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February
26, 2009
Contact: Gretchen Hesbacher
ghesbacher@nibs.org
(202) 787-3271
Organizations to look at BIM for cost
engineering, estimating projects
WASHINGTON, DC — Building-related organizations want to find
out if building information modeling (BIM) can make cost engineering and
estimating practices more efficient. Officials from eight organizations
signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to develop processes to more
accurately estimate facility lifecycle costs. The organizations will form
teams under the sponsorship of the buildingSMART alliance™ (a council of the
National Institute of Building Sciences), to see if BIM can solve cost
engineering and estimating problems. Positive results could lead to new
candidate standards for the National Building Information Modeling Standard.
“We established a start-up group to coordinate estimating
efforts across the industry and this important agreement is the result,”
said buildingSMART alliance™ Executive Director Deke Smith. “With limited
resources available, it is important that we do not duplicate efforts. By
working together we can keep the lines of communication open for everyone to
stay abreast of actions in this sector and allow the free flow of ideas.
This initiative is open. We encourage participation from individuals,
companies, associations and all levels of government.”
The eight organization representatives signed the MOA in
December during the buildingSMART alliance™ National Conference in
Washington, D.C. Signers included: The Association for the Advancement of
Cost Engineering (AACE) Executive Director Andy Dowd; American Society of
Professional Estimators (ASPE) Executive Director Edward Walsh; U.S. General
Services Administration Assistant Commissioner for Construction Programs
William Guerin; FIATECH Executive Director Ric Jackson; Faithful+Gould
Senior Vice President Michael Dell’Isola; RICS Americas Construction Council
Chairman Simon Taylor; Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC) Chief
Operating Officer Todd Mann; and National Institute of Building Sciences
President Henry Green.
Created in 2007, the
buildingSMART alliance™ promotes and coordinates public and private sector
technical and financial support for advanced digital technology in the real
property industry—from concept, design and construction through operations
and management. The Alliance is a program of the National Institute of
Building Sciences, which is authorized by Public law to foster the
development and use of new building-related technologies and processes. The
Institute is charged with helping to improve building construction and
operation to benefit all Americans. For information on the buildingSMART
alliance™, see
www.buildingsmartalliance.org.
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