Revolutionizing MEP Coordination: How BIM and Advanced Technologies are Streamlining Construction Processes

The structural, building envelope, interior, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, as well as other components, are all parts of institutions like data centers, hospitals, and labs that are constructed across the US. The most intricate, quick-moving, and mechanically demanding facilities are those with #mepservices MEP systems. Frequently, structural and architectural systems come first when designing, leaving room for #mepdesign MEP systems and allocating few allowances in form of budgets. They are one of the reasons for addendums in plans & specs issued by the design team in later stages. These MEP spaces must be designed and built while taking into account the usable floor area and existing ceiling heights, which ends up creating tensions. As a result, #pipingdesign, #ductwork, and #electricaldesign systems frequently have to fit into extremely small spaces and are routed in inefficient configurations that are challenging to detail, build, and maintain.

A practical, well-thought-out #mepdesign may enhance sustainability, minimize adverse environmental effects, and provide building occupants with a better working environment in terms of health, thermal and visual comfort, and well-being. Heating, ventilation, #airconditioning (#hvac ), #utilities, #plumbing, and sanitary services are a few examples of MEP systems. #mepengineering MEP systems have a tight relationship with thermal, indoor air quality (IAQ), acoustic, visual, spatial, and building integrity performance. MEP services are technically harder to coordinate in Building Information Modeling (#bimmodeling) than other services like architectural and structural services since they each have their codes of practice to adhere to. But since building industries are progressively converting to BIM, the usage of 2D software may become redundant over time as MEP services are technically harder to coordinate, due to each service's norms of practice to follow and limited ceiling height. When compared to conventional #caddesign, #bimservices is thought to be a better technology since it offers a greater degree of capacity to eliminate disputes on building sites. The BIM/VDC #vdc model has additional benefits, such as pre-fabrication, minimum reinstallation, projected 20% to 30% personnel savings, and fewer disputes on the construction site.

The time-consuming procedure of coordinating all the services takes up more than half of the project's total time. For construction projects, design coordination is essential for lowering production process uncertainty. Building projects with strict mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (#mepengineering) regulations are most likely to experience interference issues. With tighter timetables come increased production hazards. In complex projects with numerous MEP system requirements, eliminating coordination issues might be considered a necessity before construction work can begin. In construction projects with rigorous mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) standards, the potential of interference is highest. When schedules tighten, the risks associated with the production increase. To begin construction on complicated projects with extensive MEP system requirements, coordination issues must be resolved. By eliminating interruption and waste in the construction processes, improved design coordination may reduce project uncertainty.

The objective of this article is to review potential limitations in BIM MEP coordination faced by current construction industry sectors, followed by analyzing the solutions to identify the best practical solution.

In the construction sector, conflicts with MEP services are commonplace. One of the main causes is design complexity, which may be ignored if the drafters concentrate on finishing the drawings and/or BIM models when there is a conflict with other services. There is often a coordination meeting between the drafters and BIM coordinators to address the conflicts. It might take a lot of time to look for and make improvements to each MEP's location and routing since the found conflicts must be updated and addressed in every coordination meeting. Failure to adhere to codes of practice is the other factor responsible. A little adjustment to the design or features will result in a significant change to the MEP. We at AEC BIM Solutions Private Limited have skilled BIM Coordinators #bimcoordinator who check for these clashes in the models and work internally to resolve the issues along with drafters and come up with amicable solutions for our clients. The development of MEP coordination will be significantly impacted by the BIM coordinators' professional expertise. As the drafters concentrate on obtaining zero collisions, inexperienced BIM Coordinators may overlook design by the code of practices. If it doesn't satisfy the requirements, the contractors will have to take everything apart and reinstall it in the proper locations. This will cause a further delay in the building process and raise the costs incurred by the owners and contractors. So, it will be advantageous to integrate cutting-edge technology into BIM to confirm whether the designs comply with the rules to save human effort.

Technologies that enhance BIM MEP Coordination?

Revit's Built-in Functions?

It is estimated that at least 60% of firms use a BIM-based approach to manage their coordination activities, using Application Programming Interfaces (#api) and visual programming to minimize manual labor. Via two steps, the #revit API may also be used to enhance and automate the coordination process.

First Stage: Concentrates on automated ceiling space that is specially made to help MEP engineers #mepengineers analyze the available and crowded ceiling space for MEP components.

Second Stage: To automate and improve the productivity of the MEP coordination process, MEP engineers create rule-based routing using the #autoroute Add-In function. If pipes or ducts are designed that don't adhere to the accepted standards of practice, the Autoroute Add-In function will immediately issue a warning to the designer. With fewer reported conflicts and coordination meetings, the design process may become more organized and less time-consuming with the help of the Revit API. Then, using #dynamo, a Revit visual programming plug-in, to automatically identify and recognize the building's installations, BIM MEP models may be automatically created. This technology is particularly helpful in as-built drawings, where it may replace labor-intensive human effort in updating and changing the plans from the building's initial design through the end of the construction phase.

A combination of BIM Technology and cloud computing interface?

Using cloud computing #cloudcomputing connections and BIM technologies to merge all services' drawings throughout the design stage. Traditional #2ddesign 2D drawings can be included, #3ddesign 3D BIM models and parameters can be managed, BIM collaboration can be done more affordably, and computational power can be increased.

Clash detection technologies

Using Navisworks #navisworks software to combine models produced by all services and find incompatibilities depending on the user's settings is one of the current practices in BIM coordination. Several methods for reducing pointless confrontations include clash avoidance, better #clashdetection, and clash filtering.