A Cultural Shift in the GIS Industry

In honor of GIS Day 2010, my colleagues Neal Niemiec, Pete Southwood and I have created an on-demand webcast that highlights Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its impact on the geospatial community.

If you’ve never heard of BIM, you’re not alone. Until recently, BIM has been the domain of architects and building owners. However, the application of BIM has expanded. BIM is now being embraced by municipalities, utilities, transportation departments, campuses and others with an interest in infrastructure; it’s not just about buildings anymore.

A Cultural Shift

BIM is creating a cultural shift in the GIS industry. Geospatial professionals know the power of GIS but many have little knowledge or experience with BIM. Increasingly, geospatial professionals are being asked to integrate BIM models with their GIS data. The task is often a struggle as they attempt to combine the data without losing valuable information. As a result, workflow suffers which compromises efficiency, affects decision making, and impacts data accuracy and currency.

An improved understanding of BIM can help overcome these challenges and ensure that BIM models and geospatial data are integrated in a manner that respects both design and GIS requirements.

If CAD and GIS are the Tools, BIM is the Toolbox

BIM is an integrated process that lets you explore a project’s physical and functional characteristics digitally, before it’s built. Again, BIM is not just about buildings; it’s information modeling for the built environment. As such, BIM encompasses CAD and GIS disciplines by combining model-based design with information and analysis.

BIM is multidisciplinary. It combines the complexity of both built and natural environments. It applies to municipal, transportation, utilities, as well as, campus style environments such as education, health care and airport facilities.

Access this on-demand webcast:

• Learn what BIM is and why it’s of importance to the geospatial professional.
• Discover how BIM helps improve CAD/GIS data integration workflows.
• See how intelligent model-based design helps promote “GIS Ready” data.
• Learn how BIM streamlines analysis, visualization and the ability to accurately predict performance, appearance and cost.
• Discover how BIM improves sharing of digital design information, geospatial data, infrastructure models and other documentation among staff and project stakeholders.
• Learn how BIM helps extend your GIS asset information into the design/build process to better coordinate with architects, engineers, contractors and others.
• Learn how to leverage BIM throughout construction, operation and maintenance.
• Discover how BIM helps you deliver projects faster, more economically and with reduced environmental impact.
• Learn how BIM reduces risk through a better understanding of a project’s physical, social and economic impact before breaking ground.

Follow this link to access the on-demand webcast and learn more about BIM for the geospatial professional:

http://www.autodesk.com/bimforgis