool for prompt and accurate calculation of consumables for current or seasonal repairs, and all knowledge is accumulated in a centralized storage. Thus, it is a tool for prompt decision-making and reducing the time needed to find the information you need”. ***
Pavel Shtafetov,
JSC "Urban Planning", Head of the Development Department:
“The company has been using BIM since 2011, during this period we have designed more than 1 million m2 using information modeling technologies. We are the first company in Russia to have passed the Moscow State Expertise with an electronic BIM model.
In Russia, the introduction of BIM technologies is spontaneous. Some companies are running ahead in order to gain a clear advantage over their colleagues, some companies are implementing information modeling technology using a “catch-up” method. The most important problem of implementing information modeling technology, in my opinion, is the lack of understanding of the ultimate goal of using this technology. Software manufacturers are very vividly talking about all the benefits and advantages of the new technology, but no one touches on such issues as the cost of implementation: buying software licenses, upgrading workstations of design engineers, creating a new server and network infrastructure, creating departments of BIM managers. Also important are the timing and technological process of implementation, changing the company's business processes, writing regulations for developing and working with the model, organizing the storage structure for the elements and components of the model, the methodology for making changes and notes; separation from the main production. The points listed above are the disadvantages of information modeling technology. The transition process is costly and time-consuming. The use of BIM technology begins to pay real dividends after two or three years.
As for the advantages, software developers have already talked about them more than once. Having tremendous experience with the use of BIM technology, I can definitely say that their use is irreplaceable where the influence of the human factor is high. We are talking about especially dangerous, technically complex and unique facilities filled with a large amount of engineering equipment and having architectural and planning solutions that are unique for each level. In such projects, the cost of work is really reduced by 10-15% compared to conventional 2D CAD systems. In addition, in the format of an electronic model, experts check design solutions much faster.
Now an expert council has been created under the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation on the issue of the phased introduction of BIM technologies in the field of construction; our company is a member of this council. At this stage, its main task is the development of a regulatory technical base for the implementation of BIM, a long process, since it will require amending the legislation of the Russian Federation, updating the codes of practice (Rule), creating a national standard and forming a unified technological platform. All this must be done on the basis of the necessary, fundamental changes both in the technology of design work, general contracting and operation, and in the results obtained from these works. It seems to me that the process of transition of state orders to BIM technology will be long and painful.
As for the transition of companies to BIM technology, this is everyone's personal choice. Those who have healthy ambitions and want to work on large and complex projects, one way or another, will come to understand the need to use information modeling technology. ***
Alexander Vysotsky, Vysotskiy Consulting, CEO
the company has been teaching and implementing BIM in Russia and the CIS for more than five year
“A good indicator of the transition to BIM in Russia is that the state itself has begun to purposefully look in this direction. There are no longer any obstacles to pass the examination of design, working documentation in the information model.
Everything is going to ensure that in the future the company will be examined in BIM. The information model is exported from the program along with the traditional set of documentation. Thus, the design intent is easily communicated and all the information embedded in the model is saved. For due diligence BIM makes it faster and easier to validate projects. In this way, all participants benefit. ***
UNK project
“We have been working with Autodesk Revit software for five years and have completed several projects with it. Initially, we worked with architectural projects, later we began to work with interior solutions, constructive and engineering systems. The bureau is now implementing the AutoCAD Civil program for the development of master plans.
We consider the advantages of openness and transparency of design. Thanks to the use of BIM technologies, it was possible to structure the processes. We understand exactly what and when we provide the customer, what we get from all participants in the design process. Revit allows you to quickly and in sufficient detail to build an object, which helps to make decisions faster for both the main specialists and the customer. Working in the BIM environment made our projects more sophisticated, solutions more literate.
Among the shortcomings is the lack of qualified specialists. Implementation also requires a strong-willed decision of the management and employees, since in an actively working architectural bureau it is necessary to combine it with current projects. And, of course, these are additional costs. But later it pays off, and the released product is at a different quality level. The quality of design solutions is the priority of our bureau.
Colleagues from Great Britain have long appreciated the merits of the program and we are glad that in our country it is being introduced at the state level. This will encourage commercial organizations to use BIM technology. At the moment, our bureau is working on the ROSATOM pavilion on the territory of VDNKh and work in BIM was a customer's requirement. In the process of implementation - Multifunctional swimming center "Luzhniki", BC "Akademik". Completed - Skolkovo Quarter 10 ". ***
Irina Drozdova, development company "City-XXI century", chief project engineer:
“In the course of the research of NRU MGSU and LLC“Konkurator”“Economic efficiency of BIM implementation: assessment results and calculation problems”it was revealed that the use of BIM increases the economic efficiency of investment and construction projects, including the following:
- Increase of indicators of net present value (NPV) up to 25%;
- Growth of the profitability index (PI) up to 14-15%;
- Increase in the indicator of internal rate of return (IRR) - up to 20%;
- Reduction of the payback period of an investment and construction project - up to 17%;
- Reducing the cost of the project associated with reducing costs at the construction stage - up to 30%.
According to City-XXI Century data, the expected cost reduction associated with a reduction in costs at the construction stage for the company will be no more than 10%.
