Future of Building Information Modeling

Did you know that designers of the very first automobile dubbed the invention as “horseless carriages” since they were reluctant to change their mindset and accept a revolutionary technology? Similarly, designers of steel frames covered them in masonry so that they looked like already-known bearing wall structures. It took them years to utilize the expressive capability of steel that is quite prevalent in designing buildings today. There are scores of other examples where almost every industry has tried to dismiss an innovative solution and attempted to shape it according to familiar practices. But eventually, true innovation conquers all. The AEC industry is also undergoing a similar phase with BIM technology. Nevertheless, scope and future of BIM services is resplendent with opportunities galore. Let us get a sneak peek at what the future holds for Building Information Modeling.

Building Information Modeling – The Future Ahead

The increased awareness about green energy efficient homes has led to an amplified interest in Building Information Modeling services as the means to achieve this. The drivers of adopting green technology include energy efficiency, environmental health and generating less waste. With BIM technology, AEC firms can build facilities with Green House Gases (GHG) control, carbon regulation and zero emissions.

Going a step further, BIM can be used effectively to combine green technology with building automation systems so that it results in truly intelligent buildings for future. The AEC industry can utilize BIM technology and processes to create facilities and societies that are more productive and safer for its occupants and at the same time more operationally efficient for owners.

Another possible future scenario is when changes made to the BIM model automatically reflect and update the cost model, performance analysis model, facility management database as well as the mechanical design package. What this means in simple terms is that, a change in the room area of a BIM model would in turn tick off a series of backward events, such as recalculation and adjustment of internal heating and cooling loads, which would again in turn resize the ductwork that supplies air to the room. FM database and Bill of Quantities may also be automatically updated with respect to the changes made in the BIM model.

Hence, if properly used, BIM has the power to create more profitable, sustainable and people focused communities. Not only contractors and engineers, but also conservationists, councils and transport operators can communicate over a 3D virtual BIM model to expand the scope of BIM technology. As each stakeholder adds value to the BIM model with respect to the information at hand, final results may change accordingly. For example, information about the likely inhabitants at a facility and the species habitat may change the carbon emissions per unit in the vicinity.

We shouldn’t be surprised if this version of BIM future sounds like a virtual reality game. From Google Earth to iPhone GPS maps, simulation and virtual reality is penetrating into every sphere of our life. However to reach this level of maturity in the AEC industry, all the stakeholders need to join hands and employ more advanced tools and techniques to exchange or share data. Though, the seeds of an integrated vision of BIM technology have been planted, we are still at some distance from an ideal BIM approach to be a reality.

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About the Author: Hi, I’m Aliya Jennifer from BIMhub, a platform that encourages all players of the AEC industry to collaborate throughout the building life cycle from creation, maintenance, amortization and depreciation. To know more about our BIM services, please visit our site.

Tags: BIM, Construction, Construction industry, Construction process, Construction services

Categories: ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, BIM, Graphisoft, Revit, Tekla

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 25th, 2012 at 10:41 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.