Reimagining AEC

On Reimagining AEC, his own independent podcast, Dr Sepehr Abrishami follows one concrete work package on an illustrative station project to explain how a building information model supports cost estimation, budgeting and control. The episode builds a progress monitoring strategy on a seven-level work breakdown structure and rules of credit, works through earned value management and its two indices, the cost performance index and the schedule performance index, and examines how quantity, progress and cost data are collected from site and brought together in a BIM-based project controls system on a large programme.

Chapters

• 0:00 Opening: one package, one awkward question
• 2:35 Two definitions and the case for a model
• 8:44 Connecting the model to estimating, budgeting and control
• 13:03 Measuring progress from a single wall upwards
• 16:10 Earned value and the two indices
• 18:44 Data from site and a working system
• 22:35 Close

After listening, you should be able to:

• Discuss a progress monitoring strategy that tracks what has been built against what was planned, anchored to a structured work breakdown structure and measured at object level with agreed rules of credit.
• Explain the earned value management approach and calculate and interpret the cost performance index and the schedule performance index.
• Evaluate the methods used to collect quantity, progress and cost data from a construction site, and explain why they must share one breakdown structure and one set of cost codes.
• Determine how BIM changes cost estimation, budgeting and control, moving from disconnected spreadsheets and drawings to a model-based, object-level view of cost and progress under the ISO 19650 series and ISO 7817-1.

References

• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-1:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 1: Concepts and principles. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-2:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 2: Delivery phase of the assets. BSI.
• Das, K., Khursheed, S., & Paul, V. K. (2025). The impact of BIM on project time and cost: Insights from case studies. Discover Materials, 5, Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00200-2
• International Cost Management Standard Coalition. (2021). International cost management standard (3rd ed.). ICMS Coalition.
• International Organization for Standardization. (2024). ISO 7817-1:2024 Building information modelling. Level of information need. Part 1: Concepts and principles. ISO.
• Project Management Institute. (2019). The standard for earned value management. Project Management Institute.
• Radman, K., Babaeian Jelodar, M., Lovreglio, R., Ghazizadeh, E., & Wilkinson, S. (2025). Automated construction delay management mechanism (earned value) of electrical and instrument works with BIM and Microsoft tools. In M. Babaeian Jelodar, R. Lovreglio, Z. Feng, D. Paes, V. Kumar, & C. Siriwardana (Eds.), Creating capacity and capability: Embracing advanced technologies and innovations for sustainable future in building education and practice (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 564, pp. 251–265). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-2802-5_20
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. (2021). NRM 1: Order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works (3rd ed.). RICS.

Reimagining AEC is Dr Sepehr Abrishami's own podcast. Related episodes take up neighbouring subjects one at a time, among them 4D BIM and the construction programme, the introduction to BIM and the ISO 19650 framework, and information requirements under ISO 19650, and each can be heard in any order.

In this episode of Reimagining AEC, his own independent podcast, Dr Sepehr Abrishami follows one constrained city-centre site, with a single access road and two tower cranes, to explain how 4D BIM links the model to the construction programme. The episode covers the place of 4D within ISO 19650, what the link offers in coordination, quantities and site logistics, the six steps that build a 4D model, the barriers to adoption, and the use of 4D in health and safety. It closes with drones, wearable sensors and digital twins, which carry the same link onto the live site.

Chapters

• 0:00 Opening: one crowded site
• 2:37 What 4D is and where it sits
• 5:38 What the link buys a project
• 10:17 Building a 4D model in six steps
• 12:27 Why adoption is still uneven
• 14:51 4D for health and safety
• 17:36 From plan to live site: drones, IoT and digital twins
• 21:46 Close

After listening, you should be able to:

• Define 4D BIM as the link between model elements and programme activities, and explain how a 4D model is managed as part of the project information model under BS EN ISO 19650.
• Explain the advantages of 4D in delivery, including visualisation, communication, clash detection, quantity take-off and site logistics planning.
• Discuss the main barriers to adoption, in terms of skills and culture, cost of transition, procurement route and interoperability.
• Describe the six-step 4D implementation process, from importing the model to simulating and reviewing the programme.
• Apply 4D to health and safety management through hazard identification, visual training, risk zoning and BS EN ISO 19650-6.
• Explain how unmanned aerial vehicles, the Internet of Things and digital twins extend 4D towards predictive construction control.

