Building Information Modeling in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction: Emerging Research Directions and Trends

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1 Building Information Modeling in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction: Emerging Research Directions and Trends Burcin Becerik-Gerber, A.M.ASCE 1 ; and Karen Kensek 2 Abstract: Currently, the architecture, engineering, and construction industry is facing enormous technological and institutional changes and challenges including the proliferation of information technology and appropriate application of sustainable practices. The 21st century engineer and architect must be able to deal with a rapid pace of technological change, a highly interconnected world, and complex problems that require multidisciplinary solutions. This paper focuses on research directions and trends around building information modeling BIM through interdisciplinary endeavors: how BIM research topics could be explored; their relevancy; and their potential future impact. It identifies BIM research topics that are considered to be important to a wide range of practitioners and future practitioners, both architecture and engineering students. It also assesses the relevance of current research projects to the industry and categorizes future BIM research topics. It aims to formulate research ideas and methodologies to pursue them and to explore how an industry/academic partnership for exploring exciting research opportunities could be established. DOI: / ASCE EI CE Database subject headings: Sustainable development; Construction industry; Research; Information technology; Buildings. Author keywords: Building information modeling; Sustainable development; Construction industry; Research; Information technology; Virtual design and construction. Introduction 1 Assistant Professor, Sonny Astani Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, USC, 3620 S. Vermont Ave., KAP 224C, Los Angeles, CA corresponding author. becerik@usc.edu 2 Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Watt Hall, USC, WAH 204, Los Angeles, CA kensek@usc.edu Note. This manuscript was submitted on June 15, 2009; approved on December 1, 2009; published online on December 4, Discussion period open until December 1, 2010; separate discussions must be submitted for individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, Vol. 136, No. 3, July 1, ASCE, ISSN /2010/ /$ The architecture, engineering, and construction AEC industry, often acknowledged as a low-technology and an inefficient industry Gallaher et al. 2004, is the largest industry in the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis 2004 and one of the largest in the world accounting for one-tenth of the world s gross domestic product Murie Currently, the industry is facing enormous technological and institutional transformations with their resultant difficulties and challenges. One very important instrument to such change is the use of information technology and application of sustainable practices. Several scholars recognize these two major trends in their research and publications. According to Adeli 2009, civil and environmental engineering programs in many U.S. universities should promote sustainability, embrace technology, focus on environment and infrastructure, think cross disciplinary, and advocate an intelligent system approach to keep their momentum in attracting students and resources. According to Levitt 2007 three emerging trends suggest the need to broaden the frame of future construction engineering and management research in several ways: better integrated delivery of construction; new governance structures for projects that can support a more global construction industry; and enhanced sustainability through new approaches, methods, and information technology. Bakens 1997 suggested that growing partnership between research community and industry, internationalization of competition and collaboration in the research community, growing emphasis on integrated topics and approaches in research, information technology in construction, electronic collaboration, and sustainable development and construction are the six international research trends and priorities in the construction industry. Turk 2007 outlined topics and agendas for construction informatics in European research in four categories: common infrastructures; communication and coordination technologies; processes supporting information and communication technologies; and supporting themes such as business process reengineering. The 21st century engineer and architect must be able to deal with a rapid pace of technological change, a highly interconnected world, and complex problems that require multidisciplinary solutions. Both architecture and engineering professions are embracing new modes of interdisciplinary information sharing and focusing on two emerging and fast growing concepts: building information modeling BIM and integrated project delivery IPD. A mutually beneficial industry/academia collaboration will lead to a growth in strategic research and also would address concerns of Issa and Anumba 2007 about computing and information technology research in civil engineering and architecture being self-fulfilling rather than industry transforming. While there is a wide range of definitions for BIM Associated General Contractors of America AGC 2006; General Services Administration GSA 2007; BuildingSmart Alliance bsa 2006, in the context of this paper, the following definition is used: a modeling technology and associated set of processes to JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010 / 139

