Many people mistakenly define BIM technology as software. However, BIM is neither a software nor a collection of software programs—it is a digital concept.
Popular 3D modeling software like Revit, MicroStation, and Catia, along with domestic tools such as Guanglian Da, Luban, Sver, and Pinming, enable basic 3D modeling. These applications serve as tools to implement BIM technology, but they do not represent BIM itself. BIM is a digital method of expressing and efficiently transmitting information through a suite of software tools.
Traditional methods, relying on two-dimensional drawings, do not digitize information and present significant barriers to communication. Information transfer depends heavily on individual interpretation, demanding strong skills in graphic recognition, design, and construction. BIM technology revolutionizes this process by leveraging information technology concepts to streamline and enhance operations within the construction industry.
BIM is an innovative approach to digitalization and informatization, designed to transform the construction sector. It is not merely software or 3D modeling; rather, it represents a conceptual shift that changes how communication and coordination occur in construction projects, driving a technological reform in the industry.
Dr. Charles M. Eastman, who introduced the BIM concept, emphasized in the BIM Handbook that 3D models alone do not constitute BIM technology. A 3D model lacking attribute data cannot support integrated design analysis and therefore does not meet BIM standards. Similarly, if a model cannot be edited, scaled, positioned, or if it lacks parametric design features, it falls short of BIM requirements. Additionally, models created by simply combining multiple 2D planes are neither calculable nor coordinated, and thus are not relevant to BIM technology. In essence, BIM is not software or just a 3D model; its foundation lies in the concept of informatization.
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