Building information modeling, or BIM, provides complete plans for every component and area of a facility and it is a three dimensional shared resource for information. It also contains complete information on a facility’s HVAC components, plumbing fixtures, doors and windows.
Since BIM is such a comprehensive tool, it is an excellent tool for facility maintenance. Even though it seems that the highest cost for any building’s life-cycle-cost is design and construction, it actually comes from operating and maintaining the building for 20 plus years. This is where BIM comes in; BIM can help to streamline the process of maintaining a facility, by showing a clearer picture of what needs to be periodically checked, upgraded or replaced. BIM can not only be useful for repair, but also for prevention, by allowing issues to be resolved before they become a problem. Since BIM does streamline the process of maintaining a facility, it will result in lower operating costs for the facility. Overall, building information modeling is an extremely valuable tool for facility maintenance.