Building Information Modelling (BIM): Its Potential Power

BIM stands for Building Information Modelling (or Model). There is a lot of online information and articles about BIM, its processes, and its benefits. See also the various entries in the RAIC’s Canadian Handbook of Practice for Architects (CHOP). There are entries in chapters 1.1, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.7, 3.8, 5.4, 5.6, and various lists, definitions and appendices.

Outside of any hands-on involvement, it can still be difficult to grasp BIM’s nuances. The focus of this article is to talk about BIM as a methodology for drawing production, rather than specific software instructions. BIM may be easiest to understand if we describe BIM in three states – Creation, Capture, and Afterlife.

Act 1 | Creation - BIM is a Design and Delivery Tool

As a creation tool, BIM enables people to design a project in a virtual, 3D, and data rich environment. A designer can use BIM as a testing ground, to envision, evaluate, and refine a design. BIM allows us to prototype designs, but with greater control, greater accuracy, and without the limitations of a physically constructed model. BIM allows teams to coordinate within this virtual environment - with increased and precise visualizations that were hard to achieve in simple 2D drawings.

What sets BIM apart from a simple 3D modelling tool is the information element. In BIM, creation of objects isn’t through simple drafting of an unintelligent representation in 3 dimensions but through parametric modelling - that is, designing and editing objects through a series of values and parameters with associated intelligence. For example, constructing a masonry wall element in BIM software involves selecting the wall type and material - which may be pre-programmed in the software to align with common material attributes - before defining the height or length of the wall. The resulting output is a virtual 3D element that defines itself as a “masonry wall”. You could edit the wall by re-entering some of its parameters, or changing its dimensions. If you queried this object, it would be tagged as a “wall, masonry” and list several other characteristics of the 3D form, such as dimensions, volume, weight. In another example, a door can be created through parametric modelling by defining key parameters, such as the door opening size, frame depth and width, and door leaf thickness. Once it’s placed in a wall in the model, the wall can detect the door, and automatically create an opening in the wall for it. Revising the door size would be achieved by changing its dimensions. The opening in the wall would automatically update to the revised door size. With the intelligence associated with each object in the 3D model there exists an astounding capability to generate reports from the database of information built into the model, as well as use additional software tools to perform analyses. The pace of change in technology continues to increase BIM’s potential benefits. We also need to question, what you want BIM to do for you.

As a design delivery tool, BIM software can ‘slice’ a model in different orientations to swiftly create interlinked 2D drawings out of the intelligent 3D model. This creates more opportunities to streamline the data associated with the project. For example, designers no longer need to manually manage a library of individual plans, sections, and elevations. When changes happened in the traditional 2D method, designers had to painstakingly update all the individual plans, building sections, elevations, wall sections, and details. Everyone had to be careful that changes in the 2D drawings were consistent, and that collectively they would still create a consistent whole. In BIM, changes that happen in the model would then be represented in the 2D drawings automatically. It is still necessary to check that the 2D representations make sense. In BIM, so long as the appropriate information is embedded in the model, door, window, hardware, and other schedules could automatically be generated and updated for you. In the traditional 2D delivery method, all focus would be placed on crafting and updating the individual 2D plans, sections, and elevations to convey the project to a contractor or estimator. However, in BIM, the focus is on developing and refining the 3D prototype data-rich model. The 2D drawings are a secondary output, not the primary goal.

All in all, in addition to the enhanced, and more accurate visualization of a coordinated project, the streamlined BIM delivery process, and its intelligence enables designers to refocus their efforts, and chips away some of the complexity and burden of manual rote tasks.

Act 2 | Capture - BIM is a Static 3D Virtual Representation of a Project

Ideally, at a point when the design stops, no further changes are made, the contract documents are issued, and the project is handed over to the estimators or contractor, the model becomes a static element. The Building Information Modelling process has resulted in a Building Information Model (an object), and its life may end there. However, there is opportunity for the resulting BIM object to provide benefits beyond the design phases. Now armed with a precise and virtual 3D intelligent model, Architects, Licensed Technologists OAA, engineers, contractors and owners can leverage it for other purposes. Models can be exported to navigation friendly programs which allows you to ‘drive’ through a BIM, create views of pertinent areas, and isolate elements to be viewed, to better comprehend the design. Benefits range from facilitating construction reviews and coordination, obtaining material quantities for cost estimates, added visualizations, construction coordination reviews and associated planning, to envisioning construction sequencing and phasing. In this stage, BIM’s outputs are mostly used to derive more information about the design.

Act 3 | Afterlife - BIM lives on as a Database and/or Operations

Once all the benefits of the BIM object are gained during construction, its life may also end there. However, there is an opportunity for the BIM to live on after construction. For example, during construction the consultant or contractor may find it beneficial to use the BIM to note construction changes (as-built information), “tag” or append additional construction information such as from Supplemental Instructions and Change Orders. The result is a “Record” BIM which can then be used during the occupancy period. An owner may find it advantageous to input Operations & Maintenance Manual contents into the BIM, rather than manage an assortment of printed documents, potentially going as far as to log maintenance practices and schedules within the BIM. It can be used as a base to plan future projects, and even as a base model for the next project consultant.
I’m sure just by having this virtual and highly visualized prototype, others have found their own benefits that make an everyday task simpler which have not been listed here. The reality is that the technology is still evolving, and BIM can be as beneficial as you want it to be. However, BIM is not a panacea - it is not a magical button which practices architecture for us. While there are inherent benefits to be gained through BIM, many of the deeper benefits of BIM are not easily gained without preparation, and investment towards these goals. Furthermore, without good planning, and a clear understanding of how a project will use BIM, the doing a project in BIM may be more frustrating and budget consuming than it should or needs to be.