A Construction Expert’s Guide to BIM

Over the last ten years, construction companies have made great strides in using technology to make construction more efficient and innovative. One form of technology that has unlocked new abilities to design, visualise, simulate, and manage construction projects is Building Information Modelling (BIM). 

BIM is mostly seen as a method for creating a 3D model of a construction project, but there’s much more to BIM. Here, we’ll walk you through what BIM is, and what it can do, the benefits and potential challenges associated with using BIM, and more. Read on to discover the impact of BIM for the construction industry and why every construction business can benefit from BIM.

What is BIM?

Building Information Modelling is a methodology that allows construction professionals to use software to collaborate on every phase of construction, from planning, design, management, and construction of a project, and even beyond. Using BIM software, construction teams can create a 3D model — also known as a digital twin — of their design. As well as the 3D model, BIM allows construction teams to integrate data including:

+ Project schedules
+ Maintenance schedules
+ Costs and budgets
+ Equipment requirements
+ Project management data, and more.

BIM enables teams to collaborate with each other, acting as a shared platform for everyone to view and update information about the project and design in real time. 

What are the different levels of BIM?

Using a 3D model for design is Level 1 BIM, but today, we see construction companies using Level 0, 1, 2, and 3 BIM. Level 0 BIM is the traditional method of using paper-based, 2D drawings. Once companies start using computer aided design (CAD) they are technically operating at Level 1 BIM. 

Level 1 BIM

Many Tier 2 and Tier 3 companies are at Level 1 BIM today. Level 1 BIM is the ability to manage digital drawings using CAD, as well as navigate the spatial environment of the design and use naming conventions to better organise their documentation. The documentation that is used for BIM is stored in a common data environment (CDE). 

Level 2 BIM

Level 2 BIM is the level that Tier 1 contractors are currently aiming for and is a legal requirement for many public sector projects today. In Level 2 BIM, construction companies create a 3D model which is built up by different objects and sub-models. An example of a sub-model is a mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) model, which helps to show where elements such as piping and cabling will fit in the project. With Level 2 BIM, you can federate models, which means combining them together. This helps to identify any issues like clashes before going on site. 

Level 3 BIM

Level 3 BIM is where companies start to use BIM to its full capacity. This is where companies store all of their data — not just 3D models — within a common data environment and integrate it to create a single, centralised model. This allows everyone involved in the project to work from and on the same model in real time. Level 3 BIM is also known as integrated BIM and openBIM. At this level, we start to see the use of 4D and 5D BIM.

4D BIM

4D BIM takes into account the programme and schedule, and it shows the company how they are going to run the project. With 4D BIM, you can see an animation of the project being built, which allows workers to visualise and understand the process before even starting the work. This is happening to some degree on the largest projects, but isn’t the standard yet. 

5D BIM

5D BIM is an exciting part of Level 3 BIM which allows you to price the model that you create. It helps with costing different parts of the build individually as well as the overall build. You can also use 5D BIM to help build a Bill of Quantities and export it automatically. 

Beyond 5D: 6D and 7D BIM

Currently, 6D and 7D BIM exist in a hypothetical sense, but aren’t yet being used in real-world scenarios as the technology isn’t yet fully available. 

6D BIM adds a sustainability and energy aspect to the BIM model, allowing a team to perform energy analyses and to evaluate the environmental performance of a project when it is operational.

7D BIM adds facility management into the mix, which will be useful for clients once the building is finished and in use. It allows teams to add information such as maintenance manuals and specifications for systems or components that may need to be replaced after normal wear and tear over time.

Benefits of BIM

There are a whole host of benefits to using BIM thanks to its many functionalities. Here are some of the key benefits:

Collaboration

BIM helps teams to collaborate better because everybody has access to an accurate, up-to-date model of the construction project, helping to keep them all on the same page. This reduces the need to ask lots of questions or check that workers have the right details, making it easier to work together and trust that everyone has the correct information. With Level 0 BIM, where you have 2D drawings, this is not possible. People will have to check the drawings multiple times, which means going back and forth in a less efficient way. BIM eliminates this, making it much easier to collaborate and communicate with each other. 

