"The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency."—Bill Gates

The more I learn, the more I am impressed and convinced that the potential efficiencies gained through building information modeling (BIM) technology will revolutionize the AEC industry.

No doubt, like me, some of you have been reading articles, listening to presentations, and learning about the benefits of BIM from those who have had early success in practice and from the BIM software companies. Perhaps you have been exposed to those high-profile, highly complex, high-dollar projects, and although you believe the technology is interesting, you are unclear about the benefits and risks and you dismiss it as unrelated or unachievable for you and your firm’s projects. Maybe many of you are reading about BIM for the first time.

In fact, in a survey conducted by Structural Engineer of its readers in May, we learned that 64 percent of structural engineers are not familiar with the term building information modeling. I took this as a directive to include more about BIM in this magazine to help raise the awareness of this important topic.To help you educate yourself on BIM and its implications, Structural Engineer has gathered several BIM-related articles for this issue, and we plan to publish a BIM Special Report next month in the September issue.

In particular, this issue includes the final article in the 2006 Roundtable Series.

The topic for this discussion was BIM, and I was thrilled to have three structural engineers, one architect, and three BIM software experts participate. Read Building information modeling: Status and concerns to learn more about the use of the current technology. As the panel explains, there is a wide spectrum of BIM adoption and confidence. So whether you are using BIM now or still on the fence, I believe that you will identify with one of the panelists’ perspectives on this topic.

The BIM revolution: A multitude of advantages for an industry, by H. Michael Hill, AIA, CSI,CCS,CCCA, LEED AP, offers another perspective on the benefits and challenges of adopting BIM technologies into your firm.

This month’s cover story, 3-D project delivery: BIM success on the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, contributed by GHAFARI’s Advanced Technologies Manager Samir Emdanat, details how his firm leveraged BIM to offer its clients additional services, in this case, as a third-party BIM consultant.

After reading these features, I hope that you will have a more in-depth understanding of what your colleagues are concerned with, impressed by, currently doing, and still pondering regarding BIM. Next month, our BIM Special Report will include a feature detailing more of the responses from our survey.

Additionally, this special section will include BIM platform product information and several BIM-related news articles.