Life After Design: Purchases, Supplies, and Cost Control in Execution

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CAROLINA RAMIREZ: I am Carolina Ramirez. I am an architect and I work in the fun part of BIM, modeling.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: I am Fernando Valderrama. I am architect and I work in the boring part being of BIM. Cost and time planning.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: But both are important.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: But both sides are important.

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BIM models and professionals have reached a level of maturity in the design, cost estimation and planning stages. Everything that goes with our construction. But it's in the execution stage where we're supposed to recover all the effort we have made before.

Taking advantage of the large amount of information that is in the model, as we're going to see today, to calculate the material choices based on the planning and the resources quantities. We will generate the required contracts and documents, such as orders, deliveries and invoices.

Let's see all of this in a real building that has been executed with Carolina's help. The first thing we would like, Carolina, is for you to describe what the building is like.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: The project is Retamo Parc, a residential building promoted and built by Rivadeneira Barriga architects in Quito, Ecuador. It's a big residential building in two stage. This is the second stage, which is made up of four buildings, building C, building F, D and G.

NICOLAS RIBADENEIRA: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: The project was modeled to manage construction, to measure, estimate, plan their entire work. And also to create the orders. For example, the orders of concrete.

The first thing we do when we receive a model is to audit it and study it in order to know it.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Who are the agents involved in the project? That is to use the [INAUDIBLE] CS50 terminology. Who is the appointing party and who is the appointed party?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: The contracting party was Rivadeneira Barriga, who they cited as they are the developer and the construction company to model in BIM to be able to plan all the orders. And we take care of even them, all the measurements and the construction management for the work.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Tell us what you do when auditing the model. And especially what problems you usually identify. What process you perform to audit it and what usually appears.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: We start by studying the model. First, you have to know which families and which categories are modeled. And check that every element is in the proper category. Check also that they have the right types.

For example, here what happened was that we had toilet in all the houses and also in the rooms of the [? football ?] [? field. ?] It was decided that they were of different types, different elements to [? write. ?] Then I change the type in Revit.

We also began to study separation where each of the buildings are separate to make different groups with them. Then what we did was to study that the levels were correct and the minimum needed for the model. Another thing, with it was all the elements were at the level to which they correspond.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Have you followed any special rules of good practice documents or do you recommend any of them that could be used to do this type of review?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: We can use the [? uBIM ?] standard. What they recommend us in terms of design, BIM model levels, special tips, improvements to implement in your models.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: In the special BIM recommendations of your BIM, I see that there are many standards to work with the spaces and levels. What else could you say about the levels as you receive the model?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: This model as was the continuation of phase two. There were levels that were left by mistake. Also, those levels that belong to phase one had elements in them.

So if we delete those levels, also elements of our project would we delete. What did we do? We export all the information for the model to PRESTO, as a list. And we also took out the information from the levels in PRESTO.

We compared to list first, what are the levels that were left over. And second, we could select everything that was modeled in the work levels to move it to their corresponding level.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Another issue that always arises with models is the use of parameters. Many times, there are too many parameters and they are not always filled correctly or are empty or incompatible. How did you do the parameter radio and what problems do you usually identify?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Many times, the amount of extra parameters and the number of parameters that we are creating because maybe we don't know-- trust that the all parameters is fine. And we create another one. It can become the chaos and suddenly, we have parameters that are not working and that are not of date automatically.

The rule of is to use the model to save data that we can calculate natively, such as surveys or [INAUDIBLE]. And that we don't depend on parameters that we will have to fill ourselves by hand. For example, you cannot put the parameter in where it is to share, because you move it, and its parameters become obsolete.

So what we decided was to eliminate the number of extra parameters. And there were on leave only the areas. Asset also for calculating the buildings with faces. And to group them by dwellings and use groups to divide buildings. And use native parameters and the levels for the [? empty ?] zoning of the project.

That's it. Use the least possible parameters and that they properties can be calculate at the time they are needed. Therefore, it's not necessary to save them because then they will not be obsolete. The only parameter that I do like to leave in the models is the one that group the views.

