BIM Handbook A Guide to Building Information Modeling (Rafael Sacks, Ghang Lee, Luciana Burdi etc.)（Z-Library）
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Understand the latest advances in BIM with this fully updated guide Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become an increasingly central component of architecture and the building trades. Modern BIM software has moved beyond the simple 2D and 3D modeling tools of the past to incorporate simulation, analysis, project management, and more. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Facility Managers has long served as the essential introduction to this subject and its ever-expanding applications. Now fully updated to reflect the increasing standardization of BIM practices and its cutting-edge industry frameworks, the latest edition of this key text remains the fundamental tool for understanding the backbone of innovation in construction technology. Readers of the fourth edition of BIM Handbook will also find: Expanded treatment of the owner’s perspective in BIM and BIM integration Detailed discussion of new industry-specific frameworks such as ISO 19650 Exploration of the relationship between BIM and digital twins for construction, operations, and maintenance BIM Handbook is ideal for any professionals in the building trades, including owners and operators of buildings, architects, engineers, contractors, fabricators, developers of BIM software, and more.
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BIM Handbook
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BIM Handbook A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Facility Managers Fourth Edition Rafael Sacks Ghang Lee Luciana Burdi Marzia Bolpagni
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Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmit- ted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scan- ning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per- copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750- 8400, fax (978) 750- 4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748- 6011, fax (201) 748- 6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission. The manufacturer’s authorized representative according to the EU General Product Safety Regulation is Wiley- VCH GmbH, Boschstr. 12, 69469 Weinheim, Germany, e- mail: Product_Safety@wiley.com. Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materi- als. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762- 2974, outside the United States at (317) 572- 3993 or fax (317) 572- 4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data Applied for: Hardback ISBN: 9781394222223 Cover Design: Wiley Cover Image: 4D model view of Battersea Phase 3 project in London, UK, commissioned by Sir Robert McAlpine, Courtesy of Freeform Ltd. Set in Life LT Std 10pt/12pt by Straive, Chennai, India
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v Charles M. Eastman 1940– 2020 Charles M. Eastman was a pioneer in design cognition and in computing for design and construction. His research promoted an understanding of architec- ture, engineering, and construction as information processing, which led natu- rally and directly to the application of computers to multiple functions in the field. He made fundamental contributions in design cognition, computer- aided design, engineering databases, and building information modeling (BIM). He was an innovator, building a computer graphics tech startup company and sell- ing it in an exit in the 1980s, at a time when the words “startup” and “exit” did not yet have the connotations they have today in the context of technology innovation. His publications were widely respected, and when he stood up to speak at conferences, his soft voice was heard clearly across the room as people knew that whatever he said was worth hearing. Among his numerous publications, the following are landmarks: • “Explorations of the Cognitive Processes in Design” (Eastman, 1968) and “Cognitive Processes and Ill- Defined Problems: A Case Study from Design” (Eastman, 1969). Many people view these publications as initi- ating the field of study known as design cognition. • “An Outline of the Building Description System” (Eastman et al., 1974) and “The Use of Computers Instead of Drawings” (Eastman, 1975), two seminal articles in which he laid out a clear vision, predicting what we now know as BIM. Dedication
