The German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport describes BIM as the end-to-end digitization of all building information relevant to planning and implementation in the form of a virtual building model. BIM stands for "Building Information Modeling", which means building data modeling. The data represented by BIM is managed over the entire life cycle of a building. Not only is the physical geometry mapped, but also information about materials, costs, schedules and performance characteristics. The federal government has even developed its own BIM portal to ensure successful communication between clients and contractors.
The "first build virtually, then build for real" approach should lead to greater cost transparency, efficiency and adherence to schedules in infrastructure projects. Costs and risks can be determined earlier and more precisely, and workflows can be designed more efficiently. Building maintenance can also be optimized through BIM, as more precise information about individual building components can be accessed.
