Introducing ArcGIS GeoBIM
ESRI and Autodesk
The partnership between Esri and Autodesk was announced in November 2017 and serves as a connection between Autodesk’s “Make Anything” and Esri’s “The Science of Where”. This partnership is to form an integrated system of BIM and GIS workflows that will help the Infrastructure AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) in the development of spatial and attribute data of Esri’s GIS and 3D BIM models.
What is GIS?
A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that is designed to create, capture, store, manipulate, manage, analyze, and map all types of geographic data. This data is associated with spatial attributes which gives the user information on “where things are” and “what things are like there”, providing a basis for mapping and spatial analysis that is used in science and almost every industry. GIS helps users to query and understand patterns, relationships, and trends beneficial for effective planning and decision making.
What is BIM?
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is an intelligent 3D model-based process targeted as a foundation for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Transforming in the design, construction, operation, and management of the built environment and helps in decision making.
The Business Problem to Solve
The partnership aims at creating innovative ways for smarter infrastructure and sustainable smart cities. The data and documents stored can be accessed by multiple desktop and web applications.
Moreso, a single project or organization has a one-off design.
Why GIS and BIM together?
The building is no longer in isolation, BIM and GIS integration have made infrastructures projects of houses, facilities, and networks be at the centre of AEC operations. This brings together an integrated system of GIS and BIM workflows to aid stakeholders involved in planning and design to better understand how the natural ecosystem and existing built environment connect with the new infrastructure assets.
The partnership will aid a more sustainable environment and resilient infrastructure. Growing beyond just Designing and building but understanding where to build and why AEC firms and project owners should build.
Existing Integrations
Currently, there are integrations between Esri and Autodesk, Design engineers can make use of Civil3D or Infraworks to access shared content from Esri’s Web GIS platforms such as ArcGIS Enterprise or ArcGIS Online. For GIS, ArcGIS Pro users can connect to and read Revit and Civil3D drawings created using BIM processes. For both cases, a pattern of work cloud connections is formed that can move the data to the middle, this collaboration results in a more connected workflow.
Introducing ArcGIS GeoBIM
The introduction of ArcGIS GeoBIM aims at transforming AEC projects with geospatial context. You can manage risks, costs, and timeliness by connecting the building information modeling (BIM) process with location when designing, and constructing large capital infrastructure projects.
GeoBIM allows integration and visualization of project data in a single, cloud-to-cloud solution for making collective decisions with stakeholders in the infrastructure industry.
Building and Designing are needed for sustainable infrastructure at different scales. Multiple systems are connected within one web app that integrates all data, with a location-based geographic approach. Complex data and file conversion are reduced.
In Conclusion, Maps, digital models, and project information can be linked to a holistic approach. Projects can be shared for team collaboration and for stakeholders’ decision-making. ArcGIS GeoBIM can be used in the Communication of project data by arranging the entire portfolio into a single system across regions in order to manage them effectively.
Read more about ArcGIS GeoBIM on the Esri website for StoryMaps and Youtube illustrations.
