Use BIM to ensure accessibility

BIM – Building Information Modelling – is a process to ensure the planning, design and construction of buildings is efficient and collaborative. It’s a collegial way of different building professionals sharing their data to create a 3D model of the building. Consequently, with informed decisions, BIM can ensure accessibility of a building at all stages of construction. 

The purpose of  Magdalena Kladz’s paper is to show the application of BIM in designing for accessibility. She uses an existing single-family home to illustrate how it works and explain some of the technicalities. The home was chosen because of population ageing and the desire to age in one’s own home.  The case study looks at different means to make the home accessible. The illustrations and images are useful supports for the text. While the case study is a single home, the process is applicable to any building. As Kladz says, 

“Accessible buildings enhance the overall quality of life for a city’s residents, who do not feel excluded due to their disabilities, age, or gender. … Furthermore, designing accessible housing contributes to urban sustainability and reduces the negative impact of construction on the environment. Adapting existing buildings and constructing new ones according to universal design principles allows for long-term fulfilment of residents’ needs, without the necessity of demolishing and rebuilding.”

The title of the of the article is Using BIM for the development of accessibility. The video below provides an overview of BIM and how it works. 

From the abstract

Accessibility affects every individual especially with ageing populations.  By applying the principles of universal design, all needs related to mobility, vision, hearing, and other issues are met, thereby creating inclusive spaces that eliminate social exclusion and enhance the quality of life. This article demonstrates the usefulness of BIM in building urban accessibility. We used a point cloud acquired from laser scanning of a single-family building. Based on this, a digital BIM model of the actual building was created in Revit and subsequently modernised. The aim was to remove barriers from the building, as stipulated in the relevant regulation. The BIM model is a geometric representation of the building, and a digital reconstruction of the object.