Newsletter

Volume IV | September-October 2021

In this Issue
From the President’s Desk President’s Message 1
The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC)
industry is rapidly moving beyond 2D drawings, tedious Interview
calculations, and low productivity to a more efficient and Mr. Rajan Aiyer
organized framework of operations. Building Information Managing Director, 2
Modelling (BIM) has expedited this transformation, bringing Trimble Navigation
effective collaboration, coordination, communication, exchange,
and collation across verticals in the AEC industry. This
Interview
information-rich approach is helping capture, process, and even simulate the behaviour of
real-world assets in the perceived environment after construction. Sundar Chandramouli
Vice President, Bangalore 4
However, even this technological advancement has not been able to address the challenge International Airport Limited
of data gaps in-between stages of planning, operations, and construction. If BIM focuses
on micro-scale data pertaining to the built environment, what it lacks is the bigger picture
placing it into its surrounding context, besides a more robust interface for massive volumes Special Feature
of data. Interestingly, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are poised to act as this vital Wider BIM+GIS 6
element that can complement BIM in terms of data accuracy, scalability, and the addition of Integration an Enabler of
a geospatial context. Punctuality, Productivity
and Prudence
The Association of Geospatial Industries (AGI) perceives the integration of these two
technologies as the need of the hour for bringing productivity to the Indian AEC industry.
Operating on GIS and BIM as a continuum will benefit real-world asset management, Case Study
including buildings, transportation infrastructure, city planning, and more, through the Comprehensive Enterprise
integration of geospatial, environmental, demographic, engineering, structural, and scientific Application for Ajman
information. AGI appeals to the Geospatial community to dwell upon this amalgamation Municipality using BIM 9
and bring to life the many novel possibilities that BIM+GIS holds for efficient infrastructure
and GIS
management.
Avineon
As a forum for the exchange of ideas, techniques, approaches, and experiences by those who
design, implement, and use geospatial technology solutions, AGI would like to appreciate
the significant contributions of its members towards the development of BIM+GIS in the Article
Indian context. Esri’s ArcGIS GeoBIM’s wide-ranging applications, Trimble’s significant Integrated GIS and
technological integration for the National College for High Speed Rail, and Avineon’s
Geo-enabled Integrated BIM Viewer for the Ajman Municipality, among others, are leading
BIM Technologies for 10
Sustainable Project Delivery
by example when it comes to the application of BIM+GIS for seamless management of
design, cost evaluation, construction, and monitoring. in the AEC Industry
Geospatial World
AGI has been working relentlessly towards the accelerated adoption of Geospatial
technologies in every relevant sector in India, and driving discussions among various
stakeholders of the government, industry, academia, and society as a whole. Proud to Article
witness such a steady penetration of geospatial technologies in construction & infrastructure GIS and BIM integration
management, AGI dedicates this Edition of our Newsletter to the growingly relevant and – An Imperative
futuristic integration of BIM+GIS. for Transforming 12
We hope this Edition comes across as insightful and enjoyable. Stay tuned for more insights, Infrastructure
stories, and analyses from AGI in the coming months. Development
Esri India
Enjoy Reading,
Agendra Kumar
President, AGI

Volume IV | September-October 2021 AGI Newsletter | 1

Interview
The Key is to Create a Constructible
BIM and Combine it with GIS to Drive
Efficiencies during
Construction and O&M
A very flexible, scalable, and easily customizable
collaboration platform is absolutely key to transforming
this industry into an efficient one like the manufacturing
industry, remarks Rajan Aiyer, Managing Director, Trimble
Navigation about the AEC industry in India.
Trimble has been quite vocal about
the importance of a “connected
construction workflow” involving
architects, engineers, contractors,
specialty contractors, and labour
forces. How does one ensure such
seamless collaboration for on-field
operations on a larger scale?
Trimble is the industry-leader in
Connected Construction Solutions
for all stakeholders involved in the
construction workflow. We see this as an
all-new way of executing a construction
project, as it simultaneously connects
the digital world of modeling, imagery,
measurement, and data with the
physical world of contractors, workers,
equipment, and the jobsite at each stage
of construction. We strongly believe that
Figure 1: Connection Construction for System-Wide Productivity; Source: Trimble
2 | AGI Newsletter
all these stakeholders, including owners,
must always be connected via data that
has been transformed into meaningful
information for directing optimal real-
time decision making. Thus, a very
flexible, scalable, and easily customizable
collaboration platform is absolutely key to
transforming this industry into an efficient
one, like the manufacturing industry. Today,
all information exists but in silos, and is
therefore sub-optimal until connected.
The integration of BIM and GIS,
though much talked about, seems
poised to be not just a consolidation
of these two, but of various
other advanced developments
including AI/ML, Blockchain,
Big Data, AR and so on. What
pertinent challenges of the Indian
construction industry could such a
development solve?
