5 Key Advantages of Building Information Modelling

The world is growing at an intense pace. And with a booming population, the building design industry is working hard to keep up. Figuring out how to improve the way we work is a cornerstone for every industry including construction. Over the last 20 years, BIM has been gaining popularity within the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) world. And for good reason. We’re in the digital age and technology is revolutionising our approach to practically everything. Including how we approach to collaborate and manage multi-disciplinary building design.

All the fuss.

In case you’re curious, BIM is an integrated digital approach to designing and managing a built asset throughout its lifecycle. It encompasses planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. It allows building professionals to simulate projects, analyze plans, and visualise the final building. This clarity gives the necessary insights to every discipline to make better decisions and work together more effectively. From concept through to design to materials selection and operations. This single view enables dramatic efficiency.

A concrete solution.

With a digital simulation, each part of the project works seamlessly together. Issues are identified earlier and solutions are discovered proactively. Costs are easier to manage and changes are easier to understand when it comes to their impact across the entire project. The economic value driven by BIM methodology is proven and well documented and it’s a movement we support. Elevating the way we approach work is our passion, so we hired our own internal expert to guide clients towards better outcomes. Meet Anthony  who explained the top five advantages.

1. Control costs better.

   Smart modelling is a great tool to simplify complex design phases, which saves money. The Paris Philharmonic (20 000 m² - 535million euros) managed to avoid 90% of phasing issues with BIM, such as the laying of the multiple beams and achieve an inclined roof. “BIM is one of the only ways of understanding all the issues involved in a project from the design stage onwards and of controlling the cost of construction,” states Frank Gehry, world-renowned architect.
   

2. Save a lot of time.

   A lack of communication and information sharing across disciplines causes substantial delays and slows down decision making. The Iter project on Tokamak Nuclear Complex (10 billion euros) relied on BIM to enable real-time information sharing to improve stakeholder collaboration. 450 people have shared around 40 million technical pieces of data saving months off the project.
   

3. Build projects faster.

   Integrating and simulating the final construction outcome accelerates the design and construction. London’s Department of Health (9 000 m² – 14million euros) has seen big productivity gains thanks to BIM. In fact, 3% of the project cost has been saved using BIM for efficient operations.
   

4. Make work safer.

   Construction is still one of the most dangerous industries and BIM minimises risks. By simulating the entire structure, it’s easier to spot safety issues and proactively resolve them before they might cause harm. “BIM is one of the most potent tools to single-handedly improve health and safety on construction sites,” explains civil engineer Kai Oberste-Ufer.
   

5. Achieve operational efficiencies.

   In France 44% of the energy consumed is used by the construction industry. Digital insights enable designers to predict and optimise operational requirements, size systems for efficiency, and reduce costs. This also drives sustainability. BIM also enables predictive maintenance, which manages operational costs better.
   
   

Better visibility drives better coordination across disciplines.

Seamless integration across HVAC, plumbing, and electrical engineering enables a holistic design that works together. This yields a quicker design and build time with fewer issues, which saves a lot of money and helps investors to reach occupancy faster. Shortening the design build timeframe also frees investment capital up quicker, which also enables more construction projects to take place in a shorter timeframe.

Streamlined communication enables better collaboration and quicker decision making.