Most architects have now heard of BIM and have either integrated BIM into their workflow or are contemplating it.

This series of posts will give a beginners guide to BIM and it’s benefits to clients. There is already stacks of information written about BIM at a much more advanced level than I will be writing, the purpose of the posts it to give a layman’s guide to what BIM is from the client’s viewpoint, why it is important and the benefits BIM brings to your project.

So. What is BIM?

BIM = Building Information Modelling and is essentially a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a building.

When CAD (Computer Aided Design) was originally introduced; it was effectively just the electronic versions of the 2D plans, elevations and section drawings of the paper based equivalents used to construct a building.

2D led to 3D models and the extracting of the 2D drawings from the 3D model.

But BIM is much more than just the 3D model as it also forms a knowledge base that is shared between design professionals (such as architects, structural engineers, M/E engineers) to the contractor/sub-contractors and on to the owners and occupiers. This information is shared from the building’s earliest conception, to its completion, occupation and possible eventual demolition.

At it’s most basic therefore it is a 3D model that can be shared between designers, in order to use the same geometries and constructions to calculate structural requirements, electrical cabling and ducting, lighting analysis etc… But as described above it can be much more than this and the purpose of the next sequence of blog posts is to outline the following:

• A simple BIM example

• Client benefits

• Is BIM a type of software?

• How files are exchanged and protocols

• BIM Examples

The next post will therefore show a simple BIM example on a project we are currently working on in our own practice. I’d be happy to include your BIM example with a credit to your company ( a little bit of text with an image plus your contact details), simply CONTACT ME…