The penetration of digital technologies
in Indian construction industry is at
a very nascent stage. All stakeholders
operate in siloes and somehow think
that it is the “other guy’s” responsibility
to deliver quality, on-time and within
cost projects without any continual
monitoring/measurement of crucial
parameters. What cannot be measured
can never be improved! That’s the
“What cannot be
measured can never
be improved! That’s
the reason 90% of
projects are delayed
and significantly over-
budget and is almost
an expected outcome
which is not good use of
taxpayer monies!”
reason 90% of projects are delayed and
significantly over-budget and is almost
an expected outcome which is not good
use of taxpayer monies! The integration
of BIM and GIS in this regard will have
a synergistic impact on the construction
value chain, that is, 1+1 is not 2 but
4 or 5! But the key here is to create a
constructible BIM and not just a design
BIM and combine it with GIS to drive
Volume IV | September-October 2021

Figure 2: Comprehensive BIM and GIS Integration for Connected Construction; Source: Trimble
efficiencies during construction and
O&M. The power of AI/ML, AR/VR,
robotics etc will truly be unleashed during
the construction and O&M phases and
not in architecture or design phases. This
is an area of active R&D for Trimble and
its partners!
Both GIS and BIM are heavily
reliant on field data collection
and processing, and yet both
reckon entirely different types of
coordinate systems, number/types
of sources, and data standards,
especially in the Indian context.
What, in your opinion, is the way
forward for a smooth convergence
of the two?
The integration of constructible BIM
and GIS is an emerging concept even
in developed countries and the issues
described are common to all not just
Indian construction industry. The
collaboration platform alluded to
earlier will be the key to the smooth
convergence and transformation
of construction workflow. Key
characteristics of this platform include
flexibility to dove-tail data sources,
formats, and coordinate systems
seamlessly and customize it for various
stakeholders. The goal is efficient use
of design and construction data using
a myriad of data collection systems and
capture real-time status for input into the
digital as-built.
Volume IV | September-October 2021
Will there still be any room for
traditional practices in areas such
as surveying, asset management
and project monitoring, if and
when BIM +GIS is adopted in the
mainstream for Indian projects?
All the practices you refer to will continue
to exist because they are the under-pinning
of any construction workflow. Their
form, format, relevancy and usefulness
will change for the better. For instance,
instead of 2D drawings we will be using
constructible BIM in xD (x=3,4,5…);
we would have GIS with millimetre
level accuracy; we will have extensive
attribute sets for each and every asset for
predictive maintenance as opposed to
reactive maintenance and use of AI/ML
will enhance all these capabilities. Indian
construction industry will have little choice
but to accept and train its personnel on
these changes which will make better use
of taxpayer monies.
Trimble has already disrupted the
construction and infrastructure
management industries with 3D
Laser Scanning, full BIM workflow
and Mixed Reality solutions, to
name a few. What are some other
futuristic applications that we can
expect from Trimble in the next
few years?
In spite of all these advances in
technologies, challenges in real-time
collaboration, use of AI/ML for predictive
O&M, project bidding & monitoring,
Interview
robotics in construction, 3D printing
are exciting areas for advancement.
The goal again is to make construction
much like manufacturing in terms of
quality, cost and time efficiencies. An
important goal of integrated GeoBIM
is to be able to synergise the physical
and digital twin information for better
construction management. This needs to
be done across the entire construction
workflow in real-time, starting from
conceptual planning up to O&M. Thus,
the stakeholders will be well-served to
initiate the digital twin paradigm at the
earliest stage of the project rather than
as an after-thought or in the middle of
awarding the various contracts.
Lastly, in the wake of the new and
conducive policy environment for
the geospatial industry, what is
the way forward for a faster and
inclusive adoption of BIM+GIS in
a rapidly urbanizing India?
The new Geospatial policy framework
is a big step forward in adoption of
geospatial technologies in public and
private sector projects which will
definitely result in better utilization of
monetary, labour, and natural resources.
Similar guidelines for adoption of
constructible BIM in large infra projects
and others such as Smart cities are
needed. Many advanced countries for
example mandate submission of 3D
BIM models for any project approvals.
India can leapfrog into constructible BIM
and further offer project incentives for
adoption of BIM and GIS synergistic
practices.
AGI Newsletter | 3
Interview
Integration of BIM and GIS, AI/ML and
Other Technologies Open Up the Possibility
of Robotic Construction with
Minimal Manual Intervention
Data modelling (BIM) and Spatial Data (GIS) are two sides of
the same coin, shares Sundar Chandramouli, Vice President,
Bangalore International Airport Limited, the first in India
to have used Building Information Modelling for end-to-end
project delivery.
