BIM - Building Information Modeling
| What is BIM exactly? BIM is a process... not a software! BIM is the ability to convey information in a 3-D model, which is then linked to databases where information is stored and managed. It is the process of building your project virtually before it is built in reality.
BIM is able to achieve such improvements by modeling representations of the actual parts and pieces that will be used in constructing your project. This is a substantial shift from the traditional computer aided drafting method of drawing. Building information modeling covers geometry, spatial relationships, light analysis, geographic information, quantities and properties of building components. BIM can be used to demonstrate the entire building life cycle, including the processes of construction and facility operation. Quantities and shared properties of materials can be extracted easily. Scopes of work can be isolated and defined. Systems, assemblies and sequences can be shown in a relative scale with the entire facility or group of facilities.
BIM can also be used to bridge the information loss that could occur when handing a project over from design team to the construction team and again to the owner, by allowing each group to add to and reference back to all information they acquire during their period of contribution to the BIM model. For example, a building owner may find evidence of a leak in his building. Rather than exploring the physical building, he may turn to his BIM and see that a water valve is located in the suspect location. He could also have in the model the specific valve size, manufacturer, part number, and any other information ever researched in the past.
Benefits of BIM
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