Ok, so we've all drank the kool-aid and jumped on the BIM train. Honestly, you're either on the train, about to be run over or got spit out the back side of a bad economy.
So where does it all lead? I talk about collaboration and some people say, "Hey, what do you mean!? my drawings are coordinated. I'm a good Architect I know what I'm doing.". Collaboration doesn't end with the Design Team. Collaboration doesn't end with the Contractor. Collaboration doesn't end with the Certificate of Occupancy. Collaboration is for the life-cycle of the building, cradle to grave.
Building Information Modeling, BIM, is just the first step down that long dusty road. BIM allows us to move to Integrated Project Delivery, IPD. After IPD, we then move to Lean Construction. The final part, at least for now, is Construction Operations Building Information Exchange, COBie.
Over the next few weeks I'll try to give my perspective on these concepts. Each step along the way builds upon the prior information. Garbage-in equals garbage-out. Information I provide in my BIM will eventually be leveraged by the building owner and his facilities management team to effectively run the day-to-day operations of the building.