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vi Dedication • Building Product Models: Computer Environments Supporting Design & Construction, a book that defined the state- of- the- art in generating and communicating digital information about buildings (Eastman, 1999). • The BIM Handbook, which began in 2008 and continues with this fourth edition. Over time, he built a solid reputation as the leading researcher in design computing in the architecture, engineering, and construction sector. He men- tored a legion of PhD students at three universities across the United States (Carnegie- Mellon, UCLA, and Georgia Tech), and he led research teams funded by a host of foundations and industry groups. To us, though, he was much more than an architect, a computer scientist, a researcher, and a supervisor. He was “Chuck,” a mentor in the fullest sense of the word. Not only did we learn from him most of what we know about BIM, academic practices and ethics, research methods, and writing— we also learned about politics, literature, nature, refurbishing vintage cars, Bauhaus style, and to love one’s family and friends. We were privileged to be counted among his friends, to be welcomed in his and Mary Claire’s home, and to share a good glass of wine from time to time. He took great pride in our achieve- ments, and we respected him deeply for this. The BIM Handbook is among Chuck’s many significant successes. He led the team as the first author for the first edition, published in 2008, having originated the idea with Jerry Laiserin and Paul Teicholz. Jerry’s foreword to the first edition, which we have reprinted here for the sake of posterity, is in itself a testament to the great respect all of the team held for Chuck. Chuck continued as team leader and first author in the second edition and contributed greatly to the third edition. We are immensely proud to continue in his foot- steps by keeping the BIM Handbook not only relevant and useful but also as a living tribute to his vision, his leadership, and to his friendship. Rafael Sacks and Ghang Lee April 2024
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vii Foreword xvii Foreword to the First Edition by Jerry Laiserin xxi Preface xxv Acknowledgments xxxi About the Companion Website xxxiii CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1 1.0 Executive Summary 1 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 AECO Business Models 2 1.2.1 Design- Bid- Build 4 1.2.2 Design- Build 7 1.2.3 Construction Management at Risk 7 1.2.4 Integrated Project Delivery and Other Collaborative Procurement Models 9 1.2.5 What Kind of Building Procurement Is Best When BIM Is Used? 11 1.3 BIM: State- of- the- Art Technologies and Processes 12 1.3.1 BIM Models 12 1.3.2 BIM Platforms and Tools 14 1.3.3 BIM Processes 14 1.3.4 Uses of BIM 17 1.3.5 Collaboration in Design and Construction 19 1.4 BIM as a Lifecycle Information Source for Built Facilities 20 1.5 What are the Benefits of BIM? What Problems Does it Address? 22 1.5.1 Preconstruction Benefits to Owner 22 1.5.2 Benefits for Architectural and Engineering Design 23 1.5.3 Construction and Fabrication Benefits 26 1.5.4 Post Construction Benefits 28 Contents
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viii Contents 1.6 BIM and Lean Construction 28 1.7 What Challenges can be Expected? 31 1.7.1 Challenges with Collaboration and Teaming 31 1.7.2 Legal Changes to Documentation Ownership and Production 32 1.7.3 Changes in Practice and Use of Information 32 1.7.4 Implementation Issues 32 1.8 Future of Designing, Building, and Operating With BIM 34 1.9 Case Studies 34 Chapter 1 Discussion Questions 34 CHAPTER 2 Core BIM Enabling Technologies 37 2.0 Executive Summary 37 2.1 Introduction to Core BIM Enabling Technologies 38 2.2 The Evolution of Object- Based Parametric Modeling 39 2.2.1 Birth of 3D Feature- Based Modeling 39 2.2.2 Object- Based Modeling and Properties 42 2.2.3 Parametric Modeling and Object Behavior 45 2.2.4 BIM for Knowledge Embedment and Management 48 2.3 Interoperability and Interfacing Technologies 50 2.3.1 Causes of Interoperability Problems 52 2.3.2 Information Requirements and Data Schemas on Three Levels 53 2.3.3 Different Kinds of Data Exchange Methods 55 2.3.4 Interfacing Technologies 58 2.4 From File- Based Data Exchange to Object- Based Project Management and Collaboration 62 2.4.1 Advent of BIM Servers 62 2.4.2 Project Transactions and Synchronization 63 2.5 BIM Standards 68 2.5.1 Standardization Efforts and Organizations 68 2.5.2 Information Framework Standards 70 2.5.3 Information Management and Requirements Standards 82 Chapter 2 Discussion Questions 92
