Second International Conference on Construction in Developing Countries (ICCIDCII)

Advancing and Integrating Construction Education, Research & Practice

August 3-5, 2010, Cairo, Egypt

BIM and RFID Integration: A Pilot Study

Pavan Meadati
(Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, Georgia, US, pmeadati@spsu.edu)
Javier Irizarry
(Georgia Institute of Atlanta, Georgia, US, javier.irizarry@coa.gatech.edu)
Amin K. Akhnoukh
(University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas, US, akakhnoukh@ualr.edu)

Abstract
This paper discusses the feasibility of enabling an automated information exchange environment by
integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
technology. During the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase, the facility manager is required to refer
to unlinked two dimensional (2D) as-built drawings for dimensional details and multiple documents for
other information. In this process, considerable amount of time is spent performing non-value added tasks
such as searching, accessing and validating the information. This unlinked information reduces the
facility managers ability to address the needs of the facility which in turn increases O&M cost and time.
The challenges faced by facility managers in using unlinked information can be addressed by using
Building Information Models (BIM) in the O&M phase. BIM provides the means for quick and easy
information retrieval through a 3D model interface. However, as the model size increases, identification
and selection of the appropriate 3D model element that corroborates the real world component becomes a
tedious and time-consuming task. This identification and selection process can be automated by
integrating BIM with RFID technology. Integration of RFID technology with BIM facilitates easy
element selection and improves a facility managers information retrieval efficiency during the O&M
phase. This paper discusses the methodology for integration of RFID technology with Autodesks BIM
software and presents the results of a pilot study of the implementation of the methodology.

Keywords
BIM, RFID, facility manager, O&M .

1. Introduction
Traditionally information such as 2D as-built drawings, submittals, operation manuals, and warranties
that are transferred to owners for the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase are unlinked and they exist
as independent entities. Some of the challenges encountered by facility managers during the O&M
process include interpretation of two dimensional (2D) drawings and information retrieval. Typically a
facility manger interprets the 2D as-built drawings and develops visual models in their mind to
corroborate the relationship between 2D elements with the real world three dimensional (3D) elements.
Once the elements are identified and validated more 2D as-built drawings and multiple documents are to
be searched to retrieve the required location and other information about the elements. In this process
most of the facility managers time is spent on non-value added tasks such as developing mental models

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and searching and validating information. This unlinked information reduces the facility managers ability
to address the needs of the facility which in turn increases O&M cost and time. Additionally, the
possibility of misinterpretation of 2D as-built drawings can also cause delays in retrieving the
information. The interpretation and model development processing time during the O&M phase can be
reduced by using 3D models instead of 2D as-built drawings. However information retrieval time cannot
be reduced by just using 3D models since the retrieval time is dependent on information management
practices. The interpretation and information retrieval challenges faced by facility managers can be
addressed by providing access to linked information through 3D models. This can be accomplished by
using Building Information Models (BIM) in the O&M phase. Accessing the information using BIM is a
two step process. The first step includes the identification and selection of the appropriate 3D element
from the digital model and second step includes the retrieval of the information. Currently, the first step is
accomplished by navigating the model manually. This step becomes tedious depending upon the size and
complexity of the model. Additionally manual errors in elements selection negatively affect the
information retrieval process. This identification selection process can be automated by integrating RFID
technology with BIM. The integrated RFID and BIM environment provides a seamless flow of
information reducing manual errors and improving information retrieval efficiency. This paper discusses
the feasibility of developing an integrated RFID and BIM environment. It also discusses the pilot study
conducted to develop this environment by using Alien RFID technology and Autodesks BIM software.

2. Building Information Modeling

The life cycle of the facility includes planning, design, construction, operation & maintenance, and
decommissioning. In each phase a vast amount of information is exchanged among various project
participants. This information can be categorized into graphical and non-graphical data. The graphical
data includes 2D and 3D drawings and non-graphical data includes other project documents such as
specifications, user manuals, and warranties. Traditionally, during each phase, these two information
categories exist as independent entities and are not linked to each other. This non-linkage decreases the
project participants productivity due to implementation of time consuming information retrieval
methods, and regeneration of data. This process also causes inefficiencies, mistakes and delays in the
entire facility life cycle process. Building Information Modeling has been developed to address
integration and effective information management problems throughout the entire life cycle of a facility
(NBIMS 2007). Building Information Modeling is a process that provides a framework to develop BIM
and facilitates to realize its integrated environment benefits. In this process the real world elements of a
facility such as walls, doors, windows and beams are represented as objects in a three dimensional digital
model. In addition to modeling, facility information from conception to demolition is integrated to the
model. Thus the model serves as a gateway to provide any time access to insert, extract, update, or modify
digital data by all the project participants involved in the facility life cycle (Goedert and Meadati, 2008).
Implementation of BIM benefits all phases of the facilitys life cycle. Some of the benefits of BIM in
different phases of the facility lifecycle are shown in Table 1.

