Chapters by Adriana X Sanchez
The built environment provides the setting for modern human activity, ranging from buildings to n... more The built environment provides the setting for modern human activity, ranging from buildings to neighbourhoods to cities, and includes supporting infrastructure such as transport, water supply, telecommunications and energy networks. It is typically the greatest asset of a nation. It is where a nation’s population lives and, in industrial societies, where up to 95 per cent of the population works and approximately 80 per cent of national gross domestic product (GDP) is generated. The built environment also encompasses the spaces, namely homes, offices, shopping centres, health facilities and entertainment venues, where the population spends on average 97 per cent of its time.
Increasing urbanisation is now a dominant global trend. The planning, construction and management of sustainable urban settlement is possibly the greatest global challenge of the twenty-first century, especially when coupled with adaptation to the impacts of climate change and resource constraints.
Sanchez, Adriana & Hampson, Keith D. (2012) Sustainable road infrastructure procurement in Austra... more Sanchez, Adriana & Hampson, Keith D. (2012) Sustainable road infrastructure procurement in Australia. In Procurement, Innovation and Green Growth : the Story Continues. International Institute for Sustainable Development, Winnipeg, Canada, pp. 33-37.
Journal Papers by Adriana X Sanchez
Cities currently host more than half of the world population, a number which is projected to cont... more Cities currently host more than half of the world population, a number which is projected to continue to rise. Urban centres also create large percentages of national gross domestic product (GDP) and are important sources of employment but also generate large proportions of national greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change and fast technological progress, among other factors, will bring considerable challenges for urban policy-makers and implementers. They will need to be able to keep pace with the unforeseeable and a future that will be significantly different from past experience, while also aiming to maintain and increase liveability and social well-being. This is leading local, state and national governments as well as international organisations to start developing and implementing resilience policies. However, what it is meant by " resilience " might be significantly different in each case, making comparison of policies and proposals a complex issue. To complicate things even further, in addition to the many established definitions of the term which have been coined over the years, many policies and academic publications on the topic lack a clear definition of the type of resilience they seek to address. The present work explores some established resilience concepts and their policy implications as well as the new concept of sustainable resilience. This publication then explores the question of whether some forms of resilience are more sustainable than other from an urban policy perspective.
Purpose: Most barriers and enablers of sustainable projects are related to procurement. This stud... more Purpose: Most barriers and enablers of sustainable projects are related to procurement. This study
proposes a framework for evaluating green procurement practices throughout the lifecycle of road
construction projects and demonstrates its application through an Australian case study.
Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on linking the phases of road construction with
incentive mechanisms for proactively motivating behavioural change. A holistic view on utilised and
potential incentives is attempted with a literature review and a state-of-practice review. The latter is
based on interviews and 90 policy and procurement documents across five Australian states.
Findings: An evaluation framework with seven procurement stages is suggested to describe current
state green procurement incentives throughout the delivery lifecycle of road construction projects.
The Australian case study was found to provide useful data to identify gaps and strong points of the
different states regarding their level of integration of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) reduction elements in their procurement practices. This understanding was used to draw
recommendations on future advancement of green procurement.
Originality/value: Government entities across the globe can impact considerably the achievement of
sustainability and GHG targets, by using their procurement practices and requirements to create
incentives for contractors and suppliers to engage in more GHG conscious practices. The present
study provides a systematic account of how green procurement practices can be underpinned using
the Australian road construction industry as a case study, and distinguish between strong and weak
links in the green procurement chain to draw recommendations for future initiatives.
The type of contract model may have a significant influence on achieving project
objectives, incl... more The type of contract model may have a significant influence on achieving project
objectives, including environmental and climate change goals. This research
investigates non-standard contract models impacting greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) in transport infrastructure construction in Australia. The research is based on
the analysis of two case studies: an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and a
Design and Construct (D&C) contract with GHG reduction requirements embedded in
the contractor selection. Main findings support the use of ECIs for better integrating
decisions made during the planning phase with the construction activities, and
improve environmental outcomes while achieving financial and time savings.
This research is focused on realizing productivity benefits for the delivery of
transport infrast... more This research is focused on realizing productivity benefits for the delivery of
transport infrastructure in the Australian construction industry through the use of building
information modeling (BIM), virtual design and construction (VDC) and integrated project
delivery (IPD). Specific objectives include: (I) building an understanding of the institutional
environment, business systems and support mechanisms (e.g., training and skilling) which
impact on the uptake of BIM/VDC; (II) gathering data to undertake a cross-country
analysis of these environments; and (III) providing strategic and practical outcomes to guide
the uptake of such processes in Australia. Activities which will inform this research include
a review of academic literature and industry documentation, semi-formal interviews in
Australia and Sweden, and a cross-country comparative analysis to determine factors
affecting uptake and associated productivity improvements. These activities will seek to
highlight the gaps between current-practice and best-practice which are impacting on
widespread adoption of BIM/VDC and IPD. Early findings will be discussed with intended
outcomes of this research being used to: inform a national public procurement strategy;
provide guidelines for new contractual frameworks; and contribute to closing skill gaps.
A progressive global increase in the burden of allergic diseases has affected the industrialized ... more A progressive global increase in the burden of allergic diseases has affected the industrialized world over the last half century and has been reported in the literature. The clinical evidence reveals a general increase in both incidence and prevalence of respiratory diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (common hay fever) and asthma. Such phenomena may be related not only to air pollution and changes in lifestyle, but also to an actual increase in airborne quantities of allergenic pollen. Experimental enhancements of carbon dioxide (CO) have demonstrated changes in pollen amount and allergenicity, but this has rarely been shown in the wider environment. The present analysis of a continental-scale pollen data set reveals an increasing trend in the yearly amount of airborne pollen for many taxa in Europe, which is more pronounced in urban than semi-rural/rural areas. Climate change may contribute to these changes, however increased temperatures do not appear to be a major influencing factor. Instead, we suggest the anthropogenic rise of atmospheric CO levels may be influential.
