Bates & Associates Architects made the switch from AutoCAD to Revit and BIM for a higher education project at Ozarks Technical Community College, and did it with custom Revit architecture training from Hagerman & Company. The result: a fully coordinated BIM model, a design team confident in the software, and a firm that now offers BIM services to every client it works with.

Autodesk Premium Building Design Suite and custom training facilitate design for Missouri community college.

Project

Bates & Associates Architects wanted to pursue BIM modeling for a new higher education facility for Ozarks Technical Community College in Waynesville, Missouri. The team was looking to provide a new solution to standard delivery methods of construction documents with AutoCAD Architecture.

Bates & Associates Project Architect, Marin Pastar said, “Our standard project delivery tool was AutoCAD and we needed to obtain software and training for a new BIM modeling software solution.”

Challenge: Moving from AutoCAD to Revit and BIM

Bates & Associates was new to Revit and the BIM process and was looking to provide a fully coordinated project with all disciplines. The Structural Consultant had previous Revit experience while the MEP consultant had little to no experience.

“With very limited exposure to BIM, we had to become experts in a very short timeframe in order to achieve the goals we set for the project,” said Pastar. “Unlike many professional design firms that pursue limited BIM only to get by their owner’s requirements, Bates is fully dedicated to exploring and utilizing all the benefits of the entire BIM process, and go beyond 3D modeling just for the purpose of producing 2D documents.”

Solution: Custom Revit Architecture Training

Bates & Associates purchased Premium Building Design Suite for Revit Model integration and coordination. Custom Training was conducted by Hagerman & Company for Bates and their MEP consultants. Hagerman also provided Revit training to the owners of OTC.

“We understood that in order to deliver the superior product we envisioned, we had to make sure our entire design team understood the process and was properly trained to utilize the Revit software suite”, Pastar said. “Even the best tools in the world are useless without the capable team to use them to their full potential.”

There were three sessions of Revit training provided by Hagerman & Company - a combination of classroom training at Hagerman’s offices and two rounds of custom training at the Bates office.

Results and Benefits

Bates & Associates delivered a fully coordinated BIM model to the owner. Hours increased on this first BIM project, which is typical for a team's first Revit project, but the bigger win was the bottom line: greater efficiency in producing a coordinated set of documents across every discipline.

The impact went beyond one project. With a reputation for exploring the full potential of every opportunity, Bates & Associates now offers full BIM services to all of their clients, using the OTC Waynesville Education Center as proof of what their team can deliver. Their AEC/BIM consulting solutions needs continue to evolve as they take on more complex, multi-discipline projects.

“There is a learning curve in every process, said Pastar. “We continue to explore the latest technologies and push the envelope in order to bring our clients the best service in the industry.”

Key Takeaways for Firms Considering Revit Architecture Training

• Train every discipline, not just the lead firm. Coordinated BIM delivery depends on structural and MEP consultants having working Revit knowledge too.
• Custom, on-site training beats generic courses when a live project is on the line. It lets instruction map directly to real project files and deadlines.
• Expect a productivity dip on the first project. Hours typically go up before efficiency gains show up on later projects.
• BIM adoption pays off beyond the first project. Firms that invest in full training, not partial compliance, often turn that capability into a service they can offer every client.
• Firms scaling up their BIM standards afterward can benefit from further Revit BIM management and template training to standardize templates and families across projects.

Ready to bring BIM into your next project?

Considering a move to Revit or BIM for your firm? Talk to a Hagerman Solutions Engineer about custom Revit training built around your team and your next project.

Want to see the software first? Explore Autodesk Revit BIM software →

Marin Pastar. AIA, NCARB Director of BIM Technology Project Architect “Even the best tools in the world are useless without a capable team to use them to their full potential.” Bates and Associates Architects is an award-winning design practice that has been at the forefront of quality design for over thirty years. Our recipe for success is founded on the quality of our client relationships, creative thinking, business acumen, and our pragmatic approach. We believe in the power of design to improve the experience of people and communities in the built environment. Our aim is to use our knowledge, expertise and creativity to build distinction in projects throughout the mid-west.