BIM & AI Integration

Recently, however, more technology vendors have introduced products that combine building information modeling and artificial intelligence, providing results that appeal to facility management professionals. What has been possible so far, and what does the future hold for these products and applications?   

Creating an updated building record 

Many facility managers use digital twins to test specific remodeling or construction possibilities before approving them in real-life workflows. These realistic tools are especially valuable for large or high-value projects where mistakes could become prohibitively costly or cause the project to fall behind schedule.  

AI-enabled solutions use BIM data to create digital twins of existing properties or those under construction, giving FMs reliable resources when maintaining or upgrading the buildings in their portfolios.  

One product takes only hours to create digital twins of rooms and their assets. AI works in the background to suggest maintenance schedules and flag potential system failures before they happen. These capabilities help users work more proactively and enjoy better oversight.  

FMs can also use AI-enhanced digital twins to create work orders or instructions for upcoming jobs. The BIM data keeps technicians abreast of site- and task-related specifics, while AI saves time by reducing an FM team’s repetitive duties. Some AI-enabled products check that building progress matches a BIM file’s contents, preventing time-consuming rework or miscommunication.  

Saving time & money 

A thoughtfully created digital twin can also save substantial money by allowing teams to spot problems before construction proceeds. Such was the case for a contractor involved with a new international airport in China. The associated digital twin had a staggering 25 million components viewed by 600 on-site workers. However, using it paid off by allowing the group to address approximately 6,000 issues and boost productivity by 25 percent while achieving significant cost savings.  

One tech company has digital twins on campuses to track how workers use various buildings. The associated insights can inform FMs which restrooms need servicing first or whether specific cafeterias are becoming too crowded. Occupants also benefit because they can walk up to a building’s accompanying kiosks and see available meeting rooms.  

Scanning their badges on the kiosks lets employees seamlessly book spaces. Adding AI's predictive power to such use cases could enable FMs to get room-by-room suggestions for saving energy, restocking supplies or handling other daily essentials. 

Achieving sustainable ideals  

FMs and other professionals face increasing pressure to operate sustainably and show the associated evidence to stakeholders. BIM and AI can support that need. In a compelling example, those overseeing the construction of a cement plant wanted their digital twin to function with AI and Internet of Things data and give sustainability and life-cycle-related insights. Such details assist FMs justify the cost of specific upgrades.  

Suppose the data indicates solar panels or an intelligent lighting system resulted in major benefits when deployed on a small scale. In that case, it should be much easier for managers to secure approval for wider rollouts by showing C-suite members the previously established advantages and explaining how a larger implementation would maximize them.  

For example, one cloud-enabled digital twin saved US$3 million and 90 days of construction time. The team also integrated industrial energy-saving best practices to reduce the facility’s electricity consumption by an estimated 3.5 million kilowatt hours. 

Additionally, predictive maintenance strategies eliminated resource-wasting and emission-producing failures. Importing BIM data into the digital twin reduced design changes by 80 percent and shortened the timeline for that phase by one month. 

FMs interested in combining BIM and AI data to create better digital twins should consider working with service providers well-versed in the associated emerging technological opportunities. Both BIM and AI are established technologies separately, but it is less common for people to use them together.  

Vendors’ specialized expertise can shape customers’ efforts, supporting them in getting the best outcomes with their FM use cases. Applying BIM data to other technologies is not uncommon, such as when people use mixed reality products to identify errors and increase accuracy before construction begins. Seeing what worked well in those cases could guide people’s AI-driven applications.  

Streamlining building permit acquisitions & revised proposals 

FMs can also simultaneously use BIM data and AI to accelerate the timelines for getting building permits. A government department in a Middle Eastern country did that to improve the submission, review and approval processes, launching two purposeful tools.  

One uses AI to automatically check the BIM files against building code information, identifying potential mismatches and verifying compliance. The other tool allows people to engage with an AI chatbot to retrieve building code information.  

Using the two tools throughout a project’s early stages increases the likelihood of speedy approvals, minimizing the chances of denied proposals or authorities requesting additional information to guide their decisions.  

Making new models faster 

Some permit applications fail despite a project team’s best efforts. In such instances, organizations must review the undesired outcomes and associated reasons before adopting problem-solving mindsets to change them.  

Vendors have also created platforms that can transform 2D drawings into 3D BIM content, improving the process for those who lack the skills. Such features support quality control and assurance from a project’s first day through completion.  

Initial attempts to secure permits could indicate the project team must make strategic changes before trying again. BIM and AI tools can facilitate them to occur more efficiently, particularly by helping people verify the appropriateness of specific design decisions or allowing them to choose between several options quickly. 

Testing the feasibility of various options 

People must collaborate to explore numerous project options and agree on the best ways forward. Facility managers may have different priorities than architects or builders, but feedback from those with varied backgrounds and perspectives is valuable for assessing the situation. Additionally, involved parties need to study the building site and its surrounding characteristics to weigh the pros and cons of specific design possibilities.  

There are commercially available products that can build a 3D BIM model in minutes and analyze it in real time. They account for factors such as sunlight and wind, giving people various options for maximizing the space’s potential and minimizing future issues. Such capabilities make life easier for FMs because they reduce the chances of expensive mistakes that these leaders must later budget to fix.  

Reusing what works well 

It is not always necessary to start from scratch when building or upgrading a facility. Some professionals manage several apartment buildings, concert venues or office buildings in a single city or state. Such circumstances make it much easier for them to get inspiration from the previous structures when building new ones or upgrading what is there.  

A platform combines AI and BIM to let people repurpose designs. Users can use copy-and-paste features to take specific parts of older designs and conceptualize them in new ways. Users can also stretch or squeeze the aspects into new shapes or sizes. Then, FMs and other stakeholders can see project data in new ways that encourage them to think creatively.  

Such results also improve FM workflows, allowing professionals to review and choose options faster without compromising quality or other essentials.  

Interacting with BIM models in new ways  

One of the latest ways to work with AI and BIM models is to use tools with natural language or text prompts to make initial designs or edits. Many use generative AI, so the experience feels like chatting to a friend. 

Some tools save people time converting 2D drawings into BIM files or allow users to design BIM drawings with natural language processing and text prompts, or use an integrated text box where users can input specifics about desired measurements or shapes and soon see their ideas represented as 3D models.  

When professionals can use text prompts to make BIM models, it is potentially easier for them to immerse themselves in ideation rather than being slowed down by a lack of design expertise. 

For example, FMs may have little to no professional design knowledge. Still, they possess in-depth expertise and details about which building features or changes will support their work. Text-to-BIM tools that run on generative AI frameworks help these professionals record and refine their ideas so designers can turn them into real-life solutions.  

Keeping pace with technological change  

Remaining open to using BIM and AI together can positively change an FM’s workflow and improve collaboration. Such applications increase productivity, helping them supervise progress and minimize errors. 

Getting the best results involves considering which tasks or processes have become most problematic; then investigating how these combined technologies could cause meaningful, lasting progress. Using technologies in different ways requires time and dedication. However, the fascinating examples here show why tech-driven changes support business aims and career growth.