The Kempegowda International
Airport, Bengaluru, is the first
in India to have used Building
Information Modelling (BIM)
for end-to-end project delivery.
Can you throw some light on the
reason behind BIAL opting for
this technology in the first place,
and the benefits you could draw
from it?
BIAL is always on the lookout for
technology that helps us deliver our
vision of ‘Enabling Journeys, Creating
Experiences and Touching Lives as the
Gateway to a new India’. When the
expansion of our airport facilities was
conceived, we automatically began to
explore the best tools available to help us
Figure 1: Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1, Bengaluru
4 | AGI Newsletter
in this endeavour. The reason for using
Building Information Modelling (BIM)
for end-to-end project delivery was to
first visualise the new terminal before
physically building it to help coordinate
all disciplines virtually and speed up
the construction. Further, this would
also facilitate seamless integration with
Facilities Management at the handover
stage of the project. Additionally, using
BIM enabled us to have all information
of the project in a single environment,
including all drawings, specifications, and
all relevant project data.
The Airport has been designed
on the lines of Bengaluru’s
rich history as a “Garden City”,
recalling the city’s expansive
parks and plantings. At the same
time, it has earned GreenCo
Platinum certification from
the Confederation of Indian
Industry’s Green Business Centre
and LEED Gold certification
from the IGBC. What role did
BIM play in the environmental
management plan for the
project?
BIAL always believes in leading by
example, and is keen to partner with
other leaders in the industry to achieve
our vision. This led us to achieve the
GreenCo certification from CII for
our existing terminal. We are keen to
replicate the same for our upcoming
Terminal 2 also. In this context, 3D
and 4D BIM models have played an
important role in workspace planning,
safety and environmental management.
The models were used for obtaining all
important aero-related approvals and
in discussions with statutory bodies
for environment related approvals.
BIM also played an important role in
associating the appropriate material
specifications to each of the project
documents as well as in calculation of
energy consumption. It was a valuable
tool for maintaining the carbon
footprint classification of each selected
material in a combined database.
What are the shortcomings
that you faced despite or upon
using BIM modelling for the
Airport Design, if any? What
improvements do you expect
in the coming years for a more
seamless process and outcomes?
Volume IV | September-October 2021

Figure 2: Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2, Bengaluru
The major shortcoming in BIM in an
Indian scenario is the level of expertise
that is required for the various vendors
and contractors to manage the project
digitally. The local industry is not in
pace with all the technological advances
in the marketplace. This makes it very
difficult to collaborate with international
consultants and specialist vendors with
various levels of skillsets. Additionally,
the infrastructure on site is limiting the
bandwidth availability to effectively
use BIM on mobile devices and utilise
the full benefits of AR and VR for
construction. We expect the familiarity
of BIM and AR / VR to increase and
more effective communication devices
to encourage widespread site-based
application.
Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) and BIM have developed
simultaneously over the last
few decades, especially for the
construction and infrastructure
management industries. As
compatibility between software,
standards and data material is
increasing, what opportunities
do you think an integration of
data modelling (BIM) and spatial
data (GIS) can present for mega-
projects in India?
Volume IV | September-October 2021
Data modelling (BIM) and spatial data
(GIS) are two sides of a same coin.
As the modelling is done in BIM all
things have GIS built-in already. On one
hand this data is used for construction
coordination and on the other hand this
embedded GIS data in BIM can be easily
ported to any Map software as well as
Facilities Management modules. We have
experimented in ‘digital construction’ on
our earthworks and runway construction
which achieved limited success. In the
future, this will help in automating the
construction process for wide application
in machine guided construction.
The COVID-19 crisis has proved
to be a major deterrent for both
the aviation and the architecture,
construction, and engineering
(AEC) industries. Looking
ahead, how do you think the
integration of BIM with GIS,
AI/ML, Blockchain, and other
technologies can help avert such
a standstill in the face of future
crises?
Traditionally construction has been
seen as a high contact industry requiring
high level of physical interaction for
any and every transaction. This crisis
has challenged this traditional thinking
and required out of the box approach
for progressing the ongoing projects.
Interview
We have experimented in ‘digital
construction’ on our earthworks
and runway construction which
achieved limited success. In
the future, this will help in
automating the construction
process for wide application in
machine guided construction.
Irrespective of any scenario, the direct
benefit of BIM is that it supports remote
working in a collaboration mode thereby
enabling all project team members to
be in different geographical locations to
contribute and collaborate seamlessly.
We have had instances where complex
problems were solved in virtual meetings,
and entire design stage delivered without
any physical meeting.
Integration of BIM with GIS, AI/ML
and other technologies open up the
possibility of robotic construction with
minimal manual intervention. BIAL
has recognised this potential and is also
exploring 3D printing technologies by
supporting startups to innovate in this
sphere. This is an exciting phase of
research and development leading to
exciting possibilities for new applications
which we look forward to.
