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The new age is all about inclusivity to technology that eases out human labor by inculcating smart solutions are an active part. In the construction industry, we are seeing a similar shift in the form of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its inclusivity towards making buildings better. The advancement of BIM is such that it is making our buildings more advanced and functional, inside and out.
Although, in recent times a stir of myths regarding these modeling tools has been seen through a lot of disinformation and lack of clarity.
Through this article, we are going to debunk the Top Ten BIM Myths and the truth behind them. The sole intention behind it is for you to have clarity while you are considering BIM Implementation.
Debunking Top 10 BIM Myths
Myth #1 BIM is only meant for 3D Modelling
Unlike this famous Myth, BIM Modelling is not about only the 3D, while they are the most obvious manifestation of working in BIM but they are a small part of everything that BIM has to offer.
It is not only about creating aesthetic visual representations of a certain object, project or entity rather it is a collaborative platform to produce various datasets. This data is then produced in a shared digital space where all the stakeholders from different domains of the AEC industry can collaborate. In short, BIM is not restricted towards creating aesthetic 3D models of a project but rather focused on its entire lifespan.
The Truth – BIM Modeling is an outcome of collaboration through various entities to create, work, execute as well as monitor an entity post-construction. This makes it a holistic tool rather than unidirectional.
Myth #2 BIM is an Expensive Tool
There is undoubtedly a cost involved when we are thinking of upgrading our workflow from traditional processes to advanced technologies. But this cost and expenses should be countered in relevance to the long-term financial efficiency that they bring to the table!
Similarly, BIM Implementation also has its set of expenditure but it not necessarily has to be expensive. There is a varied range of BIM Tools available for free or at a low cost with many readily available resources and guidance. The complexity and excess costing of BIM only depend on the scale of your projects. To make sure that these costs are in sync with your design aspirations, make sure that you update your client for the same to understand why it is necessary to spend consciously on BIM Implementation.
The Truth – BIM Modelling can be affordable as well as expensive depending on the scale of your project, but it will definitely save your overall project cost due to lack of delays and precision in design making.
Myth #3 BIM is only for MNC’s, huge organizations, or government buildings!
The inclusivity of BIM in megaprojects is a commonly seen phenomenon, but don’t let it mistake you in thinking that, it is the only place ideal for BIM Implementation. Smaller companies and constructions have even more edge for efficiency by collaborating with BIM.
Government organizations are only mandating the use of BIM since they are realizing its potential over the years.
The Truth – The size of the organization or company doesn’t matter, what matters is the diverse merits that the BIM approach adds to your project.
Myth #4 BIM is just a trending word and is not here to stay!
The key concepts that make BIM have made it one of the most relevant tools for the coming years. Therefore, BIM is far from being just a fad that is set to diminish. It is rather an asset that is guaranteed to grow exponentially over the years.
The reason?
Imagine a tool that saves your time, money, while giving you better results than a traditional approach. Now, who would not opt for this?
The Truth – BIM is a revolutionary step towards the construction industry and is set to be the ‘new normal’ term in the AEC space.
Myth #5 BIM is time-consuming
Careful and considered planning right from stage – 1 requires a certain amount of pre-time to avoid any post-issues while construction. Therefore, BIM Design takes time but here the focus shouldn’t be on how much designing takes time. But rather on, how BIM inclusivity can save time by mitigating delays in the later stages.
Having a well-planned project from the initial stage covering all the details even before the excavation starts is necessary to ensure that the project’s building time is less. This time spent in pre-designing through BIM helps in making a larger profit after the design creation since the project is open for sale much before anticipation.
The Truth – BIM Design takes longer but BIM implementation is more productive than any traditional approach.
Myth #6 BIM is only meriting for people involved in the design
BIM has a holistic approach towards design ideation, creation and execution. Here designers can spend their valuable time ideating more rather than executing since the tool allows an eased inclusivity to changes in design within minutes. The MEP consultants can then focus on making sure that the design performs well. Owners and contractors can effectively communicate their design intent through detailed know-how. Clients can be benefitted as BIM provides a post-occupancy insight as well.
The Truth – It’s not only about the designers but everyone benefits from BIM inclusivity.
Myth #7 The Clientele is uninformed about BIM
Debunking a famous myth, that the clientele is unaware about BIM potential. On the contrary, the clients fully understand its potential from its practice to its benefits both in saving time as well as the monetary aspect. It is therefore necessary that all the stakeholders engage with the client through BIM from the early stages itself.
The Truth – The Clientele is well-informed about BIM and therefore, the AEC industry needs to be more inclusive.
Myth #8 BIM can solve all Clash Detections
The data produced by BIM makes it easier to see potential clashes at various strategic points. This in theory should make it easier for the stakeholders to rectify these clashes and fix them in no time.
The Truth – BIM acts as a guide to ensure smooth workflow between various stakeholders.
Myth #9 BIM is just like any other software in the market
BIM is more about the ideation as well as a mindset that is set to provide holistic solutions in building construction. It helps in enhancing collaborative construction processes by re-thinking the existing ways of working. It tweaks the management into providing merits to every domain in the design industry. Therefore,
The Truth – BIM is an operational tool rather than a unidirectional outcome-producing software.
Myth #10 BIM requires detailed pre-information to add to the dataset
You only need enough information to feed in to specify the various construction teams to handle it in detail. Unlike the myth, BIM needs implications rather than a detailed dataset even before the design ideation in BIM has started. Unless a client specifies getting into the nuts and bolts of a structure, you needn’t involve BIM to its minutest of the details. It all depends on the design approach and the construction scale as well as the precision you are dealing with.
The Truth – There is no need to model every single facet of a project unless specified.
BIM in Modern Day Construction
Time is a valuable asset especially when it’s about the construction industry. BIM not only saves the project time of completion but also provides a holistic approach to uplift the design implementation as well as quality in the long run. In the coming times, BIM is ideated to grow exponentially due to its benefits. So, don’t let these myths scare you into taking the leap towards smart designing.
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Author Profile – Ar. Ankitkumar Kansara
Founder and CEO of Virtual Building Studio, Gold Medalist Architect, and BIM Pundit. He has extensively worked in India, Singapore, and the UK, where he was exposed to BIM (Building Information Modeling). He believes in helping general contractors, architects, and engineers by implementing BIM technology to achieve design finesse.
