Managing time and cost without compromising on quality leads to the project’s success, and Building information modelling (BIM) can play a crucial role in cutting down costs and time. BIM is a process of creating smart 3D models of a project, providing a sharing platform to each stakeholder of a project (architect, consultant, contractor, owner) to develop, design and construct the project without any delay or confusion. It helps to make a better design throughout the design, construction and operation of built assets.
The process of BIM is well explained in the figure above (taken from RMJM, what is BIM).
BIM has been implemented in the construction industry for more than a decade, and its benefits are pretty impressive, as it is expressed in the technical report of the Stanford University Centre for Integrated Facilities Engineering (CIFE). Four essential benefits in 32 projects include (CIFE, 2007)
- 40% removal of unbudgeted change
- Accuracy of cost estimation within 3%
- Reduction in time by 80% for generation of cost estimation
- Project time reduction by 7%