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Contents ix CHAPTER 3 BIM Tools, Platforms, and Environments 93 3.0 Executive Summary 93 3.1 BIM Environments, Platforms, and Tools 94 3.2 BIM Platforms 96 3.2.1 Considerations for Selecting BIM Platforms 97 3.2.2 Allplan 100 3.2.3 Archicad 101 3.2.4 Digital Project, CATIA, and 3DExperience 102 3.2.5 OpenBuildings Designer 104 3.2.6 Revit 105 3.2.7 Tekla Structures 107 3.2.8 Vectorworks Design Suite 108 3.2.9 AutoCAD- Based Applications 109 3.3 BIM Servers 110 3.3.1 Functionality of BIM Servers 111 3.3.2 BIM Server Products 114 3.4 Design Review and Collaboration Tools 117 3.4.1 Model Viewers 118 3.4.2 Real- Time Rendering for Extended Reality 119 3.4.3 Project Collaboration 120 3.4.4 Model Checkers 121 3.5 Construction Management Tools 126 Chapter 3 Discussion Questions 128 CHAPTER 4 BIM for Owners and Facility Managers 129 4.0 Executive Summary 129 4.1 Introduction: Why Owners Should Care About BIM 130 4.2 Owner’s Role in a BIM Project 134 4.2.1 Design Assessment 134 4.2.2 Complexity of Building Infrastructure and Building Environment 139 4.2.3 Time to Market: Schedule Management 140 4.2.4 Cost Management and Project Control 144 4.2.5 Sustainability 146 4.2.6 Facility and Information Asset Management 147 4.2.7 BIM and the Public Procurement Process 149
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x Contents 4.3 BIM Tool Guides for Owners 150 4.3.1 BIM Cost Estimating Tools 153 4.3.2 Facility and Asset Management Tools 153 4.3.3 Operation Simulation Tools 155 4.4 An Owner and Facility Manager’s Building Model 155 4.4.1 Information Content of BIM- FM Model 155 4.4.2 Alternative Approaches to Creating a BIM- FM Model 161 4.4.3 Classification of Model Data and Standards 164 4.5 Leading the BIM Implementation on a Project 166 4.5.1 Develop Guidelines for Use of BIM on Projects 167 4.5.2 Build Internal Leadership and Knowledge 170 4.5.3 Service Provider Selection 171 4.5.4 Provide for Use of a “Big Room” for Design and Construction 173 4.5.5 Adopt and Specify a CDE 174 4.6 Challenges for BIM Implementation: Risks and Common Myths 175 4.7 Considerations for Owners When Adopting BIM 179 4.7.1 Perform a Pilot Project with a Short Time Frame, a Small Qualified Team, and a Clear Goal 179 4.7.2 Do a Prototype Dry Run 179 4.7.3 Focus on Clear Business Goals 179 4.7.4 Select a Project Team That Has Demonstrated Prior BIM Experience 180 4.7.5 Establish Metrics to Assess Progress 180 4.7.6 Actively Participate in the BIM Effort 180 4.7.7 Increase Internal BIM Knowledge 181 4.8 BIM for FM Case Study— Korea Airports Corporation 181 4.8.1 A Digital Twin for Space Management 182 4.8.2 Real- time Air Traffic Monitoring 182 4.8.3 Real- time Passenger Monitoring 185 4.8.4 Information Quality Checking 185 4.8.5 Inspection and Repair Management 185 Chapter 4 Discussion Questions 187
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Contents xi CHAPTER 5 BIM for Architects and Engineers 189 5.0 Executive Summary 189 5.1 Introduction 191 5.2 Impact of BIM on Design Services 194 5.3 BIM Use in Design and Engineering Processes 196 5.3.1 Conceptual Design 197 5.3.2 Design Development 215 5.3.3 Prefabrication 224 5.3.4 Construction Documentation 224 5.3.5 Design Review 230 5.3.6 Drawing Generation and Document Production 234 5.4 Building Object Models and Libraries 237 5.4.1 Embedding Expertise into Building Components 238 5.4.2 Object Libraries 240 5.4.3 BIM Object Portals 243 5.5 Considerations in Adoption for Design Practice 243 5.5.1 Justification for Information Modeling Cost 244 5.5.2 From Conceptual Design to Construction 246 5.6 Generative Design: The Yeosu– Namhae Underwater Tunnel 248 5.7 Advanced Delivery of Structural Design Information: Nine The Esplanade, Elizabeth Quay Project 251 5.7.1 Conventional Delivery of Construction Information 253 5.7.2 Advanced Delivery of Construction Information 253 5.7.3 BIM Process 254 5.7.4 The Impact 257 Chapter 5 Discussion Questions 258 CHAPTER 6 BIM for Contractors 261 6.0 Executive Summary 261 6.1 Introduction 264 6.2 Types of Construction Firms 264 6.3 Information Contractors Want From BIM 266
