ARXX goes BIM!

Understanding Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Building information modeling is an integrated process built on coordinated, reliable information about a project from design through construction and into operations. With BIM, design professionals are able to work collaboratively using models created from consistent and reliable design information.

Click here to access the ARXX ICF BIM models on Autodesk Seek. BIM covers geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, quantities and properties of building materials and components. It can therefore be used to demonstrate not only the entire building lifecycle, but also the impacts the building and its component materials have on the environment.

By adopting BIM, architects, engineers, contractors and owners can easily:

• Create coordinated digital design information and documentation.
• Use that information to more accurately visualize, simulate and analyze performance, appearance and cost.
• Deliver the project faster, more economically, and with the potential for reduced environmental impact.
• Make faster and better decisions.
• Predict the buildings performance characteristics before breaking ground.
• Create drawings and details directly from a model (and have the software automatically coordinate these drawings and details with the model).
• Improve efficiency and accuracy of green certification.
• Obtain schedules of building material quantities to determine the percentages of material reuse, recycling and salvage.
• Utilize advanced visualization techniques for solar studies.
• Improve collaborative communication among various stakeholders (architect, owner, consultants, review bodies, builder, etc.)

With BIM, much of the data needed to support performance analysis is captured naturally as design proceeds. BIM allows design professionals to analyze how a building will perform, even in the early stages of design. Armed with this information, design professionals can evaluate design alternatives quickly and make better decisions for greener more energy efficient designs. By streamlining design and analysis, BIM facilitates the calculations needed to optimize building performance.

ARXX Insulating Concrete Forms and BIM

As industry methods evolve to meet the increasing complexity and multiple requirements for information and data related to construction, sustainable design and building life cycle analysis, it’s important that ARXX leads the way with the tools necessary to make designing and building with ARXX ICFs easy and efficient.

ARXX has created over 120 combinations of parametric 3D model details of standard ARXX Edge, Prime and Steel ICFs and applied a variety of common exterior and interior wall finishes. Design professionals now have the necessary product information and specifications for ARXX products at their finger tips. Some of the information readily available through BIM about ARXX products and wall assemblies include:

• Size – length , width, height, EPS thickness
• Volume
• Clear R value
• Wall assembly U Value - minimum
• Fire Resistance rating
• Sound attenuation rating - minimum
• Form weight

All of the ARXX BIM files are available through Autodesk® Seek. Autodesk is the industry leading online source for building product information that allows design professionals to search, select and specify the best building materials for their projects such as ARXX insulating concrete forms. ARXX ICF products have been developed as a family of 3D details for Autodesk Revit® software versions 2009 and 2010. The RVT, DWG, DWF and DXF files are all available for download including any relevant marketing and specification materials.

To watch an ARXX BIM demonstration video(wmv file, 16MB)* click here.

If you have any questions about ARXX BIM files, contact our technical support team at 1.800.293.3210 x 5 or techsupport@arxx.com. We’re here to help.

Click here to access the ARXX ICF BIM models on Autodesk Seek.