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Although building
information modeling is an approach and not a technology, it does require
suitable technology to be implemented effectively. These technologies, in
increasing order of effectiveness, are
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CAD
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Object CAD
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Parametric building modeling
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This graph shows the overall
effectiveness or benefit level of each of these three different technologies
measured against the effort required to achieve those benefits. The
horizontal dashed line represents the minimum degree of effectiveness that
can be characterized as building information modeling.
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Below this building
information modeling threshold are existing, traditional industry processes
that are well-supported by traditional drafting and task automation. Above
this line are increasing degrees of building information modeling
effectiveness. The three solid lines show the effectiveness achievable at a
given level of effort using these three different technologies, and how these
technologies map to our products.
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CAD-based BIM
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The gray line CAD-based
software; that is, software that is based on the familiar geometry-based CAD
technology used in the industry for several decades. This technology supports
drafting automation very effectively and with little effort—better than any
other technology, in fact. However, to achieve levels of efficiency in the
building information modeling rage, this technology requires very high levels
of effort, including programming and partner product development. However,
the level of effort required is so high that CAD-based technology is rarely
used at this level.
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Object CAD-based BIM
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The blue line on the chart
represents software based on object CAD technology. Object CAD seeks to
simulate building components in a CAD-based environment, focusing on the 3D
geometry of the building, the generation of 2D documentation from that 3D
geometry, and the extraction of object data from the building components to
provide information about quantities and object properties. With some effort,
this technology can be used to achieve levels of effectiveness in the
building information modeling range as well. Autodesk offers products based
on this technology, as do several other vendors who talk about building
information modeling with their products.
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Parametric Building
Modeling-based BIM
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The orange line on the chart
represents parametric building modeling technology. This is the most advanced
technology available for building information modeling, and it is found only
in Autodesk Revit. Examples of the most advanced features of this kind of
system are real-time self-coordination of the information in every view, and
the assurance of the quality of the information coming from the system.
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Just as a spreadsheet is a
tool for thinking about numbers, software built on parametric building
modeling technology is a tool for thinking about buildings. And just as a
change made anywhere in a spreadsheet is expected to update everywhere with
no further intervention from the user, so a change made anywhere in a
parametric building modeler is immediately reflected everywhere.
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However, as also shown on
the chart, this technology requires the wholesale adoption of building
information modeling to put it to use. There is no way to use this technology
in a traditional, non-building information modeling environment. Using this
technology can deliver tremendous business benefits, but doing so requires a
departure from traditional ways of working. Moving from CAD-based technology
to object CAD technology can be an incremental or evolutionary change, but
moving to parametric building modeling technology for building information
modeling requires a new way of working.
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There is no parametric
building modeler in the industry today other than Autodesk Revit.
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