AGI Newsletter | 5

Wider BIM+GIS Integration an Enabler of
Punctuality, Productivity and Prudence
By Sakshi Singh
Rapid technological developments over
the last two decades have made it possible
to envision more transparent, scientific
and robust systems for addressing
persistent gaps in the AEC (Architecture,
Engineering & Construction) industry,
with two critical technologies – Building
Information Modelling (BIM) and
Geographic Information System
(GIS) – having emerged as particularly
relevant. While the former offers the
benefits of detailed 3D visualization and
rapid organization of huge volumes of
data related to buildings, the latter allows
easier analysis of spatial patterns and
relationships on a larger scale.
Though the two technologies may be
discrete in their history, purpose and
scope, the common denominator of
“Information” that BIM and GIS
share can help establish a common
data environment for all stakeholders
to benefit from. An integration of the
two, popularly referred to as GeoBIM,
indeed holds tremendous potential when
it comes to management and application
of as-built data throughout the project
lifecycle. The overlap seems all set to
steer the “new normal” of digitalization
across the AEC industry, paving the way
for hassle-free and time-saving decision-
making, higher productivity levels and
overall cost savings.
6 | AGI Newsletter
Existing Limitations of the Planning &
AEC Industries
Construction and infrastructure
industries are hinged on the requirement
of mass data – static and dynamic,
current and historical, geometric and
semantic, and so on. It is this data that
often gets lost between the multiple
stages of construction or infrastructure
development, due to the critical lack of
reliable and consistent systems managing
them.
More than 80% of all global projects
overshoot their budgets, and around 20%
fail to meet their estimated completion
dates. While outcomes may or may not
emerge as severe during the construction
itself, the impact on the later stages of
project lifecycle management is even more
resounding, with several unaccounted-
for quality & standard deviations due to
inadequate monitoring systems leaving
plenty of room for both manual error and
manipulation.
Not just these information gaps, even
the perceived discrete nature of each
stage in the project lifecycle is to blame.
There are restrictive demarcations among
planning, design, construction, operations
and maintenance stages regarding the
flow of information, communication
Source: Unsplash
and management, leading to fragmented
inputs throughout, whether of data,
material or capital. This lack of
management of the entire project as a
whole brings forth challenges such as
misevaluated costs, derisory planning,
poor quality and unaddressed risks.
Talking about these very challenges,
Sanjay Kumar, Former President
of AGI and Founder & CEO of
Geospatial World highlights, “Today,
the AEC industry in India needs real-
time linking of information related
to construction progress, integration
of project information from multiple
data platforms and access to the
same for associated stakeholders,
along with establishment of data
integration capabilities for quick sharing.
However, the challenge of outdated
communication, collaboration & file
sharing techniques obstructs the much-
needed data accessibility for AEC
executives, project managers, operators
and owners.
Integrated GIS and BIM solutions
have the potential to facilitate a data-
driven approach to project lifecycle
management, including components
of Site Analysis, Planning & Design,
Structural Evaluations, On-Site
Coordination, Facilities Management
Volume IV | September-October 2021
and Predictive Maintenance. At the
same time, these technologies can
simplify compliance with development
regulations while ensuring sustainable
asset operations and efficient resource
planning.”
Where a BIM+GIS Integration
Fits In
Data interoperability is the only way to
ensure that the above challenges of the
AEC industry are met with, enabling
stakeholders to adopt digitalization
measures across project workflows
without discrete silos in action. Integrated
BIM+GIS solutions can facilitate
this much-needed end-to-end data
interoperability through the establishment
of a common data environment for
effective management of labour,
equipment and processes.
Talking about the wide ambit of such
an integration, Raghu Ganeshan,
President at Avineon India, remarks,
“The use of GeoBIM enables the
delineation between planning, design,
construction and operations &
maintenance phases, leading to a more
holistic approach that is unprecedentedly
detailed and accurate. Being able to
control safety, quality, costs, planning
and sustainability throughout an entire
project lifetime is another key driver.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Building Lifecycle Management (BLM); Source: ScienceDirect
Volume IV | September-October 2021
The integration can avoid unnecessary
attempts in redundant modelling
and allow for new data flows in both
directions. In this way, more detailed BIM
data can feed more general GIS data, and,
on the other hand, GIS data can provide
the context that is usually missing in
BIM.”
Together with the elimination of
irrelevant data silos, GeoBIM can ensure
consistency of data flows from one stage
of construction to another and prevent
the loss of valuable data in between. At
the same time, this would add an effective
Geospatial context to the BIM process
for more well-informed decision-making.
