The Future of Construction: All you need to know about BIM
There are many predictions and opinions of what the future of construction will be going around, but it seems BIM (building information modelling) is one of the most talked about and most beneficial advances for the industry. So we thought if it is going to become a part of our future, we should get up to scratch on what it’s all about.
What exactly is BIM?
BIM uses advances in technology to effectively digitalise the entire building process up to the physical build itself, giving a multidimensional vision of how the finished product should not only look but how it should function. BIM not only takes into account the 3 spatial dimensions of the building, but allows time and cost to be added as 4th and 5th dimensions, giving a more realistic projection of the life cycle of the project right from the word go. This allows any issues to be highlighted and dealt with as early as possible, making it easier to keep to schedules and budgets, and giving all sectors coming together to work on the project to see the full detailed vision.
What Are The Benefits of Using BIM?
There has been a lot of opinions flying around on how BIM will benefit the construction industry, and even more on how it will only hinder us. We have highlighted some of the main areas we think BIM will be most beneficial to the building sector.
- Reduces Errors and Need For Rework: With the technology to create a fully functioning digital simulation of the outcome by inputting all the data, it is far easier to spot and fix errors early in the process, which saves money and time on reworking.
- Reduces Conflicts and Changes During Construction: Because BIM offers a shared working model with collaborative ownership, it allows for everyone to make changes at the earliest stages and for everyone to be up to date on the changes made instantaneously. This means there is reduced conflict between teams during the construction stage and everyone remains on the same page throughout the project, from design to construction.
- Opens Doors To New Clients: As many companies are already starting to require BIM on projects, having the necessary software and skill set to be able to provide this will open up new clients and projects for you.
- Improved Quality of Project Outcome: The reason so many people are already requiring BIM on projects even before the 2016 deadline is because it helps to improve the overall outcome of the project, with reduced rework and errors, better relationships with clients and improved collaboration between teams.
The Government’s Plans for BIM
By 2016 the Government have announced the requirement for a collaborative BIM to be submitted for every proposed project. With its construction sector modernisation programme aiming to reduce the carbon burden and capital cost of the UK’s built environment by at least 20%, BIM is a central part of achieving these aims as it can offer more efficient ways of working throughout the life-cycle of building projects.
So beginning to understand and take onboard BIM now could seriously benefit your business in a variety of ways, and seen as the government are set to introduce it as a requirement for the future, it is only a matter of time before we will all be dragged into the digital age, whether we like it or not, so you may as well get a head start!
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