Building information Management is a collaborative process between architects, engineers, real estate developers, contractors, manufacturers, and other stakeholders involved in the construction of any project. This lets all the stakeholders plan, design and construct a facility within one 3D model.
The most promising factor about BIM is the information. The data can be used to improve accuracy, express design intent, improve knowledge transfer from one stakeholder to another, reduce change orders and on-site coordination problems.
3D modeling the project helps professionals to design, details, document and fabricate systems, especially structural systems with accuracy and optimized designs. This helps reduce errors and risk in defining the constructability thus helping the overall delivery of the project.
It includes mechanical equipment modeling, diffusers and grilles modeling, electrical lighting fixtures, plumbing layout modeling, mechanical duct and duct fittings modeling. MEP prefabrication models and drawings can be generated in a much easier more reliable and quicker way. Then the model can be checked for interferences and spatial coordination with the help of clash avoidance and clash detection tools.
BIM helps integrate various systems in the building. It not only resolves issues within disciplines but also regulates overlaps between them. BIM coordination helps optimal functioning between different teams, contractors, fabricators, consultants and engineers to build up a consistent communication channel.
3D BIM modeling using revit eases the process of 3D modeling, 3D renders, 3D perspectives and detailed drawings to be inclusive of all disciplines. Updates in any of the disciplines are immediately reflected in all other disciplines too, making coordination and designs more accurate.
The use of Revit BIM allows the consultants to develop and implement system families or in-place families such that all the disciplines within the project complement each other resulting in an optimal design making the design to be energy efficient in the best sense.
BIM-based constructability analysis aids in monitoring the construction processes right through the design phase. The process helps identify the right approach to minimize waste and increase the efficiency of the processes. The most promising benefits of the analysis is to attain the desired safety standards through BIM visual analysis.
One of the biggest challenges that the construction team faces during the execution of nay project is meeting the timeline along with accuracy and precision. With the help of BIM analysis, potential clashes within various disciplines can be detected early in the design phases. Thus, enabling the teams to collaborate and plan the execution for a timely delivery of the project.
Construction is a collaboration across various disciplines and for the efficient execution of the same, appropriate documentation is of utmost importance. Construction documentation sets are used to communicate the design intent and specifications to the design professionals, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, and suppliers. Documenting the construction produces detailed drawings, making things explicit.
The 4th dimension in BIM is for time. It includes duration, timelines and scheduling. Scheduling helps in outlining how much time will be needed in completion of the project and also how the project will mature over time. Some identified benefits of 4D BIM include improved site planning and optimized scheduling, seamless coordination among all stakeholders, better preparedness in terms of next steps during each construction stage, enhanced information sharing about timeline expectations helping to avoid costly delays and enhanced safety and efficiency due to documentation of an entire plan with specific timelines.
The 5th dimension in BIM is for money. It includes cost estimation, analysis and budgetary tracking. 5D BIM makes it easy to understand the costs associated with any task and can factor in potential changes expected due to change in the task type or time. Some identified benefits of 5D BIM include real time cost estimation, automatic counting for components for the project, simplified cost analysis with predicted and actual expenditure over time and minimization of budgetary offshoot and periodic monitoring of the budget.
The 6th dimension in BIM is for integrated BIM. It includes making the structure self-sustainable and energy efficient. 6D BIM aids in analyzing the energy consumption of a building. Some identified benefits of 6D BIM include reduced energy consumption, accurate and efficient decision making for installations during the design process, detailed economic analysis and impacts of decision changes over the entire lifecycle of the building and better facility management post-handover.
The 7th dimension in BIM is for management. It includes holistic management information for entire lifecycle of the facility. Some identified benefits of 7D BIM include optimized facility management from design to demolition stages, simplified maintenance and repairs during the entire life of a building and easy coordination with contractors and subcontractors for set maintenance protocol.
