1. CAD Versus BIM BIM systems contain several noticeable improvements over their CAD predecessors. These improvements lie within the modeling and design features of the software, the addition of smart design in BIM software, and the ease of use of BIM software. Below is a table of additional differences between the two systems. The differences in modeling and design between BIM and CAD systems stem from the method of creation in each system. CAD systems must have multiple images sketched in only two dimensions and then uploaded into the software before a three dimensional image can be created. BIM images, however, are immediately created as a three dimensional shape. Structures can be created and modeled in three dimensions to show clearances and available space in real time, and can be altered instantaneously to meet the requirements of the project. Smart design refers to the ability of BIM systems to make structural calculations pertaining to the project being worked on. Based on data and information the program is given, BIM software can determine points of stress and failure in a structure before it is even constructed. As a whole, BIM software is much easier to use for individuals with less of a background in structural design. Sketching ability is no longer required, as BIM models projects in three dimensions without the need for two dimensional drafts. The system can also account for user error and alert an operator to structural inconsistencies in a project in progress. Advancements and Improvements in BIM BIM systems have been improved significantly since their introduction to the marketplace. The most notable of the improvements made are the addition of instantaneous project management, real time budgeting, and materials efficiency. Instantaneous project management allows information to be transferred between all members of the job with little to no delay. Structural engineers and architects can collaborate and share information immediately with one another while working on a project. This feature alone has led to a drop in requests for information up to 68%. Change orders in case studies using BIM software also dropped anywhere from 37% to 48% after the addition of instantaneous management. Real time budgeting and materials efficiency is the other remarkable improvement to BIM software. Ordered materials and costs can be tracked inside the BIM software itself. This has led to a reduction in budget overages averaging about 42%. Interoperability Future of BIM Interoperability is defined as the ability to work with or use the parts or equipment of another system. BIM software heavily relies on interoperability to perform the various functions required of the software. Interoperability, in BIM’s case, is the software’s ability to be utilized by both engineers/designers, and construction managers/contractors. BIM systems benefit from interoperability by allowing project managers a more active role and by streamlining the construction process. BIM creates a more active role for project managers by allowing them more access to recent information regarding the project they are funding/heading. This allows them to make more well informed decisions regarding the project and the direction they wish take with it. Shown above is the flow of information while using a BIM system. Interoperability streamlines the construction process further by allowing issues and discrepancies to be recognized earlier. BIM’s smart design can alert both teams of architects and structural engineers to possible issues, which allows them to solve the problem more quickly. Below is a department meeting of Disney Imagineers using a BIM to construct their new section of Disney World. Utilizing Advances in Building Information Modeling Michael Hopwood Lukas Shaulis BIM has a projected future in several different disciplines. The most commonly referenced areas are the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) fields, the Facilities Management (FM) field, and education. With more and more governmental bodies requiring access to a BIM software in order to bid for government contracts, BIM has a solid place in the AEC field’s future. Soon, BIM should be an essential tool to any AEC business. Above is an example of Disney’s work while using a BIM in the early stages of their next theme park’s development. In the FM field, BIM is expected to be used as a tool to monitor the conditions of various facilities and their inner-workings. This is made easy with BIM software’s ability to process and manage large amounts of structural information. Education is a promising field for BIM due to the software’s necessity in the world of construction. BIM is not limited to being the subject of instruction, however, as it has shown to be a useful tool in detailing the various aspects of the construction process to students. This is achieved through hands on time with the program to do mock constructions of various projects. BIM: What is it? Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems are an emerging type of software designed to model buildings and other structures in three dimensional systems, just like their Computer Aided Design (CAD) predecessors. However, BIM systems are vastly superior to the previous generations of CAD systems. There are huge differences between the two systems and BIM software is still currently being developed and improved.