BIM The Future of Tomorrow
We are living in the 21st century, and technology is a big part of our daily lives. It affects the way we work, the way we play and communicate on a day-to-day basis. It is tough to imagine our lives without the internet and all the smart devices we use, and we are indeed an interconnected civilization.
With the introduction of the latest technologies and computers, the world of architecture is also getting transformed rapidly. With all these advancements in technology, a new concept has come in the architectural world known as “BIM.”
What is BIM?
Building Information Modeling or BIM refers to an intelligent 3D model-based process that gives crucial insights and tools to engineers, architects, and construction professionals, helping them in designing, constructing, managing buildings and infrastructures throughout the project’s life cycle.
How does the process of BIM gets carried out?
With its various benefits when compared to the traditional ways of architectural planning and design, here is how the process of BIM gets carried out:
- Planning: For solid planning of the project, BIM combines real-world data and reality capture for generating context models of the natural environment and existing built environment.
- Designing: This phase of the BIM process involves documentation, detailing, analysis, and conceptual design. In addition, this process helps out in logistics and pre-scheduling.
- Building: This is one of the most crucial parts of the BIM process as the project’s construction, and fabrication part begins according to the BIM specifications. To ensure maximum efficiency and time management, project construction logistics are shared with traders and contractors.
- Operation: The data generated by BIM gets transferred to the maintenance and operations of finished assets. The data’s work is not over, though; this data can be used to renovate and deconstruct the project.
As BIM is a collaborative process, it allows engineers, real estate developers, contractors, architects, manufacturers, and other professionals who are into construction to come together and devise a 3D BIM model.
Using the data generated by the BIM, many stakeholders can make an informed decision well in advance, be it the property managers, governments, or municipalities, even after the building or the project is done.
Benefits of Using Architectural 3D Models
There are a lot of advantages when using 3D modeling architecture services such as BIM. Some of its main benefits are:
Increased savings in resources and costs
When construction companies or architects 3D modeling construction for their projects, they can get a better idea of the construction cost estimates and predict the costs which would incur:
- Materials
- Shipping of Material
- Shipment of modular pieces or prefabricated pieces
- Cost of Labour
These 3D modeling in construction helps the architects and the project manager get an idea of the costs, but also would help them in ways to reduce the costs in areas such as:
- Raw Materials: Can buy/use cost-effective raw materials
- Buy materials at their lowest market price
- Minimize human errors that lead to delay and increase in the cost of construction
- Optimize the construction workflow
Improved Communication
The 3D BIM model used for the project has one of the best advantages: it improves the communication between architects, clients, contractors, and all the other stakeholders in the project. In addition, all the relevant information regarding 3D design construction is shared, including estimates, models, and design notes.
It also helps prevent potentially hazardous situations during the construction and prevents them by adjusting the design through 3D BIM Model. In addition, all the required safety regulations and on-site evaluations can be made by the contractors through this process.
Increased efficiency
With 3D modeling of buildings through BIM, the construction process speeds up, resulting in greater efficiency and less money spent on the project overall.
The occupants or the people can begin using the space as soon as possible, which gives stakeholders their return on investment soon. The improvement in workflow combined with other efficiencies through 3D design construction also helps speed up the project.
Use of Modular Construction and Prefabrication
With 3D building scanning services, project managers and architects can design modular pieces of architecture that fit perfectly, saving money and time, as contractors spend less time constructing these on-site from scratch.
By implementing 3D modeling of buildings, there are significant improvements to be seen in the build quality. Using BIM, the models made are detailed, accurate, and conform to all the architectural requirements, which leads to a higher quality structure.
With various visualization tools in 3D software for building design, the architects and project managers can see the final structure.
The five types of visualizations which will be visible and customizable using BIM are:
- 3D: height, width, length, depth
- 4D: time is taken to complete every design elements
- 5D: time is taken to construct each element
- 6D: environmental impact of the structure over time
- 7D: facility management costs throughout the project/structure’s life cycle
With many benefits and advantages of using 3D models through the process of BIM, there is no doubt that “BIM is the future of tomorrow.”
The goals and objectives are defined for everyone to process and understand at all levels, which improves communication and teamwork. BIM is developing fast, and it is the future of construction and collaborative work amongst various stakeholders of the project. BIM also helps reduce waste in the construction process and helps improve the supply chain and reduce the costs of raw materials and pieces of equipment.
We hope this article gave you a clear understanding of everything you needed to know and learn about BIM.