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Table 1: BIM implementation benefits

Life cycle phase
Planning

Design

Construction

Operation and
Maintainence

Benefits
Provides easy and quick alternative analysis
Facilitates energy analysis modeling
Provides easy quantity and cost estimates
Facilitates specifications development
Improves Coordination
Provides easy information exchange
Provides auto code checking
Facilitate easy tracking of design changes
Reduces interpretation problems
Improves coordination among various trades
Reduces Request for Information (RFI)
Reduces material waste
Reduces Constructability problems
Facilitates proper equipment selection
Provides more safe work environment
Reduces down time
Provides easy access to maintence records, warranties,
installation and operation manuals
Reduces rework and wastage
Resolves space management issues
Facilitates emergency evacuation planning

3. RFID Technology
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It is an automatic identification technology which uses
radio frequencies to exchange the data without any direct contact or line of sight. It is one of the
technologies, which has the potential to bring changes in the construction industry practices. The
components of RFID system as shown in Figure-1 include the reader, the antenna and the tag. An antenna
from the reader transmits radio waves. The tag contains an integrated circuit and an embedded antenna.
When the tag antenna interacts with the waves sent by the reader antenna, it sends radio waves back to the
reader. At the reader these radio waves are converted into digital format and sent to the computer system.
Radio waves behave differently at different frequencies. Depending on their behavior different
frequencies are used for different applications. The reader can either be stationary or mobile. The three
different types of tags are active, semi-passive and passive. Active tags are powered self-powered through
the battery built in the tag. They continuously transmit tag identification information in the form of radio
waves. They operate at 433MHz, 2.45 GHz or 5.8 GHz frequency and they have a reading range of 60
feet to 300 feet. They are expensive since they have longer reading ranges. Semi-passive tags are also
powered by battery but the power will be used to emit the radio waves only when the reader comes within
a tags reading vicinity. Passive tags are not powered by the battery. They are powered by the radio waves
emitted by the reader. They operate at low frequencies (124 kHz, 125 kHz or 135 kHz), high frequency
(13.56 MHz) and ultra-high frequency (ranging from 400 MHz to 960 MHz). They have a reading range
up to 30 feet. Passive tags are less expensive when compared with the other tag types since they require
less maintenance (ERABUILD, 2006). They are small in size and least expensive. Depending upon the
memory capacity the tags are also categorized into read only, write-once read-many, and read-write
(Datamax, 2004).

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ANTENNA

READER

Reader transmits and

receives radio waves through
antenna

TAG
Tag receives and
sends radio waves

Reader converts radio waves

into digital format and sends
data to computer

COMPUTER

Figure 1: RFID System Components

Researchers have explored many potential applications of RFID technology in the construction
environment. Jaselskis and El-Misalami (2003), Atkinson (2004), Furlani and Pfeffer (2000), Song et al.
(2006) and others have explored the use of RFID for material tracking. Bulusu et al. (2000), Ergen et al.
(2007), and Song et al. (2006) among others, have looked at the use of RFID in combination with GPS for
material tracking. The Fully Integrated and Automated Technology Consortium (FIATECH) have played
an important role in the exploration of RFID technology applications for constrcution. Two examples of
their work is the tracking of pipe spools entering a job site (FIATECH, 2004) and tool tracking through a
portal system set up in a tool shed (FIATECH, 2005). Goedert, et al. (2009) performed a similar
experiment using a construction gangbox. Another two applications of RFID technology that are relevant
to this study are component identification (Boukamp and Ergen, 2008), and storage and retreival of
construction problem information (Elghamrawy et al., 2009). Previous knowledge from the research
surveyed provides the foundation for the methodology proposed in this paper.

