Automation of BIM quantity take-off to suit QS’s requirements

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a thriving technology which laid potential to address problems in conventional practices based on Computer-Aided Design (CAD) drawings. Sustainability and complexity of today’s buildings are insist BIM technology and associated processes to develop for project delivery through sustainable procurement systems. Quantity Take-Off (QTO) is vitally important task in any building project since measurement practice applied to buildings has to be both accurate and consistent for auditing a building project from many different perspectives. However conventional QTO methods are tedious and error-prone. Major portion of Quantity Surveyor’s time is spent for QTO. BIM QTO tools are task specific software applications delivering great promise to automate the extraction of quantities from BIM models. Visual building QTO improves productivity and accuracy that leads to sustainable QS practices. The time saving offered by these technologies will allow the Quantity Surveyor to focus more on other value adding services. However the automated outputs must suit the Quantity Surveyors’ requirements in order to be effectively useful. Otherwise, the reliance on such technologies could result in such consequences, deviate from sustainability. This research is focused on “How far BIM QTO tools can automate QTO to suit QS’s requirements?” The findings will contribute to the knowledge by establishing the status contribution of BIM for QTO being a primary function of Quantity Surveying within the overall sustainable procurement systems anticipated for the building industry.