Canada BIM Council’s (CanBIM) upcoming regional session in Toronto aims to discuss trends in Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, how it’s used, and how it’s influencing the core DNA of the industry, says the council’s president. "It's taking the regional session to where members want it," explains Allan Partridge."We're certainly finding more and more our members are looking for diversity and looking at beyond the BIM 101."BIM is the process of generating and managing digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of places. It uses files, which can be exchanged or networked, to support decision-making. BIM software can be used in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure.The Technology Built Innovation: CanBIM Regional Session and Technology Exhibition takes place June 10 and 11 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. There will be three areas of focus; design and engineering, building and detailing, and operations and maintenance during the event, which also features various panels and presentations on developments in BIM technology. These sessions take place mainly on June 11, with June 10 dedicated to an optional Union Station site tour and the opening reception."The creation of the streams was not to create silos, but really to help people see this bigger picture. They're going to have to look for ways to change how they do business," Partridge adds."We've got some great areas that we've never touched on before."CanBIM members and guests will be able to learn from top software and hardware innovators and developers, explains a release."Leading BIM users, first-rate technology companies and emerging developers will showcase where their rapidly evolving products are headed and the powerful impact these tools will have on the building industry," it reads.Some of the topics that are being discussed this year include, next generation surveying technologies, BIM for facilities management, construction management systems, BIM estimating and scheduling, building civil information models and BIM for civil, to name a few."Civil we've barely touched on before. It's huge from the horizontal infrastructure perspective," Partridge says, adding CanBIM wanted to find a way to "bring what they're doing to our community, when traditionally there's never been a bridge between the vertical and horizontal unless you're a company that does both."Participants will get updates about the council's advocacy initiatives, the CanBIM Certification program, and will be able to listen in on a keynote address about the future of technology and innovation in the AECOO (architecture, engineering, construction, owner, and operator) industries."The reality is, we are fast approaching 100 member firms. In those member firms, we estimate between 20 and 50 people that are actively involved in some BIM enabled technologies of some sort," Partridge states.As CanBIM continues to gain momentum, he says it's important for the council to act on behalf of the AECOO and education communities, be it through certification or other initiatives."We believe if BIM is a catalyst, then CanBIM has to be equally a catalyst for the industry as well," he says, as overall BIM technology is the way of the future."As more people get confident with the technology, they're increasingly getting confident with the whole gambit of changes that are coming such as enhanced collaboration at levels we've never seen before. The breaking down of barriers around the sharing of models," he adds. "It's almost like BIM is creating a common language set for us to begin to change how we instrumentally put our buildings together. No longer can an individual stand alone in their own silo, they've got to go seeking a cylinder of excellence."
