This course is part of the Business of Architecture Academy

CONCLUSION

As an intelligent workflow based on a 3-D model, BIM provides the AEC industry with the ability to collaborate on building projects across all disciplines. The integrated design, open source, and cloud-based capabilities with BIM provide all of the necessary support and tools to coordinate projects in real-time. This goal can be met even when stakeholders are working from different platforms and with different software. It allows teams of any size to provide feedback and evolving designs while keeping everyone on the same page.

Current goals of the industry require a productivity that reduces conflict, miscommunication, and time-intensive costly reworks. These goals can be met and exceeded with BIM, where tools allow for fluid design capabilities and seamless collaboration and transparency. The potential for building trust in a design space is much greater when all of the information can be engaged with from one source of truth.

Finally, in a time when remote work has become the norm, BIM offers a way for the AEC industry to design projects in a virtual space without compromise. In fact, it is a workflow that encourages the industry to execute its creative aspirations with technological support that provides the potential for great success—all of which lead to innovation in the industry.

Tech Predictions and Trends in AEC 2021

Given what the world has witnessed this past year, any effort at predicting the future will be met one of two ways: with a hopeful mindset or a certain amount of skepticism. This past year gave new meaning to the phrase “hindsight is 2020,” so it is no surprise that there are strong feelings about the future. Here we provide you with a list of trends and in the architectural world, some of which are developing because of these challenging times, some in spite of it. In this spirit, Akos Pfemeter, the vice president of product success at Graphisoft, has offered insight into technology trends, design trends, and BIM developments that will have impacts in the coming year.

Integrated Design Workflow Strategies Inspired by BIM

The promise of BIM is overdue for many. Integrated design can extend the reach and benefits of BIM to a broad spectrum of stakeholders, even non-BIM users. That connection brings the disciplines closer to each other. Integrated design represents a major paradigm shift from the status quo, emphasizing model federation and coordination to find issues “post-mortem.” The Integrated design workflow makes it possible for all trades to work together and avoid clashes in the first place.

Artificial Intelligence’s Role in Integration

At this time a year ago, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) were touted with the promise of having a large role in integration. That prediction, at least about the architecture industry, has yet to provide any direct benefits. Augmented and virtual reality have proven valuable in the gaming industry. Media distribution, fintech, and health-care workflows received the lion’s share of AI’s predictive and automating benefits. The machine-driven process tends to clash with creative disciplines, such as architecture. However, we see examples of how it can assist in construction security, generative design, and other areas. True, broad commercial application is still likely years away.

Connectivity in the Cloud

Design freedom maintains a position of high importance to design workflow development. As architects themselves, developers know how highly users value that aspect of the BIM software. When the move to cloud-powered offices necessitated by the pandemic became part of the day-to-day reality, some firms led the way by providing solutions designed to overcome the inherent difficulties of remote work. What was necessary for safety’s sake has evolved into an effective process for many firms, employing BIM in the cloud steadily ever since.

Looking at Health and Safety in Public Spaces

Can the AEC industry assume any responsibility for making public spaces inherently safer, even by a fraction, through technology? Airborne diseases will alter shared work spaces dramatically. Design software needs to step up to the challenge and empower architects to respond to new realities.

Creativity Out of Chaos

In no way did innovation suffer because of the pandemic. One may argue that it forced companies to be creative—accomplishing more with less. It triggered innovation. The new reality accelerated developments concerning remote collaboration and teamwork. We should anticipate some surprises as external players show interest in the AEC space. NVIDIA Omniverse, for instance, is a powerful, multi-GPU, real-time simulation and collaboration platform, where users of different design software can collaborate in real time. It is an attractive approach, albeit lacking the breadth and depth of native BIM collaboration solutions.

Erika Fredrickson is an independent writer and editor focusing on technology, the environment, and history. She is a frequent contributor for continuing education courses and publications through Confluence Communications. www.confluencec.com