ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) has announced a new course, BIM Technology for Mechanical Contractors. The two-day course will be held Monday, Oct. 11 to Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010 in Chicago. The association will also reprise its BIM for Mechanical Contractors introductory-level course on Monday, May 17, 2010 in Baltimore.

According to the MCAA, BIM Technology for Mechanical Contractors will present a logical, solid process for selecting building information modeling (BIM) tools. It will explore significant applications and categories of tools across project phases and the positive effect BIM processes provide for quantity take off, shop drawing and fabrication, and construction scheduling. The course will also explore the positive impact models have on estimating, scheduling, and coordinating.

Participants will learn: the phases of a BIM project; categories of BIM technology; specific BIM applications; need for planning/organizing to use BIM tools; requirement to embed tools into the process; and the process for selecting relevant BIM tools.

In addition, leading industry technology vendors will provide free product demonstrations in the evening on Monday, Oct. 11, so that participants can get a first-hand look at what can be accomplished with BIM technology.

For those looking for an introduction to BIM, MCAA is offering its BIM for Mechanical Contractors course. This 8-hour course will cover the following topics: what BIM is and why it matters; getting started with BIM – the paradigm shift; benefits of BIM; roles and responsibilities; BIM visualization uses and spatial coordination; BIM scheduling, estimating, and facility management (3-D, 4-D, and 5-D); mechanical construction case studies; what to look for in the selection of BIM tools; and a BIM action plan template.

Both courses will take place under the guidance of David Morris, director of virtual construction for EMCOR Group. Morris has more than 30 years of experience performing and directing all phases of piping and mechanical systems for commercial, hospitality, industrial, and power generation construction. His current duties include improving BIM processes and sharing best detailing and virtual design practices across the 80 EMCOR Group companies.

The registration fee for the two-day BIM Technology for Mechanical Contractors course is $895. The fee for the one-day introductory BIM for Mechanical Contractors course is $795. The fee to attend both courses is $1,500, a savings of almost $200 off the individual course fees.

For additional information and a registration form, visit www.mcaa.org/education or contact Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org.

Publication date:04/19/2010