Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process. To view more past issues go to: http://mcdmag.epubxpress.com
Page 46 of 70
TECHNOLOGY & METHODS
INTEGRATION, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE TO DELIVER TRUE INTEROPERABILITY
By TERRY MILLER, TED HOOD and CYNTHIA MERCANTE
Beyond 4-D BIM T
MANAGING TECHNOLOGY
he introduction of 3-D Build- ing Information Modeling dramatically advanced the hospital design process by allowing the design team and clini- cians to visualize the building much earlier in the planning process. Using BIM, designers and constructors can complete many coordination tasks, such as clash detection, in the model rather than in the fi eld. Many construc- tion and project managers have also taken another step, linking project scheduling software to BIM. This adds the fourth dimension of time to create a model that simulates construction sequences, allowing for even more
42 Medical Construction & Design | March/April 2012
effective planning and design. However, 4-D BIM models have a
signifi cant drawback. Necessary ele- ments to achieve true interoperability are not a function of BIM and are invis- ible to the model. Too often the owner is left to plan and complete technol- ogy integration at the wrong and most expensive time: during construction. The 4-D BIM model offers an incomplete answer to planning for true clinical interoperability. Many designers and construction project managers defi ne technology integration only in terms of building systems that monitor and control a hospital's power, lighting, elevators,
www.mcdmag.com
