Programs
- Economic Issues
Enhance economic impact through improved efficiency - Quality of Life
Improve the Quality of Life - Real Property
Support the real property community - Business Process
Optimize work process and buisness practive to leverage current technology - Visualization, Simulation & Analysis
Provide simulation and visualization - Alliances & User Group
Increase the productivity of the building industry - Energy & Environmental
Improve the environment - Education
Educate and empower practitioners & users - Standards & Technology
Foster alliances & standards - Research & Development
Promote research & development
Programs & Liaisons
These programs and the projects listed herein are intended to be a compendium of projects being accomplished throughout the industry worldwide that have an impact on the members of buildingSMART Alliance. The organization and individual actually coordinating or accomplishing the work is identified for each project. In some cases that may be the buildingSMART Alliance for some of the capstone projects not being accomplished elsewhere in the industry.
Economic Issues Program
Dianne Davis /
(410) 435-3600
The industry we work in is estimated at $4.5 trillion dollars and some estimates identify the waste in the industry at over 50%. Waste is defined as non-value added effort. Each time you collect information for an activity and that information was generated by someone else and not made available in a place you could retrieve it from that is waste. The waste is embedded so deeply in our business processes that we don't even see it anymore. Projects in this program area will focus on identifying how we can take advantage of interoperability to re-use information. We will identify the return on investment of various transformed business processes. The business and return on investment models for improving the industry are embedded in hundreds of projects that have been completed to date. We want to look at case studies of improved businesses and where the savings were generated.
By building virtual models of facilities we will also have the opportunity to perform value engineering when it was intended to be performed. Lifecycle costing can also help evaluate the sustainability of a facility. Reduction in time it takes to deliver facilities also generates savings, in some cases profound savings. Our goal is to improve the quality of all estimates.
Quality of Life Program
Henry Green /
(517) 241-9302
The construction workplace of the future will be a much safer place. By virtually constructing a facility first and then building from the model one can take better advantage of pre-cutting and pre-assembly in a more controlled environment off site. This approach also provides better conditions for trade people as well as allowing them steadier work since the remote work site may be environmentally controlled and not affected by varying weather conditions. This means less clutter on site and fewer trade people on site. This will reduce waste overall as material can be used more efficiently.
By virtually constructing the facility and looking at it from a more holistic viewpoint one can also evaluate more closely the use of alternate and possibly less toxic materials. This will not only improve initial construction but also over the long term produce healthier buildings for occupants. An evaluation of toxic fumes, especially during a fire, should also be evaluated as well as what the long term environmental impact will be at the end of life of the facility.
Real Property Program
Andy Fuhrman /
(831) 458-3346
The focus of the buildingSMART Alliance is far beyond the limits of designer and contractor. It incorporates many additional circles involving the support of the entire real property community. This program area focuses on those entities. These include but are not limited to real estate, manufacturing and suppliers of building materials, state as well as state and local municipalities supporting zoning and building codes. There are many who need real property information to do their job. This program area will focus on the needs of the larger facility community.
These efforts will affect other program areas also, but this program area is designed to ensure that we provide the proper coverage and have projects specifically targeted to those activities.
Business Process Program
Dave Jordani /
(612) 333-9222
Business processes are the basis of our work and permeate throughout all programs. This program area however identifies common best business approaches which practitioners can adopt or modify to suit their needs. Re-engineering an entire profession will cause many business processes that we have come to rely on to potentially change and understanding the big picture will ensure that the changes are positive across the board and not to just one segment of the industry.
This program area will also identify those who are in the process of updating contract language and changing other systems to include cost engineering, specifications, etc to take advantage of the emerging tools.
Visualization, Simulation & Analysis Program
David Morris /
(619) 572-3179
Visualization and 3D was once seen as a luxury but as we came to appreciate that approximately 90% of the population cannot translate a 2D image into reality, it became evident that 3D was mandatory especially for complex structures. 3D also provided us the opportunity to be able to perform conflict or clash analysis between different building systems. It also ensures coordination of disciplines in document production.
As we move more toward virtually construction facilities we see more sophisticated simulation programs emerging to not only analyze structures, energy and piping, but also wind and snow drifting as well as acoustics to name a few. These and many more tools like them will significantly improve the outcome of the facilities we produce.
Alliances & User Group Program
Frank McDonough /
(703) 641-9088
There are many special interest groups that are already in existence and we don't want to create a plethora of new groups but we can identify and coordinate the groups and provide information to others as to what groups currently exist. We can establish liaisons in order to hear from their constituents to identify needs in the industry.
Some additional groups may need to be established in order to coordinate issues that are not currently being coordinated by anyone else.
The intent of this effort is to provide users a feedback loop into the industry transformation. To ensure that leadership is aware of impediments that need to be addressed and to ensure forward progress. It is also a tool to provide dissemination of information tailored toward specific groups of users.
Energy & Environmental Program
Mark Reichardt /
(301) 840-1361
Linking facilities with the world around them is critical in ensuring the ecosystem and facility lifecycle are one. Gone is the arbitrary five foot line. Effects on the facility from the outside world and effects of the facility on the outside world are totally intertwined. Analysis of building systems is directly affected by the environment and the accuracy of that information.
Links to the information stored in geospatial information systems such as natural and cultural resources are intended to be made one. Both indoor and outdoor air quality will be related under this program. Recycling issues will be coordinated here, although simulation of these may occur elsewhere.
Education Program
Bill Napier /
(608) 267-0422
Culture is changed through education. Education of both new professionals as well as continuing education must made available that ensures students come out understanding the same basic principles of lifecycle appreciation and interoperability expectations. Our goal is to reduce waste and collectively produce more sustainable and energy efficient facilities as well as being good stewards of the environment.
While there is a significant amount of educational opportunities currently available the outcomes are not coordinated and a collaborative environment and approach are currently not being taught across the board. We are essentially starting from scratch as there are also only a few educators that understand the changes that are beginning to come to the profession so they must informed as well.
Standards & Technology Program
Richard E. Morrey /
(801) 495-9300
The foundation of the alliance is the technology. We are clearly dependant on is sustainability and expansion.
This initiative will also identify the standards that exist which are part of making the effort accomplish its goal of interoperability.
Research & Development Program
Mark Butler /
(402) 392-8782
Research is being performed every day in colleges and universities around the world. This program will help identify where that research and development is taking place by providing a compendium of projects.
It is the intent of the buildingSMART Alliance to help fund some of those more promising efforts that are critical to the alliance members.