BIM: It’s Not Just for Design and Build Anymore

BIM was born nearly 50 years ago, with an article by Charles M. Eastman, “The Use of Computers Instead of Drawings in Building Design,” published in the AIA Journal. During the years that followed, researchers and technologists increasingly recognized the potential of BIM to revolutionize the design and build industry.

As our computers have become more powerful and digital tools have become more sophisticated, we’re now realizing that there’s another area where BIM and data can make a huge difference—one that has received far less attention: maintenance and operations.

According to Nicolas Mangon, vice president of AEC strategy at Autodesk, the next revolution in AEC will come from building owners utilizing BIM for the entire building lifecycle—going beyond design and build and into maintenance and operations, and eventually back into design for future projects. At project handover, design and build teams will deliver a digital twin along with the physical asset which will continue to gather data as the building is used. This creates a feedback loop, where valuable data from operations gets sent back to designers who can use it to create more efficient, sustainable, and informed designs next time around.

Designers, contractors, subcontractors—they’ve all been adapting to BIM. But it’s possibly building owners who have the most to gain through improved efficiency, predictability, and sustainability in their projects. And because they can dictate the requirements for every project they invest in, they also have the potential to influence the use of BIM from project inception. That means building owners have a big role to play in building the better world we all want to live in.

Ready to learn more about the possibilities of BIM for building owners? Check out this related learning:

Digital Twin for Building Owners 2021: Optimizing Data and Delivery

What makes digital twins so important for owners? What are the industry challenges with project data optimization and how can you overcome them? This panel discussion lays out the benefits of a digital handover, along with digital twin use cases and strategy, and provides insight into smart operations for owners.

Managing Space, Assets, and Maintenance through BIM to FM

Putting all that rich BIM data to work managing space, assets, and maintenance may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Gigi Gonzales and Nick Stefanidakis break it down and walk you through real-world workflows, highlighting the key elements you’ll need for a solid BIM execution plan.

Maximizing BIM 360 Beyond Construction to Develop Paperless Operations

BIM 360 can and should play a key role in the transition from construction to operations. Join Elsie Kiema as she explains how to use BIM to streamline handover, track design functionality and specs, and then adopt BIM as an on-site asset management tool.

Taking Ownership of Construction for Capital Project Owners

Owners need to take ownership—especially of their data. And they need to do it not just starting at project handover, but from the beginning. Lee Mullin explains that by getting more involved in the construction phase, owners can do things like set up data standards from the very start—and make the transition to operations smooth and fast.

Learn more about the possibilities of BIM for building owners anytime at Autodesk University.