What is BIM for all practical purposes?

When we speak about BIM or building information modeling, BIM definition may be hard to embrace at a go. The modern strategy of construction design tries to integrate each element into a consistent toolkit using BIM.

This Building Information Model covers the period from the project conception to the final demolition of the building. The undeniable advantage of BIM technology is interconnectedness. When you change any parameter of a BIM model, every associated object, drawing, or visualization also changes automatically. In fact, BIM creates a unified environment with access for professionals from a variety of fields.

BIM tools are used not only by the development team but also by the contractors and sub-contractors. In this way, BIM reduces the potential loss of information and provides valuable insights to the project owners. Also, the BIM meaning is undeniable in the matters of cost recovery. The annual BIM report consistently shows a high return on investment. Thus, BIM is an integral part of construction engineering development in the future.

What is a BIM model?

In a practical sense, a BIM model is structured information about a building suitable for digital processing. Building information modeling (BIM) is used within the framework of an object’s life cycle. Moreover, BIM brings together all the data available, allowing to use it for solving a variety of tasks. It becomes much easier to make specific constructive decisions using BIM.

As BIM provides a link to each level of the project, one can estimate the potential functional performance. Concerning the inventory and logistics management, the advantages of BIM should not be underestimated either. With BIM cost estimating and equipment ordering won’t take a lot of effort.

The result of BIM modeling is always dynamic, allowing making changes at any time. Although this significantly differs from the traditional design method, this is also why BIM projects are so promising. Nowadays the buildings’ utilization often changes repeatedly in a short time. That’s why the alterations detection and making some possible improvement is crucial.

How can Building Information Modelling (BIM) help you?

The capabilities of BIM projects allow designing or reconstructing a building anytime. It’s also getting easier to manage it as an object of commercial activity. Modern building information modeling lets to transfer the generalized and structured information for further use.

Nowadays BIM software takes over the processing of constructive information. As its volume is huge for a single project, it’s extremely difficult for a person to cope with it. The collection and complex processing of the entire data volume results in a BIM model. The developed model is saturated with the information much more than the usual drawing. BIM technology is a logical stage of the standard design methods’ evolution, bringing them to the modern level.

The diversity of BIM objects

Usually speaking a BIM object means any infrastructure object. It embraces a variety of engineering networks (water, electricity, communications), railways, bridges, tunnels, etc. With BIM you can create anything, this approach is universal. A 308-meter «One Island East» skyscraper, built in Hong Kong in 2008 is a great example of this technology’s application.

The benefits of the BIM process over the classic method

Working with building information modeling in the UK one can review the model in different ways. Some still prefer to work with the familiar 2D plans and profiles. But there is no denying that the new generation tends to work on the BIM projects in 3D. Thus, the BIM process allows considering and processing the information in a variety of ways.

It builds on the traditional design methods, incorporates and enhances them. Any aspect of the building included in the model is an interconnected element of the overall structure. With this unity, carrying out calculations and analysis becomes much faster and easier.

What is BIM in construction?

Of course, fundamental decisions on design, as before, rest in the hands of people. But BIM construction performs its technical function of finding, processing, and analyzing the necessary data. BIM technology is useful for finding the inconsistencies arising when the object is designed by many different specialists.

The discrepancies’ detection is a result of the continuous processing of the information submitted into a collaborative model. It becomes clear that the use of BIM in the construction sphere helps to avoid critical errors. And, of course, it allows reducing the costs significantly. This aspect underlies in the BIM level 2 development strategy. Reduction of the delivery and operational costs, along with the risk minimization characterizes this tendency the most.

FAQ BIM

What does BIM stand for?

An all-embracing approach to the object’s exploitation. It involves the collection and integrated processing of the architectural, economic, and other data in the design process. The building (structure) and everything that has to do with it is considered as a single indivisible unity.

What is BIM level 2?

A state-initiated by the methodology aimed at reducing the cost of the public sector infrastructure using BIM technology. The key point is the use of the collaborative 3D BIM models.

What is BIM in construction?

The use of an information model aimed at solving any problems arising during the entire life cycle of the object. It’s aimed at preventing any design errors, reducing the cost of building’s exploitation.