References

• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-1:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 1: Concepts and principles. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-2:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 2: Delivery phase of the assets. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2018). PAS 1192-6:2018 Specification for collaborative sharing and use of structured health and safety information using BIM. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2025). BS EN ISO 19650-6:2025 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 6: Health and safety information. BSI.
• Elghaish, F., Matarneh, S., Talebi, S., Kagioglou, M., Hosseini, M. R., & Abrishami, S. (2021). Toward digitalization in the construction industry with immersive and drones technologies: A critical literature review. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 10(3), 345–363. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-06-2020-0077
• Kumar, S., Poyyamozhi, M., Murugesan, B., Rajamanickam, N., Alroobaea, R., & Nureldeen, W. (2024). Investigation of unsafe construction site conditions using deep learning algorithms using unmanned aerial vehicles. Sensors, 24(20), Article 6737. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24206737
• Rischmoller, L., & Alarcón, L. F. (2002). 4D-PS: Putting an IT new work process into effect. In Proceedings of the CIB W78 Conference 2002. Aarhus School of Architecture. https://eres.scix.net/pdfs/w78-2002-13.content.pdf
• Sajid, Z. W., Ullah, F., Qayyum, S., Masood, R., Inam, H., & Maqsoom, A. (2025). AIoT-powered drones in the construction industry: A review. Drone Systems and Applications, 13, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1139/dsa-2025-0001
• Swallow, M., & Zulu, S. (2019). Benefits and barriers to the adoption of 4D modeling for site health and safety management. Frontiers in Built Environment, 4, Article 86. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2018.00086
• Wu, F., Wu, T., & Yuce, M. R. (2019). An Internet-of-Things (IoT) network system for connected safety and health monitoring applications. Sensors, 19(1), Article 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19010021

Reimagining AEC is Dr Sepehr Abrishami's own podcast. Related episodes take up neighbouring subjects one at a time, among them the introduction to BIM and the ISO 19650 framework, cost management with BIM, the common data environment and the digitising of health and safety information, and each can be heard in any order.

In this episode of Reimagining AEC, his own independent podcast, Dr Sepehr Abrishami follows one services riser in a residential block to set out what building information modelling is and what it is for. The episode covers the ISO 19650 definition of BIM, the dimensions from 3D to 6D, the move from PAS 1192 to ISO 19650, the common data environment, level of information need, and the chain from exchange information requirements to delivery plans. It closes with the golden thread under the Building Safety Act 2022 and the place of digital twins in the same framework.

Chapters

• 0:00 Opening: one riser, one question
• 3:08 The problem and the definition
• 7:14 One set of objects, four classes of information: 3D, 4D, 5D and 6D
• 12:47 From a UK maturity model to an international vocabulary
• 16:24 The common data environment
• 20:45 Asking for the right information: requirements and level of information need
• 24:38 The supply chain's answer: BEP, MIDP, TIDP and the delivery process
• 27:50 After handover: the golden thread and digital twins
• 31:47 Close

After listening, you should be able to:

• Define BIM using the ISO 19650-1 definition and explain why BIM is a process rather than a software product.
• Explain what the BIM dimensions from 3D to 6D add, and how errors in 3D information carry into programme, cost and operation.
• Trace the transition from the Levels framework and the PAS 1192 suite to the BS EN ISO 19650 series and the 2021 Information Management Mandate.
• Apply the four states of a common data environment and the decisions that move information between them.
• Distinguish level of information need from the older level of development scale.
• Outline the hierarchy of information requirements and how the EIR drives the BEP, MIDP and TIDPs, and relate the golden thread and digital twins to ISO 19650 delivery.

