Home › Glossary › Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Building information modeling, or BIM, is a process for creating a digital model of a building that holds both its geometry and data about its parts. Walls, doors, rooms and equipment are objects with properties, not just lines.

From one BIM model, a team can produce floor plans, elevations, sections, schedules and quantity takeoffs that stay in sync when the design changes. Revit and Archicad are widely used BIM programs.

BIM is used across design, construction and building operation, and some governments require it for public projects.

BIM software can calculate room areas automatically, but the result depends on how rooms and boundaries are set up in the model. The method may not match appraisal rules for gross living area.