Data storage on the cloud also facilitates
instant access, effective management
and improved coordination, besides
simplifying reuse or repurposing of data.
The overall impact is felt in the form
of reduced costs, time and wastage of
materials and other resources.
Planning & Design
In the initial stages of building planning
and design, a BIM+GIS integration
can save much time and effort by
offering easy accessibility to relevant
data for activities such as site selection,
energy design, traffic design, structural
evaluations, interior acoustic design,
climatic assessments, design authorization
and overall performance assessment for
existing spaces. Floor plans and sectional
models obtained from BIM can be
integrated onto spatial mapping layers
in GIS for more well-informed initial
assessments and localized simulations
with the most relevant geographical and
geometrical attributes together.
Construction
Speaking at the Virtual Summit on
Sectoral Value Proposition for the
New Geospatial Policy organized by
the Office of the Principal Scientific
Adviser to the Government of India
and AGI Member Geospatial World,
Anand Sirohi, Director - Trimble Inc,
noted, “With the advancement in usage
of Geospatial technology in the current
positive landscape, one can secure data
of all the three physical dimensions
through BIM+GIS. This makes for
a more comprehensive and complete
evaluation model for the construction
and infrastructure industries, compared
to the limited alignments used presently.”
For both the construction of new
projects and the retrofitting or
upgradation of existing ones, the
integration of BIM and GIS supports
an array of otherwise mismanaged
operations, including supply chain and
schedule management, project time
AGI Newsletter | 7
control models, on-site coordination, and
clash or deviation detections according
to as-built data. Timely and accurate
information delivery regarding every step
of construction can be relayed digitally
to different stakeholders, including
labours, contractors, engineers, architects
and owners. Sharing of data becomes
instantaneous, allowing much improved
coordination and decision-making at any
chosen stage.
Operation & Maintenance
Though BIM has so far been generically
viewed and used mainly for 3D
visualization and modelling until the
construction stages, the most relevant
application of an integration of
BIM & GIS lies in the operation and
maintenance stages. Complete building
management systems can be facilitated
using the convergence of these and
other digital technologies to be able to
capture changes in the real-time and relay
responses accordingly. From routine
management of facilities to timely
emergency response during disasters,
from instantaneous virtual inspection at
any given time to predictive maintenance
in accordance with design and quality
standards, integrated BIM models within
a comprehensive geo-information system
can bring all relevant architectural, realms can be effectively integrated to relatively new concept of BIM still largely
engineering services, spatial and semantic obtain much-needed 3D city models, restricted to the early P&D phases of 3D
data onto a single platform for quick or Digital Twins, that can bring about visualization and Detailed Project Reports
action. unprecedented optimization. (DPRs) alone. With the association, and
hence liability of the contractor ending
Urban Development Dr. Aniruddh Roy, Senior Vice with the project construction, owners
President and CTO at Genesys fail to realize the value that BIM can
The integration of BIM and GIS International, remarks, “Urban India offer in the later stages of Operation and
serves as a potential source of requires accurate 3D models of the Maintenance. They are, hence, unwilling
solutions and developments when it cities at various Levels of Details (LOD) to embrace and invest in the technology
comes to city asset management and which are intelligent and semantically for the full lifecycle.
urban development control. From complete for effective governance
automating building permit processes rendering citizen-centric services. These Existing grade control systems for
to facilitating compliance checks at par models need to be integrated with measuring “Productivity” and traditional
with development regulations, scalable decision-making processes used in the methods of evaluating “Returns on
GeoBIM platforms can make it easier city’s planning, design and construction. Investments” also fail to elaborate on
to monitor and ensure sustainable urban Research for the full integration between the utility of a BIM+GIS integration
development despite incoming data from BIM and GIS models through exchanges, on the “Quality” and “Value” of the
multiple sources. Data from all these live data links and simultaneous querying project post-construction. The lesser
of models using CityGML and IFC are in the awareness, the lesser the adoption
progress.” of GeoBIM in the Indian mainstream,
and the longer it will take for the AEC
The Road Ahead: Challenges and industry in the country to reorient
Opportunities its approach, practices and outcomes
towards effective digitalization.
Despite the many benefits and solutions
that an integration of BIM and GIS has However, these challenges are mere
to offer to the AEC industry in general roadblocks, with the several benefits of
and the Indian urban developmental BIM and GIS gleaming as the light at the
scenario in particular, a few persistent end of the tunnel. Leading by example,
bottlenecks remain. The first, and platforms and tools such as ArcGIS by
probably the most important issue Esri, Trimble Connect, and Hexagon’s
that needs to be addressed is the Smart Build Insight, to name a few, are
lack of awareness and acceptance shaping effective use and investment
of such an integration in the into BIM+GIS on the global and Indian
mainstream. fronts. With discussions and knowledge
dissemination regarding this fruitful
The integration of BIM+GIS integration now taking centre stage, it
continues to be viewed with is about time authorities and owners of
uncertainty by many, with the infrastructure projects in the country shift
their attention to this need of the hour.