I find them necessary, especially to have those packages that we need to group those work views or those publication views.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: You said that you use groups to divide buildings. How did you get those groups? And why have they chosen precisely to make groups?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: We group the elements of each building into Revit groups. Why? Because that's how we differentiate them. Even if we don't have several copies of a group, it serves us to select to separate and so on. In addition, if we have that group within our model, we can take it out to PRESTO and be able to have that list separate by buildings.

If we are not allowed to modify the model, we are auditing what we can do in PRESTO. Easily fill in that field, select it from Revit. The group is transferred to take off-line file of the element. So I can have quantitative cost estimate and our planning [INAUDIBLE] by buildings.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Let's go with the [? AES. ?] What did you use [? AES ?] for? Give us an example of the [? AES ?] you have created and what did you use, please.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Oh, yes. Our subdivision of a building element and we build [INAUDIBLE] our lines or selecting models, elements to use as our lines. We can calculate, for example, the gross building surface, which in all projects must be calculated.

As we already have to create it to calculate the gross [INAUDIBLE] face, we can use it to calculate, for example, the information of each element. PRESTO locates the area and adds a field in the takeoff line of those elements in which area they are located. So I can also have quantitative cost estimate and a planning [INAUDIBLE] by areas.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Why don't the use the department field of the zones to identify the houses?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Because I will have to be aware the department file of each room is filled correctly throughout the project. And in this case, we decided to do it directly by the areas.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: We have seen the taking of a special BIM levels and parameters. What are the elements that were modeled in this project? And what will you do about types and categories?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: For that, what we did is directly export the list of modeled elements for the Revit to PRESTO to be able to manage it. We are going to Cost-it it to export. And here, we have all the categories of our model.

For example, the structural area in the basement, which does not belong to us. At this stage, they are already build it. We are going to extract the floors and the walls. They are important because they have the concrete.

The windows, the doors, the stairs, the railings. So we are able to make the orders. The plumbing fixtures to check what they are, how they are and how many there are. And also the equipment.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Then they model more elements?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: No, only the elements necessary to manage the most expensive parts of their work and those that had to be built.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: What information can you use as a result of this spot and this type and category check?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: This list can be used for many things. For example, to check all categories, families and types. We have all the floor listed by all the types that are in the project with the corresponding quantities and all the elements that are in it. We have the windows, the whole list of windows with their level.

The area, the room and all the dimensions in case, we want the information of how much each windows measures. We have the list of all the doors and also of their location. We have the ceilings, the stairs, the railings.

The railing list it was very useful because they all belong to the same type in Revit. But we need to quantitative [INAUDIBLE] and a straight railings to order to the workshop. What we did was break down the type elements by link to get the information and how many railings there were of each.

The plumbing features, as I told before, we knew how many types of toilets, showers and sinks were in the project. And the equipment and furniture, as the kitchens and the cabinets.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Well, I see that you left the walls for the end, because it's surely the most important element of all this work. Tell us what the goals are like and what is so special about them.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: The objective of the work was get to the entire concrete list of each of the houses to be able to plan it and estimate where the list can be complete by putting a price on the elements. In the other hand, our planning where the list can be done by putting a face to each of the elements. We have the walls and it is the concrete that we are going to plan in phases.

This project is built with the metallic construction system where they fill all the elements with concrete and nail them into a single monolithic package. On the first day, they put the meshes, they elected wiring, their pipes for drinking water and sanitation. On the second day, the metal frame work is put on.

The third day, they do two monolithic concrete of the walls and floors. On the fourth day, transfer the framework to the next house. Each phase covers approximately two dwellings at the same time. Also, they have to work teams on the site and that are overlapped.

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FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: How are the faces organized? That is, how long are they and who are signs the specific elements to be done in each phase?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Each phase begins every three days. Then we must identify the elements that belong to each of the phases. We go to the concrete work unit. And as you can see, we have an area parameter that locates the element. Where is it?

The area parameter comes from the Revit areas. And in this case, for example, it is the B121 that belong to a specific floor. The elements of each floor are already locates. It's decided that two houses go for the phase. Then it is decided, for example, that house B105 and house B106 go to the phase one. House 104 and 107 go to the phase two.

As you already know, it is filtered here in this list of measurements where we have all the elements of the model. And it is set to phase two. In addition, as there are elements that don't belong to any area, to any specific house, they will there decides to which of their phases to [? assign ?] those elements.

