One of the more recent trends affecting builds across the board is Building Information Modeling, or BIM. This trend has risen throughout 2019 and is predicted to become even more popular in 2020. As this most recent wave of technology sweeps across the project management industry, it is always a smart idea to understand what BIM involves, and how it will affect your role in the future.
What is BIM?
Building Information Modeling is a way of visualizing buildings, utilities, and even roads through a digital process that allows you to “build” your project through computer-generated imagery. Basically, it is a simple and effective method to see how your final project will look, along with the option to view and identify the details that surround it.
BIM also gives you an idea of how well your building materials will endure over long periods of time, and allows you to analyze the nearby environment around the build site to give you important information before you move forward. Having a visual to show stakeholders is also helpful as you explain your design and what you hope to accomplish with the project.
How can BIM help?
You know better than anyone that there are unforeseen snags in nearly every project. It isn’t possible to anticipate them all, but using Building Information Modeling is a great way to look for potential issues before they arise in the actual project. You are essentially constructing the entire build without ever having to leave your office.
Seeing what lies ahead of you has many potential benefits. You will be able to gain information on how energy will be used throughout the building, and make adjustments to improve the energy levels as needed, which will increase your project’s sustainability. You can also tweak your design to be more practical or to better meet the needs of those who will be using the building on a regular basis.
BIM can even help you estimate how much labor you will need, how many hours are necessary to complete the project, and how much of each material you are predicted to use. This is a huge factor in cutting out waste and maintaining your budget. As you become more familiar with using BIM, you will also be able to more easily determine how you can improve your next project and which practices have served you well so far.
In this digital age, using a 3D model like BIM is a natural next step for many project managers. Keeping up with the times can be a challenge, but once you gain a little practice, you will find the benefits far outweigh the time spent learning new ways to be the best in you field.
About Impact Construction Management
Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Impact Construction Management is a full-service construction management firm. Founded by Louis Buonaiuto and Richard Bowlin, Impact Construction Management has been managing construction projects for clients throughout the Midwest and South for over 10 years. From our very first project to today, our focus has been on delivering the results our clients want by providing responsive service, up-front pricing and the highest-quality workmanship.
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