Kang offers highlights from Dallas BIM
conference in Constructech magazine

Julian Kang, a Texas A&M construction science professor, provides insight into the obstacles confronting general contractors using Building Information Modeling technology in an Oct. 12 Constructech magazine article.
                                                                                                                       
Drawing from observations shared by owners, general contractors and sub-contractors at Sept. 23-24 BIM Conference in Dallas, Kang notes that identifying BIM-related problems can be difficult, because the parties who encounter them prefer to talk about their successes and best practices, rather than focus on difficulties and how they were resolved.

“Without getting to know the problems, it is not going to be easy for us to come up with solutions to solve them,” Kang told Constructech.

Among the BIM-related issues identified by forum participants, Constructech reported, were architects not providing appropriate models to the construction team; models that don’t address construction concerns; and owners who either refuse to use BIM or who are dissatisfied with how BIM is used by project architects and general contractors.

The Dallas conference, BIM Texas 2010, organized in part by Kang, focused on how building information modeling can bridge the gap between what clients want and what contractors can offer. Held at the Omni Dallas Hotel, the event was co-sponsored by Texas A&M and TEXO, a construction association representing commercial contractors in North and East Texas.

The conference, attended by more than 200 construction professionals from across Texas, was tailored for construction industry professionals looking to begin or deepen their utilization of BIM technology.

The BIM forum moderated by Kang included representatives of government entities, the health care and retail industries, as well as general contractors and subcontractors. Conference highlights included:

• keynote speakers James Jacobi, senior principal and chief information officer at Houston-based Walter P. Moore, one of the nation's leading engineering consulting firms, and John Moebes, Crate & Barrel's director of construction;

• "Dynamic Prototyping," by Joshua Newton of the Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.,
• "The Owner’s BIM: Data Mining and Predictive Analysis," by Chris Tisdel of SpawGlass,
• "Integrating the Owner’s Requirements into the Design / Build Process," by Larry Ciscon of Treligence, a software development company, and
• "LEED & BIM – a greener combination" by Naresh Kalla of Weston Solutions, an infrastructure redevelopment firm.

The Constructech article about Kang’s BIM forum is available online at
http://www.constructech.com/news.

- Posted: Dec. 3, 2010 -

Contact:   Phillip Rollfing, prollfing@archone.tamu.edu or 979.458.0442.