2 Architect Consultant Contractor Technology Provider Engineer Developer Other Owner Construction Management Civil Engineering Building Science Architecture Mechanical Engineering Business Administration Policy Planning and Development Structural Engineering Electrical Engineering Aerospace Engineering Systems Engineering Fig. 1. Firm profiles of respondents of the first survey. Other included project management and design/build firms. Several respondents self-categorized themselves in multiple firm groups for example, architect and contractor. produce, communicate, and analyze building models Eastman et al and interfaces, methods, and applications that are pertinent to BIM technology, including but not limited to the following: sustainable practices, management and organizational issues around technology, and assisting technologies and methods. Research Objectives and Scope The objective of this research is to identify innovative research topics and trends in the area of BIM in AEC through interdisciplinary endeavors. One of the main goals is to bring together academic and professional expertise from multiple disciplines to discuss current problems and speculate on new solutions for the future and identify research topics that could advance the state of the art. There are methodological differences between this study and the much larger road mapping projects such as the project of ROADCON 2003 Strategic Roadmap toward Knowledge- Driven Sustainable Construction, project of ICCI 2004 Innovation, Coordination Transfer and Deployment through Networked Cooperation in the Construction Industry, and Capital Project Technology Roadmap project of FIATECH The focus of this research project is limited to BIM; it does not look for an industry-wide consensus; and unlike these other studies, it investigates the research questions from the industry s and students perspectives while exploring the role of research community in leading collaborative projects with practitioners. The paper continues with an explanation of the research approach and methodology. Then, it discusses the data that were gathered through three online surveys, a research workshop with practitioners, and student input through a final report. Next, it presents and discusses the research directions and trends including how BIM research topics could be explored, their relevancy, and potential future impact. A discussion for future research and education follows. Research Approach and Methodology A mixed research methodology, including a series of online surveys, a research workshop, and student reports, was implemented to gather and analyze data Fig. 2. Student majors Surveys Three online surveys were conducted to assess the interest of the industry and student body on various BIM research topics. The objective of the first survey was to gather a list of potential research topics while developing a list of practitioners, who would be interested in participating in interdisciplinary research projects. The first survey was sent to a total of 110 practitioners. The list was developed based on writers personal contacts and their schools connections with the industry. It was not the writers intent to survey an extremely large selection of practitioners. Instead, the selection of practitioners to be invited to take the survey was based on two criteria: 1 demonstrated strong interest in the area of research and 2 demonstrated interest in applying construction related research. A total of 54 responses was received from February 20, 2009 to April 17, 2009 Fig. 1. Based on the responses to the first survey, a second survey was developed and distributed from March 13, 2009 to April 17, 2009 to a total of 44 participants. The second survey was automatically sent to the respondents who indicated their interest in participating in research in the first survey. The goal of the second survey was to identify specific research topic areas. Based on the second survey, as well as the students opinion about the most important topics when they graduate, three sessions and four panels for each session a total of 12 panels were identified: BIM for project life cycle for design and engineering, for construction, and for facility management FM, BIM and sustainable practices sustainable practices in architecture, engineering, and construction, linking BIM to analysis tools, sustainability during construction, and afterward energy innovations, and building information management IPD, interoperability, changes to practice, BIM best practices. In an attempt to compare industry s research interests to the students understanding of the profession, a third survey was designed and distributed to students at the School of Architecture and Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Southern California via course lists. An attempt was made to send the survey not to all students but to those who had some knowledge of the field. A total of 79 students completed the survey from April 7, 2009 to April 17, Student majors and years were spread throughout appropriate engineering and architecture majors as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Workshop The research workshop was held on April 21, Specifically, its mission was have the participants formulate research ideas, 140 / JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010

