BIM is changing how business is done. The concept of openBIM is showing great promise for the future of architecture. Cloud based BIM means the future of BIM is arriving at an accelerated pace and bringing with it new software.
An open collaborative approach, defined by buildingSMART International, openBIM aims to improve the quality of buildings and infrastructures, especially by helping to reduce the risks of errors during phases of re-work or multidisciplinary coordination, while providing transparency for public and private owners to compare project bids.
Cloud based BIM is also changing financial transactions. With the BIM in the cloud, architects and other stakeholders can get their BIM software a-la-carte. The cloud connects many computers through real-time communication allowing models to be worked on simultaneously by an array of professionals from anywhere including the jobsite itself.
To get deliverables in front of clients quicker, new software companies have emerged. One of the most popular is SketchUp. Architects are using it like a “Pre-BIM” software. Carbone says, “we see [SketchUp] as the front end.” Carbone explained his firm recently built an intensive care unit in SketchUp long before it was put it in Revit. Clients experienced a 3D version of the design, expressed a need to move walls and other structures to suit their needs. “It’s a lightweight program,” says Carbone, “and from there it went to a more serious design program like Revit.”
The future of BIM is promising for all parties involved. Architects can validate their ideas in 3D long before physical construction. With validated designs, contractors can avoid rework. Project managers can better plan, visualize and execute designs. Cost estimation can be more accurate. And in the end, clients get the best designs completed on time and within budget.
BIM’s Other Creations
