Centralized data management: All project data is stored in a Common Data Environment (CDE) — a shared repository that synchronizes updates across teams.
Design clashes between systems (like electrical and plumbing) are detected early, reducing rework and construction delays.
4. What is Building Information Modeling (BIM)?
BIM is a digital process for creating and managing detailed 3D models that represent both the physical and functional characteristics of a building.
Viewing a 5D BIM model within a common data environment to run a structure sequencing breakdown based on pour numbers.
Level 5 BIM adds cost estimations, budget analysis, and budget tracking to the information model. Higher accuracy: Build from verified data, not assumptions
With BIM, every design element is interlinked and data-driven, minimizing human error and ambiguity.
Detects clashes and inconsistencies before construction begins.
Ensures geometric precision and accurate spatial relationships.
Improves constructability and reduces post-construction corrections.
5.
The future is moving to the browser:
Free IFC viewers: Web-based viewers like Bimeco's platform allow stakeholders to review models without software licenses
Cloud collaboration: Real-time model access from any device, anywhere
Accessibility: Lower barriers to entry for smaller firms and project partners
Web-based BIM democratizes access, enabling broader participation in the BIM workflow without expensive desktop software and workstations.
BIM represents the future of construction—a shift from paper-based, siloed workflows to integrated, data-driven collaboration.
Singapore's CORENET X requires BIM submissions for building approvals, using OpenBIM standards to automate code checking. It bridges the gap between design intent and operational performance, allowing organizations to bring BIM data into everyday facility management.
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By integrating seamlessly with existing BIM models, Facilio creates a unified environment where:
Asset data and maintenance workflows are connected in real time.
Building performance can be monitored, analyzed, and optimized continuously.
Insights from operations feed back into better design, sustainability, and planning decisions.
Unlike traditional CMMS systems that operate in isolation, Facilio turns BIM into a living source of truth — one that evolves as your buildings do.
It’s no longer just a design tool; rather, it’s the foundation of intelligent, connected building operations.
The more accurate and enriched your BIM data is, the more value it unlocks across operations. Contractors need LOD 350-400 with exact routing, supports, and connections to build. What are the main BIM dimensions (3D to 7D)?
3D: Geometric and spatial design
4D: Construction scheduling
5D: Cost estimation and budgeting
6D: Sustainability and energy performance
7D: Facility management and operational optimization
9.
Later on, CAD turned 3D, which brought more realistic visuals to blueprints. Not every firm has the resources or expertise to implement BIM internally. Each level represents a different set of criteria that demonstrates a particular level of ‘maturity.’ BIM levels start with 0 and go to 4D, 5D, and even 6D BIM. The purpose of these levels is to gauge how effectively, or how much information is being shared and managed throughout the entire process.
So what does each level involve, and how can you identify which at which level you’re working?
A BIM model knows a wall isn't just a rectangular volume—it understands the wall assembly (concrete, insulation, cladding), its fire rating, acoustic properties, thermal performance, cost, installation sequence, and maintenance requirements. It ensures every stakeholder works from the latest data, improving collaboration, version control, and project transparency.
3.
Each asset comes with its specifications, performance data, and maintenance records, all accessible directly from the model. Software like SketchUp made 3D modeling accessible, even though SketchUp itself isn't true BIM—it captures geometry but lacks the intelligent object data that defines BIM.
Contractors and subcontractors have been slower to adopt, often continuing with 2D AutoCAD workflows familiar to senior staff.
Many experienced contractors prefer 2D for good reasons:
Cost: BIM software licenses are expensive, especially for small subcontractors
Talent: Hiring BIM-skilled staff is difficult and costly in competitive markets
Workflow familiarity: Decades of experience with AutoCAD make change resistance natural
Detail representation: Certain construction details—annotations, call-outs, dimension blowups—are legitimately easier to produce and read in 2D
Can we blame them?
This intelligence enables specific applications across the project lifecycle:
4D BIM links the model to construction schedules, enabling contractors to visualize and optimize the build sequence
5D BIM connects quantities to cost databases, allowing real-time cost tracking as the design evolves
6D BIM embeds facility management data, transforming the as-built model into an operational asset for building owners
In essence, BIM is a database of building information wrapped in a 3D interface—enabling better decisions, tighter coordination, and improved outcomes throughout the entire project lifecycle.
Architects use BIM to rapidly prototype designs, coordinate across disciplines, and meet regulatory requirements:
Design Coordination: Architectural models sync with structural models to prevent conflicts.