Is BIM a misconception?

There is a misconception that BIM is simply a documentation tool, or just a piece of software. For me it is a concept, a way of thinking. BIM requires us to think about our project from the beginning and consider the processes and people as well as the technology. The concept of BIM is about bringing everyone together around an intelligent model, a single source of truth. It’s about the avoidance of duplication of effort. I don’t see it as technology for technology’s sake

Essentially you are creating a building inside a computer. You cannot just draw lines and hope for the best as sometimes happens with 2D CAD. It is crucial to fully understand buildings as a process that unfolds over time.

I like to use Revit in unconventional ways, to explore boundaries. Not just in my day job but also in my passion for old buildings and the sense of cultural continuity that comes from studying architectural history. In my experience BIM models have enormous potential in this field. It is not just a dry documentation of monuments but more of hands–on thinking too – what I like to call my BIM pencil.

The value of BIM lies primarily in its ability to enhance collaboration. I think about BIM in broad-brush terms. We are all aware of the extent to which technology affects our lives inside and outside of the office and BIM is the impact of this digital revolution on the world of construction.

As an architect I can remember trying to coordinate hand-drawn MEP layouts using flat plans traced by technicians. I had to pore over these drawings for hours to prepare for meetings with the engineers, trying to anticipate problems that might crop up on site. That was one of my least favourite aspects of the job but made much simpler now by tools such as BIM. Now we can generate study sheets that allow everyone to grasp the issues and explain them to stakeholders.

During the design phase BIM helps optimise the usage of building materials by reducing clashes and quantifying the correct amount of material to be used. Used this way BIM provides a tool that can help use less material and less energy.  It also helps save costs and time at every phase of design and construction.

We certainly need to widen the circle, to bring more people into the BIM fold. I think we have tapped a very small percentage of the potential. The schematic and detailed design phases of projects have developed quite effective digital processes, although some disciplines are still trapped in CAD world. Other phases of the life cycle are less advanced perhaps, but progress is being made. In my view, the hardest problem with BIM is how to bridge the transitions between phases in a seamless way. Worthy attempts have been made, but I think we can do better. Let’s keep working on it and sharing our ideas and experiences.