{"id":237982,"date":"2019-05-28T07:34:03","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T14:34:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=wherenext&p=237982"},"modified":"2025-12-12T08:50:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T16:50:28","slug":"gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","status":"publish","type":"wherenext","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","title":{"rendered":"NextTech: Seeing Buildings before They\u2019re Born"},"author":501,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[981,411722,691],"tags":[358052,358042,23372,483792],"department":[488812],"wherenext-category":[],"industry":[],"class_list":["post-237982","wherenext","type-wherenext","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-green-infrastructure","category-nexttech-features","category-smart-communities","tag-3d-design","tag-architecture-engineering-construction","tag-bim","tag-nexttech","department-emerging-technologies"],"acf":{"short_description":" A combination of 3D technologies gives planners a view of the future that can preempt cost overruns down the road. ","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Before you break ground, break a few pixels.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s the design philosophy blooming among architects, engineers, and construction firms. Projects traditionally began with 2D designs, moved to 3D physical mockups, and then became real-world infrastructure. With that came real-world hassles. But now structures worldwide are being built and contextualized digitally first."},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":"Article Snapshot: Architects, engineers, and construction managers are discovering that a new combination of 3D digital technologies offers a sound defense against project delays and cost overruns.","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"To the delight of project accountants, planners, and those who will occupy the structures themselves, new technology is shaking up the process of translating 2D designs into 3D reality.\r\n\r\nThe Situation\u2014A High Cost for Poor Planning \u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe wisdom of the tailor\u2014measure twice, cut once\u2014also applies to architects, engineers, property developers, construction firms, and others in the building trades. In fact, the amount of time dedicated to planning a property or infrastructure project affects how well it meets the customer\u2019s vision, achieves safety standards, and stays within budget and schedule.\r\n\r\nIn a 2017 report, a UK-based group dedicated to driving errors out of construction<\/a> found that the industry lost \u00a321 billion\u2014or 21 percent of its annual revenue\u2014to what sports fans might call unforced errors. The culprits: late design changes, ineffective communication, and poor coordination.\r\n\r\nResearchers found that project plans often lacked context that could show how a new building would impact the land and structures around it, and how those structures and land would impact the building.\r\n\r\nA new pairing of technologies is doing just that\u2014helping planners see relationships between the built environment and planned structures. With that vision, they can plan for contingencies and avoid surprises during construction.\r\n\r\nThe NextTech\u2014A Unique, Combined Perspective <\/strong>\r\n\r\nDesigners and planners have long sought tools to visualize before they build. Some cities, for instance, have created physical scale models<\/a> that show all the buildings within city limits. But those models don\u2019t reveal things like underground utilities or a building\u2019s interior spaces, and they can\u2019t be updated quickly as conditions change and buildings come and go."},{"acf_fc_layout":"form","form_type":"aside","form_position":"Right","form_title":"THE ESRI BRIEF","form_desc":"A biweekly email connecting senior executives and business leaders with thought-provoking articles on location intelligence and critical technology trends.","form_button_label":"Sign up now","form_content":"https:\/\/go.pardot.com\/l\/82202\/2017-10-12\/jw1bmb","form_tag":"low-commitment-form\/sign-up-form"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"In the greater London area, a joint venture of Skanska, Costain, and STRABAG is designing a high-speed rail line in a unique way<\/a>. In what is likely a first in the UK architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, the partners are planning this \u00a32.1 billion rail project with a combination of 3D technologies\u2014BIM (building information modeling) and GIS (geographic information system).\r\n\r\nGIS helps stakeholders see the project modeled with interrelationships such as terrain and structures around the rail line, including underground utilities. BIM provides a detailed 3D view of the structure being built. With the combined tools, planners can see a 3D model in context before they break ground\u2014which can prevent rework and cost overruns.\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s a technique that holds promise for infrastructure projects and residential developments alike. 3D modeling<\/a> technologies are now the digital sandbox that allows planners to \u201cstand\u201d in a location and see a proposed project from any angle, within the environment it will inhabit. Thus situated, designers and stakeholders can see the internal and external context of buildings during the idea stage.\r\n\r\nThe 3D modeling tools are beginning to crop up in projects from simple housing developments<\/a> to massive infrastructure works like the London rail line. The video below shows how BIM and GIS deliver a simplified illustration of a planned residential development in Lofoten, Norway, an archipelago north of the Arctic Circle. The slides were developed by Norwegian architects Boxs Arkitektstudio<\/a>.\r\n\r\n "},{"acf_fc_layout":"youtube","youtube_video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1Qqu9BYQQTk"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":" \r\n\r\nAs the video shows, GIS and BIM create a twinned perspective\u2014a view of the inside of the building as well as its environs. That gives planners the small-scale insight needed to design desirable living spaces and present them to stakeholders. It also reveals the birds-eye perspective that helps planners gauge whether the buildings are situated appropriately within the town.\r\n\r\nThe Upshot\u2014Foresight Yields Savings<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWhen early planning mistakes materialize during later phases of construction, project costs tend to increase significantly. For instance, when the Wisconsin DOT analyzed a long-term highway interchange project in Milwaukee to determine the savings it could have achieved had planners used 3D modeling<\/a>, the estimate came to nearly $10 million.