The sustainable qualities of cold-formed steel framing make it a natural fit for high-performance buildings. With various environmental and economic benefits, incorporating steel framing into a project can result in labor and cost savings for the construction team. Additionally, when using BIM add-ins, such as those for designing wall assemblies, specific system components can be seamlessly integrated into an easy-to-share information-rich model.
As BIM continues to gain traction for projects of all sizes, there are three best practices for any individual or project team to consider:
- discuss how to organize the BIM model;
- decide on the level of detail to include; and
- share the design intent with other professionals who play a role in construction and may interact with the model.
BIM opens the door for architects to pass models with various wall elements and design properties onto contractors with the assurance all materials will work together within the overall building design. This type of interactive platform, in which details have been linked together, gives architects and contractors a truly collaborative framework to successfully design even the most challenging wall assemblies.