Many construction companies intend to utilize business information modeling or BIM in the construction phase, but to what extent is it really happening? According to a 2019 study, 49% of companies said they use BIM for visualization, but only 32% use it for take-offs—and only 11% for code compliance.
While they are common in design, 3D models become trickier to use once the construction project begins. More and more contractors have access to the design models, but the data they provide is limited and getting adoption in the field is a challenge. Contractors may find 3D models more difficult to read than the drawings they’re used to. And to run a project successfully, they must pull data not just from BIM but from other systems and make that information readily available to field teams. The process of unifying disparate information is complicated and discouraging—and BIM becomes just another data silo.
Today, if a construction company wants to use BIM beyond the design phase, it’s possible—but it’s a complicated endeavor. Current real-life applications of BIM fall short of realizing its full potential.