3 PhD Masters Senior (4th and 5th year) Junior Building Information Technology and Management Integrated Project Delivery BIM for Sustainable Design/ Construction BIM and Fabrication Construction Automation and Simulation Energy Innovations 43% 42% 58% 24% 59% 20% 50% 53% 46% 87% 83% 89% Sophmore Post-occupancy Evaluation 13% 31% Freshman Other I don't know 4% 13% 4% 2% Fig. 3. Student levels determine methodologies to pursue them, and explore how an industry/academic partnership for exploring exciting research opportunities could be established. Main goals for this workshop were to 1. identify the most promising avenues of BIM research; 2. discuss with practitioners the practical implementation and application issues; 3. identify and develop linkages between the 12 research areas/ panels; and 4. promote industry/academic collaboration on all aspects of AEC related research. A total of 30 participants, who expressed interest in a one-day research workshop in the second survey, from 26 companies attended the workshop. The breakdown for firm profiles is as follows: six architecture, six engineering, six technology providers, and eight builders. Overall, the participants are considered leaders in the field, who are well acquainted with the technology from direct experience in their firms. Interdisciplinary panels of six to eight participants focused on a particular topic; these panels were arranged to provide a broad interdisciplinary mixing of professionals. Each panel discussion lasted about 45 min with a 5-min summary that was presented to the entire audience at the end. Specific questions and topic areas to discuss were provided to each panel. These included the following: describing an innovative research idea; providing at least three research questions and goals for the idea proposed; proposing a methodology to overcome barriers to accomplish these goals; listing potential research outcomes and deliverables to allow for the adoption of these research outcomes by the industry and their potential to move computing in AEC forward in a meaningful way; and to project what the research idea s significance would be for current and future researches. Student Reports In parallel to the research workshop, as part of a class project, students were asked to contribute their insight and opinions to the same research topics. However, the student reports used a different method to gather student ideas on research topics in BIM. Students had two weeks to explore the same questions and provide a written document back to the instructor. The work was not collaborative; all students initiated and researched the topic idea themselves. Most of the 24 students were upper division 2 were in the Bachelor of Architecture program or a graduate student in architecture 8 were in Master of Building Science and 11 were in Master of Architecture. The remaining three students were a senior in Construction Management and two Master of Construction Management students. Although students knew of the topic areas, they could write about any research topic that was BIM related, innovative, and that could improve the current practice in the AEC industry. Research Directions and Trends 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Students Practitioners Fig. 4. Areas of research that practitioners are interested in and areas of research that students think that will be most important in their profession when they graduate Fig. 4 shows research areas practitioners are interested in based on the first survey and students answers to the question of what areas will be most important in their profession when they graduate based on the third survey. Building information technology and management 89%, IPD 87%, and BIM for sustainable design and construction 83% were the top three choices of practitioners. The other category for practitioner answers included integrated structural analysis, real estate/portfolio analysis, webenabled technologies, field BIM, interoperability, BIM quality assurance, and code compliance. Students placed BIM for sustainable design and construction and energy innovations at the top of their importance level. BIM technology and management and IPD related research topics followed as the third and fourth choices of students. The other category for student answers included leadership in energy and environmental design LEED, a certification system used in the United States to categorize the level of environmentally sustainable buildings, estimation, and management of the construction process. IPD, a key topic of concern by professionals, was fourth choice of students, at 42%. In light of the surveys conducted, results of the workshop, and the student reports, research areas are categorized into three areas: BIM for project life cycle, BIM and sustainable practices, and building information management. Figs. 5 7 show the practitio- BIM for Design & Engineering (S) BIM for Design & Engineering (P) BIM for Construction (S) BIM for Construction (P) BIM for Facilities Management (S) BIM for Facilities Management (P) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% ranked 1 ranked 2 ranked 3 ranked 4 Fig. 5. Practitioners and students rankings of topics based on the relative importance of research BIM for project life cycle JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010 / 141

