As building information modeling continues to gain traction as a project design tool—particularly in the healthcare sector where even greater efficiencies can be captured due to the complex nature of hospitals—one Midwest institution is now applying BIM in a most innovative way.

Retroactively converting all its two-dimensional drawings into 3-D BIM models for its campus of 55 buildings, The Ohio State University Medical Center is proving that BIM’s value can go way beyond new construction.

Fuller coverage in HealthcareBuilding Ideas’ upcoming Spring 2012 issue will delve into the details of how the Columbus, Ohio-based architecture firm, the DesignGroup, helped the medical center execute this project. But essentially, the motivation behind the initiative was the hospital’s interest in improving the quality and speed of decision-making for facility use, renovations, maintenance, wayfinding, and energy use.

For example, the newly converted BIM documents have come in very handy as the facility renovates its emergency room. With the aid of high-quality renderings and a video walkthrough extracted from the BIM models, executives have been better equipped to make decisions about how to set up the renovated space.

In addition, Joe Porostosky, the medical center’s manager of facilities information and technology services, and Brian Skripac, BIM director, DesignGroup, point out the following “retro” benefits as distinctly related to healthcare facilities:

  • Frequently, grant research funding and reimbursement is tied to up-to-date data on how different spaces within a healthcare facility are being utilized.
  • Often, compliance reporting requires access to space usage data.
  • Hospitals can easily visualize different renovation possibilities.
  • Exporting BIM data to energy modeling programs can help hospitals determine how to best invest their energy-efficiency upgrade dollars.
  • It becomes easier to accommodate upgraded medical equipment and mechanical systems.

Set to complete the conversion by the summer’s end, the facility anticipates discovering even more ways to capture value from its fully “BIM’ed” campus.