The use of artificial intelligence in BIM design of industrial facilities

The process of digitalization of various sectors of the economy has reached high rates. The modernization of business processes is especially active in areas where artificial intelligence comes to the aid of humans. Nowadays, most specialists whose work involves working with documents, writing various types of texts, and advising clients on technical issues resort to the support of AI assistants. The area of ​​BIM modeling of industrial buildings and energy facilities lags somewhat behind in the pace of attracting artificial intelligence to work. This is probably due to the stringency of legal requirements and the large number of parameters necessary for high-quality performance of work. One way or another, let’s consider the prospects for using an AI assistant for BIM modeling.

What is an AI assistant

Artificial intelligence, which solves problems posed by humans, is a program built on the basis of machine learning. It can analyze information, provide recommendations, automate scheduling, time management, and more.

Areas of work in which an AI assistant can be useful at the current level of technological development:

Data analysis. Artificial intelligence is able to process enormous amounts of data, systematize it, and build logical chains. For example, for such a program it will not be difficult to analyze the economics of the project by comparing the current cost of materials, wages, deadlines for completing work, the number of employees and other “digitized” parameters with the market average. The assistant will offer options for optimizing the project's economics, which will save financial resources and increase margins.

Coordination with the customer. The current level of technology allows artificial intelligence to advise any project participant on the state of the BIM model. The AI ​​assistant will answer the customer’s questions regarding the estimated time frame for completing the work, basic design decisions, risks and opportunities. In addition, in dialogue mode, artificial intelligence can provide infographics, generate reporting documentation, and carry out other types of visualization.

Visualization. Artificial intelligence can create beautiful 3D models based on a BIM document. This version of the presentation of the completed work to the customer will allow you to form a more complete impression of the status of the work. In addition, the corresponding visualizations can be used for marketing purposes: for example, to fill a website or as a graphic part of an online advertising campaign.

Creation of documentation. To generate technical documentation, specifications and drawings, you can use the capabilities of artificial intelligence. As practice shows, the quality of documentation produced by AI is no worse than that created manually, but the speed of work is many times higher.

Equipment configuration. Artificial intelligence, into which the necessary standards and families of equipment are loaded, can independently offer alternative options for the layout of equipment inside, for example, a boiler room or an energy center.

• “Artificial intelligence has thoroughly established itself in many industries and areas of life. It helps economists build effective business plans, financiers - financial models, sales departments - marketing programs, and doctors - accurately determine the diagnosis and possible risks in the patient’s treatment method. Designing engineering facilities, creating BIM models, calculating estimated costs for artificial intelligence is a new area where innovation is reaching extremely slowly. However, this technology has prospects. Of course, the AI ​​assistant is not yet ready to completely replace a person, but it is quite capable of reducing design labor costs. I would like to note that AI cannot completely eliminate the human factor, but is able to minimize it,” said Daniil Yablokov, General Director of the engineering company Energia Plus, member of the expert council at the Russian Gas Society.

Among the most obvious advantages of using artificial intelligence in the process of designing energy facilities, we note:

1. **improving communication: **the use of an AI assistant allows you to optimize the process of interaction both within the project team and with external participants, for example, with the customer. Artificial intelligence is able to explain complex engineering terms and processes in simple and understandable language. Therefore, even a person who is little familiar with the specifics of engineering work will understand the essence of the work. This is especially true when working with a customer;
2. **reduction of work completion time: **involving an AI assistant in creating a BIM model, assessing and managing risks, communicating with the customer and generating documentation will significantly reduce the time required to complete the work, which will improve the economics of the project4
3. increasing the accuracy of work: The AI assistant quickly and efficiently processes large volumes of information and performs complex calculations. At the same time, the percentage of defects in the work of artificial intelligence is extremely low. Due to this skill, the AI ​​assistant reduces the risk of errors, improves the accuracy of the BIM model, and avoids the need for further processing of project documentation and re-coordination with the customer;
4. increasing automation of the production process: simple but routine tasks that take up a large amount of engineers’ time can be entrusted to artificial intelligence. Routine tasks include analyzing volumetric data, generating documentation, creating informative and beautiful 3D visualizations, and answering “basic questions” from the customer.

Prospects for the further development of artificial intelligence in the context of BIM modeling

The advancement of artificial intelligence in the context of energy facility design will depend on many factors. However, progress is almost impossible to stop, so the gradual integration of AI assistants into the work of engineers will occur. Let us determine the contours of technology implementation, that is, the directions in which artificial intelligence will manifest itself in the industry at the fastest pace.

RISK MANAGEMENT Artificial intelligence, based on a thorough analysis of project data, current standards and regulations, information about the climatic conditions of construction, the material and technical base and budget of the project, is able to determine optimal solutions and identify potential risks. The AI assistant will also offer options for reducing potential risks, tell you about likely growth points, and opportunities to improve the BIM model

QUALITY INCREASE You can use the analytical abilities of artificial intelligence to assess the quality of work performed in the current mode. If an error occurs, the AI ​​assistant will point the engineer to the problem node, and in addition, the AI ​​will tell you how to fix the model with minimal time. In the future, the assistant will independently correct the engineer’s shortcomings, sending the corrected sections for approval to the State Inspectorate.

GENERATION OF PROJECTS Artificial intelligence is able to create original designs that fully comply with regulatory requirements. To do this, it is necessary to provide AI with access to databases, on the basis of which the design documentation will be analyzed and synthesized, which will easily receive the necessary approvals and pass the examination with a minimum number of comments.

TIME AND COST ANALYSIS The assistant can analyze data about similar projects. By adding data about the current situation in the project to this analysis, AI predicts the likely time frame and cost of completing the work. It also offers options for optimizing these parameters, based on retrospective analysis. In other words, artificial intelligence finds similar objects that have been implemented previously, and, based on this experience, suggests either abandoning any practices, or, conversely, supplementing the current project with practices that have previously proven effective in similar cases.

Artificial intelligence is gradually being integrated into everyday life. The design of industrial facilities in this case is no exception. Despite a certain reactivity characteristic of engineering, AI assistants are gradually gaining living space. However, the development of this area is only preliminary: companies are looking at options, analyzing technical feasibility, and asking the price of software. Work is being done, but not fast enough. Probably, from a technical point of view, artificial intelligence does not yet have a sufficient level of development to complement human efforts in designing complex engineering objects, in particular, energy complex facilities.