Building information modeling (BIM) is the process of creating and managing a shared digital model of a facility that holds both its geometry and the information about its parts, used from design and construction through operation.
Architects, engineers, contractors and owners work from the same model instead of separate drawing sets. The model is often extended beyond 3D geometry with schedule (4D), cost (5D) and facility management or sustainability data (6D), though the labels vary by firm.
Where it helps a parking project
- Clash detection between structure, sprinklers, lighting, signage and drainage, which is common in low-clearance garages. See column capital.
- Testing layouts, ramps and clearances, including turning paths. See driving simulation software.
- Coordinating precast pieces, tendons and embedded conduit for EV charging. See make-ready infrastructure.
- Quantity takeoffs and cost estimates as design advances. See budget pricing.
After construction
- An as-built model gives owners a record of what is where, from tendons to conduit.
- Condition surveys and repairs can be tracked against the model over the structure’s life.
The Parkonomics view
The most valuable part of BIM for a parking owner may be the one that comes last: an accurate digital record of a structure that will be repaired for fifty years.
Related terms: Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, Driving Simulation Software, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Budget Pricing, Structural Systems of Parking