4 Sustainability in AEC (S) Sustainability in AEC (P) Linking BIM to analysis tools (S) Linking BIM to analysis tools (P) Sustainability during constr. & afterwards (S) Sustainability during constr. & afterwards (P) Energy Innovations (S) Energy Innovations (P) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% ners based on the second survey and students based on the third survey rankings weighing of the relative importance of topics. IPD was considered a crucial research topic area, with BIM for construction by both practitioners and students. When second choices are included, linking BIM to analysis tools is one of the top choices for practitioners and BIM best practices and is one of the top choices from students. Energy innovation topics are considered as an important research area in the second rank tier and, for students, tied for top overall. Sustainable practice category showed the greatest spread in the students perception of relative importance of these areas. The results confirm that the students are aware of IPD and its importance. Of all the 12 topics, changes to practice and BIM for FM are listed as the least interesting topics for both practitioners and students when first and second choices are included. The later could be attributed to the fact that owners did not respond to the surveys as enthusiastically as the rest of the groups although a comparable sample size of owners was invited to participate. Tables 1 3 summarize topics of interests, research priority, research questions, and barriers identified by the practitioners and students. It is useful to summarize the students choice of research topics for their reports. The top four choices were interoperability 25%, BIM for construction 16.7%, linking BIM to analysis tools 12.5%, and BIM for design and engineering 8.3%. Discussion on Research and Education Needs ranked 1 ranked 2 ranked 3 ranked 4 Fig. 6. Practitioners and students rankings of topics based on the relative importance of research BIM and sustainable practices IPD (S) IPD (P) Interoperability (S) Interoperability (P) Changes to practice (S) Changes to practice (P) BIM best practices (S) BIM best practices (P) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% ranked 1 ranked 2 ranked 3 ranked 4 Fig. 7. Practitioners and students rankings of topics based on the relative importance of research building information management The following common themes for future research and education have been identified as being critical to the development and implementation of BIM in the AEC profession: the concept of one virtual database versus linked information; coordination with sustainable design; rethinking of IPD as a method to promote BIM; educational ramifications; return on investment; and management issues throughout the life cycle of the project. One BIM throughout the project life cycle or multiple views. The need to maintain a single project information database from project conception through fabrication and installation and into operation and maintenance was raised both by practitioners and students multiple times. However, more research needs to be accomplished to fully realize the potential of fully integrated graphic and nongraphic databases that describes the building and incorporates appropriate information at every stage of its life. The topic of interoperability has received remarkable attention both from the industry and academia, but there are widely varying opinions as to how this will actually happen from a single BIM model to a multilayered system based heavily on IFC, which is the only public standard for building model data exchange that includes geometry, object structure, and material and performance attributes Jeong et al Many practitioners believe that the integration or lack thereof of the software is currently a barrier in the present implementation of BIM. With multiple vendors developing modeling products with proprietary file formats, the sharing of information creates challenges with respect to accuracy and dependability of the models. The solution, whether it is one BIM for project life cycle or multiple interoperable views for different specialties, should enable 1 information sharing beyond the exchange of three-dimensional geometry; 2 the longterm archiving of BIMs in a format that can be repurposed throughout the building life cycle; and 3 breaking up the model so that it can be used and updated transparently by many applications and users. Coordination with sustainable practices. Students interest in sustainability was overwhelming in the survey and in the topics discussed. Part of this can be attributed to the concern for sustainable practices being emphasized at the university. Students indicated that they strongly believe in delivering the best possible product in the least possible time, with the least harm to the environment. This area of research also received the high interest from practitioners. The consensus was whether it is through the use of smarter materials or a more user-friendly system of measuring building performance, simulation is the most critical step to creating a more sustainable environment. There is an agreement that how to best achieve sustainable buildings is a crucial research topic and BIM may be able to accomplish this. One example is the use of BIM as the gateway to LEED requirements where synergies exist: i.e., day lighting, water consumption, and reuse and recyclable material tracking Haynes Rethinking of IPD to promote BIM. IPD is a predesign to construction method that creates a collaborative environment required for the most comprehensive use of BIM by aligning the incentives and goals of all team members; it addresses the problems associated with traditional delivery methods and provides another alternative. The consensus was that while BIM is gaining momentum, except for a few notable exceptions, IPD is slower to catch on. According to the practitioners, some owners believe that by using an IPD contract, some of the creative tension between the architect and the contractor could be lost. With that in mind, practitioners discussed what IPD means and what their IPD experience is. Although many of the practitioners indicated that they have been on IPD-like projects, they did not have direct IPD project experience. They indicated that IPD as the most important topic as a methodology to support using BIM. IPD was the most mentioned research topic area by the students as well. Students expressed that seamless integration of BIM use across the indus- 142 / JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010

