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BeginnerFree BIM course about 14 min

What is BIM?

BIM is a way of creating and managing information about a built asset throughout its life, using structured digital models. Learn what it means in practice — beyond the 3D pictures.

In this lesson you will

  • Define BIM in plain language
  • Distinguish BIM from 3D modelling
  • Explain the benefits and limits of BIM
  • Name common BIM authoring and coordination tools

BIM in plain language

Building Information Modelling is a process: the people designing, building and operating an asset create and share structured information about it, mostly through digital models. A BIM model knows that an object is a door, which fire rating it has, which room it serves and who made it — not just what it looks like.

The international standard ISO 19650 frames BIM as information management using building information modelling. The emphasis is on information, not graphics.

Left: CAD, where the plan, section and elevation are separate drawings of lines that must each be edited. Right: BIM, where one model of walls, doors and floors generates the plan, section, elevation and schedule automatically.CAD: separate drawingsPlanSectionElevationScheduleedit each drawing by handBIM: one model, many viewsmodelPlanSectionElevationSchedule
Figure: Drawing with lines versus modelling with BIM. Original KitWren diagram.

BIM is not just 3D

A beautiful 3D model with no reliable data is not useful BIM, and a modest model with well-structured, correct information can be very valuable. Drawings are still produced — increasingly generated from the model — and contracts still matter. BIM changes how information is produced and checked, not the need for good design.

Why clients ask for BIM

  • Fewer errors: coordinated models reveal clashes before construction.
  • Better decisions: visualisation, options and analysis early in design.
  • Quantities and cost: take-offs from the model.
  • Construction planning: sequencing (4D) and logistics.
  • Operations: a handover model and data for facilities management.

Benefits depend on doing it well: clear requirements, competent teams and agreed processes. Poorly specified BIM adds cost without value.

The tools

Authoring tools create models: Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla Structures, Allplan, Vectorworks and others. Coordination and review tools combine and check models: Navisworks, Solibri, and cloud platforms. Common data environments (CDEs) store and control information. IFC lets different tools exchange models (see IFC & openBIM).

Exercise

Spot the information

  1. Pick an everyday building element — a door in your home.
  2. List ten pieces of information someone might need about it over the building's life (size, fire rating, hardware, finish, supplier, maintenance…).
  3. Mark who needs each piece: designer, builder, owner, facility manager.
  4. Note which could live in a model and which in documents.

You should end up with: You see BIM as structured information, not just geometry.

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Lesson quiz

1 / 4

BIM is simply another name for 3D modelling.

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Free KitWren tools that help

Free, independent learning material written for KitWren. We never provide software downloads, licence keys or cracks — use the official sources.