IMI and BAC Commit Major Funding to Advance BIM for Masonry

JOURNAL: ISSUE 1 - 2013

IMI and BAC have each made a substantial financial commitment this year to the Building Information Modeling for Masonry (BIM-M) effort as it rolls out its roadmap to fully integrate masonry into the design process. "This is particularly important since other competing industries are embracing the use of digital modeling, clash detection and construction coordination using BIM," said BAC President Jim Boland who also serves as co-chair of IMI. "Our goal is to keep masonry competitive by leveraging our natural advantages as a quality material with a skilled labor force to combine with coming technological improvements to make sure our members are competing on a level playing field with other products and systems."

Working with the Georgia Institute of Technology's Digital Building Laboratory, the masonry industry developed the roadmap, which represents a total immersion of all aspects of masonry, from architectural and engineering coordination through masonry materials and properties to construction management and mason contracting functions. As the project moves into its next phase, IMI and BAC will be working to familiarize and educate members and contractors on the use of BIM-M so that the industry will not lose any time once it is fully operational.