\r\n\r\nIn contrast, mistakes in the digital world are free\u2014or nearly so. Recognizing that, global destinations such as London, Singapore<\/a>, and Boston are going 3D, investing in digital replicas of their cities to speed up project assessments, streamline the permitting process, ensure citizens\u2019 quality of life, and enforce regulations.\r\n\r\nThrough the marriage of BIM and GIS, today\u2019s architects, engineers, and construction managers are virtually iterating and collaborating on 3D digital models, seeing projects with a level of foresight they have not previously enjoyed.\r\n\r\nWith that vision, they can quickly see what is right\u2014and what could go wrong\u2014with any project."}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"\nInfrastructure and Building Projects Combine BIM, GIS, 3D for Better Planning<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"NextTech: Seeing Buildings before They\u2019re Born\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Esri\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-12T16:50:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/seeing-building-plans-in-a-new-way-card-826x465.jpg\" \/><meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/seeing-building-plans-in-a-new-way-card-826x465.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Esri\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\t \"@graph\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec\",\n\t \"name\": \"Infrastructure and Building Projects Combine BIM, GIS, 3D for Better Planning\",\n\t \"isPartOf\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website\"\n\t },\n\t \"datePublished\": \"2019-05-28T14:34:03+00:00\",\n\t \"dateModified\": \"2025-12-12T16:50:28+00:00\",\n\t \"description\": \"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.\",\n\t \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec#breadcrumb\"\n\t },\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t \"target\": [\n\t \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec\"\n\t ]\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec#breadcrumb\",\n\t \"itemListElement\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 1,\n\t \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t \"position\": 2,\n\t \"name\": \"NextTech: Seeing Buildings before They\u2019re Born\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/\",\n\t \"name\": \"Esri\",\n\t \"description\": \"Esri Newsroom\",\n\t \"potentialAction\": [\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t \"target\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t },\n\t \"query-input\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t }\n\t }\n\t ],\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t },\n\t {\n\t \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/b890389919572d29641d24fc67eaf376\",\n\t \"name\": \"Chris Chiappinelli\",\n\t \"image\": {\n\t \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Esri-Chris_Chiappinelli_540x540.jpg\",\n\t \"contentUrl\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Esri-Chris_Chiappinelli_540x540.jpg\",\n\t \"caption\": \"Chris Chiappinelli\"\n\t },\n\t \"description\": \"Chris Chiappinelli is the editor of Esri\u2019s WhereNext magazine. Through his writing, he explores the intersection of business strategy and location intelligence\u2014and strategic challenges like sustainability, growth, and risk. Prior to joining Esri, Chris managed internal content for PTC, a pioneer in IoT technology, smart products, and augmented reality. Earlier in his career, Chris spent a decade as a journalist covering business and technology news.\",\n\t \"sameAs\": [\n\t \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-chiappinelli-ba56814\",\n\t \"https:\/\/x.com\/chrischip\"\n\t ],\n\t \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/author\/cchiappinelli\"\n\t }\n\t ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Infrastructure and Building Projects Combine BIM, GIS, 3D for Better Planning","description":"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"NextTech: Seeing Buildings before They\u2019re Born","og_description":"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","og_site_name":"Esri","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/esrigis\/","article_modified_time":"2025-12-12T16:50:28+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/seeing-building-plans-in-a-new-way-card-826x465.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""},{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2019\/05\/seeing-building-plans-in-a-new-way-card-826x465.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@Esri","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec","name":"Infrastructure and Building Projects Combine BIM, GIS, 3D for Better Planning","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-05-28T14:34:03+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-12T16:50:28+00:00","description":"With the 3D digital technology in BIM and GIS, infrastructure planners and property developers are getting an early look at what they will bring to life.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/publications\/wherenext\/gis-bim-and-3d-in-aec#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"NextTech: Seeing Buildings before They\u2019re Born"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/","name":"Esri","description":"Esri Newsroom","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/b890389919572d29641d24fc67eaf376","name":"Chris Chiappinelli","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Esri-Chris_Chiappinelli_540x540.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/app\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Esri-Chris_Chiappinelli_540x540.jpg","caption":"Chris Chiappinelli"},"description":"Chris Chiappinelli is the editor of Esri\u2019s WhereNext magazine. Through his writing, he explores the intersection of business strategy and location intelligence\u2014and strategic challenges like sustainability, growth, and risk. Prior to joining Esri, Chris managed internal content for PTC, a pioneer in IoT technology, smart products, and augmented reality. Earlier in his career, Chris spent a decade as a journalist covering business and technology news.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/chris-chiappinelli-ba56814","https:\/\/x.com\/chrischip"],"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/author\/cchiappinelli"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wherenext\/237982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wherenext"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wherenext"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wherenext\/237982\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237982"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=237982"},{"taxonomy":"wherenext-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wherenext-category?post=237982"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=237982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}