May 2013
| Business World Magazine | 115
Building Information Modeling (BIM), a
process that allows for the creation of com-
prehensive digital representations of the
physical and functional characteristics of a
facility. The producing of such models is es-
sential to supporting construction decisions
for a facility from the earliest conceptual
stages. BIM, however, goes beyond the plan-
ning and design phase of a project, extending
throughout the entire life cycle of a facility,
effectively supporting determinations relat-
ing to the management of costs as well as
the functionality of the completed project.
Those who are involved in the building pro-
cess are routinely challenged to fulfill goals
under parameters that often include limited
budgets, limited manpower, stringent dead-
lines and variance of priorities stemming
from all the different players respectively
tasked with different jobs to perform. As
BIM demonstrates the virtual construction
of a facility prior to the actual construction,
the process effectively supports collabora-
tion and understanding of all involved, but
also serves to improve safety and overcome
potential issues before any are actually expe-
rienced. BIM allows sub-contractors from
every trade to input data within the model
before construction occurs. This not only
allows for greater cohesion, but can assist
in determinations involving offsite pre-fab-
rication or pre-assembly of some systems,
or help to reduce waste on-site by more effi-
ciently allowing materials to be delivered in a
