Chapter 12 Building Information Modeling 281
• Level of implementation. The extent to
which BIM is used in actual practice and the
manner in which information is organized
and shared present major questions for
many fi rms. There are many different aspects
to BIM and successful implementation
depends on many factors. In order to support
model coordination, for example, one key
factor is the ability to exchange data between
different software programs. This is called
fi le interoperability. The software used
by a fi rm must be able to produce fi les that
can be opened by others involved in design,
construction, and building management.
File exchange standards have been estab-
lished to address this issue. The Industry
Foundation Classes (IFC) fi le format is a
standard exchange format used for BIM
software programs. However, fi le exchange
is just one aspect of BIM management. There
are other aspects that require defi nition of
standard practices. In the future, standards
may address issues such as level of BIM
compliance, ownership of model data, and
data management protocols.
methods. Disadvantages associated with imple-
mentation of BIM are described below.
• Initial investment. There are a number of
costs to consider in implementing a BIM
system. Among the most signifi cant are
investment in new software and hardware,
software training, investment in infra-
structure to support large fi le storage and
exchange, and IT management. Software
training is one of the most diffi cult costs to
project. In some cases, training can require
a signifi cant amount of time. Other startup
costs are related to new technical processes
that emerge as a result of switching to 3D
modeling software. During the transition,
company drafting standards must be revised
and an accepted modeling standard must
be developed. Company drafting standards
are typically used to cover dimensioning
and detailing practices, while a modeling
standard is used to cover processes such
as 3D modeling practices, content library
development, and template development.
Image courtesy of Autodesk
Figure 12-5. Model renderings are commonly prepared for marketing purposes. This medical building was
designed in BIM software and rendered in presentation software.
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.