Edmonton BIM Conference
Mike Samilski, P. Eng.

Dowco Technology Services held a Building Information Modeling (BIM) Conference last March 24th at the Westin in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, for design professionals. Similar to our previous BIM conference in Vancouver held last December 1st, the goal was to inform, educate and convey the value of implementing BIM-based projects to the audience by presenting innovative BIM project delivery processes currently being used in Canada. This was shown by way of four presentations that demonstrated how best-in-class solutions were used from Architectural Design to Construction.

Monte Chapin, Business Process Leader for GRAPHISOFT North America, kicked off the meeting with his presentation on "Architecture – Engineering Integrated Workflow." Monte presented GRAPHISOFT's ArchiCAD and its innovative approach to BIM and project delivery. This was illustrated by showing the exchange of construction project data between best-of-breed solutions ArchiCAD and Tekla Structures. He then delved into this workflow by exhibiting how the exchange of data worked using IFC's (Industry Foundation Classes) and summed it up by describing ArchiCAD's recently released BIM Server. Unlike any other multi-user type of software, the BIM Server will revolutionize teamwork type of projects because of its unprecedented functionality such as Task delegation, user rights management and conflict management tools.

Force Engineering's Brad Shipton, P.Eng., was the next speaker, and his presentation entitled "Choosing BIM and the benefits of the BIM Approach" presented how his firm benefitted by using Tekla Structures in BIM Projects. Primarily focusing on the use of tools from a Professional Engineer's perspective, Brad covered topics such as 2D Drawings vs. 3D modeling and Value-added BIM Services. Illustrating how his firm uses BIM solutions for steel, concrete and rebar, etc, he also stressed the value of using Tekla Structures as a base for their design models, which he can use to transfer information such as loads and combinations back and forth seamlessly with Analysis & Design software. While summarizing how he is able to run clash checks by importing models from other consultants and linking the connections in the model to excel sheets which can be used for connection design, he concluded his presentation with his thoughts on BIM and how he foresees it evolving in the next decade.

Dowco's Mike Samilsky talking to the audience during the
Edmonton BIM Conference

We kept the momentum going by presenting my case study on Tekla Structures and the Vancouver Convention Centre, as it was one of the first projects to use BIM throughout the entire project timeline from conceptual design to construction. As previously employed by Glotman Simpson, the Engineer of Record for that project, I described how BIM concepts were utilized from the consulting end and as also instituted from the Steel Detailer and Fabricator side. The presentation involved reviewing the collaboration with BIM that was accomplished inside the engineering firm and with outside consultants, describing how shop drawings were checked using the model, and how the project was tracked through to fabrication using the model, and concluded with a description of the use of the 4D model created for construction planning.

A befitting closing presentation to the event was Empire Iron Works' Jeremy Spelsberg's talk on the use of BIM in the construction process of the Art Gallery of Alberta. An extremely complicated project requiring a higher level of quality control, Empire Iron Works created checkpoints in the Tekla model and lined up those points using Trimble field equipment in the Shop and out in the field. The project required thorough modeling that involved including the pieces required to create the jig in the shop. Their process in the field involved lifting the complex steel frame in place, shooting the points with the field equipment to make sure they matched the points in the model, taking the frame down to apply the outer skin of the building and eventually lifting the steel frame with the skin into its final position. Mountain View Systems' demonstration of linking models to their survey equipment followed closely after Jeremy’s presentation, and closed the presentations with cocktails and appetizers.

This BIM conference was the second in a number of many we plan to host across Canada. As anticipated, there was a good turnout due to the increasing awareness by the construction industry of BIM, and this was evident in the active participation of the audience during question and answer portions between presentations. BIM is definitely here and we believe this new form of project delivery is slowly catching on. We look forward seeing you at our next conference.