Towards a greener future: How BIM is revolutionising building management

Owners and managers of large built estates are increasingly seeking innovative solutions to a key challenge: how do we reduce our environmental footprint while simultaneously streamlining operations and ensuring our buildings are fit for the future?  

As we discussed in a recent webinar on sustainability in construction, the answer lies in robust information management practices, with Building Information Modelling (BIM) at the centre. You can watch the full recording here: Green Blueprint: Building a Sustainable Future with BIM and Digital Construction

Beyond the blueprint: what BIM truly means for your estate

For many people, BIM is principally associated with complex 3D construction models or specialist software packages. But it’s more far-reaching and more powerful. Simply put, BIM is a standardised approach for specifying, creating, capturing, and managing building information throughout the entire lifecycle, not only during the construction phase.

BIM isn’t just about outputs. It’s a comprehensive framework designed to ensure consistent, usable data from the initial design concept through to operation and even decommissioning. This framework is built on five key pillars:  

• The information (geometrical and non-geometrical data, like asset details and carbon data)

• The people who use and contribute to it

• The technology that facilitates it

• The processes that govern its management

• The standards that ensure consistency and quality

You can think of it as a central nervous system for your building's data, ensuring everyone has access to the right information at the right time.

BIM as a sustainability powerhouse

In the UK, the built environment is responsible for around a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore, owners and operators carry a significant environmental responsibility. With legally binding targets like reaching net-zero by 2050 and achieving a 68% reduction in carbon by 2030, the pressure is significant, but so is the opportunity.  

This is where BIM truly shines. It enables accurate prediction of embodied carbon (from construction materials and processes) and operational carbon (from heating, lighting, etc.) from the earliest design stages, such as the RIBA Plan of Work. And, it underpins sustainable innovations, such as modular and prefabricated construction, the integration of energy-efficient technologies like LED lighting and renewables, and the development of smart buildings.  

This early insight is crucial, as making changes later in a project is often more costly and complex. A good illustration of this in action is the example we discussed in our recent webinar: the North London Waste Authority's Eco Park South project. Here, BIM was instrumental in enabling the measurement, tracking and modelling of carbon reduction during the design and construction phases.

Driving smarter operations and efficiency

Improving operational efficiency is a top priority for many estate owners, and BIM is a key enabler for achieving this. Perhaps the most significant advantage of adopting BIM is the immediate improvement in the quality and accessibility of building data. Rather than searching through endless, poorly updated, paper-based O&M manuals, you get access to coordinated, structured, and genuinely usable information. And it’s all available via a digital platform that can be accessed from any suitable connected device. This brings several advantages:

• Streamlined change management processes  

• Mitigation of costly errors during construction and operation.

• Less wasted time locating, deciphering and distributing information

• Operational teams can access the right information at the right time.  

• Audit trails of who has accessed or updated information and when

• Better decision-making based on a deeper understanding of how buildings operate

This aligns perfectly with the "Golden Thread" of information, a principle vital not only for building safety but also for tracking and verifying sustainability improvements over a building's lifecycle.  

Real-time insights & future-proofing your estate

The benefits of BIM extend far into the operational life of a building, forming the bedrock for exciting advancements like smart building technology and digital twins.  

Having access to a dynamic digital replica of your building or estate updated continually with live data is already a reality. For example, a system such as Autodesk Tandem, when integrated with BIM models, can provide real-time information on crucial metrics such as room temperature, CO₂ levels, humidity, and occupancy patterns. This empowers owners and operators to make informed, data-driven decisions to optimise energy consumption and create more responsive environments.

For existing buildings, the good news is that BIM principles and technologies can also deliver significant benefits for the "retained estate", which most often represents the largest part of any portfolio. Advanced mapping and modelling technologies incorporating laser scanning can be used to quickly and accurately create detailed 3D models and asset data for legacy structures, bringing them under the BIM umbrella.  

Adopting a BIM-first culture

Beyond the direct operational and sustainability gains, effectively adopting BIM can lead to substantial cost savings as well as enhanced staff productivity and morale – by providing your teams with the tools and information they need to excel. If you’re looking to better leverage BIM within your estates and need support with technology, implementation, upskilling or overall strategy, Majenta can help. Contact us using the link below to discuss your specific requirements and objectives.  

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