Conference Papers by Adriana X Sanchez
Recent decades have seen urban resilience becoming a more popular term internationally both withi... more Recent decades have seen urban resilience becoming a more popular term internationally both within academic and policy circles. However, relatively little attention has been paid by the literature to the policy implications of striving towards more resilient urban systems and the challenges introduced by the complex, multi-level and multi-actor policy network that forms their context. The central hypothesis of this research is that resilience is a long-term goal, beyond immediate disaster planning and management, and an ongoing process that requires a proactive approach (as opposed to a reactive approach). This builds on the idea that focusing only on the immediate outcomes of extreme events keeps the city on a " catch-up mode " , which is both unsustainable and inefficient in the long-term. This research proposes that in order to progress towards resilience that endures, the policies that underpin these efforts must remain effective and " survive " short-term pressures. It attempts to pinpoint the main elements that, if understood and addressed, can help policies withstand sources of stress and remain effective in delivering more enduring or sustainable forms of resilience. While there are many factors that have already been identified, this paper will explore only one aspect: Information flows. This is a topic that although is often mentioned as " important " in policy literature, it is also rarely explored. The following is the result of a qualitative meta-analysis of over 100 references relating to resilience, sustainability, and multi-actor network and complex problems policy. This paper also includes the results from the first half of a series of interviews with policy experts from industry, government and research from Australia, the UK and the USA.
Countries across the globe are likely to face significant challenges in coming years that will te... more Countries across the globe are likely to face significant challenges in coming years that will test the resilience of their cities. However, there is often a lack of proactive evidence-based analysis of available options and their outcomes as well as indicators of success or progress. Without such analysis it is difficult to clearly gauge progress towards set goals, to improve effective policy development and implementation, and to create an active learning culture that can efficiently and effectively tackle future challenges. The present work offers an introduction to research being done to develop a policy evaluation and implementation framework that can help policy-makers produce more effective resilience policies which are sustainable over time. The term sustainable resilience has some usage in the literature but has had limited uptake and has not been formally characterised until now. This new concept creates a clear differentiation from reactive disaster resilience which is often the sole focus of urban policy development. This paper contributes to developing a working concept and guiding principles for urban sustainable resilience policy. This work suggests that sustainable resilience policy will need to take into account the complexity within and between the various systems that form cities, rapidly changing technologies, environmental conditions, and emerging forms of governance. This paper also briefly outlines the methodology that will be used to continue to develop a sustainable resilience policy framework and evidence-based assessment tool.
The built environment industry worldwide is facing significant external pressures such as increas... more The built environment industry worldwide is facing significant external pressures such as increased competition, higher owner expectations, rapidly changing technology and skill shortages. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been identified as a socio-technical system that can be used to improve team communication throughout the project life-cycle, produce better outcomes, reduce rework, lower risk, provide better predictability of outcomes and improve operation and maintenance of an asset, among other benefits. Within this context, proactively establishing quality improvement cycles based on standardised work processes and corresponding measures of effectiveness will ensure better project outcomes. These outcomes can be driven by continuously improving systems and active monitoring. This paper introduces a methodology for developing a whole-of-life asset management strategy for delivering value with BIM across the life-cycle of built assets. It also presents a framework to assess progress towards value-driven goals.
The Australian Government and most Australian road authorities have set ambitious greenhouse gas ... more The Australian Government and most Australian road authorities have set ambitious greenhouse gas emission (GHGe) reduction targets for the near future, many of which have translated into action plans. However, previous research has shown that the various Australian state road authorities are at different stages of implementing ‘green’ initiatives in construction planning and development, with considerable gaps in their monitoring, tendering, and contracting. This study illustrates the differences between procurement standards and project specific practices that aim to reduce GHGe from road construction projects in three of the largest Australian road construction clients, with a focus on the tools used, contract type and incentives for better performance.
Construction scholars suggest that procurement processes can be used as mechanisms to change cons... more Construction scholars suggest that procurement processes can be used as mechanisms to change construction industry practices. This paper discusses industry changes as a response to the calls for integration of sustainability ideals into construction practices. Because major infrastructure construction has been identified as a key producer of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), this study explores collaborative procurement models that have been used to facilitate mitigation of GHGE. The study focuses on the application of non-price incentives and rewards that work together as a binary mechanism. Data were collected using mixed-methods: government document content analysis was complemented with data collected through focus groups and individual interviews with both clients and contractors. This report includes examples of greening procurement agendas for three Australian road authorities relating to collaborative procurement project delivery models. Three collaborative procurement models, Alliance Consortium, Early Contractor Involvement and Public Private Partnerships provide evidence of construction projects that were completed early. It can also be argued that both clients and contractors are rewarded through collaborative project delivery. The incentive of early completion is rewarded with reduction of GHGE. This positive environmental outcome, based on a dual benefit and non-price sustainability criteria, suggests a step towards changed industry practices though the use of green procurement models.
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) showed that, in 2004, owners and ope... more The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) showed that, in 2004, owners and operations managers bore two thirds of the total industry cost burden from inadequate interoperability in construction projects from inception to operation, amounting to USD10.6 billion. Building Information Modelling (BIM) and similar tools were identified by Engineers Australia in 2005 as potential instruments to significantly reduce this sum, which in Australia could amount to total industry-wide cost burden of AUD12 billion.
Public sector road authorities in Australia have a key responsibility in driving initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the construction and operations of transport infrastructure. However, as previous research has shown the Environmental Impact Assessment process, typically used for project approvals and permitting based on project designs available at the consent stage, lacks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that include long-term impact factors and transfer of information throughout the project life cycle.
In the building construction industry, BIM is widely used to model sustainability KPIs such as energy consumption, and integrated with facility management systems. This paper proposes that a similar use of BIM in early design phases of transport infrastructure could provide: (i) productivity gains through improved interoperability and documentation; (ii) the opportunity to carry out detailed cost-benefit analyses leading to significant operational cost savings; (iii) coordinated planning of street and highway lighting with other energy and environmental considerations; (iv) measurable KPIs that include long-term impact factors which are transferable throughout the project life cycle; and (v) the opportunity for integrating design documentation with sustainability whole-of-life targets.
Flood related scientific and community-based data are rarely systematically collected and
analyse... more Flood related scientific and community-based data are rarely systematically collected and
analysed in the Philippines. Over the last decades the Pagsangaan River Basin, Leyte, has
experienced several flood events. However, documentation describing flood characteristics such
as extent, duration or height of these floods are close to non-existing. To address this issue,
computerized flood modelling was used to reproduce past events where there was data available
for at least partial calibration and validation. The model was also used to provide scenario-based
predictions based on A1B climate change assumptions for the area.
The most important input for flood modelling is a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the river
basin. No accurate topographic maps or Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR)-generated data
are available for the Pagsangaan River. Therefore, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission
and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Map (GDEM), Version 1, was
chosen as the DEM. Although the horizontal spatial resolution of 30 m is rather desirable, it
contains substantial vertical errors. These were identified, different correction methods were
tested and the resulting DEM was used for flood modelling.