8 | AGI Newsletter Volume IV | September-October 2021


Comprehensive Enterprise
Application for Ajman Municipality
using BIM and GIS
Digitalization is currently driving the
entire society. It is manifesting itself in
many process-oriented fields, including
urban planning, building permission,
and emergency management processes,
characterized by a high number of
involved stakeholders, both from the
industry and authority side. In order to
increase efficiency of these processes, it is
necessary to digitally integrate information,
both between stakeholders and between
processes.
The building permission process is, to a
large extent, a continuous process where
much information is still handled in paper
format or as independent CAD/PDF files.
With digitalization comes the potential
to automate the submission, validation,
and permit processes by adopting /
integrating Building Information Models
(BIM) of planned buildings and geospatial
technology – allowing a 3D visualization
of the building, and thus making it easier
to check if the building complies to
building permission regulations and city
master plan requirements.
Case Study: Building Permit
Department of The Ajman
Municipality, UAE
Many entities are still struggling with a
manual, long, and inefficient building
permission process. The Building Permit
department of the Ajman municipality
in the United Arab Emirates particularly
faced issues in terms of receiving
building plan drawings in the form of 2D
CAD drawings, which did not facilitate
the municipality to visualize building
elements in a 3D environment or easily
validate plans against building standards.
In addition, the 2D CAD drawings also
complicated the execution of standard
building data analytics based on certain
defined criteria.
Avineon partnered with Ajman
Municipality as a consultant to study their
existing processes, investigate the CAD
templates currently in use, and perform
a gap analysis with respect to Building
Information Model (BIM) standards and
readiness to adopt – all in effort to build
an enterprise application that enables:
Volume IV | September-October 2021
Case Study | Avineon
GeoBIM enabling Digitalization for the Ajman Municipality; Source: Avineon
(i) Converting 2D CAD files to BIM • The re-engineering of the business
(ii) Converting BIM to GIS process for design review by the
municipality. This was done by
(iii) Develop an interactive BIM viewer generating a Revit model from CAD,
application. by using automated tools, and the
loading of this model into the 3D GIS
Aim and Objectives application
• The development of a 3D GIS
The municipality wanted to reap the
benefits of an enterprise geo-enabled, application for viewing and analyzing
BIM models along with query, search,
BIM-based, 3D building model, that can
virtualize a building, starting with the filter, and analytical tools. In addition,
this 3D GIS application was integrated
geo-location of the building, over to the
validation of building code guidelines for with the existing GIS systems and
CAD/BIM drawings, and also including the database
execution of analytics across buildings and • While providing consultancy to the
regions. municipality, Avineon also focused on
developing System Architecture and IT
In addition, the municipality wanted to infrastructure sizing to enable system
convert existing buildings from archived performance.
CAD drawings to a geo-enabled BIM
environment to enable a seamless view and Avineon also focused on developing
analysis. applications on Design & System
Architecture through customized BIM
Scope and Outcomes: An Interactive viewer tool, 3D WebGIS application
BIM Viewer Application with query, search, filter, analytical tools
• The development of BIM data and also developed tools for automated
standards, specifications, and a GeoBIM conversion from CAD to Revit model and
data model loading of Revit model to 3D GIS app. The
digitization of building permit process not
• The development of a CAD template, only set standard templates & specifications
standards, and specifications to be to enable multiple stakeholders to submit
adopted for future CAD drawings building designs in BIM upto LOD 500
submissions by consultants, developers, but enabled to visualize buildings in BIM
and designers before approving designs.
• The development of tools to convert
2D CAD floor plans to BIM, and This simplified the business processes by
bringing in efficiency through digitization
convert BIM to GIS
and enabled the municipality with a 3D
• The conversion of close to 15,000 view of the buildings to easily validate plans
legacy building floor plans from paper/ against building standards.
CAD to BIM
Figure :The Geo-enabled Ajman BIM Platform; Source: Avineon
AGI Newsletter | 9
Article | GeoBIM for Digital Architecture
Integrated GIS and BIM technologies can seamlessly interconnect data between worksites, workers and
equipment, thus creating a free flow of information across the project lifecycle; Source: Wikimedia Commons
GeoBIM for Digital Architecture
Integrated GIS and BIM Technologies for
Sustainable Project Delivery in the AEC Industry
Geospatial World
The rapid expansion of global
infrastructure resulting in accelerated
construction and engineering projects
demands comprehensive assessment
of the AEC industry’s role in global
sustainability goals. Presently, the AEC
industry’s contribution towards natural
resource extraction and waste generation
is estimated at around 30% of the global
figures. The built environment has also
been found to be the primary contributor
to global greenhouse gas emissions, with
about 36% of global energy use and
39% of CO2 emissions as per the World
Green Building Council.
