BIM Technology: Building For Today And Tomorrow
Construction application technology has come a long way in the past decade. From construction pre-planning to onsite documentation, construction software is a growing opportunity for construction firms.
Construction analysts, like the ones at Dodge Data and Analytics, projected that construction spend will increase in 2016 to $712 billion, representing a 6 percent growth. In Silicon Valley alone, there is an estimated 3.11 million square feet of office space that is currently being constructed. Key growth within the commercial industry is expected to rise by 11 percent, making construction automation a practice that is not only important, but necessary.
The Rise of Building Information Modeling Software
BIM Software
Building information modeling, known as BIM for short, has grown tremendously within the last few years, and is projected to reach $11.54 billion by 2022—a CAGR rate of 19.1% from 2015 to 2022. BIM is the process of generating a digital representation of a construction build that is continually updated throughout the life of a construction project.
BIM software allows developers, architects, engineers and general contractors to work together in collaboration on construction builds. This emerging technology shows physical and functional characteristics of a building project through 3D simulation. But BIM was also designed for 4D (time) and 5D (costs) making it a powerful tool for cost implementation, time requirements, raw material provisions, and other key prerequisites in the construction industry, like labor requirements.
BIM Software and Skilled Workers
The increased activity in the commercial real estate market has created a demand for skilled labor—not just on job sites, but also for pre-planning and construction oversight. Therefore the construction industry has been looking to automate the construction process by using to BIM as a way to increase efficiency and meet growing demands. Architects have been early to embrace the technology, followed by engineers, but general contractors are expected to be the major users of BIM within the next 5 years.
However, despite the increased use of construction software, BIM integration is only as good as those who know how to apply the software accurately to every project’s needs. Because of the lack of skilled workers within the industry, computer modelers are typically not experienced builders, unable to create a rational model that will translate well from screen-to-site.
The Need for Accurate Estimation
For our team at South Bay Construction, our main advantage in the cost estimation process— and our use of construction software—is that we have over 38 years of in depth construction experience in one of the world’s epicenters for growth. Our knowledge, combined with our historical precision in cost estimation that can be swiftly implemented into any construction build.
Download Our Cost Reference Guide
Before BIM, there was estimating the old fashion way—from history. Our experience working for nearly four decades in the Bay Area allows us to calculate projected project costs in the current marketplace. With our Cost Reference Guide, you get the most up-to-date Bay Area construction pricing and market data, allowing you to make critical budgeting decisions—before needing expensive software let you know.
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