They are for example, the walls that separate each houses or the walls that separate the common part of the two houses.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Can we visually check in Revit the planning on the fly as it is being done?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Of course. Here, I have a list of dates. Every three days. If you look at it, we only have Mondays and Thursdays at the beginning of the phase. I can simply right click all the elements that belong to the phase to see them.

Also, since I have the information in PRESTO, I can view it in Revit. We remember that I don't have and don't need any extra parameters in Revit. Everything can be managed and organize it directly in PRESTO.

Let's go now to processes. Model animation and tell it to color the elements by the planning phase. We have phase 1 to phase 51. We accept and we can see visually, which is more intuitive, all the concrete planning in this project.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Can we keep it done in the view where the animation is visualized?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Sure. We can move it. We can turn it, especially to see these [? hiding ?] parts in a very large project.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Do you think that during these checks, the construction company discover problems or new ways to optimize their process they have planned?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Yes, it helped him to plan and to know which walls were built in each phase. The most important thing, which was what they asked me at first, was to know how much concrete that had to order every day. And to be sure that it would come the day. And also to know how much concrete they had to pay to their subcontractors.

I select phase one in PRESTO and select the elements that are planned in this phase in Revit. We select it in the view. You can see in the work photo, the walls and floors already concrete and that they are forming the next phase.

We select phase one and two and select the elements of the phase and can be see concrete in the photo. We reestablish the select elements and select the process from one to six. Select the elements and see the work photo, the houses are already concrete.

We select process and we select the planned elements in phases, you can see what has been built. In this video, you can see how the last floor of building C. He's begin finish it.

And here, in the next one, how it continues with building F. Controlling and managing the work with the model.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: How are the concrete quantities of every phase calculated?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: We can see in this main window [INAUDIBLE] the list of all the phases that we have in our project. There are 50, as we have in the planning how much money we need for the concrete in each phase. Because the only thing that is in phases is in this project for now is the concrete.

To calculate the resources, we are going to open the Main Resource windows and we are also going to go to three because we want this concrete in a given chapter of contracts and orders. Then we select them and we go to Processes to calculate the resources required to carry out the work of this concrete item.

For these, we chose the first higher level concept of destiny type. So it will be a reserve of the walls contract. The result in the Main Results window is that we have all 50 phases listed as order with their phase, summary, quantity and measurement unit.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: I see this information is very useful, especially internally, to know what we have to ask for every three days, in this case. Can we combine this information into official documents that serve us for contracts and for purchase orders?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Of course. Now, we are going to select all these orders and concrete resources. And we are going to generate those contracts with Create Contract. In the window, we select that we do not want a contact per phase, we want a contract of all the concrete.

Suppliers are going to be paid weekly. But we make a contract for everything. Now, we go to the Main Contract window and see that out contract is already created. We have to assign into the supplier.

In this case, we only have one provided, which is the usual one. And therefore, we are going to generate it in the Entities window. Here, we have as entities the designer and the promoter. And we are going to enter the concrete supplier.

Now, in the contract, we assign it with right-click, search and associate suppliers. We click and accept. Now, we have to put the price of the supplier. When we prepare the project, they gave the concrete at one price. But after six months, my supplier give me that contract.

For example, at another price for the discounts, these generate all their properties and that I need in the contract. In this case, the supplier, it is the same as always. So I award him that work. If I had more providers, then I will create more and I have to decide among them.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: , Now how can we proceed?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Well, we have to order that concrete. We select it with right-click and move to the order. We go to the Order window. And so I can make sure that by this date, this concrete must have arrived. I can record the invoice signatures and all documents associated with the supplies of this concrete.

On this date and this amount, I can associate the invoice, the order and put all the necessary information to have a record of all the elements.

NICOLAS RIBADENEIRA: [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: We hope you like this real case, where natural and ECA workflow helps to achieve all their goals of this very complex project. Carolina, what else would you say to our users?

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: I recommend making a simple model so you can take advantage of the information as much as possible. Thank you for listening.

FERNANDO VALDERRAMA: Bye.

CAROLINA RAMIREZ: Bye.

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