Cloud computing and BIM for the construction industry

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Cloud computing is a relatively new phenomenon in the construction industry. It allows the delivery over the 'cloud' (the internet) of a range of computing services, such as storage, databases, networking, servers, software and analytics to allow building professionals access to faster and more flexible resources.

That means with the assistance of cloud computing, architects and engineers can collaborate on a Building Information Modeling project which is being executed in the office of an architectural and engineering company even when they are at different locations.

The benefits of cloud computing to architects and engineers include:

• The ability to check designs from anywhere in the world.
• Accessing Building Information Models on mobile devices and collaborating with the team of modelers working on them.
• Suggestions can be provided by architects and engineers to the team executing the project.
• Architects and engineers can easily excess construction documents on site.
• Building professionals can mark-up drawings and plans.
• Projects complications and their status can be easily communicated to Building Information Modelers by architects and engineers.
• Having access to the latest project documents from anywhere in the world.
• The combination of Building Information Modeling and cloud computing can enhance the productivity of the project team.

Cloud computing services are categorised as public, private and hybrid.

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