building information modeling seeing increasing use among contractors

A technological data process that creates a digital description of every aspect of a construction project is seeing a dramatic upturn in use, according to industry sources.

Building Information Modeling, otherwise simply known as BIM, is a process that digitally describes everything going on in a given project’s lifespan, from development to design to construction.

The technology, according to the trade publication Planning & Building Control Today, reduces both mistakes and risks for the simple reason that all information regarding a project can be accessed in one place, allowing for more informed decision-making.

The process has proven cost-effective enough to prompt the United Kingdom to mandate that all public sector construction projects must use BIM technology.

The downside of the technology, note analysts, may come in how it is used.

According to Planning & Building Control Today, even though the implementation of BIM is regarded as one of today’s top construction trends, “its uptake is still somewhat stagnant with many in the industry failing to fully understand and appreciate its full range.”

Even so, New York-based Zion Market Research, in its Building Information Modeling Market report, is predicting a $10.3 billion BIM market in the U.S. in the next four years, up from $3.5 billion in 2016.

By Garry Boulard