AMCA - BIM-MEP AUS

Project name: BIM-MEPAUS

Completion/expected completion date: Ongoing

Main participating organisations: Head Contractors, Specialist sub-contractors, design consultants, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, technology vendors.

Project goals and objectives: BIM-MEPAUS is a global leading industry initiative that strives to address many of the barriers holding back the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) in the Australian building and construction sector.
Whilst BIM-MEPAUS is intended to support all stakeholders in the Australian Construction and Property sectors through improved design and construction outcomes, the role of mechanical contractors throughout the design and construction process has always been important to the success of the project due to their traditional roles as lead coordinators and complexity of the mechanical services on most projects. AMCA members through their industry leadership and expertise in BIM enabled design and construction are best placed to support the property owners, developers and project design and construction teams to leverage BIM for improved project outcomes and long term facility management

Context:
Standards    BIM-MEPAUS aims to publish a set of standards that can be used to ensure that BIM design models are precise and accurate, practices are applied consistently, and the sharing of information follows a predictable workflow that provides all parties to a project with confidence in the integrity of both the model and the process.  

BIM-MEPAUS standards include:
•    Specifications for plant, equipment and fittings
•    Work practices (for example, standard operating procedures)
•    Guideline documents
•    Workflows  

Practices    BIM-MEPAUS practices will provide documented instructions for the performance of particular operations and functions throughout the BIM design process and workflow.

Specifications    Specifications detail explicit sets of requirements to be satisfied by a design model of plant, equipment and fittings. Specifications will include requirements for the physical and mechanical properties of both the design and manufacturer models to be used within the Revit MEP software.

Guidelines    BIM-MEPAUS guidelines provide a compendium of information or series of options to support the use of other BIM-MEPAUS standards such as specifications, practices and workflows.  

Models    BIM-MEPAUS models are the three-dimension representation of the various physical, functional and spatial characteristics (specifications) of a particular piece of plant, equipment or fitting. These models have been design in consultation with designers, manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the defined parameters are consistent in terms of design and application.

Workflows    BIM-MEPAUS workflows promote the efficient transfer of building information throughout the project lifecycle.  BIM-MEPAUS workflows achieve this by providing a clear pathway for the transfer of BIM models:
Design model -> Manufacturer model -> Constructible model -> Commissioned as-built model

Proposed deliverables: Refer to above.

Planned 2014 activity: Progressive release of practices, specifications and guidelines fortnightly.

BIM-MEPAUS Construction Innovation 2014 Forum – 7-8 August 2014, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Expected audience: MEP engineers, modellers, contractors and fabricators. MEP product manufacturers, suppliers and information providers.

Approach, methodology:

Other information:

Sydney Morning Herald  Measure twice; build once 
Building Industry Online Construction innovation forum highlights potentials of BIM-MEP work flow system
Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers Wizards of Oz
AIA/ Consult Australia BIM for Specialist sub-contractors and trades
A Proposed approach to comparing the BIM maturity of countries Research Paper
Business Value of BIM in Australia and NZ McGraw Hill Construction (to be released 26 March 2014)

Project contact:

Name: Sumit Oberoi
Position: Executive Director    
Tel: 03 8831 2800

Links: www.bimmepaus.com.au