Unravelling BIM & Exploring its full potential: 3D to 8D

Historically, construction project of any nature or scale was typically visualized in 3D, designed in 2D and built in 3D. In this process, a lot of data and information gets lost in translation.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) allows for visualization and design in 3D. The project owner, designer, builder and others involved in the project can clearly see the outcome even before the construction work is commenced on site. Thus, a 3D model of a project is an effective communication tool among the project stakeholders and is relevant from the beginning to the end of the project lifecycle.

BIM allows room for changes during the early phases of any project, planning the construction schedule and sequencing activities before work starts on-site. Even the clashes are identified early in the design stage, which significantly reduces on-site clashes. This directly impacts every aspect of the project including duration, cost, materials, risks, safety, energy consumption and others.

The full potential of BIM can be explored in its dimensions: 3D to 8D. Here’s what you can harness from BIM beyond the 3D Visualization and design!

BIM 4D: Time

One of the most important aspects of the quality of delivery of any construction project worldwide, is the time taken to complete the project. After the design and visualization of a 3D BIM model, project owners can look at the 4th dimension: time. The 4D Model allows for a clear visual picture of complete project scheduling, sequencing of tasks with clarity, clash detection and so on.

This provides clarity on which materials need to be installed first, possibilities of clashes, when each stakeholder or working team must come in, potential challenges on site and their remedies. Naturally, this leads to faster decision making, seamless co-ordination between project teams and prompt redressal of onsite challenges.

BIM 5D: Cost

Estimating the cost of a construction project is perhaps of highest significance for everyone, isn’t it?

A BIM Model offers visual picture of the potential cost of specific sub-projects, cost of completion, life-cycle cost, estimates of the material required and more. It also gives developers an insight into the potential cost overruns into the project.

Having a clear consideration of time also gives predictability of cost. Project owners have also reported a saving of upto 40% on operation and maintenance costs after completion. If optimizing cost on your projects is your priority, consider BIM as a fundamental approach for design and execution.

BIM 6D: Sustainability

Once we know the cost estimates for the project and the materials to be procured, there are software tools available that can be linked to this 3D model, which can calculate the potential carbon footprint, the energy load on the structure, ways to optimise the energy consumption and others. These estimates can pave the path for a more energy efficient and sustainable construction. A 6D BIM model since conception will certainly help enhance the sustainability standards of the project.

BIM 7D: Asset Management

The digital twin of a physical entity makes asset management much easier, than it would be if one had to look at multiple 2D drawings. The BIM model allows for seamless data integration from IOT-enabled physical assets, programming a certain functionality in response to the input and feeding it back to the physical asset. Every plumbing, mechanical or electrical fixture, devices, and any other assets in the premises can be linked to the model.

The model can capture real time temperature data, light sensitivity, and other parameters in real time, which when observed, can optimize power consumption. They can also be used to optimize public safety with inputs on crowd behaviours and fire modelling capability. Contractors can also review complex details or procedures before the project starts and avoid construction risks. A specific operational example could be: if a certain light needs to be repaired, we can look at the model and identify the distribution panel it is linked to and switch that off. This could, otherwise, be a complex task.

Using this model or digital twin of the physical entity, integration of existing and new assets can also be done seamlessly.

BIM 8D: Safety, Logistics Planning et al

The 8th and the relatively less explored dimension of BIM empowers us with vital aspects such as safety of construction workers on site. We could plan and ensure safety in a meticulous way while tower cranes are operating, or heavy materials are being offloaded etc.

The other element is logistic planning When a renovation or an upgradation is being planned, the complexity of what needs to be retained or redone can be resolved through a BIM model. Through a clear visual representation, it is much easier to queue up tasks in the right order.

So, while a 3D simulation of a construction project is the obvious benefit, one could plan and execute the entire lifecycle of a project using a BIM model. All the 8 dimensions are interlinked but not necessarily sequential. We could work with any of these dimensions in isolation or correlation starting at the 3D model, independent of the sequence.

Let’s bid goodbye to the era of 2D drawings and work with smart 3D BIM models to empower construction teams for higher quality construction in time, cost and resource efficient ways!