Beyond BIM: Next-Generation Building Information Modeling to Support Form, Function, and Use of Buildings

Summary A modeling system that comprises form, function, and use will be a step forward, compared to the current state-of-the-art of building information models, which ignore these important aspects of a building. This chapter elucidates the nature of form, function, and use, and the relationships among them. They are not independent of each other: they are influenced by, and influence, one another. By simulating the building in-use, such a model will allow designers and their clients to make more informed decisions about the product they are designing and its potential impacts on the people who will use it. Such simulation can be used to evaluate the fit between the building and its intended functions and users, under normal and under emergency conditions. By combining building information modeling (BIM), game engines, and ontology modeling systems, a composite system can be developed that can represent all three components of the proposed model.