AEC: From BIM to BLM – What, why, and how?

Manufacturing companies have been using industrialization strategies for decades. Industrialized construction is now being used more frequently across a range of industries to enhance planning, design, building, and assembly for better sustainability, optimised operations, lower costs, and higher safety.

By deploying a Building Lifecycle Management (BLM) system, businesses can further benefit from the rising use of Building Information Modeling (BIM). To implement a highly effective extended collaboration model based on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Manufacturing industry best practices, BLM uses a BIM Level 3 approach.

What is BIM?

BIM is the Design & Construction sector’s approach to enhancing data flow throughout the construction process and thereby contributing to achieving efficiencies. When design information is properly organized for downstream use by builders, fabricators, and operators, industrialized practices function successfully. To do this, BIM data standards have been developing over time.

Building owners and operators are pushing the industry to reach higher levels of BIM maturity by requiring process changes and technical advancements that save costs, boost value from suppliers, and improve sustainability.

The usage of BIM has started to increase the chances for project participants to work together and utilise technology to increase efficiency. With each BIM Level of Maturity, more advantages are realised, with BIM Level 3 being the most developed state.

BIM Level 3 explained

Building data is completely “transactable” across project participants and not locked in proprietary systems when BIM Level 3 is attained. Extended Collaboration, an end-to-end collaborative process, is created to increase effectiveness and cut waste for designers, builders, and operators, and requires BIM Level 3.

What is BLM?

Building Lifecycle Management (BLM) is the practise of using a single set of interoperable data to plan, build, and operate a facility. BLM uses a BIM Level 3 approach that enables a highly effective Extended Collaboration process based on best practises in the manufacturing sector.

What are the differences between BIM and BLM?

The difference between BIM and BLM is best explained as a use of the tools BIM offers, whilst also utilising PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) applications which are designed to unlock the value of BIM.

BLM, created by combining BIM data with PLM capabilities and processes, can improve construction predictability, long-term value for project owners, and profitability for project contributors.

Benefits of changing to BLM from BIM

Improved production, sustainability, and quality, as well as less waste, risk, and expense, are the main advantages of using BLM. These benefits are made possible by BLM’s capacity to decrease rework, centralize data, contextualize knowledge, and more precisely forecast results.

Other ways BLM can benefit you and your business:

• Improve Productivity: Data that is centrally maintained makes it easier to avoid version control problems, human error risks, and even the requirement to manage files. Rework and iterations can be significantly decreased when all users use web services to access a single live database
• Increase Quality and Value from Suppliers: With BLM, designers have more influence over the final product’s quality and may make better judgements within a richer data context. With accurate and more detailed data, contractors and suppliers can coordinate better, carry out projects faster, and accurately realise design intent
• Reduce Waste, Risk, and Cost: Regular cost overruns and predicted risk margins serve as an example of the expected waste that results from using conventional building methods. Contrarily, repetitive manufacturing techniques usually result in waste that is significantly lower. By better anticipating outcomes, spotting possible points of contention, and streamlining processes, BLM is intended to cut down on waste. BLM decreases risk to the project timeline, worker safety, and overall construction budget using the same techniques
• Gain a Competitive Advantage: By adopting BIM Level 3 earlier than the market requires, companies may be able to acquire a competitive edge. A team can outperform rivals by using a BLM system to get ahead of the curve, deliver work of higher caliber, win over owners and design partners, and keep a larger profit margin

How to get started

There isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to implementing a strategy that works for all businesses. Your individual business priorities should be the basis for your distinct BLM deployment.

Our approach is to perform an initial Value Assessment to establish the resources required and predict the expected ROI of an implementation.

How can we help?

The key to solving the Construction industry’s productivity crisis is BLM. This is where we come in.

Our 3DEXPERIENCE platform offers robust PLM applications that leverage BIM data. This includes giving you full advantage of our cloud solutions and process implementation support. Our solution is the preeminent BLM system to help you foster BIM Level 3, unlock the value of BIM data, and enable highly efficient, collaborative design and construction processes.

Get in touch today to find out how BLM can drastically improve your processes.