BIM (Building Information Modelling) is increasingly used by architects in construction. This tool is also tending to be used in operations…
Beyond the “wow” effect when discovering the possibilities of this tool and in particular its 3D representations, it is important to realise what it represents for a (user) company.
Let us say at the outset, at the risk of upsetting the developers and sellers of these products, that in its current state, BIM is not aimed at small SMEs and is not intended for small constructions. Indeed, the cost/benefit ratio is not (yet) favourable.
There are two main categories of BIM users: construction and operation. For the former, BIM is undoubtedly a valuable aid for designers, architects and engineers who can model everything, present it easily and modify the dynamic plans as they wish.
For operations, BIM can be a very powerful tool, but it requires a dedicated team and rigour in the processes and data entry, which can put many people off.
It is therefore necessary to weigh up the interests before embarking on the acquisition of a BIM tool. Today, many architectural firms make the results of their work on BIM available to clients “free of charge”, which is all very well, but what do you do afterwards?
The question is what to do with BIM plans developed during the construction phase. On the one hand, it is a pity not to use the mass of data available for the daily operation; on the other hand, the burden of “data maintenance” is very consequent, permanent, and costly.
It is therefore important to combine BIM data with other tools for managing the infrastructure and services of a building to get the full benefits. Examples include the management of
• Investment and maintenance budgets
• Call and monitoring centre,
• Energy (water, gas, air conditioning, etc.),
• Space, fittings, and removals,
• Employee and customer flow,
• Personal services,
• etc.
Without proper integration, BIM can quickly prove to be expensive, impractical, or even underused. It is therefore important to surround yourself with neutral specialists in these fields from the outset: with all due respect, developers or vendors will never be “neutral” and will always propose “their” solutions.
It is certain that BIM will accompany many companies and organisations in the future, but it will still have to convince by its simplicity of use and a more advantageous quality/price ratio.
Good luck, good thinking, and good reading.