What is BIM?
BIM is a collaborative work methodology leading to a real revolution in the construction sector. The acronym BIM derives from Building Information Modeling, although its definition is evolving to Building Information Management.
This new method is based on the use of an intelligent 3D model, based on data and not only on geometry. In the 3D BIM model there is a link at all times with the database, this is helping decision-making throughout the entire life cycle, from the design phase, to construction, installation and operation.
The objective of this philosophy is to compile complete project information digitally, facilitating collaboration between the different groups involved in the project.
It is important to keep in mind that BIM is a work philosophy, not the operating software. The most widely used BIM software worldwide is Autodesk Revit, which is why we often hear about this trademark referring to this work methodology. But in addition to this software, there are many others on the market that also work within the BIM philosophy, such as MagiCAD or ArchiCAD, among others.
The fact that Building Information Management is becoming more and more important today is no coincidence. This boom has emerged at a time when the collaborative economy is trending. BIM is therefore the new philosophy of collaboration applied to both the construction and industrial sectors.
Why to use BIM?
The Building Information Management methodology allows us to centralize all the project information in a single information model created by all the participating agents. This supposes an evolution in regard to the traditional design systems based on the plan, since it also incorporates: geometric, time, cost, environmental and maintenance information.
Up until now, in a construction the detail description of the building didn’t come until late in the process, making changes difficult and expensive. This caused possible interference to arise during the construction of the project, where making any modification was much more expensive. The BIM format changes this trend, capturing the detail data of the facilities and physical constructions by each of the actors involved before the construction of the project. In this way, designers can consider many design options, optimizing the building. And problems can be detected in the initial stages of the design, being able to modify the 3D geometry of the building or facilities before carrying out the construction, with the consequent saving in the investment of time and resources.
In addition, the use of this work methodology provides many other advantages such as:
Automatic information updates: If an element is modified in BIM on a floor plan, it is automatically modified in the sections, elevations and 3D views, minimizing human errors, preventing collisions
Workflows improvement: All agents work on a single model, this avoids lack of coordination between versions and loss of information.
Time and cost reduction: BIM allows any information that is required to be available at all times, the different agents can work in real time and in a coordinated manner in a collaborative environment.
BIM advocates greater dedication and effort on all the actors at the beginning of the project, when a change is more effective and less traumatic, instead of making them at the end.
BIM in the world of ventilation
It has become more important to offer reliable and immediate information that is also easily adaptable to possible changes that arise during the evolution of the project.
For this reason, BIM also represents an opportunity for the ventilation sector, since it allows real data on the ventilation system to be offered and integrated into the projected installation in the used software. These data can be: aerodynamic data of the fan, its energy consumption or acoustic information.
What is the future of BIM?
At a general level, only a portion of the potential that this work methodology can bring to the construction sector is being exploited. At this time, many BIM projects only are concerned with the 3D model.  But more and more projects are expanding their vision.. In BIM, there are 7 different dimensions, from the initial modeling (3D) to the scrapping of the building once its useful life has ended (7D), passing through other dimensions such as facilities management, energy usage or cost management.
Today, we are not yet implementing the BIM philosophy to its full extent, but within the construction sector there is a deep conviction that this will come. The normalization of its use and the awareness that it is necessary to improve efficiency in construction will trigger to convert this philosophy into the most used work methodology in the construction industry.
