On the Baylor Scott & White College Station project, collaboration was mainly fostered by our BIM process. Prism’s talented BIM department took a lead role in coordination among the trades. The following steps outline our coordination process and keys to success:
The first step was to hold a BIM coordination meeting among the entire project team. This step is critical for success, as the following factors are determined:
- Determine modeling zones.
Example: electric zone = 6” from the bottom of the ceiling up, and 6” from the bottom of a structure down. - Determine which components have precedence over other disciplines
- Coordinate the BIM model in two phases. More significant components in Phase I, minor elements in Phase II
- All conduit, cable tray, and supports, lights, electrical equipment, and clearances, etc. that are 1” or greater are modeled in Revit.
From there, the BIM coordinator worked with the design team as early in the design as possible to suggest cost savings with the most efficient equipment locations for installation and routing of feeders, and conduit racks, etc.
The next step was to determine the schedule benefits of under-slab installation versus overhead. After deciding the slab vs. overhead, an internal clash report was conducted using NavisWorks on only the electrical elements before submitting a model to be clash detected with other disciplines.
Between the weekly meetings, our coordination process included regular communication with other subcontractors to ensure a timely and accurate coordination process. Shop drawings were completed in-house and issued after a final coordinated model is produced; any changes to the shop drawings was rechecked to ensure it is clash-free from other disciplines.
Opportunities for prefabrication are identified, and the elements to be prefabricated are based on the coordinated BIM model. Prism used the Trimble system to accurately layout points during field installation that are identified from within the coordinated BIM model.
A record (as built) model is submitted at project completion that accurately depicts physical conditions, including updated locations, all ASIs and RFIs.