Needless to say, the AEC industry
requires sustainable project delivery
models to curtail material waste, energy
and fuel consumption.
Sustainability in the AEC industry is
primarily driven by project owners and
operators, contracting firms and the local
governments regulating construction
development. These stakeholders
influence the process and are capable
of setting-up project delivery models
aimed at sustainable project outcomes.
However, the AEC industry faces
significant challenges in project delivery
performance and mismanagement of
10 | AGI Newsletter
resource utilisation, often resulting in
increased project costs and durations, and
wastage.
Recent studies by McKinsey on efficient
project delivery performance have shown
a direct correlation between digitalization
and a significant reduction in actual
project costs and durations by 30%-50%,
and doubling of project returns.
Challenges & Benefits of
Sustainable Project Delivery
Project management outcomes targeted
at sustainability focus on prevention,
reuse and management of waste, leading
to reduced ramifications on the natural
environment. However, these strategies
are mutually exclusive due to the
difference in long-term environmental
benefits and short-term economic
objectives. Sustainable project delivery
is a process-driven approach aimed at
providing a structured workflow, and
combining the project goals in terms
of social, environmental and economic
performance.
Sustainable construction outcomes require
an updated project delivery model, with a
framework capable of addressing decade-
old industry challenges, including the
lack of integrated systems, prioritization
of short-term cost management over
long-term outcomes, poor stakeholders’
communication, and rigid planning &
design systems that are unable to adapt
to dynamic project demands. Industry
experts have embraced digitalized
project management to overcome
such challenges, with integrated digital
solutions, including BIM, GIS and 4IR
solutions aimed at targeted interventions
in project lifecycle, predict outcomes,
unified platform for project innovation,
and achieve sustainability goals.
Integrated GIS and BIM
Technologies for Project Quality
Management
As sustainable construction outcomes
are tied to a process-driven approach of
project management, industry leaders in
the AEC market have opted alternative
approaches to project delivery including
Top Quality Management (TQM), which
is considered more process-oriented as
compared to traditional management
systems which are results-oriented. TQM
prioritises project quality, flexibility and
adaptability, which act as catalysts to
sustainable project delivery. Furthermore,
Volume IV | September-October 2021

TQM ensures quality & productivity
with innovation and adoption of new
technology.
Studies have acknowledged the role
of TQM in the improvement of core
production activities, while mitigating
project waste and improved coordination
through data sharing within the firm.
Approaches like TQM can turn out to be
successful through the use of data-driven
operations (robust digital architecture),
and efficient project monitoring
platforms. An integrated GIS and
BIM platform, or GEOBIM, supports
development of digital architecture
for a single source of truth pertaining
to project information, and facilitates
real-time progress monitoring besides
data-driven decision making.
Benchmarking Project Data
using Integrated GIS and BIM
Technologies
Project data benchmarking is a
primary component of effective
quality management practices in
the construction sector. Besides,
benchmarking also assists the industry
in the identification of best construction
practices that can support a firm’s vision
of sustainable construction performance.
However, it is crucial for project
stakeholders to adopt technologies
to track, record and analyse project
workflows, and to develop benchmark
measurements for continuous quality
improvement. Integrated GIS and BIM
technologies can seamlessly interconnect
Figure 1: Project Delivery Challenges (Source: Why the time is right to reinvent capital-project delivery, Mckinsey)
Volume IV | September-October 2021
Article | GeoBIM for Digital Architecture
data between worksites, workers and
equipment, thus creating a free flow of
information across the project lifecycle.
Project Quality Inspection
using Integrated GIS and BIM
Technologies
Project progress monitoring is important
in sustainable project delivery, and it is
crucial to incorporate quality inspection
and identification of the requisite quality
tolerance as part of progress monitoring
in the early stages of the project lifecycle
itself. Quality inspection is the process
of checking planned work against actual
work on site for checking clash detection,
for instance, as well as inspection of
as-built elements during the design-to-
execution stage. Project stakeholders
must frequently conduct inspections on
sites to ensure compliance with quality
standards, and to drive sustainable
project delivery. Integrated GIS and BIM
technologies provide digital support for
design compliance evaluation, with an
array of solutions in the form of non-
intrusive measures aimed at:
I. Architectural assessment
(architectural design, structural
calculations etc.,)
II. Assessment of technical installations
(dimensions, energy consumption
etc.,)
III. Assessment of health and safety on-
site, and
IV. Environmental impact assessments.
Integrated GIS and BIM technologies
also enable risk analysis and provide
enhanced support for the tracking and
tracing of construction site activities.
