Architects face numerous challenges in the modern world. As technological advances have opened new horizons for architectural design, architects have created flux to learn and implement new technologies regularly. Why Learn BIM? Each day more and more businesses invest their resources in BIM adoption, and the few experts in BIM are in high demand.
Before we look at Building Information Modeling or BIM adoption and tips for its success. Let us first examine the intentions behind the changes in the industry and why BIM implementation is significant for architects.
The Changing Complexity and Requirements of Construction Projects
Too many changes are the deadly enemy of successful architectural design. That may be a bit too compelling, but there is no doubt that design changes can be a massive hassle for architects. Stakeholders may want to reduce the size of their projects.
You may miss important details that need to consider during the inspection, or there may be a need to change the building’s function. Regardless of the reason for the change, one thing is for sure, and it will usually have a knock-on effect on the design.
For architects, design changes can be a real challenge. Due to the interoperability and complex work between modern architectural designs, even small changes can make an architect’s life difficult. K Gidado outlined several reasons for the increase in complexity in a seminal book on project complexity in 1996.
- Modern designs have different interconnection systems and interfaces between other elements.
- There is usually a high degree of complexity. These details require comprehensive information on how to perform the construction and assembly structural features.
- Projects usually undergo revisions during the construction phase, so good communication is needed between the designer and the building contractor.
The last point is an essential point for architects. Today, we can complete a few construction projects without changing the design.
The Need Around BIM
BIM is the process of building a complete and accurate 3D model of a building project using dedicated software (such as Autodesk Revit). The BIM model contains all structural and architectural design elements and information about plumbing and electrical services.
This detail and ease of constructing and modifying the interconnect design are ideal for alleviating the problems caused by changes and revisions.
BIM has many other benefits. It has been shown to:
Enhance Productivity and Decrease the Time It Takes to Create and Edit Projects
- Enhanced Collaboration – Detailed 3D models become shared resources that all stakeholders can use to make critical design decisions and modify design elements to suit their needs. 70% of architects found that the combined effect of BIM improved the outcome of the project.
- Cost reduction in building, engineering, and construction AEC sectors. For example, a public sector construction project in the U.K. achieved cost savings of around 4%. That is over 2 million pounds.
- Increase project flexibility and offset complexity, and review requirements of newer projects
BIM Adoption Around the World
BIM adoption as an industry-standard worldwide, including:
United Kingdom: The United Kingdom has taken the lead in adopting a clear national implementation strategy with a high adoption rate (54% of projects used BIM in 2016). The British government has been working hard to promote this and saving £855 million on existing projects in 2014/15.
Europe: The market size in 2016 was US$2.7 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.4%.
United States: The largest single market, with annual sales of 1.07 billion U.S. dollars. It has brought many innovations and made BIM software more powerful than ever, but there are still many ways to achieve higher adoption rates.
Canada: BIM users increased from 64 percent in 2013 to 67 percent in 2016.
Global: Global demand is high, estimated at 3.52 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, and is expected to exceed 10 billion U.S. dollars by 2022.
The Challenges of BIM Implementation for Architects
Although the construction industry has established a solid need to adopt BIM, individuals and companies looking to implement BIM still face some challenges.
This section focuses on the challenges and pitfalls of BIM installation.
People and Training Needs
It takes some time to implement new strategies and plans before acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills. BIM is no exception. Creating and operating a 3D BIM model is a complex activity that requires I.T. skills, communication skills, problem-solving, engineering knowledge, creativity, etc.
Combining these training requirements with the time spent preparing technical infrastructure, installing and testing software, it is clear that BIM implementation can be time-consuming.
Incompatibility with Partners
BIM is not yet commonly using by construction professionals. There is the possibility that your partners or subcontractors will not use BIM or not able to use your models.
Legal Issues
The legal issues of using BIM software have not been tested, let alone settled.
Software Costs
BIM software requires a lot of investment in new technologies. The benefits usually make the investment worthwhile, but the premise is to get the most out of all the software features.
It’s Time to Embrace BIM
With the U.S., Singapore, U.K., and other European and Asian countries in the lead, people in the construction industry are increasingly aware of the significant benefits of implementing BIM and outsourcing to professionals.
Increased use of BIM has significant benefits for architects and designers. Redesigns and changes will be easier and faster, especially if your BIM level is three or higher. Overall, BIM can save you money, increase productivity and efficiency, and work more safely. Now is the time to bring BIM into your business and provide world-class service to your customers.
Conclusion
When using BIM, the timely participation of the service contractor is very important to ensure effective coordination between the architect, structural designer, and main contractor. BIM is not a quick solution to help you manage large projects. But you need to work with BIM carefully to get the best results like any other tool.
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