What are the barriers to BIM implementation?

The construction industry made a drastic shift from the pen and paper blueprintswith CAD to digital construction. The change brought a widespread increase in productivity and quality across all stages of the building construction. Building Information Modelling provides the AEC professionals all the tools to not just augment the speed and quality of their deliverables but also to enhance visualization, client presentations and collaboration between all disciplines of construction. Additionally, MEP BIM, Structural BIM and Architectural BIM Services can be used to create a federated BIM model which ensures no interdisciplinary clashes for a streamlined construction process. In fact, a lot of countries are either making BIM mandatory or openly promoting BIM. Looking at the obvious gains of BIM not just in the planning stage but throughout the building’s lifecycle it is quite surprising that the implementation of BIM is not as widespread as it ought to be.

In the below article we look at some of the barriers that are hindering BIM implementation.

• Change is difficult:

The biggest problem is that a lot of professionals have been using CAD almost their whole professional life. For them CAD is comfortable and shifting to BIM could prove to be an unnecessary hassle. They have developed an expertise in CAD which provides them with speed and quality. However, they must remember that just because they are resistant to change doesn’t mean the construction sector is not evolving. It might be difficult initially but moving to BIM will make them more competitive down the line. It provides them with the ability to compete and bid for more projects as well as improve their deliverables, profit margins and quality.

• Initial Investment:

When it comes to making a shift to a new process it does require some significant investments. Firstly, it would be the hardware and software investments. BIM software like Revit, Tekla, ArchiCAD etc.  come at a price. Moreover, in order to ensure its optimal function there are hardware requirements like CPU, memory etc. which the company may have to invest in. Then the company must either have to train their existing staff or hire new team members who can work on BIM. It is not always possible for every company to put in this kind of investment but with BIM they must also consider that it would help them score new clients and increase their margins. With even one costly mistake caught and prevented, BIM would pay for itself.

• Limited Relevancy:

According to a survey 71% of small firms believe that BIM is not applicable or beneficial for them. They operate under the misconception that BIM only makes sense for large companies with big projects. The kind of efficiency and financial savings that BIM can provide are just as effective for small business as they are for large organizations. Moreover, even a small project can have complexities and with better collaboration and Clash Detection Services it is possible to ensure that onsite construction has no errors.

• Lack of full picture thinking:

Even when BIM is being adopted more often it is for the first phase of construction only i.e. for design and planning. However, the capabilities of BIM are not just limited there it provides various advantages throughout the construction process like accurate scheduling, quantity take-offs, costing etc. It also helps in mitigating risk and enhancing the safety of the workers onsite. Once the building is constructed BIM is also useful in facility management to streamline operations and maintenance. Moreover, it can further add value even during renovation and refurbishment of the building. Today, with BIM construction industry can build an asset once which can last throughout the building’s lifecycle.

Thus, it is perhaps the right time that all the industry players start to use BIM. It can provide the BIM companies the opportunity to get an early bird advantage and outpace their competition.