What is BIM?
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is generally used to indicate a digital building model enabling exchange of information within the process of the building. From the point of project design, from construction till the administration of the building, within its whole life cycle. Today you receive a 2D documentation dealing with the part of the building only. In case of questions designers must quickly finish the section or detail requested, because it does not deal with what is behind the section plane.
BIM deepens a classic 2D vector design by the depth of a detailed consideration and depiction of the building in its dynamic form. This will be formed in the smallest of the detail in the PLANNING process already, when all collision situations are detected. This way are saved time as well as finances.
The communication between the project designer and the principal, between the constructor and the potential user, between the constructor and the bank, the insurance company, is simplified.
We gain more time for the analyses of alternative procedures, or simulation situations. All information may be used for the optimization of the resources, workers, materials and components.
Today, having real experience using BIM in construction, we know that savings amount to 10% of the costs of the price of the work.
In the phase of CONSTRUCTION we are in complete control over the project – the model is available 24 hours a day / 365 days a year. There are less mistakes and thus less repairs.
We have accurate information about the floor space often causing disputes (e.g. in purchasing the property). The communication with the subcontractors regarding the statement of areas is simplified – whether in the price quotation or approval of the statement of the works completed or materials and components supplied. Timely identification of conflicts improves the coordination.
It saves on visualisations since the whole object has already been designed and it is not necessary to create the mass again. At the end of construction digital model full of information can be offered to the administrator who will be managing the property. It is the source of valuable information and enables to handle the property in a better way. Since the information regarding the area usability is accurate, professionals can identify and eliminate “blind” spots and thus achieve increase in revenue or, potentially, decrease in expensiveness of the property.
Facility management can plan property maintenance efficiently and in a sophisticated way basing on the accurate information provided by BIM model. BIM is a virtual representation of the real building and contains all information about movables and immovables. Each building component is a bearer of detailed information on itself. By energetic model simulations the administrator can accurately assess the appropriateness of the solution within short time. The information from the BIM model enable to accurately plan the costs related to the operation of the buildings.
The documentation of the building is in one place, in perfect processing of all details and up to date in every moment. Any exports, previews and visualisations are fast and impressive. Thanks to freely available browsers they are workable at any time, on the regular computer, tablet or smart phone. It helps the owners to understand the advantages of investing in materials and technologies that are costly in terms of price, but guarantee better financial return of investments during the life of the building. Such a compact building documentation is one of the attributes increasing the value of the property when the owner is changed.
The perfect model of the building constitutes basis for its perfect protection. Highly developed security system is not possible to create without a detailed digital model. If such model exists, the security management gains a valuable information base that would otherwise need to be laboriously created. In the period of the onset of smart building the building digitalization becomes natural.
Financial institutions have the utmost interest to perfectly know the subject of the funding or insurance. The perfection of a model and a complete up-to-dateness enable to assess the value of the property any time on demand. The model also enables quick exports, previews and overviews.
Five years ago in Acrea we decided that all the projects we design would be designed in BIM. Thus the documentation is in the process of design and construction created in BIM. Our outputs are in the open BIM IFC format enabling all subjects to edit, export and share the data for their needs. IFC enables further use for the majority of the used programs (Archibus, FM: Interact, Planon…)
In case of existing building a reverse digitalization occurs. Our BIM experts transform the data from the existing documentation (2D designs, paper documents, AutoCAD DWG) into 3D models. Digitalization is also verified directly in the building when we adjust all viewing inaccuracies. In case of need we carry out surveying of the points by means of laser scanning or drones.