The above mentioned data were combined with cross-sections at various strategic locations of the
river network, meteorological records, river water level, and current velocity to develop the 1D-
2D flood model. SOBEK was used as modelling software to create different rainfall scenarios,
including historic flooding events. Due to the lack of scientific data for the verification of the
model quality, interviews with local stakeholders served as the gauge to judge the quality of the
generated flood maps. According to interviewees, the model reflects reality more accurately than
previously available flood maps.
The resulting flood maps are now used by the operations centre of a local flood early warning
system for warnings and evacuation alerts. Furthermore these maps can serve as a basis to identify
flood hazard areas for spatial land use planning purposes.
Reports by Adriana X Sanchez
The present report summarises the research outcomes from SBEnrc Project 2.24 Integrated Project E... more The present report summarises the research outcomes from SBEnrc Project 2.24 Integrated Project Environments: Productivity Gain through Industry Transformation. It is based on three in-depth reports available at www.sbenrc.com.au
(i) Research Report 1 – Towards a National Strategy;
(ii) Research Report 2 – Document Review; and
(iii) Research Report 3 – Reducing the Skills Gap.
Integrated approaches involve contractual relationships that are quite different from traditional... more Integrated approaches involve contractual relationships that are quite different from traditional contract models and this can therefore be a challenge for procurement managers who wish to implement IPD and BIM1. This report summarises the findings of the document review carried out based on 14 key topics outlined by the 3xPT Strategy Group Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Principles for Owners and Teams report2. Documents include contract agreements, manuals and guidelines issued by: Queensland Transport and Main Roads (QTMR), New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services (NSW NRMS), Main Roads Western Australia (MRWA), UK’s Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), AEC (UK) Committee and NATSPEC.
The review of contract agreements focuses on Design and Construct (D&C), Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and General Conditions of Contract documentation which was publicly available or provided by participating organisations.
The primary finding is that most of the organisations cover between 11 and 13 topics. However, the key difference between these organisations is: (i) the level of detail to which each topic is addressed; and (ii) whether the way in which they are addressed is compatible with the principles of IPD and potential use of Building Information Modelling (BIM)/Virtual Design and Construction (VDC).
The discussion section is used to analyse these two issues, compare the suitability of each organisation’s approach and, where relevant, provide recommendations as to how current practices could be modified based on the aforementioned analysis. The recommendations are then divided into (i) Modification/expansion of current practices; and (ii) New considerations.
Key recommendations for consideration include:
1. Use of clearly defined Levels of Development (LOD)3 for each model element and project phase, recorded in a BIM Management Plan document. These should be defined not only based on the geometry and performance specifications, but also in terms of responsible roles, submission dates, among other.
2. Procurement managers to consider the benefits of including subcontractors in the project team and their contribution to the design to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
3. Project teams to develop a strategy to update and coordinate changes at the earliest stage possible. Additionally, linking financial bonuses clauses to savings produced by changes to the design or project delivery methods can create a clear incentive for more innovation, collaboration and time/cost efficiency gains.
4. Specific BIM/VDC performance metrics to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan, including success parameters. For clients looking to integrate their data systems, these metrics should be aligned the with facility/asset management system requirements to allow the integration of data throughout the supply chain.
1 AIA (2007).
2 Developed based on consultation of cross-functional teams composed of owners, architects, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, attorneys, and insurers to explore and define integration options within both existing and new delivery models. The report sets “first principles” of IPD applicable to all delivery models.
3 LODs describe the level of completeness to which the model element will be developed in terms of specific minimum content requirements and associated authorised uses (AIA, 2013c).
7 | P a g e
Document Review Report – July 2014
5. The risk of non-performance should be shared among the participants equally. If participants are not comfortable doing so, risk apportioning should be agreed upon in the contract agreement. Alternatively, clearly defining ownership over design elements and hand-over processes would reduce the risk of conflict and allow the use of more traditional risk apportioning where each owner is responsible for element at the phase and LOD defined in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
6. An integrate project coordination role is required to coordinate, facilitate and direct the integrated team.
7. Prepare a BIM Protocol addendum to the contract agreement that redefines terms, procedures and metrics and can be added to BIM-enabled projects. File Transfer Protocols and Common Data Environments can also facilitate the coordination and delivery of projects under IPD principles and using BIM/VDC. This should be a contractually binding document.
D&C contracts could be adapted to include IPD principles by contractually increasing client involvement, linking financial benefits to project goals and using open book accounting. However, ECI contracts offer the best integrated collaboration model, with all relevant participants being closely involved in the project development from early stages. This model can use relationship management plans, collaboration standards and regular meetings with all relevant stakeholders to maximise the efficiency and quality of the works. Additionally, ECIs offer the benefit of using more interactive and collaborative procurement models that allow the selection of the preferred construction team based not only on their technical and management skills, but also on their commitment to an integrated delivery and collaboration.
Finally, the documents were also reviewed in terms of educating and up-skilling the labour force. Although specific programs related to IPD and BIM/VDC were not found, requirements such as the ECI’s Skill Development Plan and General Conditions regarding Enterprise Training Management Plans could be used as tools to reduce the skill gaps on a project-by-project basis.
![Research paper thumbnail of Towards a National [BIM] Strategy](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/40191918/thumbnails/1.jpg)
This project aims to deliver on five important areas:
(i) Recommendations for policy makers for a... more This project aims to deliver on five important areas:
(i) Recommendations for policy makers for a nationally consistent strategy for adoption of integrated project environments (which also aligns as far as possible with international BIM standards and processes).
(ii) Recommendations for modifications of current procurement and contractual framework to allow more collaborative and building information modelling (BIM) enabled project environments.
(iii) Development of a dissemination strategy to different levels of the supply chain through our work with organisations such as CCF, EA and Austroads, as well as through our partner organisations and SBEnrc media resources (e.g. YouTube channel and industry publications).
(iv) Build an understanding of knowledge dissemination and skills development required to facilitate increased uptake of digital technologies and integrated project delivery (IPD).
(v) Explore the role of a consensus-driven peak body to coordinate uptake of BIM and IPD in the Australian construction industry.
The uptake of integrated project environments will play a critical role in fostering Australian competitiveness in the future. This research was based on strong collaboration between industry, government and researchers both in Australia and internationally.
This report addresses the first and last of these objectives, and provides a discussion of six key themes identified as relevant to the development of national strategy for IPD and BIM uptake: (i) lead agent role; (ii) client role; (iii) mandates; (iv) pilot projects; (v) metrics; and (vi) standards.
These issues are considered relevant to a national strategy for adoption of integrated project environments in that:
(i) The development of such a strategy will require the leadership and coordination of lead agents, and engagement with lead industry associations is important in the dissemination and industry leadership.
(ii) The primary transport infrastructure clients are state and territory government agencies. As such, these organisations are in a unique position to influence the uptake of new technologies and processes.
