For window and door models, architects want smart objects that prevent them from selecting sizes outside of parameters, provide flexibility with muntin patterns and sizing, include exterior and interior finish options, provide fields for important data like U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, and make it easy to group windows, adjust setbacks, and change interior trim conditions. "BIM was something our commercial customers were asking for so we provided them with the design tools they needed for their projects," states Terry Zeimetz, AIA, CSI, CCPR, Pella's Commercial Marketing Manager. Architects are now actively accessing the company's BIM objects in a variety of product lines. The company chose to offer the ability to either download individual products or what is called a Type Catalog, which is user-configurable across several options.

Shown are BIM objects for double doors and a double-hung window, as well as a pair of multi-lite double-hung windows. Images courtesy of Pella Commercial

 

Joanne Funyak, Market Manager with the Flat Glass Group of PPG Industries is seeing "consistent traffic" to their content and knows that the performance data is definitely providing value to BIM users. She says their company "got into BIM because we believed strongly in making the data about our products available to the applications that want to use it." The company collects information on lifecycle benefits for its materials (re-paint frequency, etc.) so it can be prepared when applications develop to the point that lifecycle costing can be simulated in BIM. They are also evaluating other product manufacturers whose products are in assemblies with theirs so they can work together on more comprehensive BIM solutions.

These images show the BIM object (on left) and the final installation (on right). Images courtesy of greenscreen®