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xii Contents 6.4 BIM- Enabled Process Change 268 6.4.1 Virtual Construction 268 6.4.2 Leaner Construction 269 6.4.3 Paperless Construction 271 6.4.4 Increased Distribution of Work 271 6.4.5 Digital Twin Construction 273 6.5 Developing a Construction Building Information Model 273 6.5.1 BIM for Tendering 276 6.5.2 Product and Process Detailing 276 6.5.3 Big Room Colocation 280 6.5.4 Using a Contractor Building Information Model 282 6.6 3D: Visualization and Coordination 283 6.7 4D: Construction Analysis and Planning 287 6.7.1 4D Models to Support Construction Planning 288 6.7.2 Benefits of 4D Models 289 6.7.3 BIM Tools with 4D Capability 292 6.7.4 BIM- Supported Planning and Scheduling Issues and Guidelines 296 6.8 5D: Quantity Takeoff and Cost Estimating 297 6.8.1 Extracting Quantities from BIM Models for Estimating 298 6.8.2 Guidelines and BIM Implementation Issues to Support Quantity Takeoff and Estimating 300 6.9 Production Planning and Control 302 6.10 Off- Site Fabrication and Modular Construction 304 6.11 BIM in the Field 306 6.11.1 Delivering Design Information to the Field 306 6.11.2 Coordinating Production 310 6.11.3 Surveying Site Conditions 311 6.11.4 Monitoring Construction Progress 316 6.12 Cost and Schedule Control and Other Management Functions 318 6.13 Commissioning and Turnover 321 Chapter 6 Discussion Questions 322 CHAPTER 7 BIM for Subcontractors and Fabricators 325 7.0 Executive Summary 325 7.1 Introduction 326
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Contents xiii 7.2 Types of Subcontractors and Fabricators 328 7.2.1 Subcontractor Trades 329 7.2.2 Made- to- Stock and Made- to- Order Component Suppliers 331 7.2.3 Engineered- to- Order Component Fabricators 332 7.2.4 Design Service Providers and Specialist Coordinators 333 7.2.5 Full- Service Design- Build Prefabricated and Modular Construction 334 7.2.6 Design for Manufacture 334 7.3 The Benefits of a BIM Process for Subcontractor Fabricators 335 7.3.1 Marketing and Tendering 337 7.3.2 Reduced Production Cycle Times 338 7.3.3 Fewer Design Coordination Errors 339 7.3.4 Lower Engineering and Detailing Costs 343 7.3.5 Increased Use of Automated Manufacturing Technologies 344 7.3.6 Increased Preassembly, Prefabrication, and Modular Construction 346 7.3.7 Quality Control, Supply Chain Management, and Lifecycle Maintenance 347 7.4 Generic BIM System Requirements for Fabricators 349 7.4.1 Parametric and Customizable Parts and Relationships 350 7.4.2 Reporting Components for Fabrication 353 7.4.3 Interface to Management Information Systems 354 7.4.4 Interoperability 355 7.4.5 Information Visualization 355 7.4.6 Automation of Fabrication Tasks 357 7.5 Specific BIM Requirements for Fabrication 357 7.5.1 Traditional ETO Component Fabricators 357 7.5.2 Modular Construction 365 7.5.3 3D Printing and Robotic Construction 367 7.6 Adopting BIM in a Fabrication Operation 368 7.6.1 Setting Appropriate Goals 369 7.6.2 Adoption Activities 370 7.6.3 Planning the Pace of Change 371 7.6.4 Human Resource Considerations 373
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xiv Contents 7.7 Focchi Group’s Use of BIM for High- End Curtain Wall Design, Fabrication, and Installation 373 7.7.1 The Company and Its Services 373 7.7.2 BIM Adoption 376 7.7.3 Information System Architecture 377 7.7.4 Façade Layout Design and Coordination 378 7.7.5 Detailed Design for Production of Parts 381 7.7.6 Smart Construction Site 382 7.7.7 Future Development 383 Chapter 7 Discussion Questions 385 CHAPTER 8 Facilitators of BIM Adoption and Implementation 387 8.0 Executive Summary 387 8.1 Introduction 388 8.2 BIM Mandates 389 8.2.1 Significance of Government BIM Mandates 390 8.2.2 The Status of Government BIM Mandates Around the World 394 8.2.3 Motivations 395 8.2.4 BIM Requirements 395 8.2.5 Challenges and Considerations 396 8.3 BIM Roadmaps, Maturity Models, and Measures 397 8.3.1 BIM Roadmaps 397 8.3.2 BIM Maturity Models 403 8.3.3 BIM Measures 406 8.4 BIM Guides 407 8.4.1 BIM Guides by Region and Organization 408 8.4.2 BIM Guides by Topic 410 8.5 BIM Education and Training 411 8.5.1 Transition of Senior Staff 412 8.5.2 BIM Roles and Responsibilities 413 8.5.3 Industry Training and Certificate Programs 416 8.5.4 University Education Programs 420 8.6 Considerations for Adoption and Deployment 421 8.7 Legal, Security, and Best Practice Issues 423 8.7.1 Legal and Intellectual Property Issues 423 8.7.2 Cyber Security for BIM 426 8.7.3 Best Practices and Other Social Issues 427 Chapter 8 Discussion Questions 428