(iii) Pilot projects have the capacity to build a knowledge base especially in terms of productivity benefits and processes associated with the uptake of BIM and IPD.
(iv) A national mandate has been shown, by international comparators, to provide the industry with the incentive and consistency to invest in the development a pipeline of coordinated actions.
(v) Building consensus on standard performance indicators and metrics to prove the business value of BIM and IPD in terms of project, business and industry-wide benefits.
(vi) The development of national standards provides a consistent framework for uptake that increases productive and reduces industry cost.
Mapping the relevant industry peak bodies in Australia and Sweden provided evidence for the identification of the role and impact of different organisations on the uptake of new information technologies in the transport infrastructure industry. This led to the development of a set of milestones for IPD and BIM adoption in Australia based on current activity and showing the domino effect that each action would have on the industry.
This report summarises the findings of a case study on Queensland’s New Generation Rollingstock (... more This report summarises the findings of a case study on Queensland’s New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) Project carried out as part of SBEnrc Project 2.34 Driving Whole-of-life Efficiencies through BIM and Procurement. This case study is one of three exemplar projects studied in order to leverage academic research in defining indicators for measuring tangible and intangible benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM) across a project’s life-cycle in infrastructure and buildings.
The NGR is an AUD4.4 billion project carried out under an Availability Payment Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Queensland Government and the Bomabardier-led QTECTIC consortium comprising Bombardier Transportation, John Laing, ITOCHU Corporation and Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments. BIM has been deployed on the project from conceptual stages to drive both design and the currently ongoing construction at the Wulkuraka Project Site. This case study sourced information from a series of semi-structured interviews covering a cross-section of key stakeholders on the project.
The present research identified 25 benefits gained from implementing BIM processes and tools. Some of the most prominent benefits were those leading to improved outcomes and higher customer satisfaction such as improved communications, data and information management, and coordination. There were also a number of expected benefits for future phases such as:
Improved decision making through the use of BIM for managing assets
Improved models through BIM maturity
Better utilisation of BIM for procurement on similar future projects
New capacity to specify the content of BIM models within contracts.
There were also three benefits that were expected to have been achieved but were not realised on the NGR project. These were higher construction information quality levels, better alignment in design teams as well as project teams, and capability improvements in measuring the impact of BIM on construction safety. This report includes individual profiles describing each benefit as well as the tools and processes that enabled them. Four key BIM metrics were found to be currently in use and six more were identified as potential metrics for the future. This case study also provides insights into challenges associated with implementing BIM on a project of the size and complexity of the NGR. Procurement aspects and lessons learned for managers are also highlighted, including a list of recommendations for developing a framework to assess the benefits of BIM across the project life-cycle.
This report summarises the findings of the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) case study carried out... more This report summarises the findings of the Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) case study carried out as part
of SBEnrc Project 2.34 Driving Whole-of-life Efficiencies through BIM and Procurement. This case study is
one of three exemplar projects studied in order to complement Centre’s industry-focused research. The
aim was to identify indicators for measuring tangible and intangible benefits of Building Information
Modelling (BIM) across a project’s life-cycle in infrastructure and buildings.
The PCH is an AUD1.2 billion project carried out under a two-stage managing contract model between
the Government of Western Australia and John Holland. The project used BIM for the design and
construction of the hospital and has required a facilities management BIM model as a key deliverable.
The case study drew information from a series of interviews with BIM managers across different
stakeholders as well as project documentation.
The research identified 26 specific benefits from using BIM. Each benefit was then profiled based on the
information provided by the case study data. These benefits were enabled by 20 different tools and
processes related to BIM, including software tools as well as governance processes such as co-location
and frequent project team meeting.
Although one of the objectives of the case study was to identify BIM metrics currently used in this
project, only one metric was found at this stage of the project. However, 20 different metrics to
measure benefits from BIM were identified by interviewees as with potential for use in the future.
This case study also provided insight into challenges associated with implementing BIM in such complex
projects as well as issues related to procurement and asset management, along with lessons learned for
design, construction and asset managers.
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Chapters by Adriana X Sanchez
Increasing urbanisation is now a dominant global trend. The planning, construction and management of sustainable urban settlement is possibly the greatest global challenge of the twenty-first century, especially when coupled with adaptation to the impacts of climate change and resource constraints.
Journal Papers by Adriana X Sanchez
proposes a framework for evaluating green procurement practices throughout the lifecycle of road
construction projects and demonstrates its application through an Australian case study.
Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on linking the phases of road construction with
incentive mechanisms for proactively motivating behavioural change. A holistic view on utilised and
potential incentives is attempted with a literature review and a state-of-practice review. The latter is
based on interviews and 90 policy and procurement documents across five Australian states.
Findings: An evaluation framework with seven procurement stages is suggested to describe current
state green procurement incentives throughout the delivery lifecycle of road construction projects.
The Australian case study was found to provide useful data to identify gaps and strong points of the
different states regarding their level of integration of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) reduction elements in their procurement practices. This understanding was used to draw
recommendations on future advancement of green procurement.
Originality/value: Government entities across the globe can impact considerably the achievement of
sustainability and GHG targets, by using their procurement practices and requirements to create
incentives for contractors and suppliers to engage in more GHG conscious practices. The present
study provides a systematic account of how green procurement practices can be underpinned using
the Australian road construction industry as a case study, and distinguish between strong and weak
links in the green procurement chain to draw recommendations for future initiatives.
objectives, including environmental and climate change goals. This research
investigates non-standard contract models impacting greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) in transport infrastructure construction in Australia. The research is based on
the analysis of two case studies: an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and a
Design and Construct (D&C) contract with GHG reduction requirements embedded in
the contractor selection. Main findings support the use of ECIs for better integrating
decisions made during the planning phase with the construction activities, and
improve environmental outcomes while achieving financial and time savings.
transport infrastructure in the Australian construction industry through the use of building
information modeling (BIM), virtual design and construction (VDC) and integrated project
delivery (IPD). Specific objectives include: (I) building an understanding of the institutional
environment, business systems and support mechanisms (e.g., training and skilling) which
impact on the uptake of BIM/VDC; (II) gathering data to undertake a cross-country
analysis of these environments; and (III) providing strategic and practical outcomes to guide
the uptake of such processes in Australia. Activities which will inform this research include
a review of academic literature and industry documentation, semi-formal interviews in
Australia and Sweden, and a cross-country comparative analysis to determine factors
affecting uptake and associated productivity improvements. These activities will seek to
highlight the gaps between current-practice and best-practice which are impacting on
widespread adoption of BIM/VDC and IPD. Early findings will be discussed with intended
outcomes of this research being used to: inform a national public procurement strategy;
provide guidelines for new contractual frameworks; and contribute to closing skill gaps.
