Why BxP Content Matters

BxP exists to provide “ground rules” for BIM coordination and to provide a plan for model

creation, this allows modelers, contractors, detailers, and other contributors to communicate and

collaborate efficiently, while also enabling the team to recognize any errors in the model early and

correct them. This is important to Project Delivery Strategy because it specifies the delivery

strategy and clarifies responsibilities, formatting, and schedule.

Lean construction is the concept of reducing waste that can be represented by many forms. A BxP

must state why BIM is being used so that everyone involved with the project can have a clear goal

to work towards.

A well-written BxP encourages an integrated exchange of information between stakeholders

throughout the design and construction process. Each organization can utilize similar section of

the combined BxP from design to construction to operation.

Establishing BIM milestones will require following the owner´s occupancy, design, and

construction schedules closely to confirm critical information will be available to the relevant

project stakeholders.

A project contacts list must be developed and made readily available to each team member as

soon as each contact is established. Without this, communication cannot happen effectively, and

time is wasted as members seek to gather that information individually. This list should include the

contact´s name, company, title, discipline, email, and phone number.

A project´s structural engineer needs to be able to set the LOD of the origin of the project with the

Architect at the end of the DD phase of the project. The entire construction process will begin with
the structural engineer´s foundation systems and the gridlines shown on the structural design

drawings. The BIM should be broken up and coordinated by levels over the project.

Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) is a schema typically

implemented in a spreadsheet format with information related to the building space and assets.

LOD is a set of definitions that allows project teams to clearly define content development

expectations for BIM and the characteristics of BIM elements in the models.

Not all model objects must be items that would be physically installed in the field. Clearance

spaces are an important example of non-physical model elements. There are many cases in which

space needs to be reserved in such a way that if another model object is intruding on that space, it

would be discoverable via clash detection.

The coordination hierarchy is typically established with the objects that are most difficult or

expensive to move as having precedence. This allows the team to make quick decisions on which

items a given trade should seek to adjust in any clash situation, depending on the other trade they

are clashing with. A clash matrix shows which disciplines take precedence based on which ones are

furthest to the top and left of the matrix (see example image below).

BIM managers, coordinators, and technicians are the foundation of the team, so they must be

coordinated into a team correctly to be used to their full potential. The BIM manager is

responsible for leading the entire team. BIM coordinators oversee the technicians and give

progress updates to the BIM manager.

Legal and Insurance Topics are highly dependent upon the scope of BIM services to be utilized

on the project and the project delivery method. Team make-up, project types, design and
construction budget, and other extenuating factors also impact BxP best practices.