by Lisanne Reichert & Sarah Zonsius | November 21, 2024
In a world that is rapidly digitising, the construction industry is also facing a profound transformation. One driver of this change is Building Information Modeling (BIM) – an innovative method that is fundamentally changing the way we plan, construct and manage buildings. In this blog post, we take a deep dive into the world of BIM and explore how modern software solutions are driving this revolution and the challenges and opportunities they present for the future of the construction industry.
Building Information Modelling, or BIM for short, is far more than just a new technology – it is a holistic method for the digital representation of buildings. At the heart of BIM is the idea of a digital twin: a virtual representation of a building or infrastructure that not only contains geometric data, but also a wealth of information on materials, costs, schedules and even sustainability aspects.
In contrast to conventional CAD drawings, which usually only provide two-dimensional representations, BIM offers a three-dimensional visualisation that is provided with additional, extensive data sets. This comprehensive information base forms the centrepiece of a construction project and supports the entire life cycle – from the initial concept drawing through the construction phase to maintenance and facility management.
A special feature of BIM is the ability to continuously update data throughout the entire life cycle of a building. This makes it possible to make adjustments in real time and maintain an overview of construction progress, cost trends and maintenance requirements. This makes BIM not only a planning solution, but also a management solution.
The implementation of BIM brings numerous advantages that go far beyond improved visualisation. Large and complex construction projects in particular benefit from the efficiency and transparency that BIM enables. But what are the specific benefits in everyday construction?
Increased efficiency and productivity
Centralised data storage and the smooth exchange of information between all project participants – from architects to site managers and engineers – can speed up processes and identify potential errors at an early stage. The integrative structure of BIM facilitates the interaction between the various trades and minimises communication gaps. This reduces the likelihood of planning errors or misunderstandings, which has a direct impact on efficiency.
Cost and resource savings
BIM helps to recognise and resolve potential problems at an early stage before they lead to costly changes on the construction site. This not only reduces direct construction costs, but also minimises delays and wasted resources. BIM can play a crucial role in sustainable construction in particular, as it helps to reduce waste and utilise resources more efficiently through accurate material calculations.
Improved interdisciplinary collaboration
One major advantage of BIM is the improved collaboration between different disciplines. By having access to a shared, constantly updated data source, everyone involved – from planners to contractors – can work on the same level. This type of transparency reduces the risk of information loss and ensures smoother project execution.
Sustainability and environmental friendliness
The ability to virtually simulate various building materials and construction processes in advance makes it possible to use resources more efficiently and minimise the environmental footprint of a construction project. At a time when sustainability is becoming increasingly important, this is an invaluable advantage for construction companies.
Life cycle management
Another advantage of BIM lies in the life cycle assessment of a building. The model can also be used after the construction phase to provide valuable information for facility management and maintenance. This ensures that buildings are managed efficiently and cost-effectively.
The use of BIM extends across all phases of a construction project, from the design phase to the operational phase. BIM supports architects and engineers right from the planning phase in order to create more precise designs and enable a realistic visualisation of the future building. This creates clarity and security for both the client and the contractors.
During the construction phase, BIM enables precise and reliable realisation of the planned models. Thanks to the integrated data sets and precise 3D representations, potential collisions between different building components such as electrical installations and ventilation ducts can be recognised and resolved in advance. This minimises costly changes on site and ensures a smoother construction process.
BIM also offers the opportunity to track changes and progress in real time. This is particularly beneficial for large projects such as airports, hospitals or bridge constructions, as it ensures that all parties involved are informed about the current project status at all times.
Powerful software solutions play a crucial role in the use of BIM, as they support the entire process from planning to completion. Modern BIM software includes a wide range of functions that are specifically tailored to the requirements of the construction industry. Our SaaS solution planBIC plays a key role in the management and quality assurance of construction projects that are organised according to BIM standards.
What is planBIC?
planBIC is a powerful platform that supports all phases of the construction project from the initial idea to completion. By centralising data and enabling real-time collaboration, the software helps everyone involved in the project to stay up to date and communicate better with each other. A particular focus is on compliance with BIM standards, which planBIC ensures through automated tools such as the BIM Basis Check and the LOI Check.
