Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a process for creating and managing structured information about a built asset, including geometry and other project data.
Definition
BIM is a way to create, organize, and exchange information about a built asset across design, construction, and sometimes operations. A project model may contain geometry, materials, quantities, asset attributes, or links to documents, depending on the agreed uses. For a civil engineering firm, the required model content, software, detail, and exchange format affect staffing, coordination, quality checks, and fee. Firms may estimate BIM effort by task, team hours, model element, or project phase, so a model scope should state what is included and who supplies and checks each item. BIM is not a single file type, a guarantee that every discipline's information is complete, or a transfer of design responsibility by itself. It also does not mean the model is suitable for construction or operations unless those uses and reliance are defined. See building information modeling guidance from NIST for related industry context.
How owners use it
- Set proposal assumptions for model content, exchange formats, coordination meetings, and review effort.
- Compare planned BIM hours with actual time by phase to understand project cost.
- Example: 40 coordination hours + 20 model-check hours = 60 BIM hours to include in the project estimate.