Presently, several C&E companies have
embraced such digitalization solutions
to achieve improved productivity and to
leverage the power of data-producing
computing technologies in workers,
machines and materials. Such integrated
digital platforms have resulted in an
impressive 25% improvement in efficient
consumption of fuel on-site, 15%
increase in productivity, and 10% increase
in machine productivity enabling project
stakeholders to achieve sustainable
outcomes.
“An integrated GIS and
BIM platform, or GEOBIM,
supports development
of digital architecture
for a single source of
truth pertaining to
project information,
and facilitates real-time
progress monitoring
besides data-driven
decision making.”
AGI Newsletter | 11

GIS and BIM integration –
An Imperative for Transforming
Infrastructure Development
The infrastructure sector has become the
biggest focus area for the Government of
India in its vision for a $5 trillion economy
by 2025. In Union Budget 2021, the
government has given a massive push to
the infrastructure sector by expanding
the ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline
(NIP)’ and invested budget of $1.4 Tn on
infrastructure - 24% on renewable energy,
19% on roads & highways, 16% on urban
infrastructure, and 13% on railways.
However, the sectors still struggle with
multiple challenges across the entire
project lifecycle including technology
challenges such as disparate data on
multiple platforms, silos and lack of
collaboration which inhibit a single
authoritative view of project data
and consistent communication. The
Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MOSPI) 2019 report
finds that only in housing projects at least
355 projects witnessed a cost overrun of
Rs 3.88 lakh crore and about 552 projects
have faced time overrun.
Building Information Modelling
(BIM) and Geographic Information
System (GIS) today are the must-have
technologies that are transforming
infrastructure development.
BIM provides detailed information about
buildings and infrastructure assets, helping
create an integrated database(s) of assets
including a 3D digital representation of
their physical and functional characteristics
and extensive alphanumeric data about
associated components/objects.
Location is intrinsic to any infrastructure
project. GIS provides information
about these assets in the context of
the natural and built environments and
other vital factors, such as demographic,
socioeconomic, and environmental
considerations. It is a framework for
gathering, integrating, managing, analyzing,
and visualizing geospatial data using
maps and 3D scenes. This helps users
make better-informed decisions about
the operation and maintenance of those
assets.
GIS and BIM have evolved as technologies
serving distinctly separate parts of the life
12 | AGI Newsletter
cycle of organizations that operate and
build infrastructure. However, there is a
significant need to effectively integrate
those tools at the workflow level, so
project participants and stakeholders
can capitalize on their capabilities and
benefits. With an integrated workflow,
infrastructure assets can be better viewed
in relation to how that asset fits and
interacts with the surrounding ecosystem.
As we look up to a massive digital
transformation, the adoption of BIM
globally has increased over the last few
years. In India, the adoption is still at a
nascent stage and is slowly and steadily
finding its way into the sector. Nagpur
Metro construction is one of the first
few projects in India to adopt the 5D
BIM technology & one of the very few in
the world to have integrated 3D, 4D, and
5D by the way of integrating ERP with
BIM.
In addition, technology advancements
are driving ease-of-use, higher
accessibility, and a deeper integration
of these technologies. Esri – Autodesk
partnership has helped further build
a robust BIM-GIS offerings. Use of
drones has seen a significant uptake in
past few years for various applications
like construction monitoring. The Site
Scan for ArcGIS, the end-to-end drone
mapping solution, provides a direct
integration with Autodesk BIM 360
where drone mapping where drone site
surveys can be used for construction
monitoring, change detection as well
Figure: ArcGIS GeoBIM applied to Esri’s Building E
Article | Esri India
identifying any deviations with respect to
planned designs.
With ArcGIS for AutoCAD, CAD
drawings can be enriched with ArcGIS
hosted maps, imagery, and geographic
features. The geographic features can
be edited within AutoCAD and can
be used for navigating the drawing
through location. Recently launched
Esri ArcGIS GeoBIM is yet another
example. It empowers project teams, by
connecting ArcGIS with the Autodesk
Construction Cloud and BIM 360,
to explore and collaborate on BIM
projects and issues using data from
multiple systems in a geospatial context.
GeoBIM enables secure access to project
information, including BIM content,
reality capture, documentation, and
issues so that project teams can see active
information for better decision making
and collaboration.
These innovations will boost productivity,
streamline project management and
procedures, reduce costs, and enhance
quality and safety of infrastructure
development. In India, the transition
towards adopting BIM and GIS has
begun as the Government of India’s
focuses on improving development
through using geospatial and BIM
technologies to deliver more sustainable
and resilient infrastructure. Integrated
geospatial and BIM technologies
are at the forefront of this digital
transformation.
Volume IV | September-October 2021