Those who are familiar with the basics of chemical reactions would have come across the term ‘catalyst’. It is a remarkable concept wherein a single compound can considerably lower the energy demand for a particular reaction. BIM or Business Information Modeling can be understood as the catalyst for the Building Construction & Designing industry. It should be understood that as a catalyst, BIM does not try to overhaul the existing functionalities but only makes the use of various resources, more efficient.
This feature of BIM has evolved because it has been able to provide Integrated Solutions. Businesses have always struggled to find end-to-end solutions for their building development-related demands, i.e. a process that could provide cost-effective solutions throughout the lifecycle of the building. BIM has comfortably addressed this issue by providing a collaborative platform wherein the management, architects, designers and constructional policymakers can come together to establish the most productive solutions for any constructional, designing or even operations-based building demands.
Understanding the need for BIM Outsourcing
Building construction/designing needs is usually found outside the realm of businesses that have building technologies as a part of their core business functions. It is difficult for any organization to understand the mechanics of various variables that are involved in developing a building, i.e. in a conceptual and physical form. Further, this process is expensive and time-consuming. Trying to incorporate BIM methodology without seeking the help of BIM vendors means disrupting a business’ inherent workflow and making major investments in understanding BIM functionalities, without the assurance that the end result would be up to the established benchmarks. Thus, it makes sense to invest in an affordable solution, i.e. outsourcing the BIM services to a BIM vendor who can provide integrated solutions for the business.
The BIM Solution — hiring a BIM service provider, i.e. outsourcing BIM requirements, is increasingly becoming the favored choice for most businesses across the globe that are setting-up new buildings or overhauling established facilities. Here, the client (the business) is updated on the various BIM stages through dedicated desktop programs, whereas all the demanding BIM functions are performed by the vendor to whom the BIM project has been outsourced. This does not mean that BIM technology is so complicated that it cannot be handled by commercial organizations, but the fact remains that the development of a building is an exhaustive subject, and it is always advisable to allow specialized teams to handle it. In a way, BIM outsourcing is simply a process of gaining from the distribution of specialized work to personnel who have the required skill sets.
Benefits of BIM Outsourcing
BIM Technology is now being provided in an increasingly comprehensive manner, i.e. extending beyond building development and foraying into maintenance and handling facility operations. An overview of BIM outsourcing advantages:
- Conventional CAD-based 2D Drawing/Drafting solutions are taken further by incorporating information about the management of various building components and establishing realistic relationships between them. This is further explored by using 3D CAD Visualization & Modeling to create real life-like scenarios for in-depth analysis.
- Building development lifecycle is compressed by raising the collaboration level between planners, owners, contractors, architects and engineers. Better coordination means a direct restraint on wastage of resources due to conflicting viewpoints.
BIM Ensures Client Authority — employing external, vendor-based BIM services does not mean losing authority over the building’s developmental project. Most BIM vendors have a system to ensure that the client is always plugged into the BIM project’s progress through a customized software application wherein the advancement of every BIM-based activity can be checked. This is often supplemented with creating a communication protocol between the business’ managerial heads and the vendors’ BIM personnel for sorting-out issues related to scheduling, designing perspectives or budgetary considerations in a mutual way.