The key to any project’s success is the clear and concise understanding between the participating elements responsible for the project outcomes. Building design, as it stands today, exists at numerous layers including plumbing, data, heating, cooling, security, power, lighting, controls and accessibility. Integrated Practice fills the gaps between these layers by creating bridges of communication amongst AECOs. As the industry wakes up to the idea of Integrated Practice, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is coming to the fore as an effective implementation technology to help architects, engineers and construction professionals create a more sustainable world.

BIM, involving a series of transformational technologies, integrates the design process. This positively affects project understanding, co-ordination between team members and accuracy in results. It also reflects upon the predictability of outcomes and results in informed decisions and reduces wastage.

The benefits of BIM are three-fold. Firstly, it is parametric based. It is built in a three dimensional environment, where the relationships between the components are defined, rather than defining the components themselves. This way, it is possible to draw up a quantifiable image of a structure along with all its physical and functional characteristics. The 3D model created is not just a depiction but a simulation of the structure to be realised.  Secondly, using BIM permits the architect to create a completely integrated model.

To summarise, the major benefit of BIM lies in driving awareness and adoption of sustainable building methods. In principle, BIM induced sustainability would involve integration of all building systems together with all the external economic and environmental contexts of the project.

In spite of all the promises that BIM brings, it is true that the industry is typically slow to adapt to change. But it is also true that the technology is relatively new and many early adopters are confident of the role BIM will come to play in the future of buildings. Several new BIM implementing software programmes are being introduced in the market. Hopefully, more people will adopt the technology in the future.