For several decades, BIM (building information modeling) has served as a means and method to collect data and share it with the project team. Here at Constructech, we have always said BIM is a collaborative process to connect time (4D), cost (5D), sustainability (6D), and facilities management (7D), and it is enabled by technologies. Today, let’s look at how BIM has evolved, so it can better inform where we are today.
The History of BIM
The concept of BIM dates back to the 1970s, with the BDS (Building Description System) and GLIDE, which offered enhanced visualization and estimation, but limited pre-construction, according to RIB Software. Through the 1980s and 1990s, more products popped up, but it wasn’t until 2000 when the term BIM was officially coined.
In those early days after the term was coined, we saw many people focusing on the model and building out from there. We saw the rise of conversations around 4D and 5D BIM, with people heavily focused on time and cost. Construction professionals really honed in on the collaborative aspect of BIM—getting all the stakeholders involved to share the data.
In the 2010s, we saw a greater focus on integration and data exchanges. Many conversations centered around how to share data between disparate software platforms. Enter alliances. There were many that began in the 2010s such as the buildingSMART alliance, which is still the international authority for a set of standards known as the IFC (Industry Foundation Class), which deal with process, data, terms, and change management for the specification, management, and effective utilization assets in the built asset industry.
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, we have begun to hear more about digital twin, as it relates to BIM. Again, digital twin is a concept that has been around since the 1960s, but was made popular more recently.
The digital twin has its roots in manufacturing, when professor Dr. Michael Grieves first applied the concept of digital twins to manufacturing in 2002. Eventually, John Vickers, NASA, introduced the term in 2010.
BIM in Construction Today and Tomorrow
Often in construction BIM and digital twin can be discussed in the same sentence. At its core, BIM is a process that enables data exchange between the different areas of a project and the different stakeholders.
Meanwhile, a digital twin is the technology that enables virtual interaction with an asset. At its core, the digital twin is a digital replica of a living or non-living physical entity. This replica could be an actual physical asset that exists in the real world today—or it could be a potential asset that could exist in the future.
Together, the dynamic duo will transform the future of digital building lifecycle management, as Frost & Sullivan suggests, the two offer complementary technologies transforming the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry by enabling collaborative design. Ultimately, this improves project efficiency and enhances asset performance.
Of course, there is also the biggest elephant in any technology discussion these days: AI (artificial intelligence). As we know, artificial intelligence isn’t necessarily new. In fact, AI for computer-aided design was pitched back in the 1970s, in the early days of BIM. What has changed is we have seen new technological advances such as machine learning and gen AI, which are helping make BIM work smarter.
Looking to the future, the use of technologies that enable BIM are anticipated to grow. MarketsandMarkets suggest the market will grow from $8 billion in 2024 to $14.8 billion by 2029, which is a rate of 13.1% during that time.
This is driven by a number of factors including heightened sustainability concerns, expanding construction activities, supportive government policies, and the overall need for heightened collaboration. We are at the point where research suggests enhanced facility management is expected to further boost the adoption of the technology.
Do you have a product that can help builders enable the BIM process? We want to hear about it! Make sure to submit it for the 2025 Constructech Top Products award. The early bird deadline ends soon.
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