Building Information Modeling: No Longer A “Nice To Have,” Now a “Must Have”

Construction budgets are tighter than ever these days, so architects and engineers rely on Building Information Modeling (BIM) to help the project team work together to detect design conflicts, to utilize systems space more efficiently and to create data-bases of system components and placed material. Detecting and correcting design flaws reduces the need for change orders, saving money. Integrated design and managed maintenance mean less time and less cost.

But the benefits of BIM go beyond design and construction phases. Once the structure has been completed, BIM stays with the building like a “digital owners manual.” For facility managers, this is very helpful for measuring building performance, energy management analysis, and maintenance scheduling. Building systems and components, including audiovisual products, can be accessed for systems specs, warranty information, replacement parts and additional components required for system upgrades if needed. BIM is the design gift that keeps on giving.