Building information modeling (BIM) simply means the use of a digital model to help people understand a building or a certain facility. It represents all the functional and physical characteristics of a building. It helps people make decisions concerning the development of buildings right from when the designs are put in place for the time when the building is being constructed till it is fully complete. Also, it provides a basis used for evaluating the construction, demolition and even reuse of building materials. (InfoComm International 2010)
The design process is the most critical when it comes to the life cycle of a building. At this stage, the designer determines how the building will look as well as other functional and physical characteristics. When something goes wrong at this stage, the whole building is compromised. BIM is one of the ways through which a designer or building owners can help to avoid such incidences. They can use BIM to improve co-ordination among the whole designer’s team as well as other members who can chip in one way or another and help avoid some errors (The Construction Users Roundtable 2010)
There are many advantages associated with using BIM by a team for designing the project. The first is that it helps to produce more accurate designs which have fewer errors. There are many errors that can result while not using BIM at the designing stage. For example, the designer may forget to include a critical support point for a certain floor. Since they are not digitally connected to help them visualize and sense any errors, the building may be complete after which it collapses. All these could have been prevented by using BIM. It also helps to ensure that there is less wastage of resources available as the exact amount of resources required are estimated and correctly identified and communicated to the building team. (Autodesk 2011)
Moreover, BIM helps to increase the efficiency, quality, and productivity of the designing team. It facilitates a network through which the team easily shares the resources. It also allows them to give their views after a critical examination of the digital model of whatever facility they are designing. The results after the investment are positive as the value of money spent in designing is realized, thus a higher return obtained. BIM also improves the decision making of the designing team. The members can make more informed choices throughout the life-cycle of the facility under construction. As the designers can visualize their design, it helps them rectify anything they wish without disrupting the entire building. It also helps them monitor the whole building process.
BIM helps to provide for project risk through various ways. The first way is through integrating the design process with engineering and construction. It occurs as the building is simulated before and also during its actual construction. It allows both the designers, engineers and constructors to communicate and interact with each other. Any errors that arise are communicated among all teams thus making the right changes at the right time. It especially helps to control the cost and especially in high-risk and high-cost projects. In such cases, the cost is reduced to the minimal possible without affecting the actual design of the facility.
Through the data exchange platform, BIM also helps to mitigate risk by reducing the design deficiency. Errors made by construction as well as design team are greatly reduced as BIM employs conflict detection mechanisms through visualization techniques. Team members dealing with the design and construction of the building can identify the errors and rectify them before commencing construction, thus reducing risk associated with the construction of the facility.
Bibliography
Autodesk. (2011). Realizing the Benefits of BIM. USA.
InfoComm International. (2010). Building Information Modeling.
The Construction Users Roundtable. (2010). BIM Implementation: An Owner’s Guide to Getting Started.
