BIM in 10 Lessons

The increasingly important topic of Building Information Modeling (BIM) was tackled across seven presentations in nine hours, ranging from basic definitions of BIM to in-depth case studies. The day was not designed to cover every technical aspect of BIM; instead the presentations were aimed at helping architects determine if BIM is right for their office, and how current BIM users can refine their workflows. This article presents some of the lessons learned during the BIM Boot Camp, using illustrations from a few of the presentations.

1. Defining BIM

2. Little BIM and Big BIM

3. BIM Software

4. Open BIM

5. BIM as Process

6. Happy BIM

7. Know Your LODs

8. Small Green BIM

9. Legal Issues

10. Coordination

BIM is one of today's big architectural buzz terms, like sustainability or infrastructure, so it's worth defining it precisely before determining its uses and impact. One way is to define what it is not: BIM is not hand drawing, and BIM is not computer drafting (CAD). BIM is part of an evolution from drawing on paper to drafting on the computer (image below), but it breaks from those conventions where plans, sections, elevations, perspectives, and other 2- and 3-dimensionsion drawings were created through the articulation of lines.

Read more in http://www.world-architects.com/en/pages/bim-10-lessons

Courtesy: World-Architects eMagazine

How Building Information Modeling (BIM) Helps Buildings Go Green

Building Information Modeling is digital software that creates a 3D representation of a building, which is layered with additional project information. It is sometimes referred to as a “5D representation of a building”, where the 4th and 5th dimension are time and cost. For example, using a BIM model, an architect could simulate how wind would flow around and through a building, and how that ventilation and wind velocity might change if the building’s shape or surface material was changed.  Other additional information that can be modeled in BIM includes component details and specifications, materials, structural loads, air flow, water flow, spatial relationships, scheduling information, cost and more. These are often facilitated directly within a BIM authoring tool such as Revit or Ecotect. BIM is NOT the same thing as 3D CAD (computer-aided design) modeling – the fundamental purpose of CAD is  to illustrate and help people visualize how a building will LOOK, whereas BIM provides detailed information about how a building will FUNCTION.

Architects and engineers like BIM because it helps save them time in the design process, and developers and construction firms appreciate how it can save costs in materials and labor. Building Information Modeling is best used when analyzing how a whole bunch of complex variables work together, and it streamlines the communication process between various parties involved in the design of a building, making it easier to design better buildings. Because BIM increases efficiency in the design process, it is a boon to sustainable design.

Read more: http://inhabitat.com/building-information-modeling/
Courtesy: Inhabitat