BIM – The game changer

As a CAD and BIM company based in the UK (and UAE) we feel these are exciting times for those working within the UK construction industry. In little under a year the industry will be mandated to be BIM (Building Information Modelling) compliant, but will moving towards an information-rich future be the game changer we all hope it will be?

For most economies across the globe, the construction industry is seen as a key contributor and enabler to the economic growth of that country. People will always need homes and key buildings such as schools, hospitals, prisons, shopping centres and hotels and so forth. The UK is no different in this; with many understanding that construction is often a useful way to encourage and stimulate the growth of the national economy. The numbers speak for themselves – in 2010 the UK construction industry delivered around £69 billion GVA (£107bn output) to the UK economy and employed around 2.5 million workers, making a considerable contribution to the economy.BIM the Game Changer

BIM is not altogether new but is a collaborative way of working, supported by integrated software and technology that makes the building and project design and construction more efficient and helps to manage and maintain assets. Using data to create a unique three-dimensional computer model that is used for the effective management of information throughout a project lifecycle, from earliest concept, through to construction, operation and eventually demolition, BIM can help inform decision making along the way.

Just how much of an impact will BIM Compliance have, is it the game changer the industry thinks it is? We think so. At The CAD Room, working at the forefront of the industry offering BIM services on projects large and small, we think the advantages speak for themselves.

With cost reductions apparent from the very start of the project, through construction and into the management and maintenance of the building, BIM can make a real difference to the project budget, not only that but having accurate information on the cost and quantity of materials can help reduce wastage. Accurate planning and scheduling of construction time means that the right set of workers will be on site at the right time, helping to ensure that construction professionals are not sat around waiting and costing the project money.

Not only is BIM important during the design and construction of the project, but it is also a vital component of the ongoing management and maintenance of the building once it has been constructed. With detailed information about the construction methods and materials used, as well as detailed plans of the internal infrastructure, managers will be able to maintain the building to its optimum, keeping it a healthy and useful building for longer.

We think BIM is a real game changer – of course it means a little extra work in the early days of BIM Compliance, but once the industry is all on the same page, BIM will become second nature and we won’t know what we did without it!

For more information about CAD Design Services, BIM Compliance and complete CAD solutions, visit The CAD Room website at https://www.thecadroom.com/ or phone 0161 427 0348.