Conference Papers by Adriana X Sanchez
Public sector road authorities in Australia have a key responsibility in driving initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the construction and operations of transport infrastructure. However, as previous research has shown the Environmental Impact Assessment process, typically used for project approvals and permitting based on project designs available at the consent stage, lacks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that include long-term impact factors and transfer of information throughout the project life cycle.
In the building construction industry, BIM is widely used to model sustainability KPIs such as energy consumption, and integrated with facility management systems. This paper proposes that a similar use of BIM in early design phases of transport infrastructure could provide: (i) productivity gains through improved interoperability and documentation; (ii) the opportunity to carry out detailed cost-benefit analyses leading to significant operational cost savings; (iii) coordinated planning of street and highway lighting with other energy and environmental considerations; (iv) measurable KPIs that include long-term impact factors which are transferable throughout the project life cycle; and (v) the opportunity for integrating design documentation with sustainability whole-of-life targets.
analysed in the Philippines. Over the last decades the Pagsangaan River Basin, Leyte, has
experienced several flood events. However, documentation describing flood characteristics such
as extent, duration or height of these floods are close to non-existing. To address this issue,
computerized flood modelling was used to reproduce past events where there was data available
for at least partial calibration and validation. The model was also used to provide scenario-based
predictions based on A1B climate change assumptions for the area.
The most important input for flood modelling is a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the river
basin. No accurate topographic maps or Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR)-generated data
are available for the Pagsangaan River. Therefore, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission
and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Map (GDEM), Version 1, was
chosen as the DEM. Although the horizontal spatial resolution of 30 m is rather desirable, it
contains substantial vertical errors. These were identified, different correction methods were
tested and the resulting DEM was used for flood modelling.
The above mentioned data were combined with cross-sections at various strategic locations of the
river network, meteorological records, river water level, and current velocity to develop the 1D-
2D flood model. SOBEK was used as modelling software to create different rainfall scenarios,
including historic flooding events. Due to the lack of scientific data for the verification of the
model quality, interviews with local stakeholders served as the gauge to judge the quality of the
generated flood maps. According to interviewees, the model reflects reality more accurately than
previously available flood maps.
The resulting flood maps are now used by the operations centre of a local flood early warning
system for warnings and evacuation alerts. Furthermore these maps can serve as a basis to identify
flood hazard areas for spatial land use planning purposes.
Reports by Adriana X Sanchez
(i) Research Report 1 – Towards a National Strategy;
(ii) Research Report 2 – Document Review; and
(iii) Research Report 3 – Reducing the Skills Gap.
The review of contract agreements focuses on Design and Construct (D&C), Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and General Conditions of Contract documentation which was publicly available or provided by participating organisations.
The primary finding is that most of the organisations cover between 11 and 13 topics. However, the key difference between these organisations is: (i) the level of detail to which each topic is addressed; and (ii) whether the way in which they are addressed is compatible with the principles of IPD and potential use of Building Information Modelling (BIM)/Virtual Design and Construction (VDC).
The discussion section is used to analyse these two issues, compare the suitability of each organisation’s approach and, where relevant, provide recommendations as to how current practices could be modified based on the aforementioned analysis. The recommendations are then divided into (i) Modification/expansion of current practices; and (ii) New considerations.
Key recommendations for consideration include:
1. Use of clearly defined Levels of Development (LOD)3 for each model element and project phase, recorded in a BIM Management Plan document. These should be defined not only based on the geometry and performance specifications, but also in terms of responsible roles, submission dates, among other.
2. Procurement managers to consider the benefits of including subcontractors in the project team and their contribution to the design to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
3. Project teams to develop a strategy to update and coordinate changes at the earliest stage possible. Additionally, linking financial bonuses clauses to savings produced by changes to the design or project delivery methods can create a clear incentive for more innovation, collaboration and time/cost efficiency gains.
4. Specific BIM/VDC performance metrics to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan, including success parameters. For clients looking to integrate their data systems, these metrics should be aligned the with facility/asset management system requirements to allow the integration of data throughout the supply chain.
1 AIA (2007).
2 Developed based on consultation of cross-functional teams composed of owners, architects, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, attorneys, and insurers to explore and define integration options within both existing and new delivery models. The report sets “first principles” of IPD applicable to all delivery models.
3 LODs describe the level of completeness to which the model element will be developed in terms of specific minimum content requirements and associated authorised uses (AIA, 2013c).
7 | P a g e
Document Review Report – July 2014
5. The risk of non-performance should be shared among the participants equally. If participants are not comfortable doing so, risk apportioning should be agreed upon in the contract agreement. Alternatively, clearly defining ownership over design elements and hand-over processes would reduce the risk of conflict and allow the use of more traditional risk apportioning where each owner is responsible for element at the phase and LOD defined in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
6. An integrate project coordination role is required to coordinate, facilitate and direct the integrated team.
7. Prepare a BIM Protocol addendum to the contract agreement that redefines terms, procedures and metrics and can be added to BIM-enabled projects. File Transfer Protocols and Common Data Environments can also facilitate the coordination and delivery of projects under IPD principles and using BIM/VDC. This should be a contractually binding document.
D&C contracts could be adapted to include IPD principles by contractually increasing client involvement, linking financial benefits to project goals and using open book accounting. However, ECI contracts offer the best integrated collaboration model, with all relevant participants being closely involved in the project development from early stages. This model can use relationship management plans, collaboration standards and regular meetings with all relevant stakeholders to maximise the efficiency and quality of the works. Additionally, ECIs offer the benefit of using more interactive and collaborative procurement models that allow the selection of the preferred construction team based not only on their technical and management skills, but also on their commitment to an integrated delivery and collaboration.
Finally, the documents were also reviewed in terms of educating and up-skilling the labour force. Although specific programs related to IPD and BIM/VDC were not found, requirements such as the ECI’s Skill Development Plan and General Conditions regarding Enterprise Training Management Plans could be used as tools to reduce the skill gaps on a project-by-project basis.
(i) Recommendations for policy makers for a nationally consistent strategy for adoption of integrated project environments (which also aligns as far as possible with international BIM standards and processes).
(ii) Recommendations for modifications of current procurement and contractual framework to allow more collaborative and building information modelling (BIM) enabled project environments.
(iii) Development of a dissemination strategy to different levels of the supply chain through our work with organisations such as CCF, EA and Austroads, as well as through our partner organisations and SBEnrc media resources (e.g. YouTube channel and industry publications).
