Building information modelling (BIM) has been part of the built environment conversation for years, yet for many facilities management teams it still feels complex, inaccessible, or designed for someone else.
That’s changing.
As buildings become more data-driven and operational efficiency comes under increasing pressure, BIM is emerging not as a “nice to have” but as a practical foundation for smarter facilities management.
What is BIM?
At its core, BIM is a digital representation of a physical building. But it’s more than a 3D model.
When integrated with CMMS software, BIM combines geometry with data around spaces, assets, systems, and relationships, creating a single, intelligent source of truth for a building. BIM models are dynamic, navigable, and designed to support decision-making across the entire building lifecycle.
For facilities teams, this means moving away from fragmented documentation and toward a digital environment where building information is visual, connected, and usable.
Why BIM Is valuable for facilities management
BIM offers tangible operational benefits, and you can read more about the financial savings it can provide in our blog: Maximising ROI from CMMS: a foundation for BIM.
- Better asset visibility
Assets are no longer hidden in spreadsheets or legacy documents. BIM provides clear context around where assets are located and how they relate to surrounding spaces and systems. - Virtual access to buildings
Teams can explore buildings remotely, reducing the need for physical site visits and enabling faster planning and issue resolution. - Faster work turnaround
With accurate spatial and asset data readily available, tasks such as maintenance planning, contractor coordination, and space changes become quicker and more efficient. - Improved decision-making
BIM supports more informed decisions across the asset lifecycle, from day-to-day operations to long-term planning and capital investment.
Why BIM adoption has been slow in FM
Despite these benefits, BIM adoption within facilities management has lagged behind other stages of the built environment lifecycle. This isn’t due to lack of interest – it’s largely about practical barriers.
Many FM departments or service providers operate under tight budgets, making it difficult to justify perceived upfront costs or unproven returns. There’s also a strong risk-minded culture in the industry, where new technologies must demonstrate clear, immediate value before they’re embraced.
Time is another major factor. FM teams are often stretched thin, focused on keeping buildings operational. Learning new systems or workflows can feel unfeasible when day-to-day pressures leave little room for experimentation.
Finally, BIM has historically been associated with new construction or large capital projects, leading some FMs to assume it’s not relevant for existing buildings.
Lowering the barrier to entry
As the FM industry continues its digital transformation, there is growing recognition that BIM isn’t as complex or disruptive as assumed.
At Service Works Global, we’ve seen increasing demand for practical, accessible ways to get started – especially for organisations with existing buildings and legacy documentation. That insight has shaped the launch of Plan to BIM, a service designed to help facilities teams take a first step.
By converting existing drawings and floor plans into usable BIM models, Plan to BIM focuses on enabling operational value quickly, rather than delivering BIM for BIM’s sake. The goal is simple: help organisations move from static documentation to intelligent digital models in a way that fits real-world FM challenges.
BIM as a practical FM tool
BIM doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing transformation. For facilities management, it can start small with a single building, a single model, or a single use case, and expand as value is realised.
As digital maturity becomes increasingly important across FM, BIM is shifting from a perceived risk to a practical enabler. When barriers are lowered and value is clear, it becomes less about adopting new technology and more about working smarter with the buildings we already manage.
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