4. BIM and RFID Environment

The conceptual design that facilitates interaction among the different components of the system in an
integrated BIM and RFID environment is shown in Figure 2. The components of the system include BIM
database, Software Application, RFID Tag information and BIM. Software Application interacts with the
BIM database and RFID Tag Information through the BIM Application Program Interface (API) and the
RFID API respectively. The application uses the RFID tag information to locate the element and
communicates that information to the BIM through the BIM API. An automated flow of information
among different components of the system is shown in Figure 3. The RFID reader reads the RFID tag of
the component and this information is sent as an input to the BIM database. Based on this tag ID, the BIM
database is searched to locate the element. The search results are reflected by highlighting the element in
the BIM which in turn facilitates access to the required O&M information.

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BIM API
BIM Database

RFID API

Software
Application

RFID Tag
Information

BIM API

BIM

Figure 2: Conceptual interaction of components in BIM and RFID environment

BIM DATABASE
BIM MODEL
3D Component
Highlighted and
facilitates access to
the O&M
Information

Element 1

Element 2

RFID Tag ID

RFID Tag ID

O&M
Information

O&M
Information

O&M
Information
Warranty
Maintenance
Records

Element 3

Element 4

RFID Tag ID

RFID Tag ID

Specifications
Operational
Manual

RFID Tag ID

O&M
Information

O&M
Information

RFID Reader
Interface

Figure 3: Automated information flow in BIM and RFID environment

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5. Pilot Study
A pilot study has been conducted to locate a class room projector and to access the O&M information by
using the proposed integrated BIM and RFID environment. The study has been conducted at Construction
Management Department of Southern Polytechnic State University. An integrated BIM and RFID
environment was developed by using Alien Technologys RFID development kit and Autodesks Revit
Architecture 2010. Revit Architecture 2010 was used as BIM software to develop the BIM model. A BIM
database was developed using Microsoft Access (MS Access) 2007. The RFID development kit included
Alien ALR-9650 RFID reader, an auxiliary antenna, RS-232 serial cable, network cross-over cable and
EPC Class 1 Generation 2 tags. The software application was developed using the Visual Basic.Net
programming language. The steps involved in the integration include:
1. Creating and populating parameters in Revit,
2. Developing BIM database,
3. Automating information flow by developing the software application.
5.1 Creating and Populating Parameters
In Revit, each element is associated with predefined parameters and these are categorized into type and
instance parameters. The type parameters control properties of elements of that type while the instance
parameters control the instances properties. The type and instance parameters are further categorized into
different groups. The data format stored in each parameter is of type: text, integer, number, length, area,
volume, angle, URL, material, and yes/no (Meadati and Javier, 2010). In this study, a new shared
parameter titled RFID Tag is added to the elements. This parameter is populated with the respective
RFID tag attached to the component. Other shared parameters such as Bulb Replacement Date,
Installation Manual, Operation manual, Specifications, and Warranty are also added to facilitate linking of
O&M information. The parameters of the component populated with respective information are shown in
Figure 4.

Figure 4: Populated Parameters of the Projector

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5.2 Developing BIM Database

The BIM database was developed in MS Access 2007. This was accomplished by exporting the Revit
Architecture model to MS Access 2007 through Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) feature available in
Revit. ODBC exports the BIM and creates database tables for model types and instances. Some model
type and instances tables are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5: BIM database tables in MS Access

5.3 Automating Information Flow
The interface between Revit Architecture, MS Access and RFID tag was established by using Revit API
and RFID software API through Visual Basic.Net programming language. The program receives the
RFID tag ID from the RFID reader which in turn is used to execute the database query. The query results
are sent back to the Revit Architecture model to display the results. This automated identification assists
the user in accessing the O&M information. The automated information flow from real world object to
the BIM element and selection of the specifications and operating manual is shown in Figure 6.

6. Conclusion
Traditionally, facility manager spends considerable amount of time retrieving information since it
involves searching and validating from multiple documents. The advent of BIM has reduced searching
and validating time since it provides easy and fast access to the information. In BIM, accessing the
facility component information is a two step process. First step includes the identification and selection of
the appropriate BIM element that represents the real world component and the second step includes the
retrieval of the information. Automation of the first step reduces the identification and selection time, and
reduces manual errors. The process discussed in the paper enables development of an integrated BIM and
RFID environment which facilitates seamless information flow between real world components and BIM
components. This automated information exchange enhances the facility managers ability to address the
needs of the facility on time and results in less maintenance costs.

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RFID Tagged
Projector

RFID TAG

READING RFID TAG attached to

P j t

PROJECTOR
HIGHLIGHTED IN BIM
BASED ON RFID TAG

ACCESSED SPECIFICATIONS
AND OPERATING MANUAL OF

Figure 6: Accessing specifications and operating manual of the projector through integrated BIM
and RFID environment

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