Architects typically incorporate and specify most of these complementary building products, so there is a need for awareness about the nature of these products and the ways that they can fit into and contribute to a BIM Model as well as the finished building:

• Design Integration. Complementary building products are typically integrated as part of an overall building system; therefore architects need to think about how the product they are selecting will relate to its context. It usually becomes quite apparent in a finished building when these products were properly selected and integrated into an overall design and when they were only an unfortunate afterthought. For example, expansion joints typically require multiple choices to be made to integrate them into the interior floor, wall, and ceiling or exterior wall and roof. Using the BIM Model to take into account how the expansion joint meets with and integrates into the floor, roof, and wall systems will reveal whether or not the selected products truly work with each other and the surrounding building materials. This level of visualization and conflict avoidance will help architects to better understand the products and their purpose while contributing to the preferred appearance, functionality, maintenance, and overall operation of the building.

• User needs. Some products have uses that need to be considered other than just meeting a code or engineering requirement. For example, smoke vents are required to vent out smoke in case of a building fire and may need to be sized and located to meet a particular code, but the desired use and operating requirements may well go beyond that. By working with the owner, user, or maintenance personnel the architect can discover how and when the smoke vent may need to open not just for an unintended fire, but also for some other intentional activity such as a theatrical performance that needs to vent out fumes from a pyrotechnics show. Incorporating a smoke vent as a fully configured BIM object into a model can reveal for designers and operators the options of how the doors close again once they are opened, how to integrate them with building security needs, and how the smoke vent ties into the roof structure and roofing membrane.

• Timing of selection. Selecting specific BIM object information during design, rather than construction, will engage the architect deeper in the final selection process rather than leaving the choice solely up to the contractors. It may also eliminate the need for submittals and shop drawings if that information is essentially embedded in the Model and is in fact built accordingly. By selecting an exact product earlier, and giving contractors and subcontractors more focused rather than generic specification, this selection will allow for time savings and potentially better pricing when bids are being assembled. Assuming that competitive bidding is still employed, this approach allows for the Owner to get the best price for their project by allowing contractors to bid "apples-to-apples" and reduce the amount of duplication and/or unknown requirements that can cause inflated pricing.

• Customization. Complementary building products typically are able to be configured and customized rather than be restrained to "off the shelf" solutions. Some manufacturers will emphasize their abilities in this regard by pointing out that their manufacturing processes allow for flexibility in product design and other characteristics such as finish and color, usually without impacting scheduled lead times or affordability. Using BIM, manufacturers can present customizable objects that are easy to select and configure so that the right product can be chosen to provide the desired aesthetics, correctly work with the adjacent construction, and truly meet the Owners expectations of functionality. Architects, then, no longer have to be restrained to design around a limited venue of complementary building products rather they can select, configure, and customize these products to best fit the overall building design.

The ability of complementary building products, such as wall louvers, to be customized into a building allow them to enhance any design style. Photos courtesy of Nystrom, Inc.

 

• Complete information.Architects shouldn't be expected to know everything off the top of their head about all the products they incorporate into their designs, rather, they need to know where to get the right information when it is needed. The use of fully embedded BIM objects greatly reduces the amount of time needed to find and use that information. Having complete specification information including code compliance and testing information readily available allows the designer to select products that meet all of the building design requirements while avoiding the potential for construction change orders or time delays if a product use is questioned.

Overall, then, using BIM objects from complementary building product manufacturers has the potential to contribute to more complete and accurate building designs that put the right product in the right place at the right time. At least one manufacturer takes pride in being able to schedule the product to be delivered right to the site when it is needed for installation.