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offset the additional technology costs. Jason Choyce, with DPR Construction, noted some of the benefits: "The speed at which an outdated change is erased from the job is fantastic," he said. "Now, every time we open the document, it's the latest. Also, our ability to zoom in and really study a detail has saved us from disaster." This requires that the site is peppered with wireless access points, and that someone is responsible for making sure the latest digital drawings are always uploaded appropriately. It turns out that not everyone in the field needs access to the 3-D BIM model. In many cases, iPads and tablet computers deployed in the field are being used simply as portable PDF readers, to view 2-D contract documents. But there are situations where having access to the 3-D model are beneficial. Several contractors noted that people like having the 3-D model on the screen; they want to see it. It helps users understand the desired outcome in a way that plans and elevations alone don't. Chad Dorgan, vice president of quality and sustainability with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., said tablet computers work well for engineers and superintendents, but are not as useful for the general foremen and crews that are busy building. " Just giving someone the model isn't necessarily the answer," he said. "Lately, we have been focusing on repackaging the model so that it's more construction focused." Many crews will create a new sheet of drawings focused on a construction sequence, such as window installation or concrete lift drawings. The new sheet may have all the www.mcdmag.com Contractors access up-to-date drawings on a tablet computer. Putting the drawings and BIM model into the hands of construction superintendents has been a hallmark of the early adopters of BIM in the field. pertinent plans, elevations and sections, but will also include a series of 2-D and 3-D views to better explain the desired construction sequence. Dorgan said that picture-based instructions improve quality and help get past any language barriers. team to the construction team. With the explosion of low-cost and easy-to-use tablet computers, the industry is at a tipping point. The construction teams that have not yet committed to and invested in BIM in the field will find themselves behind and having to move quickly to catch up with peers. BIM in the field is still in its infancy. Hardware and software will continue to advance, and augmented reality could make BIM in the field even more useful. But firms that have already begun the investment in equipment, training and systems will likely reap the benefits for clients for years to come. Kurt Neubek, FAIA, is associate principal with the architecture/ engineering firm of Page Southerland Page. He has more than 25 years of experience and serves as director of healthcare and strategic consulting in the firm's Houston, Texas office, serving clients around the world. BIM for owners Though the subject of BIM for facility management is beyond the scope of this article, some contractors are working with owners to help transition the model from construction to ongoing operations and maintenance. Coker Barton, senior vice president and national healthcare director for HOAR Construction notes, "We're seeing the model used for things like electronic barrier management. Now there's a barcode/scanner/camera solution so everyone knows where the dampers and penetrations are." Barton also said the ability to tie the schedule to the model ("4-D") and to create 3-D "prints" from the model is valuable in communicating construction sequencing to the owner and people in the field. The state-of-the-art technology is evolving, but the hardware and software already exist to use BIM in the field effectively. It is clear that the wave of BIM investment has shifted from the design Booth #524 (ASHE/PDC) January/February 2013 | Medical Construction & Design 23