What is BIM, and what impact will it have on fire safety professionals?
The concept of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been around since 2011. However, a recent shift in the perception of BIM has allowed this digital approach to flourish, with 73% of specifiers in 2020 saying they are now using BIM. Here, Robert Norton, UK Team Leader, PlanRadar details how the process can support fire engineers and building safety professionals from construction, through to occupation stage.
BIM requires thorough data collection, collation, and management to improve the design, construction, and operation of buildings, ultimately making them safer for end users. As a result, fire protection engineers are turning to BIM to incorporate fire safety measures, since it equips designs with inherited fire handling capabilities.
Firstly, BIM models serve as well-organised and comprehensive data banks, providing valuable visual evidence and quality building information. Construction teams can then visualise if the design has compatibility with fire safety systems and defence mechanisms. Fire safety engineers can consequently devise their fire safety plans according to the relevant information, ultimately offering more protection for the end users.
Another useful feature of BIM is the design detailing offered. Complete construction detailing of the fire services in a building helps engineers calculate the pump types, flow of water per second, the area covered by a sprinkler, friction losses, fire stoppers, and more, and chart-out performance graphs of the design proposed.
BIM can accurately visualise and sequence the construction process of the fire safety mechanisms and enables users to check for the best layouts to avoid clashes with other services like plumbing, structures, and electricity. BIM models can display the 3D visuals of the fire sprinkler systems, simulations of fire plans, and materialistic features of fire safety items, such as fire doors, which can be accurately represented during each stage of their lifecycle (from the manufacturing process through to installation and continued door maintenance).
“Through each project gateway, Global offers complete end to end traceability using platforms like PlanRadar. The swift and simple digital data capture offered by PlanRadar enables us to meet the four key phases for complete asset management under the BM Trada Q Mark 170 Scheme. The technology and BIM models enable us to create a full audit history for each of our products, and offer instant data live for efficient fire inspections.”
No matter how well designed, the final piece of the construction puzzle remains with how the build is produced on site. Is proper due care being given to fire safety inspection? And, how can site staff be sure that the building is true to its original specification? Digital project management tools are helping in this area. For site managers, or those in charge of building quality and control, the introduction of tools that digitally log when work has been carried out has been a game changer.
With a flexible platform like PlanRadar, each `pin´ on the plan is a unique identifier for a firestopping element. This pin can be attached to a specific firestopping element with a specific IFC model number. The live information of the pin can be exported via a BCF file or integrated with third party platforms to create a full audit history. Fire safety teams can now have a full, transparent audit trail for what happened, when it happened and who was responsible for it, saving them time – both when designing the suitable fire protection systems for a building and when assessing and reporting on an existing building.
As BIM can visualise and simulate the complete fire safety mechanism, it is easier for engineers to assess if the designs and plans are fulfilling the required fire safety norms. Furthermore, if there is an ongoing fire risk assessment (FRA) where there is a need to continuously go back to the site, every time a user returns they can see all the live, up-to-date pins and what work has actually been done, rather than walking around aimlessly.
The use of BIM and digital tools enables fire engineers to streamline the inspection processes, inviting risk assessors into the process so they are accountable for the actions taken.
“Since Dame Judith Hackitt recommended the introduction of a ‘Golden Thread’ as a tool to manage buildings, clients approached us for support, as they realised, we had many of the features ready and available on our platform. We support clients in digitising their fire safety procedures, providing total compliance and peace of mind. At its most basic, PlanRadar is a means to capture evidence on the go and create a tamper-proof audit trail, as well as acting as a communication platform for fire-safety measures across digital plans and BIM.”
NFC tags are quickly gaining popularity in the construction and real estate industries for their ability to improve on-site information and data capture. These tags use near field communication (NFC) technology, which allows the transfer of information between two chips, derived from RFID. In simple terms, when you bring your mobile device near an NFC tag, information stored on the tag is easily accessible right on your device. There is increasing use of NFC tags in hospitals and schools to ensure there is an up-to-date and complete digital record of each firestopping device in a system.
As BIM becomes even more sophisticated and the construction industry focuses on the safety of end users, it could become essential for digital tools to be used for ongoing fire safety checks and maintenance of buildings.
The use of digital tools enables construction and asset management teams to create a full, tamper-proof audit history so it is known who is accountable for actions taken, and when they were completed. Using BIM would provide greater peace of mind that fire safety has been prioritised.
Find out more about PlanRadar and its digital tools to support fire safety professionals at FIREX 2023 on Stand FI1625, or via its website, here >>