Better Visualisation

Thanks to the 3D model that BIM allows you to create, construction workers get a much clearer picture of the projects they work on compared to using 2D drawings. This helps with forecasting and visualising project outcomes, giving teams a better understanding of both the process and the finished project. It also helps to enable preventative decisions before construction begins, such as identifying potential clashes and working to avoid them before building starts. Better visibility into a project enhances profitability, as it means less rework and less waste. 

Data-driven Decision Making

BIM offers accurate, real-time information as the model updates instantly when a user makes a change. This means that construction workers can base all of their decisions on up-to-date information using the BIM model, which helps them to make informed choices. 

To explore even more benefits of BIM, you can read our article, 7 Benefits of BIM in Construction. 

Potential Challenges

Using new technology in an industry which has been built on more traditional, analogue methods often brings certain challenges. Luckily, these challenges also have solutions. For companies who are looking to integrate BIM, or reach Level 2 or Level 3 BIM, the more they understand the challenges, the better. Let’s explore some of the potential challenges that come with implementing BIM, or moving up to the next level. 

Skills Shortages

New technology always requires some amount of upskilling, and BIM is no different. For companies that have never used BIM before, there will be a big gap between their current knowledge of BIM and what they need to be able to use it to its full potential, or to whatever level they want to work at. It’s always possible to train people to use BIM. However, this requires time, money, and individuals who are eager to learn to use the tech. All three of these can be difficult to find at the right time. Luckily, BIM software is becoming more user friendly, which helps make upskilling easier. 

High Initial Costs

To use BIM, companies need to invest in both the software and hardware to run it, as well as training for the people who are going to use it. This is a significant expense, especially for smaller companies. 

BIM requires CAD laptops which can cost thousands of pounds. However, once companies have the software, hardware, and skilled professionals, they can unlock a significant return on investment. This is because using BIM makes construction more efficient and reduces rework. It’s also because they will then be able to work on contracts which they weren’t able to work on before — with the government, for example, which requires BIM Level 2 as standard.  

Perceived lack of demand

Construction companies that mostly work on smaller projects may argue that there is no demand for BIM, as their current clients have not requested to use it. In the most recent Annual BIM Report by the NBS, published in 2020, 64% of respondents who are not using BIM cite lack of client demand as the reason why they haven’t adopted it. But this doesn’t mean there is no demand for BIM in the wider market, and companies will find that if they adopt BIM, the pool of clients that they can serve will grow significantly. 

Innovative Uses of BIM

As well as the standard uses of BIM, such as visualising projects, collaborating with team members, and identifying potential clashes, there are other creative ways to use BIM. One example of this can be to do a virtual walk through of a project model to understand the best way to move machinery through the build. You can also use BIM in conjunction with Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) tools to walk a client through the model so that they can get a better idea of how the finished project will look, which is a great way to manage client expectations and identify anything that they might challenge or want to change. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between BIM and CAD?

CAD is mainly used to create 2D and 3D models of components, with a focus on the physical and geometrical aspects of a design. Any other details like costs and material specifications need to be managed outside of the CAD software. BIM goes beyond this functionality, as it allows the user to integrate lots of other information, such as costs and programme schedules, and to combine different models together. 

When was BIM developed?

BIM’s beginnings date all the way back to the 1970s with the introduction of 3D modelling. In the 1980s, we saw subsequent developments in CAD and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) which paved the way for early iterations of BIM. BIM itself started to gain traction in the early 2000s as software functionality started to evolve and expand. 

What’s the future for BIM?

In the future, we can expect to see the use of artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and predictive modelling to become a standard part of BIM. For example, AI can suggest certain elements that have already been used in a model by predicting the next steps of a model based on patterns it sees repeating in the design. We will also see the introduction of 6D and 7D BIM, which add the sustainability and energy analysis aspects, and facility management. These methods are currently in an early conceptual phase. 

Are there any standards or frameworks for BIM?

Yes, there are international standards such as the ISO 19650 which those using BIM must follow to make sure they are compliant with the standard. You can read more about the ISO 19650 in our article about common data environments. 

There is also the UK BIM Framework which sets out standards, rules, and guidance for information management while using BIM. 

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