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Contents xv CHAPTER 9 The Future: Building with BIM 431 9.0 Executive Summary 431 9.1 Introduction 433 9.2 BIM Before 2000: Predicting Trends 434 9.3 Development and Impact of BIM from 2000 to 2020 439 9.3.1 Impact on Owners: Better Options, Better Reliability 439 9.3.2 Impact on the Design Professions 443 9.3.3 Impact on Construction Companies 444 9.3.4 Impact on Building Material and Component Suppliers 446 9.3.5 Impact on Construction Education: Integrated Education 446 9.3.6 Impact on Statutory Authorities: Model Access and Review 446 9.3.7 Impact on Project Documentation: On- Demand Drawings 447 9.3.8 Impact on BIM Tools: More Integration, More Specialization, More Information 448 9.4 Current Trends 449 9.4.1 Process Trends 449 9.4.2 Technology Trends 453 9.4.3 Commercial Trends 455 9.4.4 Innovation Trends 456 9.4.5 Obstacles to Change 458 9.5 Vision 2030 459 9.5.1 Thoroughly Digital Design 459 9.5.2 Artificial Intelligence in Design 461 9.5.3 Automated Code Checking 462 9.5.4 Support for Sustainable Construction 463 9.5.5 Off- site Construction 465 9.5.6 Globalization 466 9.5.7 AI and Robotics in Construction 466 9.5.8 Digital Twin Construction 468 9.5.9 Semantically Connected Information 470 9.6 BIM Beyond 2030 474 Chapter 9 Discussion Questions 477 Glossary 479 References 489 Index 509
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xvii Phil Bernstein November 8, 2024 In 2004 the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) convened a working group (the “Architectural/Engineering Productivity Committee”) to address what its members— owners responsible for running large facilities projects— considered to be a critical question: why are architects’ working drawings of such poor quality? I joined the group to represent Autodesk, as I was develop- ing the company’s Building Information Modeling (BIM) strategy after the acquisition of a small start- up called Revit Technologies and our shift from computer- aided design (CAD) to BIM. In those early (commercial, rather than academic) days of BIM, there was much discussion about the potential of new technology to address the chal- lenges of the building industry. Well- trod today, tropes about productivity, lack of coordination, lousy risk/reward ratios, and even sustainability were expanding into mainstream conversation, and emergent ideas of new project delivery strategies centered on the concept of “integration” were in the air. Some of that energy was attributable to the ever- present anxieties of building, but there was something about the possibilities of the emergent concepts of BIM into mainstream practice that inspired a reframing: that design, con- struction, and building operation could be improved through high- quality, high- resolution information that everyone in the enterprise could access and understand. These were not new ideas per se. Sir John Egan’s work in the United Kingdom, followed by impressive early efforts by Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 design/build team, were just a few of the examples of efforts to bring theo- retical and academic work to the design studio and the construction site. But what the emergent concept of BIM seemed to make possible was not just new technical processes, but new relationships in project delivery: new ways of defining scope, refactoring risk, restructuring the nature of collaborative work, and new value propositions for the building enterprise. In those earliest adoption days, the concepts of BIM and integrated deliv- ery substantially overlapped and were often conflated, as if the mere use of a modeling tool would automatically catalyze the available opportunities for col- laboration. As the ideas were further refined— BIM as a digital platform for strong, outcome- based collaboration, and integrated project delivery as a Foreword
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xviii Foreword business model for the same— the technological infrastructure necessary to realize the vision matured. Cloud computing provided the necessary CPU power, expanded Internet capacity, and wireless distributed BIM information around the collaborative enterprise and mobile devices delivered that data to the point of work, particularly on the construction site. In that sense, BIM was at the center of what we can now see was the inevitable, if slow, digitization of the construction enterprise. Twenty years after the work of the A/E Productivity Committee, the authors of the fourth edition of The BIM Handbook have, following the wide- spread adoption of BIM as the underpinning of architecture, engineering, and construction workflow, expanded the remit of the effort to include not just technical exposition but also explanation of the process implications of the overall construct that the industry has widely accepted. In the intervening two decades, the simultaneous embrace of BIM, with parametric models at the core of a digital process and now rapidly expanding to include extensive digitization across the