BIM / VDCO Consulting

At VDCO Tech, we work to bridge the gap between real world practice and BIM Technologies. We help clients identify areas in their organization that can benefit from proven workflows and best practices; or can simply serve as BIM Experts, and be on-hand to answer the simplest of BIM questions - there is no job too big or small for our dedicated team of BIM experts.

VDCO Tech’s BIM Standards and BIM Execution Plan Development focuses on helping our clients define terminology, workflow, process and deliverables. Working with established industry standards as guidelines, our team of professionals builds upon what is currently defined and then customizes these definitions to meet your individual needs. In addition, VDCO Tech’s best practices helps businesses develop project specific Execution Plans.

One size does not fit all and we know first-hand that “BIM out- of-the -box” doesn’t work for everyone. Our team of BIM trainers and educators will work with you to customize training to meet your individual needs. Whether on-site in our offices or yours, or via the web, we can teach you BIM technology and process and customize training for your project and teams. Our instructors are multi-lingual and work around your schedule to accommodate training and project deliverables.

 VDCO Tech has been using a leading software/process management tool in remote quality control and progress monitoring for Owner Compliance Review projects since 2019. Using this software and our 360degree cameras and drones, we can bring the construction site to the decision makers and project stakeholders, virtually and almost in real time. We use the photo captures to overlay the BIMs so we can evaluate current existing conditions and project progress. We can easily see what is there on site, to what should be there based on the Trade Contractors installation models, and the contractors monthly schedule updates. 

VDCO Tech provided traditional P6 Scheduling review consulting services which includes providing monthly reports and update on the project schedule. We also collect field data and documents monthly on schedule progress; Assimilate data and verify schedule progress; Review and fully understand updated schedule changes; Prepare change lists and schedule narrative updates; Review schedule changes for possible time-impacts, out of sequence work and stacking trade impacts and equipment and long lead item reviews and reporting of findings.

 An application for payment is a document that identifies and presents a method on how a contractor will be paid. An application for payment provides both the owner and the contractor, with a method of controlling what items or materials have been provided by the contractor. Some of VDCO Tech’s clients have incorporated using the BIMs as part of the pay application process. BIMs should accurately reflect the percentage complete on the pay request or a written explanation must be given to explain any variance prior to payment. 

We understand how BIM works in theory and in real-world practice.  We work to create more sophisticated, professional models and work together to identify clashes, conflicts and design problems virtually during all phases of a project. Utilizing the latest software and technologies, VDCO is well-versed in a wide variety of BIM tools, platforms and Open Standards. 

We will work with you to establish protocols for model issuance and can manage and host your model integration meetings. We provide detailed reports with MIR’s (Model Information Requests), construction issues, shop drawing production and other customized reports to keep your BIMs on-track and coordinated. We provide safe upload and download locations for files and can manage the process from start to completion and even beyond into Facilities Management. We work on a variety of platforms and can lead your process or serve as an extension of your staff.

Documenting what happens in the field through a BIM as-built or providing BIM Shop Drawings on your project has great value both during and after construction for the Contractor and Owner. A better way to communicate assembly and installation, the 3D Models ensure that the Contractor, Manufacturers, Suppliers and Installers have understood the design objective. VDCO Tech also utilizes laser scanning for as-built documentation and can validate the BIMs to installation via the point cloud.

Show the world you know BIM Technology and process! The Associated General Contractors Certificate of Management Building Information Modeling (CM-BIM) is an assessment-based certificate credential that denotes knowledge and understanding of concepts related to BIM adoption, practice and process.  Based on AGC’s BIM Education Program, a CM-BIM can be achieved by completing all four courses in the BIM Education Program successfully and by passing the CM-BIM Test assessment. VDCO Tech staff are licensed teachers / instructors of these programs and offer classes on site or at your offices.

We view BIM enabled projects not just benefiting the owner and their operators but also the other business centers who need access to the same building information.  VDCO Tech does not consider a BIM  just a final deliverable but as virtual digital asset that should be leveraged as far into the building lifecycle as possible. We support BIM as essential to the project process, but see the full value a BIM found during operational life of the building where the majority of the life cycle costs occur. VDCO Tech leverages the free open Construction to Operations Building  information exchange  (COBie) standard for the transfer of building information between Virtual Design and Construction softwares and owners existing facility databases. 

 Our services are primarily responsible for assisting clients with their BIM / Facilities Management (FM) integration strategy. Support services include evaluation of BIM uses to improve FM workflows, assistance in preparing business cases for BIM/FM implementations, providing a road map for planning and implementation of a BIM / FM integration, and development of comprehensive BIM guides for design and construction with FM deliverables.    A specific area of VDCO Tech’s expertise is in COBie Standard requirements and providing client specific COBie Implementation Plans (CIP) for contracting asset data deliverables used in FM applications (e.g. Maximo, TMA,..).

If a picture says a thousand words, a BIM says millions! Visualization is one of the easiest and most obvious benefits of BIM and one of the most powerful uses. The 3Dimensional Model enables everyone to see the project as it would be built on site. Used to support design making and communicate intent to critical stakeholders and decision makers, using the BIM’s as a visualization and communication tool can be highly effective. Walkthroughs, renderings, photorealistic imagery, virtual mock-ups, virtual and augmented reality and schedule visualization are all forms of BIM Visualization Uses.

As programmers and BIM experts, VDCO Tech is taking visualization to the next level and is proud to be part of the Microsoft Hololens Development Approved Vendors Program. Using the Hololens, we are working to create apps and Revit Plugins to place digital content BIMs into the physical space around you, so that you can interact with it in the same way you interact with physical objects. We believe BIM and Virtual Reality are the future for visualization in the AEC industry and are working with our technology partners to bring BIM’s and information to life. 

The intelligence of the software to apply rules that are based on physics and best practices provides a complement for engineers and other project team members such as VDCO Tech. The software can do much more of the analysis and modeling to achieve peak performance, condensing knowledge and rules into a service that can run with the click of a button. Some of the analysis that VDCO Tech can do for clients includes: visualization analysis, quantity takeoff analysis, scheduling analysis, LEED Rating / Energy Analysis, Whole-building energy analysis, Carbon emissions reporting, daylighting, Water usage and costs, and natural ventilation potential. 

 Many Owners know how to use BIM in design and construction, however they do not fully understand what specific facilities data is needed from the model to manage the building. VDCO Tech can help by working with you to define what model deliverables and information should be provided by the design and construction team that will be helpful to the management of the facility. As part of a project planning process or as a stand-alone service, our FM BIM Team creates a road map that will bridge the construction BIM needs with the Facility and Financial Managers’ needs.     

The VDCO Tech Team is fully capable of supporting integrating BIM with GIS. Using our team’s extensive knowledge of BIM and GIS, we are able to utilize the ArcGIS Data Interoperability Extension to allow the import of IFC (BIM) features into a Geodatabase (GIS) for publishing to a web viewer. We work with our clients to understand their data development processes and submission standards and make recommendations to implement those standards across all data delivery methods whether it be CAD, BIM or GIS.  

VDCO Tech has created a new BIM use specific to Building Owners Maintenance & Operations Departments. Using a Federated BIM, the Designer and Construction teams shall demonstrate there is sufficient access to perform proper maintenance activities on building systems and their associated components. D4M reviews differ from constructability reviews as they seek to ensure that elements surrounding these components do not hinder accessibility to safely perform scheduled or corrective maintenance activities