Why do owners benefit the most from using BIM? Let’s begin with an image provided by the buildingsMART Alliance, a subsidiary of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) in the United States:
This image highlights several key points:
1. The earlier an issue impacts project performance, the greater its effect; conversely, the later it occurs, the smaller the impact. Similarly, the earlier changes are made to a project, the less time and cost they require; later changes tend to be more costly and time-consuming.
2. The costs incurred during the construction phase—which includes planning, design, and building—account for only 25% of a building’s total lifecycle cost, while operating and maintenance costs during the usage phase make up the remaining 75%.
3. BIM technology enables early-stage analysis, simulations, and comparisons of different building designs, helping to select the highest-performing options. The information gathered not only supports cost reduction, shorter construction timelines, and improved quality during construction but also benefits operations, maintenance, renovations, expansions, sales, demolition, and overall building use after completion.
4. In terms of time, the construction phase of a project lasts several years, whereas the usage phase can span decades or even centuries. The importance of accurate and accessible information during the building’s usage phase is just as critical as during construction.
5. Whether during construction or usage, the primary beneficiary of BIM technology’s ability to improve building quality and performance is always the owner.
In summary, do you now understand why owners gain the most from using BIM? As BIM technology becomes more widespread and deeply integrated across China, we can expect to see even more advantages for owners unfold over time.
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