5 Table 1. Topics, Research Priority, Questions, and Barriers Identified by the Practitioners and Students for BIM for Project Life-Cycle Areas Area Topics of interests identified by practitioners Topics of interests identified by students Research priority Research questions Barriers JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010 / 143 BIM for design and engineering BIM for construction BIM for FM 1 Use of BIM for master planning, feasibility studies cost, performance, and coordination, plan checking, and conceptual design; 2 effect of BIM on innovation; and 3 role of BIM in decision making structural configuration, system choice, and building performance 1 Model based scheduling, material tracking, constructability, and direct fabrication; 2 transition of visualization to the field; and 3 integration of BIM to multisensor technologies to produce accurate existing condition assessments 1 Use of BIM for existing buildings, real estate portfolio analysis, master planning, and feasibility; 2 integrating BIM with FM and operation software 1 Development of a parametric engine that generates design alternatives based on project information site conditions, weather data, geography, building codes, and kind of architecture preferred to find the best possible design given the constraints 1 Development of a coordinated model to be used across all phases of the project; 2 training of field staff; and 3 field capable hardware and software, specific to the construction industry 1 Development of a framework for continuity in the flow of information in a coordinated/comprehensive manner; 2 development of a method for updates and maintenance checks; and 3 linking large manuals and important documents with BIM Object oriented and independent database that is software agnostic and global as it hosts data not only for design and engineering but also for all project team members requirements and needs for the project life cycle Standardized, user-friendly, and cross-cultural field staff training and user-interface/hardware development for transfer of BIMs to the field staff Determination and definition of core sets of data that are common elements for FM and postoccupancy operations that can eventually become part of contract language What kinds of databases exist today; what are the methods and techniques to host all project information; what kind of activities should be supported; and what levels of extensibility exist? Who owns the coordinated model; who generates, produces, and organizes the effort; what are the methods of delivery to trades; and what should the interface for the field personnel be like? How to leverage the value that BIM brings to a project to benefit end users; how BIM can be used to improve building performance? Legal contracts; lack of interoperability Attitude resistance to change, training investment and loss of productivity, language barriers associated with the field staff performing the work ; lack of rewards, and increased risk associated with changing work processes to adopt model-centric processes Lack of software interoperability; resistance to fundamental change by large institutions; and lack of objective and scientific studies that quantify the value of BIM for FM

6 144 / JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010 Table 2. Topics, Research Priority, Questions, and Barriers Identified by the Practitioners and Students for BIM and Sustainable Practice Areas Area Sustainable practices in the AEC industry Linking BIM to analysis tools Sustainability during construction and afterward Energy innovations Topics of interests identified by practitioners 1 Modeling entire built environment to investigate impact of buildings and their surroundings; 2 exploring systems to minimize material use and energy consumption; and 3 standardization of carbon databases 1 Investigation of the gaps in the type of data project team members use throughout project life cycle; 2 one model that can accommodate multiple schemas or a multimodel solution; and 3 interoperability between BIM and energy simulation programs 1 Reducing waste by optimizing materials, fabrication, construction sequence, and durations with the use of BIM; 2 linking a live model to building management systems for energy conservation and monitoring 1 Use of BIM in achieving multiobjective optimization; 2 trade-off analysis of competing sustainability parameters; and 3 real-time information processing for decision making Topics of interests identified by students Research priority Research questions Barriers 1 Design schemes such as innovative envelopes to reduce energy consumption; 2 energy efficient city design; 3 designing net-zero energy buildings; 4 biomimicry; and 5 use of BIM in adaptive reuse projects 1 Developing a library of sustainable design objects that are exact digital representations of physical objects; 2 developing direct connections with mechanical system manufacturers for access to product information, pricing, and lifetime energy performance 1 Building automation systems that can control building systems automatically based on indoor/ outdoor climate and human comfort levels; 2 postoccupancy energy modeling verification; and 3 identification of reasons that cause buildings to underperform 1 Efficient building envelopes that produce energy; 2 using