Building Information Modelling, BIM, is being used by a growing number of architects, engineers and contractors in order to make the design and construction of buildings better, faster and more cost efficient. In this series we will look into how an investment into BIM will help reduce costs and improve efficiency throughout a building’s lifecycle from the design phase to construction and finally to facility management.
Part 1 – Design
Part 2 – Construction
Facility Management
An investment into BIM will deliver cost savings to building owners throughout the building’s lifecycle. Here are some of the ways in which BIM use in facilities management can help lower the lifetime cost of a building.
Predictive maintenance
Only 1% of a building’s lifetime budget is spent on design while 70% is spent on maintaining the building. The promise of BIM is that by shifting some capital expenditure to the design phase, and increasing that 1% by a small amount, building owners can considerably reduce the 70% share of costs that goes into maintenance.
Utilising BIM at its highest level, building owners can achieve a level of predictive maintenance where the information provided by BIM allows for early intervention on issues and enables detailed planning of future maintenance cycles. Predictive maintenance leads directly into greater precision in facility management budgeting and reduces costs from unexpected repairs and equipment updates.
Analysis of the BIM data across a portfolio of buildings also enables an owner to determine maintenance cycles on a larger scale. The improved coordination increases the efficiency of maintenance actions and provides building owners with more precise maintenance budgets.
Intelligent buildings
The widespread use of sensors has paved the way for intelligent buildings. Intelligent buildings are aware of when people are using the space and can adapt their systems to usage patterns. In the case of a large meeting hall, when people enter the room, the air conditioning will turn on, the lights will switch on, and everything will switch off automatically when the meeting is over and the space is not in use.
In addition, intelligent buildings will also not only identify how the building is used, but are able to react when something goes wrong. In case water or energy consumption data suddenly changes from the expected profile, the system may alert building management and possible issues can be corrected early. If there is a leakage in the pipe system, moisture can be detected before mould can develop and subsequent health problems arise.
Asset management
From the building owner’s perspective, an up-to-date BIM model will contain rich information about the building’s assets. An owner can click into an aspect of the HVAC system to see an installation date, who installed it, what maintenance was undertaken, and warranty information. The ability to have so much data about a building’s components drives a better relationship between the owner and any contractors, maintenance companies and other partners.
Read more in our new white paper: Using BIM to lower the lifetime cost of a building