(iv) Build an understanding of knowledge dissemination and skills development required to facilitate increased uptake of digital technologies and integrated project delivery (IPD).
(v) Explore the role of a consensus-driven peak body to coordinate uptake of BIM and IPD in the Australian construction industry.
The uptake of integrated project environments will play a critical role in fostering Australian competitiveness in the future. This research was based on strong collaboration between industry, government and researchers both in Australia and internationally.
This report addresses the first and last of these objectives, and provides a discussion of six key themes identified as relevant to the development of national strategy for IPD and BIM uptake: (i) lead agent role; (ii) client role; (iii) mandates; (iv) pilot projects; (v) metrics; and (vi) standards.
These issues are considered relevant to a national strategy for adoption of integrated project environments in that:
(i) The development of such a strategy will require the leadership and coordination of lead agents, and engagement with lead industry associations is important in the dissemination and industry leadership.
(ii) The primary transport infrastructure clients are state and territory government agencies. As such, these organisations are in a unique position to influence the uptake of new technologies and processes.
(iii) Pilot projects have the capacity to build a knowledge base especially in terms of productivity benefits and processes associated with the uptake of BIM and IPD.
(iv) A national mandate has been shown, by international comparators, to provide the industry with the incentive and consistency to invest in the development a pipeline of coordinated actions.
(v) Building consensus on standard performance indicators and metrics to prove the business value of BIM and IPD in terms of project, business and industry-wide benefits.
(vi) The development of national standards provides a consistent framework for uptake that increases productive and reduces industry cost.
Mapping the relevant industry peak bodies in Australia and Sweden provided evidence for the identification of the role and impact of different organisations on the uptake of new information technologies in the transport infrastructure industry. This led to the development of a set of milestones for IPD and BIM adoption in Australia based on current activity and showing the domino effect that each action would have on the industry.
The NGR is an AUD4.4 billion project carried out under an Availability Payment Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Queensland Government and the Bomabardier-led QTECTIC consortium comprising Bombardier Transportation, John Laing, ITOCHU Corporation and Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments. BIM has been deployed on the project from conceptual stages to drive both design and the currently ongoing construction at the Wulkuraka Project Site. This case study sourced information from a series of semi-structured interviews covering a cross-section of key stakeholders on the project.
The present research identified 25 benefits gained from implementing BIM processes and tools. Some of the most prominent benefits were those leading to improved outcomes and higher customer satisfaction such as improved communications, data and information management, and coordination. There were also a number of expected benefits for future phases such as:
Improved decision making through the use of BIM for managing assets
Improved models through BIM maturity
Better utilisation of BIM for procurement on similar future projects
New capacity to specify the content of BIM models within contracts.
There were also three benefits that were expected to have been achieved but were not realised on the NGR project. These were higher construction information quality levels, better alignment in design teams as well as project teams, and capability improvements in measuring the impact of BIM on construction safety. This report includes individual profiles describing each benefit as well as the tools and processes that enabled them. Four key BIM metrics were found to be currently in use and six more were identified as potential metrics for the future. This case study also provides insights into challenges associated with implementing BIM on a project of the size and complexity of the NGR. Procurement aspects and lessons learned for managers are also highlighted, including a list of recommendations for developing a framework to assess the benefits of BIM across the project life-cycle.
of SBEnrc Project 2.34 Driving Whole-of-life Efficiencies through BIM and Procurement. This case study is
one of three exemplar projects studied in order to complement Centre’s industry-focused research. The
aim was to identify indicators for measuring tangible and intangible benefits of Building Information
Modelling (BIM) across a project’s life-cycle in infrastructure and buildings.
The PCH is an AUD1.2 billion project carried out under a two-stage managing contract model between
the Government of Western Australia and John Holland. The project used BIM for the design and
construction of the hospital and has required a facilities management BIM model as a key deliverable.
The case study drew information from a series of interviews with BIM managers across different
stakeholders as well as project documentation.
The research identified 26 specific benefits from using BIM. Each benefit was then profiled based on the
information provided by the case study data. These benefits were enabled by 20 different tools and
processes related to BIM, including software tools as well as governance processes such as co-location
and frequent project team meeting.
Although one of the objectives of the case study was to identify BIM metrics currently used in this
project, only one metric was found at this stage of the project. However, 20 different metrics to
measure benefits from BIM were identified by interviewees as with potential for use in the future.
This case study also provided insight into challenges associated with implementing BIM in such complex
projects as well as issues related to procurement and asset management, along with lessons learned for
design, construction and asset managers.
Increasing urbanisation is now a dominant global trend. The planning, construction and management of sustainable urban settlement is possibly the greatest global challenge of the twenty-first century, especially when coupled with adaptation to the impacts of climate change and resource constraints.
proposes a framework for evaluating green procurement practices throughout the lifecycle of road
construction projects and demonstrates its application through an Australian case study.
Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on linking the phases of road construction with
incentive mechanisms for proactively motivating behavioural change. A holistic view on utilised and
potential incentives is attempted with a literature review and a state-of-practice review. The latter is
based on interviews and 90 policy and procurement documents across five Australian states.
Findings: An evaluation framework with seven procurement stages is suggested to describe current
state green procurement incentives throughout the delivery lifecycle of road construction projects.
The Australian case study was found to provide useful data to identify gaps and strong points of the
different states regarding their level of integration of sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) reduction elements in their procurement practices. This understanding was used to draw
recommendations on future advancement of green procurement.
Originality/value: Government entities across the globe can impact considerably the achievement of
sustainability and GHG targets, by using their procurement practices and requirements to create
incentives for contractors and suppliers to engage in more GHG conscious practices. The present
study provides a systematic account of how green procurement practices can be underpinned using
the Australian road construction industry as a case study, and distinguish between strong and weak
links in the green procurement chain to draw recommendations for future initiatives.
objectives, including environmental and climate change goals. This research
investigates non-standard contract models impacting greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) in transport infrastructure construction in Australia. The research is based on
the analysis of two case studies: an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and a
Design and Construct (D&C) contract with GHG reduction requirements embedded in
the contractor selection. Main findings support the use of ECIs for better integrating
decisions made during the planning phase with the construction activities, and
improve environmental outcomes while achieving financial and time savings.
transport infrastructure in the Australian construction industry through the use of building
information modeling (BIM), virtual design and construction (VDC) and integrated project
delivery (IPD). Specific objectives include: (I) building an understanding of the institutional
environment, business systems and support mechanisms (e.g., training and skilling) which
impact on the uptake of BIM/VDC; (II) gathering data to undertake a cross-country
analysis of these environments; and (III) providing strategic and practical outcomes to guide
the uptake of such processes in Australia. Activities which will inform this research include
a review of academic literature and industry documentation, semi-formal interviews in
Australia and Sweden, and a cross-country comparative analysis to determine factors
affecting uptake and associated productivity improvements. These activities will seek to
highlight the gaps between current-practice and best-practice which are impacting on
widespread adoption of BIM/VDC and IPD. Early findings will be discussed with intended
outcomes of this research being used to: inform a national public procurement strategy;
provide guidelines for new contractual frameworks; and contribute to closing skill gaps.
