Building Information Modeling entails the construction of a building using the pc before building it in the physical world. This virtual model is made in three dimensions and can be moved and rotated as though it were a real object (although one may not want to rotate a building in the physical world…)

Every section of the building is virtually constructed using the pc; the walls, floors, doors, windows, other architectural elements in addition to the services such as the electrical wiring and plumbing.

One of the advantages of Building Information Modeling is that one may avoid ‘clashes’ while constructing the building, that is, avoid elements of the building unexpectedly interfering with one another during construction.

The other great things about Building Information Modeling are very high accuracy in construction drawings and in the other construction documents. By construction drawings one means the drawings which builders use while they’re constructing a building. Find out more are drawings like floor plans, elevations and sections. By other construction documents one means, amongst other activities, lists like material takeoffs and area statements.

After the 3D model is performed, generating drawings is an almost instantaneous and error-free process. But the specific benefit of Building Information Modeling is that when something is changed in a single drawing, other drawings are correlated instantaneously and automatically.

For instance, if the architect decides to move to the front of a building forward by 10 feet, the moment he does this on the floor plan, the 3D model together with all of the sections and elevations are updated in less than a second with out a single line having to be drawn by way of a human. In earlier days, that has been not the case; if there was a change in the floor plan then your elevations and the sections would need to be updated manually, a fitness susceptible to human error and long turnaround times. Both these factors are practically eliminated width Building Information Modeling.

~~ The Accuracy of Other Construction Documents ~~

Documents derived from the 3D model such as for example material takeoffs and area statements may also be generated immediately and modified instantaneously should there be considered a change in the 3D model. Again, in the earlier days, this modification had to be done manually with all the current inherent disadvantages of this type of process.

Building Information Modeling will in time become as basic an instrument to architecture and construction because the calculator is to school students.

If one is aware of its capabilities, one will recognize that it can no more be an option; it is just a necessity.