Built to maximize daylight with minimal heat gain, the New College of Law at Qatar University features a 20-m x 50-m skylight made of low-E glass, with extensive use of low-E fritted glass on the exterior. Mounted on structural steel supports, the skylight shines down on two multistory atria, creating visually striking gathering spaces for students. Along with classrooms, meeting spaces and offices, the building also features a 200-seat auditorium. Extensive use of BIM across the project’s design and construction allowed for consistent clash detection and tight coordination between the designers and contractor to avoid delays and keep costs under control.

“The use of BIM enriched the design with information that paved the way to capture the functional relationship” between the project’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing elements and the MEP system, says Alex Hanna, vice president of the project’s lead design firm, Khatib & Alami. The BIM was enhanced to generate some design elements, such as panel-board schedules, low-voltage schematics and electrical load calculation, Hanna adds.