BIM Manager Role in the Integration and Coordination of Construction Projects

Building information modelling (BIM) methodology has been implemented in the construction industry, reaching all sectors: multidisciplinary design development; construction planning and monitoring; and building management and maintenance. A complete BIM project aggregates several disciplines and different professionals skillsets. In order to achieve a suitable control, contributing to improve the quality of the project, a BIM manager is required. The BIM manager has the responsibility to coordinate all tasks involved in a building design, as well as the associated activities usually that are normally worked-out, complementing the project. During the development of a project, a BIM manager can access various discipline models, located in a delayering shared platform, and request responsibilities and amendments if inconsistencies are detected. The relevance of the BIM manager function is illustrated with three building cases where distinct specific projects, disciplines, and tasks were elaborated: collaboration between disciplines (architecture, structures, and construction); structural analyses and reinforcement details; quantity take-off of materials and cost estimation; construction scheduling and simulation. Although there are limitations in the software interoperability capacity, within the elaboration of a multiple stage project, BIM implementation in the construction industry has been carried out. The present study shows that the BIM manager role in projects aggregates several disciplines and experts, bringing an important improvement in the quality of the final product. A suitable BIM implementation in the construction industry needs to be supported by the most current advanced technology and in adequate BIM manager coordination.