There is no doubt that Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been revolutionizing the AEC industry in recent years. The latest BIM technology helps professionals to create better buildings with fewer errors and in less time.
In addition, BIM allows civil engineers and clients to interact more efficiently in every phase of the project life-cycle, leading to better project decisions.
But what are the pros and cons of BIM in the AEC industry and how does it affect the industry?
In this article, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of BIM in order to understand better how BIM can benefit everyone involved in a construction project.
There are countless benefits of BIM, but here are the best 7 BIM advantages that have been transforming the AEC industry:
BIM creates a digital model of the building before construction even begins, which helps to identify potential problems, clash detections, and any other errors early on in the design process. This means that errors can be fixed before they cause costly delays or rework.
Since BIM can be used to create a virtual model of the construction site, it helps to identify potential safety hazards before work even begins.
The safety evaluations and visual risk analysis ensure that construction workers are safe and that accidents are avoided.
The use of BIM can save architects, engineers, and contractors a significant amount of time and money throughout the project life-cycle.
For example, BIM can be used to generate more accurate construction schedules and material lists, which can help avoid costly delays during construction.
Since BIM allows all project stakeholders to access and share information in real-time, it improves communication and coordination between disciplines.
This helps to avoid misunderstandings and errors that can lead to costly delays and, at the same time, significantly improve efficiency.
One of the best BIM advantages is that it simplifies prefabrication. By creating a virtual 3D model of the building, all the necessary information for prefabricating components can be easily accessed and shared.
You can decrease waste, reduce labour, improve efficiency, and reduce material expenses by designing and detailing in an off-site controlled environment. This will save you time and money because of the reduced on-site construction work.
BIM supports sustainability by helping architects and engineers design more sustainable buildings with environmentally friendly materials.
In addition, BIM can be used to model the energy performance of a building that will have minimal adverse environmental impacts and reduced energy consumption.
The owners or investors of the buildings can use BIM’s realistic 3D designs to get a better understanding and insight into their building before it’s even built.
This allows them to make informed decisions about the design, materials, and systems that will be used in their building. So the final outcome for the owners will be higher quality assets and better end results.
While there are many advantages of BIM, there are also a few disadvantages of BIM in construction that you need to be aware of…
Since BIM is such a complex technology, there is a steep learning curve for those who are not familiar with it. It can take some time for professionals to become proficient in using all of the features and functionality of an advanced BIM software such as Allplan.
In order to run BIM software, you need a high-powered computer with a lot of RAM, a fast processor, and large storage.
This can be one of the major cons of BIM because it may be a significant investment for small businesses or individual contractors who are just starting with BIM.
BIM files can be large and complex, which can make them challenging to manage. More often than not, the data can become inaccurate, especially if the template becomes too complicated to manage.
So, it’s important to have a system in place for storing, backing up, and sharing BIM files that contain accurate data. Otherwise, they can easily become lost, corrupted, or inconsistent.
For small projects, the use of BIM may be overkill. In some cases, using traditional methods such as pencil and paper or two-dimensional CAD software might be more efficient.
As you can see, there are both advantages and disadvantages of BIM in the AEC industry. But overall, despite a few BIM disadvantages, the benefits of BIM far outweigh the drawbacks.
So if you’re looking for a way to save time and money, improve communication and coordination between disciplines, and build sustainable buildings, BIM is the way to go.
If you’re not already using BIM on your construction projects, now is the time to get started, and Breon is here to help you.
We’ve been utilizing the latest BIM technology for many years now, and we can help you build your next successful constriction project by overcoming all disadvantages of BIM.
Contact us today!
References:
https://bim360resources.autodesk.com/connect-construct/top-10-benefits-of-bim-in-construction
https://www.bimspot.io/blogs/the-advantages-of-bim/
https://hmcarchitects.com/news/top-5-benefits-of-bim-construction-2020-05-13/
https://www.autodesk.eu/solutions/bim/benefits-of-bim
https://www.ny-engineers.com/blog/benefits-of-building-information-modeling
