What is the BIM LOD?

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So what is this BIM

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level of development?

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Wait,

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isn't it level of detail?

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No, it's level of development.

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Let's just get started with the general confusion.

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When it comes to this acronym LOD,

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there's two different LODs.

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One is level of detail. That's the more popular assumption as to what LOD means.

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And one is a level of development.

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Both are LOD.

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Right out of the gate, there's confusion - at

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least I was confused.

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I'll be honest, I get confused pretty easily.

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So I'd rather you just tell me what you want me to put in the model and when you want it,

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is that too much to ask?

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Isn't using BIM supposed to make everything easier?

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So here's the breakdown before I have a breakdown.

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So what is the level of development?

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The level of development is basically what needs to

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be in the model at a specific milestone.

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This is generally broken down by trade.

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This will be consistent with the project milestones

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agreed upon in the front end documentation.

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This ensures that everyone stays on the same page and there's no surprises.

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This is completely project specific.

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Each project is going to have its own deadlines and milestones

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and needs of level of development.

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I like to

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put these dates on everyone's calendar.

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This is actually project management

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level of detail.

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This is what we're all more familiar with.

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So what is the level of detail?

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How much information is acceptable for this project?

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On a scale from 100 to 501, 100 is a report or basic symbols,

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calling out schematic design.

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Level 200 means items are modeled but they're in there as placeholders,

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they're not verified.

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They might not be the right size, they might be floating around the floor.

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Items modeled as designed with accurate dimensions.

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All systems in level 300 are to be defined.

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Level 350.

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Well,

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that gives us 300 plus clearances such as

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no fly zones around mechanical or electrical equipment,

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miscellaneous metals,

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meaning angle iron, uplift, bridging, stuff like that,

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reinforcing in concrete

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hangers and brick and black cooing.

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So 350 really drills in the specifics.

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to be assembled as well as manufactured off site and installed on site.

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This all needs to come from the model. If you're shooting for a 400 level of detail,

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It's an as built condition as well as facility management info,

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which is asset information

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lockout tag out

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or commissioning information.

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In the next few videos, we'll look at how to bring all this stuff into context.

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But what I like to say is try not to overthink this stuff. To be honest,

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I think there's one too many committees overthinking this stuff as it is.