Download
DE
FR

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

ELITECAD supports the latest BIM standards and is the ideal tool for building modeling in the BIM process.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a method to facilitate a continuous planning process, execution as well as operation of buildings. Architects, planners, cost planners, operators, project developers, facility managers and other stakeholders work together in a seamless process to facilitate efficient and sustainable execution of the project. It is essential to guarantee efficient information exchange with as much detail as possible in order to promote the collaboration on a central parametric building model, the so-called BIM model, which is the basis for a successful planning and execution phase. Due to the fact that the central model is always up-to-date and the continuous notification of stakeholder upon changes in the model, projects can be implemented faster and more efficient. The overhead for coordination is reduced drastically and resources can be used more effectively.

To put it simply: in the past, construction projects were a series of individual services which built on top of each other, whereas BIM is a project with a common data repository, that provides information to all stakeholders. The BIM process is especially suited for collaboration with multiple partners as well as large and complex projects.

Similar to sports, where a single athlete can distinguish himself as a champion in a single discipline, for successful team sports the collaboration between all participants has to be ensured. Compare this to the exchange at relay events, so that the next stage can be completed successfully. The same principle goes for Building information modelling projects.

The 7 dimensions of BIM

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is often represented by 7 dimensions, in order to visualise the countless aspects and stakeholders. The starting point is the 3D model, which serves as the basis for planning and visualisation. Building on top of that are the time (4D) and cost evaluations (5D) as well as considerations regarding sustainability (6D) and the continuous life cycle and facility management (7D). Some models also consider security aspects as the eighth dimension. The classic view includes this in the seventh dimension.

The BIM model is the core focus of the BIM process and overlaps all dimensions. It starts as a 3D model and through the integration of several details becomes the centre of all planning and execution activities. The parametric building model evolves with various information and attributes and is used and extended by all stakeholders.

ELITECAD Architecture allows for intuitive creation of BIM models based on latest standards and best practises. From BIM novice to professional, our users appreciate the intelligent planning tools for efficient building modelling and the countless possibilities for detailing and collaboration in the BIM process.
The buildingSMART initiative was started to establish a standard approach for optimising the planning, execution and management processes for the building and construction industry. In context of this initiative IFC has prevailed as an open standard for BIM projects and their corresponding building models. buildingSMART is organised in national chapters, which promote the international goals on a national level.

Who is behind buildingSMART?
Universities, planning offices, construction companies, engineering companies, construction supply industry, building services, building managers, trade organisations, real estate companies and software companies.

XEOMETRIC is a member of the German chapter of buildingSMART and is actively involved in the continous development of the open data standards, which of course are integrated in ELITECAD.
Open data exchange in BIM projects with openBIM
The buildingSMART initiative has established itself as the "international home of openBIM". It can be viewed as the root of the universal guidelines for collaboration in planning, construction and operation of buildings based on open standards and workflows. openBIM is a vendor independent methodology for BIM projects. Stakeholders and project participants are not forced to use the same software. Instead data and information is processed and exchanged according to an open standard (compare IFC). The opposite would be closedBIM.

The entire definition of openBIM can be found on the international website of buildingSMART. The philosophy of XEOMETRIC is strongly in line with the goals of buildingSMART which is reflected in ELITECAD Architecture through the supported standards and workflows.
IFC - Industry Foundation Classes
The basis for collaborations on central BIM models is a common data format which can be used and implemented by all project participants. For this purpose, the vendor independent format IFC has been created. The IFC standard is registered under ISO 16739. IFC is an open standard in the building and construction industry for digital description of building models during the BIM process. The IFC interface has proved itself as a basis for data exchange, as it guarantees a high-quality, parametric data exchange. In practice the parametric data exchange of BIM projects is currently performed on the basis of IFC 2x3 and IFC 4. The logical building layers (buildings, storey, wall, openings, windows), corresponding properties as well as optional geometry are mapped. Precise model informations, attributes and identifications are therefore available in high-quality to all specialist planners and operators.

The current version of ELITECAD Architecture supports the latest IFC4 interface with additional options for import and export. Furthermore, users have the possibility to use countless predefined attributes and property sets according to openBIM standards or define custom attributes.

Attributes: maximum information in your BIM model

The most important letter in the word BIM is "I" – which stands for information. To put it simply, models, objects and intelligent construction parts provide information about their attributes and properties. The more information the model already receives during the planning phase, the more advantage can be gained in the following phases of the BIM process. The highest priority is the smooth collaboration between planners and different stakeholders as well as a lossless data exchange between project partners. Every information that is contained in the model can later on be used by other trades for a more efficient planning process. Using the IFC standard as well as the collaboration format BCF which is defined by the openBIM standard, this detailed information can be exchanged easily.

Besides the classic parametric attributes, which are automatically derived from the geometrical information of models, the current version of ELITECAD Architecture allows to add information to objects and construction parts as free attributes by using countless pre-defined property sets and attributes as well as user-defined attributes. On the one hand, all common attributes and property sets, which are defined by the openBIM standard, specified through buildingSMART are already predefined in the standard installation. On the other hand, the attribute manager in ELITECAD is a powerful tool, which allows the user to define arbitrary characteristics of objects as free attributes. A short introduction can be seen in the feature videos below.

Recommended videos

For more details check out our feature clips and ELITECAD@work tutorial videos. We regularly publish new content and videos under Education - Tutorials and on our YouTube channel.
Feature-Video: Attributes according to openBIM Standards
ELITECAD@work: Attributes according to openBIM Standards
PreviousOverviewNext