Public sector road authorities in Australia have a key responsibility in driving initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the construction and operations of transport infrastructure. However, as previous research has shown the Environmental Impact Assessment process, typically used for project approvals and permitting based on project designs available at the consent stage, lacks Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that include long-term impact factors and transfer of information throughout the project life cycle.
In the building construction industry, BIM is widely used to model sustainability KPIs such as energy consumption, and integrated with facility management systems. This paper proposes that a similar use of BIM in early design phases of transport infrastructure could provide: (i) productivity gains through improved interoperability and documentation; (ii) the opportunity to carry out detailed cost-benefit analyses leading to significant operational cost savings; (iii) coordinated planning of street and highway lighting with other energy and environmental considerations; (iv) measurable KPIs that include long-term impact factors which are transferable throughout the project life cycle; and (v) the opportunity for integrating design documentation with sustainability whole-of-life targets.
analysed in the Philippines. Over the last decades the Pagsangaan River Basin, Leyte, has
experienced several flood events. However, documentation describing flood characteristics such
as extent, duration or height of these floods are close to non-existing. To address this issue,
computerized flood modelling was used to reproduce past events where there was data available
for at least partial calibration and validation. The model was also used to provide scenario-based
predictions based on A1B climate change assumptions for the area.
The most important input for flood modelling is a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the river
basin. No accurate topographic maps or Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR)-generated data
are available for the Pagsangaan River. Therefore, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission
and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Map (GDEM), Version 1, was
chosen as the DEM. Although the horizontal spatial resolution of 30 m is rather desirable, it
contains substantial vertical errors. These were identified, different correction methods were
tested and the resulting DEM was used for flood modelling.
The above mentioned data were combined with cross-sections at various strategic locations of the
river network, meteorological records, river water level, and current velocity to develop the 1D-
2D flood model. SOBEK was used as modelling software to create different rainfall scenarios,
including historic flooding events. Due to the lack of scientific data for the verification of the
model quality, interviews with local stakeholders served as the gauge to judge the quality of the
generated flood maps. According to interviewees, the model reflects reality more accurately than
previously available flood maps.
The resulting flood maps are now used by the operations centre of a local flood early warning
system for warnings and evacuation alerts. Furthermore these maps can serve as a basis to identify
flood hazard areas for spatial land use planning purposes.
(i) Research Report 1 – Towards a National Strategy;
(ii) Research Report 2 – Document Review; and
(iii) Research Report 3 – Reducing the Skills Gap.
The review of contract agreements focuses on Design and Construct (D&C), Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and General Conditions of Contract documentation which was publicly available or provided by participating organisations.
The primary finding is that most of the organisations cover between 11 and 13 topics. However, the key difference between these organisations is: (i) the level of detail to which each topic is addressed; and (ii) whether the way in which they are addressed is compatible with the principles of IPD and potential use of Building Information Modelling (BIM)/Virtual Design and Construction (VDC).
The discussion section is used to analyse these two issues, compare the suitability of each organisation’s approach and, where relevant, provide recommendations as to how current practices could be modified based on the aforementioned analysis. The recommendations are then divided into (i) Modification/expansion of current practices; and (ii) New considerations.
Key recommendations for consideration include:
1. Use of clearly defined Levels of Development (LOD)3 for each model element and project phase, recorded in a BIM Management Plan document. These should be defined not only based on the geometry and performance specifications, but also in terms of responsible roles, submission dates, among other.
2. Procurement managers to consider the benefits of including subcontractors in the project team and their contribution to the design to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
3. Project teams to develop a strategy to update and coordinate changes at the earliest stage possible. Additionally, linking financial bonuses clauses to savings produced by changes to the design or project delivery methods can create a clear incentive for more innovation, collaboration and time/cost efficiency gains.
4. Specific BIM/VDC performance metrics to be included in the BIM Execution/Management Plan, including success parameters. For clients looking to integrate their data systems, these metrics should be aligned the with facility/asset management system requirements to allow the integration of data throughout the supply chain.
1 AIA (2007).
2 Developed based on consultation of cross-functional teams composed of owners, architects, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, attorneys, and insurers to explore and define integration options within both existing and new delivery models. The report sets “first principles” of IPD applicable to all delivery models.
3 LODs describe the level of completeness to which the model element will be developed in terms of specific minimum content requirements and associated authorised uses (AIA, 2013c).
7 | P a g e
Document Review Report – July 2014
5. The risk of non-performance should be shared among the participants equally. If participants are not comfortable doing so, risk apportioning should be agreed upon in the contract agreement. Alternatively, clearly defining ownership over design elements and hand-over processes would reduce the risk of conflict and allow the use of more traditional risk apportioning where each owner is responsible for element at the phase and LOD defined in the BIM Execution/Management Plan.
6. An integrate project coordination role is required to coordinate, facilitate and direct the integrated team.
7. Prepare a BIM Protocol addendum to the contract agreement that redefines terms, procedures and metrics and can be added to BIM-enabled projects. File Transfer Protocols and Common Data Environments can also facilitate the coordination and delivery of projects under IPD principles and using BIM/VDC. This should be a contractually binding document.
D&C contracts could be adapted to include IPD principles by contractually increasing client involvement, linking financial benefits to project goals and using open book accounting. However, ECI contracts offer the best integrated collaboration model, with all relevant participants being closely involved in the project development from early stages. This model can use relationship management plans, collaboration standards and regular meetings with all relevant stakeholders to maximise the efficiency and quality of the works. Additionally, ECIs offer the benefit of using more interactive and collaborative procurement models that allow the selection of the preferred construction team based not only on their technical and management skills, but also on their commitment to an integrated delivery and collaboration.
Finally, the documents were also reviewed in terms of educating and up-skilling the labour force. Although specific programs related to IPD and BIM/VDC were not found, requirements such as the ECI’s Skill Development Plan and General Conditions regarding Enterprise Training Management Plans could be used as tools to reduce the skill gaps on a project-by-project basis.
(i) Recommendations for policy makers for a nationally consistent strategy for adoption of integrated project environments (which also aligns as far as possible with international BIM standards and processes).