The BIM Basis Check: quality assurance right from the start
The BIM Basis Check in planBIC serves as a control instrument to ensure that all digital models comply with the required standards and norms. This is particularly important as data and models are often processed by different parties in a BIM project. The BIM Basis Check checks whether:
This process prevents incorrect models from entering later project phases, which leads to considerable cost and time savings in the long term. The BIM Basis Check promotes smooth communication and helps to ensure that everyone involved is working on the basis of the same, error-free data.
The LOI check: ensuring the right level of information
In addition to model consistency, the information content of BIM models is also crucial to the success of a project. The LOI Check (Level of Information) in planBIC helps to assess the level of detail of the models and ensure that they meet the requirements of the respective project phase. Typical aspects that the LOI check examines are
This ensures that the information is neither too complex nor too rudimentary and is optimised to meet the needs of planners, contractors and operators.
Thanks to its integration into the BIM process, planBIC offers customised benefits for the various players in the construction industry. The specific requirements of clients, architects, planners, engineers and construction companies are taken into account to ensure efficient and successful project management.
Landlords: transparency and cost certainty
Landlords benefit from a high level of transparency in the course of the project. PlanBIC enables them to gain insight into the current planning status and construction progress at any time. Thanks to the automated checking mechanisms, such as the BIM Basis Check, potential errors are identified during the planning phase, minimising the risk of costly rework. As a result, clients enjoy greater cost certainty and can be sure that budgets and schedules will be adhered to. The centralised data platform also enables them to actively intervene in the decision-making process and maintain an overview at all times.
Advantages for Landlords:
Architects: Efficient planning and creative freedom
Architects benefit from planBIC’s intuitive user interface, which enables them to efficiently integrate their creative designs into the BIM process. The cloud-based platform allows changes to the design to be shared with other participants in real time and direct feedback to be received without time-consuming coordination processes. This promotes a faster and more efficient planning phase in which creative ideas can be realised and checked for technical feasibility. At the same time, the automated checks help to keep the quality of the plans at a high level.
Advantages for architects:
Planners and engineers: Automated quality assurance and precision
For planners and engineers, the precision of the models takes centre stage. PlanBIC supports them with powerful tools for checking models, such as the LOI check, which ensures that all information in the models complies with the standards. This allows planning errors to be detected and corrected at an early stage. The cloud-based platform also enables seamless collaboration with architects and construction companies, which promotes greater precision and efficiency in technical planning. This is particularly crucial for complex projects where precise coordination between the parties involved is required.
Advantages for planners and engineers:
Construction companies benefit in particular from the improved coordination and data availability provided by planBIC. The platform enables smooth collaboration between the trades and ensures that the latest construction plans are available at all times. This significantly reduces misunderstandings and planning errors that could lead to delays or additional costs. In addition, planBIC contributes to cost efficiency by optimising construction execution and enabling precise control of construction processes. This is of great benefit to construction companies as it enables them to work more efficiently and complete projects on time.
Advantages for construction companies:
planBIC offers specific benefits for all groups of people in the construction industry and ensures that the BIM process runs efficiently and successfully for clients, architects, planners, engineers, construction companies and project developers. Each group benefits from the increased transparency, improved communication and automated checks that ensure greater planning accuracy, cost efficiency and quality assurance. This makes the BIM process with planBIC a controlled, productive and successful experience for everyone involved.
Building Information Modelling is more than just a technical advance – it is a paradigm shift in the construction industry. The technology is revolutionising the way construction projects are planned, executed and managed, providing solutions to the industry’s increasingly complex challenges. Companies that are early adopters of BIM and innovative software solutions such as our SaaS platform planBIC will be able to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment and actively shape the future of construction.
BIM has the potential to make the construction industry not only more efficient and cost-effective, but also more sustainable and environmentally friendly. With planBIC as a reliable partner for quality assurance and collaboration in the BIM process, construction projects can be realised smarter and safer. At a time when digital solutions are becoming increasingly important in all areas of life, BIM in combination with planBIC offers a clear way to fundamentally change construction and prepare it for the requirements of the future.
Discover planBIC, a pioneering software-as-a-service solution that enables automated completeness and quality checks of construction project documents as well as collaborative working in the cloud. Revolutionize your construction projects with efficient checks.
