Using BIM to Teach Design and Construction of Sustainable Buildings

Zhigang Shen; Wayne G. Jensen; Bruce Allen Fischer; Timothy G. Wentz

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Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Building Information Modeling (BIM)
Tagged Division: Construction
Page Count: 11
Page Numbers: 25.1420.1 - 25.1420.11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--22177
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/22177
Download Count: 581

Paper Authors

biography

Zhigang Shen University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Zhigang Shen is an Assistant Professor of Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He received his Ph.D. in construction from the University of Florida. Shen received more than $1.7 million in federal research grants on energy efficient buildings and innovative engineering education, from NSF, U.S. EPA, and DOE. Shen authored and co-authored more than 30 journal and conference papers in construction, energy efficient buildings, sustainable built environment, BIM applications, and innovative engineering education.

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Associate Professor, Construction Management

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Abstract

Using BIM to teach “what-if” scenarios in education of sustainable building design and constructionBuilding information model (BIM), as a 3D information repository, has been graduallyintegrated into building energy analysis and simulation applications. As a result, preliminaryevaluation of sustainability of buildings became easier, faster, and accessible for educationcommunity. This new accessibility to powerful software provides great technology platform forboth instructors and students in building design and construction, to teach and learn the impactsof design and construction practices on building sustainability. So far limited publication wasfound on how to utilize BIM-based platform in formal teaching and learning settings of buildingsustainability.The objectives of this paper are 1) to introduce a curriculum of integrated BIM based buildingsustainability course; 2) to identify and discuss the applicable BIM techniques in Green buildingeducation; and 3) to demonstrate teaching and learning cases and projects used in this course.A first-time offered BIM class was used as a case study in this paper. The curriculum andprocedures of implementing BIM based sustainability education are introduced. One of theimportant requirements for students in this class is to learn three different BIM softwarepackages in one semester in order to be able to use BIM to conduct “what-if” sustainabilityanalysis on building design and construction. Challenges and lessons learned were discussed onhow to efficiently teach three BIM software in one semester. Typical functions of Ecotect®, aBIM based sustainability analysis software, are discussed for their applicability in classroomteaching. In this e course, both residential and commercial buildings were used as term projectsto integrate the pieces of knowledge students had learned in the class. Feedbacks from thestudents are collected for an analysis of changes on both student knowledge and attitude.In summary, using a case study, the authors shared procedures and contents in a new courseusing BIM platform to teach building sustainability in construction program. The authors hope itwill promote more discussions and knowledge sharing on this important topic.

Citation
Format

Shen, Z., & Jensen, W. G., & Fischer, B. A., & Wentz, T. G. (2012, June), Using BIM to Teach Design and Construction of Sustainable Buildings Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--22177

TY - CPAPER
AB - Using BIM to teach “what-if” scenarios in education of sustainable building design and constructionBuilding information model (BIM), as a 3D information repository, has been graduallyintegrated into building energy analysis and simulation applications. As a result, preliminaryevaluation of sustainability of buildings became easier, faster, and accessible for educationcommunity. This new accessibility to powerful software provides great technology platform forboth instructors and students in building design and construction, to teach and learn the impactsof design and construction practices on building sustainability. So far limited publication wasfound on how to utilize BIM-based platform in formal teaching and learning settings of buildingsustainability.The objectives of this paper are 1) to introduce a curriculum of integrated BIM based buildingsustainability course; 2) to identify and discuss the applicable BIM techniques in Green buildingeducation; and 3) to demonstrate teaching and learning cases and projects used in this course.A first-time offered BIM class was used as a case study in this paper. The curriculum andprocedures of implementing BIM based sustainability education are introduced. One of theimportant requirements for students in this class is to learn three different BIM softwarepackages in one semester in order to be able to use BIM to conduct “what-if” sustainabilityanalysis on building design and construction. Challenges and lessons learned were discussed onhow to efficiently teach three BIM software in one semester. Typical functions of Ecotect®, aBIM based sustainability analysis software, are discussed for their applicability in classroomteaching. In this e course, both residential and commercial buildings were used as term projectsto integrate the pieces of knowledge students had learned in the class. Feedbacks from thestudents are collected for an analysis of changes on both student knowledge and attitude.In summary, using a case study, the authors shared procedures and contents in a new courseusing BIM platform to teach building sustainability in construction program. The authors hope itwill promote more discussions and knowledge sharing on this important topic.
AU - Zhigang Shen
AU - Wayne G. Jensen
AU - Bruce Allen Fischer
AU - Timothy G. Wentz
CY - San Antonio, Texas
DA - 2012/06/10
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Using BIM to Teach Design and Construction of Sustainable Buildings
UR - https://peer.asee.org/22177
DO - 10.18260/1-2--22177
ER -