What is Building Information Modeling?

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the creation and use of coordinated, internally consistent, computable information about a building project in design and construction. This concept has changed the way industry professionals worldwide think about how technology can be applied to building design, construction, and management. Building Information Modeling supports the continuous and immediate availability of project design scope, schedule, and cost information that is high quality, reliable, integrated, and fully coordinated.

Among the many competitive advantages it confers are:

• Increased speed of delivery (time saved)
• Better coordination (fewer errors)
• Decreased costs (money saved)
• Greater productivity
• Higher-quality work
• New revenue and business opportunities

For each of the three major phases in the building life cycle - design, construction, and management, Building Information Modeling offers access to the following critical information:

• Design phase - design, schedule, and budget information
• Construction phase - quality, schedule, and cost information
• Management phase - performance, utilization, and financial information

Why should you adopt BIM?

BIM is becoming the foundation of building design, visualization studies, contract documents, analysis, simulation and facilities management. Here are some of the facts:

• The Dept. of Commerce predicts construction spending in the United States is to be $1.2 trillion for 2008. The Construction Specification Institute estimates there is up to 57% (over $600 billion) non-value added effort or inefficiencies existing in current business models.
• There is an urgent need for construction industry stakeholders to maximize the portion of services that add value in end-products and to reduce inefficiencies.
• The current approach to industry transformation is largely focused in efforts to optimize design and construction phase activities and eliminate the inefficiencies between the design, specification, bid, build and maintenance stages of a building.

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