Enhancing Facility Management through BIM 6D

BIM has been widely adopted by the construction sector, though Facility Management (FM) is still based on a variety of disparate FM systems. The operational phase requires comprehensive set of well-structured information regarding the building asset. Therefore, a BIM model filled with the multifarious information from the pre-use phase ought to be exploited through its integration with existing FM systems. This paper aims to appreciate the contribution of BIM in optimizing the processes conducted conventionally within the FM practice. The importance of sustained information flow for the efficient operational stage is a pre-requisite of the further discussion. The exploration of FM application areas for BIM-enabled processes is aimed to depict the potential of the BIM for FM concept. By elaborating on the existing challenges concerning the shift from traditional FM processes to new BIM-based approach the outstanding problems are realized. On these grounds advice is provided. The study focuses mainly on new investments, where information management must be sustained from the project inception until the current operational stage. The paper proves the potential of BIM for the optimization of FM practices, presenting a wide range of application areas followed by tangible benefits for the building performance across its life-cycle. Identified barriers are assumed to be mitigated by diligent implementation of provided recommendations. It is concluded that BIM-based FM processes have the potential to shed a new light not only on the FM sector itself but on the perception of the whole industry being based on the collaborative approach towards delivery of the intelligent facilities. Nevertheless, such results demand profound cultural changes within the construction sector, with the FM appreciation as a starting point.