Unfortunately, at present, the market for well-established design organizations working entirely with the use of BIM technologies is quite narrow, and the cost of the services of such organizations is higher than that of those that do not yet use these technologies. City-XXI century expects that with the support and participation of the state, with the approval of normative documentation in the field of BIM, there will be more design organizations working with the use of high technologies, the quality of the issued documentation will increase, and the construction market will be updated by natural selection.
Of course, the experience of advanced states, such as Great Britain, is taken into account by the leaders and initiators of the implementation of BIM in Russia, the regulatory framework of the leading countries is being studied, but nevertheless, our country has outlined its own path of transition to BIM: design with the development of its own rules and regulations that are most fully consistent the specifics of the legislative framework of the Russian Federation.
On October 4, 2016, representatives of the City-XXI Century development company took part in the Autodesk University Russia 2016 - Day for Executives event, where the approved Roadmap for BIM Implementation in Russia was presented. Drafts of regulatory and technical documents and codes of practice in the field of BIM-design of the Russian Federation have already been prepared. It cannot be ruled out that the requirement for a mandatory transition to BIM and the establishment of strict rules for the acceptance of documentation in the approving and approving state bodies will be announced in the next three to four years.
Our company sees only the positive aspects of the mandatory transition to BIM for the entire construction sector under government orders. As you know, the initiative coming from the state often forces even the most inert structures to act, especially when the wishes for the use of modern technologies gradually turn into recommendations, and then into requirements. Not so long ago, the transition "from drawing boards to AutoCAD" was carried out, and the entire design world quickly and positively assessed the advantages of using vector graphics. Today is the time for the next changes and it is already clear that this is the time for BIM.
At present, a "pilot" project has been selected in City-XXI Century, which will be designed using BIM technologies, a design organization has been determined by a tender, and close cooperation with an expert organization in the field of BIM has been ongoing for several years. " ***
Denis Davydov,
BIM manager, Mosgosexpertiza:
“Based on the statistics of Mosgosexpertiza, we can say that two-thirds of customers submitting a BIM model for examination are private investors. Consequently, work in BIM at all stages, including expertise, is recognized by the professional community as effective. In particular, it makes it possible to increase the efficiency of work in terms of the examination of project documentation and the results of engineering surveys. Working with BIM, an expert can find the necessary part much more quickly, track the compliance of structural, architectural, space-planning, technological and other design solutions with the technical regulations. That is, in a global sense, it is more convenient and efficient. This is why BIM must be positioned as the future of the industry.
The timing of the state examination is enshrined in law and differs depending on the complexity of the objects, however, quite often projects carried out using BIM technologies received conclusions several days ahead of schedule.
To date, the acceptance of design documentation for objects of the city order is carried out exclusively in electronic form. The information model is presented additionally at the request of the customer. ***
Anonymous,
CEO of the architectural bureau, who requested anonymity:
“In my opinion, with such an active introduction of BIM, the market is monopolized. We see the crowding out of small companies. This is due to the fact that they cannot afford to purchase expensive licensed programs. In my opinion, there is a fact of lobbying the interests of one manufacturer - Autodesk, whose products allow you to design in BIM. And this, let me remind you, is not a Russian manufacturer. In addition, small bureaus often cannot afford training of specialists and other expenses associated with rebuilding business processes. A graduate of the Moscow Architectural Institute is not trained in design technology in BIM, he will not buy himself a licensed program. As a result, "broken" programs are used, and this is a crime.
Regarding the statement that in 2019 the state order will switch to BIM design, I believe that this will lead to the fact that at the legislative level the rights of companies that do not work in information modeling will be limited. There should always be a choice. ***
If we summarize what has been said, then we get this.
- BIM, if you master it, is convenient and modern, reduces the time of calculations and project management. Allows you to achieve greater detail and reliability of the project in less working time.
- The transition to BIM is expensive, takes two to four years, and is difficult without stopping project work.
- There are already companies and architectural firms in Russia that have been working with BIM for four to six years. Among them there are both large and medium-sized bureaus, but progressive and energetic.
- It is not easy for them to find subcontractors, but there are options, especially in Moscow.
- The technology usually requires the appearance of a new position of a BIM manager in the company, which means a new job.
- BIM technologies are good for large companies and large and complex projects that require a large margin of safety. [So isn't it worth implementing BIM not for all government orders in general, but depending on the complexity of the buildings?]
- The transition of government orders to BIM will cause a restructuring of the market: weakening of small bureaus, strengthening of large companies that have mastered this technical component. That is, behind the talk about overcoming the corruption component, there may be the prospect of market monopolization. Strengthening of large companies and weakening of small ones.
- It looks like it is planned to use BIM technologies with Russian specifics. How and by whose forces this will be done is not yet clear. But it cannot be ruled out that it will turn out "like with a Russian iPhone." Another option - the forced transfer to BIM will enrich some global company.
- It's time for universities to teach BIM technologies. For example, there was such a course at MARSH school.
Per: efficiency of calculations, speed, government policy, likely anti-corruption.
Vs: high cost, complexity of the transition, lack of a sufficient number of specialists, the likelihood of market monopolization.
