The Transition from Computer Aided Design to Building Information Modeling Within the Arcitecture, Engineering, & Construction Industry
THE TRANSITION FROM COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN TO BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING WITHIN THE ARCITECTURE, ENGINEERING, & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
SUMMARY: Building Information Modeling (BIM) is defined by the U.S. General Services Association as “the development and use of a multi-faceted computer software data model to not only document a building design, but also to simulate the construction and operation of a new capital facility or a recapitalized (modernized) facility. The resulting Building Information Model is a data-rich, object-based, intelligent and parametric digital representation of the facility, from which views appropriate to various users’ needs can be extracted and analyzed to generate feedback and improvement of the facility design” [1] A building information model creates and manages changes to digital databases that capture and preserve building information for design, analysis, and simulation. Despite its inception all the way back in the 1970s [2], BIM is only beginning to be embraced by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. This slow embrace can be attributed to the various barriers to entry BIM solutions have faced. These obstacles include, but are not limited to, previous problems of supporting software platforms, the lack of standards, and issues of interoperability.
The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a clear background on the origins and characteristics of BIM, as well as its benefits. In addition, this paper will offer insights into the technologies that make BIM possible, examples of BIM in use, and an outlook on its future. It is the author’s intention that readers of this paper (particularly those in the AEC industry) will be able to walk away with a better idea of how BIM might be integrated into their own building design processes.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
With the incredible technological advancements over the course of the last several decades, the
SUMMARY: Building Information Modeling (BIM) is defined by the U.S. General Services Association as “the development and use of a multi-faceted computer software data model to not only document a building design, but also to simulate the construction and operation of a new capital facility or a recapitalized (modernized) facility. The resulting Building Information Model is a data-rich, object-based, intelligent and parametric digital representation of the facility, from which views appropriate to various users’ needs can be extracted and analyzed to generate feedback and improvement of the facility design” [1] A building information model creates and manages changes to digital databases that capture and preserve building information for design, analysis, and simulation. Despite its inception all the way back in the 1970s [2], BIM is only beginning to be embraced by the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. This slow embrace can be attributed to the various barriers to entry BIM solutions have faced. These obstacles include, but are not limited to, previous problems of supporting software platforms, the lack of standards, and issues of interoperability.
The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a clear background on the origins and characteristics of BIM, as well as its benefits. In addition, this paper will offer insights into the technologies that make BIM possible, examples of BIM in use, and an outlook on its future. It is the author’s intention that readers of this paper (particularly those in the AEC industry) will be able to walk away with a better idea of how BIM might be integrated into their own building design processes.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
With the incredible technological advancements over the course of the last several decades, the
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