delivery chain, has brought the design, construction, and operation of the built environment truly into the modern age, making the Handbook even more crucial to professionals who wish to understand, integrate, and implement BIM into their work. That the text begins from Chapter 1 with an extensive exploration and definition of project delivery models and their evolution under new tech- nologies is indicative of how BIM itself has evolved from a mere tool into a catalytic force for change in the global industry. The fourth edition expands the explanations of process and outcome benefits from conceptual design through construction and into commissioning and handover and then expli- cates those implications through detailed analysis of the relationship between improved process and digital improvement. As such, The BIM Handbook completes a journey begun by the late Chuck Eastman in its first edition, moving both the conceptual framing and the practical, adoptable implementation of BIM into the mainstream, and crossing the bridge from academic exploration and early software prototypes to industry standard, and linking the importance and success of BIM to the opportunities it offers to truly improve delivery. In this sense, The BIM Handbook is both a talisman and a milestone in what I have argued is a history of the evolution of technology and delivery paradigms, stimulated by larger social and economic forces in the building industry. Successive generations of tools and means of representa- tion have emerged as both precedent and inspiration for foundational changes in the relationships between clients, designers, and builders, each responding to larger trends in our industry. I often describe this evolution, where each cycle seems to take a decade (and in BIM’s case, perhaps two) as follows:
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Foreword xix Design Build + Flavored CM Economic context High Interest Rates High Energy Costs Liability Crisis Savings + Loan Worldwide Downturn + Early Sustainabililty Digital Design Data + Interconnectivity Digital Fabrication + Big Data Project delivery model Evolution of design techno- logy 70s 80s 90s 00s 10s 20s Tracing Paper Layered Production Objects Computer-Aided Drafting Building Information Modeling Connected Systems Design Bid Build Fast Track + Original CM Integrated Design + Construction / Building Lifecycle Measured Performance + Outcomes Owner Architect Constructor Construction Manager Designer Builder Decade O O A C CM D B A O O D B O D B O C A AC CM The Evolution of Project Delivery Models, 1970–2020 (Bernstein, 2018). Throughout the now expanded and restructured Handbook text there are two important arguments worth highlighting. First, the concept of connected systems has largely replaced the idea of a single “BIM platform” that sup- planted that of a single “CAD platform,” and this is a central theme that high- lights the real opportunities of BIM in an industry where multiple processes are digitized, related information liquefied and transmissible, computing power to manage that data essentially unconstrained, and the design- to- operate enter- prise modernized as a result. And in the emergent era of artificial intelligence (AI), where that data can be deployed to train algorithms that can augment our capabilities, analyze and evaluate decisions before they are made, and even offer predictive capabilities, BIM may have an unanticipated but salutary effect on the acceptance and viability of AI in our industry, as it offers a wealth of structured, semantic data— following principles established by Eastman— that can be used to train new tools toward more productive ends. With that evolution, not anticipated by my diagram above drawn originally in the early 2010s, comes an even more transformational opportunity to change not just the structure of delivery models through technology, but the underly- ing value exchanges of the delivery systems themselves. The contentious,
