Many in the facilities management industry are still unsure of the value delivered by Building Information Modelling (BIM). While there are pockets of BIM excellence, wide-scale adoption remains elusive. How, then, can consultants better embrace the value of adopting BIM technology? Several of our experts at Tetra Tech have taken a stab at the question in an article posted in Tomorrow’s FM, the magazine for the Facilities Management industry.
BIM is a collaborative process that not only produces multi-dimensional models of a facility, but also manages all the data about it, from conceptual design through its working life to demolition when needed. It is essentially about the intelligent use of data to better
integrate and achieve higher standards across the board. The Government has acknowledged the benefits of BIM, defined its ecosystem, and mandated its use for all state-funded projects from 2016 onward.
Among their arguments, our experts argue that FM organisations can use BIM to improve existing operational activities, focussing on issues in their workflow that significantly impact efficiency and productivity. FM teams should be clear about what to expect from digital solutions, articulating technology needs without jargon, and testing digital solution on real-life workflows and data rather than just testing examples. Starting small with the implementation of BIM as opposed to full-scale deployment is equally important.
To read the full article, head over to Tomorrow’s FM.
The article was originally published on 14 September and was written by the following Tetra Tech experts:
- Craig Hatch, Managing Director, Surveying and Asset Management
- Tim Lycett, Head of FM Consultancy