What does BIM’s future hold? Let’s extrapolate from the current state of BIM to create estimates about the future of BIM.
We’ve discussed subjects like building information modelling (BIM) in prior posts like:- 20 Scan to BIM terms you need to know in 2022, 10 most common myths about BIM Debunked | Busted in 2022, Collaborative Revit BIM Services gaining popularity with Autodesk Revit 2022, and Next, let’s talk about BIM in current and future practice.
Today, BIM is a single-source-of-truth design methodology that allows experts from all stages of a construction project to work on the same data set. Individuals can contribute using technologies relevant to their business while still coordinating their actions with other stakeholders, whether they are architects, engineers, or construction (AEC) experts.
So, how will BIM be implemented in the future? Will it continue to grow and change? Or will something else take its place? Let’s extrapolate from the current BIM landscape to create projections about the future of BIM.
Technology all over the world is transforming industries with digitization. Specifically, the construction and architecture businesses have a relatively slower rate of adoption of digitization. Technologies such as BIM and VDC have replaced pen-and-paper methods to a large extent. In this article, we will explore Building Information Modeling (BIM) and such emerging technologies that will transform the building industry in 2022.
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Construction Trends in 2022 for Design-Build Construction 🏗️
2021 has been a difficult year with ups & downs for almost everyone. The construction industry has also been affected by the pandemic. Yet, the evolution of the technologies didn’t stop and people in the construction business are growing at a gradual rate. 2022 has been assumed to be much more productive for AEC with the introduction of a few good digital techniques such as VDC, 3D-Printing, IoT and Blockchain BIM.
Building Information Modeling plays a vital role in each stage of construction. The digitized technology continues to grow each year with the addition of some good features and functionalities. The building construction and architecture business can leverage its benefit from the preconstruction stage to the maintenance of the structure.
BIM existed years before but wasn’t that powerful. It didn’t have many features that an engineer could leverage its benefits. Gradually, the technology is upgrading and in the coming days, we would be able to see increased compatibility with other software and related technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
The future of the BIM Market & its Benefits for AEC Business
The recession in 2020 decreased the overall growth of the construction market globally. However, it regained its growth rate gradually after the recession. Digital construction along with the building sector has been growing rapidly and is assumed to reach even higher in 2022. Some sources on the internet have forecasted that the BIM market will generate a revenue of USD 7727.8282 million till 2025 at a CAGR of 13.77%. The construction and engineering industry, through BIM and VDC, is ready to witness considerable growth and will reach its peak in the next 5 years.
One of the major reasons for the growth of the Global BIM market is government policies for building construction. The government bodies in the UK and USA have updated their policies and have made the use of BIM compulsory for construction projects. However, some countries are still behind in the adoption of digital technologies due to the initial investments and the lack of awareness.
Emerging Technologies that will serve the AEC Business in 2022
With BIM as a technology leader for the AEC segment, some emerging technologies will go hand in hand in order to leverage its benefits. Let’s explore the future-ready technologies for architecture, engineering and construction.
🏗️ Virtual Design and Construction for top-to-toe Construction Management
Virtual Design and Construction or VDC is a concept that is used along with BIM in order to develop comprehensive multi-dimensional models of the structures. It depicts the exact details of the building or a structure in a virtual space. VDC BIM enables engineers to visualize their complete project digitally in the pre-construction stage.
The construction managers utilize the 3D BIM model to plan the structure designs, processes, schedules, costs, and sustainability of the structure for providing a feasible construction plan. VDC also integrates AI with it for deriving more accurate construction schedules to facilitate cost-effective construction.
🏗️ 3D Printing – An Innovative construction technique
3D printing is an innovation over traditional brick-and-mortar construction. The technology works on the principle of robotics and Artificial Intelligence. It has great potential in the future as the construction industry can harness various potential benefits from state-of-art tech.
The additive manufacturing technology for the construction of structures delivers rapid construction with reduced material wastage. It allows architects and engineers to construct structures with complex designs, which might be challenging for humans. With almost double the speed compared to the manual workforce, 3D printing reduces human errors and delivers highly accurate 3D-printed structures.
🏗️ Internet of Things (IoT)
Construction projects are prone to various challenges like technical inefficiency, cost overruns, untimely deliverables, improper management of resources and improper safety measures. Incorporating technologies such as IoT helps to reduce on-site challenges.
Internet of Things (IoT) tracks the progress of the project and notifies the delay to construction managers. It is also useful for tracking the activities of the staff employed on the project. A sensor is embedded on the vest or the hard hats of the employee. It tracks the employee movement and style of work. This data is used to improve the current efficiency of the employee and its productivity. IoT sensors can also keep track of the incoming and outgoing materials and other resources for cost-effectiveness and proper use of the allotted resources.
🏗️ Blockchain BIM
Yes, you heard it right. This is the same technology used for crypto and bitcoins. Many of us in the AEC sector are unaware of blockchain technology and its applications for construction. The underlying technology enables encrypted login for performing digital transactions.
The game-changer technology is incorporated into the construction in order to keep track of and update the project information for effective project management. When Building
Information Modeling is used with scope of blockchain in BIM technology, it enhances the effectiveness of smart contracts up to a great extent. Blockchain technology is also an effective companion for the enhanced supply chain management.
Use BIM Automation to Automate Modeling and Design Activities
What Benefits will the Future technologies deliver to the AEC field?
The Architecture, Engineering & Construction industry shall harness tons of benefits by adopting digital technologies for construction. Let us explore the benefits of future technologies for building and construction.
🏗️ Better on-site Productivity
Digitization makes the construction processes streamlined and more accurate. It eliminates human errors and hence increases the productivity of the construction project. The digital tools and concepts used for architecture and construction enhance all the stages of construction.
🏗️ Enhanced Communication and Collaboration
Digital technology allows construction stakeholders to communicate in a better way and work collaboratively. The common data environment (CDE) enables easy data access for construction project professionals from various disciplines.
🏗️ Risk Mitigation
As we are aware, construction sites are prone to risks. Unorganized construction hinders the safety of workers and labors working on-site. Digital technology and tools ensure accurate site planning. Precise construction planning through BIM and clash detection reduces the risk of potential threats on the construction site enabling safer operations.
🏗️ Eliminates Uncertainty in Construction
Artificial Intelligence and Building Information Modeling improve the accuracy of the construction processes. It facilitates feasible design alternatives and accurate site planning as well. This, in turn, eliminates the uncertainty in construction projects up to a great extent, delivering quality-assured outputs.
🏗️ Improved Document Tracking
A construction project involves plenty of documentation. It is vital to keep the documents safe for future reference. Digital technologies such as COBie, BIM and IoT keep the documents well-arranged in a digital format and keeps a track of the same. It also updates the documents as directed by the construction professionals to the latest format.
🏗️ Time and Cost-Efficacy
Time and cost are two of the most important elements of the construction project. BIM and automation organize the construction workflow in a well-optimized manner. It offers enhanced construction management, resulting in overall cost savings and on-time project deliverables.
Wrapping-Up
Digitization and automation are booming all over the world. However, the construction industry falls behind in the adoption of digital technologies. The use of digitization has been increased after the pandemic in 2020. Automation enhances the construction processes, documentation, design, and planning of the construction sites. It proves to be worthy and provides high-quality deliverables in relatively much lesser time when compared with manual techniques. The AEC sector has witnessed a number of benefits implementing digitization over the traditional brick and mortar construction. So to put it simply, the construction and engineering industry is going to witness more and more improvements in the coming times with digitization.
