BimScaler Blog – Project planning, design, and execution have all been transformed by Building Information Modelling (BIM). Throughout the project lifecycle, stakeholders can collaborate, coordinate, and make informed decisions thanks to BIM software, which offers a comprehensive digital representation of a building or infrastructure project.
However, despite the numerous benefits of BIM, construction professionals often face various limitations and challenges associated with the software. These limitations can impact project execution, leading to delays, increased costs, and suboptimal outcomes.
Let’s look at some of the key BIM software limitations that have made it difficult for construction professionals to fully realise its potential. We hope that this article helps you understand the challenges and limitations of BIM software and how to overcome them in order to maximise its benefits for your projects.
Let’s get to it!
One of the primary limitations of BIM software is the technical challenges that arise from the complex nature of the software and the large volumes of data involved in construction projects. These technical limitations can include:
1. Interoperability Issues
BIM software often relies on proprietary file formats and data structures, making it difficult to seamlessly exchange information between different platforms. This lack of interoperability can lead to data loss, incompatibility, and the need for time-consuming manual workarounds.
2. Data management challenges
The sheer volume of data generated by BIM models can be overwhelming, leading to issues with data storage, retrieval, and version control. This issue can result in inefficiencies, errors, and delays in project delivery. Effectively managing and maintaining the integrity of BIM data is crucial for successful project execution.
3. Compatibility with Legacy Systems
Many construction organisations still rely on legacy software and systems that may not be compatible with the latest BIM technologies. Integrating BIM workflows with these legacy systems can be a significant challenge, slowing the adoption of BIM across the organisation.
Another set of challenges that you can face while using a BIM software is managing its data. BIM models generate huge amounts of data. Managing the large volume, velocity, and variety of BIM data can be overwhelming, and it needs to be managed effectively to ensure data quality and consistency.
You can learn more about the topics by clicking the link we provide below.
Learn More: Managing BIM Data: Challenges and Best Practices
Performance and Scalability Challenges
As BIM models become increasingly complex and detailed, the performance and scalability of the software can become a significant concern. These challenges include:
1. Slow processing and rendering
Large BIM models can be computationally intensive, leading to slow processing and rendering times, which can slow down the design and collaboration processes.
Rendering the 3D model to create realistic visualisations can take a significant amount of time, affecting the ability to present design concepts to clients or stakeholders in a timely manner.
Real-time rendering or visualisation features also may not perform smoothly, leading to choppy or lagging visuals during design presentations or walkthroughs.
2. High hardware requirements
The hardware requirements for running BIM software are very demanding. Outdated or underpowered hardware can severely impact the performance and usability of BIM software.
To picture this, let’s take Autodesk Revit, for example.
According to Autodesk’s official documentation, the minimum requirements for your computer to run Revit 2024 are a high-end Intel Xeon or AMD Threadripper CPU and 16GB of RAM.
Just those two parts will set you back about $1500. Also, since it is regarded as a minimum requirement, you might not have the smoothest performance possible with that.
And if you’re handling a large BIM model, you’ll need 64GB of RAM and a more powerful CPU, which will add more cost to your business.
With the demanding hardware requirements, the hardware investment can be expensive, especially for smaller construction firms with limited IT resources.
3. Collaboration and remote access limitations
Effective collaboration and remote access to BIM models are essential in today’s distributed work environments. However, the performance and scalability of BIM software can hinder seamless collaboration, particularly for teams working across different locations.
Cost-Related Limitations
The implementation and ongoing maintenance of BIM software can also present significant cost-related challenges for construction organisations, including:
1. High Initial Investment
While this is not necessarily a limitation of BIM software, the high initial investment can be viewed as a challenge when a company decides to adopt BIM software.
And adopting BIM software means you’ll need to think of a whole other investment, including the cost of the software itself, an investment in a high-spec PC like we mentioned above, and don’t forget training so your teams can effectively adopt the BIM software.
And adopting BIM software necessitates a number of additional investments, including the cost of the software itself, an investment in high-spec PCs, as previously mentioned, and training to ensure that your teams can effectively adopt the BIM software.
While these cost-related challenges are not software limitations, they can be a barrier to smaller construction firms using BIM software.
2. Ongoing licencing and maintenance costs
Unfortunately, most BIM software requires you to pay licensing fees for a limited time.
Let’s take Autodesk Revit again as an example.
While it already requires a significant initial investment, some small construction firms may expect to own the software once you have invested in it.
But, no you’re not.
Autodesk Revit can cost up to $2900, and that is only for “renting” the software for one year. According to Autodesk’s official website, a Revit subscription costs $365 monthly, $2,910 annually, or $8,730 for a 3-year term.
That is why this type of annual licensing system can be considered one of the BIM software limitations, since this pricing model might limit small firms from adopting BIM.
3. Lack of standardisation and vendor lock-in
The fragmented nature of the BIM software market, with various proprietary solutions, can lead to vendor lock-in and a lack of standardisation, limiting the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of BIM implementation.
Overcoming BIM software limitations
To unlock the full potential of BIM and address the technical, performance, and cost-related limitations, construction organisations can adopt the following strategies:
1. Embrace open standards and interoperability.
Adopting industry-standard data exchange formats, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie), can improve interoperability and facilitate seamless data exchange between different BIM software platforms.
2. Invest in scalable hardware and cloud-based solutions.
Upgrading hardware capabilities, leveraging cloud-based BIM platforms, and implementing virtualization technologies can help address performance and scalability challenges, ensuring that BIM software can handle the demands of complex projects.
3. Implement robust data management strategies.
Developing comprehensive data management protocols, utilising BIM-specific data repositories, and automating version control and change management processes can help construction organisations effectively manage the vast amounts of data generated by BIM models.
4. Prioritise training and skill development.
Investing in comprehensive training programmes for employees, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and collaborating with BIM experts can help construction organisations overcome the technical and operational challenges associated with BIM software.
5. Explore cost-effective BIM solutions.
Evaluating and adopting open-source or subscription-based BIM software, as well as exploring shared licensing models, can help construction organisations reduce the upfront and ongoing costs of BIM implementation.
That is everything we need to know about BIM software limitations. Another challenge in implementing BIM is collaboration. You can find out more about this in our previous article. To proceed, simply click the link provided below.
Learn More: Collaboration Challenges in BIM: Things You Should Know About
Conclusion
BIM has emerged as a critical tool in the construction industry, providing numerous benefits in terms of collaboration, coordination, and decision-making. However, the technical, performance, and cost limitations of BIM software can pose significant challenges to construction organisations, preventing them from fully realising BIM’s potential.
That’s why, when you decide to use BIM software, you should consider choosing a partner that can help you navigate these challenges and maximise the benefits of BIM implementation.
Now, it’s time to implement your BIM with BIMScaler.
Our CAD and BIM management services will assist you in streamlining your workflows, improving collaboration, and maximising the benefits of BIM. As a leading provider of BIM services and solutions, BIMScaler offers expert guidance and support to help you navigate the challenges of BIM adoption.