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xx Foreword inefficient, and challenging nature of construction is ultimately improved by improving the exchanges of value— the quality of decisions made, the fees and profits paid, and the risks managed— for the entire delivery chain. This newest Handbook points, through its extensive examination of the process implica- tions of BIM, in this direction and offers keys to unlocking these opportunities. The A/E Productivity Committee ultimately produced an important white- paper (CURT, 2004) that turned the original question about document quality on its head, asking owners, designers, and builders to use technology to reim- agine how projects are originated, executed, and operated. In their concluding remarks, they declared: [We] envision[s] a building environment substantially changed in the future, where building projects are undertaken by deeply collaborative teams that include all disciplines that contribute to project fruition, and where better, faster, more capable buildings are the norm rather than the exception. Those of us who authored this paper— including Patrick MacLeamy, writer of the foreword to The BIM Handbook’s third edition and the originator of the MacLeamy curve, referenced in the book— could not have anticipated that two decades later, this vision would still be only partially fulfilled. However, with the able assistance of the authors of the fourth edition of The BIM Handbook, it is well on its way to full realization. Phil Bernstein New Haven, Connecticut August, 2024
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xxi In recent years, both the concept and nomenclature we now know as BIM— or Building Information Models and Building Information Modeling— have engaged professional and industry awareness sufficiently to justify treatment in a handbook format. The result is this book, which amply fulfills the require- ments anyone would expect of a handbook, with respect to both breadth of coverage and depth of exposition. However, neither the concept nor nomenclature of BIM is new— not as of 2007, not as of 2002, nor even 1997. The concepts, approaches, and method- ologies that we now identify as BIM can be dated back nearly thirty years, while the terminology of the “Building Information Model” has been in circula- tion for at least 15 years. Note that my gloss on the history of BIM, below, is necessarily condensed to isolated highlights; my apologies in advance to those whose contributions I may unintentionally have slighted. The earliest documented example I have found for the concept we know today as BIM was a working prototype “Building Description System” pub- lished in the now- defunct AIA Journal by Charles M. “Chuck” Eastman, then at Carnegie- Mellon University, in 1975. Chuck’s work included such now- routine BIM notions as: [designing by] “. . .interactively defining elements. . . deriv[ing] sections, plans, isometrics or perspectives from the same description of elements. . . Any change of arrangement would have to be made only once for all future drawings to be updated. All drawings derived from the same arrangement of elements would automatically be consistent. . . any type of quantitative analysis could be coupled directly to the description. . . cost estimating or material quantities could be easily generated. . . pro- viding a single integrated database for visual and quantitative analy- ses . . . automated building code checking in city hall or the architect’s office. Contractors of large projects may find this representation advanta- geous for scheduling and materials ordering.” (Eastman 1975) Comparable research and development work was conducted throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s in Europe— especially in the UK— in parallel with early efforts at commercialization of this technology (see below). During the early 1980s, this method or approach was most commonly described in the USA as “Building Product Models” and in Europe— especially in Finland— as Foreword to the First Edition by Jerry Laiserin
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# BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling
## 【One-Line Pitch】
The definitive, fully updated introduction to Building Information Modeling (BIM) for anyone in the architecture, engineering, construction, and facility management industries—covering the technology, standards, workflows, and future trends that are reshaping how buildings are designed, built, and operated.
## 【Book Arc】
- **Opening (~0%–9%)**: Introduces BIM's core concept—moving beyond 2D CAD to intelligent, object-based 3D modeling—and traces its historical roots from Chuck Eastman's 1975 "Building Description System" through European developments, establishing why BIM matters for reducing errors, improving coordination, and enabling analysis.
- **Early (~9%–25%)**: Explains the fundamental problems with traditional design-bid-build processes and 2D documentation, then introduces BIM maturity levels (0–3), the ISO 19650 standard framework, and how BIM improves cost estimating, energy efficiency analysis, and sustainability assessment.
