The days of printed drawings are soon behind us. On-site tech is being used more and more especially in the commercial world. Though the residential construction industry is known for being much slower to change, you may be surprised to learn that this technology is not far from the residential construction sites.
Building Information Modeling
Building Information Modeling (BIM) compared to Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) is as different as CAD to the pencil. To put it simply BIM is virtual construction. Constructing your building in a computer and assigning data (manufacturer, model number, etc) to elements within the building so the contractor can then pull that data on-site. Instead of lugging around hundreds of drawings and a scale, contractors simply need an Ipad to access the building model directly. Forget scaling drawings and getting "close," just open the model on your Ipad and measure the area in the virtual world.
Virtual Reality
VR is another great on-site tool. In addition to helping the owner visualize the building, the contractor can walk through the project on-site before it is built. Not sure how something is supposed to look? Put on your VR headset and see for yourself.
On-Demand Revisions
Making a change using printed drawings is a nightmare for everyone. It costs a lot of time and money. I don't know how many times I've answered and asked the question, "Is this the most up-to-date set of drawings?" Technology like BIMX allows us to make the changes in the computer and update the model the contractors are seeing on-site. Instant updates to the design and models save time, money, and produce a better project.
So how far away is this technology from your project? Ask your architect. Most architects today are using BIM and many of us are looking into VR. Even small firms that are focusing on residential projects have these capabilities.
CW architects offer BIM, BIMX, and in the not too distant future, VR. Want to know how to implement it on your project? Give us a call.
© 2020 by Clements Wimsatt Architects PLLC
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