JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #134 - May/June 2020 - 43

building & construction FEATURE
building & construction

The future of building and
construction lies in project simulation
After decades of slow productivity growth, the building and
construction industry is ready for major developments thanks
to digital technology. The simulation of design and all its complexities is fundamental. BIM (Building Information Modelling)
is defined by the National Institute of Building Science as the
"digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of an object".

B

Collaborative design
As is the case for CAD projects, inside

BIM design with
Buildingsus, 3D of the
Tree of Life - EXPO
2015, architectural
design and concept by
Marco Balich, Studio
Giò Forma

builders, fitters, testers, etc.
Therefore, the three-dimensional model
contains information about volume and
size, material, appearance, etc.; technical
characteristics that are not lost when
shared with other studies and other IT
platforms.
Moreover, a BIM project gives the client
the opportunity to have a virtual elaboration of the building's life cycle, even after
the design phase. This way, it is easier
to monitor the age of the materials and
better plan maintenance.
Becoming a standard process
BIM will become the standard process for
all buildings and is being integrated into
public contract legislation across Europe.
In fact, the 2014/24/EU Directive on
public procurement clearly expresses
the indication to introduce Building
Information Modelling within the
procurement procedures of the Member
States.
BIM has spread mainly to countries such
as the United Kingdom, the United States,
Australia, South Korea and some Nordic
countries, where its use is mandatory in
public projects. BIM is valuable for managing the complexities of large buildings
and infrastructures, especially in light of

Feature Simulation

IM is neither a product nor a software but a "building information
container" in which one inserts
graphic data (such as drawings) and specific technical attributes (such as technical data sheets and characteristics) as well
as information relating to the expected
life cycle. When designing objects such
as windows, floors or walls, it is possible
to associate graphic information (wall
thickness, height, etc.) with information
such as thermal transmittance, sound
insulation, etc.

which CAD objects (2D or 3D) already
made in a serial manner can be used
without having to draw them every time,
BIM projects can use previously created
BIM objects in every elaboration.
While CAD design processes a project
using 2D or 3D drawings, BIM design is
not limited to visual information or rendering but specifies the functionality and
performance of each BIM object present
in the project or the elaborate building
interior. In fact, it is a collaborative design
method as it makes it possible to integrate
useful information into a single model at
each stage of the design: architectural,
structural, plant engineering, energy and
management. For this, it can be used by
installers, structural engineers, architects,

/ jec composites magazine

43

N°134 May - June 2020
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #134 - May/June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #134 - May/June 2020
