Article Response_Probe 2

The article by Jim Bedrick and Tony Rinella makes a very compelling case for the benefits of BIM for the design process. It is clear that 2d CAD will eventually be supplanted by this new technology which streamlines the design process. The case study which demonstrated the superiority of a BIM process showed the vast increases in productivity that can be achieved, particularly with regard to feedback from consultants. This enhanced productivity and collaboration should lead ultimately to designs that perform better and are more often constructed on time and budget. But the move towards a drastically faster design process seems that it could pose difficulties. Creative design solutions, ultimately, will need to come from architects, even as we give more and more responsibility to computers and software. As the design phase of projects shrinks with BIM, there is potentially less time for iteration and the exploration of alternatives. Humans are not computers, and often require time for design ideas to gestate and come to fruition in the mind. While increased efficiency and productivity are certainly crucial moving forward, there is likely a limit to how much time can be cut out of the early design phases of projects if design quality is to advance along with efficiency and productivity.

David Jordani's article looks into the future of BIM at several key issues that face the profession as BIM becomes even more of an industry standard. Of particular note is the potential value of BIM information for the management of a building throughout its life cycle. Today, life-cycle issues are not a large aspect of sustainability initiatives such as LEED, probably because of the difficulty of calculating and monitoring building performance. As BIM advances, it may become easier and more economical to monitor buildings throughout their life cycle. The data from this monitoring would be one more feedback loop for front-end designers which could only help to improve the sustainability of our new buildings.

Jordani mentions the efforts to confront the many legal issues that have emerged from the implementation of BIM. For the wider spread of BIM, all firms need to feel secure legally when they switch to BIM. Groups mentioned in the article are very important so that standards can be put in place. 

Professional training will be a bigger issue for firms than it has been in the past. With the speed of technological advances, architects will almost certainly see dramatic changes in the course of their careers, which did not occur before the late 20th century. Workers will not be able to become complacent with their technological and software skills.