(ii) Recommendations for modifications of current procurement and contractual framework to allow more collaborative and building information modelling (BIM) enabled project environments.
(iii) Development of a dissemination strategy to different levels of the supply chain through our work with organisations such as CCF, EA and Austroads, as well as through our partner organisations and SBEnrc media resources (e.g. YouTube channel and industry publications).
(iv) Build an understanding of knowledge dissemination and skills development required to facilitate increased uptake of digital technologies and integrated project delivery (IPD).
(v) Explore the role of a consensus-driven peak body to coordinate uptake of BIM and IPD in the Australian construction industry.
The uptake of integrated project environments will play a critical role in fostering Australian competitiveness in the future. This research was based on strong collaboration between industry, government and researchers both in Australia and internationally.
This report addresses the first and last of these objectives, and provides a discussion of six key themes identified as relevant to the development of national strategy for IPD and BIM uptake: (i) lead agent role; (ii) client role; (iii) mandates; (iv) pilot projects; (v) metrics; and (vi) standards.
These issues are considered relevant to a national strategy for adoption of integrated project environments in that:
(i) The development of such a strategy will require the leadership and coordination of lead agents, and engagement with lead industry associations is important in the dissemination and industry leadership.
(ii) The primary transport infrastructure clients are state and territory government agencies. As such, these organisations are in a unique position to influence the uptake of new technologies and processes.
(iii) Pilot projects have the capacity to build a knowledge base especially in terms of productivity benefits and processes associated with the uptake of BIM and IPD.
(iv) A national mandate has been shown, by international comparators, to provide the industry with the incentive and consistency to invest in the development a pipeline of coordinated actions.
(v) Building consensus on standard performance indicators and metrics to prove the business value of BIM and IPD in terms of project, business and industry-wide benefits.
(vi) The development of national standards provides a consistent framework for uptake that increases productive and reduces industry cost.
Mapping the relevant industry peak bodies in Australia and Sweden provided evidence for the identification of the role and impact of different organisations on the uptake of new information technologies in the transport infrastructure industry. This led to the development of a set of milestones for IPD and BIM adoption in Australia based on current activity and showing the domino effect that each action would have on the industry.
The NGR is an AUD4.4 billion project carried out under an Availability Payment Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Queensland Government and the Bomabardier-led QTECTIC consortium comprising Bombardier Transportation, John Laing, ITOCHU Corporation and Aberdeen Infrastructure Investments. BIM has been deployed on the project from conceptual stages to drive both design and the currently ongoing construction at the Wulkuraka Project Site. This case study sourced information from a series of semi-structured interviews covering a cross-section of key stakeholders on the project.
The present research identified 25 benefits gained from implementing BIM processes and tools. Some of the most prominent benefits were those leading to improved outcomes and higher customer satisfaction such as improved communications, data and information management, and coordination. There were also a number of expected benefits for future phases such as:
Improved decision making through the use of BIM for managing assets
Improved models through BIM maturity
Better utilisation of BIM for procurement on similar future projects
New capacity to specify the content of BIM models within contracts.
There were also three benefits that were expected to have been achieved but were not realised on the NGR project. These were higher construction information quality levels, better alignment in design teams as well as project teams, and capability improvements in measuring the impact of BIM on construction safety. This report includes individual profiles describing each benefit as well as the tools and processes that enabled them. Four key BIM metrics were found to be currently in use and six more were identified as potential metrics for the future. This case study also provides insights into challenges associated with implementing BIM on a project of the size and complexity of the NGR. Procurement aspects and lessons learned for managers are also highlighted, including a list of recommendations for developing a framework to assess the benefits of BIM across the project life-cycle.
of SBEnrc Project 2.34 Driving Whole-of-life Efficiencies through BIM and Procurement. This case study is
one of three exemplar projects studied in order to complement Centre’s industry-focused research. The
aim was to identify indicators for measuring tangible and intangible benefits of Building Information
Modelling (BIM) across a project’s life-cycle in infrastructure and buildings.
The PCH is an AUD1.2 billion project carried out under a two-stage managing contract model between
the Government of Western Australia and John Holland. The project used BIM for the design and
construction of the hospital and has required a facilities management BIM model as a key deliverable.
The case study drew information from a series of interviews with BIM managers across different
stakeholders as well as project documentation.
The research identified 26 specific benefits from using BIM. Each benefit was then profiled based on the
information provided by the case study data. These benefits were enabled by 20 different tools and
processes related to BIM, including software tools as well as governance processes such as co-location
and frequent project team meeting.
Although one of the objectives of the case study was to identify BIM metrics currently used in this
project, only one metric was found at this stage of the project. However, 20 different metrics to
measure benefits from BIM were identified by interviewees as with potential for use in the future.
This case study also provided insight into challenges associated with implementing BIM in such complex
projects as well as issues related to procurement and asset management, along with lessons learned for
design, construction and asset managers.
The SOH is an iconic Australian building with a long-standing history of innovative information management. This history starts with a challenging design and construction process which prompted what could be the first field-to-finish system for surveyors in Australia creating great efficiency gains, and now continues with the implementation of what is expected to be a fully integrated BIM asset management system.
The SOH BIM journey started in 2004 with the Exemplar Project carried out by the Cooperative for Research Centre (CRC) for Construction Innovation which tested a partial digital facilities management model and made a number of recommendations in 2007 based on collaborative research with the SOH. Since then, BIM practices have been used for construction works and their information management team has endeavoured in completing the BIM REVIT /Architectural model.
The SOH expects to achieve significant advantages from implementing BIM. Specific drivers identified were:
Having a single source of information
Information management issues related to the complexity of the asset
Improving safety
Addressing performing art requirements
Sustainability goals
Heritage listing status.
During the past 10 years, the SOH has faced the following challenges in the development of their BIM for asset management system:
Software limitations/inadequacy
Limited funds
Data availability
Finding the right answer
Resistance to change
Public asset government requirements
Australia’s geographic isolation
Uniqueness of the SOH.
Success factors identified for the development of a BIM for asset management strategy:
Inspiration and corporate culture
Sydney Opera House Case Study Report 4 | P a g e
External collaboration
Client involvement
Management vision.
The SOH has taken an informed and involved client approach to the development of their BIM guidelines and requirements. They have carried out extensive research into international and national practices, significant stakeholder engagement and collaboration as well as maintaining close ties to industry and research groups.
The SOH will aim to address the following expected challenges during the BIM solution rollout:
Required skills and training
Ensuring acceptance by end-users
Integrating the different databases.
Future research will aim to understand specific benefits achieved from the implementation of the BIM interface for asset management systems.