Conclusion

A growing number of design professionals, firms, and organizations are embracing BIM because it provides a more holistic, integrated approach to design and construction. If thought of in this way, BIM is not disruptive but rather transformative in the way designs are developed, services are provided, and buildings are constructed or renovated. BIM provides tools for architects and other design professionals to quickly understand and improve their designs. This allows better design decisions to be made earlier and more efficiently than prior work processes that relied on 2D drawings or hand-built models. It also allows for revisions or alternatives to be prepared more quickly and easily.

As a process that is inherently iterative, BIM's greatest benefits are realized if it is implemented from the earliest stages of design so different options can be explored and understood more robustly without wasting time or staff resources. If improperly implemented, then people may use different processes to accomplish different tasks and then simply pass the work along to the next person who has to redesign it. However, if properly implemented around a master model that can be the basis for everyone's work, then there's nothing wrong with using different methods, materials, or even specialty software throughout the process, provided all of them can communicate with each other.

From a project management standpoint, BIM is more predictable. With more and better information tied into the model and the people working on it, it is possible to know the cost of a design, as well as the cost of construction earlier and more accurately. Overall, BIM is about managing change, managing opportunities, and managing possibilities for even the most creative endeavors.

Endnotes

1. BIM Design – Realising the Creative Potential of Building Information Modelling, by Richard Garber, © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd., London.
2. BIM in Small Scale Sustainable Design, by François Lévy, © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York.

Vectorworks Inc. Vectorworks, Inc. is the developer of Vectorworks software, a line of industry-specific CAD and BIM solutions that help more than half a million design visionaries transform the world. www.vectorworks.net