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Manual Slope Verification
Every underfloor sanitary run was checked and adjusted by hand at each connection, so gravity slopes held their pitch instead of breaking inside Revit's piping engine.
Commercial Project
Plumbing BIM Coordination for a Five-Story Bank Headquarters
A 98,000 sq. ft. Bank HQ needed LOD 350 plumbing coordination across three connected building zones, delivered over eight months by a six-person modeling team.
Overview
Project Overview
A 98,000 square foot bank headquarters was rising on a 10-acre campus in Iowa, with completion planned for 2026. The five-story building combines corporate offices with a retail banking branch, so the plumbing system had to serve two different occupancy types under one roof. Underfloor sanitary lines run beneath the courtyard and parking levels before tying into the main stacks, and the mechanical piping covers a chilled water loop, a multi-stage boiler network, and a dedicated domestic hot water circuit. Over eight months, a six-person team modeled the plumbing system to LOD 350 and coordinated it against architecture and structure, so the construction crew had a plan built from real field conditions instead of assumptions.
Project Type Commercial
Level of Development LOD 350
Manpower Used 6 Resources
Location USA
Tools We Use
Inside the Tools You Already Use
Navisworks supported the coordination process, while the team developed the plumbing model and related documentation in Revit.
Autodesk Revit
NavisworksProject Deliverables
Input vs Output
The project started with design files and requirements that guided the development of coordinated plumbing and mechanical deliverables.
What We Received
- PDF sanitary and piping plans
- Architectural design documents
- Mechanical equipment schedules
- LOD 350 requirements
What We Delivered
- Plumbing BIM Model
- Coordinated Mechanical Piping Model
- Sanitary & Vent Riser Diagrams
- Clash Reports
Client Challenges
Pain Points of the Client
A headquarters of this size brings several plumbing coordination demands together. The project also had to accommodate systems that required careful routing through limited building space.
01
High MEP System Density
The centralised mechanical room contains chilled water systems and boiler networks that need careful planning of the physical layout.
02
Limited Service Space
Tight envelopes in penthouses require precise routeing in space to prevent physical conflicts between trades.
03
Underfloor Drainage Requirements
Accurate slopes are needed to provide good fluid dynamics for underfloor sanitary networks prior to pouring slabs.
04
Multi-trade Coordination
Plumbing lines shall be positively separated from adjacent structural elements and mechanical piping.
Our Approach
How We Solved It
Each pain point needed a specific fix on the modeling side, built around accuracy, sequencing and constant verification against the design intent.
Sequenced Penthouse Layout
Chilled water and boiler piping were routed in a set order against the structural grid, giving each system a defined path through the restricted envelope.
Continuous Sanitary Modeling
The waste and vent network was built as one connected system from the courtyard through the underfloor zone to the parking level, closing off transition-point clashes.
Product-matched Riser Detailing
Riser diagrams were built to LOD 350 using real fitting and fixture data, so the main restroom stack was ready for fabrication, not just design review.
Fast Revision Turnaround
A standing review cycle caught design changes early and folded them into the model without undoing coordination work already signed off.
Execution Strategy
Our Project Execution Strategy
The team modeled the plumbing system zone by zone, checking each stage against architecture and structure so clashes surfaced early. Every flagged clash went through resolution and quality review before the model moved forward.
Project Information Review
PDF drawings, equipment schedules and LOD requirements were reviewed before modeling began.
0101Project Information Review
PDF drawings, equipment schedules and LOD requirements were reviewed before modeling began.
- 02
BIM Standards and Model Setup
Model templates and nomenclature were developed to project standards.
02BIM Standards and Model Setup
Model templates and nomenclature were developed to project standards.
Plumbing and Mechanical Piping Modeling
Modeler created sanitary lines and mechanical piping at LOD 350 zone by zone.
0303Plumbing and Mechanical Piping Modeling
Modeler created sanitary lines and mechanical piping at LOD 350 zone by zone.
- 04
Architectural & Structural Coordination
The plumbing model was checked against architecture and structure at each stage.
04Architectural & Structural Coordination
The plumbing model was checked against architecture and structure at each stage.
Clash Detection
Navisworks runs flagged conflicts between plumbing, structure and other systems.
0505Clash Detection
Navisworks runs flagged conflicts between plumbing, structure and other systems.
- 06
Clash Resolution
Flagged clashes were corrected and re-checked before moving to the next zone.
06Clash Resolution
Flagged clashes were corrected and re-checked before moving to the next zone.
Quality Control
All connections have been cross checked to the input drawings for accuracy.
0707Quality Control
All connections have been cross checked to the input drawings for accuracy.
- 08
Final Model Validation and Handover
The project lead validated final model and handed over to the construction team.
08Final Model Validation and Handover
The project lead validated final model and handed over to the construction team.
Project Outcomes
Coordinated. Approved. Delivered.
Using the coordinated plumbing model, the construction team detect issues before they got to the field and this help them keep the project on schedule.
4× Cost Saving
The team identified plumbing conflicts in the model to avoid during construction, saving money.
99.90% On-time Delivery Rate
BIM scope of plumbing was delivered on time within the eight-month window.
98% Project Success
The project stayed on track thanks to coordinated modelling and rapid problem solving.
100% Quality Control
The team was accurate on every plumbing model and document that was delivered.