Five Thoughts on the Intersection of Building Information Modeling and Facilities Management

By Peter Costanzo, Director, Facilities Management Team

Building information modeling (BIM) is a method of creating coordinated, internally consistent, computable information about a building project, and then using that data in design, construction, and operation. BIM has taken the architectural world by storm, but what does it mean for facilities managers?

Here are five key takeaways to consider as you think about the intersection of BIM and facilities management:

1. BIM is not a technology. While technology aids in creation of a building model, BIM is really about process.
   
   
2. BIM means different things to different stakeholders. From a facilities management perspective, electronic models and their data can be imported into facility management systems. This contributes to better building management.
   
   
3. Both BIM and facilities management are all about data. Maintaining accurate data forms the foundation of effective facilities management. Similarly, data is the core of building information models. The goal for facilities managers is to create links and to leverage the right information from models to support maintenance, sustainability programs, and more.
   
   
4. Standards are helpful for extracting facilities management data from BIM. Industry standards exist like COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange) or organizations can develop their own standards.
   
   
5. True integration between BIM and facilities management results in Building Lifecycle Management. Building lifecycle management or BLM is possible when models are one integrated piece of data used by facilities managers and owners to help with the life of buildings. 
   
   

BIM and facilities management hold a lot of promise and efficiencies can be gained by linking systems. Download our white paper What Facilities Managers Need to Know About BIM to learn more about where the technology is today, the promise of technology in the future, and key considerations for facilities management projects that leverage BIM.

IMAGINiT aims to help architects, engineers, construction teams and owners create as-built models that contain information useful to facilities managers.

Learn more about our Facilities Management capabilities.