The Benefits of BIM for Owners of Buildings

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative technology in the design and construction industry, offering numerous advantages to project stakeholders. Among these, owners stand to gain significant benefits that span the entire project lifecycle.

From optimizing project management to ensuring ongoing facility maintenance, BIM solutions are at the forefront of revolutionizing the owner's experience throughout the entire construction process. This article explores the benefits of BIM for owners. We’ll start with a brief overview of what BIM is, then we’ll dive into the benefits of BIM for owners.

What Is BIM?

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital tool widely used in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Its primary purpose is to create and oversee a comprehensive 3D model of a building or infrastructure project.

BIM models are sophisticated and data-enriched, empowering construction professionals to work together on designing, coordinating, analyzing, simulating, and overseeing the entire project. This process revolves around a centralized database where information is stored and can be accessed by all stakeholders, including project owners.

This database is what sets BIM apart from traditional 2D drawings. Digital modeling allows for the integration of in-depth information about all facets of a construction project, covering architectural design, structural systems, mechanical and electrical systems, and other relevant data. Incorporating BIM management into the initial building design, and utilizing its database to track on-site progress with Avvir, can offer great benefits for project owners.

What Are the Benefits of BIM for Owners?

When the BIM process is used effectively, it gives owners an incredible advantage throughout the entire project lifecycle. The benefits of BIM for owners are substantial when managing cost, reducing waste, and driving efficiency in building projects. BIM technology helps owners and operators to: 

• Deliver projects on budget and on schedule with less chance of rework
• Maintain better project quality and design intent 
• Facilitate communication between members of the project team
• Assist with future facilities management

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of BIM for owners.

BIM Can Prevent Owners From Paying for Redundant Work

Without a single integrated BIM dataset, the contract agreement often encodes awkward handoffs between stakeholders that can result in inefficiencies on-site.

Avoiding circular rounds of project revisions and limiting rework ensures better construction team collaboration and predictability of costs. Additionally, team members can run clash detection during the design process to mitigate future issues during installation on the construction site. The use of BIM also enables prefabrication, which can cut down on operational costs on-site.

In essence, by creating a digital building model, there is an increased likelihood that the work is installed correctly the first time. This can result in fewer change orders for the building owner and an increased chance that the project will remain on schedule and on budget.

BIM Acts as a Quality Assurance Tool

By providing a 3D digital representation of the project, BIM allows stakeholders to visualize and understand the design intricacies, reducing the likelihood of misinterpretation or miscommunication. It enables design intent to be clearly documented, ensuring all parties involved, from building owners to general contractors and subcontractors, share a common vision.

BIM's ability to track changes, modifications, and deviations from the original design in real time allows for swift corrective action when discrepancies arise. This results in improved accuracy and consistency in construction, reducing errors and rework. As a result, BIM significantly contributes to delivering projects that align with the owner’s original vision and the project's quality standards, ultimately enhancing the end product and client satisfaction.

Avvir's progress-tracking technology offers an advanced and near real-time approach to monitoring project development. By leveraging the database of your BIM and reality capture data like 360 photos and laser scans, Avvir enables stakeholders to assess construction progress with unparalleled precision. This technology detects deviations and discrepancies in near real time by comparing as-built conditions to the original BIM model, allowing for swift corrective actions and improved project management.

Owners, architects, and contractors can closely monitor project timelines, quality standards, and cost estimates, reducing delays and cost overruns. Avvir's progress tracking not only enhances transparency and accountability but also empowers proactive construction management, resulting in smoother processes and, ultimately, more successful outcomes.

BIM Increases Communication Within the Project Team

‍The complexity of construction can hinder effective quality control measures. To simplify the process, BIM can act as the central data repository, allowing rapid communication between teams in a shared, transparent environment.

In addition, when paired with Avvir as the system of record, the model can include project information on every component and its change history. This gives project owners a clear and objective understanding of their building status and remaining work. ‍

Avvir's innovative Progress offerings seamlessly integrate with BIM software to the construction process. By adding the dimension of time to BIM's existing 3D spatial and 2D information, Avvir provides an invaluable tool for project stakeholders. This means that in addition to the static visual representation, Avvir's technology captures real-time data through on-site monitoring and sensors.

By continuously comparing the as-built conditions to the original BIM model, Avvir’s Inspect analysis enables stakeholders to detect discrepancies and deviations, whether they're related to schedule, budget, or quality, in real time. This empowers project owners, allowing them to make data-driven decisions promptly, and ensures projects stay on track and within budget.

BIM Provides Owners With a Close-Out Digital Asset

Accurate as-builts are an invaluable asset for facilities and operations groups post-construction. A majority of the world’s buildings do not have any BIM documentation to reference for future renovations. Therefore, owners end up paying for the creation of as-builts. As-builts can assist with future additions and renovations, especially when created via automation.

BIM helps owners establish better operations procedures and can become the basis for tracking regular equipment maintenance. BIM data can also help onboard new digital building technology and systems frequently updated throughout the building lifecycle. 

Finally, having all MEP and HVAC information in a final model is an irreplaceable tool for operations throughout the lifecycle of a building. Avvir Director of Solutions Engineering Caity Taylor said, "The types of questions that owners ask of their BIM data are often very simple. ‘How many square feet of space are attributed to this type of program?’ or ‘How many HVAC filters do I need to order to service my equipment this year?’ Answering those types of questions with BIM data can be incredibly easy and fast if the project is set up correctly from the beginning.”

The Value of BIM for Owners Is Tremendous 

BIM is an indispensable tool that empowers building owners to revolutionize their approach to the entire lifecycle of the project, from preconstruction to end-user facility management. From improved project planning and design to ongoing maintenance and cost-effective operations, there are many benefits of BIM for owners on construction projects.

As we navigate an increasingly complex and competitive construction landscape, building owners need to put a lot of consideration into embracing the transformative potential of BIM. Most major construction projects utilize BIM through the design phase, but this asset is underutilized during construction. This is where Avvir can help. 

By incorporating Avvir's cutting-edge technology, owners can ensure that their projects stay on track, budgets remain in check, and design intent is preserved throughout the project lifecycle. The time to leverage this innovative combination is now. Be sure to contact us today to learn more about Avvir’s product offerings and the difference they can make in your construction workflows.