References

• Barton, T. (2020, May). Pressing pause to avoid error. Institution of Civil Engineers. https://www.ice.org.uk/news-and-insight/the-civil-engineer/may-2020/pressing-pause-to-avoid-error
• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-1:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 1: Concepts and principles. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2018). BS EN ISO 19650-2:2018 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 2: Delivery phase of the assets. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2020). BS EN ISO 19650-3:2020 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 3: Operational phase of the assets. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2020). BS EN ISO 19650-5:2020 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 5: Security-minded approach to information management. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2020). BS EN 17412-1:2020 Building information modelling. Level of information need. Part 1: Concepts and principles (Withdrawn). BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2022). BS 8644-1:2022 Digital management of fire safety information. Part 1: Design, construction, handover, asset management and emergency response. Code of practice. BSI.
• British Standards Institution. (2024). BS EN ISO 7817-1:2024 Building information modelling. Level of information need. Part 1: Concepts and principles. BSI.
• Building Safety Act 2022, c. 30. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/30
• Centre for Digital Built Britain. (2018). The Gemini principles. University of Cambridge. https://www.cdbb.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/TheGeminiPrinciples.pdf
• Construction Leadership Council. (2024). Delivering the golden thread: Guidance for dutyholders and accountable persons. Construction Leadership Council.
• Hackitt, J. (2018). Building a safer future: Independent review of building regulations and fire safety. Final report. HM Government.
• Hetherington, J., & West, M. (2020). The pathway towards an information management framework: A "commons" for Digital Built Britain. Centre for Digital Built Britain.
• Infrastructure and Projects Authority. (2021). Transforming infrastructure performance: Roadmap to 2030. HM Government.
• International Organization for Standardization. (2022). ISO 19650-4:2022 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 4: Information exchange. ISO.
• International Organization for Standardization. (2025). ISO 19650-6:2025 Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM). Information management using building information modelling. Part 6: Health and safety information. ISO.
• Sacks, R., Eastman, C., Lee, G., & Teicholz, P. (2018). BIM handbook: A guide to building information modeling for owners, designers, engineers, contractors, and facility managers (3rd ed.). Wiley.
• UK BIM Framework. (2019). Information management according to BS EN ISO 19650. Guidance Part 1: Concepts (2nd ed.). UK BIM Framework.
• UK BIM Framework. (2020). Information management according to BS EN ISO 19650. Guidance Part C: Facilitating the common data environment (workflow and technical solutions) (1st ed.). UK BIM Framework.

Reimagining AEC is Dr Sepehr Abrishami's own podcast. Related episodes take up the subjects introduced here one at a time, among them 4D BIM, cost management with BIM, information requirements under ISO 19650, the common data environment and the golden thread for higher-risk buildings, and each can be heard in any order.

Dr Sepehr Abrishami introduces Reimagining AEC, his own podcast on how the built environment handles information. In under five minutes he sets out the problem the show exists for, the subjects the episodes cover, from the ISO 19650 series and the common data environment to the golden thread and artificial intelligence in practice, how the episodes stand alone so they can be heard in any order, who is speaking and who the show is for.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and the problem the show exists for
• 01:05 What the episodes cover
• 02:15 How to use the episodes
• 02:35 Who is speaking and who the show is for
• 03:44 Close

After listening, you should be able to:

• State the problem the show addresses, the loss of information as a building passes through many hands.
• Name the four groups of subjects the episodes cover and pick an episode by subject.
• Describe how each episode is built, one subject, one argument, one running example, and applied takeaways.

Reimagining AEC is Dr Sepehr Abrishami's own podcast. Related episodes take the subjects named here one at a time, among them information requirements under ISO 19650, the common data environment, the golden thread for higher-risk buildings and artificial intelligence in architectural practice, and each can be heard in any order.