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Perhaps you keep hearing about Building Information Modeling (BIM) and want to work out what all the fuss is about. You may be a complete beginner in digital design and construction, looking for the basics. You may be a confident CAD user who wants to understand what BIM brings to the party. Or maybe you’re already very experienced in implementing BIM processes and you’re just interested in what we have to say in Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Dummies. We understand that you could be at various stages of knowledge and levels of experience. BIM is a process and it needs people like you to fuel it.

BIM isn’t just a buzzword. It’s actually been around for a long time, but the foundations to make it really work weren’t in place before now. We’ve seen BIM generate new efficiencies and new challenges too, and we’ve also seen how construction is hit hard by global economic recession. Our aim is to give you the push you need to start, accelerate, or maximize your use of BIM. It’s our great pleasure to guide you through your BIM implementation journey.

About This Book

More than likely, you’ve encountered a lot of conflicting, overly complicated, and unhelpful content about BIM online and in print. We intend to make Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Dummies different, cutting through all the noise and providing you with the clear advice and practical guidance that you need to make BIM a success in your job, whatever your level may be. Think of this book as a reference guide that addresses just what you need to know about BIM.

For the purposes of this book, we want to make it clear that we use the terms model and BIM to mean quite different things. Throughout the book we refer to BIM only as the concept of information modeling for buildings. We use terms like 3D CAD, 3D model, and geometric/geometry model interchangeably.

We structure this book to start with the basic concepts and ideas. We then gradually introduce more complicated, detailed, or supplementary content. Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these sites, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending that the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading it as an e-book, then you can just click the web address and the page will open in your default Internet browser.

One thing we should note is that we’re all based in the UK, and that’s where our expertise comes from, but we’ve tried wherever we can to balance this with a US perspective throughout and a global reference where relevant.

BIM is such a fast-moving target that during the writing process things shifted and new documents were released. We focus on pointing out the most current versions of guidelines and protocols that we reference at the time of writing.

Foolish Assumptions

Now, in order to write a practical guide to BIM and not just another boring textbook, we make some assumptions about you, our dear reader. Those assumptions are as follows:

✔ You have some knowledge of the construction industry, probably in a professional capacity, in design, contracting, or surveying.

✔ You’re a student, a client, or the owner of a building from a totally different industry, but you want to have a better grasp of a typical construction project, including the contractual relationships and expected information exchanges.

✔ You work for a company that has an interest in incorporating BIM into your processes and workflows.

You don’t need to know how to use CAD software in order to gain insight from this book, because we think the software platforms are only one part of BIM and that model technicians are just one role in many BIM responsibilities.

You also don’t need to have any project management background. We explain the majority of management concepts throughout the book, but you may find understanding how to implement BIM processes easier if you’ve run jobs or managed a project team.

Icons Used in This Book

We include icons in the left-hand margins that highlight particular parts of the text you may want to remember or pay close attention to. Those icons include the following:

This icon is practical, giving you extra information about how to do something or how to save time in larger tasks.

Remember icons highlight snippets of the book that you should commit to memory. Think of them like those bright sticky notes you may have on your desk.

Try to always read text with a warning icon. With this icon, we point out some pitfalls so that you can avoid BIM disasters, and we also emphasize actions you should take to prevent running into problems.

We flag the more technical information with this icon so that you know which parts are extra to the core content. You don’t have to read these bits to put the rest of the book into practice, although you may find this information interesting.

This icon points out supplemental information online at www.dummies.com/extras/bim.

Beyond the Book

With your purchase of Building Information Modeling (BIM) For Dummies in print or e-book form, you have access to more exclusive information online. From great checklists on BIM processes to quick practical articles, you can find so many helpful pointers at www.dummies.com/extras/bim.

In addition, every For Dummies book includes a Cheat Sheet with handy information that you may want to consult on a regular basis. You can access the Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/bim.

Where to Go from Here

Every For Dummies is modular, which means that you don’t have to read it in order from cover to cover. If you’re new to the world of BIM, we recommend that you start with Part I because it provides lots of the getting-started information that forms the foundations of BIM implementation. If you have a basic foundation of BIM, you can focus on Chapters 5, 6, or 7.

If you have the time, we suggest that you do read this book from cover to cover to get a complete overview of BIM and the reality of its implementation. You can see the overall picture when you’re able to finally step back and benefit from the wealth of specific knowledge in this book.

If you’re confident that you know all about the basics, you can jump into any part by going directly to it. For example, if your area of interest is the BIM mandates and protocols around the world, you can head straight over to Chapter 9. Alternatively, if you’re looking into the legal aspects of BIM, you can flip to Chapter 14. If you’re not sure where to start, consult the table of contents or index for a topic that interests you and then start reading.