- **Early–Middle (~25%–38%)**: Delves into the core enabling technologies—object-based parametric modeling, information exchange requirements (EIRs), and the three-level architecture of data schemas (external, conceptual, internal) that make interoperability possible.
- **Middle (~38%–47%)**: Covers the evolution from file-based data exchange to object-based project management and collaboration, including BIM servers, common data environments, and the detailed architecture of IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standards.
- **Late (~47%–end)**: Examines the broader standards landscape—including ISO 16757 for product catalogs, 3D PDF/DWF formats, and information management standards—and looks toward the future with discussions of BIM servers, graph representations, AI applications, and digital twins.
## 【Key Takeaways】
- **BIM is fundamentally different from 3D modeling** (Early): While 3D CAD represents geometry, BIM represents intelligent objects with parameters, rules, and nongeometric properties—enabling automatic consistency across drawings, cost estimation, and analysis from a single model.
- **The industry's core problem is information loss** (Early): Traditional 2D documentation creates inconsistencies, inaccuracies, and uncertainty that lead to expensive field conflicts, on-site fabrication, and inefficient facility management handover.
- **ISO 19650 provides the process framework for BIM** (Early): Published in 2018 and rooted in UK government standards, it defines how to manage information exchange, recording, versioning, and organization across the entire building lifecycle—from strategic planning to end-of-life.
- **Parametric modeling is the technical foundation** (Early): Originating in manufacturing in the 1970s–80s, parametric modeling represents objects through parameters and rules rather than fixed geometry, allowing multiple shapes to share parameters and enabling design flexibility.
- **Interoperability requires layered data architecture** (Middle): The three-tier model—external level (user views like IFC), conceptual level (logical schemas), and internal level (implementation)—is essential for enabling different software applications to exchange building information.
- **BIM servers represent the evolution beyond file exchange** (Middle): Early BIM servers using relational databases suffered from slow transaction times; newer approaches use object-oriented, NoSQL, and object-relational databases to support real-time collaboration.
- **The standards landscape is complex and overlapping** (Middle): Multiple data models (IFC, CIS/2, ISO 15926, AP 225) cover overlapping domains—structural steel, piping, mechanical equipment—and harmonization efforts are ongoing but incomplete.
- **BIM's future includes AI and digital twins** (Late): The authors anticipate object-based BIM servers, graph representations of BIM objects, and AI applications within BIM tools, with distinct near-term (to 2030) and medium-term (beyond 2030) trajectories.
## 【Reading Tips】
- **Skim the historical preface** (~0%–9%): The early history is interesting context but not essential for practical application—move quickly to the problem definitions and BIM maturity levels.
- **Deep-read Chapter 2 on core technologies** (~25%–47%): This is the technical heart of the book. The three-level data architecture and IFC structure are complex but crucial for understanding how BIM interoperability actually works.
- **Use the case studies strategically**: The book references 25+ case studies on the companion website and includes new ones at the ends of Chapters 3–5 and 7. If you're a practitioner, read these before diving into the more theoretical chapters.
- **Pay special attention to ISO 19650 and EIRs** (~19%–38%): These standards are increasingly mandatory for public-sector work and represent the practical framework you'll need to implement BIM in real projects.
- **If you're an owner or facility manager**, focus on Chapter 4 content about BIM-FM models, cost estimating tools, and facility management—this is where the book's expanded owner's perspective lives.
## 【Coverage Limits】
This guide synthesizes the book's opening chapters (roughly the first half), covering fundamentals, core technologies, and standards. The excerpts do not cover the detailed chapters on BIM for specific disciplines (design, engineering, construction, facility management) or the future trends chapter in depth.
##
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164 4.5 Leading the BIM Implementation on a Project 166 4.5.1 Develop Guidelines for Use of BIM on Projects 167 4.5.2 Build Internal Leadership and Knowledge...
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n between all disciplines by means of a single, shared pro- ject model that is held in a centralized repository (normally an object database in cloud storage...
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rties being assigned automatically from a database as they are exported to an analysis or simulation application, based on a unique identifier or key The fir...
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overlapping func- tionality, all using the EXPRESS language. They vary in the AECO information they represent and their intended use, but with overlaps. IFC...
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