6February 2021In our previous article on the Digital Building Lifecycle, we explored the many dimensions of data-driven building information modeling (BIM) for the AECO industry. We looked at use cases ranging from the 1D BIM execution plan (BEP), which documents the project's data requirements, to nD BIM, in which applications are limited only by what we want to know and do next. Today we take a deeper look at a 7D BIM use case: applying BIM to supply chain management by integrating comprehensive product and supplier data into the BIM repository.New Links in a Digital Supply ChainDuring the supply chain management phase, construction companies start to procure the different products and materials specified by the architects and engineers. Integrating BIM into this process invites digitally-based manufacturers, fabricators, logistics companies, and other suppliers to link their vast product datasets directly to the master BIM models over a cloud. This data can represent virtually any attribute, such as a product's geometry, tagging, qualitative material data, specific product performance, carbon footprint, etc.The resulting BIM-driven supply chain management provides two basic benefits. First, it enables data-centric, collaborative project delivery through digitized product data management. Second, it enables automated management of project knowledge by permitting accurate, machine-readable data to flow among different systems.Useful Today, Tomorrow, and Years from NowOnce product and supplier data has been linked to the BIM dataset over the cloud, it can be made available to any project member working together before and after a building is constructed. Three common use cases are pre-construction value engineering, post-construction operations management, and planning future changes such as tenant improvements.Value Engineering Before ConstructionNot all products are compliant with each other, so it is important to know product-specific limitations when choosing components for larger, highly integrated systems such as HVAC, or to avoid unwelcome consequences, such as interior air quality issues caused by emissions from material combinations. BIM-based supply chain management brings transparency to the entire team about the products that have been chosen for the project, to help them meet a project's investment and design strategy objectives. Teams can tap this data to run analyses and verifications about which suppliers meet the project's defined requirements. It can also help them identify providers that Digital Building Lifecycle: Forging New Links in Supply Chain Management with BIMCXO INSIGHTSSalla Eckhardt, Director of Transformative service at Microsoft
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