Single File BIM | Donuts, Design, & Debate 09

Is Building Information Modeling (BIM) the one true solution for architecture's woes, or is it overhyped and unnecessarily complex? What even is BIM, really? Aaron debates architectural designer & consultant Dave Edwards on whether or not a standardized industry format would lead to better design outcomes. Listen up!

0:00 Intro & History
4:27 Guest Intro
12:33 Affirmative
16:52 Opposition
20:34 Discussion
24:44 Voting
37:08 Results
37:56 PragArchDesignTech Newsletter

[modularbuildingsaustralia]

I have been using Sketchup for BIM Estimating utilising the Generate Report function with Dynamic Components for 8+ years now, thousands of hours of trial and error.

The only thing Sketchup needs is a way to read the data produced in the model and then interface it.

For eg,

Step 1: Create and Model your Components
Step 2: give your models Dynamic Component attributes

Attributes that relate to model, for eg. for a structural beam I have these attributes

Name, item code, Length, thickness, type, supplier, weight, colour, Qty

The Length attribute will be linked to axis that defines the length the code inside the attribute would look like this "Length: =LENX*10/1000" this is converting the CM Length into MM millimetres

So if my beam was 300cm long on the Lenx axis my attribute is now 3000...

This is now a interfaced attribute, I can simply click on it and know everything about it, can also export to generate Report and into xcel to visualise my material take off...

If I wanted to order those beams I now have the correct data, but I have to transfer that in ordering templates... which is a night mare...

What Sketchup needs is to create a simple take-off interface that you can also push out and interface all the components with in your model.

Like you can't even redraw multiple Components in Sketchup right now with out custom ruby code...

Sketchup has the BEST BIM SYSTEM IN THE WORLD just lacking the final step, interfacing the data and turning it into practical uses...

95% of Sketchup users don't even know what generate Report functuon is...

BIM should not be just conceptual design... we should be building the final result before it goes to site... creating accurate orders and Visualisation of the many data centres you want to see.

Happy to come show you how to do it

[BrockWorksInc]

Having been obsessed with this topic for years, I agree with my buddy Aaron on single file, or single source of truth as I see it, but I see Dave's "reality". Being fully invested in SketchUp, the basic hurdle that needs to be jumped for now is SketchUp's performance. I build highly-detailed models and SketchUp/Layout are beyond sluggish. I do think that future models (nudge - web version needs extensions!), single source hosted online and available to all stakeholders, will be linked to various other online data (estimates, schedules, selections, warranties) and accesssible to all devices. I am on a personal mission to get there for residential construction!

[xXiamdaggyXx]

SketchUp is a big part of our workflow in residential construction, it enables us to virtual build the building in an efficient manner ready for costing. However it falls very short in the terms of data sharing through IFC which is the international format standard for BIM sharing. The export of models from SketchUp when exported do not comply with the recommended IFC format and leaves all quantified entities off entirely. This has forced us to start using BricsCAD BIM to try and make up the shortfall of data, and to allow the IFC models to be able to be used in other costing software. I find these type of conversations very interesting and I do believe that BIM is a workflow that can be applied successfully, however I do think that SketchUp talks the talk but does not walk the walk. Also as a note, before everyone jumps on me for being negative on SketchUp and for using BricsCAD, it was not by choice that we have brought in BricsCAD, it is very difficult to learn and implement, however it can very easily apply PSets Quantities to a model with no effort and export all of the relative information in IFC for BIM sharing. Please SketchUp, step up and become a player in the BIM world.

[RenataJensen]

I am like this gentleman, I started drawing by hand, now Althought CAD, I am submerged in Sketchup and others like Lumion and Structure Studios it is an everyday battle.

[ThexBorg]

The Schema for the BIM is more important and the rule set for implementation. The BIM model is a subset of those rules implemented as a related 3D model..