10 Myths About BIM .... part 1

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

The rapid emergence of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is changing the way AEC project teams work together to communicate, solve problems and build better projects faster and at less cost. And no one can match McGraw-Hill Construction’s ability to help you understand and benefit from this transformation. Our special BIM section includes news and case studies; in-depth research; conference & product info; image galleries; and more. 

The impact of BIM on the AECO industry. Thoughtful and objective criticism of BIM is helpful and necessary to counter vendor marketing overreach and fan boy zealotry. Unfortunately the criticisms I
read are neither thoughtful nor objective. Instead they rely on sensationalist titles, sources outside of the building industry, and nonexistent relationships between cause-and-effect.

1. BIM is Easy

   Many of those who think BIM modeling is easy to put into practice in a design or construction office have been blinded by the hype of clever marketing. The truth is, that other than standard (and colorful) objects like columns, beams, and simple gridlines, the real work of documenting a building’s construction is either quietly ignored or passed on to some unwitting subcontractor as part of a bid proposal.

2. BIM adoption affects productivity

   Like any change adoption, switching to BIM may cause some productivity losses during the initial implementation phase. Contrary to common misconception, however, BIM adoption does not incur any long-term productivity losses. In fact, effective BIM implementation enables a company to improve their long-term productivity, as well as maximize return on investment (RoI).  

3. BIM is expensive

    Another myth about BIM is that this technology is very expensive. It is true that the upfront cost required for BIM adoption is somewhat higher than that of the traditional construction process. However, several BIM benefits can make up for that loss fairly quickly.  

4. BIM benefits the owner only

   Some construction professionals believe that BIM benefits are limited to owners. In other words, they claim that BIM implementation does not benefit engineers, contractors, designers, and others associated with the construction project. This is another big misconception. Contrary to this, the effective use of BIM helps all team members derive several benefits, including getting an income hike. 
   

5. BIM is not one software

   

   BIM software

   Many types of software applications can contribute to the creation of a BIM for a project. Some of these applications support more comprehensive authoring of multi-attribute information regarding buildings and building components, while other may only support the creation of geometry. The following links point to various software application categories that can be used to contribute to developing a BIM.