Why BIM is Worth the Hype

In the past, I wrote a 10 frequently asked questions about Building Information Modeling (BIM). However, I felt that all the answers I’ve wrote made are overwhelming and confusing.

Its like reading a data communication text book. Its more confusing, lack of example. Someone who just step in this industry might become stupider by reading it.

So here, another bits about BIM for those who seek answer.

What is BIM? for dummy

Imagine you’re building a house, but instead of just having a blueprint, you have a virtual house that you can walk through, rearrange furniture, and even test the plumbing before you even lay a single brick.

That’s BIM!

It’s like having a giant, interactive playhouse for architects, engineers, and contractors to work on before bringing their vision to life.

And just like a playhouse, BIM helps everyone avoid silly mistakes like building the stairs to nowhere or forgetting to make room for the toilet. In the end, everyone’s happy and the house is built to perfection!

BIM and Revit are different, right?

Think of BIM as a recipe for a delicious cake, and Revit as your trusty mixing bowl. BIM is the process of collecting all the ingredients, carefully measuring them out, and putting them together in just the right way to create the perfect cake. Revit is the tool you use to mix everything together, making sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Or, if you prefer a sports analogy, BIM is the game plan and Revit is the ball. BIM is the strategy you come up with to win the game, and Revit is the tool you use to execute that strategy on the field.

But no matter how you slice it (or mix it), the bottom line is that BIM is the overall process or methodology for creating and managing 3D building models, while Revit is just one of many tools used to implement that process. So, while Revit is designed for BIM, it’s not the only option out there!

So, is it necessary? is BIM worth it?

With BIM, you can say goodbye to outdated paper blueprints and hello to virtual building blocks that you can move around like a giant game of digital Legos!

BIM allows everyone to work off the same page, quite literally. No more playing a game of telephone where the message gets garbled along the way – unless you’re modeling a garbled building, of course!

BIM is like a 3D crystal ball that lets you see into the future of your building project. Will your HVAC system fit? Will your plumbing work? BIM can help you answer these questions and more, saving you from any nasty surprises down the line.

Really? No trouble with BIM?

Well, using BIM can be a real “model” behavior challenge! You see, it requires architects to become experts in structural engineering and to model everything as an exact copy of the final building component.

And if you don’t get it right, you could end up with a building that looks like it was designed by a kindergartner with a box of Legos! Plus, you have to create a BIM Execution Plan (BEP) to capture the who, what, when, where, and why, which can be a real headache if you don’t plan early enough.

But as Grandma always says, “Plannerly is the way to go!”. So, the challenge is real, but with a little humor and a lot of planning, you can make BIM work for you!

The future of BIM

Well, let me put on my crystal ball hat and take a peek into the future of BIM. It seems that Building Information Modeling (BIM) is becoming more prevalent in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry as firms adopt new ways of working and communicating to support project delivery.

Most firms are currently using BIM software to gather data, but they are not executing this process very well. However, in the future, BIM might become the entity, and the physical object will be just a hard copy of the virtual model. It looks like BIM 3.0 is going to allow us to become better architects, designers, engineers, and more, giving us more time and mental space.

The future of BIM is all about creating connection and utilizing a connected model-based process through cloud technology, often referred to as Connected BIM. BIM can help increase sustainability in the design phase and streamline collaboration during construction. The future of BIM has much more to offer than what is being offered right now, with cutting-edge technology and newer inventions.

In summary, the future of BIM is bright, and every AEC company might as well adapt because there’s no way around it. But hey, architects, engineers, and building designers don’t want a lot of upstream changes, so let’s hope the future of BIM is all about seamless collaboration and no more headaches!