Building Information Model for Existing Buildings for Facilities Management: RetroBIM Framework

The use of Building information modelling for the design and construction phase of a building has been thoroughly looked into by researchers and practitioners and there is evidence to support that it is beneficial for reducing cost, time and improving communication. Yet the potential use of BIM for the operational and management phase (Facilities management), besides maintenance schedules and equipment information and location, is still not clearly identified. The UK Government, institutional clients and major private owners are now demanding for BIM for new construction and major refurbishment but given that 70-75% of the current UK building stock will still be in use in 2050, a significant part of the existing facilities will not have an information model till the next major refurbishment, creating a major gap in the built environment. This paper presents a new framework aimed at creating information models for facilities management requiring minimal BIM skills and discusses the impact that models created for the operational stage would have on the whole life cycle of a building.