recycled building materials; 3 providing cost-effective solutions where return on investment is high; and 4 developing regulations that would indirectly create economies of scale Development of a list of best practices for the industry, sustainable metrics, training programs, and education tools; a knowledge base that focuses on the overall carbon footprint of a building over its life cycle Identification of criteria for the development of an associated database that eliminates the need for multiple models architectural, analytical, and structural and enables real-time environmental analysis Development of an open standard that software providers can comply with and that can be written into legal documents Development of specifications and fluid standards to link analysis packages to BIM packages for multiobjective, physically based, real-time decision making What are the best practices for sustainability; how does BIM assist with innovative AEC sustainable practices? How can real-time performance and sustainability feedback from/within BIM be achieved; are there better ways to use intuitive programs to quantify sustainable solutions; and what are the attributes the database would have to include? What are the data needed from project team to be used postoccupancy by the FM groups; what are the specific case histories or project examples? How BIM can be used to reduce energy consumption of buildings by studying early design strategies, new materials, and mechanical equipment? Accuracy of as-built models to be used for life cycle sustainability; lack of energy monitoring over a building s life cycle; and lack of tools designed specifically for owners Autonomous technology development that does not support a nonproprietary database; interoperability Technology related issues such as how to create a seamless interface between FM software and BIM; intellectual property concerns; client expectations; and appealing to smaller versus larger institutions/ owners Interoperability; lack of industry motivation

7 JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND PRACTICE ASCE / JULY 2010 / 145 Table 3. Topics, Research Priority, Questions, and Barriers Identified by the Practitioners and Students for Building Information Management Areas Area IPD Interoperability Changes to practice BIM best practices Topics of interests identified by practitioners 1 Exploration of contracts, risks, relationships, insurance, frameworks, and best practices to fully integrate BIM and IPD; 2 demonstration of the benefits of IPD to the owners; and 3 collecting best practice IPD case studies 1 Research into the existing BIM standards and how they are being used and to which extend they are successfully adopted; 2 research how the software industry can agree on and develop true interoperability functionality 1 Fee allocations, schedule/ phase durations, coordination of consultants, and training junior/ senior staff; 2 forensic studies on past projects to determine successful and unsuccessful methods; and 3 in-depth comparisons of traditional versus collaborative projects 1 Setting BIM workflows from design to postoccupancy; 2 maintaining a single BIM throughout project phases or not ; 3 managing large models; and 4 clear definitions for BIM deliverables Topics of interests identified by students Research priority Research questions Barriers 1 Using cutting edge technologies within an IPD framework that can create an integrated team approach, streamline the construction process, and enable an overall quicker building delivery 1 Effectiveness of the IFC and GBxml; 2 a data interactive BIM microapplication; and 3 assessing the feasibility and functionality of creating the entire world s built environment in digital format to unite geographic/ semantic info *Most of the students did have much to comment on the issue of changes to practice although it is this generation of students that is at the cusp of the paradigm shift* 1 A case study that has the potential to serve as a role model for future BIM projects; 2 survey of the legal and technical aspects of BIM implementation; and 3 thorough research into the specific BIM software available Development of best practice IPD case studies so that professionals who are not familiar with using IPD can get assurance of how the profits have played out both on successful and nonsuccessful examples Specifications for a product life-cycle management platform that integrates all disciplines analytical and physical objects for simulation and performance Identification of the new fee allocation when designing and building with BIM and new management practices Means and methods for realization of the model as a true construct of collaboration and contract Which of the underlying problems that block widespread adoption of IPD can actually be improved and/or eliminated; can one solve some of these problems through BIM technology? Is true interoperable necessary between software programs or is it possible to have a middle server, which is software independent and can provide the appropriate model to the appropriate user? What are the additional services; when and what to charge for them; what are some of the best practices in these areas; and what are contract structures that support these services? When should BIM be implemented and why; what level of information is needed at each stage and who is responsible for it; and how to work collaboratively on the model s? Liability insurance and current contractual models; current public procurement policy and the emphasis on first year costs Lack of software provider motivation; lack of standards and too many standards Lack of knowledge on the owners side; difficulty in comparing project programs; and resistance to sharing proprietary data Lack of legal support/definitions; highly fragmented industry

