What is BIM?

Building information modeling (BIM) is the process of optimizing cost and time during design and construction of assets while increasing the certainty of meeting project requirements. BIM processes often include the creation of detailed 3D models of real-world assets that include manufacturer and material details that may be useful during asset operation and management. Many organizations that deliver BIM projects or receive BIM documents as part of project deliverables believe benefits can be achieved during the maintenance and operation of buildings and assets through a combination of BIM and GIS data. Other users collect BIM-type documentation for buildings and assets after they are built for maintenance, renovation, and operations uses, along with GIS.

BIM and GIS

During the design and construction process, using GIS and BIM information together allows designers to plan and create in context, engineers to factor in environment and context during analysis, and construction staff to plan site logistics and impact on surrounding areas. BIM information was originally created for use in approving, costing, and constructing assets. However, cost savings and information created through BIM processes are driving interest in information-driven asset maintenance, operations, and management. Access to detailed asset information in a geospatial context enables more accurate and efficient planning, operation, performance evaluation, maintenance, and emergency response for individual buildings, entire campuses, and even whole cities.

The BIM and GIS workflow in ArcGIS Pro.

BIM file workspaces in ArcGIS

The BIM file workspace is a predefined schema in which to view a Revit file or to translate BIM information into a geodatabase in ArcGIS Pro. Currently, the BIM file workspace works with data relevant to buildings and structures designed in tools such as Revit. In the future, this definition may be expanded to include other BIM domains such as transportation and utility infrastructure.

The BIM file (Revit) workspace is shown in ArcGIS Pro.

Each set of functionally related assets from the BIM model—such as structural, mechanical, electrical, or architectural—is defined as a discipline. In the BIM file workspace, a discipline is represented by a feature dataset. A discipline includes a group of elements or systems that are used to model or document a building design. For example, doors of a building can be captured in a door category in the architectural discipline and persisted as a feature class in a feature dataset (discipline). Family and Type categories in a model are expressed as attributes in feature classes derived from the model. For example, some doors can be 36 by 84 inches Single-Flush and others can be 68 by 80 inches or 48 by 80 inches Double Glass.

Building disciplines and categories

Currently, the following building disciplines and categories are supported:

Supported building disciplines and categories

The table shows all the datasets and feature classes in the BIM workspace in ArcGIS Pro.

Building discipline dataset	Building feature class	Example category entity
Architectural	Casework	Shelving, Cabinets, Countertops
Architectural	Ceiling	Ceiling
Architectural	Columns	Columns
Architectural	CurtainWallMullions	Vertical bar between panes of glass
Architectural	CurtainWallPanels	Glass wall panels
Architectural	Doors	Doors
Architectural	Entourage	People, Plants, Vehicle
Architectural	Floors	Floors
Architectural	Furniture	Office furniture (office, home)
Architectural	FurnitureSystems	Groups of furniture
Architectural	GenericModel	Miscellaneous items
Architectural	Mass	Mass floors
Architectural	Parking	Parking
Architectural	Planting	Exterior planting
Architectural	PlumbingFixtures	Toilets, Sinks, Vanities
Architectural	Ramps	Ramps
Architectural	Roofs	Roofs
Architectural	Rooms	Rooms
Architectural	Site	Planter, Dumpster, Scaffolding
Architectural	SpecialtyEquipment	Bicycle rack, Solar panels, Recycle bins
Architectural	Stairs	Stairs
Architectural	StairsRailing	Stairs railing
Architectural	Topography	Topography
Architectural	Walls	Walls
Architectural	Windows	Windows
Structural	StructuralColumns	Structural columns
Structural	StructuralFoundations	Structural foundations
Structural	StructuralFraming	Structural framing
Electrical	CableTray	Runs, such as rigid ladder or channel tray
Electrical	CableTray fitting	Cable tray fitting (elbows, tees, wyes, crosses, and other unions)
Electrical	CommDevices	Communication devices
Electrical	Conduit	Rigid runs (a tube or trough for protecting electric wiring)
Electrical	ConduitFitting	Conduit fitting (elbows, tees, wyes, crosses, and other unions)
Electrical	DataDevices	Data devices
Electrical	ElectricalEquipment	Lighting and appliance panel board, Ethernet switch
Electrical	ElectricalFixtures	Ground fault circuit interrupt, Emergency switch
Electrical	FireAlarmDevices	Fire alarm devices
Electrical	LightingDevices	Lighting devices
Electrical	LightingFixtures	Floor lamp, Ceiling light
Electrical	NurseCallDevices	Nurse call devices
Electrical	SecurityDevices	Security devices
Electrical	TelephoneDevices	Telephone devices
Mechanical	AirTerminals	Exhaust grill, Return diffuser
Mechanical	FlexDucts	Flexible ducts
Mechanical	DuctAccessories	Balancing damper, Fire damper, Filter cartridge
Mechanical	DuctFitting	Duct fitting
Mechanical	Ducts	Ducts
Mechanical	MechanicalEquipment	Chillers, Boilers, AWWA pumps
Piping	FlexPipes	Flexible pipes
Piping	PipeAccessory	3-way valve, Butterfly valve, Gate valve
Piping	PipeFitting	Pipe fitting
Piping	Pipes	Pipes
Piping	Sprinkler	Sprinkler

The Exterior Shell feature class contains the Revit elements that are tagged as exterior and are part of the feature classes.

Exterior Shell feature class element
Casework
Ceiling
Columns
Curtain Wall Mullions
Curtain Wall Panels
Doors
Electrical Equipment
Electrical Fixtures
Furniture system
Entourage
Floors
Furniture
Furniture Systems
Generic Model
Lighting Fixtures
Mechanical Equipment
Parking
Planting
Plumbing Fixtures
Ramps
Roofs
Site
Specialty Equipment
Sprinklers
Stairs
Stairs Railing
Structural Columns
Structural Foundation
Structural Framing
Topography
Walls
Windows