8 try is extremely important to overcome and might alleviate communication issues among project team members. Students believe that poor communication across project team members leads to strained relationships, animosity, and delay, all of which can negatively impact project outcomes. Educational ramifications. Not only do these projects have to span across the trades but also academic disciplines. New partnerships need to be forged and ways of educating students should be modified. Advanced uses of BIM should be more heavily incorporated in AEC management curriculums. Using this technology at an early stage of education can help prepare future professionals to practice efficient methods. Degree programs need to address IPD, BIM, and sustainability topics in the undergraduate programs, in more sophisticated Master level courses, and as prime research objectives for doctoral students. An integrated studio concept, using real life case studies, and thinking beyond the current state of the industry to image and prototype new tools for the profession with their input and direction should be considered. As building industry shifts toward adopting IPD, the education system should take a more collaborative approach in teaching. Students from different schools could produce required drawings, documents, and studies needed to realize a building using the AIA s definition of the IPD process AIA California Council Furthermore, organized educational efforts focusing not only on future practitioners but also on current practitioners are a must. Although concepts discussed in this paper are sweeping through the AEC industry, there is still some degree of skepticism and sometimes the inclination to wait and see what happens with other firms first. Return on investment. Although this topic did not appear as a topic itself, research on BIM/IPD return on investment was another topic that was discussed by the practitioners. The construction industry needs more research to be conducted to substantiate the anecdotes that BIM reduces costs. How investing in BIM software can lessen and control costs over the life cycle of a project is a very important question that requires ample hard data to coax nonparticipant, skeptical builders, architects, owners, and developers into solidifying the foundation to this concept Becerik-Gerber and Rice Readily available, easy-to-read, well-formatted, and reputable research reports are essential. Managerial and organizational issues. There appears to be a disconnect in the profession between what some parties think is happening and what is actually happening. The practitioners agreed that BIM hype is huge, but the actual reality is that the goals and integration of BIM are being achieved on a very limited basis and not in a comprehensive way in many cases. Although the goal of having an integrated model or several integrated models from cradle to grave has been clearly stated, details of accomplishing this are often not clearly stated. This is especially true at critical key turnover points of the digital model, i.e., from the architect to contractor, architect to consultants, contractor to subcontractors, and architect to facility manager or owner. Although there is a general agreement that BIM is the future for the AEC industry, there are still several managerial and operational issues that need to be resolved for a long-lasting success. Conclusions BIM, vertical enterprise integration or IPD, and sustainability are three symbiotic forces that are sweeping through the AEC industry. All are achievable to some extent on their own, but maximizing the potential of any of these items will require the use of the others. These new concepts and other related processes and technologies could assist a virtual vertical integration in the AEC industry both at the project and enterprise levels. Results demonstrated commonality in the goals of the major participants in the building process while highlighting some smaller differences between the views of the practitioners and students. This paper demonstrates that research topic for BIM is a significant topic for the AEC industry, that the industry has matured beyond sweeping generalizations about the usefulness of BIM, and that leaders in the profession would like to see very specific research goals identified and developed by both the profession and the academy together. Acknowledgments The writers would like to acknowledge and thank three important groups: the USC Viterbi School of Engineering s assistance and financial support in organizing the AEC Leadership Research Workshop, the practitioners and students, who took the time to answer and put sincere efforts in completing three consequent surveys and student reports, and the workshop attendees, without them this study would not be possible. References Adeli, H Vision for civil and environmental engineering departments in the 21st century. J. Profl. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., , 1 3. AIA California Council Integrated project delivery: A working definition. Delivery%20Definition.pdf Jul. 2, Associated General Contractors of America AGC The contractors guide to BIM. Guide.pdf Nov. 24, Bakens, W International trends in building and construction research. J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 123 2, Becerik-Gerber, B., and Rice, S The perceived value of building information modeling in the U.S. building industry. J. 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